Optimist or Realist?

Posted on January 27, 2011 by Kyle Roussel

With a fanbase as large as that of the Montreal Canadiens, you usually receive the full gamut of opinions on just about every question. Last season’s playoff run is no exception. Some fans believed the run to the Eastern Conference Finals was a harbinger of things to come, while others saw it as an aberration.

Your point of view probably indicates what type of outlook you have in other aspects of your life, so today I’m asking you how you viewed last season’s playoff run.

Since the Habs reached the 3rd out of 4 possible rounds, do you choose to look at it as the Habs making it 3/4 of the way to glory?

Or do you choose to break it down a little further and see it as the Canadiens merely winning 9 out of a required 16 games – 1 more game than the halfway mark of 8 wins, and a far cry from 3/4 of the way to glory?

The first option could be viewed as optimistic or delusional, while the second option can be looked at as being realistic or pessimistic.

Is there a middle ground?

Where do you stand?

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Did They Hear Us in Pittsburgh?

Posted on May 13, 2010 by Kyle Roussel

Just think: aside from the hearts and minds of Habs fans everywhere, the Canadiens haven’t won anything yet! Can you imagine if this ride goes any further?

At the conclusion of game 6 on Monday, the Canadiens announced that they were going to open up the Bell Center for game 7 up to the public while the team duked it out with the Penguins in Pittsburgh. $10 for the chance to witness an unforgettable and historic event in Habs history. Was it worth the price of admission? I think it’s the best $10 I’ve ever spent! 21,000 other fans likely agree. While the fans were crazed last night, there were some lengths of tension. Even with a 4-0 lead, there was still a small sense of dread that the whole thing could come crashing down. 4-1….4-2….some fans were clutching their chests. But the fans eventually pulled their spirits back up, and once the Canadiens killed Hamrlik’s penalty to start the 3rd, the energy snowballed once again.

The energy and noise emanating from the Bell Center last night HAD to be heard all the way in Pittsburgh. It just had to. I’ve never heard anything like it, though I hope I get the chance to put that statement to the test this year. People were still finding their seats when Gionta opened the scoring, and they leapt out of them when Gionta closed the scoring midway through the 3rd. While some have been waiting for the so-called inevitable Habs collapse, it seemed that fate had a different inevitability in mind: that the Canadiens were going to knock off the defending champs. That the Canadiens were going to bookend the Mellon Arena’s life with wins. With Gionta’s 2nd goal of the game everyone in the building knew that victory was imminent and the last 5 minutes of the game was a slowly building crescendo to the final siren.

I could drone on and on about the atmosphere, but I think the videos may paint a better picture for you.

Fans bow to Halak as he slams the door time and time again in the 3rd period.

The final half minute ticks off the clock. The volume builds and builds and builds as the seconds tick away. This one will make your spine tingle. Guaranteed. If you’re a Penguins fan, it may send you in to convulsions. You’ve been warned.

The streets of Montreal filled with overjoyed Habs fans:

Pandemonium continues, far from the Bell Center:

What a night! What a team! How much further can this thing go? Hopefully all the way, but what we can definitely say the following:

People who took shots at the Canadiens for being undersized all year can shut their faces. Forever.
Once you make the playoffs, anything CAN happen. I’ll keep that in mind. Forever.
People who said the first series was a fluke, or that the Habs are a one-man team can now shut up. Forever.
Shutting down the league’s best in Ovechkin, Crosby, Green, Semin, Malkin is NOT a fluke.
The Canadiens are THE story of the playoffs, no matter what happens to them from here. Period.
You don’t need a captain to have success, though this Canadiens team probably has at least 3 or 4 of them. Perhaps therein lies part of their secret sauce

Anyone else have a crazy game 7 experience? Please feel free to share it in the comments!

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Questions for the Tin Hat Brigade

Posted on May 7, 2010 by Kyle Roussel

Some Habs fans are upset, despite being locked up at 2 games apiece with the defending Cup champs.

Why are they upset? Because, apparently the officials are under strict orders from the NHL to ensure that Sidney Crosby and his Pittsburgh Penguins ensnare another championship. What Canadiens fans fail to realize is that just about every team’s fanbase is accusing the league of conspiring against them. How can the league possibly be conspiring against everyone…except Crosby, of course.

