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| Where's the beer?! |
There's something pretty cool about a blog.
It's one of those things that you can put down when life becomes hectic, and when you finally manage to clear your plate, it's still there waiting for you as though you've never left.
In short, a blog is like a good dog. Except that you wouldn't leave a dog for two years without feeding it, but you know what I mean.
I've got high hopes for the 2010-2011 NHL season for the Canadiens. Last spring's run into the third round, all the while knocking off the Capitals and the Penguins with a team that barely knew each others first names under a year earlier bodes well for this campaign. That said, I'll temper my expectations with a dose of reality and will be pleased if the Habs turn in a 6th-8th place finish in their conference. I'll also make note of this prediction so that when they've lost four in a row in late February to drop into a tie for seventh, I can return to it to read it and quell a bit of my anxiety.
2010-2011 Regular Season, Game One: Montreal vs. Toronto
We had the pleasure(?) of taking in the first game of the season as the Habs met the Leafs at the A.C.C.. We almost didn't make the opening ceremonies because of the horrendous traffic, but that's another story.
Did I mention that I hate the A.C.C.? And not just because it's the home of the Leafs... it has something to do with the smugness that oozes out of every pore of the building. Sure, the facilities and features are nice enough, but there's an air of entitlement that seems completely out of place, especially since their team has really only been good twice since they last won the Cup in 1967. There's nothing like "legends" introductions at a Leaf pregame ceremony to hammer home just how inept that franchise has been for the last 40+ years.
As for the game itself, well, let's just say that it wasn't a classic. Lots of turnovers and broken plays from both teams as they continued to find their legs. The Habs' defense didn't do goalie Carey Price any favours, with three big miscues allowing Leafs players to find themselves alone in front of the Montreal net. The Leafs did well to hold off a final charge by the Habs. Final score: 3-2 for the bad guys.
By the way, if you have young kids and are thinking of taking them to the game, do the fans around you a favour and hire a babysitter for the night. If they can't concentrate on the action on the ice for 20-minute periods, leave them at home. Yes, this means you, mister "I see nothing wrong with my kid standing on his seat even though he's blocking your view" that was sitting in front of me.
2010-2011 Regular Season, Game Two: Montreal vs. Pittsburgh
Tonight's opponents: Sydney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins, who we knocked off last spring to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Needless to say, they were probably still quite pissed with us. Cammy scored two goals. Price was spectacular, including an incredible save on Crosby during the first period:
See? To all you naysayers: the kid doesn't suck. Let him play his game, and he'll return to the form that he displayed when he broke into the league.
Pens goalie Marc-Andre Fleury wasn't so great, with Scott Gomez being able to jab the winning goal through his pads from a sharp angle late in the game, less that 30 seconds after Cammy had tied it. Final score: 3-2 Habs. And they still hate us.
By the way, Sidney still
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