Heart and CHaracter, bitCHes - Habs 3, Pens 2

So I was perusing the hockey blogs this morning looking for some inspiration. Not that I should need any inspiration to write given last night's win, but there were just too many things to write about. Sure, we could take the "angry rant at the refs and NHL" route, but that's just what they'll be expecting us to do.

Anyhoo, I came across Moey who wrote the following:

As much as I still love and miss Saku Koivu, I've come to terms with the fact that it was time for him to move on. I love this little team, especially it's heart and character, after last year's centennial debacle they've managed to restore pride and a real sense of hope. They really are a joy to watch.

Well, I should probably just stop there, 'cause that's what I want to say. This team is a joy to watch, and it's because of heart. And CHaracter. I can't tell you how many comments I've read in this here corner of the intertubes lately along the lines of "no matter how far we go, I'm just so proud of this team." It was said against the Caps, and pretty much all of this series, even when we lost. This team's heart and CHaracter have been praised to no end. We agree with all of those comments.

But I have a serious question. Where the fuck did this heart come from? Do you remember the last week of the season? No of course you don't, because we've all collectively blocked it out of our memory. Let me refresh that memory with some of the headlines from FHF that week:

Dear Habs, I would Like it if You Could Kiss My Ass
FOR FUCK'S SAKE JUST GET A POINT
Huzzah, we're in the playoffs! Meh, we're in playoffs

If you made a list of Habs' assets in that last week of the season, "heart and CHaracter" would have been somewhere around "French Canadian superstar." This team was a mess. Needing a couple of points against crappy teams, they got beat down by the WhalerCanes, and just managed to scrape up single points in losing causes from two of the shittiest teams in the league, the Isles and Leafs. This team's "character" was sucking.

Now, that's all anyone can talk about. Habs' heart and CHaracter. So where did it come from? Let's take a look at some candidates:

Brian Gionta - I wanted him named captain before the playoffs and I was right, goddammit. He's continued his eternal work ethic and dragged this team into the realms of "anything is possible." If I didn't feel ridiculously guilty about making a "Saku who?" joke I would make it now.

Hal Gill - Number of negative comments about Gill during the regular season? 1.4 trillion. Number of negative comments about him during the playoffs? Zero.

Scott Gomez - like Gio, he just works. And works. He seemed like kind of flake at times this year, but now, he's showing, um, heart.

Notice a pattern in these three candidates? Stanley Cup winners all. Bob knew what he was doing.

Kirk Muller - Not to get all Don Cherry on ya, but Kingston rulz! What made Captain Kirk great has transferred to the bench, and possibly transferred to the boys.

No expectations - go back to that last week of the season. No one expected the Habs to do anything going into the playoffs. The whole team seemed to say "fuck it, let's prove 'em wrong."

Drugs - I know when I'm on meth, I have character up the wazoo.

Mad Max - two months ago his character was "whiny little lazy ass piss ant." Now he's emblematic of the work done by the third and fourth lines. Must be the drugs.

So I still don't know where the heart and CHaracter came from. But I don't care. We have it, and we can't let it go. And it was on full display last night. I know I said up top I wouldn't bash the refs, but it's central to our story. I transcribed Grapes during Coach's Corner, talking about the clothesline on Big Tits as he crossed the Pens' blue line:

"Now watch this. THAT's not a penalty? He give him a shot! He give him a shot like that! (makes hand to the face gesture) Call it like you like. No penalties for Pittsburgh? And what was it, 3 or 4 for Canadiens? It's ridiculous... I don't know what it is. I come out and say what it is, folks." (lots of sic)

And on Crosby's interference on Hamr:

"This isn't a penalty? THIS ISN'T A PENALTY? Are you telling me this is not a penalty? I mean, c'mon!"

So in the face of that, the Habs showed what they are made of. Let's face it, even with the non-calls, the Habs blew chunks for 40 minutes. A total of 9 shots. Jaro holding the fort as best he could after giving up two early goals. Beat down and playing like shit, the Habs went into the dressing room looking like they were about to go down 3-1. But in the room, JM undoubtedly gave his version of a Knute Rockne-esque inspirational speech or a Herb Brooks-esque tirade, by standing there and looking perturbed. It worked. Habs came out like gangbusters and got two quick goals and ended up with 16 shots. Jaro held on. Series tied 2-2.

Because of heart. And CHaracter.