What do you say about such a disgraceful performance, after what could be considered a rock-bottom moment earlier this week against the Maple Leafs. You know, the Toronto Maple Leafs, who sit three points back of 12th place Montreal, with a game in-hand.

In watching this game a nagging realization made its way back to the forefront of my consciousness: It’ll require a less than stellar effort on their opponents’ behalf in order for this team to win on any given night. Furthermore, they have to be considered the easiest team to play against in the National Hockey League.

Don’t get me wrong; the effort has been there in 25 of 28 games. But the lack of confidence has everyone trying to do everyone else’s job, and anyone who’s ever played hockey at any level knows that results in poor positional play, and major frustration in a team environment.
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Tonight marks what should technically be one of the proudest and richest additions to a history that’s as colorful as it is long. But if the product on the ice doesn’t evoke an equitable elation, rest assured the conversation on a hockeyless Saturday in Montreal will resonate with doom and gloom.

Wouldn’t that be something…a birthday celebration turned into a morbid funeral—Call it assisted suicide—thanks to Doctor Boston Bruin.

Or…or…there’s never been a better chance to turn around a losing streak than the one that’s being presented to the Canadiens tonight.

In most cases you pray for a short ceremony, nothing that has the players sitting idle for too long. But this one will be important for the players of this team to sit through. This will be the culmination of a century of glory they couldn’t be further from achieving. They should know what it means to be a player in this city—one of eternal legendary status. They should know what it means to receive an ovation like the one Jean Beliveau will receive tonight—40 years after he last laced up his skates for the Montreal Canadiens.

More than knowing; they should feel what it means. Feel the reverberation of applause, tears, laughter, and noise flowing through the bench they’ll be watching from. And then they should take to the ice and write a different story than most expect to read come tomorrow morning.

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