CANADIENS FANS WARY
Know Pens are tough foe
With the game starting at 8 p.m. and a 13-month old baby at home who always rises at the crack of dawn, Guillaume Cormerais called it a night when the Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins went into overtime on Saturday night.
Why stay up late just to see Montreal lose, he figured.
“I wasn’t expecting them to lose but ... yeah ... when I think about it again, I didn’t think they would win,” Cormerais admitted Monday afternoon, standing outside the Bell Centre by the Canadiens’ Centennial Plaza.
“They had a great game, but a lot of penalties. I was expecting them to lose. I was pleasantly surprised ... Sunday morning,” the 33-yearold Provigo employee added.
Although the Canadiens upset the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2, thanks to an overtime goal by defenceman Jeff Petry, there wasn’t the usual air of electricity near the venue heading into Monday night’s second game of the best-of-five play-in round.
Over the span of 45 minutes, it was difficult to find hockey fans, many telling the Montreal Gazette they neither follow the sport any longer nor plan on watching the series.
Perhaps that can be attributed to hockey being played in the summer after the NHL paused its season on March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Also, the Canadiens are playing all their games in Toronto, one of two hub cities — along with Edmonton — selected by the NHL when it decided to resume play with a 24-team playoff tournament.
Damian, 28, who delivers fruits and vegetables, claimed to be a “die-hard” Canadiens fan, but admitted he’s boycotting the team because of its recent incompetence. Montreal had missed the playoffs two consecutive seasons, three of the last four, and was 10 points out of a playoff spot with 11 regular-season games left when play was suspended.
Under normal circumstances, the Canadiens had little chance of qualifying and were 24th overall in the league.
“It’s been too many years they haven’t produced. I don’t believe in the team right now,” said Damian, who preferred his last name not be used for privacy reasons.
Even with the opening-game victory, he said the Canadiens are in tough, although he believes their chances are enhanced in a shorter best-of-five series.
“It’s going to be tough. They have an all-star team against them,” he said, referring to high-scoring forwards Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. “But you never know.”
Parking-lot attendant Greg Dadoulis said he’s happy the Canadiens captured Game 1. And while he placed a Mise au Jeu bet on Montreal, he still believes the Penguins will triumph in five games.
“I thought (the win) was a fluke, but you never know. Things change in the playoffs,” Dadoulis said. “I still think winning the series will be tough. They’re only in the playoffs because of luck.”
Hart Stitz, a 36-year-old Mcgill business student, admitted he’ll watch the series. But, considering he was born and raised in Winnipeg, he’s more interested in his hometown Jets, who evened their series against Calgary with a 3-2 victory Monday afternoon in Game 2.
He said the Canadiens were “outplayed” and “very lucky” to win Saturday. The Canadiens were outshot, 41-35, including 18-6 in the first period, but were saved by the stellar play of goaltender Carey Price.
“Games are decided by goals, not shots on goal. They’re lucky that’s the case,” Stitz said. “If they play that (style of ) game 10 times, they’re going to lose seven. They got a little lucky.”
Perhaps some of this indifference stems from the fact, should the Canadiens lose the series, they have a 12.5-per-cent chance of selecting Alexis Lafrenière, the talented Rimouski left-winger, first overall in the NHL draft.
“You never wish a team to lose,” Damian said. “But if they lose and get Lafrenière ... I’d be really happy.”
And he’d start watching again.
It’s been too many years they haven’t produced. I don’t believe in the team right now.