Josh Anderson: a (deserved?) standing ovation that speaks volumes

Last night, the Montreal Canadiens played two excellent periods to defeat the New York Islanders 5-3.

It was a game that looked like an easy win after two periods, but the Habs found a way to make it close by conceding three goals to the Islanders in the third.

All in all, it was a very good game that ended with a fine victory for the Habs.

The most memorable part of the game was Josh Anderson’s performance, scoring two goals – his first two against a goalie, and not in an empty net.

It’s a moment we’ve all been waiting for in Montreal, given that Anderson is a player VERY much appreciated by the fans, and nobody likes to see him perform badly.

The Montreal public’s undisputed love for Anderson was demonstrated last night after the game, when he received a very warm ovation during his post-game interview.

I’ll leave the full ovation here.

It was a beautiful moment that showed once again how special the Montreal public will always be.

You could really see it in Anderson’s eyes and face how much this moment touched him.

He explained that he was very emotional and had difficulty holding back the tears.

It’s really nice to see how the fans have continued to support Anderson despite his very difficult moments this season.

In fact, the crowd’s reaction was already warm and beautiful on Wednesday when Anderson went down in a shootout against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Is it a coincidence that the Habs’ No. 17 unleashed a two-goal burst the game after that great shootout ovation?

“I don’t know. I don’t know. Maybe it is.” – Josh Anderson

Montreal has really taken Josh Anderson under its wing, which still warms his heart.

He was quick to reiterate that the Habs have the best fans in the NHL, and that the Bell Centre crowd is the best.

I’ll leave you with the excellent article by Jean-François Chaumont of the Journal de Montréal to find out more about Anderson’s comments.

He also added that he knows that seasons have been difficult for fans in recent years, but that they remain patient and passionate.

In short, everyone was delighted to see Anderson finally score some (real) goals.

Martin St-Louis was the first to point out how much the public loves players who continue to work hard, no matter what the difficulties.

“I’m proud of him. He deserves what he’s received. What he went through wasn’t easy. He kept fighting. Like anything in life, if you give up, it’s certain you won’t get what you wish for.” – Martin St-Louis

So back to my title, and yes, I think it’s a well-deserved ovation for Anderson, even though he’s having a very tough season and is being paid a lot of money to largely find the back of the net.

I understand the fans who are harshly critical of Anderson, but I don’t think his poor season makes the ovation he received undeserved.

Moreover, I sincerely believe that this moment will be a turning point in Anderson’s season. This ovation and two-goal performance will give him a boost of confidence and a breath of fresh air for the future.

Let’s sincerely hope that Anderson will be able to score goals on a regular basis from now on, and that this game will have allowed him to forget the very difficult moments.

In short, it’s clearly a very important night in Anderson’s season, and one he’ll remember for a very long time.

In a gust

– What do you think?

– Nathan MacKinnon is on fire.

– A great opportunity.

– Things are looking up for the Wild goalie.

– Obviously.