100 Years!

[Habsfan84]

As the Habs now move in to their 100th season I feel that it is now time for you tell us about your most memorable moment that you remember in the Habs history.

Whether it is a good thing or a bad thing tell us about it.

Hopefully the Habs will be able to add some more memories in their 100th season by winning a up to give us 25 cups and then we would have won the cup 1/4 of the times.

[Tony]

The whole Patrick Roy debacle was something to remember. It was one of those situations I wish the team had handled better.

Another memory that showed much passion from Habs fans was when the Rocket died and his remains were in display at the then Molson Centre. About 115 000 went to pay their respects to him. That shows a great amount of class by the fans.

[Dalhabs]

hmm... har for a foreigner like me who actually started cheering for the habs after the 93 win... Not much superb to remember after than but I remember 2 games in particular... no.1 when we won against the Bruins in 2002. I think we won the game 1-0 or 2-1. Theo was unbelievable in that game. We were trailing in shots like 44-15 or something. no.2 is kinda weird since I really love what Theo did in some games but the win against Colorado in Theos return home-game was also a game to remember.

[MAK]

My best one is the 93 cup. I've said it many times, my grand mother( a habs fan) died that very same day.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Being in the standing room section of the Montreal Forum for the following moments of Game 2 of the Finals in 1993, with the Habs down 2-1 and under 2:00 left.

1. Demers asks the officials to measure McSorley's stick. I'm yelling, "you f**king idiot!! His stick will be legal and we'll get a penalty and lose!"

2. McSorley's stick is indeed illegal. We're happy. But then Demers pulls ROY. I'm yelling, "you f**king idiot!! Now the Kings will score on our open net and we'll lose!!"

3. Dejardins scores to tie the game on the PP. Never have so many people gone from such misery/anxiety to such ecstasy in so short a time. Beer flies, guys run down the aisle, we're jumping up and down, hugging total strangers, it's INSAAAAANE!!!

4. We enjoy the intermission on a total high. The 10 minutes just zip by. We all KNOW we're gonna win.

5. Desjardins scores the winning goal in OT.

BEDLAM.

One of the greatest single games in the history of the Montreal Canadiens. Without that win, we go back to LA trailing the series 0-2 and Wayne Gretzky leads the Kings to a Cup. With that win, we have the momentum and our aura of invulnerability becomes overpowering.

A few days later, I'm back in the Forum to watch Patrick Roy lift the Cup and scream in triumph at us all. But that Game 2 was really the single most exhiliarating moment of my life as a Habs fan, and, I suspect, always will be. I will always be grateful to Roy, Dejardins, and Demers for making that happen. (Oh, and McSorley too, ya dumbbell )

[Wamsley01]

Being in the standing room section of the Montreal Forum for the following moments of Game 2 of the Finals in 1993, with the Habs down 2-1 and under 2:00 left.

1. Demers asks the officials to measure McSorley's stick. I'm yelling, "you f**king idiot!! His stick will be legal and we'll get a penalty and lose!"

2. McSorley's stick is indeed illegal. We're happy. But then Demers pulls ROY. I'm yelling, "you f**king idiot!! Now the Kings will score on our open net and we'll lose!!"

3. Dejardins scores to tie the game on the PP. Never have so many people gone from such misery/anxiety to such ecstasy in so short a time. Beer flies, guys run down the aisle, we're jumping up and down, hugging total strangers, it's INSAAAAANE!!!

4. We enjoy the intermission on a total high. The 10 minutes just zip by. We all KNOW we're gonna win.

5. Desjardins scores the winning goal in OT.

BEDLAM.

One of the greatest single games in the history of the Montreal Canadiens. Without that win, we go back to LA trailing the series 0-2 and Wayne Gretzky leads the Kings to a Cup. With that win, we have the momentum and our aura of invulnerability becomes overpowering.

