Some quotes, because you have to hear it (read it) to believe it, links because you can’t get enough, and some Habs Girls because, well, just because.
“The Capitals? Our goal isn’t to beat the Capitals. We want the Stanley Cup. We won’t be satisfied with anything less.” – Scott Gomez, on the eve of the Washington series.
“This is a pretty happy feeling. I almost don’t want to get too excited because we’ve got to get back to business and get back to work. Winning just means you get to keep on going. I think we’ll enjoy this one for a day or so. It’s a pretty special thing. It seems like we’re building a pretty special bond here and it’s really fun to be a part of.” – Mike Cammalleri
“You kind of expect it from him. Everyone wants to sing his praises, but I’m going to sit here and say to you, we expect it from him and we’re going to need him to keep doing it.” – Cammalleri, when asked “Was it a great game or just a good game for Halak?”
“It doesn’t mean anything if you don’t win the whole thing. It’s all about the big one.” – Hal Gill
“Awful….that’s how you explain it!” – Scott Burnside, ESPN
“I don’t score goals like that. Normally, it’s from behind the net or on a flip shot, so that one was big for the confidence. It’s a team thing. It’s everybody playing really good tonight. It might have been a big goal, but if Halak’s not making the saves and Cammalleri doesn’t score two goals, I don’t have a chance to look good. We had Spacek back in the lineup and he looked like he was 18 years old again. He did a great job tonight.” – Maxim Lapierre, after Game 6
It’s a team thing, says Lapierre – Pat Hickey, Montreal Gazette
“Geo is a small guy, people don’t realize I’m much bigger than him and Cammy. When we were coming into the league, that was when it was sexy to be 6-4. We all heard it at the draft; we all heard we were too small. Hey, I’m not going to kid myself. I’d love to be 6-4 and the starting pitcher for the Yankees, but it didn’t work out that way. We knew with the group we had, it didn’t matter how big you were. Heart goes a long way.” – Scott Gomez
“I’m not going to lie to you – that’s cool for us. We’ve heard since July 1 that we’re too small and we won’t be able to compete and we won’t be able to make the playoffs; and when the playoffs come, how is a small team going to compete? What can I say?” – Cammalleri, on the Canadiens being too small to win
“We know we’ve got to keep pushing, but we’re only halfway there. We want to win the Stanley Cup.” – Brian Gionta
Habs heat it up in Year of the Smurfs – Eric Dhatschek, Globe & Mail
“J’ai beaucoup appris depuis quelques années. L’entraînement et la nutrition sont devenus des parties importantes de ma vie. Mieux je mange, plus mon niveau d’énergie est constant et plus je me sens dans une condition optimale.”
“I’ve learned alot in the last few few years. Training and nutrition have become very important parts of my life. The better I eat, the more my energy levels are consistent, and therefore I feel I am in maximum condition.” – Cammalleri
Quand chaque detail compte (When Every Detail Counts) J.F. Begin – La Presse
“Michael est un grand romantique et l’idée de jouer pour le Canadien de Montréal l’attirait. Leo. Les gens disent qu’il y a de la pression à Montréal, mais Michael vit avec la pression depuis l’âge de neuf ans. Ici, à Toronto, il était comme sous un microscope.”
“Michael is a great romantic, and he was attracted by the idea of playing for the Montreal Canadiens. People talk about the pressure in Montreal, but Michael has lived with that since he was nine years old. Here in Toronto, it was like he was under a microscope.” – Leo Cammalleri, from a great article about his son growing up a star hockey player as a kid in Toronto
Michael Cammalleri, le surdoué (The Gifted Mike Cammalleri) – J.F. Begin – La Presse
“It was a surprise to get that opportunity so early in the game. When you get chances like that, you have to take advantage of them. We needed that lead.” – Brian Gionta
“You’d like to keep this going and play right away, but there are some guys who are banged up and could use the time off.” – Gomez
Inside the Habs’ Dressing Room – Pat Hickey, Montreal Gazette
“The way we’re going, I wish we could play tomorrow. But let’s face it – we want those two to beat up on each other.” – Gomez, on the upcoming series, Bruins or Flyers
“I think the Penguins wanted this as well, but it’s sports. And this is how sports goes – you beat me on Monday, I beat you on Wednesday. It’s how things go. But I liked our level of desperation, for sure.” – Jacques Martin
“He’s a little sneaky guy, you know? He’s not that big, so he tries to lose the opponent. He’s a little skinny, so he likes to shave. Maybe he’s a step faster than everybody else.” – Jaroslav Spacek on Cammalleri
Halak’s Canadiens extend supernatural playoff ride – Dave Stubbs, Montreal Gazette
“I like our group. There’s a lot of talk on the bench. We said, ‘Hey, let’s keep playing, boys, we still have a two-goal lead. Let’s keep playing, have some fun, make some plays and stay with the puck.’ Then we were able to get a big power-play goal by Gionta.” – Cammalleri, on the Habs’ second period panic
“I really tried to do it. It’s tough to say no. But when you can’t help your team, you have to suck up your pride a little bit and back out.” – Gill on missing Game 6
“We kind of backed off a little. They have a great team and every time we gave them a chance, they scored.” – Jaroslav Halak, on the Pens second period comeback
Gill ecstatic to lay part in Habs’ Game 7 win – Dave Stubbs, Montreal Gazette
Even the cops were high-fiving joyous Habs fans – Catherine Solyom, Montreal Gazette
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