Friend and fellow blogger Rocket has his own blog up this morning about how the officiating has been horrid, but that the conspiracy talk is not necessary, at least not yet.

Not all of you follow all sports, but if anyone recalls the near-disastrous incident the NBA had to deal with a couple years ago with corrupted official Tim Donaghy, you’d have to believe that all pro sports leagues took note. A league that is suspected of being rigged and fixed is no better than pro wrestling. I’m sorry, but the NHL is not the WWE, and as much as we distrust Gary Bettman and his group, it’s insanity to think that he’d willingly put the NHL is such a position.

Please, enough. There aren’t any conspiracies or agendas, at least as far as match fixing is concerned. And that goes for Canadiens fans, Canucks fans, Redwings fans, and fans of any other team that think they’ve been stabbed in the back by the league.

If Bettman and his cronies at the NHL were scheming and plotting to ensure certain teams and players have success, then ask youselves the following questions:

Would the league have allowed the Hurricanes to play the Oilers in the Cup finals?
Would the league have allowed the Lightning to play the Flames in the Cup finals?
Wouldn’t the league have done its best to ensure that the Rangers not only made the playoffs in the last 2 games vs Philadelphia, but ensure they go deep ? After all, New York is by FAR the largest TV market in the U.S., and TV ratings mean money.
Wouldn’t the league have done more to try and help the Kings defeat the Canucks? Fans in Vancouver were pretty certain that the league was fixing to ensure their team’s demise. And why not? The Kings are the 2nd largest market in the U.S., and capturing that market would also mean a ton of TV ratings…and more money!
Wouldn’t the league want to see a Los Angeles – New York Stanley Cup final…every year? That would mean HUGE television numbers, no? I’m sure on some level, they’d love for that to happen, but they aren’t actively acting as puppet masters to make that happen.
Wouldn’t the league have done its utmost to ensure another matchup between Ovechkin and Crosby in the playoffs? As geniuses, surely they could have found a way to get rid of the Canadiens, no?

As my friend Sarah says “I mean, if you don’t think he (Bettman) can run the league, how do you think he could be smart enough to pull of gigantic fixes?” Bingo.

Bettman is a slick and squirmy guy. He always seems to escape certain doom, much in the same way Dr. Evil makes his dastardly escapes right before the good guys nab him. But to think he’s behind the scenes like the man behind the curtain in the Wizard of Oz is a little bit much.

Crying and whining about officiating, as awful as it is, is a “loser’s lament”, as CBC’s Elliotte Friedman put it. And he’s right. So let’s just quit it with talk of conspiracies. It’s nonsense and it’s unthinkable that a professional sports league would endanger itself by predetermining outcomes.

Quick Edit: Something else to consider…I’m going to go out on a limb and assume that any time either Tim Peel, Chris Lee, Paul Devorski, or Eric Furlatt, Habs fans will already have their built-in excuse for any potential loss, which is sad.

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There’s Something to be Said for Blind Faith

Posted on April 29, 2010 by Kyle Roussel

I confess, I didn’t believe, either. On this very blog I said the Canadiens would bow out in 6 to the Capitals. Don’t get me wrong, I took no joy in saying that. It pained me very much, actually. And it pained me to think that I was being generous in giving the Canadiens 6 games. That was my stupid brain talking. By the end of game 3, I was hurting, but took solace in the fact that I had seen this coming. That it was merely inevitability setting in. It made the losing easier to swallow. In stark contrast, earlier in the month, I wondered about the next steps in the Canadiens rebuilding plan, and mentioned that I had an eerily good feeling about the Canadiens. That was my heart talking, and it was before the final week of the year that saw the Canadiens clumsily stumble in to the playoffs.

The only common ground between my head and heart was that there was no way that the Canadiens would be embarrassed by the Capitals, despite the apparent mismatch. They hang in there, “make us proud” for not being crushed like everyone said they would, and then we’d talk about how great that was. Then the requisite “next year the team will be better talk” would resume.

