Habs win 2-1 over Coyotes

In a game filled with tension - one-goal game or tied for the whole 60 minutes, the Habs managed to stave off a tying goal and won 2-1 over the Yotes.

Alex Galchenyuk returned for the first time since he was traded to Arizona for Max Domi. The team paid tribute to him with a typical, classy Canadiens "merci" video, and it was clear he was touched by it. And though he managed to net a goal late in the third frame, it was reversed when Claude Julien challenged for offside.

Habs fans know those calls rarely go our way, but to our delight (and shock!), the referee announced that it was, in fact, offside, and there was no goal.

This marked my first time liveblogging a game. I had practiced over the week, but this one was the one that had to count. First, I settled on a style I liked (modeled after Mike Boone's way of indicating period and time), and got into the flow of posting as I usually tweet.

There are a lot of features I have yet to discover in ScribbleLive, but I learned to pull in tweets and use them to illustrate the progression of the game, as well as the mood on Twitter - both Habs and Coyotes streams.

I thoroughly enjoyed doing this; it also, as I posted later in the game, kept me from my usual spot, wearing out the carpet in front of the television as the tension mounts. That's when I usually try to push the puck with my hand (never works), or inch closer to the screen (55" isn't big enough when one is trying to help her team win), or just stand with my hands over my eyes - peeking through my fingers.

Being a (rabid) Habs fan has its drawbacks. Tension, too uptight to eat on game nights, emotional rollercoaster.

But it also has its benefits. I mean, I know my heart is healthy. And when the Habs win, it's that much sweeter.

So here, without further ado, is my liveblogging assignment. It took me a while to apologize for the overabundance of exclamation marks - so I'm making up for it by apologizing now. I do tend to get....enthusiastic.

Sometimes It's About More Than The Win

 

 

(let me get this out of the way - most people reading this will already know that the Habs lost 2-1 last night. Okay, bandaid's off, on with the blog)

Thrilled that my optimism had paid off, and hockey was returning this season, I immediately set out to try and get tickets for the opening night. I wanted to take my kids to the game because it was, after all, the opening night, a post-lockout opener, and it was Habs vs. Leafs. So last Sunday, I sat online and scored tickets in the Family Zone where it's affordable and where it's just as exciting to attend a Habs game. We could hardly wait and finally, the day was here.

Clad in all our Habs gear (yes, I will rock my PK Subban jersey because I KNOW he will sign), we made our way to the Bell Centre in a heavy snowfall. Got to our seats and waited for the opening ceremony. One thing our Habs organization never fails to do is put on a good show replete with history and class.

Yvon Cournoyer - a former Captain - was seen on the huge Jumbo-tron, holding a torch (this year's battle cry for our Habs is "Raise The Torch" - and for those who are unfamiliar with why, our dressing room has the following line from the poem "In Flanders Field":

To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.

The torch has come to symbolize our pride and our history, brought out every playoff game to "light" the animated flames projected on the ice. Very effective and very dramatic.

So there was Captain Cournoyer - and to our delight, he was walking down the section adjacent to ours - so close to a legend!

Next came another Habs legend: Henri Richard. He held a torch and descended his section across the arena. And Vinnie Damphousse. And the Moment of the Night: Captain Jean Béliveau holding a torch at ice level. Jean Béliveau suffered a 2nd stroke last Spring, and has made a beautiful recovery from this one as well. Mr. Béliveau is more than a legend - he is a true Icon of our hockey team, and our city. When he made his appearance, an already-excited crowd erupted in a minutes-long standing ovation. It was hard to keep tears of emotion back. This man is a true miracle. His presence in the arena elicits reverence from those in attendance, young and old. And he is known for his warmth, his friendliness, and his appreciation of all this city's fans.

Mr. Béliveau passed the torch to our current Captain, Brian Gionta, whose presence at center ice heightened the excitement and ovation. He then passed the torch to each player as they were announced and skated out to center ice.

For a fanbase that had been encouraged to boycott hockey, the place was rocking. The noise level went beyond anything I had experienced there before, and by the time every player was on the ice, my throat was raw from cheering my team. My kids were starry-eyed. They are  older teens, but their demeanors are candid, upbeat, and spontaneous. I leaned over to my younger son and said, "Jean Béliveau is our miracle...God bless him." (we are not religious but there is a deep spirituality this man evokes in me) My son smiled and nodded in agreement, unable to take his eyes off this icon we were watching. It was a moment shared that constituted a highlight of my evening.

