Montreal's 2-1 Victory over Washington Epitomizes Stanley Cup Playoffs

Let's make things perfectly clear: I follow the Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks are already in offseason mode, and thankfully they remain the only team in Southern California to have lifted the Stanley Cup. I, for one, hop it stays that way.

But if you were to ask me which NHL team based in Canada I would support, it's the Montreal Canadiens. I remember when the Long Beach Ice Dogs played at the Arena in my home town, and during their final days they were affiliated with the Canadiens. I don't follow them as much as I do the Ducks, and no, I do not consider myself a fairweather supporter. I am honest when I say I am, and a club that has hoisted a bevy of Stanley Cup banners-24 of them, based on my last count-deserves my deepest appreciation and support.

It doesn't matter whether they finish at the first or eighth (in this case) in the NHL Eastern Conference standings; the Canadiens (or Habs, for all you anglophone whippersnappers) will be the Canadiens.

Last night, Montreal showed the whole world the epitome of the unpredictable madness that is the Stanley Cup Playoffs with their 2-1 victory over the top-seeded Capitals in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

Never mind that the Beasts from the East are laced with parity, such as #7-seeded Philadelphia over #2-seeded New Jersey 4-1 and the #6-seeded Boston Bruins topping the #3-seeded Buffalo Sabres 4-2.

While this leaves the door wide open for the likes of the Pittsburgh Penguins to capitalize (no pun intended) on the Caps' season-ending demise (they are the only top team in the East still standing with their 4-2 series win over the #5-seeded Ottawa Senators), I would be wise to give overconfidence a well-deserved defenestration.

Jaroslav Halak's heroics in the net (41 saves) only contributed to the Capitals making history for becoming the first-ever team to lose to a #8 seed in the Stanley Cup Playoffs after leading the series 3-1.

Ovechkin may not mean "Overrated" in Russian, but he sure looked like it Wednesday night at the Verizon Center, with 10 shots...and no goals to count for it.

Manager Jacques Martin will want to ride this wave of momentum as far as he can take it. And who knows how far it will go. Maybe it will take them to the promised land.

But no matter what happens from this point forward, the Habs have shown what the Stanley Cup Playoffs are all about. If no. 25 comes sooner than later for the Montreal Canadiens, Hallelujah!