A Montreal Friday is upon us and I'm feeling inspired for the first time in months. It's been a crazy week around the NHL and virtually all the big names have found new homes or stuck around where they were.
The Canadiens have changed the guard. It's looking very likely that the Artist has played his last game for the Habs and the same goes for Saku Koivu, Alex Tanguay, Chris Higgins, Mike Komisarek and several key components of Bob Gainey's so-called "five year plan".
It's the dawn of a new era with Mike Cammalleri, Brian Gionta and Scott Gomez getting into the mix along with two new blueliners in Jaroslav Spacek and Hal Gill.
Reaction has been mixed but largely negative to this new look team. They're being called small and the speculation is they will be pushed around by the opposition, even more so than in years past (if that's possible).
I like what Bob Gainey did because if this team proved anything last year, it was that the current formula wasn't working. Gone are the familiar faces who spouted cliches after every game, replaced by guys with big skill and Stanley Cup rings.
We're all aware of the crazy stories and rumours that flew around this team throughout their centennial season and something had to be done. Clearly things weren't working for the guys wearing the letters on their jerseys and now they're all gone.
Chris Higgins and Mike Komisarek were good teammates and worked hard for the team that drafted them in consecutive first rounds. I wish them the best in their respective careers and I have a feeling Higgins may burn the Habs for years to come and Komisarek will probably make their forwards pay along the perimeter too, but they had to go. They were the young core of the team's leadership which often resulted in their teammates being led into wild party nights in Montreal.
Hockey players have been partying hard for decades but it seems that this group just couldn't find the balance that effective teams have. They left young players to fend for themselves in a city more than willing to cater to their youthful whims.
It's hard to figure out Kovalev, who seems to be the guy most fans want back but Kovy turned down a two-year deal worth a reported $9 million. That's a lot of money for a 36 year-old power play specialist with a tendency to take nights off. Maybe he didn't want to play second fiddle to the new wave. Maybe his agent led him astray.
Regardless, I think his departure bodes well for the younger players who will be more driven to work hard and give their all under Jacques Martin's new regime.
The one that hits home with me is Saku Koivu. I don't think the team could have started anew with him in place so he had to go but he was a warrior for this team who grinded and played his heart out every night. He raised the bar for a captain`s role in Montreal and changed the meaning of `giving back to the community`. I will never forget his return from cancer, his playoff magic and continued humility when dealing with a vicious media and fan base with unrealistic expectations for a guy who never had a decent set of linemates and never once complained. His lasting image may be the night he capped of the greatest comeback in Montreal Canadiens history with his trademark shootout goal against the New York Rangers.
We`ll see how it plays out and tributes will start to pour in eventually. I like this one, courtesy of the great Aislin.
Showing posts with label Everything Habs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Everything Habs. Show all posts
Friday, July 3, 2009
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Eastern Preview
The Eastern Conference is a wide-open battle this year. Several teams have lost big time talent in the offseason. The most dynamic young players in the game are in the East. Through it all, the Canadiens are one of the few teams that can claim to have made significant upgrades in the offseason. We'll get to them later...
BOTTOM OF THE BARREL
15. Toronto Maple Leafs - The good: Vesa Toskala, Tomas Kaberle.
The bad: Ryan Hollweg, Jeff Finger and Jamal Mayers are your prized offseason acquisitions. I'm not going to include Niklas Hagman in that group, he's a great checking forward.
The ugly: Coach Ron Wilson came out and said the Leafs won't give veterans ice time just for the sake of staying in hockey games. Even their coach is thinking about next year and John Tavares. It will be a long and ugly season in T.O.
14. New York Islanders - Where to begin? Rick DiPietro is a good goaltender. Beyond him, things look grim. Habs fans know Mark Streit is not a number one defenceman. Andy Sutton and Brendan Witt will be doing their best to support him. Up front Bill Guerin, Mike Comrie, Doug Weight and Mike Sillinger are all in contract years and looking for strong performances. These guys will get ice time to stay in close games, which is why they will be better than the Leafs but only by the slimmest of margins. They won't get blown out a whole lot but won't win many games either.
13. Atlanta Thrashers - Poor Ilya Kovalchuk. The NHL's leading goal scorer since the 2001-02 season has very little support. Mathieu Schneider will help but who does Kovalchuk play with? The answer is Vyacheslav Kozlov and a third liner. Thanks to the utter craptaculence of Toronto and The Islanders, the Thrashers won't be the worst team in the conference.
PRETENDERS
12. Tampa Bay Lightning - Rod Francis pointed out on Melnick in the Afternoon the other day that the Lightning resemble a fantasy draft team. Fan favourite Dan Boyle is gone, replaced by Matt Carle, who took a drastic step back in his development last year in San Jose. Rookie Steven Stamkos will have his growing pains but being flanked by Ryan Malone and Radim Vrbata should help. People expecting an Ovechkin or Crosby-like rookie season for Stamkos should take a step back and remeber the growing pains Vincent Lecavalier experienced in his first year in Tampa. Mike Smith is a capable goaltender but is a huge question mark when it comes to handling the number one role. The Lightning will struggle.
11. New Jersey Devils - The Devils are still a few years away from getting back to their dominant years. Martin Brodeur is still Martin Brodeur but age and losing one defenceman after another every year will catch up. Brian Rolston is a great acquisition but isn't capable of providing the scoring the Devils need. Patrik Elias needs a huge season and Brian Gionta needs to rediscover his lightning quick wrist shot and scoring touch if the Devils want to avoid missing the postseason.
ON THE EDGE
10. Carolina Hurricanes - The 'Canes possess some of the game's best forwards in the form of Eric Staal and Rod Brind'Amour. They will be supported by guys like Sergei Samsonov, Ray Whitney and Matt Cullen. The loss of Justin Williams for the first three months of the year will hurt this club big time. The addition of puck-moving defenceman Joni Pitkanen will help but not enough to bolster a defensive corps that gave up 249 goals last year. Brandon Sutter is a heck of a player and should make life hell for the 'Canes opponents.
9. Boston Bruins - The Bruins showed a lot last year, overcoming the loss of Patrice Bergeron to a season-ending concussion. Tim Thomas was a revelation in goal, Zdeno Chara was a Norris trophy contender and Marc Savard filled the void admirably. I Don't expect all those things to happen again this year. Blake Wheeler made the squad and could turn some heads and I'd love to see Bergeron bounce back with a huge season but he is second to Savard on the depth chart in Claude Julien's defence-oriented system. They will be close but on the outside looking in.
ON THE EDGE
8. Buffalo Sabres - The Sabres had a rough time last year. Ryan Miller struggled, especially early in the season. The absence of a true leader after the departures of Daniel Briere and Chris Drury hurt. Also missing was veteran blue-liner Teppo Numminen. This year the Sabres will rebound and new captain Craig Rivet will shine. I'm expecting big things from Miller and Tomas Vanek will return to his form of two years ago.
7. Florida Panthers - Big additions on the blue line and a healthy Tomas Vokoun equal a return to the postseason for the Panthers. They will play a boring brand of hockey and win close games. Nathan Horton is a very good player and will likely lead the team in scoring. With 57 points. You heard it here first.
6. Ottawa Senators - Unless the Sens add Mats Sundin I can't see them contending for the division crown. They're thin up front beyond the big three of Spezza, Alfredsson and Heatley. They're thin on the blue line beyond Chris Phillips and Anton Volchenkov. Martin Gerber is their goaltender. Nuff said.
KNOCKING ON THE DOOR
5. Philadelphia Flyers - The Flyers are thin on the blue line. Beyond Braydon Coburn and Kimmo Timonen there are huge question marks on defense. Martin Biron is a capable goaltender but will have difficulty. The reason the Flyers will make the playoffs will be their forwards. Mike Richards is one of the best two-way forwards in the game. Daniel Briere, Jeff Carter and Simon Gagne will be the big-time players they're expected to be.
4. New York Rangers - They don't have a superstar anymore. Markus Naslund should have a big year with something to prove. Wade Redden is overrated and Nikolai Zherdev is a selfish jerk but having King Henrik in goal is enough. They will be lacking the physical edge they had last season with the losses of Sean Avery and Ryan Hollweg but more finesse isn't a bad thing.
3. Washington Capitals - They're a huge injury away from being in the cellar but the Caps look fantastic on paper. Mike Green is a beauty. Jose Theodore will get the job done. Alexander Ovechkin is a pretty good player. The supporting cast looks good. There will be nights when their blue line will look awful and be exposed but their depth at the forward position will win them the Southeast, which will once again be the worst division in the league.
CREAM OF THE CROP
2. Pittsburgh Penguins - They will feel the losses of Ryan Whitney and Sergei Gonchar to long-term injuries in the first half of the season but will come out of it a better team. Marc-Andre Fleury will have a big year. Sidney Crosby is the best player in the NHL and will get his team to the promised land again. Crosby will win the Hart.
