About last night ...
posted by Mike Boone at 8h34 EST on Dec 22
Canadiens played a decent game last night. Not great, maybe not very good, but decent.
As they did against Buffalo on Saturday night, the team displayed character by coming back from one-goal deficits.
Canadiens got a point, giving them five of a possible six on their pre-Christmas homestand.
As someone posted in the Comments section, the real hockey begins after Christmas. Heading into the All-Star break the Canadiens play nine of 13 games on the road, including Pittsburgh this Saturday, two visits to New Jersey and games against the Rangers and – uh-oh! – Boston.
We're about to find out what the team is made of.
And there are reasons for cautious optimism:
• Goaltending: Two good ones. Carey Price had a shaky start and was in a foul mod after the game last night but made some spectacular saves, notably on Chad Larose in the third period. He and Jaroslav Hala are going to keep the Canadiens in most games.
• Defence: Four good ones, one fair one and an old geezer pressed into regular service because a young guy hasn't delivered. You know the names.
• The Kiddie Corps: He coughed up the puck on the winning goal last night, but Matt D'Agostinihas been a revelation. It took 30 games, but Sergei Kostitsyn has finally started flashing the ability we saw last season.
And best of all, because I like the guy, Guillaume Latendresse has found his role. Gui! had eight hits last night to lead both teams. This is what he has to do to help the Canadiens. The goals will come ... and they won't be disallowed.
• Robert Lang: Oldest player on the team at 38, so you have to hope he doesn't run out of gas later in the season. But he's been a terrific acquistion. Lang is smart, rarely makes costly mistakes, wins faceoffs – 11-4 last night – and is on pace for 27 goals.
• Alex Kovalev: Quiet by his elevated standards last night. But he's finally started playing for a new contract.
• Maxim Lapierre, Tom Kostopoulos and Steve Bégin: Maybe I listed them in the wrong order. One of Bégin's patented buzzsaw shifts brought a dead building to life last night. Tom the Bomb never takes a shift off. And I'm not going to throw Max under a bus for that slash. He's a young player, he's learning and he gets better all the time.
• Georges Laraque: Not effective against Carolina because their game is speed ... and his game isn't. But I still like the deterrent factor against teams like Philadelphia.
• Alex Tanguay may be waking up from his long autumn nap. Two assists last night, and he plays well with Lang.
• Andrei Kostitsyn and Saku Koivu will be back soon, and that will help.
If Tomas Plekanec finds his MIA game under the Christmas tree and if Christopher Higgins comes to the startling realization that he's playing for a new contract and if Ryan O'Byrne can morph into an NHL defenceman ...
Well, the post Christmas "real" season could be interesting.
I don't know that the Canadiens can catch Boston.
The Bruins have been otherworldly. They've scored the most goals in the league and – this is the part that blows my mind – allowed the fewest.
Boston is 10 points ahead of the Canadiens and show no signs of slowing down. The Bruins had no problem with the Carolina trapping style that stymied the Canadiens last night.
The Canadiens are second in the Northeast, six points up on Buffalo. They ought to be able to hold that position and secure themselves a decent playoff seeding.
I like their chances in any first-round matchup ... except maybe #$%^ing Carolina.
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Comments
Submitted by longtimehabsfan on Tue, 12/23/2008 - 17:47.
On Dave Stubbs' Bob Cole article: How in hell was Mickey Redmond his color man when Beliveau was still playing? Redmond played for the Habs late in Beliveau's career and was traded as part of the Frank Mahovolich deal in the 70-71 season. The Habs played Boston in the playoffs that year but not one of the seven games of that series went into overtime.
Submitted by HabsFreak (not verified) on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 16:08.
Here comes the "Preacher" out of me again. Anyone who wants to dump this team for another or just miss some very exciting hockey for a few months and return for the playoffs are only fringe fans. The real fans have stuck with this team for as long as they enjoy watching (and playing) the game. Fringe fans complain after every loss becuse it doesnt feed their ego to be the best even though they have ZERO contribution to an outcome of any game. When things are not working to their favour they bail or wail. Of course they are welcome to their own opinions but fringe fans are not true to their team. Loyalty is hard to find these days as people bounce to instant gratification wherever they can find it. But our brand of hockey is good hockey for most to enjoy.
