Day of Decision » striker with his heel at the edge of the 18-yard box. McI

MONTREAL -- Guy Lapointe was gardening in his front yard last week when Montreal Canadiens owner Geoff Molson pulled up to his house for an unannounced visit. Lapointe didnt know what was in store for him. As it turned out, the former Canadiens defenceman was about to receive an unexpected honour. From Lapointes kitchen in Saint-Lazare, Que., Molson announced that the Hall-of-Famer will become the 18th player in Canadiens history to have his jersey retired by the team. The retirement ceremony will occur during the course of this coming National Hockey League season. "Its extraordinary," Lapointe said Thursday at the Canadiens Hall of Fame, located at the Bell Centre. "With the people Ill be next to -- Jean Beliveau, Henri Richard, Guy Lafleur, Larry Robinson, Serge Savard -- I just cant stop thinking about it. I was happy with just looking up at those jerseys. I never thought, in all sincerity, that my number would be retired. It never crossed my mind." On Thursday, the Canadiens organization made official the decision to retire Lapointes No. 5, the first jersey to be honoured since 2009 when Elmer Lach and Emile (Butch) Bouchard received whats considered one of the most prestigious honours in sports. Lapointe, 66, will finally be reunited with his Big Three teammates -- Savard and Robinson -- in the Bell Centre rafters. Savards No. 18 was retired in 2006, and Robinsons No. 19 joined the following year. Known as much for their staunch defending and offensive prowess, the Big Three were instrumental in Montreals six Stanley Cup victories in the 1970s. And the three defencemen were on hand at the Bell Centre on Thursday to celebrate Lapointes big day. "Im happy to see you both here," the Montreal native Lapointe told his former teammates before pointing to the rafters. "But Ill be even happier to see you up there when my jersey is going to be retired." Between 1968 and 1984, Lapointe played 16 seasons in the NHL -- 12 of them with the Canadiens before brief stints with the St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins. Always a threat on the power play, Lapointe was known for his explosive speed, his inspired bouts of offence, and his rocket of a slapshot. He recorded 622 points in 894 career games, and ranks second in goals by a Canadiens defenceman with 166. Nicknamed Pointu, Lapointe had three consecutive 20-goal seasons, and still holds the Canadiens record for most goals in a year by a defenceman with 28. In his first complete season with the Habs in 1970-71, Lapointes 15 goals set a franchise record for a rookie defenceman. The record still stands today. "A lot of minutes in a lot of situations -- thats the way he was," said Robinson of Lapointe, whom he compared to Montreals P.K. Subban. "Guy could hold his own against anybody. He could play in all situations, play a lot of minutes. Thats the reason hes in the Hall of Fame. "Its very fitting to have his sweater up there. Im glad I got mine up there first -- I finally beat him at something." Lapointe was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1993, two years before Robinson. He won six Stanley Cups -- all with the Canadiens -- including four consecutive championships between 1976 and 1979. "I grew up with this excellent organization," said Lapointe, who also pointed to the 1972 Summit Series in Moscow and 1976 Canada Cup -- both memorable victories for Canada -- as exceptional moments in his career. "The Canadiens helped me become a better hockey player and a better person. The team allowed me to reach goals I didnt even think were possible. "Winning was always our goal. That paid dividends throughout my career. I was a lucky person to make the team. I owe a lot to the Montreal Canadiens. Theyve been very good to me." Off the ice, Lapointe was known as a prankster, notorious for shaking hands with former Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau with a palm covered in Vaseline. After Lach and Bouchard had their jerseys retired in 2009 -- the ninth and 10th such commemorative event in the five years leading up to the Canadiens centennial anniversary -- the teams organization put the process on hold. Fans clamoured for Lapointe to join the Canadiens legends in the rafters, including the defencemans daughter Stephanie, who started a petition last year to have her fathers jersey retired. "Dreams really do come true!" Stephanie Lapointe tweeted on Wednesday when the news was announced. "Never give up! I am beyond proud of my dad! Finally he is being awarded this honour!" Molson says the Canadiens organizations focus over the last five years has been rebuilding the team on the ice. On Thursday, he said the time was finally right to give Lapointe his long-awaited recompense. "Its a name that kept resurfacing when we bought the team in 2009," said Molson of the final Big Three defenceman. "We were in the process of retiring a lot of jerseys at that time. "I feel good about the organization (now). I feel good about the development of our players, the general manager, and our support staff. Were well on our way to having a winning organization year after year. The fans have had a break from the centennial celebrations. And its a nice surprise for Lapointe." Notes: Lapointe is currently the Minnesota Wilds amateur scouting co-ordinator. a Robinson flew up from San Jose, Calif., on two days notice for the event. a Howie Morenzs No. 7 was the first jersey retired by the Canadiens, in 1937. a Lapointes is the second No. 5 to be retired by the Canadiens. He joins Bernie (Boom Boom) Geoffrion, whose jersey was raised to the rafters in 2006. Discount Fake NBA Jerseys . According to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger, the Maple Leafs have trade offers on the table for the 26-year-old, but none have been deemed acceptable by the team. Fake NBA Jerseys Sale .J. -- Kyle Palmieri thrilled his personal