1. Montreal Canadiens - The Habs are deep. Scary deep. Having guys like D'Agostini and Weber in Hamilton knocking on the door will bring out the best in the players. Andrei Markov is emerging as the leader on the blue line and is capable of putting up 70+ points. Mike Komisarek will continue to punish forwards who try to squeeze past him. Up front, Andrei Kostitsyn is going to be huge. If he can keep his head in the game and his intensity level is there he could lead the team in scoring. Saku Koivu and Alex Kovalev are in contract years. Carey Price will be dominant if can get his glove going again. Something special is brewing in Montreal. Expectations are high and it's almost impossible to follow up the magic of last year but the difference will be in the playoffs. This team is far better prepared for postseason play and the experience they gathered last year will only help.
BOTTOM OF THE BARREL
15. Toronto Maple Leafs - The good: Vesa Toskala, Tomas Kaberle.
The bad: Ryan Hollweg, Jeff Finger and Jamal Mayers are your prized offseason acquisitions. I'm not going to include Niklas Hagman in that group, he's a great checking forward.
The ugly: Coach Ron Wilson came out and said the Leafs won't give veterans ice time just for the sake of staying in hockey games. Even their coach is thinking about next year and John Tavares. It will be a long and ugly season in T.O.
14. New York Islanders - Where to begin? Rick DiPietro is a good goaltender. Beyond him, things look grim. Habs fans know Mark Streit is not a number one defenceman. Andy Sutton and Brendan Witt will be doing their best to support him. Up front Bill Guerin, Mike Comrie, Doug Weight and Mike Sillinger are all in contract years and looking for strong performances. These guys will get ice time to stay in close games, which is why they will be better than the Leafs but only by the slimmest of margins. They won't get blown out a whole lot but won't win many games either.
13. Atlanta Thrashers - Poor Ilya Kovalchuk. The NHL's leading goal scorer since the 2001-02 season has very little support. Mathieu Schneider will help but who does Kovalchuk play with? The answer is Vyacheslav Kozlov and a third liner. Thanks to the utter craptaculence of Toronto and The Islanders, the Thrashers won't be the worst team in the conference.
PRETENDERS
12. Tampa Bay Lightning - Rod Francis pointed out on Melnick in the Afternoon the other day that the Lightning resemble a fantasy draft team. Fan favourite Dan Boyle is gone, replaced by Matt Carle, who took a drastic step back in his development last year in San Jose. Rookie Steven Stamkos will have his growing pains but being flanked by Ryan Malone and Radim Vrbata should help. People expecting an Ovechkin or Crosby-like rookie season for Stamkos should take a step back and remeber the growing pains Vincent Lecavalier experienced in his first year in Tampa. Mike Smith is a capable goaltender but is a huge question mark when it comes to handling the number one role. The Lightning will struggle.
11. New Jersey Devils - The Devils are still a few years away from getting back to their dominant years. Martin Brodeur is still Martin Brodeur but age and losing one defenceman after another every year will catch up. Brian Rolston is a great acquisition but isn't capable of providing the scoring the Devils need. Patrik Elias needs a huge season and Brian Gionta needs to rediscover his lightning quick wrist shot and scoring touch if the Devils want to avoid missing the postseason.
ON THE EDGE
10. Carolina Hurricanes - The 'Canes possess some of the game's best forwards in the form of Eric Staal and Rod Brind'Amour. They will be supported by guys like Sergei Samsonov, Ray Whitney and Matt Cullen. The loss of Justin Williams for the first three months of the year will hurt this club big time. The addition of puck-moving defenceman Joni Pitkanen will help but not enough to bolster a defensive corps that gave up 249 goals last year. Brandon Sutter is a heck of a player and should make life hell for the 'Canes opponents.
9. Boston Bruins - The Bruins showed a lot last year, overcoming the loss of Patrice Bergeron to a season-ending concussion. Tim Thomas was a revelation in goal, Zdeno Chara was a Norris trophy contender and Marc Savard filled the void admirably. I Don't expect all those things to happen again this year. Blake Wheeler made the squad and could turn some heads and I'd love to see Bergeron bounce back with a huge season but he is second to Savard on the depth chart in Claude Julien's defence-oriented system. They will be close but on the outside looking in.
ON THE EDGE
8. Buffalo Sabres - The Sabres had a rough time last year. Ryan Miller struggled, especially early in the season. The absence of a true leader after the departures of Daniel Briere and Chris Drury hurt. Also missing was veteran blue-liner Teppo Numminen. This year the Sabres will rebound and new captain Craig Rivet will shine. I'm expecting big things from Miller and Tomas Vanek will return to his form of two years ago.
7. Florida Panthers - Big additions on the blue line and a healthy Tomas Vokoun equal a return to the postseason for the Panthers. They will play a boring brand of hockey and win close games. Nathan Horton is a very good player and will likely lead the team in scoring. With 57 points. You heard it here first.
6. Ottawa Senators - Unless the Sens add Mats Sundin I can't see them contending for the division crown. They're thin up front beyond the big three of Spezza, Alfredsson and Heatley. They're thin on the blue line beyond Chris Phillips and Anton Volchenkov. Martin Gerber is their goaltender. Nuff said.
KNOCKING ON THE DOOR
5. Philadelphia Flyers - The Flyers are thin on the blue line. Beyond Braydon Coburn and Kimmo Timonen there are huge question marks on defense. Martin Biron is a capable goaltender but will have difficulty. The reason the Flyers will make the playoffs will be their forwards. Mike Richards is one of the best two-way forwards in the game. Daniel Briere, Jeff Carter and Simon Gagne will be the big-time players they're expected to be.
4. New York Rangers - They don't have a superstar anymore. Markus Naslund should have a big year with something to prove. Wade Redden is overrated and Nikolai Zherdev is a selfish jerk but having King Henrik in goal is enough. They will be lacking the physical edge they had last season with the losses of Sean Avery and Ryan Hollweg but more finesse isn't a bad thing.
3. Washington Capitals - They're a huge injury away from being in the cellar but the Caps look fantastic on paper. Mike Green is a beauty. Jose Theodore will get the job done. Alexander Ovechkin is a pretty good player. The supporting cast looks good. There will be nights when their blue line will look awful and be exposed but their depth at the forward position will win them the Southeast, which will once again be the worst division in the league.
CREAM OF THE CROP
2. Pittsburgh Penguins - They will feel the losses of Ryan Whitney and Sergei Gonchar to long-term injuries in the first half of the season but will come out of it a better team. Marc-Andre Fleury will have a big year. Sidney Crosby is the best player in the NHL and will get his team to the promised land again. Crosby will win the Hart.
1. Montreal Canadiens - The Habs are deep. Scary deep. Having guys like D'Agostini and Weber in Hamilton knocking on the door will bring out the best in the players. Andrei Markov is emerging as the leader on the blue line and is capable of putting up 70+ points. Mike Komisarek will continue to punish forwards who try to squeeze past him. Up front, Andrei Kostitsyn is going to be huge. If he can keep his head in the game and his intensity level is there he could lead the team in scoring. Saku Koivu and Alex Kovalev are in contract years. Carey Price will be dominant if can get his glove going again. Something special is brewing in Montreal. Expectations are high and it's almost impossible to follow up the magic of last year but the difference will be in the playoffs. This team is far better prepared for postseason play and the experience they gathered last year will only help.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Time to Relax
The Canadiens are the first Eastern Conference team to clinch a postseason berth. They did it in style, beating an Ottawa team that started the year 15-2 and drew comparisons to the greatest teams in NHL history. While the current Sens team is a fractured shell of the one that came out of the gates flying after being decimated in last year's Stanley Cup final, you can't take anything away from this team.
Athletes often talk about peaking at the right time. In the case of the Sens, they peaked about a month into the season and have played .500 hockey since then. In fact, if you take away the Sens first 17 games, they aren't even a playoff team. They're 26-26-7 since. Not good enough to make the playoffs.
The Canadiens on the other hand seem to be rolling in a big way. They've been the most consistent team in the conference all year long and their 247 goals are the most in the NHL.
Guy Carbonneau forgave them right away for taking their foot off the accelerator after jumping out to a 7-1 lead through 40 minutes by playing brilliant, mistake-free hockey.
Carey Price wasn't available to the media after the game and may have been a bit frustrated at being hung out to dry when the Sens scored four third period goals but looked pretty happy as he left the Bell Centre in his big Ford pickup truck. You got the sense that the team may have been heading out to celebrate and what better time to do it?
Carbo worked the team on Easter Sunday but rewarded their recent achievements with a day off on Tuesday and only off-ice workouts on Wednesday. They'll get back on the ice on Thursday before heading to Buffalo for a Friday night showdown with the Sabres.
Loose Pucks: Carbonneau pointed out after the game that clinching the playoffs this early may open the door for some guys to get some rest. He said we would certainly see Patrice Brisebois and Mathieu Dandenault in the lineup before season's end. Don't be surprised if Jaroslav Halak gets the nod for either Friday or Saturday. Andrei Kostitsyn became the 6th Hab over the 50 point mark last night, Chris Higgins needs only two more points to be the 7th.
Athletes often talk about peaking at the right time. In the case of the Sens, they peaked about a month into the season and have played .500 hockey since then. In fact, if you take away the Sens first 17 games, they aren't even a playoff team. They're 26-26-7 since. Not good enough to make the playoffs.
The Canadiens on the other hand seem to be rolling in a big way. They've been the most consistent team in the conference all year long and their 247 goals are the most in the NHL.