A few days later, I'm back in the Forum to watch Patrick Roy lift the Cup and scream in triumph at us all. But that Game 2 was really the single most exhiliarating moment of my life as a Habs fan, and, I suspect, always will be. I will always be grateful to Roy, Dejardins, and Demers for making that happen. (Oh, and McSorley too, ya dumbbell )

Yep, greatest game I have ever seen. The only game in my lifetime that may have matched the ups and downs of that game may have been the Don Cherry game.

It had alot of the same elements. Trailing late in the game, boneheaded move by opponent, game tying goal on the PP with less than 2 to go and winning it in OT.

Even though the 79' series was a 7th game, if the Habs had lost that one in 93' they would have been a longshot at best to win the Cup.

The suddeness with which the Habs tied it and won it early in OT was the thing that made it magical.

I have never been lifted from despair to joy in such a small period of time. I wish I was as fortunate as you to have been at that game

but for me, I will never forget Bob Cole screaming "Here he is again, Scores! DESJARDINS!!!!!!! and the series....is a BRAND NEW ONE!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9ulEiSwx0w

Leclair was a beast in that series. I don't think Hrudey even saw the tying goal.

Edited May 30, 2008 by Wamsley01

[habs rule]

yeah there have been many great moments. Lafluer scoring on that slapshot when he was actually trying to get off the ice to tie the game. immpossible to believe.

[Habsfan84]

I will never forget Bob Cole screaming "Here he is again, Scores! DESJARDINS!!!!!!! and the series....is a BRAND NEW ONE!"

Classic

[Habsfan]

THe final moments of the 5th game against the Kings will forever be etched in my brain. Bob Cole screaming: "...and now, a 24th Stanley Cup banner will hang from the rafters of the Famous Forum in Montreal...The Canadiens win the Stanley Cup!"

But I must admit that game two was simply incredible. The joy i felt when Desjardins scored that goal in the 3rd period was just too intense!

[Wamsley01]

THe final moments of the 5th game against the Kings will forever be etched in my brain. Bob Cole screaming: "...and now, a 24th Stanley Cup banner will hang from the rafters of the Famous Forum in Montreal...The Canadiens win the Stanley Cup!"

But I must admit that game two was simply incredible. The joy i felt when Desjardins scored that goal in the 3rd period was just too intense!

I am reminded of this every time I open a beer

[CoRvInA]

Being 15 years old and having won a dinner with the Habs (close to 200 people and maybe 10 then current habs players) back in ooo 1985-6... Drinking my ass off with these free coupons thats I could exchange at the MOSLON table (the other Winners didnt drink as much so they gave me their tickets) and to seal an otherwise perfect night.... I was the last winner of a raffle.... (the raffle went on all night) people had so much fun that when the prizes ran out ... Our present day Coach stood up and said he would be happy to give a pair of gloves from his provider (Ferland) so they could do one more raffle.... and then thats when My number came up... There is also a picture where I appear surronded by my idols on the Journal de Montreal But Hell If I know where that newspaper clip is

[The-Habby2919]

Watching the news on the morning after the 93 cup win and seeing downtown montreal laying in ruins. And beating out the Bruins in 02 will be special for me since it was when I came back to being a hardcore Habs fan for the first time since Roy left(I was 8 and was crushed when my dad told me Roy((my favourite player)) was traded, I lost most interest in the team after that for 7 long years).

:hlogo:

[Doktor Kosmos]

First time I ever saw the Habs play was the final game of the 1989 finals when we lost to Calgary. Only time I saw Mats Näslund in action for the Habs, unfortunately.

Staying up all night to watch the 1993 Cup Finals is my fondest memory. I remember McSorley's stick and Desjardins' hat-trick like it was yesterday. I don't really remember LeClair's consecutive OT goals, but I do remember having the feeling that the team was practically unbeatable when the OT periods started.

I remember Game 5 and especially Lebeau's goal, after a tick-tack-toe setup by Kirk Muller (or was it LeClair?) and Mike Keane. I remember Muller's goal And DiPietro's goals of course, especially the first one. And I remember Carbonneau handing the Cup to Denis Savard. Beautiful moment that will live forever in my red-white-and-blue heart.

