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0 Subject: 2010 Montreal Canadiens Playoff run

Posted by: Electroman
- [565182111] Thu, May 13, 2010, 06:29

Can you believe this? I live in Montreal, and hate the team, but this team is turning a lot of people like me around. I am not their yet, but I am in awe of what is happening. I don't remember ever seeing this before, a team that looked like they didn't want to make the playoffs is on an amazing run. As much as I don't want them to win, I don't want it to stop.
1KrazyKoalaBears
      ID: 721308
      Thu, May 13, 2010, 09:54
"I am not their yet..."

So, if they make the Stanley Cup Finals, you'll be there?

There's nothing wrong with being a fair-weathered fan, but that seems a bit extreme. You "hate the team" and "don't want them to win," but you'll celebrate if they make it to the finals? Okay. Weird, but okay.

Personally, as a bit of a Caps fan, I'm glad to see them doing well. It shows that their series against the Caps wasn't a fluke and takes a bit of the sting out of the Caps' early exit.
2Perm Dude
      ID: 5510572522
      Thu, May 13, 2010, 10:42
He isn't a fair-weather fan, KKB. He's not a fan at all. I think he's just expressing some civic pride.
3C.SuperFreak
      ID: 29431311
      Thu, May 13, 2010, 12:03
No, I can't believe this. But it has happened numerous times in Western Conference in the last decade, so it's not entirely unexpected in the hockey playoffs. I didn't expect it from Montreal, but this is the Stanley Cup Playoffs and anything can happpen.

Here's the recent runs in the West:
2003- Anaheim knocks off Detroit (2 seed) and Dallas (1 seed) to reach the finals
2004 - Calgary knocks off Vancouver (3 seed), Detroit (1 seed) and San Jose (2 seed) to reach the finals
2005 - Edmonton (8 seed) knocks of Detroit (1 seed), San Jose (5 seed), Anaheim.

All 3 teams alive in the East are the lowest seeds 6, 7 and 8.

I've seen this type of run before - Calgary 2004. It's exciting to be a part of a run. Enjoy it.
4Building 7
      Leader
      ID: 171572711
      Thu, May 13, 2010, 16:17
It looked like they sold out the Montreal stadium for game 7. Which is not unusual, except that the game was in Pittsburgh. They were watching it on a bigscreen.
5Nuclear Gophers
      ID: 7115138
      Thu, May 13, 2010, 18:59
Being from Pittsburgh, well you can fill in the blank _____________ Being a big fan of Slapshot, I told a co-worker today that the Penguins should have done to
camilleri what the Hanson brothers did to the opposing team. It was probably the worst game the Penguins have played in the past 3 years. Looking back, I thought the turning point was the first game when the Peguins blew out the Habs and were over confident, the Canadiens never stopped believing in them selves. It amazes me that the 7 and 8 seed could be playing for the Conference championship. So much for the season. I will be rooting for the Flyers. I really like Scott Henschell(sp).
6C1-NRB
      ID: 401412422
      Thu, May 13, 2010, 22:31
I'm trying to post again, this time from home.

I became a Minnesota North Stars fan in the '91 playoffs. They had a run similar to the Canadiens that year. It seemed like they were the lead story on SportsCenter every night. From Sportsencyclopedia.com (I think the link is what is making it not work):

Although the North Stars finished with a less then stellar 27-39-14 record they would sneak into the playoffs by finishing in 4th place. Entering the playoffs the North Stars were ranked 15th of 16 teams, facing the Chicago Blackhawks who won the President's Trophy. The Stars would get off to fast start stealing Game 1 in overtime. After 4 games the series was tied at 2 games apiece when the North Stars stunned the Blackhawks with a 6-0 win in Chicago to take a 3-2 series lead. With a chance to complete the upset at home the North Stars beat the Blackhawks 3-1 in Game 6. In the Norris Finals the North Stars faced the St. Louis Blues who had the 2nd best record in the NHL, and continued to play solid hockey grabbing a 3-1 series lead. After dropping Game 5 in St. Louis the North Stars completed the upset with a 4-2 win in game 6 to move on to the Campbell Conference Finals. In the Conference Finals the North Stars faced the defending Stanley Cup Champion Edmonton Oilers, splitting the first 2 games on the road. As the series shifted to Minnesota the North Stars exploded scoring 15 goals in the next 2 games to grab a 3-1 series lead. In Game 5 in Edmonton the North Stars Bobby Smith on a break beat Grant Fuhr to give the North Stars the lead for good, as they advanced to their 2nd cup final with a 3-2 win. In the Stanley Cup Finals the North Stars were matched up against the Pittsburgh Penguins, after splitting the first 2 games in Pittsburgh the North Stars took a 2--1 series lead with a 3-1 win in front of a load sold out crowd at the Met Center. However the Penguins would recover to win the next 3 games as the North Stars ran out of gas closing the series out in 6 games.

