USRT Montreal – Day 1 pics

A pretty full house on hand at Verdun Auditorium, watching Le Club de Juniors de Montreal take on the Quebec Remparts

These three fans were sending a strong message to Patrick Roy, after the ugly on ice incident involving his team and his son Jonathan last season. By the second period the fans and their sign were long gone

Oh yeah! Pete is all into his poutine

Coach Patrick Roy (center, behind the ref) was given a huge ovation prior to the game, on the eve of his big moment in Montreal on Saturday night at the Bell Centre

Safe and sound in Montreal….

 Just a quick note to say that we’ve made it into Montreal for the weekend roadie. The journey was uneventful save for yet again more crap at the border(on the Canadian side no less). Don’t know what it is about us but the Canadian agents seem to be onto us like flies.  Great city, great downtown. Game one of the weekend at Verdun Auditorium awaits tonight….. -pjf 

F-ing Drummondville throws monkey wrench in USRT schedule

It’s good we check these things.

Stumbling onto the QMJHL web site yesterday, we learned that our road trip to Montreal for Grey Cup weekend next weekend has been messed up… basically we had junior games set for Friday night in Montreal (Verdun Auditorium), Saturday afternoon in Drummondville (Centre Marcel Dionne about 55 miles out of town) and then of course, the main event… the CFL Grey Cup game on Sunday.

So now we find that Drummondville moved their Saturday game to Thursday night. Looking at the schedule, there’s no “Plan B” in the Q Saturday, as the nearest alternative is Chicoutimi, 248 miles away. Ain’t happening.

Saturday’s replacement event will be Boston at Montreal at the Bell Centre.

That also means that we will have no reason to move our car once we get there. Our hotel is on Rue Sherbrooke right downtown and near a Metro station, and a three day unlimited subway pass runs C$17.

And speaking of Grey Cup, the semifinals are this Saturday… the first matchup, in the East, pits the Edmonton Eskimoes at the Montreal Alouettes. Then the West game later that day has the B.C. Lions facing the Calgary Stampeders. I’m rooting for a Montreal win, and seeing the city all jacked up for their home team; Pete’s thinking Calgary v Edmonton finals and a “Battle of Alberta”.Either way we’re counting down the days to another cool adventure (and a pilgrimage to Schwartz’ Deli and their famous Smoked Meat YuM!)…. But… thanks a f**king lot, Drummondville Votigeurs!

Aaaargh!!! We will NEVER get to Quebec City!!!

We have been trying for years to schedule a trip to see Le Colisee in Quebec City, a former NHL venue which was once home to the Quebec Nordiques. The QMJHL Quebec Remparts now play there, and since we’re doing the Grey Cup in Montreal this November, what better a time to finally tie in that visit.

The Q posted their 2008-09 regular season schedule today, and the frikkin’ Remparts are on the road both on Friday and Saturday that weekend. Their home date? SUNDAY, at the same time the Grey Cup is on, no less!

So as far as our ongoing tour of QMJHL venues, we’re not going to let this trip be a total loss… Friday night we will catch Montreal’s newest Q team, which is relocating from St. John’s, Newfoundland. They will be playing at Verdun Auditorium, which is a short subway ride from our hotel. (Betcha Kevin Jordan hasn’t been there yet we might actually beat him to a CHL rink!)

On Saturday we will take the 60 mile ride out to Drummondville to see the Votigeurs. It’s an afternoon game too so that will get us back to Montreal in plenty of time to check out the party/drinking scene on Rue Ste. Catherine on the eve of the Grey Cup.

And who will be the road team for both those games? Yep the Quebec Remparts! The cruelest of ironies.

UPDATE The 2008-09 schedule might not have been formally released after all. That link above now references last year’s schedule, and the tab for next year is gone from the Q web site. But I DID SEE IT. I am not crazy.

-Andrew Kulyk