Tuukka Time in Montreal!
As I was leaving the Bell Centre on Sunday evening I got a text from a friend saying, "It always starts in Montreal!" The Bruins have such an emotional rivalry with the Canadiens and you can feel it everywhere you go when walking the streets of Montreal. The walk from my hotel to the bar, and then to the Bell Centre, was filled with spirited "boos!" and they weren't just coming from the fans sporting the bleu, blanc, et rouge… old ladies crossing the street were giving me the business for wearing the Spoked B through Habs Country. Truth be told, I loved it… The city lives and dies by their hockey team, and as a life long supporter of the Bruins I know exactly how they feel when they look at me heading down rue Ste-Catherine in head-to-toe black & gold… because it's the same way I feel when I see them walking down Causeway with a CH on. There always seems to be a little more emotion and excitement in the buildings when the B's are playing the Habs… whether it's a pre-season, regular season, or playoff game the fans energy levels seem just a bit more amped up in comparison to when they're facing another team. That's what makes our rivalry so great.
Sunday's game was no different. Although the Bruins fans were scattered into smaller black & gold clusters throughout the Bell when the Bruins scored, Tuukka shutdown one of the Habs rushes, or even when Blake Wheeler squared off for his first career fight we let our support be known loud and clear.
Oh and of course, the most important moment to come out of the game… The Bruins finally broke their losing streak! And the sweetest sound of the day had to be the silencing of the 21,000+ Montreal faithful that had marched into the arena before the game acting like they had a "sure thing" on their hands.
In closing I would just like to suggest to the Bruins fans out there that haven't yet made the trip up to see the B's play in Montreal, mark it on your calendar as a MUST SEE. You should even make a weekend out of it, like I do, and I guarantee you won't regret it.
