Anglo, franco, it doesn’t matter what color your skin is… as long as you push yourself

Is Laine injured? It could be. But the CH hasn’t announced anything… and everyone’s a bit injured at this point… and Laine no longer has the benefit of the doubt because of his past as a guy who doesn’t always give his all.

That’s why Laine is being criticized right now.

And that’s what brings us to guys like David Savard and Mike Matheson. Even though they’ve played better in the past than they have in the last two games, they don’t get criticized as much. And they’re not losing playing time.

Are these guys less criticized by the French-language media becausethey‘re Québécois d’ici who speak French, as we sometimes read on Twitter?

The answer is no.

What you have to understand is that these guys force themselves. They give what they have to give by playing a role that Patrik Laine would never want to play, even if he is the highest-paid skater on the team.

In my eyes, there’s a big difference.

Martin St-Louis has continued to put Matheson and Savard on the ice in situations where they have to play, because they’re pushing themselves and because it would be bad for the club to give them a hard time . St-Louis did things differently with Laine (six against five at the end of game #2) because he doesn’t force himself.

Bringing language into this is bad faith. But I’m not surprised it’s happening.

After all, yesterday there was a CH-related language debate(the famous “Go Habs Go” on the buses) and it always brings out the worst in everyone, these debates.

And that’s even if, in this case, even the Francos find the situation mostly thick.

If the Habs weren’t losing their series 2-0, maybe the mood in town would be different. But right now, it looks like a lot of people are forgetting the wise words of Loco Locass in the song Le But.

When it comes to field hockey, we don’t mess around, okay?
It’s more than a sport
It’s a metaphor for our fate
It’s what we’re all about
That’s what brings us together
Anglo, franco whatever your skin color

Regardless of skin color or language, CH fans must want players who sweat and bleed for the Montreal Canadiens’ tricolour jersey. Because it’s more than a sport: it’s a metaphor for our fate.

Laine doesn’t do that. If a player doesn’t force himself, his language doesn’t matter. And CH fans have proven it in the past: everyone is liable to get booed.

And that’s why, instead of talking about the first playoff game since 2017 in a full Bell Centre, this morning we’re talking more about the passengers in the club, whose face Laine has become by necessity.

All the people with tickets for tonight’s game want is for the guys on the ice to give it their all so they can give themselves a chance to win and shout… Allez Montréal!

in a row

– Ah well.

– Big duel, this.

– A woman as Islanders GM? [JdeM]

– We suspected it, but Tony Marinaro reminds us that there will be another season of the CH series on Crave.