Jimmy Murphy On Gresh & Zo: Habs Fans Feel Like Canadiens Are Playing With House Money
BOSTON (CBS) - The Bruins and Canadiens are hours away from dropping the puck for Game 1 in their playoff series. Boston fans are excited, but what are Montreal fans feeling?
Once a Bostonian, now a Montreal resident, NHL Network radio host Jimmy Murphy joined 98.5 The Sports Hub's Andy Gresh and Scott Zolak on Wednesday to talk about Game 1 and provide some perspective from the Habs angle.
"Anytime the Habs are in the playoffs in Montreal it's just insane up there. It just goes to a whole new level," Murphy said.
"It's much like when we see the Red Sox make a little run in the playoffs here. But when you play the Boston Bruins they sort of go to a World Series level. This is their Stanley Cup right now. I think, if they were to be able to knock off the Boston Bruins and then got swept in the next round, I don't think these Montreal fans would care.
"This to them? This is it. Especially being that the Bruins are the Presidents' Trophy winners. [The Bruins] are coming in as heavy favorites, and [Montreal fans] are looking at themselves as the heavy underdog and as the Rocky Balboa. They're hoping for a huge upset," said Murphy.
Murphy sees the long delay in play for the Canadiens as a problem, citing previous playoff history where they have come out with little energy.
"You think back to when the Bruins actually swept the Habs in 2009, I think they had like 11 games off before that Carolina series in the second round," Murphy said.
"They came out really flat. They recovered a bit but they eventually lost in seven games. I think you're going to see that. I think tonight is a game that the Bruins really need to win, not only because it's at home but because you capitalize on them being flat."
Listen below for the full discussion:
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