The Montreal Canadiens are making issues thrilling on the Bell Centre today. No person anticipated them to be taking part in significant hockey this time of yr. The gamers contained in the room, administration, and followers believed they’d be on this place. Perhaps even some followers didn’t consider. However right here we’re because the Canadiens are preventing for the ultimate wild-card spot within the Japanese Convention.
Regardless of back-to-back losses in time beyond regulation and a shootout, the Canadiens are selecting up beneficial factors. The one on Saturday night time was about resiliency down 4-1 to the Avalanche. They rallied behind objectives from Juraj Slafkovsky, Joshua Roy, and Christian Dvorak and received the Bell Centre rocking. Whereas Montreal would slightly win, getting factors is crucial factor this time of yr.
Contemplating the begin to the season and the shedding streak heading into 4 Nations, the Canadiens discover themselves within the driver’s seat heading down the stretch. Over their final 13 video games popping out of 4 Nations, they’re 8-1-4 and one of many hottest groups within the NHL. The Canadiens are taking strides of their rebuild beneath Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes.
There may be nothing like playoff hockey within the spring and into the summer time in Montreal. It doesn’t matter what folks say, it’s the finest ambiance in the course of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Bell Centre is electrical, and the followers make the video games thrilling. Because the NHL seems to be to proceed its momentum from the 4 Nations Faceoff, the very best factor for the league is having the Canadiens make the playoffs.
As Dave Pagnotta of the Fourth Interval stated on TSN Radio in Montreal, the sport advantages probably the most when Authentic Six groups just like the Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, Detroit Crimson Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Bruins, and Toronto Maple Leafs are within the playoffs.
Host: “Dave, I used to be speaking about this a bit bit earlier on, however I’m lucky I get to go to each residence sport, and I really like going to the Bell Centre. I really like being within the constructing on a Saturday night time. However simply based mostly on what I’ve seen the final couple of weeks, Colorado on Saturday, Florida the week earlier than, and even Tuesday on the Bell Centre in opposition to Ottawa. Simply great. Hockey wants the Habs again within the playoffs.”
Dave Pagnotta: “Oh, 100%. Yeah, I imply, you speak concerning the groups and playoffs that make it good for the sport. And the league is in a greater state when groups X, Y and Z are related within the sense of being aggressive, being playoff-bound sort of golf equipment taking part in significant hockey. The Habs are on the high of the record. Montreal market is on the high of the record.
You throw New York in there, you throw Chicago. I imply, the Authentic Six markets, however Montreal leads all of it. The standard of hockey that this metropolis has seen goes again to 4 Nations and into this stretch. I imply, how are you going to not love what’s occurring right here, and every part you’re seeing that sport Tuesday, the one in opposition to Ottawa, once they introduced, I believe Josh Anderson was doing the post-game with the gang, and revealed that they, at that time, that they had clinched or not clinched, excuse me, that they had jumped right into a playoff place, and the gang went bananas, and an ovation for that. That took some time.
It’s unparalleled on this sport, the kind of ardour that’s dropped at the rink by the folks which are watching this. Which can be paying the bucks and placing their butts within the seats. You’re bang on. Hockey wants this. Hockey needs this. And we’ll see if the Canadiens can proceed this over these subsequent three weeks.
This younger Canadiens staff, led by Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, is making hockey enjoyable once more in Montreal. It took a while after the run in 2021 to the Stanley Cup Last to get up to now, however they’ve achieved issues the appropriate approach. To not point out, they didn’t transfer out Jake Evans, Joel Armia, David Savard, and Dvorak. Suzuki advised administration he believed on this group, and now they want to add in the summertime.
One thing particular is being in-built Montreal with this Canadiens group. To deliver residence playoff video games to the town of Montreal could be a cherry on high of how Martin St. Louis has dealt with this season as head coach of the Montreal Canadiens.
The NHL needs Montreal to make the playoffs. Having the Canadiens play significant hockey video games and be within the combine for the playoffs makes the sport higher as an entire.”
