Subban Getting Some Quality Time in NHL Playoffs

By www.insidetoronto.com  Published on: Thursday April 22, 2010

The hockey gods are smiling down on Rexdale native P.K. Subban these days.

Subban, a speedy blueliner who is currently with the American Hockey League Hamilton Bulldogs, was recalled by the Montreal Canadiens for Game 6 of the Stanley Cup playoffs opening round against the Washington Capitals to replace Andrei Markov who suffered a "lower body injury".

It looked like it was a bit of a gamble for Canadiens fans and GM Pierre Gauthier, given Subban's greenness in the pro ranks, but with three points in four games those concerns are going away quickly.

Markov, who missed half the season with a lacerated tendon to his foot, is still undergoing testing, but there's a real possibility he won't be back for the rest of the post-season. That means Subban, the Runnymede Collegiate scholar, who is logging the playoff ice time of a veteran right now, may have some work yet to do for the team that drafted him in the second round in 2007.

Complicating matters slightly, he also has an eye on his Bulldogs right now who are contending for a league championship title of their own against Abbotsford Heat.

That series was tied one game a piece at press deadline on Wednesday, May 4.

"In these moments you can do two things," he told reporters after his playoff debut in which he logged just over 23 minutes with the Canadiens. "You can freeze up or you can grasp the moment and play. It wouldn't be fair to the rest of the guys if I went out there and put my tail between my legs. That's all they ask so I am trying my best out there."

It's a dream realized not only for P.K. (short for Pernell Karl) but for the entire family - all of whom are deep-rooted supporters of Les Habitants.

"Joy. Overfilled with joy...words can't really even describe it, but yes, there is a tremendous sense of fulfillment," said dad Karl, a principal at North York's Brookview Middle School. "But it's a victory for so many people, not just for us...It's funny that the parents get a lot of the credit, but to make it in hockey as far as P.K. has you need a lot of people helping you, supporting you and working for you. "And there's been no shortage of people behind us. There's so many people to thank."

P.K.'s younger brothers Malcolm and Jordan are also making hockey names for themselves these days. Malcolm, a goalie with the Greater Toronto Hockey League Mississauga Reps - who lost to Notre Dame at the national championship Telus Cup last month - was drafted by the Belleville Bulls (P.K.'s junior team) while Jordan is in his minor midget year with the Toronto Marlboros and is entering his OHL draft year.

Series update: Montreal dropped Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals Friday, April 30 to Pittsburgh 6-3, but came back with a 3-1 win to tie the series up at 1-1. Game 3 was played Tuesday, May 4 and Game 4 goes Thursday, May 6. Both are at home for Montreal.

"Pittsburgh is the Stanley Cup champions so it's going to be very tough, but I think Montreal will keep finding ways to be successful," said Karl.