Hi, this is Fred Wallace with ” Off the Wire “,….. proudly sponsored by Pete’s Auto Body.
Pete’s Auto Body; because we care about our community….
The Stanley Cup Playoffs begin tonight.
Oh sure, there’s been some games already in the post season, but really, those previous contests seem almost irrelevant with the opener of the North Semifinal between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens tonight.
That would be the North Division regular season champion Toronto Maple Leafs against the Montreal Canadiens who have not won a Stanley Cup since 1993, nor beaten the Leafs in a playoff series since 1979.
It’s funny, you’d think this historic rivalry would produce more noise in these parts but it’s been extremely quiet.
Leaf fans who watched their team finish 18 points ahead of Montreal in a condensed season have been confident, but classy.
What’s remarkable is the normally boisterous supporters of the Canadiens have gone almost silent, similar to the now muted sounds of Detroit Red Wing fans.
This Leaf-Canadiens series has been set in stone for more than a week, yet over the last 10 days only one, ( ONE ! ) Montreal fan has approached me and related that IF Montreal plays the way they did in the first 10 games of this season, they MIGHT make it a series.
I don’t think even he believes that and like most Canadien fans, they’re dreading what’s about to transpire tonight and over the next 4 games.
For Pete’s Auto Body, I’m Fred Wallace.