The protests did indeed contain seeds of revolution. André Robinson, the man who smooshed the tomato against Campbell’s chest, became a minor folk hero. Supporters sent him more than 50 letters, enough money to afford his legal fees and a gold watch.

According to Irvin’s son, his father insisted until his death that the officials altered the facts in their account to please Campbell. Irvin defended Richard, saying he was dazed and did not realize what he was doing, that he mistook Thompson, the linesman, for a Bruin.

Campbell fined the Habs’ star $250 and suspended him for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals, a loss. Four years later

“Bailey tried to gouge his [Richard’s] eyes out,” Red Storey, who refereed that game, later told a reporter, “Rocket just went berserk.”

Incensed, Richard swings his stick with two-fisted fury at Laycoe. He hits him with such force across the shoulders that his stick splinters. Laycoe sheds his gloves and rushes at Richard, who drops his gloves. The two thrash at one another with their fists.

So now, at 15:11 of the third period, when Laycoe confronts Richard, the crowd senses something bad about to happen — but it has no way of knowing how bad it is going to get.

It’s March 13, 1955. The tension between the two rivals in the six-team NHL has been building inside the Boston Garden all night. This is their 14th and final meeting of the regular season, plenty of games to enflame the animosity between the two teams, but what’s about to happen is even more personal. Laycoe, the Bruins forward had nailed Richard in the first period. He served two minutes for charging. But the hit lit the fuse of Richard’s infamous temper.

Maurice Richard­-le Rocket, Montreal’s homegrown French-Canadian star from the city’s blue-collar Nouveau-Bordeaux neighborhood, the world’s greatest hockey player to that time — carries the puck in the Boston zone. Hal Laycoe steps in his way. The 12,023 fans brace themselves.

"The fans, they pray for two things. The first is that the Canadiens will win. The second thing is that they pray for the Canadiens to crush the Maple Leafs, but I think you don't need any God for that," he said with a laugh.

Bauer said he might demonstrate his neutrality on the subject by lecturing in a referee jersey.

n addition to the class, Bauer has launched an essay contest asking the question, "Are the Montreal Canadiens a religion?"

The graduate course is open to students in all faculties and those in undergraduate programs. Bauer expects to see more than his usual 10 to 20 people in the class.

"It's a divine inspiration," Bauer said of the idea behind the theology course that begins in January 2009.

The arena is their temple, the players are their saviours, and those who worship them pray that the sacrifices made on the ice — of blood, sweat and tears — will lead them to glory.

Graduate course set to debate whether one of Quebec's biggest passions is a religion

Campbell stuck out his hand. He got a slap in theface.

Three days later Campbell suspendedRichard for the Canadiens' three remaining regular-season gamesand the entire playoffs. Montreal was aghast.

The Rocket was the preeminent presence,if not player, of his era

Smoke from a tear-gas canister haddriven thousands of hockey fans into the streets, sparking afour-hour rampage that yielded the requisite fires, shatteredwindows, looted stores, overturned cars and 137 arrests.

. On the night of Thursday, March 17, 1955, the haze was aghostly yellowish white.

After the riot, the NHL began to crack down on all-out brawls (especially carrying your stick into one), though it would take another 25 years for the changes to take effect with the institution of the third-man-in rule. 

Out on the street, the largest riot since Conscription was passed in 1944 (bringing in the draft for the final year of the Second World War) broke out along a seven-block length of Rue Ste. Catherine, featuring overturned cars, smashed windows, a shot fired from somewhere and 137 arrests.

Out on the street, the largest riot since Conscription was passed in 1944 (bringing in the draft for the final year of the Second World War) broke out along a seven-block length of Rue Ste. Catherine, featuring overturned cars, smashed windows, a shot fired from somewhere and 137 arrests.

However, nothing may have happened if Campbell hadn't made a tactical error — he showed up to the game (10 minutes late) with his secretary (future wife) and took his regular place.

But the fact was the Rocket was suspended for the final three games of the season plus the entire Stanley Cup playoffs. 

eaving the Habs' star cut on the head after a high stick. A brawl ensued, and the Rocket broke his CCM stick over Laycoe's back.

offered a million dollars to the Canadiens for him (about $10 million today). Richard's coal-black eyes glowed with defiance, danger and pure disgust for losing.

"hockey was bigger than the Church, and Rocket Richard was bigger than the Pope." Roch Carrier perhaps explained it best in his famous book The Hockey Sweater.

Sticks were high, fists flew, blood often smeared the ice, and the owners thought this was all manly and a great way to sell tickets.

Here is an act of zeal which has appeared to me considerable, in an old man aged nearly eighty years, who can have no warmth but that which the Faith gives him

but it has become so fashioned in the true spirit of Christianity that it has served as example and model for all the other Nations, which have seen in its morals what the Faith can do in a country although Barbarian

ather Druillettes departed to winter with the Savages.

We started thence on the 11th, and arrived the next day at 3 rivers

We succored the people down here, in the matter of seed and food,—and this to the number of more than [blank space],—with 16 casks of wheat sent from 3 rivers, and several puncheons of peas and Indian corn; and, furthermore, by the grist of the mill

I say, usually, for this year, which has happened to be the feast of the Dead

Sometimes they make these Feasts purely from display, and to become renowned; at other times

there are some Rocks that they particularly reverence and to which they never fail, when they go down to trade, to offer Tobacco

The souls which are stronger and more robust have their gathering place, as I have said, toward the West, where each Nation has its own Village; and if the soul of an Algonquin were bold enough to present itself at the Village of the Bear Nation's souls, it would not be well received.

They suppose, even, that above the arches of the Sky there was and still is a land like ours, with woods, lakes, rivers and fields, and Peoples who inhabit them. They do not agree as to the manner in which this so fortunate descent occurred.

The greater part of their words are composed of vowels.

but I believe it is God and no one else who puts to flight this very enemy in the most severe encounters, before those who, fearing nothing so much as his approaches, go with bowed heads, and [77] hearts full of confidence in his Goodness, where his glory calls them.

If you are accidentally hurt, if you fall sick, do not expect from these Barbarians any assistance,