Guy Carbonneau forgave them right away for taking their foot off the accelerator after jumping out to a 7-1 lead through 40 minutes by playing brilliant, mistake-free hockey.
Carey Price wasn't available to the media after the game and may have been a bit frustrated at being hung out to dry when the Sens scored four third period goals but looked pretty happy as he left the Bell Centre in his big Ford pickup truck. You got the sense that the team may have been heading out to celebrate and what better time to do it?
Carbo worked the team on Easter Sunday but rewarded their recent achievements with a day off on Tuesday and only off-ice workouts on Wednesday. They'll get back on the ice on Thursday before heading to Buffalo for a Friday night showdown with the Sabres.
Loose Pucks: Carbonneau pointed out after the game that clinching the playoffs this early may open the door for some guys to get some rest. He said we would certainly see Patrice Brisebois and Mathieu Dandenault in the lineup before season's end. Don't be surprised if Jaroslav Halak gets the nod for either Friday or Saturday. Andrei Kostitsyn became the 6th Hab over the 50 point mark last night, Chris Higgins needs only two more points to be the 7th.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Rough Night
The Canadiens 3-0 loss to the Ottawa Senators was the result of a lacklustre effort on the part of the home team and a perfect shutdown game executed by the visitors.
It's the second time the Sens have brought the Habs crashing back down to earth, the first was on February 9th when Jason Spezza had a six point night and they pounded the Habs 6-1. Spezza has the Canadiens number. He has absolutely decimated the Canadiens this year and tonight was no different.
The Sens made a statement. They're still the best team in the Northeast division and look to be back to form right now, although time will tell whether they can win consistently. Martin Gerber was perfect although he wasn't frequently tested. His team played well in front of him, didn't really allow the Habs a chance to get pucks in deep and scored on two of their five power plays.
The Canadiens were 0 for 3 with the man advantage, including a power play 42 seconds into the contest that the Sens stifled and never looked back. When their power play doesn't connect early it can often take the wind right out of their sails and this game was a perfect example. They looked tired, pucks weren't bouncing their way and Carey Price was beaten on shots he had basically no chance of saving. He talked about the Sens getting bounces after the game but I think we can all agree that putting up a goose egg on the scoreboard is a pretty good way to lose.
You can't overemphasize the importance of Saturday night's showdown with the low-scoring New York Islanders. Every point is so important right now, losing to the bottom-tier teams is not an option. The difference between finishing atop the Northeast division and finishing second is playing either Pittsburgh or New Jersey (that would be bad) and playing Philly or Boston (that would be good).
Winning the division will be a very tough task to accomplish but these guys can do it. Two more games against Ottawa and one last monkey to get off of their collective backs.
It's the second time the Sens have brought the Habs crashing back down to earth, the first was on February 9th when Jason Spezza had a six point night and they pounded the Habs 6-1. Spezza has the Canadiens number. He has absolutely decimated the Canadiens this year and tonight was no different.
The Sens made a statement. They're still the best team in the Northeast division and look to be back to form right now, although time will tell whether they can win consistently. Martin Gerber was perfect although he wasn't frequently tested. His team played well in front of him, didn't really allow the Habs a chance to get pucks in deep and scored on two of their five power plays.
The Canadiens were 0 for 3 with the man advantage, including a power play 42 seconds into the contest that the Sens stifled and never looked back. When their power play doesn't connect early it can often take the wind right out of their sails and this game was a perfect example. They looked tired, pucks weren't bouncing their way and Carey Price was beaten on shots he had basically no chance of saving. He talked about the Sens getting bounces after the game but I think we can all agree that putting up a goose egg on the scoreboard is a pretty good way to lose.
You can't overemphasize the importance of Saturday night's showdown with the low-scoring New York Islanders. Every point is so important right now, losing to the bottom-tier teams is not an option. The difference between finishing atop the Northeast division and finishing second is playing either Pittsburgh or New Jersey (that would be bad) and playing Philly or Boston (that would be good).
Winning the division will be a very tough task to accomplish but these guys can do it. Two more games against Ottawa and one last monkey to get off of their collective backs.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Shaking the Monkey
That sounds dirty. I'm actually referring to the monkey that has been on the Canadiens back with respect to the New Jersey Devils for the last few seasons. The numbers speak for themselves: it's the second meeting in the last ten days between the teams; The Habs have beaten Jersey twice in a row. Since moving from the Forum to the Bell Centre, the Devils have dominated the Canadiens with a record of 12-6-1-1 on the Habs home ice.
Hot for the Devils: Martin Brodeur (3-0-0, 0.98, .972 in last 3 GP), Zach Parise (5 pts in last 3 GP)
Cold for the Devils: Arron Asham (0 pts in last 10 GP), Dainius Zubrus (0 pts in last 7 GP)
Hot for the Canadiens: Alex Kovalev (10 pts in last 6 GP), Andrei Markov (12 pts in last 11 GP)
Cold for the Canadiens: Michael Ryder (0 pts in last 5 GP), Francis Bouillon (0 pts in last 6 GP)
Quick notes: Devils centre Patrik Elias is 4 assists away from surpassing Scott Niedermayer as the Devils all-time leader in that category. Zach Parise has emerged as a solid two-way forward and his +23 rating reflects that. He also leads the team in goals and points.
The Devils have scored 180 goals and allowed 159. The Habs have scored 223 and allowed 197.
Tomas Plekanec is apparently a gametime decision as he continues to deal with flu-like symptoms. He didn't skate today but could still suit up. Steve Begin has missed the last six games, three with an ankle injury and three that Carbo left him out of the lineup.
Devils defenceman Colin White left Friday's game with an upper body injury and missed their last game, against Toronto. Another Devils defenceman is dealing with injury as Paul Martin deals with several minor injuries, he's missed their last four games.
Sports Illustrated's Michael Farber has this great piece on Mike Komisarek. Farber is a top-tier talent in the field of Hockey Journalism and he doesn't hold back when talking about Komisaurus.
Hot for the Devils: Martin Brodeur (3-0-0, 0.98, .972 in last 3 GP), Zach Parise (5 pts in last 3 GP)
Cold for the Devils: Arron Asham (0 pts in last 10 GP), Dainius Zubrus (0 pts in last 7 GP)
Hot for the Canadiens: Alex Kovalev (10 pts in last 6 GP), Andrei Markov (12 pts in last 11 GP)
Cold for the Canadiens: Michael Ryder (0 pts in last 5 GP), Francis Bouillon (0 pts in last 6 GP)
Quick notes: Devils centre Patrik Elias is 4 assists away from surpassing Scott Niedermayer as the Devils all-time leader in that category. Zach Parise has emerged as a solid two-way forward and his +23 rating reflects that. He also leads the team in goals and points.
The Devils have scored 180 goals and allowed 159. The Habs have scored 223 and allowed 197.
Tomas Plekanec is apparently a gametime decision as he continues to deal with flu-like symptoms. He didn't skate today but could still suit up. Steve Begin has missed the last six games, three with an ankle injury and three that Carbo left him out of the lineup.
Devils defenceman Colin White left Friday's game with an upper body injury and missed their last game, against Toronto. Another Devils defenceman is dealing with injury as Paul Martin deals with several minor injuries, he's missed their last four games.
Sports Illustrated's Michael Farber has this great piece on Mike Komisarek. Farber is a top-tier talent in the field of Hockey Journalism and he doesn't hold back when talking about Komisaurus.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
With a Whimper
The Habs Pacific division road trip is over and they were extremely lucky to walk away with 4 points. They were outplayed in every game and besides flashes of brilliance offensively and solid goaltending from the Price/Halak tandem things didn't look good.
They allowed an average of 38 shots per game during the four game trip and were undisciplined. Eight minors against Anaheim. Alex Kovalev had a tough night despite scoring his 30th on a terrific individual effort from disgruntled Belarussian Mikhail Grabovski. Kovy was called for three penalties and had most of the Habs best scoring chances but couldn't bury it again.
On the plus side, the Habs stayed in the game despite being shorthanded for long periods of time and had some great chances to pull ahead when the score was tied. The Kostitsyn brothers continue to impress, it's great when Carbo gets them on the ice together. It's going to be a lot of fun to watch them play for the next few years. The Kostitsyn era? Maybe that's a bit premature, still.....
Patrice Brisebois is not the answer. Ryan O'Byrne hasn't had a minus game since returning from his broken thumb. The Canadiens need him down the stretch so expect him back in the lineup for the home stretch. Twelve games remain, nine of which are against Northeast division rivals.
You really get the sense that this is a group of guys that are very confident and comfortable. A four game homestand gives them a chance to settle back into their home routine, wonder what they'll think about the latest dump of snow.
This weather is absolutely ridiculous. At this rate people will need to bring ladders to next weekend's St. Patrick's day parade to see the floats over the six foot snowbanks. I hope it all melts before then. I think we can all agree that we've had enough snow and we're ready for spring. Playoff hockey at the Bell Centre. Bring your earplugs.
Loose Pucks - Hopefully Tomas Plekanec comes home and gets some rest after missing yesterday's game with the flu. The Habs need to be firing on all cylinders if they want to beat New Jersey in a showdown for first place at the Bell Centre on Tuesday night.
