WE DID IT AND WE DID IT IN STYLE

Well my fellow MN junkies, we have been in here all year long, we have had ups, downs all in a grand scheme to wait for this moment. MN=0. We’re the first team to clinch in the East, we are in first in our Conference in NL, we have beat the Sens and most importantly we have given our selves a huge hand in trying to defend the top seat in our Division.

I don’t want to get into the game too much so as not to ruin all the uushio mooshie happiness and thanks we got going around here, but I have to make a quick comment about the third. I am almost positive that in the second intermission, the HABS thought at 7-1 it’s over. Furthermore, Ottawa had a game the following night, so a logical person, including myself, would have thought that they would have packed it in to save their energy and pick up two points the following night. On top of that, with Komisarek out and players well aware of injuries increasing at this time of year given the higher intensity levels, it was a no brainer to take the foot off the gas, if not only to be a bunch of sportsmen and not try to run up the score board.

Than the third starts and Ottawa got a goal. Then two. Only after the second that it clicked (and you could tell this by the urgency of the players) that the Sens were trying to mount an improbable comeback. By the time we got back into game mode they were within three with all the momentum. It didn’t help that this eternal struggle for parity by the league lead to one sided call through out the third.

So what’s the bottom line. With no games till Friday, the HABS had no reason to NOT play the third. However they had several reasons to take it easy in keeping the bigger picture in mind for the playoffs. The Sens have over exurted them selves, both psychologicfally and emotionally, and now they risk loosing their game tonight. Odds are Buffalo will burry them and we’ll have even a greater lead. And finally, most importantly, once again circumstances somewhat screwed with our logic (and a sound logic at that) however the HABS, once more, found a way to win as they have through out the wholes season.

Net net, we’re #1, we’re three wins away from clinching a relatively easy first round against Boston or Philly, and we’ve got that asterisk next to our clubs name.

With the game analysis out of the way, let me thank you all, the Mn execs who ensured all activities ran promptly and smoothly, and the readers who kept this place one of the most active locations in the Montreal Canadiens official fan forum.

This year we have brought this thread to an unanticipated level. The fact that we were awarded our own sub-forum speaks volumes of this topic’s, and this group’s value and contribution to this online community of hard-core HABS fans. It was good to see old faces return, and new ones join in on the fun. I can honestly say that this sub-forum has been a regular part of my daily life, and I look forward to doing it all over again next year, although it may be in a different capacity.

For now we have the MN party to look forward to (metaus reserve the tables in the blond’s section), a playoff series that looks promising for our boys, and the first official MN-Playoffs ever (with 16 player tree and trophy and everything), and five more games of fun and games.

Given the on-going activities, I will keep the sub-forum open. However I will slowly begin to shut down threads as their time-line runs out. I will no longer be updating NL standings, however mateus will keep us all informed about the playoff picture via the NO-GO table. The Prediction game goes on till the end of the year (as per a suggestion long ago by CH) and I’ll leave the jeopardy open till the regular season ends.

Voila mes amis. Je vous remercie pour toutes vos efforts cet annees, et je suis sur qu’on accomplirait encore plus l’annee prochaine.