Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Habs Notebook: On the Eve of Destruction

There's more to life than the Habs, people. There's work, family, the theatre, meetings, shopping, nights out with the one you love.

Ha ha, who are we kidding? Has anybody thought of anything other than the Habs for more than five seconds since Halak saluted the Bell Centre crowd as first star last night? I know I haven't. A few Habs-related thoughts rattling around in my otherwise empty head today:

-I don't know if you can draw any meaning from dreams, but I spent last night dreaming about the Habs, which, I swear, I don't usually do. But, you know those dreams that seem to drag on and evolve all night long? It was one of those, and I dreamed the Habs had won the Cup (don't know who the opponent was), but they couldn't decide who should accept it because there's no captain. The debate went on and on, until finally, Bettman just laid the Cup on the ice and walked away. Gionta shrugged and skated over to pick it up. Any dream analysts out there?

-I'm hearing a lot of people saying no matter what happens tomorrow night, the Habs have earned respect because of this series and we should be proud of them. I agree, in principle, but I can't help desperately hoping they win. It just doesn't feel finished yet. I don't want Jaro's heroics in Game Six to be forgotten quickly as part of a losing cause. I don't want the season to end; I'm not ready. I'll respect their effort and I'll still love the team, but I want to revel in a great playoff comeback for the first time in years.

-I've heard reports today that the Caps had a flight to Florida booked for after Game Four, in the anticipation that they'd sweep the Habs, then go south for some R&R while they awaited their next opponent. Between that kind of thing and Ovechkin talking about how they were hoping to have some time to relax before meeting Philly after Game Four, with the surety of wiping the ice with the Habs in Game Five, they deserve to have the hockey gods bite them in the ass. Arrogance is the most unattractive quality a hockey player can have, when it's unearned arrogance. Regular season means dick. Just ask the San Jose Sharks.

-A lot of analysts today are focusing on Halak's performance last night as the sole reason why the Habs won. I think, of course, that he was huge and played a once-in-a-career type game. But I didn't think the Habs were terrible otherwise. There were a lot of positives outside of Halak, which I hope come forward again in Game Seven.

-Best line from a hockey fan on Ovechkin's observation of Halak's alleged shaking in Game Three: "The only thing Halak will be shaking will be Ovechkin's hand after he eliminates the Caps from the playoffs."

-My oldest kid, who doesn't really care much for hockey thinks the Caps will take it tomorrow night. She said, after (forced) watching the highlights of Halak's performance last night: "Those Ovegetables will win tomorrow. They'll have lots of anger juice." I hope she's really, really wrong.

-One thing I noticed last night was the Habs didn't salute the Bell Centre fans after the game, like a team that thinks it's played its last home game of the season would do. Unless I missed it on the TV coverage, they just went to the room like they meant to be back next week some time. That's great.

-Shout-out to the guys and girl at FHF, for channelling Jaro's inner thoughts for we mere mortals.

-Watched OTR on TSN tonight, just to see what they'd say about Jaro. Landsberg talked about how Habs fans are as pathetic as leafs fans for getting giddy about a first-round game that doesn't mean anything unless they advance tomorrow. Shut up, Landsberg and keep checking the mailbox for your overpriced leafs season tickets for next year. Minus playoffs, of course.

-I don't necessarily buy into "refs suck because they're fixing the games for the league" theories. But, if Chris Lee, who was never deemed good enough to ref a playoff game EVER until this year when three veteran refs retired and he was basically forced into post-season officiating is assigned to Game Seven, I might start believing.

Okay, one more sleep. I'm nervous already. How are you all feeling about their chances? Not bravado feeling...really feeling.

8 comments:

Kevin aka "yathehabsrule" said...

I think you shared that dream about the Habs winning the Cup with Bettman. Only difference was that he woke up screaming! LOL

Nice post, as always.

iRiRi said...

Great post, J.T. Agree with everything.

I too haven't stopped thinking about the Habs. Game 6 was magical.

Was that dream the type where you only realize later the next day that it didn't really happen? Those are such bummers :)

P.S. Go Habs Go!!!

NorCalVol said...

I feel like (1) the crowd will be as loud as a jet engine; (2) the Caps will come out of the gate and seriously try to destroy the Habs in the first 10 minutes; and (3) most if not all of the borderline calls will go the Caps way.
If the Habs can weather the storm of the first period that I know is coming (an even scoreline), I will feel like they will win. If the Habs go down 2-0 in the first 10 minutes, I will feel pretty pessimistic.
Right now?
Optimistic - the Caps know they have to take the game by the horns early, therefore the pressure is on them and they will play without the controlled level of intensity that it takes to win - they will blow a tire because they will be too reckless.
Habs 4 Caps 2.
On to Pittsburgh.

Unknown said...

I kind of agree with NorCalVol -- 4-2 Habs. Habs are going to come out confident and loose. With a world-beater in goal behind you, you feel like there's nothing you can't do. Caps will be squeezing their sticks.

Note that I'm a perennial pessimist, and yet after they were down 3-1, when 99% of us had (understandably) given up, I posted on Facebook that I felt they could come back. I got laughed at quite a bit. :-) But I hope I'm right once more.

Anonymous said...

I am so nervous I dont think I can get through the day. GO HABS GO

Anonymous said...

I can barely make my bed this morning. I am sick to my stomach. Not even sure I can watch the game tonight.

MC said...

Realistically, I think they have an excellent chance to win. They have shown that they can score goals against this team, and the defence and goaltending are capable of shutting down the Caps when they play well and shorten the bench. My only concern is that it is a game 7 and there are no do-overs. If either team gets a couple of lucky breaks, it could be over, so that uncertainty makes it tough to watch without a knot in your gut.

Christopher Sama said...

habshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabs
habshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabshabs

Nothing else exists right now.

(BTW - I was at the game on Monday and no, there was no fan salute.)

That comes in June, somewhere along Ste-Catherine, right?