by GABRIEL MORENCY

After riding a seven-game roller coaster that had more twists and turns than the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, the Canadiens get set to strap themselves in for another ride. This time it's against the Eastern Conference top seed Tampa Bay Lightning.

Tampa may not have the hockey pedigree that the Boston Bruins had, but don't expect things to get any easier against a club that disposed of the Islanders in five games. Montreal split its four games (W 3-2, 5-2; L 4-1, 5-3) against the Lightning this season, and there is no post-season history between the two of them to fall back on. Montreal must find a way of matching the intensity they showed against the Bruins and avoid getting into a shootout with the league's second-highest scoring team and league-leading point-getter Martin St. Louis.

Throw Lecavalier, Modin, Richards and Stillman in the mix and the Lightning have the ability to manufacture offence faster than Svend Robinson pockets a piece of expensive jewellery.

But Montreal has the ability to put the puck in the net as well. Kovalev, Koivu and Zednik are as hot as any line in the league, though Ribeiro, Ryder and Dagenais must turn it up a notch if the Canadiens are to get to their first Eastern Conference Final since 1993 (when they also won the Cup).

Of course, as he is very aware, Montreal will only go as far as Jose Theodore carries them. Scoring leaders may get the groupies, but it's defence and good goaltending that get playoff wins. Montreal in six.

Whipped by MLB

After starting the season with a 16-game road trip, in which the Expos played (if you want to call what they did playing!) in Miami, San Juan, Philadelphia and then finally New York, Nos Amours are back this Friday for another season of hit and runs, big beers, biased umpiring, lawsuits, relocation talk, dollar-hot-dogs and all the other things that come along with being Major League Baseball's favorite whipping boy. And this time it looks like it really will be their last season in Montreal, as Washington's martini-sucking, boot-licking politicians seem ready to build whoever buys the team a new stadium.

Unfortunately, after this weekend's three-game series against the Phillies, the Expos hit the road again (well, at least they're hitting something), barely giving them a chance to re-acquaint themselves with the talent at Wanda's and, more importantly, get some wins on the new Olympic Stadium FieldTurf.

In fact, the 22 games in San Juan have been a killer - whether they play them before or after the all-star break is irrelevant. No Major League team would competitively survive the loss of 22 home games. Take them away from the Yankees and guaranteed, they don't win their division. Likewise for the Braves, Cubs, Giants or anyone else that has to put up with what the Spos do.

Almost makes you wonder why the players pony up their player-union dues. It's not as if union heads Donald Fehr and Gene Orza actually do anything for them. It also makes you wonder what the city's sports fans, who have stayed away in droves from the stadium even when the club was competitive, will do now that the club is likely to spend the summer in the basement of the NL East. The Expos might break a record by having more bobbleheads to give away (5,000 Brad Wilkerson and Warren Cromartie bobbleheads, plus 15,000 Orlando Cabrera and Larry Parrish TBA Russian dolls) than fans to give them to.

First place, last place, leaving, staying, either way everybody involved deserved better.

Pugilistic Prognosticator

Otis Grant (32-2-1, 17KO) takes on Prince Badi Ajamu (19-1-1, 11KO) this Saturday in Quebec City at the Colisée Pepsi in what was originally supposed to be against Stéphane Ouellet. First Ouellet couldn't get a licence and then he failed a drug test. Surprised? This is the same dude who appeared in court for threatening his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend and then, after being warned to stay away from him, smacked him in the freaking courthouse lobby!!

You would be hard-pressed to find someone not named Hilton in this city who wasted their talent in the ring more than Stéphane Ouellet, and Grant would have knocked the tar out of him. Omar Sheika was to take Ouellet's place, but didn't feel he had enough time to prepare for a fighter of Grant's quality. In comes Ajamu, who has an impressive record but hasn't seen the level of competition of an Otis Grant. Prediction: Grant by KO, seventh-round.

Sports Rage with Gabriel Morency is vented weeknights 11 p.m.-2 a.m. on TEAM 990 AM. This column appears bi-weekly. Comments: sportsrage@team990.com