2013 NHL Playoffs: Burning Questions for a Habs Fan

#SensMotB Prizes!

Before I start, remember to check out the Sens Money on the Board drive. We've raised almost $3000 so far. Here's all the info you need. Anyone who has a successful pledge of at least $1 during tonight's game is entered into a draw for a full-sized 3' by 5' Sens heritage flag thanks to the Flag King, who is also donating $1 per pre-sale of heritage car flags. Successful pledges of at least $1 will also be entered into a draw for an autographed Pascale Leclaire card, which may or may not be made of glass.

Burning Questions

In case you missed it, here are the 10 questions Eyes on the Prize had for yours truly.

We at Silver Seven Sens put together the most pressing questions we wanted answered from Montreal Canadiens fans. Even in the blogosphere, it's important to know what you're up against going into a long 7 game series. We encourage you to check out Habs Eyes on the Prize throughout the first round to see what the wrong perspective looks like.

We sat down and asked Laura, aka @theactivestick some burning questions we had for Habs fans. My reactions are in bold.

Questions for Habs Eyes on the Prize's theactivestick

1. I read the other day that the Canadiens have won a lot of Stanley Cups but I've never heard this mentioned by a Habs fan. Why don't you celebrate this fact more often?
Only a select group of fans is allowed to celebrate this fact by bringing it up whenever hockey is discussed. It's this special club that even has its own uniform: A Habs jersey with "Losers Since 67" sewn onto the back.
Not quite as iconic as "The Hockey Sweater."

2. What do you see as Montreal's biggest advantage over Ottawa? What weakness are you afraid Ottawa might exploit?
Montreal's biggest advantage over Ottawa, I think, would probably be having the benefit of a more consistent lineup over the last couple of months (knock on wood, etc).
Please don't knock too hard, it might break.

Montreal's biggest weakness right now is its penalty kill, and I'm willing to bet Erik Karlsson will make a meal out of it every opportunity he gets (like a trip to IKEA). At the end of the season, the team went through a slump where it was prone to some disastrous defensive breakdowns, but that seems to have tightened up a bit, and so the penalty kill is the biggest concern. Not so much the personnel, even, just the formation and/or combination of players used.
Unsurprisingly, PK is once again the biggest concern for the Habs.

3. I remember you drafting Ryan McDonagh in the first round a few years ago but don't see him in your lineup. Have there been issues with his development?
A few years ago, they changed Montreal city by-laws to make it legal for any Montrealer to dropkick fans of other teams who troll about the Ryan McDonagh trade. I've taken the liberty of putting up your names and likenesses all over the city in case any of the Silver Seven Sens crew were planning a visit any time soon.
Right next to the wanted poster of Zdeno Chara.

4. I see that puck drop is scheduled for 7pm. What time can we realistically expect the puck to drop at the Bell Centre on Thursday?
I'm actually curious to see which of Toronto and Montreal end up having the longer-winded pompous pre-game crap. I'm going to say Montreal clocks in at 20 minutes (so 7:25) and Toronto goes for 27. (Side rant: this isn't a jersey retirement ceremony, it's the fucking playoffs, get the anthem singer off the ice immediately and drop the damn puck already.)
Montreal and Toronto should follow Ottawa's lead and simply not have enough history to fill a 20 minute ceremony.

5. Which Habs player will surprise Sens fans the most?
Lars Eller for sure. He'll hopefully be playing with Gallagher and Galchenyuk, and I think Sens fans will be expecting magic from the other two but be surprised what a big part he can play in that magic.
Magic? Illusions, Michael.

6. When did Habs fans start sing "Ole?" Why is it a Spanish song when Quebec makes such a strong effort to identify as French-speaking?
I don't know the story behind how it started, but the more people point out it's a Spanish soccer cheer the louder we do it at hockey games. It's probably the first time in history Quebeckers have been contrarian about something.
I actually wanted to know the answer to this one. This speculation was the best I found.

7. What is the best way to remove Montreal fans from Scotiabank Place? Asking for a friend.
Tell Toronto fans a Leafs game is going on there and they'll happily take the place over from the Habs fans. Problem solved. That or actually provide people with a means to leave the area, that might help, too.
For advice on getting out of Ottawa, I suggest calling Dany Heatley.

8. Is it true that PK stands for "Poor man's Karlsson" or is that just an urban legend?
That is something Senators fans made up. Much like their fandom.

9. Are the Canadiens controlled by the mob like everything else in Montreal? Which Habs player is most likely to be in the mob?
Hilariously, and I am not making this up, sons of the Montreal mob like to befriend Canadiens players in order to get streed cred. The Kostitsyn brothers and Roman Hamrlik got a lot of hysterical press for "having mob connections" a couple of years ago but I think what it turned out to be in the end was that mobsters borrowed their credit card numbers or something. I'm hazy on the details, the story was that stupid.
My money is on Gionta and Plekanec. Nobody has a goatee without an ulterior motive.

10. How is the city of Montreal preparing for the inevitable acts of vandalism once Ottawa wins the series?
The mob is already intimidating people out of bidding for the cleanup contracts. We are ready.
Well at least it will give the Kostitsyns some extra work.
Keep it fluffy,
Bonk's Mullet