rooting section with an overtime winner that sent the Anaheim Ducks to their seventh straight win. http://www.fakenbajerseys.com/ .com) - The New York Islanders will try to solve their issues against Central Division opponents when they visit the Minnesota Wild for Tuesdays battle at Xcel Energy Center. Cheap Fake NBA Jerseys . Lexie Lou earned a commanding 4 1/2-length win Sunday in the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks. Fake NBA Jerseys China . Van Slyke drove in a career-high four runs with two homers off struggling left-hander Tony Cingrani, and the Los Angeles Dodgers pulled away to a 6-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night, a rare comfortable win in their pitching-dominated series. MONTREAL -- FC Edmonton had its first Amway Canadian Championship final within its grasp. But then it all slipped away. Edmonton was winning on aggregate after 90 minutes of play on Wednesday, even though the Montreal Impact were winning the match 3-2. But Patrice Bernier scored late in stoppage time on a penalty kick to give Montreal its second consecutive Amway Canadian Championship final berth. "Its sickening," said Frank Jonke, who scored the games two goals for Edmonton three minutes apart in the second half. "It leaves a sick feeling in everybodys stomach on our team. To lose, to not go through on that, is very sickening for us." Having lost the first leg of the home-and-home series 2-1 in Edmonton last week, the Impact needed a two-goal victory for a spot in the next round. Berniers goal five minutes into stoppage time, effectively the last kick of the game, gave Montreal the 5-4 victory on aggregate over the Eddies. In the dying minutes of added time, Montreals Heath Pearce fired a shot into a crowd of Edmonton defenders in the box. Referee Drew Fischer blew his whistle for handball, ran over to Edmontons Kareem Moses, and then pointed to the penalty spot. "I dont think it was a handball," said Jonke. "I dont think it was a penalty, and I think we should be going through." Edmonton coach Colin Miller also thought his team was robbed. "(Two Edmonton players) saw one of our players with his hands behind his back. And the ball hit him here," said Miller, pointing to his shoulder. "The referee then went to the wrong player to tell him it hit him." Miller was livid with Fischer after the game, and confronted the official as he was leaving the pitch. "Our players in the second half didnt deserve to get beaten in the manner that they did," said Miller. "I had a go at the referee after the game, and rightly so. The job that we do as coaches is hard enough without that decision being made." Impact president Joey Saputo then jumped onto the field and got into a screaming match with Miller. "I wished him a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!" quipped the Edmonton coach. "Im sure Mr. Saputo will buy me a Guinness afterwards." With the win, Montreal (1-0-1) will play either Toronto FC or the Vancouver Whitecaps in the two-leg final on May 28 and June 4. The winner will advance to the CONCACAF Champions League. The Impact went up 3-0 on Wednesday on two first-half goals by Jack McInerney and a 47th minute strike by Jeb Brovsky. Montreal was all but assured victory before Edmonton clawed back in the second half. Jonke scored his first goal in the 67th minutte when his shot from just outside the six-yard box deflected off an Impact defender and beat goalie Evan Bush.dddddddddddd The Edmonton striker added what would have been the series-clincher three minutes later from the penalty spot, firing right down the middle for his second of the game. The Eddies were awarded a penalty after Impact defender Karl Ouimette took down Neil Hlavaty in the box. Jonkes goals were the first conceded by the Impact at Saputo Stadium in four Canadian Championship matches dating back to 2012 when the team joined MLS. "The game should have been 5-0," said Impact coach Frank Klopas. "It should have been over. It was a lack of concentration. In five minutes, the game changed. We should have never been in this situation. We crumbled. Our mentality has to be stronger." If not for Berniers stoppage-time goal from the spot, the Eddies would have progressed to the next round. "Some guys took their foot off the gas pedal, and we let them right back into it," said McInerney. "We were fortunate to get a goal at the end. Its about time something goes our way this season." Last week in Edmonton, the Eddies scored a stoppage-time goal for the 2-1 victory. McInerney was the lone goal scorer for Montreal in that game, beating goalkeeper John Smits in the 56th minute. It only took 10 minutes for McInerney to score on the return leg at Saputo Stadium, firing home after a Justin Mapp cross missed Felipe in the box but fell right to the 21-year-old instead. "No disrespect to Edmonton, but theyre a lower-level team," said McInerney. "I would expect from myself to go out there and score every game against them." Mapp fed McInerney again seven minutes later, flicking the ball to the on-rushing striker with his heel at the edge of the 18-yard box. McInerney gave no chance to Smits, beating the Eddies keeper with a quick strike. As winners of last years Canadian Championship, the Impact made it to the CONCACAF Champions League for the second time in the continental tournaments six-year history, where they were eliminated in the group stage. Notes: Edmonton plays in the North American Soccer League, a league just below MLS. They are ninth in the NASL with four points from five games and have now played eight games in the last 26 days. a Striker Marco Di Vaio (hamstring injury) missed Wednesdays game. Di Vaio has not played since April 26. a There were less than 5,000 people in attendance at Saputo Stadium. a The Impact return to MLS play on Saturday when they take on D.C. United in the American capital. a The Eddies are on the road to face the San Antonio Scorpions on Saturday. ' ' '