A Season to Remember with an Ending to Forget

By Richard Obrand

It is somewhat eerie how a slap-shot taken by a 26-year old from Welland, ONT in an arena located almost 500 KM away, can make the rain fall so quietly this morning in Montreal.

Nathan Horton’s slap-shot ended the hopes and dreams for your Canadiens, leaving their fan base that stretches well beyond the coasts of Canada in utter silence and shock.

In reality, this epic series between these two bitter adversaries epitomized the true meaning of the Boston-Montreal rivalry. Words were exchanged, blood was shed, clutch goals were scored, big saves were made, towels were thrown, fingers were waved and a seventh game was played.

The proverbial seventh game was a treat. Those unfamiliar with the rivalry were provided with everything they need to know about the shared hatred between the two teams and then some.

They were given a true display of world-class goaltending, a perfect view of what it looks like when two teams who employ different styles of the game duke it out for their cities and some strong coaching as well.

Fans were also treated to some spectacular individual performances.

PK Subban was brilliant. The 21-year old rookie defenceman showed that he is in fact the complete package. His rare combination of style, grit, confidence, tenacity, hands and speed will be something that will surely leave his fans and critics in awe for many years to come.

Having logged an average of 28:45 minutes of ice-time throughout the series, Subban displayed his ability to slow down the pace of any game at any given moment and do the same when he felt his team needed to pick it up a bit.

His series rival, Brad Marchand, wasn’t too shabby either.

Marchand has built himself a reputation in Montreal as the little Bruin who just won’t go away – and that’s a good thing for the rookie forward. Simply put, Marchand was arguably Boston’s most effective player when the rest of his teammates failed to realize the series had in fact began on April 14 in Boston and not on April 18 in Montreal.

He seemingly epitomizes everything that a Boston Bruin should be: strong, tough and relentlessly aggressive with a splash of scoring ability.

Yet, while the battle between Marchand and Subban was indeed something to keep your eye on, the real battle was fought between two red posts and some blue paint.

Carey Price and Tim Thomas added yet another few pages in the goaltending chapter to what is slowly becoming an encyclopedia of the battle between Boston and Montreal.

Both made the saves of their respective careers. Thomas’ arrived on a post-to-post sliding save on a shot by Brian Gionta on a two-on-one in double overtime during game five, while Price’s came in the same game, stopping Bruin forward David Krejci on a breakaway with his left pad.

It was a display unlike any other. It was one that allowed both goaltenders to put an exclamation mark on their respective brilliance that was displayed throughout their respective seasons. It’s a shame that only one can move on.

So what is next for your Montreal Canadiens?

Will the Nov. 13 win over the Carolina Hurricanes be the last memory we have of Andrei Markov as a Canadien?

Will Josh Gorges be able to return to form following season-ending knee surgery?

Was game seven Hal Gill’s, Roman Hamrlik’s, James Wisniewski’s, Brent Sopel’s, Mathieu Darche’s and Jeff Halpern’s last in a Tricolore uniform?

How about David Desharnais? Were his impressive 49 games with the big club a fluke? Or does he have the potential to one day reach Martin St. Louis status?

Is Scott Gomez’s below-average season an indication of what fans can expect for the remainder of his contract?

Is Louis Leblanc physically and emotionally mature enough to go pro next season with the Hamilton Bulldogs?

Pierre Gauthier has a busy summer ahead of him. The Canadiens are officially slotted at the 17 spot for the June 24 NHL Entry Draft in St. Paul, MN.

Until then, relax and try and enjoy another Stanley Cup final without your beloved Canadiens.

Carey Price: A true thoroughbred

By Richard Obrand

Carey Price enthusiasts will say they told you so, while former bashers will deny ever muttering any anti-Price sentiments.

The Jaroslav Halak supporters have all crossed over and those who haven’t are living in what is now known as St. Lala Land.

There were those who, until last night, opted to reserve their rights to judge Canadiens General Manager Pierre Gauthier’s decision to keep Price until he proved himself when it really matters.

Last night was the deadline for that group of fans and I believe it was met by all.

The city of Montreal is abuzz with Price’s most recent performance, a 32-save shutout of the Big Bad Boston Bruins, in their own barn nonetheless.

What sent fans into awe last night wasn’t so much of what he did – partly because he has done it countless times throughout the regular season – but how he did it. The calm, cool, collected demeanour of the 23-year old veteran, yes veteran, was on full display last night.

He stopped every Zdeno Chara clapper with ease and acknowledged the ones his sturdy and reliable defence-corps stopped for him.

It was pure bliss for Habs fans. And the wink to Brent Sopel was Patrick Roy-like.

