The king is home

This past Saturday the greatest North American goalie to ever play the game finally closed the book on his career. It remains a dark day in many Canadiens fans memory, December, 2, 1995 the day the greatest goaltender in NHL history left the Canadiens for Colorado after a 12-1 loss to the Detroit Redwings. A scene that replays in my mind over and over again, and as it does with many others, Roy walked past Canadiens coach Mario Tremblay to team president Ronald Corey and told him he had played his last game with the Canadiens. The next day Roy and team mate Mike Keane were members of the Colorado Avalanche, traded for Jocelyn Thibault, Andrei Kovalenko and Martin Rucinsky, three players who never did anything special for the Canadiens. The very next year the Avalanche won a Stanley Cup with Roy. The Avs won once again in 2001 and Roy won the Conn Smythe as the most valuable player for his team in the playoffs for a record third time in his career, due to his great play against Martin Brodeur. Known as “Le Trade” the Canadiens gave up the player who almost single handedly won them the cup in 1986 and 1993. With Roy in nets the Canadiens surprised the league in ’86 and then again in ’93 where the Habs won a record 10 overtime playoff games, Roy won the Conn Smythe trophy both times. After the trade many Canadiens fans had rejected Roy saying that he had “betrayed” or “quit” on the team. One thing that most people do not understand about professional sports is that for the athletes it is a job. If you do not enjoy your job and you have 29 other “companies” willing to pay you to go and work for them wouldn’t you leave as well? With his Canadiens loyalty in question, the Habs never the less decided to have Roy’s #33 retired this season leading up to their centennial. With the darkest day in Canadiens history 13 years in the past, Roy, the media, the Canadiens staff and the fans themselves wondered how the “King” would be treated on November 22. Sitting in my seat just above the Desjardins boxes, right behind the Boston net, I awaited the ceremony giddy like a three year old on the first Christmas morning where he actually understood what was about to receive. I was there to see the greatest goalie to grace the ice, the hero of millions, my hero and the reason I love hockey. The atmosphere was intense and full of nerves, with grey cup village down the street the Bell Centre was buzzing. On the jumbotron was game five of the Stanley Cup finals in 1993, the last time the habs won the cup. When the clock hit zero, the building erupted as if we had actually won something. Unfortunately we were living in the past, wishing it was now. The video brought back memories long forgotten, of a local hero, a man who commanded a nation with his glove and drive for success, the man who brought a city and people to tears, a man who was finally going to come home. As soon as the video finished with a team picture, and the cup in Roy’s lap, Dick Irvin’s voice came over the loud speaker and introduced to the Canadiens fans for the first time since his last game in 1995, Patrick Roy. Heads turned in every direction, mostly to the Canadiens entrance to the ice, but it was on the jumbotron once again where our attention was directed. The de la gauchetiere entrance was on the screen, all of us in the building were still waiting for his entrance. Then the legend himself walked through the front doors for the first time in 13 years, as if nothing had happened, wearing his #33 Canadiens jersey looking ready to hit the ice. Roy walked through the concourse, through the crowd and behind the bench, in the reverse order as he had done on December 2. After shaking hands with Jean Beliveau, he walked back on to Canadiens ice for the first time in over a decade, and back into the heart of millions of fans, even though he had never really left. From the moment his face flashed on to the screen the building erupted for a six minute standing ovation, he walked onto the carpet and once again commanded all attention, as he had done during his 11 years with the Canadiens organisation. His speech was like any other time he spoke to the media, brief but with plenty of fire and heart. He spoke about how he still hears the “foule du Canadiens” screaming after winning the cup in ’86 and ‘93. Roy thanked us, the fans for welcoming him into our hearts, as a 20-year old rookie with hopes of a Stanley Cup, which later that year he would deliver. The most important thing he did that night was apologize in the best way that he could, for leaving on “such short notice” as he put it. He told us that he would have loved to finish his career in Montreal, and who wouldn’t believe him. Quebec is where he was born, where he fell in love with the game, where he played, where he was drafted, where he got married, where his kids were born and where he played for as he put it “the greatest hockey team in the world le bleu-blanc et rouge.” He spoke seemingly to every Canadiens in the world fan that he left too early explaining how the next day he was ready to put the incident behind him and return to the Montreal crease. At the end of his speech he reminisced about “the nights we made the forum tremble and Montreal shake.” With a tear in everybody’s eye, including a full out sobbing on my part. He finished off his speech, in a way that put closure in not only my heart, but the heart of all hockey fans, “finally tonight you welcome me back into your building and hearts, like you did when I was just 20, and yearning for success. Tonight you will allow me to have my jersey retired, and I am glad to say, that after 13 years on the road, tonight I am coming home.” It was the perfect ending, to the perfect speech, from the man who made a career of goaltending perfection. His #33 was raised to the rafters next to Lafleur, Dryden, Plante and the Richards among others, cementing his place as one of the Canadiens greats. Walking in the tunnel towards the Canadiens dressing room, to the roar of the crowd, Roy made his last appearance in a Canadiens uniform, leaving the way he should have all those long, dark and cold December nights ago, finally the “Roi” is home.

