NHL Montreal Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens Lose One: Twitter Explodes

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By @LissaRantSports

Montreal Canadiens Coach Therrien and players watch as the team loses its first this season.

Kim Klement – USA TODAY Sports

For the first time this season — all of six nights old — the Montreal Canadiens lost a game they were losing (as opposed to winning a game they had been losing). The comeback, this time, was not to be had. This event caused the explosion of griping fans on Twitter to go nuclear.

Social media and sports has become a common combination. There will be much to write about on this topic in future articles, but tonight, the story is the almost-atomic dissension among fans who turned on the team even as the first goal was scored against Carey Price.

The tweets were steady and “we suck” was an oft-seen theme. “Why do I support this team?” was another. One would think this season had been a total bust since its debut last week. The fact that the Habs had won their first three games, on the road, a back-to-back in Games 1 and 2 thrown in for good measure, and had rallied all three times to win what seemed to be inevitable losses doesn’t seem to matter to the fanbase. The minute the game went south for the Canadiens, fans became negative.

I’ve seen this too often. I’ve seen it when the Habs have been on losing streaks. Seeing it when the Habs have had their best season start since 2005 is quite remarkable.

I can understand the disappointment in seeing one’s team constantly fighting from behind to win — as the Habs have done three times in three wins. I can understand the frustration that ensues when games start with defeating goals and the team seems to get energized only after 40 or 50 minutes. It is clear the Canadiens need to work on things like their powerplays, their defense, and especially starting – as well as finishing – stronger than their opponent.

I can understand the disappointment. It’s not easy being a fan when the team loses, loses badly, loses after showing fantastic staying power, and loses that first time in the season.

But in the final game of a four-game road trip to start the season, after an incredibly successful three-game winning streak, the exhilaration should carry over and at least soothe the souls of Habs fans who never want anything but to celebrate a victory. Because what fan ever wants to see their team lose?

However, there are 82 games in a season. There is plenty of hockey left to play. There will be losses, disappointments, frustrations and maybe even anger.

Fickle fans have to look for the positive. These six points, acquired on a trying, tiring 6 nights away, won at the beginning of a season, are important, and are already in the proverbial bank. No one promised a perfect season.

This doesn’t mean that I’m okay with a 7-1 loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the team the Habs swept in the first round of playoffs this past Spring.

It just means I can absorb it, remember a loss is a loss, no matter how many goals were scored by the opponent. It means that I am grateful — ironically, on this Canadian Thanksgiving day — for the team having acquired six out of a possible eight points on a fatiguing road trip. It means that we’ve gotten that first loss off our shoulders and we can focus on supporting the team in an all-important home game on Thursday night.

After all, that’s when the Habs play the Boston Bruins for the first time since eliminating them in the second round of playoffs. Or, as the Bruins are known in Montreal circles, a “hated rival”.

Three days to recover from this stinging first entry in the “L” column, and fans should be ready to once again cheer, “Go Habs, Go!”

Lissa Albert is a Montreal Canadiens writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow her on Twitter @LissaRantSports. “Like” her on Facebook and/or add her to your network on Google. 

 

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