Call of the Wilde: Montreal Canadiens’ COVID-19 hiatus ends with 5-1 loss to Boston Bruins
Global News
The excitement of the Canadiens returning to the ice for the first time in 12 days lasted just 15 minutes of hockey. Then reality struck. Brian Wilde has more.
The 12-day wait is over — the Montreal Canadiens actually played a hockey game in the NHL on Wednesday night. The still under-manned Canadiens took on the Bruins in Boston.
This game was originally scheduled for Montreal, but with attendance limits enforced, the Canadiens stood to lose around $2.5 million in revenue, so it was moved to Boston. The Bruins will come to Montreal later in the year when COVID-19 has lessened, allowing fans to return to the Bell Centre.
The Bruins rolled to a 5-1 win.
It’s been interesting this season to watch two types of players in a Montreal uniform. You have veterans who have nothing to prove and little to play for in a season like this. Watching Joel Armia mail it in has been painful, but what does Armia have to play for during this carnage? He has a comfortable long-term contract, and at his age and experience, he just wants to get through this healthy. And it shows.
They you have the rookies who are trying to seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. They know this is the time to shine, or they may never get to shine again — players like Michael Pezzetta who, despite being on the losing side of the ledger most of the games, is having the time of his life.
Pezzetta celebrated the 4-1 goal as Montreal got on the board like his life depended on it. And he deserved to celebrate. He did everything on his shift to earn his glory. He laid out a big hit behind the net to start the play, then went straight to the front of the net where he deflected a shot. He pounced on the free puck, then turned and fired to the top corner. It was a beautiful, hard-working goal.
Pezzetta is doing what a rookie has to do to stick around in the show a little longer. It may not be pretty, but it is much more enjoyable to watch the talent-short Pezzetta work his butt off to provide a goal and some pride than it is to watch the talented-but-underachieving Armia go through the motions this year.
You can understand Armia just wants this over with, and you can appreciate that Pezzetta wants this to go on as long as possible.
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