Tag: Montreal Canadiens

2013-2014 NHL Regular Season begins with new debate over fighting in hockey

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Is this something that still has a place in hockey?
Game on – the National Hockey League’s 2013/2014 regular season got officially underway yesterday with three games on the opening night schedule. The beginning of a new season should always be an exciting time for hockey fans, with this year being especially unique with the newly-aligned divisions that created new rivalries going forward this year. Questions of how players perform on new teams, or which teams rise and fall from their previous performances get answered over an 82-game schedule.

However, last night’s game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens featured an ugly injury that reignited the recent debate about fighting in the NHL. Partway through the third period, heavyweight enforcers George Parros and Colton Orr squared off for the second time in the game. As both players wrestled with each other’s jerseys, Parros lost his balance and was knocked unconscious with a hard fall on his chin. Parros was later stretchered off the ice and diagnosed with a concussion.

There is a general consensus among surveyed players today that fighting is still a integral part of hockey. However, it has sparked a fresh debate from media writers who are questioning whether fighting should be eliminated from the game. The latest questions stem from the possibility that the NHL could be held liable for the long-term effects of head injuries suffered from fighting – a debate gaining momentum following concussion-related lawsuits and settlements from the National Football League.

What do you think about fighting in the National Hockey League? Do you think it still has a place in the game in either the amateur or professional level?

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Excitement Grows for Heritage Classic

Lacy

heritage_classicThe buzz surrounds the 2011 Heritage Classic, whose return to Canada this winter has NHL fans eager to take part. Tickets went on sale last Friday for the upcoming outdoor event, set for February 20 at Calgary’s McMahon Stadium.
The Montreal Canadiens will face the Calgary Flames in the first game played in Canada since the Heritage Classic’s debut back in 2003. More than thirty thousand fans are expected to turn up for the highly anticipated event.
NHL Commissioner, Gary Bettman, said in an August press conference, Read More

Leafs Look to Burke to Make Tough Calls

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kadri_4121Five games into the preseason, and the Toronto Maple Leafs have already had their share of ups and downs. The team that finished 29th last season has looked to the Dion Phaneuf and Fredrik Sjostrom trade made on January 21st to turn their lackluster performance around. From the trade until the end of the season, the leafs had the 7th best record in the Eastern Conference. Since then, they have (re)signed a number of dominating players.

So far in this preseason, we have gotten mixed signals from the Leafs. We’ve seen both optimistic play as well as signs of old habits.

Now, more than half way through the preseason games, the Leafs must start making the hard decisions. The first of which will be what to do with Nazem Kadri. The 19 year old London Knights player Read More

Habs' Roster Gets Game-changer: the Bell Centre

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Montreal Canadiens fans at the Bell Centre
Montreal Canadiens fans at the Bell Centre

The Montreal Canadiens went into Game 3 down two games, being out scored by nine goals thus far in the series with the Philadelphia Flyers.

Bell Centre made the difference last night. Packed to its 21,273 person capacity, the Bell Centre had an unmatched energy. Montreal is a city where hockey is religion. After a major win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on May 12th, the city erupted in riots.

Everyone is talking about the Canadiens’ home ice advantage. In last night’s game, the Bell Centre fans started out strong, and the Canadians followed, scoring their first goal seven minutes into the period. Three unanswered goals followed, breaking Flyers’ goalie, Michael Leighton’s six game winning steak and 170 minute shut-out. The final score was 5 – 1.

When asked about the importance of scoring the first goal, PK Subban answered, “It gets the crowd going and once you do that, [the Bell Centre] is a touch building to play in.” This sentiment was echoed by Montreal native and round two opponent, Kris Letang, of the Pittsburgh Penguins. “When you play in that building it just feels like you are in much bigger trouble than you are and that they are coming at you faster than they really are.” Read More

Habs’ Roster Gets Game-changer: the Bell Centre

Lacy

Montreal Canadiens fans at the Bell Centre
Montreal Canadiens fans at the Bell Centre

The Montreal Canadiens went into Game 3 down two games, being out scored by nine goals thus far in the series with the Philadelphia Flyers.

Bell Centre made the difference last night. Packed to its 21,273 person capacity, the Bell Centre had an unmatched energy. Montreal is a city where hockey is religion. After a major win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on May 12th, the city erupted in riots.

Everyone is talking about the Canadiens’ home ice advantage. In last night’s game, the Bell Centre fans started out strong, and the Canadians followed, scoring their first goal seven minutes into the period. Three unanswered goals followed, breaking Flyers’ goalie, Michael Leighton’s six game winning steak and 170 minute shut-out. The final score was 5 – 1.

When asked about the importance of scoring the first goal, PK Subban answered, “It gets the crowd going and once you do that, [the Bell Centre] is a touch building to play in.” This sentiment was echoed by Montreal native and round two opponent, Kris Letang, of the Pittsburgh Penguins. “When you play in that building it just feels like you are in much bigger trouble than you are and that they are coming at you faster than they really are.” Read More

The Battle of the East

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Jaroslav_Halak
Jaroslav Halak

When the playoffs began, few would have expected that the Phildelphia Flyers (7th seeded) and the Montreal Canadiens (8th seeded) would be battling it out for the Eastern Conference Championship for the chance to appear in the Stanley Cup finals.
It has been a historical performance by both teams. There can not be enough said about Montreal’s goalie Jaroslav Halak and the season he has had. Halak began the year by leading the Slovakian national team to the Olympic semifinals by defeating the defending champions, Sweden, and the much anticipated Russian team, resulting in a showdown with Team Canada.
Thus far in the NHL playoffs, Halak and the Montreal Canadiens have shut down Alexander Ovechkin and the number one seeded National Capitols, only to take on the defending Stanley Cup Champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins with Sydney Crosby and Marc-Andre Fleury.
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