Saturday 21 March 2015

24 CH, 2014-15 season, Episode 10: Notes

This is a very sad episode, recounting the week of the passing and wake of legend Jean Béliveau.

01:25  Another of the revealing behind-the-scenes look at what the Canadiens do, what they go through.  Here we see Dale Weise showing us what he takes with him on the road in his suitcase, showing that he goes barebones, one suit, one pair of shoes, socks and underwear and that's pretty much it.  He then takes a dig at Dale Prust, saying he probably travels with three suits per day.

Sure enough, we then see that Dale is a clothes horse, carrying different outfits for different occasions.  He explains that his significant other Maripier Morin picks out which suit goes with which shirt and tie, lays it on the bed for him and that he packs it in his suitcase, but not before taking a picture with his smartphone to help keep the outfits straight.  Prusty then, sure enough, takes a shot at Gally and Weisy for their minimalist approach to how they dress.

An interesting angle is that Dale Weise says he leaves his passport in his jacket "all the time", so he doesn't forget it.  He tells the story how the previous season while still in Vancouver he'd forgotten his passport, and had to rush home to get it while the the Canucks' team flight was delayed, and how "John Tortorella wasn't very happy with me".  We know how Dale wasn't a favourite of Alain Vigneault and especially John Tortorella, and this is the kind of stunt that can sour a coach on a guy.  With the Habs, contributing as he does, Weisy's a lovable goofball, but there's a thin margin to being a fourth-liner who's more trouble than he's worth.

03:45  We see David Desharnais rushing the puck against the Avalanche, passing it off and then speed wobbling and falling down.  Back on the bench, P.A. Parenteau asks if he fell down due to skate trouble.  "No, that wasn't the skates, that was all him" Dan Lacroix teases, as he pats Davey in the back.

04:30  Hilarious segment showing a lighthearted Alex Galchenyuk and Brandon Prust at practice lampooning each other's skating style and stickhandling moves.  Alex does these giant moves and telegraphs a clumsy pass with his whole upper body, after which Brandon skates upright, awkwardly, with a front-to-back stride reminiscent of a novice figure skater.  He then continues his spoof of Chucky with a puck on his stick and making four fakes and headbobs and feints and dekes per second.  It degenerates from there, with Gally and P.K. joining in.  They're a very loose team.

05:00  Shot of the Olympic Stadium mast lit up in bleu-blanc-rouge.  The city mourns le Capitaine's passing.

06:15  Classic clip of John Ferguson embracing Jean Béliveau, celebrating after a goal.

07:00  Amazing story of the link P.K. Subban had with the Béliveau family, due in large part to his father Karl's love of the Montréal Canadiens.  When Jean Béliveau was invited by P.K.'s coach to speak to the team before a tournament game, Karl appointed himself as guide and 'bodyguard' of the Habs ambassador, and P.K. saw the effect it had on his father.  It's how he became a fan of the Canadiens.

"P.K. might not always listen to mom and dad, but he'll certainly listen to Mister Béliveau", Karl says.  "And whatever advice Mister Béliveau gave to him I know he will not forget it."

" 'Hockey's a team sport, and you can't win unless you play as a unit' he told us, and at the time I was the captain of the team, so he pointed at me and said 'It's your job as the captain to lead the way'," P.K. remembers.

09:30  Equipment manager Pierre Gervais explaining how his counterpart on the Minnesota Wild helped him source out a local printer who made up the number 4 stickers that the players will wear on their helmets for the game that night.

Physiotherapist Claude Thériault showing a picture of himself as a toddler, in his bright snowsuit, being held in Jean Béliveau's arms.  As is customary, when showed the picture decades later, Monsieur Béliveau remembered the occasion, when the picture was taken.

10:45  The Minnesota Wild honour the passing of Jean Béliveau prior to their game against the Canadiens with a short video tribute.

12:00  Michel Therrien to Alexei Emelin on the bench: "Emmy!  Emmy!  Everything quicker!  Get the puck, move the puck."

12:25  Max Pacioretty crashing at full speed in the boards behind the Wild net.  He's down, the trainer runs out on the ice.  As usual, Wolverine re-grows a leg in seconds and doesn't miss a shift.

14:00  Doctor Mulder reminiscing about Jean Béliveau, telling the story of how he wanted to pull John Ferguson from a game to check him for a concussion.  Fergie obviously wouldn't have any of it, until Jean told him "If the doctor says you're not playing, you're not playing."  The Canadiens enforcer meekly complied with his captain's direction.

14:25  Amazing shot of Jean Béliveau, Yvan Cournoyer and Henri Richard in the dressing room post-game.

15:10  Amazing shot of Guy Lafleur, Jean Béliveau and Maurice Richard with security officer Mario Brousseau.

Mr. Brousseau tells the story of how it's Jean Béliveau who once asked his wife to find a camera so he could take a picture with Mr. Brousseau.  We're then shown the picture, that the longtime Habs employee reverently keeps in a manila envelope.

15:40  Amazing shot of Jean Béliveau, in action against Bobby Hull.

15:45  Amazing shot of Jean Béliveau and Maurice Richard cheek-to-cheek with the Stanley Cup.

15:55  Amazing shot of tuxedoed Henri Richard, Guy Lafleur, Jean Béliveau and Yvan Cournoyer, standing around the Stanley Cup perched on a table.

18:50  Disappointing loss against the Blackhawks, with the winning goal allowed in the final minute after the Habs had battled back to tie the game.

19:00  Canadiens owner Geoff Molson and his father Eric Molson reminisce and eulogize the Canadiens captain.  More amazing photos and video, and scenes of the thousands of fans streaming into the New Forum to pay their homage.

19:50  Amazing shot of three retired gentlemen, Gordie Howe in a green Hartford Whalers jersey, Jean Béliveau in a white Canadiens jersey, and Bobby Hull in the red Blackhawks jersey.

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