MONTREAL, QC — I saw my first Habs game of the 2011-’12 at the Bell Centre on Tuesday October 24th. We had great seats. Six rows up and to the left of the Habs bench. Le Tricolore were playing against the Florida Panthers that night.
Hal Gill, Andrei Kostitsyn and Mike Cammalleri were in the lineup. Andrei Markov, Ryan White and Scott Gomez were not. They were injured.
Travis Moen’s face graced my ticket. He didn’t play. Injured.
The home side lost 2-1 that night, yet the future of the season seemed to be bright. So, so bright.
Or so it appeared.
Five months later, on Tuesday March 27, 2012, I saw my last Habs game of the season at the Bell Centre. My friend and I had the exact same seats as the first game, and we felt the exact same excitement. After all we were watching my CH wearing heroes live and we were so close we could see the beads of sweat trickling down their faces.
Yannick Weber’s exuberance graced my ticket. He didn’t play. Injured.
The Habs lost 3-2 in a shootout. It was an exciting game to watch. The boys played with heart, they played with pride. I jumped and cheered for Erik Cole and Louis Leblanc, and cringed when Subban got the puck in the chest and faltered.
Gill, Kostitsyn and Cammalleri are now with other teams. The Habs have made some new acquisitions in Bourque and Staubitz. The young talent that came up from the Hamilton Bulldogs have showed us of what they’re made, and I am quite impressed! Markov and White are back, and I miss Brian Gionta, my Captain. I really, really miss him.
It has been a season fraught with unfortunate events.
Bad circumstances have a way of ruining things that would otherwise be pleasant – Lemony Snicket, Horseradish
It’s been five months since that first game, and the season will end for le Bleu, Blanc, Rouge on April 7, 2012.
Five months later and Josh Gorges leads the league in blocked shots, and the team now has two 30 goal scorers in Erik Cole and Max Pacioretty.
Great milestones so there is no point in dwelling on the “what if’s?”
It is beyond that. Way beyond that now
So what do we fans have to look forward to now?
An owner in Geoff Molson who will do anything required to win. A man who has clearly defined the scope of the club to become the winning team we all know that they are. A man who will work to bring back the winning tradition of this storied franchise. A man who understands the emotion the fans experience with every win and every loss.
A new GM!
Pierre Gauthier has been relieved of his duties, much to the delight of every Montreal Canadiens fan far and wide, and what does this mean?
No more band-aid solutions to cover errors and trading of talent for short term relief!!
Santa was right to leave him a lump of coal in his Christmas stocking!!
The 2012 Draft!
The Habs will get the opportunity to pick up fresh young talent, and that is always exciting!
I just wish the season didn’t have to end. I wish I could have continued to see the Habs play well into June!
It’s ok though.
I know that they will come back to training camp in September bigger, faster, stronger, focused and ready to take on their adversaries in battle.
Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose – Friday Night Lights
(Feature photo by AP/The Canadian Press, Paul Chiasson)