While the vast majority of bloggers, experts, and even ardent Habs fans took the Capitals, there were those who stayed with the Canadiens. Whether because they refused to pick against their team, or because they truly thought they would win, I’ll tip my hat to those who picked the Habs from the start. I did that last year, mostly because I was too afraid of what I would see in the mirror if I chose the Bruins. So I took the Canadiens to upset the Boston. My loyalty was rewarded with an embarrassing 4-game sweep in which the Canadiens barely put up a fight against their forever rival.

So I was done with the blind faith thing. I was always the type to take the Habs no matter what, and more often than not, the Canadiens would find a way to flame out in a spectacular way. This year really marks the first time that I decided to go with my brain, and I was rewarded for it with a lesson in eating crow. Best tasting crow I’ve ever had, but it just goes to show that in the playoffs, and in the first round in particular, you just never know.

Here’s what NOBODY can say they saw coming: that the Habs would block ten million shots, and that Halak would instantly make himself a folk hero, if he wasn’t one already. The defense that ran around their own zone all season long (literally) looked like the total opposite of themselves, against the best team in the league no less. They were poised, tough, effective, efficient and played with heart. Even though the number of shots against was sky-high, and even though many of those shots were of the extremely dangerous variety, the defense really did a good job of limiting second and third opportunities.

While most of the credit belongs to Halak and the defense, the forwards are not undeserving of praise either. Gainey’s acquisitions all paid off big dividends during the series. Even Max Lapierre reappeared after an 85 game slumber (with sporadic fits of wakefulness). Something got in to these guys. There really was a flip that was switched on, and the Capitals were completely unable to turn it off.

Now as we look forward to tomorrow night’s game vs the Penguins, I find myself trying to break down the series. The heart, as always, says to go with the Habs. But there’s the stupid brain again. It’s saying that Crosby has shown over the past year why he is without a doubt the best player in the world. Not the flashiest (though he does cast a considerable glare of his own), but the best. He’s more clutch than those mentioned alongside him as best in the world. Even if the Habs manage to ensnare Crosby in some sort of quagmire, they have that bull named Evgeni Malkin to deal with. You remember him, don’t you? Last year’s Conn Smythe trophy winner? Of course you do. While he’s not the focalpoint of the Penguins attack, he can certainly take over a game on his own. Then there’s Jordin Staal. And Max Talbot. And Bill Guerin…all guys who still have the stink of Lord Stanley all over them. They obviously know what it takes to win. This is a good matchup for the Penguins, but are they still as hungry? You see how the brain louses everything up? Why should I even entertain the thought of the Habs losing after what we just saw? If the Habs beat the Caps, they can be the Penguins, right? Counting intangibles is tough, and while you’ll find plenty of intangibles on any Cup winning club, the Canadiens have shown that they aren’t without the je ne sais quoi qualities, either.

So I’m reverting back to form. I’m going to be a believer in this series. If they get down, I’ll believe that they’ll crawl back. If they crumble, I’ll believe that they’ll bounce back.

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The Shortest Playoff Preview

Posted on April 12, 2010 by Kyle Roussel

I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t post my thoughts on the playoffs, but I don’t want to keep you all day with in-depth analysis. There’s tons of sites out there that do it better than I can. So I’m keeping it as short as I can, which may be hard given my tendency to ramble endlessly.

Eastern Conference

Montreal Canadiens (8) vs Washington Capitals (1)

Like Spock in last year’s awesome Star Trek movie, I’m emotionally comprimised on this one. I risk imprisonment by saying this, but there is no reason to pick the Canadiens in this matchup. None. Either Ovechkin chokes like he did in the Olympics, or Habs goaltending steals the show. Caps were consistently good all year, Habs were consistently inconsistent, and show no sign of getting back on track. Don’t talk to me about Cinderella, or even about the fact that the Habs took 5 of 8 points vs the league leaders. Capitals in 6.

