On the same night that he celebrated his 1,000th NHL game, Patrice Brisebois also played his first game as a real defenseman. Brisebois has made a life-study of the intricate art of stopping other teams from putting pucks in his own team's net. As far as NHL players go, Brisebois has been something of a late bloomer. It can sometimes take players years to reach their potential. For Brisebois, it has been a long, but ultimately rewarding, road.
During last night's game, the 38-year-old Brisebois seemed to finally have reached his potential. He made a decent play to stop an offensive rush from the New Jersey Devils, completely negating their scoring opportunity. Such an event is rare for defensemen who play in Montreal. Brisebois's young teammate was not so lucky, as Mike Komisarek left a man completely unguarded for New Jersey's third goal of the evening. Komisarek is still young however, and at the tender age of 27, still has lots of time to learn from greats like Brisebois.
One question that nags many pundits, however, is that now that Brisebois has played one good defensive game, what number will the team choose to retire? Brisebois entered Montreal wearing number 43, but left after fans realized he was too good to play in Montreal. Upon his return last year, he chose to wear number 71. Much like the Baseball Hall of Fame, the Canadiens organization will most likely let him choose. If he helps the team somehow keep their opposition to under 40 shots per game (a rarity in Montreal), the decision to reture BOTH will be an easy one for Brisebois's adoring fans in Montreal.
On another note, Martin Brodeur, Montreal native and three-time Stanley Cup winner, won his 551st game agaisnt Montreal. That number ties him with former Montreal goaltender, Patrick Roy, for all-time wins by a goalie. Montreal fans booed Brodeur's achievement, but cheered for Brisebois's accomplishment at the conclusion of the game.
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