Let’s get “Feels like ‘93” in the Bell Centre

Annakin Slayd’s 2010 version of “Feels like ‘93” saw a huge spike upon it’s re-release just over a week ago. It now sits at over 58,000 hits on YouTube. Shortly after the Montreal Canadiens Game Seven victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, it was at 46,000!

Popular? Hell yes it is! It’s getting airplay across Montreal and as this is written, Annakin is going nationwide on CBC Radio.

So wouldn’t this be a great video to see on the Bell Centre Jumbotron during the pre-game of the Eastern Conference Finals?

That’s where the fans need to help out. Annakin has reached a dead end so far in getting the Canadiens organization to use his song/video.

Time for the fans voices to be heard in this online petition. There’s no registration required. You just leave your name, email and a comment if you choose.

Hopefully the Canadiens brass will listen to the fans. Besides, it’s his birthday today. Let’s give the guy a great gift and throw him some support.

Canadiens/Penguins Game 7: Habs oust the champs!

On thing is for certain now in the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs, there will be a new Stanley Cup Champion.

The Pittsburgh Penguins were ousted after Wednesday’s 5-2 Game Seven loss to the Montreal Canadiens.

The defending champions opened the game with a rather weak first period, while the Canadiens played their best period of the playoffs.

Montreal got on the board first after the Penguins Sidney Crosby took a roughing call right at the start. On the ensuing power play, Brian Gionta tipped a PK Subban shot, that snuck past Marc-Andre Fleury at 0:32.

Dominic Moore put the Canadiens up by two when he ripped a shot past Fleury at 14:23.

The Penguins found themselves being booed off the ice, by their own fans, at the end of the period. Meanwhile the Canadiens had a packed Bell Centre cheering them on at home.

"We played well together," said Canadiens defenseman Hall Gill, who returned to the lineup after missing Game Six with a cut to his leg.

"We got guys to step up at the right time, and that's what you need. In the playoffs, it's not about your star players. It's about everyone."

The Canadiens momentum carried into the second period when Mike Cammalleri one timed his 12th goal of the playoffs at 3:32.

It continued to get worse for Pittsburgh. On a penalty kill, Travis Moen got the puck out of the Montreal zone, and chipped the puck past Sergei Gonchar to beat Fleury at 5:14.

Having allowed four goals on 13 shots, Fleury was pulled in favour of Brent Johnson.

The home team responded to the goaltending change when Chris Kunitz squeaked a rebound past Halak at 8:36.

It started to look like a game when Jordan Staal deflected an Alexei Ponikarovsky point shot past Halak, at 16:30, to get the Penguins within two.

Pittsburgh out shot Montreal 13-7 in the second period and carried a 4-on-3 power play into the third.

The Canadiens came up big on the penalty kill, thanks it part to a spectacular save by Halak, off the stick of Crosby, that was easily the game-saver.

The Montreal netminder was called upon again on a second Pittsburgh man advantage minutes later, and had 37 saves on the night. The Penguins also had 26 shots that were blocked and 17 that missed the net.

Gionta added his second of the night, on a Canadiens power play, batting a saucer pass from Cammalleri out of mid-air past Johnson at 10:00.

"It just means we get to keep playing," said Cammalleri. "We might be changing some minds. We've had that underlying confidence. It's been good so far, but we have to get better."

"They came hard, created some chances and capitalized on every one of them," a disappointed Crosby said. “They find ways and you gotta give them credit for that.”

Montreal fans spilled out of the Bell Centre and surrounding taverns and into the streets in a massive, but peaceful, celebration.

The Canadiens will return home to await the winner of the second Eastern Conference Semi-Final between the Boston Bruins and the Philadelphia Flyers. That series goes to a seventh game on Friday.

Games Three Stars: 1. Jaroslav Halak 2. Brian Gionta 3. Michael Cammalleri

Notes: Mike Cammalleri becomes the first Canadiens player with a dozen goals in the playoffs since Guy Lafleur in 1975.

The series win comes as an early birthday present for the Canadiens’ Jaroslav Halak and P.K. Subban, who celebrate their 25th and 21st birthdays respectively on Thursday.