However, this Roy reproduction wasn’t his first. It seems like only yesterday that Price was raising his arms in Roy-like fashion, mocking the Bell Centre faithful in game 4 of the 2009 Eastern Conference quarterfinals, a game that would signal the end of a very confusing and disastrous season for the Canadiens.

My, how time truly does fly.

Those who follow the Canadiens closely will remember when Bob Gainey referred to Price as a thoroughbred. Gainey’s words were directed towards those who continuously criticized the young netminder, analyzing his every move in a negative manner.

However, like the horse on his helmet, Price didn’t begin to show his true legs until his NHL career turned three-years old. Last night’s shutout was the third of his playoff career.

As most of you have likely already discovered, all three have come against the boys from Beantown. I don’t think I stand alone in saying that this will likely not be his last.

And for the first time in his career, neither is Price.

Toasts Here’s to Carey Price, to Thomas Plekanec, to Scott ‘$8-million man’ Gomez, to Captain Brian Gionta, to Ryan White’s seven hits in seven minutes, to Brent Sopel, PK Subban and Hal Gill, to CBC montages, to Jacques Martin’s system and last but certainly not least Les Glorieux.

The Hits that go Unnoticed

By Richard Obrand

The on-going war against concussions has reached the world of university athletics. It’s unfortunate really, that in a year that featured some of the most intriguing stories to ever grace the eyes and ears of today’s sports fan that the topic of brain injuries remains the most prolific among them.

By now you have seen, heard and – if you’re one of the unlucky ones – felt the impact that concussions have had on the professional sports spectrum. The mass amounts of attention by media pundits across the sports community is indeed warranted, for they are the voice of a burgeoning community of that has long awaited recognition.

The said community features a wide variety of members. Victims and their families, the doctors that treat them and fans that want nothing more than to see them back on a playing field that isn’t being filled with dirty play and disrespect.

Measures have indeed been taken in ensuring player safety at the professional ranks. In sports where speed and contact are the main attractions, rules have been created in order to enhance the safety of vulnerable players.

The NFL, a league that saw its concussion rate rise up 21 per cent from its previous season, implemented a rule midway through the 2010-11 season that made all hits to the head illegal. On the ice, the NHL brass has been rigorously maligned for their lack of production in enhancing protection for their players. Though they seem to be lagging in their progress, one has to believe that there will be changes.

However, what about the students?

The athletes that don’t get nearly the amount of recognition they deserve are also in the midst of a concussion scandal. “Our medical team has conducted evaluations on 20 athletes for suspected head injuries during the 2010-11 season,” said Sean Christensen, Head Athletic Therapist for the Stingers.

Among them was fifth-year quarterback Robert Mackay. Mackay suffered a concussion in the season opener after taking a hard hit to the head last season and missed some action due to lingering effects. Among those effects are headaches, nausea, and dizziness and sometimes even memory loss.

Bryan Chiu, a future Canadian Football hall-of-famer who played 13 seasons with the Montreal Alouettes and is presently the Stingers’ assistant offensive coordinator and offensive line coach believes that the growing problem is certainly one that can be fixed. “I think it’s a matter of players not being taught how to properly hit,” said Chiu. “These days, players are a lot bigger and faster and they run around the field looking for the big it, but don’t realize that guys can get hurt,” he added.

There are those who believe that players, especially those who have been playing the given sport all their lives, know how to engage in contact and that they simply lack the respect that sports purists believe was once an integral facet of athletics.

Chiu, however, disagrees and sees this as an opportunity to stop the growing concussion problem. “It’s not so much as a lack of respect as much as it is a lack of emphasis on safety, said Chiu in an interview at his office at Loyola campus. “It’s a game that features a lot of speed and guys have to know when to ease up.” Christensen agrees. “Education! From the medical community, i.e. what are the signs and symptoms of a concussion and understanding the importance of recognizing and evaluating these signs and symptoms. This applies to both the athlete and the coaching staff,” said Christensen in an interview done over email.

In light of recent events in the professional sporting community, concussions have been the predominant topic as of late, and with good reason.

“I think it’s such a hot issue because it’s happening more often,” said Chiu. “Key guys who play key positions are going down with head injuries and fans are realizing it,” he added.

For Christensen, the concussion discussion has been a reoccurring topic for years. “Within the medical community it's been a hot issue for years. Over the last 10 years there have been 3 international conferences on concussions (Vienna 2001, Prague 2004, Zurich 2008). The increased media attention is likely due to the increase in high profile athletes suffering head injuries,” he said.