Philadelphia Flyers (7) vs New Jersey Devils (2)

The Flyers owned the Devils this year, winning 5 of 6. They won close games and they won by blowout. They won at home, they won on the road. Martin Brodeur has once again played a ton of hockey, appearing in 77 games, plus the Olympics. The Flyers forwards will get in his kitchen, and he’ll fade late in the series, as he has been known to do in recent years. Still, the Devils are the Devils and are a good hockey team. They’ll keep it closer than the season series indicates it should. Flyers in 6.

Boston Bruins (6) vs Buffalo Sabres (3)

Here’s my upset special. The Bruins could have folded after losing just about everyone this year, but especially when Marc Savard got his block knocked off for the umpteenth time. Instead, they went 10-6-2 down the stretch, including winning 4 of their last 5, and picking up a point in their loss. Tuukka Rask may not get any nominations this year, but he’s been as good as any goalie in the league this year. He’s just about made Tim Thomas redundant in Boston (good luck with that contract!). A strong playoff run for Rask will all but cement that. He’ll have to be great in order to best Ryan Miller. As good of a coach as Lindy Ruff is, I think the Bruins pull it out in 7.

Ottawa Senators (5) at Pittsburgh Penguins (4)

I don’t quite know how the Senators managed to keep it together, but they did and deserve credit. Spezza has been reborn, even without Dany Heatley. They’re just a well balanced bunch who play smart hockey. That’s a tough combo to beat in the playoffs. That said, the Penguins have been to the cup finals twice in the past 2 years and they are the defending champs. Crosby will want to make an gold medal sandwich using the Stanley Cup as the bread. He may or may not get there, but Senators won’t be the group to derail him. Penguins in 6.

Western Conference

Colorado Avalanche (8) vs San Jose Sharks (1)

If ever the Sharks were going to make a leap, now’s the time. The Avalanche are 1 of 2 things to me: a team that spent itself to make the playoffs or a team that now that they are in, are just glad to be there. The Sharks are acutely aware of the stigma attached to them and desperately want to shed that label. Is Heatley the guy to help them do it? Time will tell, but I think the Sharks overwhelm the Avalanche, who deserve tons of credit for having the season they have. Sharks in 5.

Nashville Predators (7) vs Chicago Blackhawks (2)

The Blackhawks do not want to be the 2010 version of the 2009 Sharks. They have been an projected Cup contender since the start of the year, and if not for some shaky goaltending, they may be the clear cut choice. But it seems that neither Cristobal Huet or Antti Niemi are in the mood to deliver Cup-calibre goaltending. The Predators are not to be overlooked, as they have solid goaltending with Pekka Rinne and some horses like Shea Weber and Ryan Suter. They are blue-collar up front, which may rub the Hawks the wrong way. In the end, the Hawks are too strong up front. Blackhawks in 6.

Los Angeles Kings (6) vs Vancouver Canucks (3)

They say that you have to learn to lose before you can win. If true, the Kings and their fans are going to be disappointed (yet should be doing cartwheels for their future is bright!). The Canucks are solid everywhere, and though their defense is not the best, you’ve got to beat one of the game’s best in Luongo. I’m not Roberto’s biggest fan, but the guy can stop pucks. If the Kings defense, led by youngsters Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson can shut down the Sedins (including Art Ross winner Henrik), it will be up to Rob Scuderi (who was terrific with the Penguins last year) and Sean O’Donnell to stop Ryan Kesler. Easier said than done. I don’t want to dismiss the Kings’ attack, nor the Ryan Smyth factor, but to me this series says heartbreak for the Kings. Canucks in 7.

Detroit Red Wings (5) vs Phoenix Coyotes (4)

Don’t let the standings fool you. Yes, the Coyotes were magical this year, and Dave Tippett will win the Jack Adams award, and if he doesn’t there ought to be an investigation. But it was not that long ago that the Red Wings were battling for their playoff lives. But these are the Red Wings. The guys that have forgotten what it’s like to not have a 100 point season. The Wings have shown who they are over the last month, winning 12 of their last 15 games and losing 2 of those 3 remaining games after regulation. As amazing a story as the Coyotes have been all year long, I’ll be stunned if they hang around too long in this series. Bryzgalov will have to be on top of his game, which, given his excellent season may not be crazy at all. Red Wings in 5.

Feel free to weigh in!

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