Okay, the game. It wasn't great. And let me start by saying I am probably the world's biggest Habs apologist. I can't say anything negative about my team. Even if they've earned it. I just can't. And I get offended and rabidly defensive when other people do - even if they are doing their job and analyzing a game.

But our guys weren't there. They were disorganized, and it was frustrating, and nerve-wracking. And what made it worse were the Maple Leafs fans in the row ahead of me...obnoxious, loud, drunk...and celebrating the 2 goals their team scored in the first period.

Granted, we got penalties and that didn't help. It didn't help that one of the powerplay goals scored by the Leafs was on a bogus call on Pleky (which turned out to be the deciding goal - pretty much as prophesied by Dave Stubbs).

Granted, we were missing passes, not taking shots, and effectively held off from generating any offense. When Captain Gionta scored our only goal with 6 minutes left in the game, I pretty much lost my voice, screaming my excitement, loving how peeved the Leafs boys were in front of me, and high-fiving perfect strangers in solidarity. It energized us even if it would be the only triumphant moment of the game.

But you know what? It felt awesome to be back. The electricity was ramped up, the feeling of just being a part of this fan base and most of all, sharing it with my sons. I feel lucky that they never expressed a "can we just go alone or with our friends?" (they both had friends who were there in groups) but that they didn't mind being out en famille. These are the precious moments I know I will cherish for a lifetime, and the moments I wanted to create for them from the time they were born.

Sure, it hurts to lose. It hurts to lose against the Leafs. And it wasn't the way opening night should have felt at the end of the evening. But it was one game. We'll get it back together and we'll have what I believe to be a much better season than last year. And I don't believe the fans who were there walked away completely disgruntled. One of the things about any sport is that teams win and teams lose. There HAD to be a winner tonight and it wasn't our turn. There will be victories this season. I'm sure of it.

However, it wasn't a total loss, not for me.

From a personal standpoint, last night was a wonderful evening. Riding home on the subway, watching my kids, I felt an overwhelming pride in them, and a deep gratitude that they still enjoy spending time with me. When we're home, everyone's spread out. There are computers and consoles and devices with which to communicate and commune, and that's normal. We still enjoy together time, but it isn't as concentrated as it is when we go out together. And last night, it occurred to me that while yes, attending a Habs game is a huge highlight for me (and for my kids), it is the memories created that are the underscoring reward in this type of outing.

So while I'm pretty bummed out that my team didn't win, I had a hugely successful evening that will be repeated next time I can get tickets to a game.

Because in the end, it's about more than the win.

(and because hockey is back, and our mantra is back, allow me to add:)

Go Habs GO!!!

Ch-ch-ch-ch-chaanges...

It's been a few days and I've gotten my thoughts together. The week has been tumultuous in Habsville, extended beyond the hockey world, and I've got to have my say.

Less than a week after Twitter produced such a positive aura, where so many of us bonded together in outrage over a cruel and uninformed article, my timeline was once again filled with debate, argument, patronizing and dissension.

From a city whose passion is so strong for its team has come a firing/hiring and polarizing issue which has little, if any, relevance to the game we all adore.

Waking up Saturday morning, finding out the Habs had fired Coach Jacques Martin, I avoided Twitter. I was among those who did not feel the coach was the problem. I actually hated the calls for his head on a platter, and was as outspoken as I could be without being able to discuss every nuance of the game. All I knew was that, from the human point of view, the man was doing a job that also depended on a crew of others to execute it for him. Did I understand the decisions he had to make? Not really. I did have others explain them (e.g. time-on-ice decisions, special teams assignments, healthy scratches, etc). But I still could not believe that professional hockey players would underperform in order to show their disdain for a coach. I - perhaps naively - thought that no matter the coach, the team would play to win. Every, single time.

They may. As a Habs fan, I believe they do. I have to. But then, December 17th, the management of our team showed they believed otherwise, and decided to change coaches.

First issue I had to deal with that day was my compassion for the man himself. I felt terrible for him. I was told, "nevermind, he's got $1,000,000 firing bonus, he'll be fine." But somehow I believed that the money, to Jacques Martin, was never an issue. I believed he cared more about the game, not about his wallet. (Does the money help? Of course! But in so many people, there is a calling for the position and that supersedes the pay check).

I felt awful that he was spending Christmas out of work. Again, scoffed at by those dancing in the streets who said it didn't matter. Again, my above argument was negated by many who dismissed it as my being new to the game, new to the culture, and Mr. Martin's comfy nest egg.

