One of CTV's Randy Tieman's favourite expressions in life and in sports is "you just never know."
Fielding call after call and e-mail after e-mail at Randy's Team 990 gig, Habs fans would lament through the long winter months that this team was going nowhere. "They aren't going to make the playoffs. Bob Gainey is an idiot. The coach doesn't have a clue. Hal Gill is as slow as molasses. Scott Gomez isn't worth a third of his salary. Why did they get any of these guys? No one can score. No one can defend. No one can stop the puck." I could go on.
But Randy would always just have the same response: You never know.
So here we are in late April and only eight teams are standing in the battle for hockey's holy grail and the entire city is adopting Randy's mantra.
Why not? After all, it was the most improbable of series wins. In the last three games, Jaroslav Halak stopped 131 of 134 shots against some of the greatest shooters in the entire world. He didn't have a save percentage of .978 against a bunch of pee wees. He did it against Ovechkin, Backstrom, Semin - the game's greatest stars. Over a three game span, Halak's numbers are among the best in the history of the NHL playoffs.
I guess you just never know.
The Capitals powerplay running at a 25 percent clip in the regular season finished the series at 1 for 33 for 3.33 percent.
The Habs blocked 41 shots in the final game. Hal Gill is a second goalie, not that the first one needed much help.
Bob Gainey and Pierre Gauthier built a team with some veteran leadership. Guys who know how to play in the post season. Guys who know how to sacrifice like Gill and Gionta.
Josh Gorges was supposed to be the throw in the Rivet for a first rounder trade. The first rounder is the throw in now. But you just never know I hear my colleague saying "that Pacioretty might still be a great one".
Tom Pyatt looked like a 'yeah whatever' throw-in, in the Scott Gomez deal. I'm not too sure which one of the two players was more effective in the final three games. Gomez was good. Pyatt was error free.
Gauthier acquired Moore for a second rounder. Too high a price everybody said. Need I remind you who got the series winner?
PK Subban didn't make a bad play. They tried to pressure him and he wouldn't budge. Fans were worried that he was high risk. He was smart. Safety first for PK. It was not even close to an issue. He was the lowest risk D on the ice along with Carlson who I have to amend, being eligible, will battle Subban for the Calder. PK also helped Roman Hamrlik find his game.
Its the first playoffs since 1999 that the 1,2, and 3 seeds have all fallen from one conference and the Habs pulled off the biggest feat completing the first 3-1 games comeback ever for an 8 seed to beat a 1 seed.
I originally predicted Caps in 6, but changed it to 5 after the game 4 loss at home. I said it was done. I should have listened to Randy.
These Montreal Canadiens who were so hot and cold in the regular season, who scraped their way into the playoffs in the final week are on taking on the Pittsburgh Penguins.
I'll say this about that: it should be a walk for the defending Stanley Cup champs. My initial thoughts having watched the Pens look so strong against the Senators would be to suggest it will only go five games. I have a hunch actually that the Habs are so spent emotionally that it could be a sweep.
But then again, you just never know.
