Zdeno Chara’s heroic Broken Jaw game elevated the Bruins legend.

Before the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, Zdeno Chara was already unquestionably a legend of the Boston Bruins, but that summer he cemented his position in Boston history even further. In the fourth game of the Bruins’ championship series against the St. Louis Blues, Chara took a puck to the face. The larger-than-life blueliner was forced to miss the rest of the game, which the Bruins lost 4-2, and it left a bloody scene on the Enterprise Center rink. But rather than being in the dressing room or on a trainer’s table, Chara, one of the best B’s teammates of his time, chose to watch from the bench.

“After the Bruins-Blues Game 4, he was out there because he wanted to come out on the bench and be with his teammates,” former Boston head coach Bruce Cassidy said to reporters. After then, the best-of-seven series was tied at two games apiece, casting doubt on the Bruins. Even though Chara was one of the hardest players in the NHL, this wasn’t your typical injury.

The captain suffered a severely adverse injury when the puck struck his face: a broken jaw. Apart from the excruciating pain associated with such a severe injury, he was never going to be able to communicate verbally the way he preferred. A great loss for someone who was a leader among his teammates and frequently played the position of quarterback on the ice.

Most players would have likely skipped Game 5 and possibly the rest of the series. However, Chara wasn’t your typical athlete. Instead of focusing on whether Chara would take the ice with the series leading on the line, the majority of the conversation leading up to that game concerned how he would play with a broken jaw.

One of the most unforgettable scenes at TD Garden this century occurred next. In addition to suiting up for Game 5 against the Blues, Chara was one of the Bruins starters entrusted with providing an early boost to the team in a crucial game. Additionally, Boston fans greeted the six-time NHL All-Star with shouts at a decibel level reserved for the most significant occasions when he was announced prior to puck drop. As the Garden roof was being blown off, the ever-focused Chara, decked out in a complete cage, shook up his legs for what looked to be a physical tilt.

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