Welcome to my Playoff Blog: Welcome to the 1st round

As the 2nd round approaches, I decided to write a playoff blog as it seem suitable in the city I live in. I've been a Montreal Canadiens fan since I was 13, the year we won the cup. This year the team is in healthy contention and could be Canada's hope in bringing Lord Stanley back to where it truly belongs: above the 49th parallel. Here now are blogs I wrote during the 1st round, detailing fan observation and quirky events from Montreal's roller coaster 1st round.

Welcome to the 1st Round

Yes, it's finally here. After 82 games (the same number of snowstorms we had all winter) it's playoff time. That time of year where the next couple months of hockey does matter, the 82 games were just a really long practice. Whether you finished first or squeaked into the final spot on the last day, it doesn't matter. What matters is now, what happens one playoff game at a time.This is the best time of year not only hockey wise but if you last looked out the window, the sky looks brighter, we see hints of green and we watch our steps as we just saw what the dog did last February. The stress and grind of school and work doesn't matter much as we take our drinks outside with open clothes and layers of our former selves are revealed and doesn't matter. Yes, a fresh start, time to shine. Welcome to the 1st round.As told by the geniuses of Hockey Night in Canada (as they scramble to focus more on Canadiens games because of the backlash of nothing but Leafs hockey, Hell, I would rather spend the season watching the Flames) the 1st round is the exciting round. It is also the hardest and toughest. Just because we beat Boston 7 times this season (and hold a better playoff record of 27-4 lifetime) won't make this a cakewalk. Same goes with the rest of the Canadian squad in this, Ottawa may be vulnerable in the last while however, this is a clean slate. Same goes with Calgary, which I wish I knew what they were up to all season however the East conference was wild and crazy than the conservative West (Washington was 9th two days before the end, they're now #3). The city is wide awake with the annoying flags on cars (this is what they do in Leafs Nation, kind of tacky, remember they haven't won in over 40 years). Everyone in either Bleu, Blanc or Rouge. Little kids with painted faces wearing jerseys more expensive than the last pair of jeans I bought. Bars filled to capacity, drunk off excitement and beer (don't forget to tip your waitress properly, especially my sister). Something about the playoffs brings a revival to everyone who has been cooped up all winter. Maybe it's spring, ending a tough cycle. It could be a lot of things however it's a great time to be outside and to watch some REAL hockey.Welcome to the 1st round. Go Habs.