On paper, I’ll give it to you – the Boston and Montreal series should be over before it begins. Montreal has owned Boston this season winning all 8 times they played. I think the only good game the Bruins mustered was the last meeting in which they got a valuable point by forcing the shootout. There is also a little bit of history between these two teams going back to the beginning of NHL hockey, and the past hasn’t been kind to Boston. Montreal has taken their lunch several times in the playoffs, and I hate them for it. This series looks like the Boston Massacre part Deux. On paper.
Let’s set aside for a second that I think one of the two teams involved in this series is winning the Cup. Hint: They don’t wear black and gold. We’ll just shelf that for a second. I think this series has the making of a decent series for a couple of reasons.
1. It’s April. Playoff hockey is different than regular season hockey for obvious reasons. After slogging through six months of games, they finally get to the heart of the matter, and the intensity goes up. It matters not Boston is 0-8 against the Habs from October to April. Right now, it’s 0-0.
2. The Bergie factor. Boston forward Patrice Bergeron has been cleared to play by team doctors. While he won’t play in game 1, I’d be willing to bet my house if they lose, he’ll play game 2. The time is neigh to pull out all the stops, and pulling 37 out will give the boys a huge lift.
3. They aren’t supposed to win this series. No one, but no one is giving the Boston Bruins a chance in this one. What’s that? The ’08 Patriots, ’01 Rams, and the 1980 Russians are all on the linethey want to talk to the Canadiens? Counting a team out before it’s begun is a very dangerous thing, especially in a game like hockey.
In the end, I think it will in fact be Montreal that is moving on. There is just something about them I really like. I mean, I hate their guts, but I saw quite a few of their games this season and I think they are a pretty good club. I want the beloved Bruins to kick them back to the motherland. Sadly, I just don’t think it’ll happen.
The habs are going to win the cup this year! I’d love to have your comments over at http://www.myhockeyforum.com
Hope to see you there!
THE HUB OF HOCKEY IS BACK!!!
That is how hockey should be played.
Bold move by Claude keeping 20 goal scorer Phil Kessel out of the line up. The Bruins do not have many guys with those kinds of goal totals. He is a huge pussy in the corners and Coach Claude has seen enough.