Some fans enjoy a Don Cherry smash and crash style of style. Others enjoy the true beauty and art of the game. Some enjoy the intricate startegies and nuances of the game. Some just like watching their favorite player or hometown hero play. Whatever your motivation, the game is great. To follow a team when its down to its rebuilding into something much better has been entertaining and a pleasure for Habs fans the past 5 years. The only common satisfaction we all will have is to see our team raise the Stanley Cup again. Then we can all go back to "analysing" why we dont win it every year and point fingers to those at blame.
We have a very entertaining and winning hockey team. Is it perfect? No. Who wouldnt want the 70's back when the Habs were the class of the league. But name a team that dominates each year in todays professional sports. It doesnt happen with the exception of baseball where teams can buy the talent. Hockey before the strike and after doesnt work that way. It a TEAM game. The best Bob Gainey can do its to build an organization that will remain strong each year for as long as it can through shrewd drafting and smart cap management of roster players and those yet to come up. It has to alwys be a 3 year window. When youre close and missing the ingredient you need, you need to be in a position to get it. I believe we are and I hope BG can land the game breaker we need this year.
But as fans. we are the beneficiaries of Bob's good work as GM. He is a highly respected man who has built a highly respected team for a highly respected organization. If you cant except that then you will always be more disappointed than not. Habs fans are the BEST because we get it! The fringe fans boo failure and cheer success or maybe they just need to grow up.
READ THIS!! http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=260582&lid=sublink08&lpos=headlines_main
GO HABS GO!
Submitted by Grabbed The Cup on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 14:15.
For the first time since 1984, I'm considering tuning out for a while. Not unlike many of us, I'm pissed about how the Habs have performed thus far. I'm sick of them taking periods or worse, whole nights off. Fed up of opponents waltzing into our zone unmolested. Last but certainly not least, I'm completely sick and tired of watching them skate miles to avoid any kind of contact.
All is not lost though, we are well stocked and in fine position to make a mid or late season move to bolster our roster, which I believe has been BG's plan all along. Until then, we'll continue to suffer too many evenings like last night.
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You leave me little notes on my pillow. Told you 158 times I can't stand little notes on my pillow. "We're all out of cornflakes. F.U." Took me three hours to figure out F.U. was Felix Unger!
Submitted by Ian G Cobb on Tue, 12/23/2008 - 12:25.
GTC, Hang in there, I also have been disappointed with some of there performances this year. But you and I know that we have the very best GM in place, and we are not privy to what is in his and Gillette's mind. They want a cup just as much as we do. More importantly, they have the health of the franchise long term to build.
The season starts after the new year, the game gets faster and the players start to focus more on the job at hand. So yes call a spade a spade, but don't forget, as i do sometimes, we are the greatest sport franchise in the world, and were on the mend. Let alone that we are the best hockey fans on the planet.!
Submitted by Habsrule1 on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 14:34.
I personally like this team better than last year, overall. The PP is slowly getting better. If that had been the case since the beginning, we'd be way ahead of last year. We are a much better 5 on 5 team, and that is what matters most, especially in the playoffs.
You can tune out all you like. I love this team way too much to give up on them cause the PP is having difficulties.
See you in the Spring!
Go Habs Go!!
"I can't hear what Jeremy(Roenick) is saying because my Stanley Cup rings are in my ears" - Patrick Roy
Habsrule
Submitted by Gary320 on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 15:00.
I agree SO much with you.
This team is identical to that of last year. The biggest differnece is 5/5 is better than 5/4 and for me THAT is better than being good on 5/4.
Our roster is much better than that of last year as we dont have dead weight of Smolinski or Garth Murray in the team. We have 4 good lines that have good stars on them..
Our goaltending has improved.
Our coaching has improved.
I look at the bright light instead of the dark ALOT, and that is what you have to do, not only for an irrelevant (to our daily lives) hockey game, but in life it self..
