If I’ve learned one thing in all my days of watching hockey its that when the playoffs come, fans will over-react. No matter what the situation, people who watch their club win or lose will get carried away drawing conclusions that have little to do with reality, and much to do with the optics of one single contest. I’m not going to downplay the display the Flyers put on in their 6-0 trouncing of the Canadiens on Sunday, but fans have a special way of blowing every small detail ridiculously out of proportion. A terrible game for the Canadiens is just that – one of 3 they are allowed in a series. People soon forget that Chicago was trounced 5-1 in the opener of their series with Vancouver. When does Vancouver play again? That would be October 2010. Pittsburgh jumped out to a 1-0 series lead with a deflating 6-3 victory in Game 1 of the Conference Semi-Finals, which signaled to the hockey world that the Canadiens Cinderella run was all but dead. I remember what happened in that series.

This is not to say that the Canadiens will have an easier time tonight than they did on Sunday. The Flyers are a team that combines skill with grit and is getting some timely saves. That is a tough combo to beat – but this is a best of 7 series, and much is left to be determined. The Canadiens will have to over-haul their game in order to restore the respect they had earned in the first two rounds. It will start with getting it right between their ears. Every time the Canadiens made a mistake on Sunday, the puck found its way to the back of their net. They are going to need timely saves, and a much more efficient transition game if they are going to be able to play to the Flyer’s weaknesses.

One game does not make or break a series, so there is no reason for the mass of reactionaries calling for a sweep on both sides of this series. That said, momentum is a dangerous thing in sports. The Flyers now know what they can do, and how to do it. Montreal needs to find a way to elevate their game tonight. If they can, we have a brand new series. If they can’t there could be trouble.

Go Habs Go!!!

Didn’t that little break feel like an eternity? While I am thankful that the NHL saw fit to start our series Sunday, I’m going through withdrawal with no hockey on tv! There has been ample time for speculation and prognostication, all of which will mean absolutely nothing as the first puck is dropped tonight. For the Habs the challenge will be to adjust their game plan from keying in on one or two dangerous players from a defensive shell. To win against the Flyers Montreal will need to be far more aggressive offensively than they have been thus far in the post-season. In fact, Montreal must be wary of a Flyers team that may look to give them a taste of their own medicine. With Michael Cammalleri and Brian Gionta accounting for around half of the Habs offensive out-put, the Flyers will be trying to shut those two down. Montreal has lacked consistent scoring depth which will be critical in their attempt to make the Cup Finals. Guys like Tomas Plekanec and Scott Gomez will need to factor in on the score sheet as well as the third line who will have a very different task than in the previous two series.

There is excitement for Habs fans all over the continent. Its been a very long wait to get back to hockey that matters for Habs faithful. There are few teams in the league that I would take greater pleasure in beating in a playoff series (only the Broons and Laffs really).  Lets hope the boys can get out to an early lead and take some of the wind out of the inflated sails of a resilient Flyers team, fresh off of one of the greatest comebacks in playoff history.

Go Habs Go!!!!