Dave Stubbs wrote a beautiful article which expressed, better than I could, exactly what I had been feeling. And I felt the debate would, perhaps, die down.

But then, the Uproar. The Habs now have an interim coach, Randy Cunneyworth, who is - ready for this shocker? - an Anglophone. Worse, an Anglo who is not bilingual! (I hear the gasps)

Those reading this who are either non-Quebecois, non-Canadian, or unaware of this issue, Quebec is a primarily French province, though Canada's TWO official languages are French and English. There has been an unwritten rule that the Habs do not have a unilingual coach. Coach must be able to speak both languages, or he isn't considered. It's one of the reasons we did not see Kirk Muller as a future head coach for us; no one was fooled by the fact that he was always involved, effective, and obviously liked and respected by all, including players. We all knew Captain Kirk would never be able to take the podium as head coach, because he is an Anglo.

But I don't think anyone could have predicted the maelstrom to follow. Perhaps it was hinted at when Coach Cunneyworth, along with GM Pierre Gauthier, sat in front of cameras and recorders for a pre-game (FIRST game, to be clear) interview. French media directed questions only at Mr. Gauthier, while Randy got English questions from English press. And (too) many of those French questions focused on the fact that the new Coach was unilingual. If that wasn't bad enough, it was becoming a topic du jour on Twitter, where well-known French media personalities were posting actual disappointment over the hiring.

It got worse. It became a Story that spread to the rest of Canada (which highlighted the story Monday morning on Canada A.M.) and then to CNN, an American 24-hour news channel! Why? Because the Government of this province stated, clearly, its objections to Coach Cunneyworth at the helm. The government!!!

When the Montreal French-language newspaper, Le Journal de Montréal, published Tuesday, after a 2nd loss for the Habs under Coach Cunneyworth's regime, the front page was astounding. Not only was the headline, in HUGE letters, "Inacceptable" in French, there was another headline, below, in English: "Another Loss For Cunneyworth". This newspaper, as Québecois as any French-Canadian, made an obvious statement with its English headline. The poll it quotes, on the front page, states that 72% of Quebec is against a unilingual coach. Obviously a skewed poll, as I'm sure they didn't quite conduct a scientific study.

So the issue emerged on Twitter (where much of my Habs-related discussions take place): do you want a coach who will win, or a coach who will speak French? The consensus was the former, but would those who stood for the latter actually stand up? It is hard to tell, and yet, the undercurrents are growing.

We were asked, "will the language debate die down once the team starts to win?" I stated my opinion that no...those decrying this hiring were doing so before the coach took the bench for his first game wearing the hat. This isn't going away, win or lose, and that's the point I believe should be examined. Those who are more ingrained in the language issue are less involved in the sport. Otherwise, it wouldn't matter one bit if the coach spoke one, two, or three languages! As Habs fans, should winning, success, and future victories not be at the core of EVERY issue?

We may debate the lines a coach puts on the ice, we may debate the pairings and we may debate how much time-on-ice rookies are being given. But we do so because we want to see winning lines, winning pairings, and winning players make the difference between smiles and disappointments. Not because one is English, one is Russian, one may be younger, or one is African-American. We love our team because of the passion we feel for the game, not because of their individual make-up. We embrace the differences of our team players, we celebrate their individuality, but when they are on the ice, they are Our Team. Not Pacioretty, A.K., Louis or PK. We see them as a unit, working together to net the goals and tip the scales in favor of Habs wins.

So why should it matter what language our coach speaks? If he can motivate the team to work hard, if he can conduct drills in practices that strengthen and develop their skills, if he can find winning combinations of 5-player hockey, penalty-kill hockey, and power-play hockey, all to reach the end goal of scoring more than the opponent, does it matter if he can conduct a press conference in English only?

I acknowledge, respectfully and proudly, our two solitudes. I acknowledge that Habs hockey is ingrained in our culture, and that culture includes French and English. But the most immediate issue at hand for our Habs (OUR Habs, people) is the fact that we're finding it hard to keep leads, and win games. I'd like to see my Province NOT mocked on international news shows. I'd like to see people once again bonding together over hockey, not distracted by sub-issues. I'd like to see this Province give Coach Cunneyworth the respect he deserves for stepping into big shoes, faced with struggles on the ice, and for being at the center of a long-standing debate that will not go away if, or when, he is no longer with the organization.

This is about hockey. Language can wait.

Doomsday for the Habs!

It's the cusp of 2012. The Year Of The End Of Days. Okay, maybe the Mayans were off by 12 months. Maybe we're seeing it now.

