I wish this road trip would end now, it’s getting painful.
I returned to an annual tradition for the game against the Capitals, my lineup of ladies each holiday would meet up at Ye Olde Orchard downtown (1189, Rue de la Montagne) for the rematch. With the notion that the Washington Capitals had been waiting since the Habs eliminated them last April, and with them refining their winning ways, the Capitals were ready to take us on. Add to this that unfortunately the Habs are back to being merely ordinary, and…
Washington got their revenge all right, Coach Boudreau dropping F-bombs left and right to remind his team that Montreal can be beat. Ovechkin slamming Subban into the boards, Mike Green catching the defense down and all lines unable to deliver when it looked like there was a chance in the 3rd.
A normally noisy crowd at Ye Olde was quiet as we were shut out 3-0. At least I still had my ladies, one them whose boyfriend was able to eat two plates of fries. The only highlight of the night.
The Canadiens in December remind me of the Habs towards the end of last season; around the time this blog first began. There is potential but it is in someway lacking, either in size, special teams or spirit. However, when adversity hits, these guys are up to the challenge as we saw in the playoffs last season.
Going back to the skid, the worst game was on Long Island, once again as Carey Price showed his frustration as the defense fails him. I love Josh Gorges spirit however playing banged up isn’t doing much for the defense. While waiting in that snow-filled airport for hours, General Manager Pierre Gauthier ended up making a deal.
James Wisniewski (this will take time to learn to spell) will help fill in the gap left by the injured Markov, and he was a steal of a deal. We sacrificed a couple draft picks, best boxing week deal ever. Unfortunately, this doesn’t bode well for either Weber, PK or even Picard. The kiddies will either be press box bound or back to Hamilton.
Wisniewski is also stranded at that same airport. Man, I hate Long Island.
By the time they landed in Washington, we fell to 8th and back to fighting for a playoff spot. Hoping that the Habs spirits will rise, beat the crap out of the Florida based teams and start 2011 back in the safe confines of the Bell Centre (except for the crazy fans and the media).
I started this blog during the Olympics writing about the men’s hockey team and for a good week, I sat in seedy bars with a hardcore fan I worked with, while screaming into his left ear. I felt spoiled watching the best hockey in years and was able to party on Ste Catherine St. when Sidney Crosby saved the nation with his Golden Goal.
I thought when we returned to watching Montreal Canadiens hockey, it wouldn’t be the same. The Habs were fighting for a bottom spot come playoffs and were having a hard time getting the one point to clinch.
We dealt with the goalie wars, Halak VS Price, both with great potential to be a #1 goalie however there would be an odd man out. Halak was the hero for the season and would be a legend during playoffs, Price would make a name for himself as he was chosen to stay in Montreal and redeem himself in a way I knew was possible.
I returned to blog form during playoffs, assuming I would be writing only 4 entries as it looked near impossible to beat #1 Washington. 19 entries later, we were giant killers twice over. Ovechkin was gone, so was Golden boy Crosby.
Each game the city flooded onto St. Catherine’s in jubilation, in great spirits I’ve never seen before. Unfortunately it did stop when Philadelphia got us beat. They’ve been our great nemesis this season. However, memories of spring still warms my heart during cold days in December.
We had a good start, Gionta became our Captain, Cammalleri our go to guy being the first to score. Kostitsyn and Plekanec back on scoring pace. PK Subban, Yannick Weber the future of the team. Hell, the team was stellar even when Andrei Markov got hurt again.
I hope this team will turn around soon, I was actually believing that we had a good shot at being annual contenders. Thanks for letting the girl who yells at TV in bars have her say in Montreal’s hockey scene. And now, what Sucks/Shout Outs in 2010.
Sucks: seedy bars by yourself, head injuries, Markov’s hard play hurting himself, Sergei Kostitsyn, ruining a player’s confidence, big long term contracts, lack of attendance in the States, Phildephia Flyers, Sidney Crosby’s mustache (hipsters grow better ones), goalie drama, dismantling teams cause you can’t afford them (Chicago), questioning women’s hockey’s role as it’s been Canada/US, and I still don’t get Canucks hockey.
Shout Outs: Partying on St. Catherine’s in Spring, Canada’s Olympic spirit, Halak’s heroics/Price redemption, the Habs in Movember, Women’s hockey in the Hall of Fame, that crazy guy on Facebook defending Price, Quebec and Winnipeg fans pleading for teams in Canada, Lars Eller’s size, Andrei Kostitsyn, good waitresses, cheap pints, crazy people I’ve watched games with, triple low fives with PK Subban, Captain Gionta, and to my friend I watched Olympic hockey with; thanks for the week, hope one day you can console the Women’s Slovakian hockey team.
Have an awesome New Year and Check out the Winter Classic 
Penguins/Capitals outdoor game after you sober up New Year’s Day.