While educating players may in fact be the main theme among those who are closest to the athletes, one has to believe that a total mindset adaptation of the athletes themselves has to occur. Those who suffer from concussions may not feel such strong effects until many years after the injury actually occurred.

Recently, the world of sports was dealt two very disheartening blows when former NHL player Bob Probert passed away due to evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a brain condition that is caused by multiple concussions, and former NFL player Dave Duerson, who committed suicide by shooting himself in the chest so that his brain can be donated to scientific research on the effects of concussions.

It was discovered that Duerson also suffered from CLE and that he was also suffering from depression. These two athletes were once young, hopeful and ambitious men who like most young athletes chose to live “in the now” and worry about the future later.

Chiu believes that that is a major problem with professional and student athletes.

“As a player, you tend to be very short-minded – you would play now and worry later,” he said. A former offensive lineman for more than a decade, Chiu has suffered his fair share of head injuries.

“It could affect me down the road, but I’m not too worried about it. There were times where I came back to the sidelines in a bit of a daze, but I never suffered anything major,” said Chiu.

As saddening as it may be, today’s athletes, especially young collegiate ones, have an advantage over their predecessors. Modern technology and heightened awareness of head injuries has provided our student athletes with the upmost care, and measures to protect them are being taken.

“(Our athletes) complete a complex series of tests and a progressive return to play protocol. A SCAT form (Sport Concussion Assessment Tool) is completed in the pre-season, after a head injury and during the rehabilitation process. Our team doctors are also advised to help diagnosis and manage head injuries. This tool helps us track their symptoms as well as their cognitive ability (orientation, memory and concentration) and physical evaluation,” said Christensen.

A revolution of sorts is happening right before our very eyes. One that can forever change the way our students’ safety is being treated. We can choose to acknowledge it and move forward with the medical advancements that are happening every day.

Or we can choose to ignore it and perhaps see an even younger version of Duerson and Probert fall victim to our arrogance.

Another Pacioretty Opinion

By Richard Obrand

In the midst of yet another vicious check in the NHL, fans, bloggers and media pundits across the hockey community have been left divided.

And the recent announcement that Zdeno Chara will not be disciplined for his hit on Max Pacioretty has separated them even further.

On the left, we see the hyperactive and all-knowing Montreal-based fans who view the defenceman Chara’s hit on Canadiens forward Pacioretty as a malicious, obvious and deliberate attempt to injure the young and burgeoning power forward.

On the right, we see the equally as energetic and jagged supporters of the Boston Bruins who have been supportive of Chara, yet, have also been offering their care and good-wishes for Pacioretty.

Finally, somewhere in the middle of all the mayhem created by the Blogosphere and Twitterverse are the pundits who have been attempting to remain as politically correct and inoffensive as possible. With the exception of a few credible journalists from both sides of the spectrum, including Boston Globe writer Tony Massarotti, most writers have been tip-toeing around the issue at hand.

Simply put, as brutal or as incidental as you may have viewed it, this was an opportunity for the NHL that was once again shoved aside.

It was an opportunity for the Gary Bettman and company, to finally make their mark on the most pressing problem to face the post-lockout NHL. Ask Marc Savard, a five-year teammate of Chara, how he feels about Pacioretty’s current situation, better yet, ask Sidney Crosby.

While the NHL clearly missed the boat on defending their meal plan in Crosby, they once again blew a second golden chance of making their situation and reputation across the North American sports world relatively better.

There’s no arguing from this Montreal fan that Chara is a superstar. He strikes fear into opposing forwards and goaltenders alike and is the shutdown defenceman that every general manager across the league would gladly place on their rosters. His unique combination of size, skating ability and offensive prowess is one that is rarely seen from an athlete of his stature and he clearly makes an impact every time he skates onto the ice.

Which is why suspending him for an elongated period of time would have sent a very blunt and stern message to every single player in the league.

No more messing around, no more headshots, no more blindsides, no more technical and verbal confusion of Rule 48.

Problem is they didn’t.

With Colin Campbell sitting this one out because of his son Gregory’s involvement in last night’s game, his assistant, Mike Murphy, was the one to bang the gavel and decide what to do with the NHL’s latest head injury.

In what was arguably the most complicated situation faced with the league’s disciplinary committee, they allowed a man who put a 23-year old kid in a hospital and out of commission until likely next season to play in his team’s next game, Thursday night against Buffalo.

The most updated status of Pacioretty’s health is that he suffered a severe concussion and a fractured fourth cervical vertebra that is not displaced.

As saddening as it is to ask, will it take death for the NHL to finally end the growing crisis that is the head shot?

You stay classy, NHL.