What We Learned on 24CH: Good Burger [S3:E24]

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

MONTREAL, QC. — The Canadiens are back in Montreal, and back down to earth after snapping their winning streak on the road. They’re looking to regain momentum, to turn the tide, to fulfill the potential of their new roster. Here’s what we learned:

Carey Price is the best. (But we knew that already.) The episode closes with Price’s monster save midway through a game against the New York Islanders, and posing for a now-famous selfie with a little fan. We already knew that Carey Price is superhuman every time he plays a game. This episode showed us his charitable side. Price and his wife, Angela, collaborated with Breakfast Club Canada to provide breakfast for children in need around his hometown of Anahim Lake, BC. One of those children, a lucky boy named Trent, was flown to Montreal to meet Price and spend some time shooting pucks on the ice at the Brossard training facility. Price shows patience and is having a good time stopping pucks and chatting. Angela says that he was moved when he received thank-you letters from children in Anahim Lake. I guess for some people, being a hero comes naturally.

Even Bruins fans have good taste. 24CH follows Max Pacioretty to Boston (gasp!) as he films a commercial for McDonald’s. There’s a new burger on their menu that is both named after and designed by him. It’s topped with nacho cheese, tortilla chips, bacon bits, and onions, and I would like to eat one right now, please and thank you.

In the commercial, Bruins fans in Boston are stopped for a “man on the street” interview where they sample the Max 67 burger and give their opinions on it. They all say it’s delicious, and then realize that the burger was given to them by Max Pacioretty himself. They were all good sports about it – turns out that Bruins fans don’t bite, unless they’re chowing down on a delicious free burger.

The team does everything necessary to be their best, even if they don’t win every game. Marc Bergevin keeps his GM mind sharp with physical exercise. He has tried to keep in shape ever since he retired as a player, and this episode follows him on a run through the Montreal neighbourhoods he grew up in, along the Lachine Canal and past homes and small storefronts. He goes for a run every morning, taking some time away from the constant demands of his work. Team employee Francois Martindale, an ice resurfacing expert who has been with the Canadiens for two decades, is returning to work after a yearlong battle with cancer. He’s incredibly happy to be back at it, and his coworkers greet him with enthusiasm. He climbs onto the zamboni with an enormous smile on his face  and gets to work.

As for the players? P.A. Parenteau and Alexei Emelin are happy that they’ve recovered from injury and are ready to help the team win some games. Torrey Mitchell’s return to Montreal is overwhelming – seeing young fans watching the Habs practice reminds him of his own childhood, idolizing NHL players. The team as a whole spend time in the gym upon their return from the West Coast and try to keep spirits up and encourage each other come game time. Losing a game is disappointing, but the players are showing that they are just as disappointed as the fans.

Best bits. Tomas Plekanec’s teammates know to pass him the puck when they’re not sure where to take it, because “good things happen.”