JUNE 21 "I'VE HAD ENOUGH"

It’s the 23 year anniversary looking back on the infamous day that the goalie legend left the Montreal Canadians hockey organization.

AS THE STORY GOES….

Before the game, former stars from the two clubs were introduced: Marcel Pronovost and Mickey Redmond for the Wings, Bernard ‘Boom Boom’ Geoffrion and Maurice Richard for the Canadiens.

The Rocket received a standing ovation that lasted several minutes. Then the whirlwind was unleashed. By the end of the first period, Detroit already led 5-1. Patrick couldn’t blame himself for any of the goals. Every goal was a fine piece of that Patrick was powerless to stop. It was probably a good time to change goalies.  It’s hard to blame a rookie coach for being overconfident. At the very least, it was necessary to limit the humiliation on a Saturday night at the Forum. When the second period began, there were two minutes and 39 seconds remaining in Brisebois’ penalty. Detroit cashed in on the man advantage. The score was 6-1. In Tremblay’s position, Scotty Bowman would not have waited any longer to switch goalies: “I usually waited till the fifth goal, depending on the game and the score.” Detroit was unstoppable that evening. On the blueline, the Habs were springing leaks all over the place, and the game was out of control. Despite that, Tremblay still didn’t pull Patrick. That’s what led to the drama that was about to take place. At 4:33, young Mathieu Dandenault went in on a breakaway on Patrick and misfired, but the puck got stuck in his equipment. He kept on skating and the puck entered the net. A lucky goal, but that made the score 7-1. Steve Shutt, up on the catwalk, headphones on, yelled to Cournoyer, standing next to Tremblay behind the bench: “You’ve got to pull Patrick out of the game now.” Patrick looked toward the bench in desperation. No reaction. He saw Yvan Cournoyer talking to Tremblay, who didn’t budge. About two minutes after the goal, Sergei Fedorov let rip a bullet from the blueline, which Patrick handled easily. Some of the fans applauded mockingly. Exasperated and defenseless, Patrick threw up his arms in hopelessness. He looked to the bench again. Tremblay still didn’t make a move. Play resumed. Every time Patrick made a save, the crowd cheered in derision. Finally, Bowman sent his fourth line into the melee. But briefly. Keith Primeau fed a beautiful pass to Greg Johnson, alone in front of the goal. Now it was 8-1. Patrick stopped looking to his coach. He understood he was being punished and humiliated. They’d abandoned him. Discouraged, he shook his head in disgust. At the bench, Tremblay, apparently thinking the punishment had lasted just about long enough, instructed backup goalie Pat Jablonski to get ready. Jablonski finally came in to replace him. By then the score was 9-1. Patrick leaned his stick against the wall in the corridor and handed his mask and gloves to Pierre Gervais. He walked by Tremblay on the way to the backup goalie’s stool. Once again, he was trying to extend a hand. He would have at least expected Tremblay to make some sympathetic gesture, as coaches normally do when they pull a goalie. He would have liked a sign of encouragement, anything; a pat on the back. There was nothing. Patrick had had enough; he turned around and walked past Tremblay again. Still nothing. Not only did Tremblay not react, he stood stock still with his arms crossed, nose in the air, looking scornful. Patrick got it. It was the end. He realized it. Later, he would say: “If I’d had some word of support from Mario Tremblay, if I’d felt that he wanted to help me, I wouldn’t have gone to see Ronald Corey.”  That’s when it hit me.” He approached Ronald Corey, sitting right behind the bench, and told him: “I’ve just played my last game with the Canadiens.” Patrick Roy did leave, went to go play in Colorado and won two more Stanley Cups and Montreal went downhill from there.

A person’s inability to recognize when someone has reached their tipping point, “had enough”

And an inability to be able to tenderly deal with that person & situation, often times is a great recipe for disaster! This situation could have been redeemed. Patrick Roy could have been salvaged. 2-3 times he walked past his coach hoping he would reach out to him and say something….anything, but the man on the other end, Mario Tremblay was inept and the explosion happened. I wonder how many people over the years, have been killed, that didn’t need to be?  Because when they had been pushed to their limits, when they lost it. When we encounter people that have been pushed to their limits, if we would exercise compassion, patience and understanding…how many would still be serving God today? How many that have left churches could still be in that church today? No, we don't cater to self-pity, but we ought never to use that as an excuse to become a cold and calloused Christian either! I’ve had enough‼! Are not always words that come from the weak and or quitters; they are also the words that can come from someone who is not a quitter; someone who is strong, but has reached their limits.