Submitted by Moey on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 15:36.
I agree, that and being a glass full (hic) type of person helps a lot too, oh and a bit of crack doesn't hurt either.
http://moeymusings.blogspot.com/
Submitted by Grabbed The Cup on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 14:50.
I like this years edition better as well, but the shortcomings I've pointed out have remained unchanged from last year, until they are addressed we will continue to struggle in the playoffs.
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You leave me little notes on my pillow. Told you 158 times I can't stand little notes on my pillow. "We're all out of cornflakes. F.U." Took me three hours to figure out F.U. was Felix Unger!
Submitted by Wamsley01 on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 14:29.
You are really going to tune out this team having watched the absolute colossal disgrace of a team that Houle put on the ice for 6 years? Seems a tad harsh.
This team was always going to struggle this year. Last season they leapt further than anticipated. This caused unrealistic expectations this season. They are on pace to finish EXACTLY where they did last year when they went undefeated against the Bruins and Flyers.
This is a better team than last season. I will gladly take 100 pts and a team who understands what to do to win in the playoffs.
Join the Fantasy Sense Revolution @ http://fantasysensehockey.blogspot.com/
Submitted by Grabbed The Cup on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 15:11.
No, in all liklihood I won't tune out, but the mere fact that I am even considering it disturbs me.
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You leave me little notes on my pillow. Told you 158 times I can't stand little notes on my pillow. "We're all out of cornflakes. F.U." Took me three hours to figure out F.U. was Felix Unger!
Submitted by Chris on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 13:15.
I see Higgins' name bandied about quite a bit in trade discussions. When Higgins isn't scoring, he's still out there generating chances and involved in the play. There's a reason so many of us call him snake-bitten: he doesn't capitalize on the numerous chances he creates with his hustle.
That being said, Higgins can play effectively as a third-liner. He's responsible defensively, can skate and doesn't mind throwing his body around.
The key for me comes down to this: Chris Higgins was 12th in goal-scoring amongst NHL left wings last season. He was 27th in 2006-07 (despite missing 21 games) and 30th in 2005-06 as a rookie.
It is not easy to find goal-scoring left wings. To find one that is also versatile, an above average defensive player and one of the team's leaders is even more rare. I would not be in such a hurry to dump him, personally.
Submitted by heartandgoal on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 19:04.
re: left wingers
You're absolutely right. Ovechkin will surpass him, I'm sure, but the all-time scoring leader from the LW is Luc Robitaille. No disrespect to Mr. Robitaille because he was a great hockey player and is a great guy too, but the name Robitaille doesn't really jump to the front of the list when you think of the all-time greats in hockey - such is the plight of the left wing.
And I agree with you about Higgins. I wouldn't want to give up on another goal scorer, like we did with Ryder. Pure scorers are surprisingly rare in this league (let alone LWs).
I think of a guy like Cheechoo who was able to put up some really great numbers a couple of seasons ago in SJ, and I wonder if maybe Higgins is just a linemate away from hitting his stride. Hopefully not a "Joe Thornton" away, because they're harder to come by, but you know what I mean. Cheechoo's a guy who has a great skill set, like Higgins, but just could not generate goals by himself.
We'll see by February where he fits in, and maybe Bob will have brought in a new C or RW.
Submitted by Citrouille on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 15:41.
People here talked a lot about how the team lacks a leader, or lacks the will to play and to win and they seem to not care most of the time and that we have ''euros with no heart for this team.''
Everyone was sure Higgins was going to be traded for Gaborik at the beginning of the year and when asked, he said it was very frustrating because he couldn't prove us how much he wanted to stay with this team by playing because he was injured. That guy wasn't drafted expecting to be a 40 goals scorer, but his great debut with the team made expectations rise and he put a lot of pressure on himself. Everyone will say ''yeah but he doesn't produce'' well at the beginning of the year he was injured and then the team started to suck and no one was scoring. His shoulder injury is bad luck and I hope he'll get a chance again since everyone sees him as trade bait.He's got the A, not for nothing, and he loves this team. He's still a very good two way player, but his confidence is shot. Why wouldn't he have another chance? No one is doing well this year. Pleks, Akost, Sergei, Tanguay, Kovy all of them had or still have a lot of struggles and the last thing I want is him getting traded for almost nothing and then exploding as a player on another team.