I also have fond memories of when my brother and I visited Montreal in 2001. We checked in to our hotel in Longeueill (Hell, I can't spell that) on a Sunday evening and after having been on the road for 18 hours we crashed in our room and probably fell asleep within five minutes. The next day we went downtown to scope the place out and we started off by finding our way to the Molson Centre, we were going to see our first game the next day on Tuesday, January 16, against the Canes, so we wanted to know how to get there and not have to worry about it on the day of the game. We got to this metro station and emerged from underground. I had checked a map in the phone book so we'd have a good idea of where we were going, but we still managed to walk in the wrong direction. Then, by some marvelous stroke of luck, we made a right turn (pun very much intended) and there it was, out of the mist, the Molson Centre. I felt as if I'd been lost all my life and finally found my way back home. That's actually what it felt like. I'm not kidding, I will never forget that feeling. I knew then that no matter what, if our plane would crash in the middle of the Atlantic on the way home to Sweden, at least I would die a happy man, because, I had seen the Light. I imagine that's what religious people feel like when they see God.

We saw three games: vs. the Canes /3-2 OT loss), vs. the Lightning (3-1 win) and vs, the Rangers (2-2 tie). Chad Kilger scored the first Habs goal I ever saw live, a shorthanded goal assisted by Patrick Poulin, so those two will always have a special place in my heart. I also remember that Brian Savage scored the 1-0 goal against the Rangers, after like 30 seconds and a sold-out Molson Centre just exploded. I think Savage had to leave the game later though with a broken thumb.

So in short, those are my favourite memories.

Edited June 10, 2008 by Doktor Kosmos

[HolmstromScreens]

For me its seeing the habs win it in 1993 on the cups 100th anniversary. What a nice birthday present for the cup - what better way to celebrate than to have the team who has won it the most win it? I was almost 15 then- but I still remember. I have a stanley cup centennial t shirt i got that year. I will never get rid of it as that chance will like never come again, not in my lifetime. I will not live long enough to see the cup turn 200.

2. Oh ya. The Patrick Roy incident. How could I forget. btw when Roy was left in net to humiliate him and then he left Montreal , the sports writer for our newspaper the Express at the time was Don Power and he basically said that Roy was being a baby and he should grow the *** up (saying it in more polite words though)

and I wrote him back and my letter got published in the newspaper where I wrote a rebuke to his words and a defence of Patrick Roy saying he deserved much better than that from Power and from Tremblay and Corey as Montreal's special goalie probably the greatest goalie ever.

When Koivu got cancer and showed so much class and when he returned to play hockey again and the fans gave him the 5 min standing ovation and he won that award (forget the name of it tbh) but it was for something like perseverance and bravery or something. Anyway he deserved every single minute of it.

When Roy and ex Habs teammate Vladimir Malakhov both left montreal and later won Stanley Cups with other teams. Classic. I enjoyed that. Thats what I call healthy revenge. Roy for obvious reasons, and Malakhov because Tremblay was abusive towards him as well, I even saw Tremblay throw a water bottle - hard - at Malakhov and struck him with it. I considered Malakhov one of the Habs best - of not the best - defenceman on Montreal. And what a awesomeness slapshot Mal had especially from the point. Awesomeness!

Seriously the two of them deserved much better that what they got.

Those are the incidents that stick in my mind from my not so very long life (im not even 30 i became nhl fan in 1991)

Edited June 11, 2008 by HolmstromScreens

[Doktor Kosmos]

When Koivu got cancer and showed so much class and when he returned to play hockey again and the fans gave him the 5 min standing ovation and he won that award (forget the name of it tbh) but it was for something like perseverance and bravery or something. Anyway he deserved every single minute of it.

Yeah, that was a great memory too. I remember Craig Rivet scoring that goal, never seen a guy so happy to score a goal. Makes me feel all warm inside.

