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At several points last year, it appeared the Canadiens' year would end with the final regular-season game.
The club was devastated by injuries and, worst of all, their captain Saku Koivu had been diagnosed with abdominal cancer. But with spring came a remarkable and inspiring recovery by Koivu, a reconnection between center Doug Gilmour and his game and a return from injury of midseason acquisition Donald Audette -- all in time to spark the team's playoff run.
Most instrumental of all, goaltender Jose Theodore kept the Canadiens in the hunt down the stretch and made sure they landed a postseason berth. Although they just squeaked in, they proved to be the mouse that roared, knocking off the No. 1 seeded Bruins. Theodore couldn't take them any farther, but his season -- which earned him the Hart and Vezina Trophies as the league MVP and best goaltender, respectively -- showed he could be a force to be reckoned with for a long time to come.
Do the Habs finally have a netminder who can fill Patrick Roy's crease? Theodore was spectacular down the stretch, despite having a less-than-complete roster. In 67 games, he earned a 2.11 goals-against average and a league-best .931 save percentage. This season, he will have a better team in front of him, which should be a scary thought for opponents.
What can be expected of Koivu? Koivu played just three regular-season contests because of his illness, but his comeback and playoff performance (4-6-10 in 12 games) demonstrated that nothing could keep the Habs' captain down for long.
McKay's contribution? Because of the tremendous depth of the New Jersey Devils, Randy McKay was often overlooked when accolades were doled out. However, McKay is just the type of player the Canadiens have been looking for. In addition to his terrific leadership, McKay is a tough, hard-nosed veteran who is a son-of-a-gun to play against. Adding Mariusz Czerkawski's touch won't hurt either.
Preseason schedule
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DATE
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OPPONENT
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TIME (ET)
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Thu., Sept. 19
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Florida
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7:30 p.m.
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Sat., Sept. 21
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N.Y. Rangers
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7 p.m.
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Mon., Sept. 23
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Boston
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7:30 p.m.
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Thu., Sept. 26
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vs. Boston at Halifax, N.S. (Metro Centre)
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6 p.m.
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Fri., Sept. 27
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at Ottawa
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7 p.m.
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Sat., Sept. 28
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vs. Colorado at Quebec City (Colisee Pepsi)
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7:30 p.m.
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Wed., Oct. 2
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at Toronto
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7:30 p.m.
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Thu., Oct. 3
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Toronto
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7:30 p.m.
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Sat., Oct. 5
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Ottawa
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7 p.m.
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