Passion pit
One of my greatest sports memories was catching a game between the Flyers and Canadiens at the old Montreal Forum in 1994. We had standing room tickets, which meant they stuffed the lot of you in the lobby where you stood like a herd of cattle before the gates opened. At that point, a mad dash ensued in order to secure the best view of the ice along the mid-level rotunda. I think only three or four Habs fans tried to trip me too, which I hear is a pretty good ratio.
The game ended as a 4-4 tie. Eric Lindros was mercilessly booed every time he touched the puck, Ron Tugnutt made 23 saves for the Canadiens, and afterward we managed to hang out with Quincy native and former Boston University player Ed Ronan at a local establishment, where the Habs forward gushed about his love for the mortal enemy Boston Bruins. Cam Neely, Glen Wesley, and Don Sweeney, who had just arrived in town for their Monday night game at the Forum, even managed to make a late-night appearance at the bar.
All in all, a most memorable night. So, I get where Foxsports.com’s Jon Paul Morosi is coming from with his gushing account of his first experience at a Montreal hockey game on Monday, when the Bruins beat the Canadiens, 4-2, to get back into the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Of course, he leaves out the tiny, little matter that the PA announcer had to remind Canadiens fans that half their team is from America prior to the playing of the National Anthem so that they might act civilized, but hey, so what? There’s passion. Calling 911 over the Max Pacioretty affaire just meant they cared. Like a lot.
But seeing a game there is absolutely an experience. The Bell Center simply can’t compare to the Forum, but it does have one of the great in-house sports bars in La Cage Aux Sports. Doesn’t matter if the Canadiens are playing, go watch a hockey playoff game there and you’ll wish there were places in America that could generate that sort of energy for a hockey game in which the home town team isn’t even participating.
Oh, and did you know some Montreal parking garages close and lock the gates at 3 a.m.? Yup.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com