Post Game Writing Excercise: Who Cared Anyway ?

Toronto 6 Canadiens 5

The score does not start to describe the disappointment. The "game of the year" lived up to its pre-game hype. It was not a particularly well-played game, but it was one that kept one riveted.

Toronto jumped to a 3-1 lead after outshooting Montreal 23-9 in the first period. Canadiens roared back to take a 5-3 lead (in good part thanks to some shaky Toronto goaltending), but then a late 2nd period strange goal plus some undisciplend penalties allowed Toronto to stage their own comeback. Finally, a very quiet Montreal third period (3 shots), and the Leafs walk away with a win and bragging rights that they knocked their rivals out of the playoffs.

For Toronto fans, it's probably as good as it's felt in 40 years - 1967 was when the Leafs last won the Stanley Cup and their win turned out to interrupt what otherwise could have been a run of five straight for my heroes of the 1960's (The Toe Blake coached team that included the likes of Jean Beliveau, Henry Richard, John Ferguson, Gump Worsley, etc.). As of this writing Toronto still might not make the playoffs (depending on whether the gritty NY Islanders can squeeze out one more win against the NJ Devils).

There were so many subplots to the Montreal-Toronto game. There was the rivalry among the fans, the cities, and a throughback to the English-French thing that dominated for so long. There was Canadiens' goaltender Cristobal Huet making his first appearance in two months and at once making incredible stops to keep his team in the game, but also allowing some weak goals. There was the enigma of a Montreal player called Kovalev, one so taleneted but one who so often never showed-up. How about the fact that again Montreal seemed so ready to compete out of the gate ? Is it the players, is the coaching ? Is just a lack of talent exposed when not boosted by a hometown crowd ?

Montreal seemed to be outcoached and outmotivated.

Then there is the issue of the national Canadian television broadcast and what appears to be a pro-Toronto slant.

Lots to talk about.

For more about the game, the season and just what one like me is feeling, a good place to go - a vitrual corner bar of sorts is http://www.habsinsideout.com , a production of the Montreal Gazette. It's a wonderfully done site - bulletin boards, blogs, puckcasts and more done very tastefully and professionally.

Now on to Spring and the Expos - oh yeah, I forgot they're gone. I guess I'm left with my Stanley Cup videoes of the 1960's and 70's. This year's playoffs ? I think I'll adopt Vancouver - it's a lovely city, I like their goaltender, their coach and a couple of other players who used to play for Canadiens. They're a Canadian team, they've been around since 1969-70 and never won a Cup (modern era Vancouver).

As to the Spring and baseball, since MLB stole the Expos, and the Red Sox have finally gotten that monkey off their back (and they now spend too much money like the Yankees), my rooting interest is more limited. My priorities are that the Washington team finish with the worst record in baseball, that Florida have the second worst record (Montreal fans would understand why), and watching to see if Ernie Banks and Scotty Simon will be around to see the Cubs finally win a World Series.

Now it's time to go back to daily living where I don't get so worked up - except when the kids run too close to the street.

See you in the fall fellow hockey fans.