He still had 27 goals last year.
I'd keep him on my team.
Submitted by Chris on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 16:42.
Nice post. We also shouldn't forget the injury he was returning from at the beginning of the season was a groin injury. Having suffered a similar injury this summer playing soccer (I am NOT intended to do the splits, ever!), I can definitely attest to the fact that those suckers take a LONG time to heal.
Submitted by nightmare_49 on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 15:11.
Chris - When Simon Gagne came into the NHL he was known as a great two way left winger that was very good defensively who turned into a scoring machine and this is what our coach sees in Higgins and he forces the issue. You can't force things as they must come naturally and by putting a player continuously in that position may hurt their confidence and impede his progress. I wholly agree with your assessment of Higgins on the 3rd line and let him prove his worth from there rather than forcing the issue (offensively) and i'm sure his value to the team with the right mind set will increase drastically. Same with Lats being pushed to the next Michel Goulet and O'Byrne being pushed to be the next Big Bird. Let them play within their means and then see if they can progress to the next level.
Submitted by Chris on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 15:35.
I agree...I think we place a lot of pressure in the form of premature and heightened expectations. Gagne is a great example...he recorded 80 goals in his first three seasons (228 games). He was actually pretty prolific in junior as well, with 89 goals in 165 games, including 50 in 61 games in his final junior year. His NHL breakout came in his 6th NHL season, when he tallied 47 goals in 72 games.
Contrast that with Higgins: he came out of an NCAA career where he recorded 34 goals over two seasons (55 games). After a adjustment year in the AHL (21 goals in 67 games), he has put up 72 goals in 225 games in his first three seasons. Not too far off the pace of Gagne, although one could argue that Higgins is a bit older than Gagne at similar points in their careers. Does this mean that Higgins will also turn into a goal-machine? Maybe, although I wouldn't bet the farm on it. But he is a very good hockey player upon whom perhaps unrealistic expectations have been placed because of a good start to his career.
Submitted by Wamsley01 on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 14:32.
I wouldn't dump him for just anybody. But I would definitely use him in a package to acquire a difference maker.
At some point the Habs are going to need to make decisions on guys like Higgins, like they did with Ryder before him. In a cap world with young guns like Max Pac, D'Agostini, Chipchura etc banging on the door you have to try and maximize on your assets.
An impact player is not coming here for leftovers. Higgins is a strong bargaining chip.
Join the Fantasy Sense Revolution @ http://fantasysensehockey.blogspot.com/
Submitted by nightmare_49 on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 15:22.
W - I hope you don't mean having Higgins in the press box in the playoffs if we get that far.
Submitted by Habsrule1 on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 14:38.
I agree. Depending on the return, I would trade almost anyone right now. If we have any shot at a Kovalchuk calibre guy, we'll have to say bye to Higgins, Plekanec and/or Latendresse (probably 2 out of those 3)....and possibly a prospect and draft pick.
Go Habs Go!!
"I can't hear what Jeremy(Roenick) is saying because my Stanley Cup rings are in my ears" - Patrick Roy
Habsrule
Submitted by Wamsley01 on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 16:06.
I would love to land Kovalchuk. And with the history of Waddel getting fleeced I am very optimistic.
Join the Fantasy Sense Revolution @ http://fantasysensehockey.blogspot.com/
Submitted by HabsFreak (not verified) on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 12:57.
SO FAR SO GOOD:
I cant recall many games where we have been getting blown out. Last nights game was once again exciting. The lost point, thanks to inconsistent refs, is sad but this team has fire and is not quitting. Our D and G's are as solid as any team expecially with Komi back. I hope we remain healthy for the rest of the season because if OB cant shape up (and there are no signas he will) we are vunerable if someone gets injured. Our scorers seem to be playing with more confidence. Pressure remains on Kovy to produce in order to win games however. With Koivu out, we have a weak second attack although Dags has taking advantage of his opportunities given by the opposition. Dags doesnt seem to have a lock on a line but he is playing well individually and deserves to play.
