You remember Youppi don't you? The furry orange creature who could be a twin brother of Fozzie Bear was the mascot for the Montreal Expos until their demise in 2004. Youppi painfully watched his beloved Expos leave for Washington where they became the Nationals. Even though Youppi was picked up by the Canadiens, he still had a hatred for Washington. He vowed revenge! Six years later, he has it!
The Canadiens have taken a pound of flesh and then some from Washington by upsetting the Capitals in what is the 2nd greatest 8 vs 1 upset in the history of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Once again, "Halakamania" ran wild as Jaroslav Halak stopped just about everything sent his way as Montreal beats the NHL's regular season champions 2-1. It means Ovechkin won't win the Cup this year. It means when you combine his Olympics and playoffs, Ovie will shudder when he hears the word Canadi(e)an. It means Gary Bettman's dream Eastern Conference matchup of Pittsburgh versus Washington goes up in smoke---albeit Brad Watson just about gave it to him by calling a late Montreal penalty. It means those who Caps in their playoff draft are a little choked and like it or not, it gives Sid the role of the best player. His team is still going and he has Olympic gold while Ovechkin can just hope for world gold now.
Did anyone really see this coming? Even the most ardent of Habs fans have to be surprised with what has taken place. How on earth did Montreal win three straight against the league's best team in the regular season. It had to be more than the play of Halak did it not? Where was Alexander Semin in this series? How did Mike Green get to be a Norris candidate when his defensive miscues were so obvious in this series. As I said before, we found out why Green wasn't in Vancouver. How many blocked shots did Montreal have? 182 to be exact or 26 a game. That is an incredible number and makes one wonder who leads this team in bruises. A lot of people will say Washington choked after being up 3-1, but even this non-Canadien fan has to give that team credit. They reached down and found something that Washington couldn't match. Pittsburgh is next. Do you dare take the Penguins after what you've just seen?
You also have to wonder what the Capitals will do in the off-season. They can score, but they don't want to play a great deal of defence. RJ Umberger proved to be right with his statements on the Capitals. As a hockey fan, you love the way they play, but as a coach in a league that still stresses defence, one would have to think that perhaps some goals might be sacrificed for guys willing to pay the price---guys that weren't on that Washington team this year. Let the autopsy begin!
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ESPN has a poll on its site right now asking people what first round has been better. The NBA or the NHL playoffs. I was disappointed to see 54 percent of those asked chose the NBA. Really! I've watched some of the NBA playoffs as well, but they haven't even been close to the level of the NHL playoffs. I guess this just proves that many Americans just don't want to give hockey a choice. I would much rather take Ovechkin over Lebron and Sid over Kobe. I guess its because I'm Canadian. The gap isn't as wide as it could be too so that has to be seen as an encouraging site --especially in the US South where basketball is seemingly a right for many.
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The finalists for the Hart Trophy will be named today. You have to think Ovechkin and Crosby are there. Is the 3rd candidate Ryan Miller, Henrik Sedin or someone completely different. You tell me!
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The WHL bantam draft goes today, but the excitement just isn't there---at least not for me. Its because I know the guys that are selected today aren't going to be in the lineup right away. At least in the NHL or the NFL, the first couple of picks are generally going to be pros. Here, it just tells you what team owns what player. The players taken today won't make the lineup for at least a year and only the really good ones will make an impact immediately.
The Pats took Myles Bell with their first pick in the 2008 draft, and he is just starting to make an impact now. It doesn't matter how good the kid is, you won't see a lot of him next year. Its why to me the excitement of the draft is tempered somewhat.
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The softball season must have started for my daughters. Why is that? The temperature has gotten cold-----AGAIN!
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WWE Diva Kelly Kelly has left RAW for Smackdown? SIGGHHHH!! I guess I'll have to start watching Smackdown. Who is Kelly Kelly you non-wrestling fans ask. Here's your answer.....
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Whatever happened to Daru Dhillon?
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Make sure that a couple of nights this summer are spent at Currie Field watching the Regina Red Sox play ball. The club is working behind the scenes to make for some enjoyable summer nights at the diamond. If you are a baseball fan, make sure you take in games this season.
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That's it for me. Have a good Thursday! If you see a Habs fan coming at you, try and turn the other way. You'll be better off! Trust me!
6 comments:
Icheewawa!! In my pre-playoff prediction, I did say that the mystique of the Montreal Canadiens jersey could overcome the Capitals. I'm choked I'm right! Go Figure
Think of it this way Mitch, It's ESPN, AMERICA!!!!!, and Hockey managed to earn 40+ percent more of the results.
I'm pretty sure Gary Bettman would take it.
I gotta agree with Jordan. If almost 50 percent of those answering an ESPN poll are saying hockey, that says something. Take the Canadian glasses off and look at the overall picture. That picture isn't bad. Canada knows hockey is more exciting than basketball and now the US is starting to learn that. It will probably never be that way in the deep south because of colour, but its a start.
Mike
PS: That statement is not meant to be racially insensitive so please don't take it that way.
Kelly Kelly. I do love her so!
As a Die Hard Habs fan I am shocked and surprised that they have come away with a series win against the Caps. Ovechkin must just be feeling awful. In the four game sevens that the caps have been in since the Ovie era began -- they've lost three of them.
However I do believe that the Pens will knock off the Habs...but for some reason I hear Montreal native Nikki Yanofsky belting out 'I Believe" through the halls of Le Centre Bell.
as a basketball fan and a bit of a habs fan i respectfully disagree with the ESPN poll as well...the NHL wins hands down this year...some really good hockey...and i would have said that regardless of last night's outcome lol...
mongo
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