Carey Price doing a Patrick Roy?

 

 

 

 

Canadian Press photo

 It looks like Habs goaltender Carey Price is on the verge of doing another Patrick Roy.

 After his team fell behind during the fourth game against the Boston Bruins – on its way to an ignominious 0 for 4 exit in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs – Price raised his arms in a strange salute to the jeering fans at the Bell Centre.

 

A move eerily familiar to the devotees of the rouge et blanc, similar to what Roy did in 1995, when fans mockingly cheered a routine save during an awful game for the Hall of Famer goaltender.

 

Salute?

 

Or wave goodbye?

 

Price declined an interview at the end of the game.

 

But Montreal GM Bob Gainey came to his player’s defence calling out the fans for their “rude” behaviour.

 

“I suppose he could have kept his cool and not gestured toward crowd,” Gainey said to media following the game. “But on the other hand, when you’re being bullied, basically, if you don’t stand up for yourself, who is going to?”

 

He compared the situation to that of Darryl Sydor – when Gainey was GM of the Dallas Stars, he was able to nab the defenceman from L.A., after fans basically booed him out of town.

 

Fans better watch out, unless they want to chase Montreal’s franchise goaltender out of town.

 

“The rude, obnoxious, (expletive) in L.A. booed him out of there. We picked him up and for the next five years our power play in Dallas was pretty happy that they had booed him out of there,” Gainey told the media. “So the people here should watch what they do, because our competitors down the road might just be waiting until we boo a guy out of town, and then we’ll have to play against him all the time.”

 

See story: http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=276093, and commentary: http://theryancokeexperience.wordpress.com/2009/04/22/bob-gainey-has-got-to-go/.

 

But is it already too late?

 

Price has taken a rough ride in Montreal this season – taking a step back from a pretty good first full season last year.

 

Sure, he hasn’t posted good numbers this year, but neither have most of his teammates, who looked like they gave up mid-season.

Unlike that plucky team, the Ottawa Senators, who roared to a thrilling finish of the season, after self-destructing during the first half, and falling out of playoff contention.

 

But they have heart.

 

Habs fans better watch out what they wish for.

 

Carey Price is a franchise goaltender, a rare commodity in the NHL – if they don’t want him, there are 29 other teams interested.

 

Ottawa Senator goaltender Carey Price?

 

Hmmm . . .

 

No, we’re not talking about winning a Stanley Cup or breaking a record for most wins, lowest goals against average or shutouts.

This town needs a new enema

Everyone needs a nemesis.

Batman has Joker. Superman has Lex Luthor. The L.A. Lakers have the Boston Celtics . . . you get the picture.

Nemeses are especially important in pro sports.

The Ottawa Senators evil dance partner happens to be the Toronto Maple Leafs.

But this town needs a new nemesis — let’s face it, the Leafs are boring and bad, and most likely will continue that trend as they completely retool their team over the coming years.

Post-season matchups are unlikely and games during the regular season have lost their oomph.

Which brings me to my point — this town needs a new enemy.

May I present for your consideration: the Montreal Canadiens.

The Habs fill many of the improtant criteria of a good nemesis — they play in the same division, they actually have a shot at making the playoffs, and their fans are extremely annoying.

I know, the players aren’t exactly the sandpaper variety that rubs Sens fans the wrong way in the vein of a Darcy Tucker or Tie Domi.

But if you’re looking for a team with annoyingly ardent fans, the Habs fit the bill.

It doesn’t matter how many times they miss the playoffs or fall into last place in the NHL. a Habs fan is always ready to bend your ear and wax on about the glory years of the bleu et blanc.

Their sentences are often peppered with the names Guy Lafleur, Larry Robinson, Maurice Richard and a host of other members of that famed Pantheon of Le Glorieux.

Example:

Normal fan: “I saw the Montreal Boston game last night. The Habs really got pumeled, eh?”

Habs fan textbook response: “Maurice Richard is a HOCKEY GOD.”

Normal fan: “Sure . . . but what about that game last night? Your team is now in last place in the NHL.”

Habs fan: “Lafleur won the Stanley Cup MANY MANY TIMES.”

Normal fan: “OK then.”

Hordes of Habs fans invade our rink at Scotiabank Place every time the Canadiens come to town — booing our players and cheering for their team, even if they are down several goals, as they often were over the past three years.

Forget Leaf Nation.

Public enemy number one should now be Canadiens Country — or whatever they call themselves.

It doesn’t matter that they aren’t a dominant team.

Their ability to annoy is simply outstanding.