THE PUZZLE:
Im not optimistic about Higgins contributing on the top 2 lines when he returns. Im not sure what BG and Carbo will do but Dags isnt going anywhere. There are going to be some guys sitting upstairs again and you know it wont be Higgins or A. Kost. A trade is inevitable because Lapierre, Begin, Tom the Bomb, Sergei, and Lats have earned the right to continue their good play. Something will have to give as the plate is full. A nice problem to have but some decisions need to be made.
WANTED: 1 MORE GOAL PER GAME!
Even with all cylinders pumping we are still short a game changer. A player who will bury the puck to get a team going, to score a tieing or winning goal when needed. We are losing or winning by 1 goal far to regularily. We dont have a top 10 goal scorer and to win more games BG is going to have to get one especially in the playoffs. It will cost him a lot but the longer he waits the more expensive it will get. At some point he has to decide whether to gamble on going all the way this year or continue to be a top 10 team with the hope of a good playoff run. The cake is great but a little more sugar in the icing is needed.
MERRY CHRISTMAS HABLAND!
Submitted by ClaytonM on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 12:12.
It's all starting to come together for Montreal. Kovalev has broken out of his slump, Komisarek is back and will be 100% come Saturday, Price and Koivu as well. Our back-up goalie needs some polishing but won't be the reason we lose a game when Price needs a rest. Markov & Hamrlik are starting to lead again, joining the rushes. Gorges is stepping up to the #4 D-man role. All of our "plumbers" are getting scoring chances as a bonus due to their hard work - I put Lats in this category, and while he'll never be the "best natural goal scorer" on the team, he makes up for it when he throws his weight around. Keep it up, Gui. It's only a matter of Plekanec getting his scoring touch back and Higgins to start using his speed again, and we've got a team firing on all cylinders.
Submitted by likehoy on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 12:07.
tanguay is such a quiet contributor...he gets a lot of assists out of nowhere.
d'agostini has to snap back to reality. the last couple of games i've noticed that he likes to handle the puck more and more...and finally it resulted in a bad turnover. He's still scoring which is great, but he's gotta stop thinking he's alex kovalev out there otherwise it'll become a liability.
also if the puck crosses the line, net dislodged or not, it should STILL be a goal even if it's a fraction of a second too late...we're getting way too many of those disallowed. BG should bring this up at the next GM's meeting.
Submitted by J.T. on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 12:02.
I've long said the stupidest rule in hockey is the over-the-glass delay of game call. I think I understand the rationale behind it better now though. If the puck is over the glass, accidentally or not, it's a penalty because the refs can't be trusted to interpret intent and make a judgement call.
As an example of what happens when the referee's interpretation of events enters the game, look at the delayed penalty call last night, and Latendresse's disallowed goal. Now, the rules clearly state that the referee should blow the whistle when the offending team has *possession* of the puck. Not that he should stop the play when the puck hits the opposing goaltender on its way into the net. That completely defeats the purpose of the delayed penalty altogether. A delayed penalty is supposed to make sure the team that's been fouled doesn't lose a scoring opportunity. So what did they do last night? Not only caused the team to miss a scoring opportunity, but took away an actual Canadiens GOAL in a bumbling attempt to penalize the 'Canes. Where is the logic in that? Shouldn't the offended team have the opportunity to say, "No thanks. We don't need the PP, we'll just take the TYING GOAL instead?" Last night the Habs were lucky they actully scored on the ensuing PP. I remember the same thing happening to them against Washington two years ago, and in that case they didn't score on the PP, the momentum turned and Washington beat them to kick off a three-game losing streak and a lousy January that cost them the playoffs.
The fact that "puck possession" is open to interpretation means the refs will get it wrong, which leads to situations in which a Habs goal is disallowed while a Carolina goal, on the exact same play, stands as the winner. So, while I still hate the DOG penalty for shooting over the glass, at least there's no interpretation and the refs can't screw it up.
