Video: Bruins give law enforcement officers the shirts off their backs

Typically it's after the regular season's final home game that the Bruins literally give away the shirts off their backs. And typically it's given as a gift to season ticket holders.

But at the end of a most atypical week in Boston, the B's tweaked tradition Sunday -- at the behest of those season ticket holders -- and instead presented the sweaters they wore during Sunday's 3-0 win over the Panthers to some of the law enforcement officers involved in the manhunt for two suspects accused on planting bombs at the Boston Marathon.

"Post game was beyond special today," Tweeted defenseman Andrew Ference, adding that he gave his jerseys to an officer who has been a friend for years, and who had taken him to Ranger training/sniper school. "I was so honored to meet everyone after the game and get to chat for a bit."

The Bruins also honored law enforcement on Saturday by taking the ice before the game wearing the caps of the Massachusetts State Police, the Boston Police, and the Watertown Police in homage to the efforts those departments had made over the preceding hours and days. To see all the players with their jersey recipients after Sunday's game, check out the still photos on the Bruins Blog.

Here's hoping a new tradition has begun.