After all, the Habs have lost more than they've won, they can't beat even the puniest teams, and they're hardly in playoff position at 2 points shy of a spot. The coach is letting his ship sink without so much as a Titanic effort to lock himself in the control room and go down with the rats. The manager is remaining as quiet as the Ghost he is often called, and where is the owner of the team? Taste-testing his beer? Wake up, guys, this is DOOMSDAY!

Now. Everyone take a breath. Our Habs haven't done what we'd hoped - nay, expected of them this season. They haven't dominated, they haven't dazzled, hell, they haven't even won! So let's just bury 'em in the rubble of their failings and go find us another team, huh?

Or...

We can be the true Habs fans we are so proud to embody: we can bemoan the losses, analyze the failings, certainly cry in our bières and then look forward to the next game with the hope and optimism that comes from believing in a team - not just any team, OUR team.

We can stop calling for heads to roll. We can stop marking the end of a season that is barely 2 months old. We can definitely STOP making blasphemous comparisons between our team and *shudders* the Leafs.

And we can band together and support a team that is obviously struggling. After all, what's the worst that can happen if we do that, we'll be disappointed with a loss? Look at the BEST that can happen: we can celebrate as a cohesive fanbase, supportive of our team, proud when they win, and accepting when they lose.

I know what will greet me when this blog gets posted:

• We are deserving of a better team.

Of course we are. Every fan is. Do we have a team that sucks? I, for one, am not prepared to say that. I never am. And never will.

• You need to be realistic, not so optimistic all the time.

Maybe I AM being realistic. I see the team's struggling, I'm sad when we lose, and I sure as hell would like to see the world hold my Habs in the high esteem we've enjoyed before. But there are worse qualities than optimism, folks.

• Statistically, we have no chance of making playoffs.

Statistical rules were made to be broken. Our Habs have broken many in the past and will do so again. And - worst comes to worst - if we don't make playoffs? Next year is another year. At least we've enjoyed playoffs for so many years when other teams are resigned to never seeing post-season play. Constantly. Chronically. And a new season, new lessons learned, not such a dismal future.

• We're the Habs, we should be better, with our history, our longevity and our experience.

And ya know what I say to that? We're Habs fans. We're strong and proud, we're together and loud, we're historically known too. Are you ready to silence your voice? Are you going to crawl under a rock of shame because the team is struggling? Do you not want to be part of something positive instead of wallowing in every loss? Are you ready to throw YOUR team under the proverbial bus?

• Shut up.

Well, there are those who will think, post, repeat that retort. And that one has no answer, so I won't even bother. Oh, and I won't shut up.

I will NOT bury my team. I will - realistically - admit that we've turned in some dismal performances. What, you've never bombed on a test before, only to go onto graduation? Pick yourselves up, loyal fans, stand with the proud and the optimistic, it's lighter on this side, and we have cookies (even if they DO cost $12 at the Bell Centre)! And if you want to boycott games, I will gladly relieve you of your sucky tickets to see a sucky team suck. </tongue-in-cheek>

Two more things:

GO HABS GO!

BELIEVE!

Finally - A Collective Sigh of Relief

(Pic courtesy of Habs Talk Radio http://tinyurl.com/6gzl3t2)

As I write, the smile is plastered across my face. My Habs broke the slide and won their first home game of this season, their 2nd win. This game was overdue but I believe things happen for a reason. What the reason is, we may never know. But it isn't important. I think we all learned something from the last couple of weeks.

We learned what it feels like to lose, too many times. That doesn't feel good but in many ways, it banded many of us together. I saw tempers flare, confidence shattered, and people snapping for really no reason. But I also saw fans digging DEEP for the belief in our team, never ever giving up or giving out. Never losing faith or hope that the Habs would come back. And sharing that loyalty with others in both camps.

And come back, they did. Winning 5-1 over the Philadelphia Flyers (now, at least throughout this season, to be known as The Team The Habs Beat), a team many had said would beat us easily. Our guys played hard, constant, fast and aggressive hockey, never letting up on the pressure, and you could FEEL the desperation to win. And the last 10 seconds, P.K. Subban dipsy-doodling with the puck in our zone, running the seconds down, wanting to be the first to congratulate his friend Carey Price and hand him the game puck for his 100th win (which had eluded him this season so far) - that was sweet giddy laughter that felt SO good to emote!

The firing-the-coach talk still continues, despite the surprise firing of A.C. Perry Pearn announced just 90 minutes before the game. I am not engaging in that talk, nor have I ever. It's all about the game, belief in the team, and the victory.