I don't normally bitch about the refs because I think every team gets screwed by them at some point, so it evens out. But it's one thing to suck it up in the case of borderline penalty calls. It's quite another to have a game taken away because the ref is whistle-happy on one end and not the other, or because his interpretation of the rules differs from play to play.
Players can control some things, like giving the refs no excuses to call stick fouls, roughing penalties or goalie interference. But how can a player defend against a ref who arbitrarily blows a play dead when the puck is going in the net? If this inconsistency is a consequence of the two-ref system, I think the league must look for solutions before it costs some team a playoff spot, or a playoff round...or a Cup.
http://habsloyalist.blogspot.com
Submitted by showey47 on Tue, 12/23/2008 - 20:28.
I agree with your comment that the over the glass rule is the dumbest rule in hockey. If shooting the puck over the glass is considered a delay of game.Then why isn't icing a penalty as well, since it is much more an intentional delay of game then shooting the puck over the glass is. I guess the rule will not be changed until a game 7 of the stanley cup finals in double over time is decided by a penalty call by shooting the puck over the glass. Even worse a 5 on 3 because while killing the first penalty, a player accidently shoots it over a second time as well. I agree, the rule is a joke.
Submitted by Chris on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 13:01.
To be fair, Montreal benefitted from the same type of call earlier this season when a goal was called back because the ref blew the whistle after Roman Hamrlik touched the puck, although he never obtained possession. It is a moot point since Montreal scored on the ensuing power play, so I don't know that we can argue that the game was won or lost on that call.
The Habs lost last night because they were not the better team. Period. If they want to win these games, showing up for more than 10-20 minutes per game might be the first place to try to improve. Outside of the muckers (Latendresse, Lapierre, Kostopoulos and Begin) the rest of the team decided they could sleep-walk through most of the game against Carolina.
Submitted by krob1000 on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 13:09.
To be fair....a mistake..I can live with that...what about the whistle blowing prematurely on the other goal though. Then consider that there was a delayed penalty on the OT goal as well...Price touched the puck and no whistle was blown ...same situation on the same night..there has to be some consitency. Personally I think they all should have been goals...although if ours had counted the game never would have got to the point where they scored theirs.
BOONE OR STUBBS GET THIS IDEA TO THE POWERS THAT BE
A suggestion on delayed penalties to not penalize the attacking team and take the discretion out of the officials hands....and to help deter infractions and open the game would be forcing the defending team to get the puck out of their zone before the play is stopped.....touching or possesion??? does that really do the trick....the NHL is missing out on the exciting and frantic action that often follows an infraction that is taken out of desperation. I suggested this years ago and I am not sure why it never gets considered. Does it not make sense for a league that wants more goals, excitement ...it also eliminates the discretionary crap calls and non calls. It would give teams a longer aopportunity at 6 on 5 (in the offensive zone) which is always eciting despite the crowding....it usually results in pucks being thrown into traffic in front and leads to some pretty crazy goalmouth scrambles. Anyone agree??
Submitted by Chris on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 13:21.
If Latendresse's goal had counted, there would not have been the ensuing power play so there is no guarantee that Lang scores. The game is still 3-3, but Montreal no longer has a power play to take the lead.
The whistle is almost never blown when the puck touches the goalie on a delayed penalty, otherwise you would NEVER see a rebound goal in that situation. Unless the goaltender has possession, the play goes on. I know that the rule also applies to the skaters, but this season the refs have been looking to blow the whistle as soon as a defending player touches the puck. I don't agree with it, but like I said, we benefitted earlier in the season so that is the even-up call.
As for your suggestion, I actually like that quite a bit. I think it would add a bit of excitement to the game, and could introduce some more scoring.
Submitted by ClaytonM on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 12:27.
