It seems that Montreal Canadiens fans’ curse on the Buffalo Sabres ahead of Game 7 on Monday worked.
In a piece here on Heavy leading up to the winner-take-all showdown at the KeyBank Center, the amusing idea of paying so-called Etsy witches to cast a hex on the Sabres emerged.
A recent survey by the folks at casino.org explored the things Montreal fans were willing to do to ensure their team advanced to the Eastern Conference Final. While plenty of superstitions topped the list, one of the most eyebrow-raising responses was the willingness to hire a sorcerer to use supernatural forces to give the Habs an edge.
While it’s unclear if anyone actually followed through on their comments, if anyone did, it worked.
The Canadiens’ 3-2 overtime win on the road cemented their pass to the Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes.
So, assuming that hexing the Sabres worked, would this situation open the door for more “Etsy witches” to summon metaphysical forces to hinder the Hurricanes?
It’s an interesting question to pose. If that’s indeed the case, it will be interesting to see if the Canadiens can set up a date with either the Colorado Avalanche or Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final.
Canadiens Could Face Golden Knights in Rematch
The prospect of the Canadiens facing the Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final would certainly stoke talk about a rematch between the two clubs.
During the 2021 bubble playoffs, the unlikely run by Montreal led the club to face the Golden Knights in the “Stanley Cup Semifinal.”
That season, the COVID pandemic forced an unorthodox grouping of teams during the regular season and playoffs. After pulling off a 3-1 series comeback against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Habs rolled past the Winnipeg Jets, setting up a matchup against the Golden Knights.
This was a Golden Knights team that had already been to a Stanley Cup Final. A Habs team with legends like Carey Price and Shea Weber in their final season powered past Vegas in six games.
The Canadiens fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final in six.
Still, the prospect of facing Vegas in 2026 will evoke memories of an unusual series in 2021. Montreal fans, of course, will be hoping that this could be the season another hex ends.
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Habs Looking to End Three-Decade Stanley Cup Hex for Canada
The Canadiens remain as Canada’s lone representative in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs. At the outset of this year’s postseason, the Edmonton Oilers were the odds-on favorites to end Canada’s three-decade-plus Stanley Cup drought.
But after the Oilers fell in the first round, and the Canadiens have made it this far, it could very well be Montreal that ends Canada’s drought.
The road ahead won’t be easy. The Habs could very well face the NHL’s two best teams this year en route to the Cup. If Montreal manages to get past the Carolina Hurricanes, they could run into the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche.
Yes, the road is not easy. But ploughing through two natural disasters, Hurricanes and Avalanche, would make the Canadiens’ run even more legendary.
Canadiens Fans Curse on Sabres Worked in Game 7