A Winning Habit
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Canadiens vs Nordiques: 38 Years Ago – The Good Friday Massacre

By Patrick Lortie

UNIONDALE, NY - DECEMBER 11: Members of 'Nordiques Nation' cheer during the NHL game between the New York Islanders and the Atlanta Thrashers on December 11, 2010 at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. Over 1,100 fans from Quebec attended the game to prove their support for an NHL team. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
UNIONDALE, NY - DECEMBER 11: Members of 'Nordiques Nation' cheer during the NHL game between the New York Islanders and the Atlanta Thrashers on December 11, 2010 at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. Over 1,100 fans from Quebec attended the game to prove their support for an NHL team. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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There have been a plethora of epic rivalries that the Montreal Canadiens have partaken in. Of course there’s the classics versus the Boston Bruins and the eternal feud against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Nothing however can reach the epitome of hate between two teams than the one between the Montreal Canadiens and the Quebec Nordiques.

Nordiques returning to Quebec makes too much sense for NHL | Offside
Nordiques returning to Quebec makes too much sense for NHL | Offside /

The rule was simple. If you lived in Quebec City region, you cheered for the Nordiques. If you lived in the Montreal region, you cheered for the Canadiens.

Simple as that. Anything else and you were a traitor.

The rivalry has become stuff of legends. Tales of folklore are told on this day in nearly every hockey household in Quebec and of course during the holidays. It wasn’t an exaggeration that this rivalry went beyond hockey. It was defending your honor as a fan and as a citizen.

Quebecor to present NHL plan Tuesday | CTV News
Quebecor to present NHL plan Tuesday | CTV News /

You know the stories you hear of your friend parading his Bruins jersey in downtown Montreal and getting boo’d at? Or your relative who dared to wear the famed red sweater in Toronto? Just like that. But worse.

It went beyond the Yankees versus the Red Sox.

The rough and blue collared fans of Quebec hated the snob, pretentious fans of Montreal who would hide behind their Stanley Cups and decorated history. Get out of here with your Toe Blake, we got Michel Bergeron. Not to mention, you stole Beliveau and Lafleur from us!

Not literally, but you get the picture.

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