Saku Koivu Gets Standing Ovation at Bell Centre - Jan 22, 2011 (HD)

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MONTREAL - Saku Koivu got both things he wanted on his return to Montreal -- a warm reception from the fans and a win for the Anaheim Ducks.

"It didn't go the way we planned with the late goal and getting called for three penalties, but the reaction I got from the fans -- there's no words to describe how I felt at the end," Koivu said. "I'll remember that the rest of my life."

Koivu, a popular Canadien for 13 years, was in his first game in Montreal since he parted ways with the club in 2009. The bond between the gifted centre and the fans was reinforced in 2002 when he battled cancer and returned at the end of the season to lead the club to a first-round playoff win over Boston.

The Bell Centre crowd stood for a long ovation before the opening faceoff for the popular Koivu, who was not offered a contract after the 2008-09 season and signed as a free agent with Anaheim. They cheered again as he was named one of the three stars.

"For some reason I was so nervous before the game that physically I didn't feel well," the 36-year-old said. "But I got my legs going as the game went on.

"It was maybe the toughest game I've ever played."

Category:

Sports

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• saku
• koivu
• standing
• ovation
• montreal
• canadiens
• emotional
• habs
• bell
• centre
• captain
• anaheim
• ducks
• nhl
• hockey
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[TheQneb]

Heres how tough guy saku is:

Once, a bad cancer bited Saku.. After suffering an year....... the cancer died

[Grifin709]

3:05 Just cause you're a girl, doesn't mean you don't have to take off you're hat

[donAnttila]

IM FROM FINLAND, AM I PROUD? YES!!!!

[bnmlord]

@SOLIDSNAKEXXX360 : Yes, they let him go because he didn't speak French and they wanted to build a French language team. That's why 2 years later, the captain is american and only 2 players speak French.

It's been well documented that he needed a change after 13 seasons (10 as captain) with Montreal and no one can blame him.

[o5ku89]

I'm so proud to be Finn while watching moments like this one.

And I would like to know what was Gomez thinking @ 5:05 :D

[PortugalFootballer]

Yeah, and we have the worst fans in the NHL. Sheesh..

Go Habs Go!

[BrightFoil]

@TheQneb And let me add that he had to almost end his career because eye injury he got when Justin Williams recklessly hit saku koivu in the eye.

[Swatt3r]

@TheQneb bit*

[kosseh]

@pippeli393

Funny :D ...

...Unlike your name *face palm*

[antsAbooi]

@Grifin709 Well dunno about in North America but in Finland men have to take their hats off when anthem is going on and in church men have to take their hats off, but girls/women doesnt have to.

[pippeli393]

@Grifin709 woah woah, why are you calling her a hat?

[HeyYo101]

Saku should have been a Hab until he retired. Bad move to let him go.. he is even really good in Anaheim. Saku is captain forever, you will never find a captain like Saku again