Game 4 victory a memory maker for Saskatoon-based Habs fan

Saskatoon’s Jim Taman is living a dream and soaking up every minute of it.

The lifelong Montreal Canadiens fan got to experience the excitement of seeing his Habs pull out a 3-2 overtime victory in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final Monday against the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning.

“It was insane. It was just so electric, the crowd was phenomenal,” Taman said Tuesday morning on the Brent Loucks Show.

“My granddaughters, when they say goodbye, they give me bear hugs. Well, I got one heck of a bear hug from my son. We haven’t hugged in a long time.”

Taman, president of the Western Canada Montreal Canadiens Fan Club based in Saskatoon, travelled to Montreal with four members of his family and were among the 3,500 fans lucky enough to secure a ticket inside the Bell Centre.

“I had to wipe my face a lot. It was so exciting,” said Taman, who sacrificed a good night sleep so he could soak up every second of the victory celebration.

“I can honesty say this: We were the last ones to leave the Bell Centre. I said to the kids, ‘We are going stay and absorb every last moment of this.’ ”

Taman said travelling all the way from the Prairies to Montreal is getting them noticed.

The Saskatoon crew ended up on the Hockey Night in Canada broadcast on Sportsnet and have been embraced by Habs Nation in Montreal.

“Outside the Bell Centre, we’re yelling and screaming ‘Go Habs go’ on the camera,” Taman said. “The response we’ve been getting that we came all the way from Saskatoon to be at the game and spend the money and all that stuff has just been phenomenal.

“Here we are, five little people from Saskatchewan, but everybody knows Saskatchewan people can be loud.”

The Habs trail the series 3-1 heading into Game 5 on Wednesday in Tampa Bay.

Taman and his crew plan to stay in Montreal in hopes the Habs can force a Game 6, which is set for Friday at the Bell Centre.