MONTREAL 鈥� With tensions already running high between the hometown Canadiens and their arch rival Boston Bruins, city officials say they鈥檙e staying vigilant to ensure the passion doesn鈥檛 morph into mayhem on Montreal streets.
The city has garnered a reputation during recent NHL playoff runs for its jubilant, spontaneous celebrations that occasionally deteriorate into rampages highlighted by vandalism, looting and violence.
In the only Canadian city hosting playoff hockey this year and with the team鈥檚 biggest rivals in town, authorities say they鈥檙e ready for anything with the series tied 1-1 heading back to Montreal.
Anie Samson, a member of the city鈥檚 executive committee, said the administration is prepared ahead of Tuesday鈥檚 Game 3 at the Bell Centre.
鈥淲e are concerned about [potential problems], but we are working with the police and we have a plan,鈥� said the city councillor in charge of public security. 鈥淲e are ready and we hope it鈥檚 going to work.鈥�
The city is expected to decide whether it will limit traffic on Ste-Catherine Street on game nights. The downtown core is always ground zero for both the celebration and the carnage.
Montreal鈥檚 history of Stanley Cup riots is well documented, with the Canadiens鈥� most recent Stanley Cup triumphs in 1986 and 1993 marred by hooliganism. What鈥檚 more alarming is that in recent years, an early-round victory has been enough to set off rioting.
The worst came in April 2008 after the Canadiens鈥� seventh-game playoff win against the Bruins. It culminated with police cars being burned and downtown businesses being looted.
At least 16 people were arrested and damages to police property was evaluated at $500,000.
The looting played out again in May 2010, with windows smashed amid clashes between rioters and police on Ste-Catherine Street following a defeat of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round. There were more than 25 arrests and police were able to track down other vandals and looters using images and videos that were widely circulated on social media. Some citizens even sent police their own images, angry at the acts of mischief.
Montreal police Sgt. Laurent Gingras said he could not go into specific tactics on dealing with potential trouble.
鈥淭he message we鈥檙e sending is that it鈥檚 OK for you to celebrate, but we鈥檙e here and we鈥檒l keep an eye out,鈥� Gingras said in an interview.
Those smashed windows and images of looting are still fresh for some downtown business owners. An association that represents them says there is always some trepidation.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a certain level of worry because we鈥檝e felt the negative effects during the playoffs,鈥� said Andre Poulin, who heads Destination Centre Ville. 鈥淏ut at the same time, we鈥檙e confident the police will deploy necessary resources to protect our businesses.鈥�
Police are a lot better versed in dealing with massive crowds this time around. Student protests that were a near-nightly occurrence in 2012 allowed many officers to get hands-on experience as well as for the brain trust to put tactical theory into practice.
鈥淲e鈥檝e improved the way certain (tactical) groups work (because of 2012) and the officers have all gained a tremendous amount of experience on the ground,鈥� said Gingras.
Gingras notes there is better communication 鈥� both with the public through Twitter and with businesses through a variety of tools to ensure everyone is prepared. There is also increased efficiency in moving around town, with bicycle units and horse cavalry having been added since 2008.
The plan is evolving, game-by-game, Gingras said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e keeping a close eye, we know when the games are on and we change the plan accordingly,鈥� said Gingras. 鈥淭hat will obviously change if the team goes deeper into the playoffs.鈥�
Police were on the ready after the Canadiens engineered a four-game first round sweep of the Tampa Bay Lightning. No one was arrested, although one person was cited for excessive use of a car horn.
But the Bruins series brings a different level of intensity. It was in Montreal in March 2011 when a hit to Max Pacioretty by Bruins captain Zdeno Chara led to the city鈥檚 911 service being inundated with criminal complaints.
The Canadiens hockey club will keep its focus on the ice.
Team spokesman Donald Beauchamp said the Habs will leave it to the city to follow the situation. During previous incidents, police have said it wasn鈥檛 Habs fans involved, rather people using the cover of tens of thousands of revellers to cause damage.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not where the problem arises from, it鈥檚 not people inside the Bell Centre,鈥� Beauchamp said from Boston. 鈥淚t鈥檚 more of a public situation and in this case, the authorities have taken the matter into their own hands, and very properly.鈥�
And at least one Habs legend believes cooler heads will prevail.
Guy Lafleur said he doesn鈥檛 necessarily think the ingredients are there this time around. But he briefly joked with reporters there might be one thing that could trigger an outpouring: a second straight Canadiens sweep.
鈥淢aybe if the Canadiens win in four,鈥� Lafleur said with a laugh, adding quickly he still didn鈥檛 foresee any problems.