They allowed an average of 38 shots per game during the four game trip and were undisciplined. Eight minors against Anaheim. Alex Kovalev had a tough night despite scoring his 30th on a terrific individual effort from disgruntled Belarussian Mikhail Grabovski. Kovy was called for three penalties and had most of the Habs best scoring chances but couldn't bury it again.
On the plus side, the Habs stayed in the game despite being shorthanded for long periods of time and had some great chances to pull ahead when the score was tied. The Kostitsyn brothers continue to impress, it's great when Carbo gets them on the ice together. It's going to be a lot of fun to watch them play for the next few years. The Kostitsyn era? Maybe that's a bit premature, still.....
Patrice Brisebois is not the answer. Ryan O'Byrne hasn't had a minus game since returning from his broken thumb. The Canadiens need him down the stretch so expect him back in the lineup for the home stretch. Twelve games remain, nine of which are against Northeast division rivals.
You really get the sense that this is a group of guys that are very confident and comfortable. A four game homestand gives them a chance to settle back into their home routine, wonder what they'll think about the latest dump of snow.
This weather is absolutely ridiculous. At this rate people will need to bring ladders to next weekend's St. Patrick's day parade to see the floats over the six foot snowbanks. I hope it all melts before then. I think we can all agree that we've had enough snow and we're ready for spring. Playoff hockey at the Bell Centre. Bring your earplugs.
Loose Pucks - Hopefully Tomas Plekanec comes home and gets some rest after missing yesterday's game with the flu. The Habs need to be firing on all cylinders if they want to beat New Jersey in a showdown for first place at the Bell Centre on Tuesday night.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
The Top of the Heap
Here we are, 91 blog posts into the season and the Montreal Canadiens are in sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference. It's been a year of ups and downs (mostly ups). You've probably heard by now that it's the first time the Habs have been in first at this point of the season since 1993. The young core has progressed more quickly than anyone could have predicted.
Since the uproar surrounding Bob Gainey's trade deadline activity, or lack thereof, the Habs have won three in a row and seem to approach each game with a new level of confidence. You could hear and see the relief of guys like Michael Ryder and Chris Higgins on Tuesday night. Losing Cristobal Huet was a blow, but the Carey Price era is upon us, and the Canadiens look pretty happy with it. It's tough to lose a teammate like that but clearly the Habs didn't think they could win a playoff series with him between the pipes.
The Kostitsyn brothers are looking more dangerous every game. Their parents were in attendance last night and must have liked what they saw. Andrei got the game winner on a ridiculous wraparound, victimizing the best goaltender in the world in the process. Sergei got 7 hits and was setting up his linemates all night long. They're a lot of fun to watch, especially when they're on the ice together.
Alex Kovalev is on another level out there, especially on the power play. Pucks seem to find him and guys have an incredibly difficult time clearing the puck when he's around. His anticipation is perfect. There really aren't any holes in his game. He won't get consideration for the Hart trophy but he deserves to. He is the MVP of the top team in the East, averaging over a point per game and playing in every situation. Opposing players are terrified of being embarrassed by him. Kovy is everything a Hart trophy candidate should be: leader, mentor and finisher. The success of the Canadiens begins and ends with number 27.
Tough road trip begins late tomorrow night. The Habs have struggled against Western teams this year but if the new-look Habs stay with the current formula, they should have success.
Today, let's just enjoy first place.
Since the uproar surrounding Bob Gainey's trade deadline activity, or lack thereof, the Habs have won three in a row and seem to approach each game with a new level of confidence. You could hear and see the relief of guys like Michael Ryder and Chris Higgins on Tuesday night. Losing Cristobal Huet was a blow, but the Carey Price era is upon us, and the Canadiens look pretty happy with it. It's tough to lose a teammate like that but clearly the Habs didn't think they could win a playoff series with him between the pipes.
The Kostitsyn brothers are looking more dangerous every game. Their parents were in attendance last night and must have liked what they saw. Andrei got the game winner on a ridiculous wraparound, victimizing the best goaltender in the world in the process. Sergei got 7 hits and was setting up his linemates all night long. They're a lot of fun to watch, especially when they're on the ice together.
Alex Kovalev is on another level out there, especially on the power play. Pucks seem to find him and guys have an incredibly difficult time clearing the puck when he's around. His anticipation is perfect. There really aren't any holes in his game. He won't get consideration for the Hart trophy but he deserves to. He is the MVP of the top team in the East, averaging over a point per game and playing in every situation. Opposing players are terrified of being embarrassed by him. Kovy is everything a Hart trophy candidate should be: leader, mentor and finisher. The success of the Canadiens begins and ends with number 27.
Tough road trip begins late tomorrow night. The Habs have struggled against Western teams this year but if the new-look Habs stay with the current formula, they should have success.
Today, let's just enjoy first place.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Links & Junk
Marc-Antoine Godin has a very interesting piece on the Habs new goaltending tandem of Carey Price and Jaroslav Halak and how they are the youngest pair in the league and the youngest in Canadiens team history. Worth noting that although Halak has seen virtually no time between the pipes this year, he has good numbers when he's played and has an unbelievable 7-0 record and .935 save percentage at the Bell Centre in his career.
Speaking of Halak, the Gazette's Pat Hickey writes today that the Slovak netminder hopes to give Price a run for his money when it comes to the starting job. Halak doesn't have Price's ridiculous pedigree or hype but has performed admirably for over a year and shouldn't be overlooked. He got the Habs back into the playoff hunt last year when it looked like season was all but lost only to see a might-not-have been ready Cristobal Huet start the infamous last game of the year in Toronto. Halak could be the next Dominik Hasek!!
Now Jim Matheson, who writes for the Edmonton Journal, decided to do a piece on a team that's got some good things going for it. It's a real shame how far the Oilers have fallen since their Stanley Cup run a few years back. With a new owner in place, things could be looking up soon, although they have a lot of money tied up in questionable deals. In any case, Matheson writes about Carey Price having history on his side as he tries to get the Habs into the postseason and beyond. You've gotta love the Dryden and Roy comparisons being drawn here, I wonder if the kid reads any of this stuff....
And that's it. Huge back-to-back games this weekend in Buffalo and hosting the Devils on Saturday. Should give the Habs a better idea of where they stand in the East right now. With Toronto making a push, the games at the end of the season may yet have some meaning. I'm not saying they're making the playoffs but stranger things have happened. With the Philadelphia Flyers experiencing a New York Mets-like meltdown, there are spots up for grabs and you can bet Mats Sundin would love to grab one.
Speaking of Halak, the Gazette's Pat Hickey writes today that the Slovak netminder hopes to give Price a run for his money when it comes to the starting job. Halak doesn't have Price's ridiculous pedigree or hype but has performed admirably for over a year and shouldn't be overlooked. He got the Habs back into the playoff hunt last year when it looked like season was all but lost only to see a might-not-have been ready Cristobal Huet start the infamous last game of the year in Toronto. Halak could be the next Dominik Hasek!!
Now Jim Matheson, who writes for the Edmonton Journal, decided to do a piece on a team that's got some good things going for it. It's a real shame how far the Oilers have fallen since their Stanley Cup run a few years back. With a new owner in place, things could be looking up soon, although they have a lot of money tied up in questionable deals. In any case, Matheson writes about Carey Price having history on his side as he tries to get the Habs into the postseason and beyond. You've gotta love the Dryden and Roy comparisons being drawn here, I wonder if the kid reads any of this stuff....
And that's it. Huge back-to-back games this weekend in Buffalo and hosting the Devils on Saturday. Should give the Habs a better idea of where they stand in the East right now. With Toronto making a push, the games at the end of the season may yet have some meaning. I'm not saying they're making the playoffs but stranger things have happened. With the Philadelphia Flyers experiencing a New York Mets-like meltdown, there are spots up for grabs and you can bet Mats Sundin would love to grab one.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Deadline Debacle?
The Canadiens were for the most part inactive today, adding Mikhail Grabovski and Jaroslav Halak from the farm. Grabovski has been tearing up the AHL for several weeks but his ability to compete at an NHL level is questionable.
The big news is that the Cristobal Huet era is officially over. It ended with a whimper, much the way it started. Huet was subdued in his comments to the assembled members of the media and made it clear that he was disappointed to be shipped out for a 2009 2nd rounder, what amounts to peanuts as far as most fans are concerned.
On the plus side, with the way Trevor Timmins handles the Habs scouting, that pick could easily become a blue-chip prospect, unfortunately not until well after the Canadiens centennial year in 2009.
Bob Gainey made it abundantly clear that he doesn't see his team as a Stanley Cup contender at this point. Mortgaging the future for a Hossa or Richards wasn't in the cards. Bob Gainey may catch some flak for his inactivity right now, but his is a longview.
Pittsburgh payed through the nose for Hossa and he's a rental player. With all of their young talent, the Penguins can afford to lose a few cogs like Erik Christensen and Colby Armstrong. They want to win now. Their priority is now to re-sign Evgeni Malkin and possibly Jordan Staal to long term deals. Hossa is reportedly looking for a 4 year deal in the neighbourhood of $34 million. If the Habs want him, they can offer him those terms when he's a UFA.
The chemistry in the Montreal room is something you can't easily quantify with trade terms. This is a team that's winning together and growing together. The next few years look just as bright as they did two weeks ago. Brighter! They have a 2009 second round pick!!
