WEDNESDAY COMMENTARY – CAN’T GET ENOUGH

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98 & Rock 98.5 FM)

IT WAS NICE TO BE BACK IN THE DEN ON TUESDAY NIGHT.

THE FLORIDA PANTHERS WERE BACK HOME FROM A 7-GAME ROAD TRIP AND WELCOMED THE MONTREAL CANADIENS TO FLA LIVE ARENA HERE IN SUNRISE.

I’D HEARD THESE GAMES AGAINST THE HABS ARE ALWAYS RAUCOUS, AND THIS ONE DIDN’T DISAPPOINT. THE ATTENDANCE WAS 15,587 – WELL SHORT OF A SELLOUT – BUT THE MONTREAL FANS WERE LOUD AND PROUD, AS ALWAYS.

AS FAR AS THE GAME WENT, FLORIDA BUILT UP A 4-1 LEAD, WOUND UP TIED 4-4, BUT THEN BROKE IT OPEN IN THE THIRD FOR AN EVENTUAL 7-4 VICTORY. IT WAS A TYPICAL OUTING FOR THE HIGHEST-SCORING TEAM IN THE NHL.

BUT IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT I NOTICE, AND WHY I JUST FEEL SO AT HOME IN A HOCKEY RINK. THE “GAME WITHIN A GAME” SO TO SPEAK.

THE PANTHERS HAVE, PERHAPS, THEIR BEST TEAM IN FRANCHISE HISTORY AND EXPECT TO REACH THE STANLEY CUP FINAL FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1996. BUT WITH THAT COMES IMMENSE PRESSURE ON MARQUEE GOALIE SERGEI BOBROVSKY, WHO’S KNOWN AROUND HERE AS “BOB”.

ONE THING I KNOW ABOUT BOB IS THAT WHEN HE’S HOT, HE’S REALLY HOT BUT WHEN HE’S COLD, HE’S REALLY COLD.

ON THE GAME-TYING GOAL, PANTHERS NEWCOMER DEFENCEMAN BEN CHIAROT SHOT HIS GOALIE THAT “LOOK”. IT WAS ONE BOB SHOULD’VE HAD AND THAT LOOK HAD DAGGERS. (IT’S THE SAME LOOK REGINA PATS FORWARD BRETT LYSAK GAVE GOALIE DONALD CHOUKALOS IN THE FIRST PERIOD OF THE 2001 MEMORIAL CUP OPENER IN THE AGRIDOME. WHY DO I REMEMBER THESE THINGS?)

AS FOR MONTREAL, THEY’RE INCREDIBLY YOUNG AND PRETTY MUCH DEVOID OF ANY BIG NAMES. THEY WERE WITHOUT BRENDAN GALLAGHER, JEFF PETRY AND CAREY PRICE ON THIS NIGHT AND REALLY HAD THE FEEL OF AN AHL TEAM.

BUT IN VISITING WITH THE HABS PEOPLE, I’M TOLD ROOKIE COACH MARTIN ST. LOUIS HAS TOLD HIS PLAYERS TO GO OUT THERE AND MAKE A THOUSAND MISTAKES. IT’S THE ONLY WAY THEY’RE GOING TO LEARN. I CAN SEE WHY ST. LOUIS IS SO POPULAR WITH HIS PLAYERS, WITH THAT TYPE OF ATTITUDE.

I COVERED FOOTBALL AT A HIGH LEVEL FOR MANY YEARS BUT NEVER REALLY KNEW WHAT TO LOOK FOR OUT ON THE PLAYING FIELD. I WISH I COULD’VE GIVEN THE FANS MORE.

BUT WITH HOCKEY, HAVING GROWN UP IN THE GAME, IT COMES AS NATURAL AS BREATHING.

AND THAT’S WHY I CAN’T GET ENOUGH.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY.

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm ET on Game+ TV Network across Canada and the USA. Call your cable provider for details. You can also watch on YouTube Live or listen 24/7 at RodPedersen.com/ListenLive)