I’ve lived in Montreal for 12 years, and I remain remarkably unqualified to discuss hockey. 

I was recently reminded of my lack of cultural fluency in conversation with a friend. Her husband was at a local bar watching the game, and she was looking forward to a quiet evening at home alone. She asked whether I had been watching the playoffs. 

I told her I’m not much of a sports fan, but mentioned that my husband had been disappointed by his team’s performance. At that point, the Detroit Pistons were down three games to one to the Orlando Magic. The look on her face tipped me off that she was talking about slap shots, and I was talking about jump shots.

(The Pistons ultimately took the series after winning three games in a row, for those who care. My husband believes almost no one in Canada does.)

I should have known she was talking about hockey. The city is saturated with signs of the playoff season: Canadiens flags flying from car windows, packed sports bars on weeknights, families strolling South Shore streets in........

© Montreal Gazette