The Montreal Canadiens return home Monday night for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final against the Carolina Hurricanes at the Bell Centre, with the series tied 1-1.
As puck drop approaches, fans across Montreal are hoping home ice will give the Canadiens the edge.
“The crowd here is amazing. We’re so looking forward to that experience,” said Cam Andes, one of many fans seen outside the Bell Centre during the day wearing Canadiens jerseys. “Yeah, I think we’re going to pull it off tonight.”
Fans flooded downtown Montreal ahead of Game 3, with some travelling thousands of kilometres to be at the game. Two fans even admitted they called in sick to work to attend, though they declined interviews.
Heather Oak travelled from Newfoundland to support hometown player Alex Newhook, who scored the Game 7 winner in both the first and second rounds.
“We just figured we’d jump the gun and book some tickets. So here we are,” said Oak.
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Richard, another lifelong Canadiens supporter, drove from Ottawa Monday morning for Games 3 and 4.
“We’re here for the game tonight and Wednesday’s game,” he said.
Richard said he paid about $750 per ticket for Monday night’s game.
“You only live once and we’re here to cheer on the Habs,” he said.
Rebecca Feinglos also travelled thousands of kilometres for the game. Despite growing up just outside Raleigh, N.C., in Hurricanes territory, Feinglos said her Montreal roots still make the Canadiens her team.
“I feel very conflicted, but while I’m here, I have to root for the Habs,” she said. “There’s no question.”
Support for the Canadiens has extended beyond fans headed into the Bell Centre.
At Montreal Fire Station 25 on Drummond Street, just steps from the arena, firefighters decorated the station and trucks in Canadiens gear while preparing to host a public watch party as playoff fever grips the city.
The station opens its doors two hours before the game, serving 200 free hot dogs and collecting donations for the Fondation des grands brûlés, which supports burn victims.
“The sidewalk will be full of people. There’s a TV inside for people to watch the game,” said Marc-André Gosselin, treasurer of the Montreal Firefighters Association.
“Obviously, we close all of the doors if we have calls, but we’re just big Habs fans and the firefighters love to show it.”
At Daoust Dry Cleaning on René-Lévesque Boulevard, staff are also backing the Canadiens by offering free Habs jersey cleaning until the end of the series.
“Every day we see hundreds of Habs supporters flocking the streets, so we’re going to support the Habs until the final,” said Nabil Mouzoun, director of operations for Groupe Daoust Forget.
Fans may also be able to spot the Canadian Forces Snowbirds flying over the Bell Centre ahead of Game 3 Monday evening. The flyover marks the second straight day the Snowbirds have appeared over Montreal after flying above Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on Sunday before the Canadian Grand Prix.