Keep the faith, Bob knows better than any of us.
The big news is that the Cristobal Huet era is officially over. It ended with a whimper, much the way it started. Huet was subdued in his comments to the assembled members of the media and made it clear that he was disappointed to be shipped out for a 2009 2nd rounder, what amounts to peanuts as far as most fans are concerned.
On the plus side, with the way Trevor Timmins handles the Habs scouting, that pick could easily become a blue-chip prospect, unfortunately not until well after the Canadiens centennial year in 2009.
Bob Gainey made it abundantly clear that he doesn't see his team as a Stanley Cup contender at this point. Mortgaging the future for a Hossa or Richards wasn't in the cards. Bob Gainey may catch some flak for his inactivity right now, but his is a longview.
Pittsburgh payed through the nose for Hossa and he's a rental player. With all of their young talent, the Penguins can afford to lose a few cogs like Erik Christensen and Colby Armstrong. They want to win now. Their priority is now to re-sign Evgeni Malkin and possibly Jordan Staal to long term deals. Hossa is reportedly looking for a 4 year deal in the neighbourhood of $34 million. If the Habs want him, they can offer him those terms when he's a UFA.
The chemistry in the Montreal room is something you can't easily quantify with trade terms. This is a team that's winning together and growing together. The next few years look just as bright as they did two weeks ago. Brighter! They have a 2009 second round pick!!
Keep the faith, Bob knows better than any of us.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Gainey Night
Tonight Bob Gainey's number 23 will be raised to the Bell Centre rafters where it belongs. He is considered the greatest defensive forward of all time and won the Selke trophy the first four years it was awarded. He won the Stanley Cup five times.
The Canadiens certainly know how to have a ceremony and I expect this one to meet the high standard set in the past.
I'm also hoping the buffet is something good. Like maybe burgers n' tater tots. These are the things I think about.
Looking forwawrd to seeing Rick Nash in action tonight, he's a hell of a scorer. I think he could be a consistent 50 goal guy if he had the right linemates. Unfortunately, Columbus' bad draft record and bad luck with injuries has put them in a bad spot. They are on the cusp of contention and actually have a shot at their first ever playoff berth. Tonight's game is huge for them.
It will be interesting to see how the teams will respond to the long ceremony prior to the game. They don't see this type if thing in Columbus very often.
Gainey is a really funny guy and has dealt with more tragedy in his life than anyone should. It will certainly be interesting what develops on the trade front in the coming days.
The Canadiens certainly know how to have a ceremony and I expect this one to meet the high standard set in the past.
I'm also hoping the buffet is something good. Like maybe burgers n' tater tots. These are the things I think about.
Looking forwawrd to seeing Rick Nash in action tonight, he's a hell of a scorer. I think he could be a consistent 50 goal guy if he had the right linemates. Unfortunately, Columbus' bad draft record and bad luck with injuries has put them in a bad spot. They are on the cusp of contention and actually have a shot at their first ever playoff berth. Tonight's game is huge for them.
It will be interesting to see how the teams will respond to the long ceremony prior to the game. They don't see this type if thing in Columbus very often.
Gainey is a really funny guy and has dealt with more tragedy in his life than anyone should. It will certainly be interesting what develops on the trade front in the coming days.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Game 62: Malkin & Co
Evgeni Malkin stepped his game up to a new level when Sidney Crosby went down with a high-ankle sprain. He has 27 points in his last 14 games and leads the NHL in scoring with 79 points. He has five points in three games against the Habs this year. His speed, vision and great shot make him one of the top talents in the league right now and certainly the guy who the Habs need to contain if they want to get the win.
Ty Conklin, the guy who was in net for Edmonton at the Outdoor Classic a few years back, has emerged as the Penguins starting goaltender and leads the NHL with a .932 save percentage.
The Canadiens have matched a season high by winning their fourth straight game. They remain tied with Ottawa and New Jersey with 75 points, though the Sens still hold a game in hand.
Trying to make sense of Tuesday night's magic has been difficult. Jay Onrait of TSN called it the greatest game Habs fans under the age of 30 had ever seen. It was the most amazing game I have ever seen and I was lucky enough to experience it firsthand. It said so much about what this team is all about. They are a resilient bunch who go to war for each other. Say what you will about their lack of a tough guy, Steve Begin is out there punishing opposing players. Mike Komisarek is the scariest blueliner in the Eastern Conference. He has the ability to take over a game. Andrei Markov is among the best, if not the best passing defenceman in the NHL. Alex Kovalev is on another level. He explodes past opposing defenders seemingly at will and his one-timers are scary. He kills penalties, lays guys out with hard hits and is a true leader on this team.
All the talk of trades, Sundin, Hossa et al provide interesting fodder for debate but this team has chemistry. I would be reluctant to make a major lineup change, especially after Tuesday. On the other hand, it's not every day you get the chance to add a guy like Sundin or Hossa. I'm just less enthusiastic about a Tanguay or Havlat and don't really see those as positives.
Linkssssssssss
Le Journal: Carbo is Thinking About the Cup
TSN's Jay Onrait on Tuesday
La Presse says Hossa deal all but done
Edmonton Journal: Lowe is After Hossa
Le Journal: Hockey Madness has Officially Set In
Ty Conklin, the guy who was in net for Edmonton at the Outdoor Classic a few years back, has emerged as the Penguins starting goaltender and leads the NHL with a .932 save percentage.
The Canadiens have matched a season high by winning their fourth straight game. They remain tied with Ottawa and New Jersey with 75 points, though the Sens still hold a game in hand.
Trying to make sense of Tuesday night's magic has been difficult. Jay Onrait of TSN called it the greatest game Habs fans under the age of 30 had ever seen. It was the most amazing game I have ever seen and I was lucky enough to experience it firsthand. It said so much about what this team is all about. They are a resilient bunch who go to war for each other. Say what you will about their lack of a tough guy, Steve Begin is out there punishing opposing players. Mike Komisarek is the scariest blueliner in the Eastern Conference. He has the ability to take over a game. Andrei Markov is among the best, if not the best passing defenceman in the NHL. Alex Kovalev is on another level. He explodes past opposing defenders seemingly at will and his one-timers are scary. He kills penalties, lays guys out with hard hits and is a true leader on this team.
All the talk of trades, Sundin, Hossa et al provide interesting fodder for debate but this team has chemistry. I would be reluctant to make a major lineup change, especially after Tuesday. On the other hand, it's not every day you get the chance to add a guy like Sundin or Hossa. I'm just less enthusiastic about a Tanguay or Havlat and don't really see those as positives.
Linkssssssssss
Le Journal: Carbo is Thinking About the Cup
TSN's Jay Onrait on Tuesday
La Presse says Hossa deal all but done
Edmonton Journal: Lowe is After Hossa
Le Journal: Hockey Madness has Officially Set In
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Best Night Ever
Sometimes, something happens that makes your average former-fan turned Canadiens reporter into a believer. Last night was so insane that I jumped out of my seat in the press box for the first time since Alex Kovalev scored an overtime winner in the preseason against Pittsburgh. I'm supposed to be a reserved professional up there but last night's game was too much.
Michael Ryder of all people kept the Habs in it long enough for the rest of the tem to catch up. Mike Komisarek looked like a bull at the rodeo waiting to get out of the box late in the second period. When he did, he punished several Rangers and got penalized again. It was one of those good penalties you hear about sometimes. The team got an inspired effort from Cristobal Huet and Kovy sealed the deal when he tied it on a late third-period power-play.
People are freaking out. The Habs have had some huge wins this year but this one was something else entirely. The Bell Centre was as loud as I've heard it in my professional career or my time as a mere fan. "La Foule" never gave up on their team, although a chant of "Hossa, Hossa." did start when it was 5-0.
This is the only city in the NHL that cheers a faceoff win with 19 seconds left.
Komisarek said his ears were still ringing after the game. He also said there is no doubt that the Canadiens have the best fans in the NHL.
I agree. Sometimes, I miss being one of them. Hopefully I can get away with some unprofessional fan-like activity when circumstances dictate.
Penguins demain soir, hard act to follow.....
Michael Ryder of all people kept the Habs in it long enough for the rest of the tem to catch up. Mike Komisarek looked like a bull at the rodeo waiting to get out of the box late in the second period. When he did, he punished several Rangers and got penalized again. It was one of those good penalties you hear about sometimes. The team got an inspired effort from Cristobal Huet and Kovy sealed the deal when he tied it on a late third-period power-play.
People are freaking out. The Habs have had some huge wins this year but this one was something else entirely. The Bell Centre was as loud as I've heard it in my professional career or my time as a mere fan. "La Foule" never gave up on their team, although a chant of "Hossa, Hossa." did start when it was 5-0.
This is the only city in the NHL that cheers a faceoff win with 19 seconds left.
Komisarek said his ears were still ringing after the game. He also said there is no doubt that the Canadiens have the best fans in the NHL.
I agree. Sometimes, I miss being one of them. Hopefully I can get away with some unprofessional fan-like activity when circumstances dictate.
Penguins demain soir, hard act to follow.....
