by Erica, Staff Writer and Fundraising Specialist, All Habs Hockey Magazine

MONTREAL, QC. — The most important thing I learned from this episode is that Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau‘s teammates call him Master P. The second most important thing is that the team treats every day as what it is – either a game day or a recovery day. However, this episode made it very clear that there’s much more to life than just a series of games and recoveries.

A big win is more important than a big loss. I’m not sure if I’d agree with this philosophy if it were implemented by the coach, but it works for 24CH’s production team. Why make fans sit through a loss if they already watched the game? This episode spent as much time focusing on Carey Price‘s monster save against Jeremy Morin as it did on the team’s attempts to regroup during and after an embarrassing loss to Chicago.

On the other hand, their exciting wins over the Buffalo Sabres and Minnesota Wild were given a little more attention, with a focus on the goal-scorers and the fighters. Nathan Beaulieu really wanted to wear the Shiny Boxing Robe of Success and earned it quite literally by dropping the gloves and landing a punch on Wild forward Stéphane Veilleux. “I think I hit him in the neck,” said the young defenceman, knowing he’d get to wear the robe and pose for pictures with his fists raised.

History is just as important as the franchise says it is. That win over Minnesota happened after legendary defenceman and Stanley Cup winner Guy Lapointe had his jersey raised to the rafters of the Bell Centre. A segment of the episode focused on the production of a jersey retirement ceremony – all of the details, planning, and rehearsals that go into it. Unfortunately, there was no mention of the hard work and campaigning done by Lapointe’s daughter, Stephanie, to finally have his jersey retired. It was incredibly  obvious that this ceremony was well-deserved; if Lapointe’s stats and Stanley Cup wins don’t speak for themselves, the words of his teammates can back them up. Larry Robinson and Serge Savard mention how honoured they felt to have their jerseys retired by the organization, and how proud they are that Lapointe is finally able to feel the same way. They all mentioned how incredible it is to receive the same honour bestowed upon legends like Jean Béliveau and the Richard brothers, and that the banners floating from the rafters will be there for posterity, as a physical reminder of their accomplishments. Lapointe masked his nervousness with the warmth and boyish sense of humour that his teammates came to expect from him. After such an emotional retirement ceremony, the Canadiens were ready to take those two points from Minnesota, like the legendary franchise they are.

There’s tons to do off the ice. The Montreal Canadiens are more than just a hockey team, and they’re happy to take their place in the community. Retired Habs forward and Stanley Cup winner Yvon Lambert greets fans and hosts viewing parties at a neighborhood bar in Montreal’s southwest. (Come to think of it, it looked an awful lot like an All Habs Hockey Party…) He loves meeting fans, and the feeling is clearly mutual. Elsewhere, current Canadiens staff are gearing up for another round of moustache-growing for Movember. Mo Captain Mike Weaver admits that he’s got big shoes to fill, taking the torch from George Parros‘ moustache. Geoff Molson talks about his dedication to the cause and the importance of taking action for men’s health, regardless of his wife’s feelings about his hairy upper lip. Ironically enough, when he’s on camera discussing his dedication to Movember, his moustache has barely started growing. By the end of the week, we see Molson congratulating Guy Lapointe on a well-deserved honor, and his moustache is impossible to miss. Further proof that a lot can happen in a week, especially when it comes to the Montreal Canadiens.

Support the All Habs team and help change the face of men’s health this Movember by donating here.