Now, one win at a time. We face the Bruins next, tomorrow and Saturday. Do I think we can win? I sure do! Because I have an undying loyalty for my team, and a neverending store of positive energy to send their way. I have seen others cautiously happy for the win ("we still only won 2 this season" and "it's only 1 win") and I get that too - can't get too confident, though it's not as strong as my abject conviction that we have what it takes and will get the job done.

But it's the team that will take this momentum and drive the point home: We are the Habs. We are the most storied, oldest and most Cup-winning franchise in the League. And NO ONE can keep us down for very long!

Go Habs Go - and well done, guys, you did an awesome job of rejuvenating this city and your fans!!

Reaping Rewards in Rivalry

When I answered the call to enter Eric Engels's blog-writing contest ("what does the Habs/Bruins rivalry mean to you?"), I enjoyed writing the piece I did. I always love writing, and the excuse to do so. It was easy to access the content of that blog; it was in my heart, and in very recent memory of Habs/Bruins incidents from last season.

When I won, it was an amazing feeling - I love writing, and writing about hockey isn't something I can do like Eric, or any of the other bloggers I love to read; I can't do stats, I can't do history, I can't even talk about play or action, at least not with the expertise that comes from longevity as a fan and keen knowledge of the game and the culture. But I CAN write about the human factor, I can access that which we all share and I can write about hockey in that vein, no problem. Having my blog published as Eric's gameday blog, as well as many of my Twitter friends taking the time to read, retweet, and comment on my blog and my win, was heady! To be rewarded (and so complimented!) on my writing sweetens the satisfaction of writing, and I believe I will be starting a new blog shortly. Details to follow.

But tonight, the rivalry between the Habs and Bruins rewarded me, and my sons. See, Eric had gotten 2 tickets to the game, and the winner of his blog contest was to accompany him to see the Habs and Bruins in preseason action tonight. Long story short, he gave me both tickets, I bought a third, and I was able - thanks to HockeyTickets.ca and Eric Engels - to take my two sons to this game. The third ticket was in the greys (affordable and let's face it, anywhere you sit in the Bell Centre is an optimum seat), so the three of us agreed that each boy would sit with me for a period and a half. And tonight I would premiere my new P.K. Subban jersey, finally to be part of the Habs-jersey-wearing crowd at a hockey game!! (Sometimes, it's good to not stand out but to blend in!)

We began with dinner at a Montreal landmark restaurant - Mr. Steer. Delicious burgers, great place pre-game, and just up the street from the Bell Centre. We arrived shortly after Eric, and when we got to the table, the two tickets were just sitting in front of him. Talk about effective! I introduced him to the boys, we all sat down, and the conversation never stopped. My kids were a little starstruck (Eric reports for Hockeybuzz.com as well as CTV Montreal Sports "Habs Hub") but more, they were in their element, talking hockey with a guy who could talk it right back. It looked like Eric was enjoying the kids too. And that makes me even more proud of my boys than ever!

We walked down to the Bell Centre, but before parting (Eric went to the Loft a.k.a. Press Box and we went to our seats), I asked him to pose for a pic with my boys. After all, he IS a local celebrity! (It was a blast to get an "I can see you guys!" text from him after the game began, and we texted back and forth a few times throughout the evening)

Inside, the boys decided that Sam would sit in the reds with me for the first 30 minutes, and Josh for the last. We parted, with instructions to keep in touch via text. When Sam and I walked into Section 118, I think both our jaws needed picking up. What incredible seats!! So close to the action and so bright and big and exciting!

The game began after our very own Michael Cammalleri received the Jean Béliveau Trophy (for community involvement), presented to him by the Gentleman himself. Jean Béliveau, for those who aren't familiar with him, is hockey royalty. Not just Habs royalty, though he is a Canadien through and through (having played for Montreal his entire career, from 1950-1971!), but he is truly one of the most respected men in the hockey world. Eric told us that Mr. Béliveau, if he should make eye contact with someone who is an obvious fan but too shy to say hello, will introduce himself and say hi to the fan. The man just exudes class. When he was introduced and came out on the ice, there was a spontaneous standing ovation by the 21K in attendance. He was visibly moved and it was truly a Moment for me and my kids too.

And then...the Game. Last night, the Bruins slaughtered my poor Habs, 7-3, in Halifax. Would we see a different outcome tonight? Well, we lost but it was a 2-1 loss, our guys played really well, and the refs blew a few non-calls (goalie interference, holding, tripping...blatant stuff the seeing-eye dogs must have missed). Can't blame the refs, I know. But it would have been awesome to see the guys win what would have been their 2nd of the preseason. Not to be. But super exciting because of our location.

