BOSTON – Ray Bourque never got to say goodbye to Boston.

After the Bruins captain was traded to the Colorado Avalanche on March 6, 2000, a news conference was held at a Boston airport hotel just as he was about to step onto a plane to Denver. Though Bourque's eyes welled up with tears, it wasn't the same.

Bourque had played his last game as a Bruin two days earlier against the Flyers in Boston, not knowing if his request for a trade would be granted.

Bourque will be back in Boston

Saturday could possibly have been Ray Bourque's last game at the FleetCenter, but it's unlikely to be the last time that he steps on the FleetCenter ice. Hanging from the building's rafters are the jersey numbers worn by seven of the most accomplished players in Bruins history – Eddie Shore (No. 2), Lionel Hitchman (No. 3), Bobby Orr (No. 4), Abrey "Dit" Clapper (No. 5), Phil Esposito (No. 7), John Bucyk (No. 9) and Milt Schmidt (No. 15). What are the odds of Bourque's No. 77 joining them? "Pretty good," said general manager Mike O'Connell with a knowing laugh. "Pretty good." It won't be the first number retirement ceremony for Bourque. When Bourque arrived in Boston, he wore jersey No. 7, which once belonged to Esposito, the top-scoring center in Bruins history. When the Bruins retired Espo's number during a pregame ceremony on Dec. 3, 1987, Bourque presented the jersey by stripping it off his back and revealing No. 77, the number he has worn since. Though Esposito's number was the last to be retired, no Bruin who has worn the Black and Gold since Johnny Bucyk in 1978 has had his number retired by the team. When Bourque's number is raised, it will be testament to his abilities as well as to the quality of the franchise over the last 22 years that contributed to his departure. "Whether or not they retire No. 77, I have no idea," Bucyk said. "But I know one thing: Ray Bourque will be in the Hall of Fame." – Sherry Skalko

Saturday, 385 days later, he finally got to say goodbye.

"I was very happy I had the opportunity to come back and thank the fans at the end," Bourque said. "They were so good to me and treated my very well. It was a very nice day and I had a lot of fun with it."

Bourque had tried to be his usual stoic self in the days leading up to the game, but his roommate and former Bruins teammate Dave Reid could see cracks in the armor.

"He was definitely excited," Reid said. "Ray is so good at keeping his emotions under control, but you could see it coming out here and there in the things he said. We all knew he was excited for the game.

"But we didn't realize the way the emotions were going to start running until we got out for warm-ups and the place started going bananas. I felt it, everyone else sure felt it. Ray had to feel it more so than any of us."

The helmetless Bourque looped around the Colorado end and, on the center ice side of the blue line, gave the crowd a wave.

The teams returned to the locker rooms and the Bruins, true to president Harry Sinden's words, said "thank you" and continued with the game. As did Bourque.

He was in the locker room when the video montage of his career highlights played on the scoreboard video screen. Yet instead of the standard tribute fare setting the mood – Sarah McLachlan's "I Will Remember You" or Green Day's "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" – it was Macy Gray belting out "I Try," which proved to be more fitting.

We should be together, babe, but we're not ...

Bourque was the first member of the Avalanche to take the ice. As he reached the middle of the Colorado blue line, he saluted the crowd with his stick and seemingly all of the 17,565 fans in attendance roared. After that, he was all business.

"It wasn't very difficult until the end of the game. It was very business-like," he said. "You get out there and you've got to do a job. During the national anthem is the time to focus, zone in and do a job."

And he executed his job in typical Bourque fashion. He was on the ice when Colorado opened the game with three straight goals in four minutes. He assisted on the second and third, but Joe Sakic's opening tally just nine seconds into the game had rendered even the fans business-like. They stopped focusing on Bourque and instead watched intently as their Bruins fought for their playoff lives.

But Bourque wasn't perfect. With the score 3-2, Bourque was called for high sticking Andrei Kovalenko behind the net and the Bruins went on the power play.

"I told the guy in the box it wasn't the way I wanted to see him again," Bourque said. "It's not where you want to be when the Bruins are storming back."

I try to say goodbye and I choke ...

It wasn't until 41 seconds remained that the fans rose from their seats and gave Bourque a standing ovation, perhaps deciding a tribute to their former captain outweighed their team's chances of recovering from a two-goal deficit.

With 20 second left the chanting began: "Ray, Ray, Ray ..."

The seconds ticked down. A teammate passed Bourque the puck. His actions indicated his first thought was to shoot at the empty net. Seeing opponents in his path, Bourque looked at the clock. Three seconds left.

The final horn sounded before Bourque picked up the puck, and the crowd erupted.

... try to walk away and I stumble ...

Colorado goaltender Patrick Roy, a member of the rival Montreal Canadiens for 11 seasons, had never heard such a loud applause after winning a game in Boston.

"I'm not used to that," Roy said, "but you know what, Ray deserved it. He's been so good to that organization and these fans deserved every moment of it. I'm extremely happy for him."

If it weren't for the former Canadien, the event wouldn't have been as joyous for the Avalanche. Roy made 36 saves, many of them difficult, to preserve the 4-2 win.

"Patrick jokingly said he didn't want to lose a friend today," Bourque said.

The Bruins left the ice. The rest of the Avalanche stayed and watched as Bourque skated an oval from blue line to blue line and saluted the Boston faithful – his faithful – once again. Then, they followed into the locker room one of the players who could help lead them to the Stanley Cup.

"He's class," Reid said. "He applauded the fans to show how great they are and how great they've supported him over the years. That's just Ray."

... though I try to hide it, it's clear, my world crumbles when you are not near.

After the game, Reid said Bourque was serving as a tour guide on the team bus, and that he had pointed out the Ted Williams Tunnel. Though Bourque denies knowing the exact location of the Ted Williams Tunnel ("I didn't know where I was," he said. "As we're flying in, teammates are pointing and asking me 'What's that' and said 'I don't know.'"), it was the closest illustration of a display of giddiness by Bourque.

"Ray is very proud of his career here. He's very proud to call Boston his home. He's a Boston Bruin through-and-through and that's not going to change," Reid said. "He's spent half his life here. He's had great memories here."

Which is why Ray Bourque will live in the Boston area when he retires from playing. He might even learn to make a positive ID on the Ted Williams Tunnel.

"It's a great place to raise a family," he said. "I'll always be a Bruin. I have a lot of memories here that can't be taken away."

Sherry Skalko is the NHL editor for ESPN.com.