Some things never change.
The Montreal Canadiens recent trip to Rogers Arena to take on the Canucks saw yet another example of the visitors receiving tremendous fan support in Vancouver.
In a game that had more twists and turns than a Breaking Bad episode, the Canucks rallied from a 4-0 deficit to win 7-6 in overtime.
Leaving the rink, Canuck fans were ecstatic while Canadiens fans were in disbelief but both sides would agree that it was the best atmosphere in Rogers Arena this season.
It鈥檚 been that way since the Canucks entered the National Hockey League in 1970.
You could understand why the building would be electric back then but it鈥檚 interesting to see the phenomenon continue today.
First some background.
The Canadiens had won nine Stanley Cups during the period from 1955 to 1969.
If you were a hockey fan in Canada in the 1960鈥檚 during the 鈥淥riginal Six鈥� period, you pretty much cheered for either the Habs or the Toronto Maple Leafs.
When Vancouver entered the league in 1970, it wasn鈥檛 a shock to see the Pacific Coliseum half full of either Montreal or Toronto fans but it was Montreal who had more appeal.
While the Maple Leafs fell upon hard times in the 1970鈥檚, the Canadiens won Cups in 鈥�71, 鈥�73 and then four-straight from 鈥�76 through 鈥�79. When they came into Vancouver in the 70鈥檚, it was an event. Every media outlet covered their visit as if the Beatles had arrived. I remember listening to the radio and you鈥檇 hear DJ鈥檚 giving updates on Guy Lafleur sightings at Pacific Centre.
The only other time I鈥檝e seen something comparable was on three occasions Micheal Jordan and the Chicago Bulls visited Vancouver to play the Grizzlies in the 90鈥檚.
Needless to say, tickets were a hot commodity. I remember going to games as a kid with my mom and her buying the $10 Reds (yes, prime seats cost $10) for double or triple the face value but man what an experience it was to see those red Canadiens jerseys fly around the ice live and in person.
What added to the 鈥淔lying Frenchmen鈥� mystique was that Montreal owned Vancouver.
Minus one playoff win in 1975, the Canucks were 0-24-3 in their first five seasons against the Canadiens.
I vividly remember listening to Jim Robson鈥檚 call of one game in Vancouver in which Gerry O鈥橣laherty scored in the first minute of play. I thought to myself 鈥渢his is the night we finally win鈥� 鈥� then Montreal scored nine unanswered goals to crush the Canucks 9-1. Just to make sure my memory wasn鈥檛 playing tricks on me, I looked up the game on Hockeyreference.com and there it was 鈥� Montreal 9, Vancouver 1 on November 24th, 1972 with O鈥橣laherty scoring 28 seconds into the game.
Vancouver finally snapped the winless streak in Montreal with a 6-4 win on February 12, 1976, and as the years moved on, the Canadiens dominance of the Canucks and the rest of the league slowly waned with the organization managing to win only two more cups in 鈥�86 and 鈥�93.
Despite their fall from grace, the Canadiens rarely play a 鈥榬oad game鈥� anywhere in Canada as their fans turn out in full force from Ottawa to Vancouver.
Do you ever ask yourself why?
As mentioned, they haven鈥檛 won a Cup since 1993, so it鈥檚 not about recent success. The days of the 鈥極riginal Six鈥� are long gone as you now have 32 teams, so it鈥檚 not like your forced to cheer for Montreal or Toronto.
Maybe it鈥檚 the 鈥榯ribal factor鈥� as your parents may have cheered for them and you鈥檝e followed suit. Maybe it鈥檚 because you love the jerseys. Maybe it鈥檚 the Habs rich history or maybe it鈥檚 as simple as being a transplanted Montrealer but whatever the reason, Habs fans keep showing up in numbers.
We experience a lot of change over the course of our lifetimes but it鈥檚 sometimes reassuring to know that some things remain the same.
Just ask anyone who was in attendance at Rogers Arena last Monday.
Veteran B.C. sports personality Bob 鈥渢he Moj鈥� Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media. And check out his weekly podcast every Monday at or your local Black Press Media website.