When it was time for Sam to go to the other seat, I felt awful - just as awful as I'd felt to send Josh up at the beginning of the game. But my kids are good sports...I am - again - very proud of them. And Josh's ear-to-ear grin when he took his new seat was worth it. Sam and I enjoyed the first 30 minutes, Josh arrived almost minutes before the Canadiens opened the scoring, and I enjoyed the company of each boy for 30 minutes of play. What could have been better? Oh, right. A win!

However, it's preseason. We didn't play the full team, despite the big guns like Plek, Cammy, Gionta, Gorges in the lineup, and Carey Price in nets for the full 60 minutes. We saw Brendan Gallagher work very hard to impress, and do an outstanding job of it. We saw Carey's acrobatics in nets, and Pleky's super-beautiful stride as he hustled down the ice to try to put the puck in goal or steal it from the opponent. We saw Cammy put one in, and best of all, we were back at the Bell Centre, losing our voices in cheers of "Go Habs Go!!!" for another year's fun. I have a good feeling about the regular season. That's just the optimist in me. Every game is a blank slate.

Tonight isn't about the season. It isn't about the players or the strategies. It wasn't even about the scoreboard. It was about the big heart Eric Engels showed me and my kids (yes, I won the blog contest - that was also a thrill but he didn't have to give us both tix), and a new friendship with a super guy; it was about the pure joy I saw on my boys' faces when I first broke the news to them, watched them immediately text and tweet their friends to share it, and their excitement all through today and this evening. That is the huge pile of rewards this rivalry has resulted in, and will continue to live on in the boys' memories, and mine. The lasting aura is enough to make this night a victory.

Opposite Side of the Emotional Coin

(photo created by me - to express the City's heart this week)

There have been a lot of emotions running rampant in my city this week. Since The Hit on Canadiens' forward Max Pacioretty by Boston Bruins' Zdeno Chara, hockey fans - and many non-hockey fans - have gone from shock, to fear, anger to outrage, confusion to utter mystification. Yesterday's news that Patch was home brought hope and relief. Letters from Air Canada to the NHL, and Geoff Molson to the home base brought a renewed sense of empowerment. The news that the Montreal police were investigating the Hit brought everything from amusement to derision. And bloggers streamed into my Twitter timeline from Habs Inside/Out's Dave Stubbs after The Hit and after The Decision, to Kyle Roussel, Sports Illustrated's (and Montreal's own) Michael Farber and Montreal Gazette's Red Fisher. The emotions ranged from low to high on every front, and as each blogger weighed in, emotions were renewed.

But what struck me most profoundly of all was the solidarity we were all experiencing. Montreal is a hockey city, and I've never been more aware of that since my hockey awakening began with last season's playoff run. But this week, as we all tweeted (2 days where hundreds upon hundreds of tweets updated by the second and I made many new Twitter friends), posted on Facebook, called into radio shows, emailed one another, and kept abreast of the story online, I felt a pride that was only strengthened by our togetherness.

We were banding together in positive energy sent to MaxPacs. We bonded over the anger that his assailant got off scot-free. We agreed on analogies comparing street thugs and hockey bullies, criminal behavior vs "part of the game", and we shared our resolve to have our voices heard as fans, fanatics and humans.

I found myself reflecting on my city. My City. Montreal's been home to me all my life, but I've seen it in a new light being a new fanatic of the game of hockey. I watch American broadcasts of our games and swell with pride when they show pictures of downtown, the Bell Centre, and talk about our history - hockey and non-hockey related. I travel the subway with my kids, on the way to a Habs game, and feel At One with every other attendee going my way, wearing the bleu-blanc-rouge. I talk to people from other cities who, even if they root for another team, laud the electricity felt at the Bell Centre. I go to games and feel a new awareness of how lucky I am to live in a city which has a European flavor, a metropolitan buzz, and yet sometimes - like this week - boils down to a village mentality where we are all one with each other.

So instead of blogging anger (which I still feel) or loathing (which is now stronger than I thought I'd feel toward another team and its fans) or disgust (if I even qualify that I WILL blog about it), I would like to share my profound love of being a Montrealer, my extraordinary pride in my city and its citizens, and my continued support for my team, its players, and the fans who help make Loving My Habs that much more of a global experience.

Go Habs Go!!!