Big guys were pushing bigger guys out of the way. Small guys were using their speed to get into better position. Men with painted faces were standing guard as they attempted to protect their respective stations.
Then everyone left the washroom as the siren sounded to commence the first period between the Montreal Canadiens and the Ottawa Senators.
Ca, Mesdames et Messieurs… ca , c`est un match du hockey !
From Detroit to L.A. , New York to Colorado and Toronto to Vancouver. Everyone is invited to Montreal on a Saturday night to truly witness and feel the electricity that a Province of hockey mad denizens can and will bring to an arena. You can feel the energy begin to build a couple of hours before game time as the streets of Montreal become alive with the sounds of Hab music. Enter any of the pubs and restaurants along both the main and not so main streets and the sheer enthusiasm will grab you by the throat and pour Bleu, Blanc et Rouge spirits into your inner core.
Canadian citizens in the rest of the country have an idea of what that hockey fever is like especially on a Saturday night. Take that idea and multiply it by ten. Now, add one hundred years of history that is displayed just below heaven in the form of Stanley Cup Banners. That alone is sufficient enough to add Canadian Goosebumps to your ‘ peau ‘.
Add to the mix the number of retired jerseys – there are more of them hanging from the rafters than the number of wins Don Cherry accumulated in his coaching career. Sit back and take it all in.
Brother Andre, a Quebec citizen was canonized over the weekend and hundreds of Quebecers made the pilgrimage to the Vatican to witness the event. Frere Andre has now been accepted into an elite club . He joins Howie Morenz , Maurice Richard, Jean Beliveau ,Guy Lafleur and Patrick Roy. A group of miracle workers that have cured many , many ailments that have stricken Quebecers over the years. Millions arrive in Montreal to worship Brother Andre at St. Joseph`s Oratory high atop Mont Royal in the center of the city. Immediately after they head to the Bell Center and worship the others. This my friends is what sets the Canadiens apart from any other team regardless of sport. Hockey is a religion in this town and as we know, a belief in a religion is stronger than anything that a human being can concoct on his own.
Sens – Habs put on a Show
The electricity bug was caught by the players last Saturday night. From the opening face – off this game had an energy that normally does not arrive into second and sometime third periods if at all. It was the type of energy that comes with a Stanley Cup final game as both teams skated with the intensity of O.J Simpson looking for Nicole Brown`s killer. Okay, bad example but you get the idea.
Brian Gionta jumped on a loose puck just 1 : 06 into the first. The puck lay just inside the Hab blueline and the Montreal captain outskated everyone and found himself alone in front of Elliot. Gionta was so quick that eleven Dominoes Pizza guys were left paying the tab while Brian netted his first of the season. The shots after the first period were 11 – 11 in favor of the fans. Ottawa goaltender Elliot had to make three big saves and the Habs Carey Price was equal to the challenge as he made the equivalent . Compared to Friday night`s game in Buffalo, this contest was Forrest Gump while Buffalo`s was the movie Showgirls. Milan Michalek scored half way through the period to even things up as he pounced on a puck that was laying just outside of the crease in a goal mouth scramble. Price had no chance on the play.
An Interesting Second
At 7: 34 of the second period, Ottawa`s Jarkko Ruutu came out of nowhere and hammered Scott Gomez into the boards. Some say that Ruutu commenced his run in Ottawa – that was how hard the hit was .
Gomez took exception and the two players jostled for a while with the duo each receiving minors for roughing.
That little skirmish awoke the Senators if only for a short, albeit productive burst. The Sens took six shots on Price the entire period but scored on two of the next three. Jaroslav Spacek, the Montreal blueliner has not returned to his form of last season and was the goat on the next two Sens goals.
At 10 :20 , Erik Karlson eluded Price with a slapshot and less than a minute later – Michalek scored a backhander against Price after making Spacek look softer than a marshmallow on a one – on – one play. Could this be the year that Spacek travels the same road that ends the careers of many ? Is this the year that Jaroslav loses that important `half a step`? All indications so far say yes.
Price was weak on both Senator goals and visions of Carey past danced into the heads of Habs fans. Just like that it was 3 -1 Ottawa and many thought that Price was well on his way toward helping fans find their Halak photos.
The electricity dimmed after the Michalek goal, enough that a whole legion of drinkers became concerned that the beer fridges in the Bell Center may not be strong enough to maintain the required temperature. Habs fans or more accurately – beer fans , then made a new friend as freshly acquired Jeff Halpern scored a fluke goal near the 13: 00 minute mark. The goal generated a much needed boost for the club and Halpern may have solidified a job as Molson`s new spokesman. Travis Moen, who along with Subban assisted on the play, was so overjoyed by the goal, he grabbed Ottawa player Matt Carkner and gave him several bear hugs and a few right jabs. Moen and Carkner were both awarded for their comradeship by spending two private minutes in the penalty box. Hockey`s version of a kindergarten time out.
AK 46 meet Tomas Plekanec
Much has been written about Andrei Kostistyn`s effort or lack therof over the past ten seasons. Okay four seasons but it seems that Montreal`s love / hate affair with Andrei is much longer. Not on this night.
Andrei and Plekanec teamed up and dominated the last part of the second period and into the third. Kostisyn tied the score on a feed from Plekanec with just under three minutes remaining in the middle period and the duo were just getting started.
Ottawa had only two shots on goal in the entire third period and Plekanec and Kostisyn may have also taken them.They were that good. In fact the entire Habs team took a 360 degree turn from last season. If this was 2009 and Price let in a soft goal , he entire team would have headed home and sent in their offense via Bluetooth. Saturday night, they rallied and performed their best in the other team’s zone. At 16 : 04 of the final period when all things pointed to an overtime point, Plekanec and Kostisyn showed what a little determination and speed can do.
Andrei, a bull on skates, took a feed from Plekanec and headed toward Eliot much like Earl Campbell – former running back of football’s Houston Oilers used to do. Campbell would regularly carry two and three defenders on his back into the end zone and if a Senator did his best imitation of a defensive back – Kostisyn would have easily carried him past Elliot and into the net.
Andrei’s effort was turned away by Elliot’s pad but all that skating did not go unrewarded. Someone by the name of Plekanec was following Andrei closer than a Favre tweet and as fast as the puck popped off of Elliot’s pad – Tomas rifled it right back at him and past the shell – shocked netminder.The Sens were declared D.O.A and the final three minutes were played out ceremoniously.
It was a bookend win for the Habs after defeating the Sabres on Friday night in Buffalo. The Habs do not play until Thursday at home against the Devils and this will allow Martin some time to work on the anemic power play. It will also give Price a few days rest before he enters a goaltending contest with the all – time winningest goalie, Martin Brodeur.
Brian Gionta set the tone for Saturday ‘s win. Speed will get you everything – even first in line in the men’s washroom.