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Phew
I think it's safe to say Chris Higgins timely goal off a lucky bounce is among the biggest goals this team has gotten all year. Tomas Vokoun was rock solid until that point and clearly rattled afterwards. Alex Kovalev's seeing-eye shot to win it was vintage Kovy, his 26th, the most he's ever scored in a Habs uniform.
Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's talk for a moment about Carey Price. The kid had the best game I've seen from him with a CH on his chest. He was blameless on the only goal he allowed and was cooler than Miles Davis for several third period power plays. He created space in front of his net by removing bodies himself. He cleared the puck out of the zone himself and looked like Rick DiPietro in the process during one PK. Yvon Pednault had it right when he spoke of Price "closing the door." on several Florida chances.
He didn't beat the Detroit Red Wings, but he did get his team a win when it seemed impossible. His confidence is contagious and when he's rolling people tend to win Gold Medals and Calder Cups.
Cristobal Huet is probably squirming and it will be interesting to see what Carbo does with the back-to-back games this weekend.
Loose Pucks: Trade rumours continue to swirl around the NHL and the Habs are believed to be
in the thick of the talks. It's absolute lunacy to suggest that there's any interest in Michael Ryder. I would be happy to get a 4th round pick for Ryder. One guy I'd like to see out there is Chris Gratton. He is strong on faceoffs and has a mean streak that's sorely lacking on this team. He's also more mobile than Bryan Slowinski.
Things certainly changed with the Higgins goal last night. All of a sudden the Habs are still contending when it looked like they may be in a total freefall at times last night.
Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's talk for a moment about Carey Price. The kid had the best game I've seen from him with a CH on his chest. He was blameless on the only goal he allowed and was cooler than Miles Davis for several third period power plays. He created space in front of his net by removing bodies himself. He cleared the puck out of the zone himself and looked like Rick DiPietro in the process during one PK. Yvon Pednault had it right when he spoke of Price "closing the door." on several Florida chances.
He didn't beat the Detroit Red Wings, but he did get his team a win when it seemed impossible. His confidence is contagious and when he's rolling people tend to win Gold Medals and Calder Cups.
Cristobal Huet is probably squirming and it will be interesting to see what Carbo does with the back-to-back games this weekend.
Loose Pucks: Trade rumours continue to swirl around the NHL and the Habs are believed to be
in the thick of the talks. It's absolute lunacy to suggest that there's any interest in Michael Ryder. I would be happy to get a 4th round pick for Ryder. One guy I'd like to see out there is Chris Gratton. He is strong on faceoffs and has a mean streak that's sorely lacking on this team. He's also more mobile than Bryan Slowinski.
Things certainly changed with the Higgins goal last night. All of a sudden the Habs are still contending when it looked like they may be in a total freefall at times last night.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
A Game of Inches
I wouldn't be completely demoralized if I was the Montreal Canadiens. They couldn't catch a break in falling behind 3-0 before the game was five minutes old. Cristobal Huet did not look sharp during that time , making only one save on four shots. The Habs made a valiant effort to come back but managed to hit the post or missed by centimetres on numerous occasions before Dany Heatley put it away with a beauty to make it 4-0.
Chris Higgins can't catch a break. I thought Michael Ryder looked pretty good with his old linemates, on one shift in particular they did a great job of creating havoc in the Sens end but couldn't get one over the line. The Habs just kept hitting the post all night long whereas the Sens top line could do no wrong.
The Senators were hungry to make a statement and re-establish themselves as the top team in the Eastern Conference and did just that. It's one of those games that you just have to forget. The Canadiens can't afford to live in the past and frankly deserved better last night.
Loose Pucks: One of the worst games of the year for Patrice Brisebois, one of the best for Sergei Kostitsyn, who caught a serious punch to the jaw from Wade Redden. The Kostitsyn borthers were the brightest spot on the night for the Habs. Roman Hamrlik should be back on Tuesday night, and not a moment too soon. The Habs have given up an alarming 18 goals in the last four games.
Chris Higgins can't catch a break. I thought Michael Ryder looked pretty good with his old linemates, on one shift in particular they did a great job of creating havoc in the Sens end but couldn't get one over the line. The Habs just kept hitting the post all night long whereas the Sens top line could do no wrong.
The Senators were hungry to make a statement and re-establish themselves as the top team in the Eastern Conference and did just that. It's one of those games that you just have to forget. The Canadiens can't afford to live in the past and frankly deserved better last night.
Loose Pucks: One of the worst games of the year for Patrice Brisebois, one of the best for Sergei Kostitsyn, who caught a serious punch to the jaw from Wade Redden. The Kostitsyn borthers were the brightest spot on the night for the Habs. Roman Hamrlik should be back on Tuesday night, and not a moment too soon. The Habs have given up an alarming 18 goals in the last four games.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Gameday in Washington
The Canadiens strut into the Nation's capital tonight on the heels of George W Bush' s final State of the Union address. It will be a hard act to follow as Bush's theatrics garnered as much applause from the sheep in the audience as Alex Kovalev does when he scores one at the Bell Centre. The difference is that Kovalev seems to be playing arguably the best hockey of his career and Bush's approval rating is at a record low. Kovalev also has a way sweeter hairdo.
Tonight's game is the last between Ovechkin and co. and the Habs. There's some extra motivation for both teams after Viktor Kozlov called out the Canadiens for trying to "run up the score" late in Tuesday night's 4-0 game.
Running up the score is a contentious issue in sports and sometimes it's difficult to tell what exactly qualifies. The New England Patriots have been running up the score for the entire NFL season and the speculation has been that they've been doing it because the rest of the league basically called them a bunch of cheaters on the heels of the "spygate" scandal.
Bill Simmons of ESPN.com had a great piece on the Pats earlier this year, read it here.
Is it unreasonable to think that the Canadiens are feeling a similar burn and lack of respect from the rest of the league? After being picked by most experts to basically compete for a high pick in next year's draft, do they not have a legitimate reason to rub it in the faces of their opponents?
If the Capitals want to keep taking penalties late in a game in order to stop scoring chances, the Canadiens have every right to pour it on and try to get their power play back into the number one slot in the league.
Anyone that starts talking about running up the score needs to take a long hard look at themselves and what exactly they're saying about their team. It's embarrassing for a pro athlete to say anything of the sort. You're calling out your opponent for not taking it easy on you late in a game? Should the Habs have taken their foot of the gas and perhaps allowed the Caps to score a late goal and gather some momentum heading into tonight's game?
It's madness.
Cristobal Huet makes his tenth straight start, The Habs look to win their fourth in a row and further separate themselves from the pack in the still very tight Eastern Conference. If the Habs do pick up the win, it will be their tenth in a row on Thursday night this year. They have only lost on Thursday night once all season and it was all the way back in October.
Tonight's game is the last between Ovechkin and co. and the Habs. There's some extra motivation for both teams after Viktor Kozlov called out the Canadiens for trying to "run up the score" late in Tuesday night's 4-0 game.
Running up the score is a contentious issue in sports and sometimes it's difficult to tell what exactly qualifies. The New England Patriots have been running up the score for the entire NFL season and the speculation has been that they've been doing it because the rest of the league basically called them a bunch of cheaters on the heels of the "spygate" scandal.
Bill Simmons of ESPN.com had a great piece on the Pats earlier this year, read it here.
Is it unreasonable to think that the Canadiens are feeling a similar burn and lack of respect from the rest of the league? After being picked by most experts to basically compete for a high pick in next year's draft, do they not have a legitimate reason to rub it in the faces of their opponents?
If the Capitals want to keep taking penalties late in a game in order to stop scoring chances, the Canadiens have every right to pour it on and try to get their power play back into the number one slot in the league.
Anyone that starts talking about running up the score needs to take a long hard look at themselves and what exactly they're saying about their team. It's embarrassing for a pro athlete to say anything of the sort. You're calling out your opponent for not taking it easy on you late in a game? Should the Habs have taken their foot of the gas and perhaps allowed the Caps to score a late goal and gather some momentum heading into tonight's game?
It's madness.
Cristobal Huet makes his tenth straight start, The Habs look to win their fourth in a row and further separate themselves from the pack in the still very tight Eastern Conference. If the Habs do pick up the win, it will be their tenth in a row on Thursday night this year. They have only lost on Thursday night once all season and it was all the way back in October.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Happy Days
All of a sudden, the Bell Centre is a really fun place to be on gamenights.
The Habs seem to have put their home woes behind them with consecutive monster performances on their home ice. The fans were out in full force tonight and they serenaded Alex Kovalev and his team throughout the game.
Those weren't boos you heard during the Habs 2nd period power plays, they were cries of "shoot!". Ever notice how they never score when they respond to those demands?
Alex Kovalev looked like a man playing with boys. Whoa. That sounds kind of weird and sexual. There was nothing weird or sexual about it, he just skated and stickhandled circles around the Caps all night long. He showed Alexander Ovechkin a thing or two in the process.
Tomas Plekanec continues to look like a bona-fide first line NHL centre and the Flying Kostitsyn brothers continue to amaze.
Cristobal Huet played his best game of the year and if it was any indication, the Sens need to watch their backs. When he's on, he's virtually impossible to beat. It takes a few lucky bounces, but that what good goaltenders get.
It's too early to know what the prognosis is for Daniel Alfredsson, but the Sens lost their captain to injury in a win over the Islanders and if he joins Dany Heatley on the sidelines, they may have some difficulty holding on to the Northeast division lead.