Grey Cup Village

As we all know by now Montreal is hosting the 96th Grey Cup, and every Grey Cup host has their own designated “Grey Cup Village.” Montreal’s this year is on the corner of Metcalfe and Rene-Levesque, in the heart of the downtown core, in the middle of all the hotels and one street down from the Bell Centre. Held in a tiny park downtown, the village is a little tight, but worth the trip for any football fan. I went earlier today just after lunch and was able to meet last year’s MOP Kerry Joseph, Tigercats RB Jesse Lumsden and the BC Lions cheerleaders (who were hot!). Lets just say I was left a little speechless after I football with Jesse for about a two minutes and the same with Kerry, both were very accomodating and seemed very happy to be there. Along with players in the “CN Locker Room”, there was also the Quebec Sports Hall Of Fame, all of the local media were broadcasting from the site, including TSN, there was the CN Challenge where fans competed in a variety of activites. The Molson Ex zone had a huge zone for all the great bands that will continue to play until the end of the grey cup and lots of great food. Since you downtown, you never really have to leave metcalfe and peel area for all you eating needs. The village will also be showing the grey cup on huge screens all over the area and plenty of bands will be playing over the next two days. I really think if you have the chance that you should check it out, you never know who you will meet.

Montreal VS Edmonton Eastern Semi-final-final update

Well the Als pulled it off, hats off to Edmonton who put it on early in the game. Unfortunately for the Eskies, there defence let AC get into rhythm and when that happens it’ll take more than a skipped beat to stop the Alouettes offensive heart from beating. They finals score was 36-26, with the Larry Taylor returning two punts for a touchdown. Something the Alouettes have not done in the playoffs in a long time. Alouettes head coach Marc Trestman was the spotlight of media ridicule early in the season, when many CFL experts predicted that he would not be able to convert the gamestyles from the NFL to the CFL. Well he proved all critics wrong this season, the Alouettes locked up the east division with three (3) games left in the regular season, they were able to rest all their important players with AC getting 20 days off. His hybrid schemes confused everybody, even his own players in the beggining but the confusion payed off, giving the Alouettes one of the most diversified playbooks the CFL has ever seen. The Als defence finally figured out Edmonton’s offensive schemes, early enough to clog the holes and give the right to host the grey cup. Calvillo had a great game, so did Richardson and obviously Taylor, there are many unsung heroes when a team can make it to the big dance. Hopefully they will all be recognized when the Als countdown the clock on how much time they have, until they can celebrate with the grey cup.

Montreal VS Edmonton Eastern Semi-Final Update 2

Wow, what a difference 12 minutes makes!! Since i left you the score is 19-13 in favor of the Alouettes. What happened? Well the Alouettes figured out the Eskies blitz scheme, and they perfected their own. With seven minutes left the Alouettes marched down the field, with Anthoney Calvillo (AC) playing his 3-step drop to perfection. He hooked up with Jamel Richardson, the CFL’s leading touchdown receiver from 10-yards out. Avon Cobourne set up a huge block on that play that allowed AC the time to find Richardson over the middle. The Eskies got the ball back and quickley went two and out. On the punt Als punt returner Larry Taylor took one to the house for a 65-yard punt return, making two quick cuts and busting through a gang tackle to bring Montreal’s 13th man back to life. Now the Als have the momentum, even though everyone in the building had it, even the birds hidden in the bowels of the Big O, and they look to keep it up and play in their grey cup.

