Playing in Montreal at Bell Centre in the Stanley Cup Playoffs makes for a dramatic setting. It can also be one of the more intimidating venues in the NHL.
According to New York Rangers forward Brad Richards, however, it’s a place that provides a setting unlike any other in sports and one his team has to be prepared for as Katie Strang of ESPN-NewYork shares.
“I’m not gonna lie, it’s the best place to play,” Richards said following the team’s practice on Thursday. “I’ve been at Super Bowls, Yankees-Red Sox games at old Yankee Stadium, Game 7 of the World Series, I’ve played in Stanley Cup finals. I can’t imagine any sporting event this amazing. ... It’s gonna be so fun. It’s going to be a great opportunity for us.”
“Fun” may not be the word the Rangers will use if the crowd is able to sway the course of play.
That applies to not just the home-standing Habs but the officials as well. The crowd’s influence on making things happen has been talked about for a long time and it’s been no different during these playoffs.
All that aside, the atmosphere in Montreal for the playoffs is something worth noting and the Rangers are about to find out why.