[matsnaslundsuperfan]

First time I ever saw the Habs play was the final game of the 1989 finals when we lost to Calgary. Only time I saw Mats Näslund in action for the Habs, unfortunately.

My favourite memories coincide with Mats as well. I remember watching tv on my knees in the living room to watch the home opener of I the 82-83 season. All I remember were the player introductions and out skated number 26 with the name Mats Naslund at the bottom of the tv screen. I remember telling my dad, "that's my favourite player". I later remember being sent to bed after the first period, I was 9 years old.

My first game ever live... 85-86 season at the forum... Montreal vs. Hartford. My grandfather got some tickets through a friend of a friend... anyhow, we ended up getting corner seats, 10 rows or so from the ice. Mike Liut was in net, ended up hurting his groin in the warm up but stayed on in net for Hartford. Mats Naslund scores on a break away. I don't remember how, I was trying to get a good look at his face. I heard the pop of the puck hitting that back of the net and seeing my favourite player pumpernickel only feet away from me. Childlike euphoria! Enough to bring me to tears. I think it ended up 5-0 Montreal.

85-86 final game against Calgary... the game just ended and camera shot of Mats giving a huge punch in the shoulder to Brian Skrudland while celebrating the cup win on the bench.

Ok I'm done.

Thanks for giving me a chance to reminisce.

:hlogo:

Edited June 11, 2008 by matsnaslundsuperfan

[Psycing]

I will always remember the days of Shane Corson, Mark Recchi, and Oleg Petrov. Those were "the glory days" for my time watching the Habs. Well, that was until this season... year 99 has to have been the best I've seen (can't remember the cup win of 93)

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

I will always remember the days of Shane Corson, Mark Recchi, and Oleg Petrov. Those were "the glory days" for my time watching the Habs. Well, that was until this season... year 99 has to have been the best I've seen (can't remember the cup win of 93)

This is a truly sad tale. The generation born after about 1989 is the first generation in the history of the Stanley Cup to come to adulthood without childhood memories of a Montreal team winning Lord Stanley's Mug. There was a long dry spell for the Habs between 1931 and 1944, but at least the late lamented Montreal Maroons won one in the interim.

Mac, for you to say that your "glory days" involve Oleg Petrov...man, it makes me want to weep. :puke:

It's time to end this tragedy. BRING IT ALL BACK HOME, BOB!!!!!!!!!!

[BTH]

This is a truly sad tale. The generation born after about 1989 is the first generation in the history of the Stanley Cup to come to adulthood without childhood memories of a Montreal team winning Lord Stanley's Mug. There was a long dry spell for the Habs between 1931 and 1944, but at least the late lamented Montreal Maroons won one in the interim.

Mac, for you to say that your "glory days" involve Oleg Petrov...man, it makes me want to weep. :puke:

It's time to end this tragedy. BRING IT ALL BACK HOME, BOB!!!!!!!!!!

lmao... I'm even worse than Maca. I didn't start watching until our team was full of Patrick Poulin, Benoit Brunet, Patrick Traverse, Igor Ulanov/Christian Laflamme, Sergei Zholtok, Turner Stevenson, Jason Ward, PJ Stock, Stephane Fiset, Brian Savage/Sergei Berezin...

Sad days. Fortunately, we are going to win this year and I can reminisce about Kovalev and Price and the Kostitsyns instead.

[Wamsley01]

lmao... I'm even worse than Maca. I didn't start watching until our team was full of Patrick Poulin, Benoit Brunet, Patrick Traverse, Igor Ulanov/Christian Laflamme, Sergei Zholtok, Turner Stevenson, Jason Ward, PJ Stock, Stephane Fiset, Brian Savage/Sergei Berezin...

Sad days. Fortunately, we are going to win this year and I can reminisce about Kovalev and Price and the Kostitsyns instead.

Yikes. Tampa Bay fans have had a better ride than you!

