Montreal Canadiens fans in Sudbury hopeful about bringing the cup back to Canada

Montreal Canadiens' Artturi Lehkonen, obscured, is mobbed by teammates after scoring the game-winning goal during overtime game 6 NHL Stanley Cup playoff hockey semifinal action against the Vegas Golden Knights, in Montreal, Thursday, June 24, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

Sudbury -

With hopes of their team bringing the Stanley Cup back to Canada for the first time in nearly three decades, Montreal Canadiens fans are offering their predictions as the team prepares to face the Tampa Bay Lightning.

“I hope they take it in four,” said fan Mike Major, who was at Pro Am Sports in Sudbury picking up a new jersey and hat ahead of Game 1 tonight.

“I was actually pretty excited because they haven’t made it since like 1993 and [I’m] stoked.”

Meantime, other fans are hopeful for the team will win, but said they might need a touch more time than a series sweep.

“They’re playing well,” said Kevin Dupuis from Pro Am Sports. “I think this is their year. So like I said, Montreal in six. I’m going to stick with that.”

Even those who don’t cheer for the Habs are weighing in.

“I will not pretend that I’ll be cheering for the Montreal Canadiens,” said hockey historian Mike Commito. “I think the idea of the Stanley Cup coming back to Canada for the first time in 28 years is obviously exciting.”

“My head might say the Tampa Bay Lightning might win this series, but my heart now knows that watching the Canadiens do what they’ve done, it would be a mistake to count them out," Commito added.

Although the best-of-seven series will look a bit different this year, with a limited number of Habs fans able to go to the games, many are showing their support in any way that they can.

“Car flags have been very popular, just regular flags, hats, jerseys, T-shirts, anything with Montreal logos on it people want, people want to buy it right now,” said Dupuis, adding that the store still has lots of merchandise.

Others are showing support while also poking a little fun at hockey fans whose teams are now out of contention.

“Well, a lot of my friends are all Toronto Maple Leaf fans so they’ve got a big hate on,” said Major. “So that’s why I’m getting a jersey, so that I can just kind of rub it in their faces a little more.”

Regardless of who you cheer for, Commito said based on how well they’ve played so far, the finals could be a great series.

“Despite the fact that I think Tampa Bay -- obviously the defending cup champs -- has what would appear to be a much stronger team on paper, I think the Montreal Canadiens thrive in the underdog role and I think it’s going to be a heck of a series,” he said.

As a Leafs fan, he has had to change his views.

“I think what a lot of hockey fans do though, is when your team is no longer in contention or no longer in the running, you certainly cheer for players and you cheer for people," Commito said. "So for me, I’d certainly love to see (Habs goalie) Carey Price host the trophy this year.”

The puck drops for Game 1 Monday at 8 p.m., with Game 7 wrapping up on July 11 if a team hasn’t secured the cup before then.