Habs @ Washington: GAME 1

[Wamsley01]

I just love how you spare me having to write stuff. Like he said.

Enjoy for God's sake! Enough of the anticipated grief routine! Get miserable after a miserable game! Be inspired after an inspiring game!

Just because there is a second law of themodynamics, doesn't mean your spirits can't rise! Fatalism is fatal.

Which doesn't mean that the following line wasn't just terrific

Like Mike Tyson says, everybody

has a plan until they get punched in the face.

HAHAHAHA!

Don't worry; be happy.

I never said I didn't enjoy the moment, but I also don't believe that what we saw last night will be the tone of this series.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. I will watch and cheer

but always be wary of how the game changes from game to game. 30 years of hockey have taught me that outside of being

down 3-0 that things can and will change.

I am not falling into the trap of getting too high or low off the results of one game.

16 wins, 94% of the wins left to get, hundreds of adjustments to go.

[Sir_Boagalott]

I never said I didn't enjoy the moment, but I also don't believe that what we saw last night will be the tone of this series.

I hope you are wrong on that one. I definitely want this tone to continue. Your definitely right though saying last nights game had a tone that isnt typical to playoff hockey. IMO most of the games down the stretch had more of a playoff feel for them than last nights playoff game. Its totally to the Habs advantage to try to keep the phyicality out of it. Look at the Buff Bos highlights, those guys were trying to kill each other, and so far it seems like the Habs and Caps are still on each other Christmas card lists, well except for Tommy Jagr and Theo. Thats a good thing.

I hope all the Habs fans at the games keep up with the Tom Jagr lines. Wouldnt it be funny with all the hype if Tommy Jagr could get his big brother to play for the Habs next year.

[Toronthab]

I never said I didn't enjoy the moment, but I also don't believe that what we saw last night will be the tone of this series.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. I will watch and cheer

but always be wary of how the game changes from game to game. 30 years of hockey have taught me that outside of being

down 3-0 that things can and will change.

I am not falling into the trap of getting too high or low off the results of one game.

16 wins, 94% of the wins left to get, hundreds of adjustments to go.

Not to worry Walmsley; I know exactly what you're talking about and I'm not really trying to tell you how to live you emotional life The truth is though that some fan-ness seems a constant dissatisfaction, with perfection being the holy grail. I'm a big fan of final causes philosophically, and the ends and purposes are the reason for reasons, but it's also OK as hell to enjoy and celebrate some excellent performances and unanticipated reward.

I don't think we're 8th place bad and suspect we can do pretty well , good Lord willin' 'n the 'crik don't rise, but I am more determined to enjoy what is rather than lament what isn't.

I don't have 'expectations', but want to enjoy the journey, which constitutes most of the trip, stride by stride.

Cheers

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

I too know where Wamsley's coming from. You get too excited, the nearly-inevitable disappointment is all the more crushing. Indeed, all I could think of last night was that I wouldn't be able to stand it if they carried Washington to OT and lost.

The spirit I'm advocating is live-in-the-moment enthusiasm, bracketed by some rational awareness of the fact that we are still overhwelmingly unlikely to win this series. Now if we win Game Two, then I start to sing a different tune.

[Athlétique.Canadien]

Bah, one day (game) at a time. Right now we got 1 of 4 necessary wins in this series. The Caps ought to be even more stormin' Norman out of the gate next game. It'll be difficult to overcome. The good news is that the Habs did what was needed - steal home ice and as a fan you always want the 1st game when you're the visitor - well, mission accomplished.

I am in no way feeling like we are out of the woods. That would be extremely arrogant and premature. But if anything last night we proved what I was saying to the Habs detractors (mostly Leafers) at work. I warned them if game 1 went 10 minutes in and it was a neutral zone stalemate that Caps fans at that point ought to start to become concerned. As it turns out the Habs survived a shelling and settled down in the 2nd. I was close in my prediction and I am going to relish the "I told you so's" at work when I go in on Monday. I was off today.

Hopefully we can go up 2-0 so when I go in on Monday I can smile at the detractors. Yes it's true that 2-0 isn't securing a series victory BUT what I warned them about and what they scoffed at will look more like egg on their collective faces Monday.