The answer is too simple, meaning Bettman and the league will never see how to fix the problem. If they go back to the 1 ref system with a few modifications, then good things start happening
1) More ice space, less pucks tangled up in the corners in ref skates
2) A consistently officiated game instead of 1 ref calling everything and one not seeing anything
If they are concerned about players' health, then either allow the linesmen to call major penalties, or those that look like there was an intent to injure, and put some of the power in the hands of officials not on the ice. We all saw Koivu get a stick in the eye, but 2 refs missed it. And yet they're filming the games in HD. Is this complicated?
Submitted by Chris L on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 11:51.
I think the team's biggest flaw is that they don't come to the rink mentally prepared for every game. They come with the mindset of playing at the perceived level of their opponent. Their best games to date have been wins vs. Ottawa, Detroit, NY Rangers, and most recently Philly. All these wins followed weak efforts against lesser opponents and people feared the wheels were about to come off.
In the victories, they have outhustled their opponents and received many penalties from the opposition for hooking, slashing, reaching, etc because the Habs were outworking them and winning the small battles. In the losses, the exact opposite has happened and the Habs have been the victims.
The game vs. Tampa seemed to most frustrating - they came out flying, took an early lead and made it look easy. Then they thought they were in for a cake walk, turned the jets off, and proceeded to see the Lightning skate thru them the rest of the evening.
I think when the stakes are raised and its win or go home, they'll be in a good spot.
Submitted by Keith on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 11:40.
Well it definately looks like Christmas here in Freddy Beach today with the 45cm of snow we just got dumped on us last night and this morning. Hey it allowed me an extra day home so I can't complain.
But I can complain about the officiating since no one on the Canadiens or covering the NHL like CJAD, RDS or any other media outlet is allowed to. what I witnessed last night was another farce job of officiating. Two disallowed goals? As Boone would say,"Gimme a F*&^ing Break!" Why is it when we play these guys does every infraction we commit get called, whereas anything they do NOT get called? Please explain that one Mr. Walkom or better yet you explain it to me Mr. Buttman? Granted the team could have played better, but two quick whistles, two disallowed goals, and one delayed whistle equals one OT game winner for the Candy-a$$ed Canes. NO justice in that IMO.
The best part of that game for me last night was the jeering the fans gave the officials at the end , AND kudos to the fan who doused the official with the beer at the end of the game. There, I've vented, feel better now.
To everyone at HIO and all my fellow Hab fans...MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Hope the season brings you joy and happiness and the Hab's win the Stanley Cup in June. Cheers!!!
Submitted by Gr8stFranchizEvr on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 10:57.
Sorry in advance for a lengthy post... especially Yeats!
Last night was a decent game--not a great one, not a terrible one. Mtl. has had its share of misery against the trap. They thrive when the neutral zone has more space. Coach Carbo and co. have their work cut out for them for the next few months. They need a solution or at least a way to get through the neutral zone with more momentum than a boat trying to sail with its anchor dragging the bottom.
The officiating last night was stroke inducing! I still don't understand how it came to be that Mtl had a goal disallowed because there was an impending penalty that killed the play when Carolina's goalie touched the puck, but when the same scenario took place in OT after Price touched the puck a goal was allowed. Gainey has to call the league on that one!
Pleks has to find his game. Poor guy works his tail off without much payoff.
I don't have much hope that Higgins will make an impact upon his return. I think he'll be traded in a package deal for an impact player-- forward or defense. Then again, maybe Pleks will end up in that package?
Koivu is sorely missed. Perhaps more for his on-ice skill than leadership. Nevertheless, he contributes every game and is Tanguay's yang... or ying--you get what I'm saying! Andrei will also help the team in a big way when he returns.
Price's first game back was average with the exception of a couple of really nice saves like the one in the 3rd on LaRose. Rest assured he'll be back in top form soon. But, he was pitiful on the OT goal. That same play with Halak in net would've brought out the anti-Halak posters in droves. Speaking of Halak, he's a top-five backup in this league and could be a starter for some teams.
As far as the D goes, good and even better with Komi's return. Markov's been average. Hammer, Gorges, and Komi have been exceptional. Bouillon is a regular workhorse, but really a 6th D. And, although Breezer has had some decent games this fall, he needs to be a spare not a regular. Gainey has to find another sound D-man for the stretch run. OB won't be ready--another year or two and he'll be in fine form.
