No party tonight—the Habs are dreaming of a win in Montreal and the importance of staying hungry

Félix Forget
No party tonight—the Habs are dreaming of a win in Montreal and the importance of staying hungry
Credit: Capture d'écran/Twitter

Tonight, the Canadiens will play the second game of the Eastern Conference Finals. After winning the first game, another victory tonight would allow them to return home with a 2-0 lead in the series.

And obviously, that would be the ideal scenario.

The Habs will reunite with their fans on Monday night. That said, it's important to note that the organization has made it clear there will be no outdoor viewing party tonight. It was reported in some media outlets, but it won't be happening.

We know that the Habs usually organize such events when the team is playing at home. The Bell Centre is packed, and there are tons of fans gathered around the arena… but that won't be happening tonight, as the Habs are in Raleigh.

During Game 7, the Bell Centre was packed with fans watching the game on a giant screen. But that's clearly reserved for exceptional circumstances.

The Habs dream of winning in Montreal

It's been clear since the start of the playoffs: Montreal is all about hockey right now. The city is buzzing with excitement for its team, which is giving it some truly wonderful moments.

Canadiens fans have a reputation for being passionate, and it's showing these days.

And Kirby Dach, during a press conference, talked about all of this, saying that the guys have had nights where they were at the hotel and discussed just how incredible it would be to win the Cup in Montreal. And they're getting closer and closer to that dream.

There's still a long way to go, we agree. That said, the Habs are one of four teams still alive in the NHL… and if they win tonight, they could take a serious lead in the series, getting even closer to the big final.

And that brings me right to what Martin St-Louis said this morning.

The importance of staying hungry

One of the challenges for the Canadiens since the start of the playoffs has been winning a game when the pressure is on their opponent and not on them. The Habs are good at taking a lead in a series, but they still struggle to win a game that would give them a big lead in a series.

Game 2 against Tampa Bay, Game 4 against Tampa Bay, and Game 4 against Buffalo are good examples of this, as are Games 6 against both teams, when the Habs could have ended the series. At least Martin St-Louis's men are capable of winning Game 7s.

And the coach, this morning, specifically emphasized the importance for his players to stay hungry. The team can't play with fire forever: it needs to seize its opportunities to build a cushion in a series.

Creating a sense of artificial urgency isn't necessarily easy, and it's part of the learning process a young team must go through. And tonight, they'll have the opportunity to prove they're capable of taking a two-game lead in a series.

It won't be easy, let's be clear. But it's a great opportunity to avoid falling into the same patterns… if the Habs can seize it, of course.


In a nutshell

– I like that.

– Make your predictions.

– Interesting.

– New contract for Scott Sabourin with the Lightning.

– Well done.

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