Last night the Boston Bruins faced the Buffalo Sabres in an emotionally charged game of ice hockey, as Boston fans gathered in the wake of the bombings at Monday’s marathon.

As is very often the case in the aftermath of collective tragedies, sporting events have offered an outlet for mass grieving and the comfort of reaffirmation of national and civic pride. In the case of the Boston marathon bombings the significance of the tragedy taking place at a sporting event will most likely serve to further the emotional weight afforded to attendance of, and participation in, sporting events in the proceeding weeks.

The pre-game rituals at the Bruins game, held at Boston's TD Garden, deviated from the usual script as national anthem singer Rene Rancourt stopped singing and allowed the crowd take over.

Boston lost the game 3-2 but qualified for the playoffs by virtue of the point gained from taking the game to overtime.