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MONTREAL -- Somewhere among all the cheering, there were probably a few sighs of relief. Montreal Canadiens fans spilled out of the Bell Centre downtown Tuesday evening in high -- yet cautious -- spirits after the Habs downed the New York Rangers in an action-packed 7-4 win. The victory staves off elimination one more time for the Canadiens, who head to New York for Game 6 of the NHL Eastern Conference final on Thursday. The Rangers lead the best-of-seven series 3-2 but Habs fans werent dwelling on that Wednesday night. "Go Habs, Go," chanted an exuberant Fil Mardakis as she headed to a nearby subway station with a friend. "All the way." She raised her eyebrows beneath her cowboy hat -- which had a Canadiens logo on the front -- when asked what she thought were the sweetest moments of the contest. "Oh my God, certainly not the penalties we got, but the final three goals were awesome." Her friend Niki Pollis was hard-pressed to contain her joy at the win. "I was so happy that they won," she gushed. "I cant believe it. It was awesome, we played awesome." And she tipped her own hat to goalie Dustin Tokarski who has had to pinch hit since Carey Price was sidelined with a knee injury. "Hes No. 1," Pollis said. "No. 1. Tell him. He saved us." Her view was shared by Stephane Rivest. He also pointed to right winger Rene Bourque, who scored three goals which prompted fans to send hats fluttering onto the ice to celebrate the achievement. "Mr. Bourque was great," Rivest said. "Mr. Tokarski was great as well for a kid coming in but who knows. Its a great series and well see who wins." Fans didnt linger too long outside the Bell Centre or on nearby Ste-Catherine Street to celebrate the win. Some groups hooted and chanted in small groups and in front of TV cameras outside the arena. A busker playing a clarinet version of the signature "Ole Ole Ole" song that has become a staple of games got cheers as throngs -- many in Habs jerseys or with their faces painted in the teams red, white and blue colours -- headed past to the subway. On Ste-Catherine Street, fans were mainly well-behaved amid the heavy presence of Montreal police, who seemed ready to do a little stickhandling of their own if crowds got too rowdy. Lines of helmeted police stood on street corners and across storefronts, watching as the upbeat mobs trundled past on the commercial artery which has been hit by post-game riots in past years. A quick glance on side streets also revealed busloads of additional officers ready to move in if needed. One fan who high-fived anyone who passed him as he walked down the street found himself waving into empty air as he came to the police line at one point. He stared surprised with his hand aloft in front of a baton-gripping female officer, who smiled politely and suggested her hands were otherwise occupied and unable to return the greeting. Other officers further down the street smiled and gave a quick palm slap when someone offered one. In the end, there would be no trouble. Some fans lined up outside a popular strip joint not far from the hockey temple while others simply looked for some food or headed home to bask in the win. "It was a great comeback because it was close until the final minute," said Serge Lapierre as he walked to a subway. "The Rangers have done a lot but I think were ready." Ready enough to win the Canadiens first Stanley Cup since 1993? "I always think so." Air Max 90 Wholesale Uk . -- Arkansas didnt need a spectacular dunk to beat No. Cheap Air Max 720 Wholesale . The result was a game-winning, power-play goal. Chiasson snapped a third-period tie and lifted the Dallas Stars to a 3-2 victory on Monday night. http://www.fakeairmaxukoutlet.com/best-m...s-cheap-uk.html. When Reyes signed a US$106-million, six-year deal with Miami last month, there was speculation Ramirez was unhappy about being supplanted at short. But new manager Ozzie Guillen sold Ramirez on the idea. Cheap Nike Air Max Outlet . Almost 40 years to the day, the two teams will meet again, this time at BC Place, to celebrate the past and try to earn important points for the present. Air Max 95 Wholesale Uk . The 25-year-old native of Milford, Conn., has 18 points in 41 games this season. The five-foot-eight 166-pound centre also has 28 points (10-18) in 15 games with AHL Oklahoma City.LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Several years ago when Marc Trestman was out of work, Sean Payton came through with an assist. For that, the Bears coach is grateful. There probably wont be much reminiscing when Chicago takes on New Orleans at Soldier Field this week, but Trestman did take some time to reflect on Thursday. "No. 1, it was more about a friendship between Sean and myself," he said. Trestman had just been fired after a two-year run as offensive co-ordinator at North Carolina State and was on a sort of sabbatical when he was hired as a consultant to Payton, the Saints coach, for the 2007 season. They werent close friends at the time, but they knew each other from symposiums, back when Payton was an assistant in the league. They had attended symposiums and talked football over lunch a few times. For Trestman, the consulting job was "an opportunity to have some dignity in my career." Five years as the head coach of the Montreal Alouettes and two CFL championships later, Trestman is leading an NFL team for the first time. And hes off to a good start with the Bears at 3-1. Chicago is trying to pick itself up after losing to Detroit and knock the Saints (4-0) from the ranks of the unbeaten. The Bears are tied with the Lions for the NFC North lead. Their offence appears to be a better fit for the personnel, even if things have been a bit shaky at times, and it looks as if Trestman has connected with quarterback Jay Cutler. Thats something previous offensive co-ordinators Ron Turner, Mike Martz and Mike Tice could not do. And its a big reason why he is getting this opportunity, even though he seemed to vanish from the NFL radar. Trestman spent several decades coaching at the college and NFL levels under men such as Bud Grant, Howard Schnellenberger and Bill Walsh. He developed a reputation as a quarterback guru for his work with Bernie Kosar, Rich Gannon and Steve Young, but by the time he took the job with New Orleans, he was in a sort of limbo. "I had just been let go at N.C. State, I wasnt doing anything, I was sitting the year out, I had two years left on a contract," Trestman said. "He invited me down and really showed professional respect. ... It was a great learning time for me and it wwas also a good time to watch Sean be a head coach and see how he worked on a daily basis and see how he handled the success and the adversity.dddddddddddd." Payton called Trestman "a proven winner." But he was also a big question mark. There was a knock that Trestman didnt relate well, didnt get along with other assistants, and that explains why hes a first-time head coach in the NFL at age 57. He seems to be relating just fine now. Defensive co-ordinator Mel Tucker was quickly sold. The two had never worked together. But when he interviewed with Trestman in January, Tucker realized how alike they were. "We have very similar trains of thought about the game, how to treat people, what coaching is all about, how to develop football teams and players, what is coaching and things like that," Tucker said. A law school graduate with dark-rimmed glasses, Trestman looks and sounds more like an attorney or corporate CEO than most guys carrying a whistle and a clipboard. His answers are thoughtful and detailed. And theres a quirkiness to him. Trestman probably was the first coach to address the physics subject of "string theory and different dimensions" with Cutler. "Im kind of reading a book right now," the quarterback said. "I dont even know what half the words are in the book, though. We just kind of kick it around." Cutler wasnt sure of the books title. And he couldnt really explain the theory, which has to do with the idea that extra dimensions exist. Its just one example of Trestman connecting with a player, one of his most important players. Backup quarterback Josh McCown mentions the lunch room. Theres Trestman pushing in his chair and cleaning up his area and encouraging the players to do the same. He just wants players to be aware. "He just makes a point to say thats a way that you can serve the people around you," McCown said. "Its just a good example of the little things that you can do that maybe helps out somebody thats working back there in the kitchen, that doesnt have time to wipe up after you. The cool thing is theres never anything thats mandated. Its hey guys, think about doing it this way; think about doing it that way." ' ' '
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