Montreal Junior begins to emerge out of Habs shadow

Just as the Montreal Canadiens are regaining flight, after a disappointing Centennial season so far, just down the road, only ten minutes from the Bell Center something else special is happening on an ice surface.

The ‘something special’ comes in the form of QMJHL team The Montreal Junior. Last night the Junior played Game Five of their first round playoff series against the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. You thought the Habs were fun? The Junior accounted for seven goals last night, and their top Blues prospect goalie Jake Allen, let in a total of zero goals.

The Verdun Auditorium was magical last night. The entire arena was sold out, a feat in itself, as it so rarely is. Half way through the second, when the Junior were only up by one, something extraordinary would happen.

The wave.

The wave began to make its way around the auditorium, lifting just about everyone from their seats. The wave is not one of my favorite things hockey fans do during games, but in this particular instance this wave signified the start of something special.

People were catching on. Not to the wave itself, but to the Junior.

Montreal had a great, exciting hockey team in 2009. The problem was, was that no body knew about them. They weren’t a storied, one hundred year old franchise. Quite the contrary, they were in their inaugural year, struggling to get their name in the paper, relying at best on word-of-mouth.

But what they had hoped for all season finally looks to be coming to fruition. The playoffs, and being successful and exciting (thus far) have helped bring in the capacity crowds. The air is electric, and the chants of “Let’s go Junior!” no longer needs to helped along by a pre-recorded version to fill in the empty air.

It helps that the Junior have some exciting players, a dynamic coach, an assistant coach who also anchors RDS’ Canadiens panel Joel Bouchard, and five NHL drafted players, including star goalie Jake Allen, drafted 62nd overall in last June’s draft, and first QMJHL player chosen.

The Junior’s season, which happens to be their first ever, began with a draft day trade that saw the acquisition of local homeboy hero Angelo Esposito from the Quebec Remparts. You’d have to consider owner Farrell Miller, who was surely looking at an advertising advantage, propelled this move. It’s easier to market Angelo Esposito than it is to market Guillaume Asselin. You know, number 17, the Junior’s first round draft choice? My point exactly.


It’s not easy for this team to find their fan base, and while some argue they aren’t exactly competing with the Canadiens, a part of them is. Do you save up to get those Habs tickets, or do you go to a few Junior games? There is a mix of young and old, but this is truly a hockey-fans dream: good, hard-hitting hockey and cheap beer.

The Canadiens misfortunes this season has slowly translated into the Junior’s fortune. More and more people are coming to see this exciting team play. Often times, I’ve heard people express relief in watching a Montreal hockey team actually succeed, be exciting and be worth the price of entrance. Not much can be said of the 115$ tickets I purchased for a Habs vs. Leafs game, which I left early to attend the final period of a Junior game.

If the bonus for adults is the cheap beer, the bonus for kids is that they have a chance to meet the players after every game. The players are extremely approachable, and sign autographs at the end of every game, no matter how many kids are waiting for them.

While the Habs are fighting to stay in contention, a team just down the road is already in search of a cup. So while if the Junior defeat Rouyn-Noranda tomorrow afternoon, you won’t see the same kind of riots in the street that the Habs beating Boston erupted last season, it may be the start of the only second round series this city may see this year.


Scouts in Attendance Last Night:

Anaheim x 4
Pittsburg
Montreal
Los Angeles Kings
Chicago Blackhawks