It was a sad time to be a Habs fan back then. Looking to the future and hoping Jason Ward, Matt Higgins, Eric Chouinard,

Alexander Buturlin and Ron Hainsey and Marcel Hossa could turn into something. Sigh, thank god for a couple of late round steals.

I had no hope until Andre Savard came on the scene. I actually spent the whole 2000-01 Season praying to finish last so we could

get Ilya Kovalchuk. Those are the dark days!

[HolmstromScreens]

This is a truly sad tale. The generation born after about 1989 is the first generation in the history of the Stanley Cup to come to adulthood without childhood memories of a Montreal team winning Lord Stanley's Mug. There was a long dry spell for the Habs between 1931 and 1944, but at least the late lamented Montreal Maroons won one in the interim.

Mac, for you to say that your "glory days" involve Oleg Petrov...man, it makes me want to weep. :puke:

It's time to end this tragedy. BRING IT ALL BACK HOME, BOB!!!!!!!!!!

I was about to turn 15 when Montreal won in 1993. I am glad I was born in 1978 (another montreal cup winning year) and got to have 1993 as a childhood memory.

and I remember nearly every minute. Especially when cole said "a 24 banner will hang...." yadda yadda

thanks to whoever made this topic. Thanks for the memories.

[saskhab]

Actually, kind of unfortunately, I never saw Game 5 of 1993 when it happened. I saw everything else but that game. So Game 2, and all the drama of it, was the game that sticks out the most for me. I never saw Game 5, even though I was 11 and fully in fan mode by that point, because I was playing a little league baseball game at the time. However, one of the parents at the game was listening to the game on their car radio, so I snuck around to listen when I could. My best friend on the team was a Penguins fan, so when the Habs won, I remember rubbing it in pretty good because of the year before it was the opposite.

I also remember my dad predicted a Kings/Habs SCF that year. Should've placed money down in Vegas.

Anyways, my first memories of the Habs were the 1989 run. And then, after that, every year losing to Boston. My sister was a Bruins fan because she had a crush on Andy Moog. Man, that sucked... especially the '92 sweep after barely beating Hartford. That early suffering/underachieving really made the '93 achievement more special. People forget how good the Habs were in the years before they won it. '93 was not supposed to be the year they won it... anytime between 1990-92 was considered more likely. But there was something special.

The other memories turn to the negative after the Cup win... the continuous trading of captains, to eventually the leader who couldn't wear the C (Roy), the horrid slide into irrelevance that culminated in 3 straight playoff misses, to the inspiring 2001-02 team that brought me back to superfandom from casual acquaintance (which occured after the Roy trade). I'll always have a special place in my Habs memories for Theodore because he did bring me back to the CH for good, despite what transpired in the years after. And then season 99 was indeed incredible for all the right reasons... except for the finish. It's good that there is something unfinished leading into year 100.

Also, seeing the Habs live for the first time sticks out as well... it's also the only time thus far. It was in Washington on the last game before Christmas in 2003... which I've since learned is our worst record day (Dec. 23). They were in it until the last minute before Bondra scored... in fact, they dominated that game (shots were like 40-20). But they lost 3-2. But it was still special. Buils and Ryder scored for the Habs, and Komisarek nearly got in a fight but the refs broke it up quickly.

And I finally plan on seeing a game in Montreal for season 100. I'm buying tickets when they go on sale and booking a trip around the game.

[Wamsley01]

Actually, kind of unfortunately, I never saw Game 5 of 1993 when it happened. I saw everything else but that game. So Game 2, and all the drama of it, was the game that sticks out the most for me. I never saw Game 5, even though I was 11 and fully in fan mode by that point, because I was playing a little league baseball game at the time. However, one of the parents at the game was listening to the game on their car radio, so I snuck around to listen when I could. My best friend on the team was a Penguins fan, so when the Habs won, I remember rubbing it in pretty good because of the year before it was the opposite.

I also remember my dad predicted a Kings/Habs SCF that year. Should've placed money down in Vegas.

