Major League Baseball

Canadiens honor Gary Carter with pregame tribute

Published Feb. 20, 2012 5:30 a.m. ET

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In a city where hockey rules, Montreal Expos catcher Gary Carter was as popular as the beloved Canadiens.

Carter died of brain cancer Thursday at age 57, and the Canadiens honored the baseball Hall of Famer - nicknamed ''Kid'' - with a five-minute video set to The Eagles' ''New Kid in Town'' before a 3-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Sunday night.

Canadiens players also sported No. 8 Carter jerseys during warmups and had a sticker with his number on their helmets.

Youppi, the Expos mascot adopted by the Canadiens on Sept. 16, 2005, after the baseball team left for Washington, also paid tribute by wearing an old-school Expos jersey and cap for the national anthems.

Youppi later returned to his hockey jersey featuring a No. 8 patch, while still wearing the baseball cap.

It made for a special night for Devils goalie Martin Brodeur, who rooted for Carter as a kid.

''Part of me growing up in Montreal is me watching him play baseball,'' Brodeur said. ''I got to meet him a few times through my dad because he was the Expos' photographer. For us, he was a part of our family.

''He was really a gentleman, a nice guy. You could just look at his face and the way he conducted himself and tell he was a class act.''

Carter was an 11-time All-Star, playing most of his career with Montreal and the New York Mets.

A memorial service for Carter's family and friends will be held Friday night in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

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