Told You/Me, However—All ‘offs Teams Lose At Least One At Home

I looked, ’twas (4-1) Habs (by the way, a Thursday night 53 years and 11 days later with Canadiens and Knicks wins,– then each won the title on the same night, I believe the only time it ever happened in major North American sports leagues, nowadays it can not happen).

Montreal/Canadiens/Habs “opened” at Carilina (Hurricanes) in their “semi” making “Caro” (8-1) (4-1) at home in the ‘offs.

Meanwhile the Knicks won their franchise record 9th straight ‘offs tilt (8-1) ATS, bet vs, down to (-5), they won by 16 points, to lead Cleveland (2-0) in their semi.

As I have “preached,” it is so rare for any team to go past the first round and most times even that (this year “Tor” (Raptors) was (3-0) at home, but out in 7 vs the Cavs) without losing at home. Now it is complete, as on successive nights in semis openers, first L.V. under ’04 Cup winning coach ‘con’ T.B. John Tortorella, “opened” top ranked Colorado, handing them just their second ‘offs loss and first at home. They stand (8-2) and now (5-1) at home.

Next and last night, Montreal under T.B. (Lightning) tremendous player, Martin St. Louis (I once “zoomed” to him the info that on the day he scored in OT in #6 that ’04 final, at Calgary (Flames) to force a 7th which T.B. won, “6-6-6” Reagan died and a horse bidding for the Triple Crown at Belmont, was denied it) roared out (4-1) and “opened” the Carolina Hurricanes, who are now (8-1) and (4-1) at home.

All 31 teams have lost at least one at home and the “Tort” (is not Tort a legal term and I applaud him (Tortorella), not talking to the media and their largely inane ?’s so what right does the NHL have to fine him?!).

I did see him talking so positively regarding St. Louis and while there is still “mucho wood to chop,”as both Montreal and L.V. are still series underdogs, but with Andy B. as always, “dogging it,” can’t you see Tort/St. Louis coaching vs each other in the final? As Carole King sang it’s too late baby, yet ….

Meanwhile the New York Knicks deserve much credit, perhaps more than I have given them (I have reasons) as the above cited record and the play of those ex Villanova players (in last night’s #2 ’twas Hart) is really impressive.

The Knicks are (10-2) in the ‘offs (9-3) ATS, their 2 losses by 1 point. After losing #1 of the ’69 “semi” at home vs the Celtics (that cost them as Boston won in 6 and then 7’d my then, truly loved Lakers with Wilt, Jerry and Elgin in 7 for their 11th crown in 13 seasons), they went (15-1) in their next 16 home tilts, including (10-1) in their ’70 (same calendar as this year) title season (see every team loses at home or almost every one especially with the greedy four rounds of some “you have to pay extra to watch ‘offs) before losing #7 at home to the then Baltimore Bullets, now the Washington (D.C.) Wizards, who have this year’s top draft pick.

One reason: ‘They’ got my guy, the great Earl Monroe.