Anyways, my first memories of the Habs were the 1989 run. And then, after that, every year losing to Boston. My sister was a Bruins fan because she had a crush on Andy Moog. Man, that sucked... especially the '92 sweep after barely beating Hartford. That early suffering/underachieving really made the '93 achievement more special. People forget how good the Habs were in the years before they won it. '93 was not supposed to be the year they won it... anytime between 1990-92 was considered more likely. But there was something special.

Funny in 1989 I went to play baseball as well and listened to a walkman (a tape player with a radio for all those under 25 ). I kind of knew that it

wasn't going to happen that season. Calgary just had the mojo going, Gilmour, Macinnis, Vernon, Otto, Mullen were badly outplaying Richer, Corson, Courtnall,

Smith and Naslund. It did provide a great memory when Naslund knuckled one by Vernon with 40 seconds to go in Game 3 and Walter's OT winner though.

I was also spoiled in the 80s and thought nothing of missing a Stanley Cup Final game as the Habs made the Conference

Finals in 84 and 87 and made the Finals in 86 and 89.

I have ranted before about how underrated the 93 team was and how Roy's performance has been glorified and the rest of the team essentially disrespected.

People tend to forget that the Habs had 115 points in 1989 and had 90+ points in the next 3 years (No shootout points or OT loss points).

All around a great young core that either A. existed from the 86 Champs or B. players who were acquired from the 86 Champs.

Between 86 and 93 the Habs brought up Roy, Corson, Richer, Skrudland, Keane, Lemieux, Schneider, Desjardins, Brunet, Lumme, Leclair and Brisebois.

All these players were very young and would have formed the core of a powerhouse throughout the 1990s had they kept it together. That youthful core was

viewed differently in 1993 then they are now. Guys like Leclair were viewed as a 3rd and 4th liner. Desjardins and Schneider went on to very good careers with

other teams. Keane became an important member of the Avs and Stars Cup teams. etc etc. Claude Lemieux won a Conn Smythe and contributed to 3-4 more Cups.

Add in Chelios, Carbonneau and McPhee to the core and you see a great team with solid Goaltending, Great D and scoring punch.

I see the same thing happening right now with the Habs, and I am confident of another resurgence in the next 5-10 years.

Edited June 12, 2008 by Wamsley01

[Habsfan84]

thanks to whoever made this topic. Thanks for the memories.

No prob. I thought this would be a great topic just to see why people love the Habs so much and re-live a bit of the Habs history i may not of known before this.

For me i have not been alive very long. I was only alive for the Habs 93 win and i was 5 months old so i really dont remember. At least i can say that i was alive during a habs Stanley cup win.

[Ecurb]

My first memory came in my early teens.

I wasn't really a Habs fan but my family was. I was more into playing

sports then watching them. Anyway we had this family get together on

the same night there was a playoff game in which the Habs were going

to play this powerhouse team that they had almost NO chance of beating.

As the game starts more and more of the men are disappearing from the

family gathering and crowding around a TV watching the Habs.

The men are cheering like crazy and the women are bitching about being

hockey widows. I had just come inside, was outside playing with the dogs

when my dad enters the kitchen to get more beer and is raving about this

big young Habs goalie with ice water in his veins that is making incredible

saves. I decided to see for myself and couldn't believe what I was seeing.

You see this young stud in nets was Dryden and I was hooked all through

our 71 cup win.

So, my best memory was a decade of them. Six Stanley cups, the last

Habs dynasty. I was spoiled because I can clearly remember being bored

watching the Habs play. It wasn't because of the way the Habs played, it

was because we were that much better than any other team.

I remember thinking about the Canada-Russia series in 72, during the late

70's and thinking that Russian team might be the only one that could compete

against that Habs dynasty. So, that New Years eve game was something

special.

I also feel that this young Habs team has the potential to be something

special. And I do hope some of you younger Habs fans get to experience

several cup wins strung together.