Montreal VS Edmonton-Eastern Conference Semi-Final

Well the alouettes havent gotten off to their regular blazing start. After winning the coin toss they quickly went two and out, while Edmonton did the same. On the als next possesion Damon Duval’s punt was blocked and returned for a touchdown. They als then marched down the field with a couple of runs from Calvillo and quick passes to Cobourne which allowed Montreal to kick a field goal. With the score now 10-3, the Alouettes defence and special teams need to step it up. They have been letting Edmonton get the big yards through the air, and the Eskies kick/punt returns have been way too easy against Montreal. I dont know what the Als are doing, but they seem to be dropping people into coverage instead of attempting to assualt Ricky Ray as they usually do and it is not working at all. Hopefully they can pick it up soon, the als need a sack, or defensive turnover to gain more momentum. I will post another entry at the end of the half.

All-Star game stupidity

The logo for the 2009 All-Star game in Montreal

It’s that time of year again, when NHL fans all around the world, sit starry eyed, with cofee in hand, glaring at their computer screens stuffing the NHL’s online ballot box, hoping that their favorite player will start in the all-star game. Unfortunately for all 108 players on the ballot, they don’t all have a fair chance. With the all-star game being played in Montreal for the first time since their last stanley cup victory in 1993, and the Canadiens celebration of their centennial, the players other than the Canadiens six on the ballot, have no chance of starting…unfortunately. All six (6) of the Canadiens players on the ballot are in the starting positions, with sizeable leads as well. Carey Price leads the league with just over 203,000 votes, thats more than anyone in the NHL, even Crosby, Ovechkin, Semin and Luongo. Who all seem more deserving than lets say; Kovalev, Koivu, Tanguay and Komisarek as well. If the all-star game were to be played right now, the Habs would have all the starting positions in the eastern conference to themselves. The only true all-star the Canadiens have on their team is Andrei Markov and even he could start behind Mike Green as the second ranked defenceman, but in usual fashion us Canadiens fans cannot resist filling up the ballot box screen with the blue-blanc et rouge. It really is too bad that no one elses fans seem to care as much as Montreal’s, because if that were they case, the NHL would be in great standing. The starters in the east should be easy to identify, at (F)-Alexander Semin, (F)-Sidney Crosby, (F)-Evgeni Malkin on (D)-Andrei Markov, (D)-Mike Green and in (G)-Henrik Lundqvist. At the end of the day, Canadiens fans need to realise that its for the best players in the world, not the most popular, because then every backup goalie would be starting and so would shaun avery. Now im going to go and vote…with all six (6) going to the blue-blanc et rouge…(yes im a hypocrite)

Ruutu out for just two?

The hit that Ottawa Senators forward Jarkko Ruutu laid on Canadiens spark plug Maxime Lapierre, was given a two (2) game suspension. Two games for an intentional hit to the head, and a raised elbow all while his team was down 4-0 against one of the leagues premeire teams. When Tom Kostopoulos(TK) hit Leafs defenceman Mike Van Ryn from behind, people all over the league cried foul. TK was suspended three (3) games for his hit, which left Van Ryn beaten and bruised, and out of action for a month. If you look closely at the hit, Van Ryn turned his shoulder and turned towards the boards, after TK commited to the hit. Meaning, that TK was not at fault. So this means that the NHL is handing down punishments not on intent, or action but on result. What i want Colin Campbell to explain, is howcome a hit that the NHL recognized as one with intent to injure gets a game less than one that was a fluke? Apparently they only see blood, not what led to the blood. Which is unfortunate, because they seem to hand out more and more unwarranted suspensions every year, while completely missing out or shortening the suspension terms on the ones that “do not draw blood.” The NHL needs to come to the realisation that blood also comes from nosebleeds, not just hits and that sometimes people are attacked, but suffer no injuries and for those who aren’t in criminology class, its still considered an assault.

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