The Montreal Canadiens honoured the Montreal Victoire for their Walter Cup win at the Bell Centre on Monday night.
On Monday night, the Montreal Canadiens paid tribute to the Montreal Victoire for their Walter Cup conquest. During the first TV timeout, a video montage was shown before the camera panned out to the Habs’ guests for the night, the Victoire players. Then, Michel Kunta briefly spoke to goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens and captain Marie-Philip Poulin, who finished the interview with a resounding “Go Habs Go!”
The whole thing only lasted two minutes, but it was very well done, the whole team was involved, and it was great to see someone besides Poulin get to speak for once. During the game, the Walter Cup was on the concourse, and lucky fans were able to take pictures with it and with some of the players.
Unfortunately, since the congratulatory video was shown during the TV timeout, people watching from home didn’t get to see it. Knowing full well that Victoire fans would want to see it, I recorded the tribute and posted it to social media, where it received mixed reactions. The majority was glad the Canadiens decided to honor the Victoire, but some lamented the fact that it wasn’t shown on the TV broadcast they watched and argued it should have been part of the pregame ceremony.
According to the Montreal Canadiens’ communications department, the tribute was held during a TV timeout rather than before puck drop due to the fact that pregame ceremonies are prohibited under NHL guidelines during the playoffs. Therefore, it wasn’t because the Habs wouldn’t have liked to showcase the Victoire more; it was that it was their only option.
Still, the short tribute hit the mark, as the players were warmly cheered when they were shown on the Jumbotron, and the fans showed their appreciation for the team’s Walter Cup conquest.
On Saturday at 11:00 AM, the Victoire will celebrate their Walter Cup victory with their fans as the team appears at the Parterre in the Quartier des spectacles in Montreal. Air Canada and Intact Insurance stepped up to fund the event. Fans will also be able to follow the team’s arrival on Ste-Catherine’s street between Bleury and Clark streets.
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