Game 3: Traditions are Bound to End, Continue and get Drunk for
This was the shirt that had the winning streak
So much for having a lucky shirt. What do I do with it now?
In the last little while I’ve been wearing a grey and blue baseball shirt to games, actually it was the shirt I wore when Canada won gold at the Olympics. When the Canadiens were down 3-1 in the last series, I wore it for game 5 and they won. I then wore it until they won the series.
Consider it the equivalent of Coach Mike Babcock’s lucky McGill tie when he’s coaching his Red Wings or when he too wore it in the Olympics.
My shirt had been 4-0 coming into game 3, can the streak continue as the Habs are back home all tied up in the series? Going to find out.
Game 3: I thought Vol de Nuit would be the sketchiest bar I would be going to throughout my playoff experience. Instead, will give that honor to Fat’s Billiards downtown. The bar was seedy and full of waitresses who look more like the strippers from the strip joint on the top floor.
I already knew it was going to be one of those nights as I was getting a weird look from the guy wearing smeared eyeliner who may have done lines in the men’s room earlier.
Yep, definitely not a hockey crowd.
I opted for the bar due to my friend being low on beer funds. Guess what, this is the friend who won the “Guess the Overtime Winner, Win a Beer” contest we have going throughout the playoffs. Someone is here to cash in.
I can see and smell the hockey in the air. No wait, that would be the popcorn popping in the background. It was a nice touch to see the youngster skating around the Bell Centre ice wearing Canadiens equipment holding a flame to symbolize the heritage of this franchise.
It was as classy as Jean Beliveau who as always is sitting in the stands.
Along with “Le Gros Bill” in the stands were guys dressed up as the ghosts of the Montreal Forum. Believing that soon enough, the shadows of these legends and heroes with will finally abode these players. The legend of Jaroslav Halak grows and he would like to have a supporting cast.
The talk of the town had been that the 2010 version of the Canadiens are as similar to the 1993 version: traditionally not a favorite but when their goalie got hot, so did their chances. The question is: can they beat Pittsburgh?
The first two periods were goalless, however both teams were strong. More ice time for PK Subban, making Sidney Crosby’s life miserable. Still can’t get a shot on net, still eating the Plexiglas. There was the moment where Gomez and Gionta picked on the superstars of Crosby and Malkin for a one two punch.
Andrei Kostitsyn has been a disapointment as of late and along with the 4th line, has had his ice time cut more and more. For someone who a hat trick game 2 against Washington, it’s a really bad time to be hot and cold here.
Maybe we should actually let his brother Sergei play. Maybe not, same results either way.
However in the 3rd period Evgeni Malkin snapped out of his scoring drought also.
Aw crap!
Wishing for a goal and to lose 1-0 is as bad as 6-3 in game 1. It means that there was an effort but missed it by one goal. Hoping for a tie, maybe another round of “Guess the Overtime winner, win a beer” for my friend to guess. Pascal Dupuis got the empty netter to at least ease the pain.
Fleury got the shutout, Halak felt like he was shutdown.
There goes the shirt streak.
We opted to deal with this recent loss the Carey Price way: get roaring drunk. Beer of choice was something more seedy than the bar we were at.
My friend and I opted to do some park drinking over at the park right near the Bell Centre, crazy twist of fate there. It donned on me while smashing beer bottles over the landscape: I forgot to eat and I can’t drink like I did when I was younger.
Let’s just say that my playoff drinking isn’t the same as my Olympic drinking. Not stellar at all. I’ll leave that to my friend who is stealing beer from my purse.
Maybe it’s time to alter some traditions here, not drink like it’s the Olympics, more shots on net and maybe rest the shirt for now. I do recall one game I didn’t wear the shirt and they won. Maybe it’s all psychological, then again if we didn’t have these then we wouldn’t have flying octopi in Detroit, playoff beards and a little prayer before getting onto the ice.
Speaking of playoff beards, Crosby: Mario Lemieux has a better playoff beard and he’s not playing.
Oh well.
Found this on a recent trip to the Eastern Townships