The Leafs lost to the St. Louis Blues and moaned about the officiating after the game. There were 17 scouts from 15 NHL teams in attendance, looking for signs of life from a Toronto team that seems to be dead in the water and looking to sell of pieces.
It was absolutely electric in the Bell Centre tonight, one of those games that makes me pinch myself when I think about the position I'm in.
Alex Kovalev was, as Pierre McGuire might say, smiling like a Cheshire Cat in the Habs room after the game. When quizzed about his possible broken finger he stated, "It might be broken but I still have four fingers left."
He spoke also of how much fun he's having out there and you can tell. He looks like he's ten years younger than he is and it's been a real pleasure to watch him in action all year long. He is without any doubt at all, the MVP of this team, definitely the comeback player of the year and deserves Hart trophy consideration.
The Habs seem to have put their home woes behind them with consecutive monster performances on their home ice. The fans were out in full force tonight and they serenaded Alex Kovalev and his team throughout the game.
Those weren't boos you heard during the Habs 2nd period power plays, they were cries of "shoot!". Ever notice how they never score when they respond to those demands?
Alex Kovalev looked like a man playing with boys. Whoa. That sounds kind of weird and sexual. There was nothing weird or sexual about it, he just skated and stickhandled circles around the Caps all night long. He showed Alexander Ovechkin a thing or two in the process.
Tomas Plekanec continues to look like a bona-fide first line NHL centre and the Flying Kostitsyn brothers continue to amaze.
Cristobal Huet played his best game of the year and if it was any indication, the Sens need to watch their backs. When he's on, he's virtually impossible to beat. It takes a few lucky bounces, but that what good goaltenders get.
It's too early to know what the prognosis is for Daniel Alfredsson, but the Sens lost their captain to injury in a win over the Islanders and if he joins Dany Heatley on the sidelines, they may have some difficulty holding on to the Northeast division lead.
The Leafs lost to the St. Louis Blues and moaned about the officiating after the game. There were 17 scouts from 15 NHL teams in attendance, looking for signs of life from a Toronto team that seems to be dead in the water and looking to sell of pieces.
It was absolutely electric in the Bell Centre tonight, one of those games that makes me pinch myself when I think about the position I'm in.
Alex Kovalev was, as Pierre McGuire might say, smiling like a Cheshire Cat in the Habs room after the game. When quizzed about his possible broken finger he stated, "It might be broken but I still have four fingers left."
He spoke also of how much fun he's having out there and you can tell. He looks like he's ten years younger than he is and it's been a real pleasure to watch him in action all year long. He is without any doubt at all, the MVP of this team, definitely the comeback player of the year and deserves Hart trophy consideration.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Statement Game
That's what they call those types of games. When you battle back after falling behind 2-0 and 3-1 to beat a team in regulation and pass them in the standings you make a statement.
Heading to the all-star break, the Canadiens are in sole possession of 4th in the East. They've won 17 games on the road this year, second only to Detroit. It was the first time the Canadiens have won a game while trailing after 40 minutes this season. And they did it in New Jersey.
Cristobal Huet joins Jose Theodore and Patrick Roy as the only Habs goaltenders to win in the Garden State since 1993.
Only four teams in the entire league have scored more goals than the Habs.
Chris Higgins iced it with his first goal in nine games, Saku Koivu tied it with his first in seven. Bryan Smolinski sparked the third period comeback and is all of a sudden looking like a pretty solid signing with his recent play. Josh Gorges is looking more and more comfortable as he gets more games under his belt. It would be difficult to make a case for putting Patrice Brisebois back in the lineup. The Habs record without the Breezer is an astounding 15-3-3.
That means their record WITH Brisebois is 11-12-5. If wins and losses are the only stats that really count, then why on earth would he play??
Everyone except Andrei Markov gets a well-deserved weekend off. It should be interesting to see the new breakaway event in the Skills Contest and who will be fastest skater and who'll have the hardest shot, less interesting will be the game itself, which tends to be very boring.
Here are some links for your pleasure
Mike Boone blogs poetic on what's happening right now GO
Habs youth movement recognition GO
Pierre LeBrun on Habs success GO
And finally I have to touch on this Cliff Fletcher-Richard Peddie press conference. Watch Peddie as he starts to mouth the words Fletcher speaks while he's speaking them. It's really weird and I have no explanation for this other than it makes it easy to make a case that Fletcher is a puppet for MLSE.
Have a look-see around the 4:45 mark!! GO
Heading to the all-star break, the Canadiens are in sole possession of 4th in the East. They've won 17 games on the road this year, second only to Detroit. It was the first time the Canadiens have won a game while trailing after 40 minutes this season. And they did it in New Jersey.
Cristobal Huet joins Jose Theodore and Patrick Roy as the only Habs goaltenders to win in the Garden State since 1993.
Only four teams in the entire league have scored more goals than the Habs.
Chris Higgins iced it with his first goal in nine games, Saku Koivu tied it with his first in seven. Bryan Smolinski sparked the third period comeback and is all of a sudden looking like a pretty solid signing with his recent play. Josh Gorges is looking more and more comfortable as he gets more games under his belt. It would be difficult to make a case for putting Patrice Brisebois back in the lineup. The Habs record without the Breezer is an astounding 15-3-3.
That means their record WITH Brisebois is 11-12-5. If wins and losses are the only stats that really count, then why on earth would he play??
Everyone except Andrei Markov gets a well-deserved weekend off. It should be interesting to see the new breakaway event in the Skills Contest and who will be fastest skater and who'll have the hardest shot, less interesting will be the game itself, which tends to be very boring.
Here are some links for your pleasure
Mike Boone blogs poetic on what's happening right now GO
Habs youth movement recognition GO
Pierre LeBrun on Habs success GO
And finally I have to touch on this Cliff Fletcher-Richard Peddie press conference. Watch Peddie as he starts to mouth the words Fletcher speaks while he's speaking them. It's really weird and I have no explanation for this other than it makes it easy to make a case that Fletcher is a puppet for MLSE.
Have a look-see around the 4:45 mark!! GO
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Habs Beat Bruins!!!
Make it nine in a row, six this year. The Bruins-Habs rivalry is virtually non-existent at this point. It sure is fun to be in the Bell Centre on nights like this.
The crowd was in full force, and it's a toss up between Maxim Lapierre's fantastic forecheck on Zdeno Chara in the third period and Sergei Kostitsyn throwing down with Chuck Kobasew in a scrap for the loudest cheers of the night and possibly, of the year.
It was a real team win. 13 players showed up on the scoresheet. Seven different guys had goals with Andrei K getting two. When the doors to the dressing room opened, the veterans gave way to the role players who showed up huge. No Saku Koivu, Alex Kovalev or Chris Higgins(gasp!) were available but Tom Kostopoulos, who had a Gordie Howe hat trick (a goal, an assist and a fight), Michael Ryder and Bryan Smolinski, who probably had his best game as a Hab were all there.
Guy Carbonneau reiterated that the Habs played well enough to win against the Penguins on Saturday night but some nights you get the bounces and some nights you don't.
They definitely got em tonight, starting with Michael Ryder's goal 14 seconds into the game.
Andrei Markov and Mike Komisarek were unbelievable and each walked away with a +4 rating on the night. Komisaurus had a goal and an assist, five hits and two blocked shots. Markov had only one assist, but was on the ice for six of the Habs eight goals.
During a four on four sequence, the unreal Alex Kovalev held on to the puck for about fifteen seconds, absorbed a slash and dropped his glove, picked it back up and then went right back to skating and stickhandling circles around the Bruins until both teams had five skaters on the ice.
Cristobal Huet was great, no errors in a game where he didn't need to be sharp but was.
The Kostitsyn brothers are terrific. Sergei's time in London playing under Dale Hunter is paying dividends. He gave a visor-wearing Kobasew more than he could handle in their third period scrap. The physical game he brings has been an unexpected and very pleasant surprise. He doesn't back down from anyone and even in a checking role has been impressive. Great feed to his big brother on the Habs last goal.
Ottawa lost, so the Habs actually managed to gain some ground on one of the coldest teams in hockey. How big is Dany Heatley for them?
If there was a negative, it's that Koivu and Higgins didn't show up on the scoresheet. They really seem to have lost a step in the second half. I expect them both to be better during the home stretch of the year.
Josh Gorges continues to improve, he's doing a great job of getting in front of pucks and playing a solid game. He certainly has benefited from the injury to Patrice Brisebois, who shouldn't be out there as far as I'm concerned.
Stat of the day: Habs record without Brisebois is 14-3-3
Other stat of the day: The Habs have lost back-to-back games in regulation only once this year.
It's onto Jersey to face the dreaded Devils on Thursday. Don't get your hopes up.
P.S. Id love to see Novak Djokovic win the Australian Open. This guy's fantastic and hilarious... I'm watching a virtuoso performance right now against Davis Ferrer in the semis. Check out his sweet impersonations of various tennis stars HERE (way less funny if you never watch tennis)
The crowd was in full force, and it's a toss up between Maxim Lapierre's fantastic forecheck on Zdeno Chara in the third period and Sergei Kostitsyn throwing down with Chuck Kobasew in a scrap for the loudest cheers of the night and possibly, of the year.
