‘We’re on fire right now’: hockey fever grips Montreal

Montreal Canadiens hockey fever has been diagnosed across Montreal and almost everywhere you look, there is playoff excitement.

On Ste-Catherine Street, father and son Keith and Grady Dalton are making their third trip from Newfoundland to see their favourite team in the world.

“Yeah, we flew in yesterday. We went to the watch party and we got tickets for Tuesday’s game,” Keith said.

Player Alex Newhook is also from Newfoundland but finding his Canadiens hockey jersey for sale is tough, says Sports Crescent owner Santana Enrique.

“Newhook took us by surprise. We didn’t know. We’ve been waiting for this, but we called the company to get it. They don’t have stock, so we get it custom made and take at least three weeks.”

Enrique says he’s also running low on Jakub Dobeš merch.

“Everyone is asking for Dobeš, people are asking for Dobeš. Everybody is asking for Dobby!”

Before the Buffalo series began, a bar at 5171 Parc Ave. changed their name from Doubles to Dobes’s”. Co-owner Victor Petrenko explains: “Everything that you can do that is Habs related is good.”

Co-Owner Zach Macklovitch added: “The way that everybody comes out five days a week. Are you kidding me? We’re on fire right now.”

The business partners hope the famous net-minder will pop in sometime. “I’ve heard through the grapevine that he likes the marketing stunt or whatever, the name change of the bar,” says Petrenko.

They say Habs fever goes beyond the games.

“I’m sure people are falling in love. Way more babies. There’s going to be a baby boom. There’s going to be a baby boom coming after these playoffs,” Petrenko joked.

All agree that if the Canadians win Game 4, they’ll take the series.

“Yeah, they definitely will, especially if they keep playing the way they’re playing,” Dalton said.