The CBC experience: (simili) playoffs hockey at a bubble tea cafe

Met up with Alex at Magic Idea near Concordia after my calligraphy activity in Chinatown, and late lunch / early dinner at Kam Fung. Bars in the area being full at that point, I thought that one's best option remained bubble tea places, as they have relatively cheap food/drinks, and tellies (namely 6 or 7 of them at Magic Idea alone). The first Higgins goal was met with loud "Yessss" from our table, but we were soon joined by others as the goals on the Montreal side started to pour come second period. The late Toronto goals were met by equally loud "tabarnac" (to make it perhaps the Canadian-Chinese experience in both official languages, and now, national identities). The party on Ste-Catherine we were expecting never materialized.

My own interest in hockey stemmed from the 2001-02 run of two rounds, when the Habs upset the top-seeded Boston Bruins in six, then losing an emotional battle to the Carolina Hurricanes (the same who would break our hearts in 05-06), dropping the last two with large margins, following a bench penalty assessed to Michel Therrien, then Habs coach, and current one for the surprising Penguins. Toronto may've missed the playoffs last year, but they went to the conference finals in 01-02, whereas the Habs have never gotten there since their last cup in 1993 (also the last one by a Canadian team).

A playoff run by a Canadian team really absolutely changes a city. Habs flags were already starting to float above minivans in one's neighborhood, and people were preparing to wear their Saku Koivu jerseys to work. Quickly as it appeared did the excitement disappear. It's amazing how the Calgary Flames are now squandering their 12-point lead over the Colorado Avalanche and bringing upon themselves their own ultimate game, to be played away, tomorrow in Denver. We decided that we'd root for Vancouver and Ottawa.

(Ow man, I was just told that the Avalanche squandered a 1-goal lead into the third, such that the Flames qualify per the other team's incompetency!)