Playoffs Come back to Le Belle Province
Lighting in town for games 3 & 4
Really not sure where to start when it comes to Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference Quarterfinals last night between the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning and my Montreal Canadiens. It was a game that had energy before the puck even dropped, with a pre game ceremony that was very well done. From the 3D ice, a spotlight on each of the 24 Stanley Cup banners, the young child with the torch, and then the anthems, everything was just, in a word, perfect. Goals came when needed, key saves were made, and at the end of the night, the Habs gave their fans an added easter treat- a 3-0 series lead.
As you can well imagine, I was quite the happy fan when I crawled into my bed last night, my heart still racing from the excitement of the game. I was convinced I'd had the perfect night. But then I saw a status from someone I know on Facebook, and it made my jaw drop. I know we all don't like the same team, but the hate I saw towards my team last night was just enough to get my blood boiling.
"Intent to Injure"
First off, this person said that Habs head coach Michel Therrien, in a media scrum the morning of the game said that he was going to tell his players for lack of better words here, to play the body of Palat during the game, which can be read into that he wanted his players to intentionally injure other Lightning players. And during one rather unfortunate play last night, it looked to some people that at least one of his players took that message to heart when the knee of D-man Alexei Emelin accidentally made contact with the head of Tampa Bay Captain, Steven Stamkos.
I was paying attention during said play, and to be completely honest with you, I'm not sure how someone can logically say the hit was an intentional one. I've watched the replays (thank you for replays during games, CBC) and what I see was that Emelin was trying to avoid contact, but just couldn't move out of the way fast enough. But then, two sides are going to see a play different, more so an emotionally based judgment than anything. And given the high stakes during the playoffs, I completely understand being emotional.
The Booing of Stamkos
After Stamkos thankfully got up from the unfortunate hit, many of the Bell Centre faithful were heard booing. To be completely honest here, I'm not sure what they were booing- the little tussle between Prust and Stamkos that led to Stamkos falling and getting hit by Emelin's knee, or the fact that Prust got a penalty on the play while Stamkos did not.
If you, my fellow Habs fans, were booing for the first reason, then I have to wonder where your heads were at there. There is never any good reason to wish injury upon another human being. I get that us hockey fans are a passionate bunch (Habs fans very much so), but when you stop and think about it, he's just a human being, not a machine. Sure he plays hockey, but he's not just a hockey player. He's a human being who plays hockey for a living. If you were booed after getting up from taking a hit, how would you feel? Put yourself in his shoes. Wouldn't be very nice, would it?
And to those on twitter who wish injury upon Stamkos, I can only hang my head in shame. Its sad that you let your judgment be clouded here, and that you would want him to be hurt simply for the reason that it could be helpful to the Habs. How would you feel if it was our Captain that got hurt? How would you feel if you saw people wishing him hurt for the betterment of their team? Honestly. Just stop and think about it. If you can still say you'd do it, then all I can say is that there are names out there for people like you (names that I won't say here, but I'm sure you can use your imagination).
On the other hand, if the booing was merely fans voice their displeasure at the lack of a call on Stamkos for his part in the tiny tussle between himself and Brandon Prust, then I totally understand why you would boo. There were two parties involved, and it did seem perhaps a bit unfair that only one penalty was called on the play. I didn't like that much either.
No Goal!
The no-goal call. Woo, that's a tough one. When that puck went in last night, I was thinking (like many other Habs fans, I'm sure), "Oh shit!" (And that's just the PG version of things, to be honest with you). But then I watched with interest as one of the referees waved it off, and then met in a scrum with the other referee and two linesmen. When they emerged from said scrum, the initial call stood- no goal.
I'll admit right here and now that I dont know all the rules of the game, and that I'm not always sure why a call is made one way or the other, as sometimes it just makes no sense to me whatsoever. But, what I did see was that Killorn was in the crease impeding Carey Price's ability to stop the puck and defend his net. Some will argue that he was only there because P.K. Subban danced around him a bit, keeping him from leaving. But whatever the reason he was there, the point remains that he was in the crease and impeded in Price's ability to stop the goal, and the rule (63.9, Paragraph 2) states:
"If a goalkeeper, in the act of establishing his position within his goal crease, initiates contact with an attacking player who is in the crease, and this results in an impairment of the goalkeeper's ability to defend his goal, and a goal is scored, the goal will be disallowed."
Seems straight forward enough to me.
No "S" Word, please!
I'd like to end this post with a simple request from Habs Nation, if I may. Please, if you can, refrain from using the "S" or posting pictures of witch vehicles (yes, just like a friend, I'm that superstitious that I won't use the words). Nothing is ever guaranteed in life, and even though our boys are playing well right now, anything can happen. I'm as optimistic as the next person, but don't put our team in the next round yet. Just let our guys play and things will eventually work out the way they should.
Game 4 goes at the Bell Centre on Tuesday night, 7pm (8:30 in Newfoundland).
Go Habs Go!
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