By Paulo Cerqueira, Staff Writer, All Habs Hockey Magazine
MONTREAL, QC. — Every morning since March 20th, almost every Montrealer has had the same morning routine. Check the local weather. Why you may ask? Well, although the Vernal Equinox marking the first official day of spring fell on that cold day in March, Mother Nature did not get the memo. Cold weather, rain and even snow over the last month has had people in the city wondering who is responsible for this practical joke and when is spring really going to make its entrance.
Great news folks, the practical joke is finally over! I can guarantee that before the end of this week, all of Montreal will feel like spring is finally here. Now before everyone goes out and invests in sunscreen companies expecting a boom in sales, I have not read the Farmer’s Almanac and I have no clue what kind of weather we will be having. All I can say is that the first real sign of spring every year in Montreal is puck drop for a playoff series between the Montreal Canadiens and the Boston Bruins. As the booming loud speakers of the Bell Center say prior to every game, “Are You Readyyyy?”
Year after year, these two bitter rivals seem to find each other during journey through the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In fact the upcoming series will be the 34th time Montreal and Boston face off in the spring. The Habs have a pretty large advantage in the win column having won 24 of the previous 33 series and even coming in with a 3-1 record in this season’s matchups. But as soon as the first game will begin none of that will mean anything. When it comes to facing each other, it always seems that numbers and stats are irrelevant because of all the side stories between these two franchises. They are side stories that bring out the best and worst of each other when their paths cross on the ice.
It’s not just the Boston facing Montreal. It’s Carey Price versus Tuukka Rask in a battle of two of the elite goalies of the NHL. One is coming off a brilliant season that resulted in a nomination for the Vezina trophy. The other, in the eyes of many, had the best season of his career. Some are even feeling that he was snubbed for the Vezina but he can enjoy the consolation of an Olympic Gold Medal. Who will come out on top this time?
It’s not just Bruins versus the Canadiens. It’s Zdeno Chara versus P.K. Subban. They are both two former Norris trophy winners who are constantly showered with boo’s by the opposing fans as soon as either touch the puck in the rival rink. Both always seem to come up big when the spotlight is on them and the stakes are at their highest. The roar of the crowd jeering them and the intensity of the playoffs will only make both of them elevate their game to another level. Who will have the bigger impact on the series and their team?
It’s not just the Bears versus the Habs. It’s Milan Lucic versus Alexei Emelin. These two have been involved in epic battles over the last few games going back to when Emelin blew out his knee try to lay one of his booming hits on the Beast from Boston. After that devastating injury, it would be very understandable if Emelin would stay away from Lucic in order to protect himself. But that hasn’t been the case. Game after game, shift after shift, the two find each other on the ice at the same time, laying body check upon body check on one another. How will either survive if this series goes to seven games?
It’s not the B’s versus the CH. It’s Brad Marchand versus Brendan Gallagher. Marchand is hated throughout the league for his antics and his way of playing the game. His ability to get under the opponents skin is undeniable although his methods are usually questionable. Gallagher is quickly getting the same reputation with his opponents. It has been earned not in the way he does but in the ability he has to get other players off their game. Gallagher also constantly finds a way to get under the skin of his rivals albeit in a much more Lady Byng like way than Marchand. Both do their job well. Who will end up being the bigger pest?
This rivalry has gotten so big that it’s not even the American National Anthem versus the Canadian National Anthem anymore. It’s René Rancourt versus Ginette Reno. Will the fist pumping antics of Rancourt to get his crowd going win over the goose bumps and shivers Reno provides the Bell Centre faithful?
Unfortunately I don’t have the answers to any of these questions. Well maybe just one, I will take Reno over Rancourt any day! All jokes aside all these stories will unfold when these two teams square off with one another this week. Breath will be held, referees will be hated and coaching decisions argued by people on both sides. At the end of it all regardless of who you cheer for, we the fans will be the winners. Winners because it will be, as it always is, absolutely incredible hockey to watch. Not necessarily because of any spectacular play or amazing goal, but because of the pure emotion and adrenaline it will bring each of us. But even more important than that, the fans will be the big winners because it will just add another chapter to this book that we are all writing together to immortalize this epic battle these two teams have had over the years.
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