And the best part was I didn't have to switch my pre-established NHL rooting interest when the moved to Dallas.
7Bond, James Bond
      Leader
      ID: 04352469
      Thu, May 13, 2010, 23:46
Once again, this season will go down as an aberration and will quantify the fact that there are way to many playoff teams----not just in the NHL but in all major sporting leagues.

As happy as I am for the Habs, certainly anybody can tell you that they were even close to being a championship contender at anytime in the year, until their amazing playoff run.

But if I had my druthers, I'd love to go with a simple 8 team playoff system (the 3 division winners and the two best other teams from each conference.) Make the division winner mean something again, please!
8KrazyKoalaBears
      ID: 721308
      Fri, May 14, 2010, 09:28
RE: #7

What about a 10-team playoff such that the #1 seed from each conference gets a first-round bye and division winners are guaranteed a top 3 seed? Then, winning the division means something, as does being tops in your conference.

If that were the case, this year's playoffs would have looked something like...

#1 Washington

#2 New Jersey v.
#5 Ottawa

#3 Buffalo v.
#4 Pittsburgh

#1 San Jose

#2 Chicago v.
#5 Detroit

#3 Vancouver v.
#4 Phoenix

Or, trimming to a 14-team playoff, you could have...

#1 Washington (bye)

#2 New Jersey (bye) v. winner of...
#4 Pittsburgh v.
#7 Philadelphia

#3 Buffalo (bye) v. winner of...
#5 Ottawa v.
#6 Boston

#1 San Jose (bye)

#2 Chicago (bye) v. winner of...
#4 Phoenix v.
#7 Nashville

#3 Vancouver (bye) v. winner of...
#5 Detroit v.
#6 Los Angeles

I actually think that might make for a better playoffs as the top teams get a MUCH needed rest after a long season.
9DWetzel at work
      ID: 49962710
      Fri, May 14, 2010, 10:47
My pet campaign:

Give the best division winner their first-round pick of any non-division winner as the first round opponent. Then the second one picks, then the third; the remaining two are left to play each other.
10potts316
      Donor
      ID: 263391014
      Sat, May 15, 2010, 02:29
What? A 10 team playoff where Washington and San Jose get a first round bye? So is the second round in each conference a three way battle between the #1, #2, and #3? You would have to give Washington and San Jose a double bye into the conference finals to make that format work, which would mean over a month off for those two teams.

The 14 team model really makes my head hurt. First of all, why would the #2 be matched up with the #4 instead of the #5? If the seeds hold, finishing 2nd gets you a tougher opponent than finishing 3rd? That would certainly be unconventional to say the least. And getting back to the 2nd round matchups, if the seeds hold in the first round, we would have #1 vs (bye), 2 vs 4, and 3 vs 5. So the #1 gets that month off again. Then I guess the next round would be another three way battle between 1, 2, and 3. Or 2 plays 3 and 1 gets a triple bye and now the playoffs are five rounds instead of four. Please explain how any of this makes sense because I am not following.

11KrazyKoalaBears
      ID: 12353217
      Sat, May 15, 2010, 08:14
RE: #10; I think it was that whole Friday morning stream of thought that obviously wasn't working well. :)

But, hey, for the first round it could be fun! ;)
12I_AM_CANADIAN
      ID: 101918
      Sat, May 15, 2010, 18:43
I gotta chime in a little on this one too.

I grew up listening to WFAN New York, although living in MTL/NB as a kid and was a big Mets/Rangers fan when I was growing up. When the NHL had the lockout (2004) I was at a point in my life where I didn't like the direction of the league that Bettman was bringing it in, and I decided to boycott the sport more or less.

Now, six years later, I've gone to see few games when it was "socially" the thing to do, with friends or workmates, but this years playoffs has me watching games again at home on the TV (as well as being at game3/game7 at the Bell Center).

That's a big indication of how enthusiastic the city is, and how contagious it is for citizens.

All that being said though... if the NHL does win me back over... I know I'll be rooting once again for my Rangers next year.
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