The game marks the final one at Pittsburgh’s Mellon Arena. The Canadiens bookend the arena’s history with wins at it’s opening in 1967 and on Wednesday night.

Game Photo: Dave Sanford (Getty Images)

An open letter to the Toronto Star’s Cathal Kelly

Dear Mr. Kelly,

Re: Your article “7 reasons Torontonians can’t root for the Habs tonight.”

Either you were attempting to be funny, or this is just further proof as to why print media on the verge of collapse.

At first I thought that the Toronto Star had a sharing deal with Bleacher Report.

I will be honest with you. Unlike yourself, I do not hold a degree in journalism from, based on what I read, the Devry Institute. I just write for my own enjoyment.

It’s clear that Toronto sports writing, notably hockey, has long since passed it’s glory days when Jim Proudfoot, Jim Hunt and George Gross graced the pages of the Toronto Star and the Toronto Sun.

With the exception of Damien Cox, the Star’s hockey section is next to nothing of significance anymore.

So let’s look at this masterpiece. Your synopsis is that Leafs fans should not cheer for the Montreal Canadiens despite their playoff success. So you hate the Habs, that’s nothing new in most of the GTA.

If you don’t want to cheer for them, that’s your prerogative and I have no argument who you cheer for. Your reasoning on the other hand is where the problem lies.

So lets look at that.

The first issue is fairness. Well clearly you’ve never seen construction or bridgework disrupting Montreal traffic, so let’s call that a draw. I don’t think one night of “possible” rioting in Montreal can be compared to will more than likely happen in Toronto. My question is will the rioters be political or Jays season ticket holders jilted out of the Phillies series.

On to the next issue. This is where you fail to realize that there are actually huge numbers of Habs fans living in the GTA, present company included. They just stay out of site until the playoffs. I don’t understand why they do, but that’s just their way.

As for Leafs fans in Toronto, well I can’t understand why people living in a city, with such a winning tradition in the Canadiens,would even want to be one. Maybe they’re the ones at the “24-hour-disco” during the playoffs.

Now it’s on to P.K. Subban. Great player, eh? Did you know his dad lived in Montreal, when he came to Canada from Jamaica, and immediately fell in love with the Canadiens? He brought that heritage and taught it to his son. What a smart boy, and an even greater father!

Subban was picked in the second round of the 2007 Draft, so maybe the Leafs should have got him in the first round instead of… Oh wait, Toronto didn’t have a pick in the first two rounds of that draft.

By the way, the Leafs First Round pick in 2009, Nazim Kadri, and his family were also Habs fans. Maybe the Leafs should trade him where he belongs.

On the mortality comment, I just think it’s plain tasteless that that you compare the Habs/Leafs rivalry to that of a serious issue going on at the OSPCA. Shame on you!

As for Celine Dion. Yeah that would be sad, I’ll give you that. Then again that’s what the volume button or changing the channel is for. Works for me when HNIC airs a Leafs game or Joe Bowen’s voice graces the airwaves.

Moving on to unity. First off trust me when I say, drivers in Montreal are far better than those in Brampton! Personally I do like to see a Canadian franchise succeed in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, or an underdog. This year the Canadiens are both of those elements.

I will admit that pre-lockout, when the Leafs had some chances, I had some hope for the blue and white. I do have feelings you know. Nobody should suffer a long painful life of suffering through 47 years without seeing their team win a Cup. Do you think I typed that with a straight face?

Which leaves us to one Sidney Crosby. He’s talented yes, he scored “The Golden Goal”, he’s won a Cup. Outside of that he’s one of the biggest whiners I’ve ever seen the NHL. Have you watched any of this series? Oh that’s right, your a Leafs fan. Why would you, right? Well if you had, you’d have seen that. If you want to cheer for

I wouldn’t be surprised to see the referees have enough of “Sid the Kid’s” tantrums. But if you want to cheer for Gary Bettman’s meal ticket, be my guest.

Judging by the comments on the article you wrote, it’s clear I’m not the only one who feels this way. Surprisingly, not all of them come from Habs fans either.

Perhaps it’s best that next time, you think it through before you write it.  Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to write something on the Toronto FC/Montreal Impact rivalry. You know, something I know nothing about!