Wednesday FTB: The Canadiens get to have fans? Better sweep the series.

Bad news Toronto Maple Leafs fans!

The Quebec government has announced that as of May 28th, the Bell Centre can open with 12% capacity - 2,500 people in attendance.

Quebec to end curfews and open restaurants in late May, reopen bars June 14

On May 29th, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens are scheduled to play game six of their first round playoff series. This could mean that the Maple Leafs could be facing their first game in front of a crowd since they beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 on March 20th, 2020, and that crowd could be a bunch of dorks who are drunk on Molson Export, cursing them out by naming parts of the church, and dressing up to honour Wayne Simmonds. This is who waits for the Leafs in Montreal.

There are several options open to prevent this from happening and all of us in Leafs nation need to do everything we can to prevent this from happening. Most of us will have to use the power of positive thinking to help, but every little bit helps.

Scenario 1: The Maple Leafs sweep the series.

This is the best option, as it prevents any consideration of there being a crowd in the Bell Centre this year. Rip the Band-Aid off and end the series in an empty arena as quickly as possible. No fuss, no muss, let’s move on to Winnipeg.

Scenario 2: The Leafs win game five in double overtime.

If you want to be dramatic about it, we can go this route. The game is tied in the first period, the Leafs outshoot the Habs by two to one, Carey Price is in his top form. Habs fans start digging quarters out from the couch cushions, break open piggy banks, and sell some of their Charles de Gaulle collectors plates to get their hands on one of those limited tickets for game six. They get all worked up and excited and then Alex Galchenyuk, villain in Montreal, failed top prospect, scores on a breakaway to end the series.

Scenario 3: The Leafs win the series in six.

Montreal Canadiens fans have been waiting 15 months to get back into the Bell Centre. People take time off work to attend this game, they postpone weddings and birthday parties. They ignore their children to go slam some chicken at St. Hubert, eat a Mae West while hacking a Du Maurier outside the Metro, and then head into the “greatest arena experience in the world” and toss a beer at a 12 year old because they wore blue to the game.

Then the Leafs light up both Carey Price and Jake Allen, win the game 8-0, and make those citizens of Puke City regret blowing their paycheque on a single ticket to this game.

How should the Leafs ruin the reopening of the Bell Centre?

Sweep!	244
Win in five, make them cry	151
Win in front of the fans, ruin their summer.	122

Also, I’ve been to games the Bell Centre many, many, times and sat on every level of the arena, and it’s not that much better than anyone else. It’s just much, much, more plastered.

Now, some news!