Its Us Against the World...

Well, the Canadiens are certainly playing in a different environment today then they were in January.

What went from a fairly successful hockey club, riding the enthusiasm of the fans to victory, is now a team attacked from all sides. This article by Dave Stubbs in the Gazette outlines the frustration: the fans, organization, city, province and very Habs culture are embarrassed and shameful. The rest of the hockey world is laughing their ass off, pointing and snickering; the only thing richer than 100 years of Montreal Canadiens successes, is watching them fail. If last season was a gift to the fans, so far the Centennial is a gift to the detractors.

So, party is over. No body loves me, everybody hates me. Its gut check time, and this can actually be a good thing. The coaches should feed on this, I think, and put the team back together. When attacked from all sides, its time to band together and focus on the hockey. Habs are still a good team, and if they take the 'to the devil with it all' attitude and start playing for eachother, start sacrificing -- not for Guy Lafleur, but for themselves -- the team will bond, and I believe they can turn into a great hockey story.

History has shown the the Montreal Canadiens usually respond poorly from this kind of atmosphere -- like a mountain getting eroded by a rough sea, eventually there is nothing left to fight. But there is one month of hockey left; then maybe a post season. The pride in that room should be able to step up, and win not for all the bullshit, but for themselves. They are now underdogs, expected to f#ck off and die. Never fight an enemy with nothing to lose.

Could be a great story for the 100th year; or it could just slide into the ocean and be fogotten just as easily.