It was a real team win. 13 players showed up on the scoresheet. Seven different guys had goals with Andrei K getting two. When the doors to the dressing room opened, the veterans gave way to the role players who showed up huge. No Saku Koivu, Alex Kovalev or Chris Higgins(gasp!) were available but Tom Kostopoulos, who had a Gordie Howe hat trick (a goal, an assist and a fight), Michael Ryder and Bryan Smolinski, who probably had his best game as a Hab were all there.
Guy Carbonneau reiterated that the Habs played well enough to win against the Penguins on Saturday night but some nights you get the bounces and some nights you don't.
They definitely got em tonight, starting with Michael Ryder's goal 14 seconds into the game.
Andrei Markov and Mike Komisarek were unbelievable and each walked away with a +4 rating on the night. Komisaurus had a goal and an assist, five hits and two blocked shots. Markov had only one assist, but was on the ice for six of the Habs eight goals.
During a four on four sequence, the unreal Alex Kovalev held on to the puck for about fifteen seconds, absorbed a slash and dropped his glove, picked it back up and then went right back to skating and stickhandling circles around the Bruins until both teams had five skaters on the ice.
Cristobal Huet was great, no errors in a game where he didn't need to be sharp but was.
The Kostitsyn brothers are terrific. Sergei's time in London playing under Dale Hunter is paying dividends. He gave a visor-wearing Kobasew more than he could handle in their third period scrap. The physical game he brings has been an unexpected and very pleasant surprise. He doesn't back down from anyone and even in a checking role has been impressive. Great feed to his big brother on the Habs last goal.
Ottawa lost, so the Habs actually managed to gain some ground on one of the coldest teams in hockey. How big is Dany Heatley for them?
If there was a negative, it's that Koivu and Higgins didn't show up on the scoresheet. They really seem to have lost a step in the second half. I expect them both to be better during the home stretch of the year.
Josh Gorges continues to improve, he's doing a great job of getting in front of pucks and playing a solid game. He certainly has benefited from the injury to Patrice Brisebois, who shouldn't be out there as far as I'm concerned.
Stat of the day: Habs record without Brisebois is 14-3-3
Other stat of the day: The Habs have lost back-to-back games in regulation only once this year.
It's onto Jersey to face the dreaded Devils on Thursday. Don't get your hopes up.
P.S. Id love to see Novak Djokovic win the Australian Open. This guy's fantastic and hilarious... I'm watching a virtuoso performance right now against Davis Ferrer in the semis. Check out his sweet impersonations of various tennis stars HERE (way less funny if you never watch tennis)
Accountability
The Leafs have yanked John Ferguson Jr out of his position as GM. It's a sad day in Toronto. Cliff Fletcher takes over on an interim basis as the Leafs enter a make or break period of their season that will determine whether they will be buying or selling in and around the trade deadline. If they can string together a few wins, they may hang on to Mats Sundin and try to make a run. If they continue to lose, they will try and move Sundin and many other overpriced members of their underachieving team.
The thing is, it will be hard to find takers for the likes of Pavel Kubina, Andrew Raycroft, Bryan McCabe et al.
It comes back to the fact that the Leafs brass, the Richard Peddies of the world think they know hockey. MLSE owns the Raptors, who brought in a top executive in Bryan Colangelo and gave him complete control of the team, no questions asked. Their problem is they're not capable of doing the same with their hockey team. If they were, Scotty Bowman would already be the one calling the shots.
Cliff Fletcher will be the guy in charge but make no mistake about it, MLSE will be looking over his shoulder every step of the way.
I'm starting to tire of the Leafs trials and tribulations. The amount of media attention they receive is nauseating. I feel for their fans, who deserve better. I can't wait for them to go on a winning streak so the tin-foil Stanley Cups start showing up again at the Air Canada Center.
It makes me glad I'm not a fan of the Leafs.
The thing is, it will be hard to find takers for the likes of Pavel Kubina, Andrew Raycroft, Bryan McCabe et al.
It comes back to the fact that the Leafs brass, the Richard Peddies of the world think they know hockey. MLSE owns the Raptors, who brought in a top executive in Bryan Colangelo and gave him complete control of the team, no questions asked. Their problem is they're not capable of doing the same with their hockey team. If they were, Scotty Bowman would already be the one calling the shots.
Cliff Fletcher will be the guy in charge but make no mistake about it, MLSE will be looking over his shoulder every step of the way.
I'm starting to tire of the Leafs trials and tribulations. The amount of media attention they receive is nauseating. I feel for their fans, who deserve better. I can't wait for them to go on a winning streak so the tin-foil Stanley Cups start showing up again at the Air Canada Center.
It makes me glad I'm not a fan of the Leafs.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Long Weekend's Over
It was a great weekend.
The New England Patriots stayed perfect with an imperfect game in which Tom Brady was less than perfect.
It's been amazing to see the Patriots charge towards a perfect season. Really saying f___ you to the rest of the league with every down.
The Giants have been equally impressive. Ever since they took the Pats to the brink for a 38-35 thriller in Week 17 this has been a team possessed. They've won 10 straight road games, a single-season NFL record. During their three playoff games, Eli Manning has emerged as the quiet leader Tiki Barber said he wasn't. He hasn't thrown a single interception over the same span after tying for the league lead in regular-season INTs.
Plaxico Burress had one the of the best games for an NFL receiver all year long. He dominated Al Harris.
I think that barring a minor miracle, Randy Moss and the speedy Patriots receivers will get the best of the Giants in the heat of Arizona. The key to the game will be whether the Giants pass rush can get to Tom Brady. I don't expect they will.
But this is a blog about the Montreal Canadiens.
The Habs are tied for the fewest home wins in the league. They're 8-8-5 at the Bell Centre after Saturday night's loss to the Penguins. Hardly time to push the panic button but disconcerting nonetheless. It's just one of those indefinable things. My take is that they're trying to do too much for the fans. The adrenaline can onlt take them so far before it becomes jitters. Performance anxiety. It seems that they're almost scared to get booed which in turn causes tentative play which of course causes the rumbles from the fans.
In other news, Michael Ryder appears to be back on a line with Saku Koivu and Chris Higgins. I have been unimpressed with the line of Ryder, Guillaume Latendresse and Bryan Smolinski's line, so maybe this change can kickstart Koivu and Higgins. Those guys look like they're running out of gas right now and the Habs need them rolling in order to be effective.
The other concern right now has to be the Habs power play. They're 0 for 8 with the man advantage in their last three games, dropping them to 2nd in the NHL with a 23.7% success rate.
It's not all bad. The Habs deserved better against an inspired Pittsburgh team the other night and should continue their success against Boston tomorrow night. They're seeking their ninth straight win against the Bruins dating back to last March.
Tim Thomas has been great for the Bruins this year but has struggled against the Habs. He's lost all three starts against them this year with a 4.70 GAA.
Against the rest of the league he's 15-8-3 with a 2.04 GAA.
Weeeeeeiird.
The New England Patriots stayed perfect with an imperfect game in which Tom Brady was less than perfect.
It's been amazing to see the Patriots charge towards a perfect season. Really saying f___ you to the rest of the league with every down.
The Giants have been equally impressive. Ever since they took the Pats to the brink for a 38-35 thriller in Week 17 this has been a team possessed. They've won 10 straight road games, a single-season NFL record. During their three playoff games, Eli Manning has emerged as the quiet leader Tiki Barber said he wasn't. He hasn't thrown a single interception over the same span after tying for the league lead in regular-season INTs.
Plaxico Burress had one the of the best games for an NFL receiver all year long. He dominated Al Harris.
I think that barring a minor miracle, Randy Moss and the speedy Patriots receivers will get the best of the Giants in the heat of Arizona. The key to the game will be whether the Giants pass rush can get to Tom Brady. I don't expect they will.
But this is a blog about the Montreal Canadiens.
The Habs are tied for the fewest home wins in the league. They're 8-8-5 at the Bell Centre after Saturday night's loss to the Penguins. Hardly time to push the panic button but disconcerting nonetheless. It's just one of those indefinable things. My take is that they're trying to do too much for the fans. The adrenaline can onlt take them so far before it becomes jitters. Performance anxiety. It seems that they're almost scared to get booed which in turn causes tentative play which of course causes the rumbles from the fans.
In other news, Michael Ryder appears to be back on a line with Saku Koivu and Chris Higgins. I have been unimpressed with the line of Ryder, Guillaume Latendresse and Bryan Smolinski's line, so maybe this change can kickstart Koivu and Higgins. Those guys look like they're running out of gas right now and the Habs need them rolling in order to be effective.
The other concern right now has to be the Habs power play. They're 0 for 8 with the man advantage in their last three games, dropping them to 2nd in the NHL with a 23.7% success rate.
It's not all bad. The Habs deserved better against an inspired Pittsburgh team the other night and should continue their success against Boston tomorrow night. They're seeking their ninth straight win against the Bruins dating back to last March.
Tim Thomas has been great for the Bruins this year but has struggled against the Habs. He's lost all three starts against them this year with a 4.70 GAA.
Against the rest of the league he's 15-8-3 with a 2.04 GAA.
Weeeeeeiird.
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