SUBBAN IN SPOTLIGHT
He’s still fun to watch: Cowan
Big-time players love to play in big-time games and no hockey player loves the spotlight more than P.K. Subban.
So, with a national Hockey Night in Canada TV audience looking on Wednesday night, Subban became the first defenceman in Predators history to record three points in a playoff game as Nashville beat the Blues 4-3 in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series in St. Louis.
With one goal and two assists, Subban had more goals and points in one game than the Canadiens’ Max Pacioretty had in six playoff games against the New York Rangers, during which the Montreal captain had one assist.
On Wednesday night, Subban was everything some Canadiens fans used to love about him and also everything others hated. There were passionate goal celebrations with his patented bow-and-arrow move and he was jumping up and down after the game while high-fiving his teammates as they left the ice.
Predators management obviously hasn’t outlawed those celebrations like the Canadiens did with Subban’s old triple-low-five with goalie Carey Price after victories. Some call Subban’s antics selfish ... I call it P.K. being P.K.
Watching Twitter was almost as entertaining as watching the game Wednesday night as the pro- and anti-P.K. crowds were out in full force. It continued Thursday on social media and sports talk radio, and will keep going in Montreal as long as the Predators are in the playoffs and the Canadiens aren’t.
There is no bigger lightning rod in hockey than Subban, but whether you like him or not, you have to admit he shows up to play every game — especially in the big ones.
Canadiens owner Geoff Molson and general manager Marc Bergevin will tell you they have no regrets about shipping Subban out of town in exchange for the steady, quiet Shea Weber.
Subban simply didn’t fit anymore in the Canadiens organization or the locker-room and he’s partly to blame because of his oversized personality.
Unfortunately for the Canadiens, their management and leadership group couldn’t figure out a way to make it work.
So far, Subban seems to be fitting in well in Nashville. He has 1-4-5 totals in five playoff games and is plus-5 while averaging 24:53 of ice time. Meanwhile, the Predators have yet to lose a playoff game after sweeping the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round. For his career, Subban has 12-31-43 totals in 60 playoff games.
Wednesday marked the seventh anniversary of Subban’s first playoff game with the Canadiens as a 20-year-old, when he set up the winning goal in a 4-1 victory over the Washington Capitals in Game 6 of a first-round series Montreal would go on to win in seven games. The Canadiens advanced to the Eastern Conference final that season with Subban posting 1-7-8 totals in 14 games and a star was born in Montreal.
“I guess you could say that I started my career in the playoffs, so whenever I get back here, I get a certain feeling that just makes the game fun and makes me want to elevate my game,” Subban told NHL.com’s Arpon Basu after Wednesday’s game. “It’s not an easy thing to do, but let’s face it; we can sugar-coat it, but that’s why they pay me, you know? It’s to come up big in these games and perform.”
Confident and cocky ... classic P.K.
In a post-game interview with NBC’s Pierre McGuire, Subban talked about the Predators’ composure and team leadership.
“We talk about leadership in this league and leadership’s not being the guy standing up and talking in the room all the time or shooting your mouth off,” Subban told McGuire. “Leadership is grabbing the guys and bringing them together and letting them know that, hey, we are what we think we are. And if we think we’re a championship team, in those moments we’ve got to show it. And so far we have. But we’ve got a long way to go.”
Then in another classic
P.K. moment, Subban said to McGuire: “It’s true that you get better looking every day. I mean, Jesus, Pierre what are you doing? What’s the secret?”
“Go to the gym like you,” McGuire responded.
“I like it … I like it,” Subban said as the interview ended.
When the Predators were in Montreal in March, Subban said his only regret from his days with the Canadiens was the fact he didn’t deliver on a promise to bring the Stanley Cup to the city.
He still might be able to do that. You have to think the Montreal Children’s Hospital — to which he’s maintained a $10-million pledge — would be a destination for Subban’s day with the Cup if the Predators win it.
Can you imagine the reaction to that?
Like Subban said, there’s still a long way to go with the Predators needing 11 more victories to win the Cup, but it will certainly be a lot of fun to watch.
Or maybe not, if you’re part of the anti-P.K. crowd.
Leadership is grabbing the guys and bringing them together and letting them know that, hey, we are what we think we are.