Kovy... well, I like his play over the last few games. But will Gainey re-sign him? Perhaps with a pay cut or for a short-term contract.
Tanguay needs to stay awhile. I hope he does. He's one of the best playmakers in the league and has the hands to score 25-30 goals per season.
Maybe, maybe, maybe Gui has found his role. It seems everyone else knew what he had to do for the team, but I think he's just realizing it and beginning to get comfortable playing that style. I'm cautiously optimistic...
As much as I hate seeing Staal celebrate goals like he's just won game 7 of the finals in OT, this kid is big, strong and quite good. We need a forward like that.
D'Agostini, barring some crazy slump, will win the Habs' scoring race. He'll score about 40 at this pace. He's effective all over the ice and considering he's a call-up, he hasn't made many mistakes. Keep him and sign him, Bob!
Finally, what team wouldn't want Mtl.'s gritty, in-your-face 4th line. They're like energizer bunnies on steroids! Maxime just needs to keep his emotions in check.
That's my holiday report and I'm sticking with it.
Merry Christmas HIO family!
Submitted by santeri on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 12:52.
Just one nitpick: I really wouldn't count Tanguay among the best playmakers of the league. Those are the likes of Malkin (on pace for 100+ assists), Sindy, Datsyuk, Thornton, and Savard. Guys who make pylons 40 goal scorers, not someone on pace for 67 points.
Submitted by Gr8stFranchizEvr on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 15:03.
point taken.
but, in his defense, he's had 50+ assists in 4 of his last 8 seasons. In addition, he's scored about 80 points in 3 of his last 4 NHL seasons. He also has an amazing shooting percentage at around 20%. So, IMO, while he's not a "superstar" like Malkin, he's up there with some of the best.
Submitted by Ian Cobb on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 10:49.
Good morning HIO Community. And may I take this time to wish all of you a very merry Christmas, and thanks for your friendship over this past year.
Now here is my report on how the team compares in the 30 team league this week.
Goals Against--86- We are in 8th place, tied with Vancouver. Last week we were in 6th place.
Total Points---42- We are in 8th place, Last week we were in 6th place.
Goals For------98- We are in 10th place, Last week we were in 12th place.
Not to shabby out of 30 teams. Now in the new year, can we put it all together to become an elite team so we can make a large noise in the play offs.???
Have a good time my friends and HIO family.!!
IAN
Submitted by CHsam on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 11:45.
Just to be Grinchy, mind giving us the Boston stats ?
Submitted by howtathor on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 10:40.
Funny how teams can go from champs to chumps in such a short period of time. Can they really miss Cory Stillman and Mike Commodore that much???
Submitted by Gormdog on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 15:07.
But if we can't beat the chumps... What does that make us? Chimps?
Submitted by howtathor on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 10:37.
My Carolina moment was Matt Cullen's blast off of Craig Rivet's stick to end the Hab's playoff hopes and send Carolina on to win the cup. Even a blind squirrel finds nuts once in awhile! You might say it ended when Koivu went down and rightly so but I never gave up hope. I can hear the posts ringing in my ears and Huet's incredulous look...Doing...doing...doing...over!
Submitted by habsfanjay on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 21:13.
Actually, I believe that was Cory Stillman who scored that horrible OT winner.... nonetheless it still pisses me off to this day.
Submitted by doug on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 10:30.
Happy Hannukah, Mike... And thanks for all that you do for us on here!
Submitted by doug on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 10:30.
Happy Hannukah, Mike... And thanks for all that you do for us on here!
Submitted by JF on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 10:29.
I was disappointed by the effort last night. I had expected the team to come out sizzling after the abysmal officiating in the previous match-up, which denied them a goal, assessed them a couple of phantom penalties and missed obvious ones on the Canes. As it was, they played a decent game but were not as good as Carolina. The fire was missing.
Again last night the officiating was horrible. I get so angry watching what goes on out there that I feel like smashing the television screen. And I nearly have a heart-attack watching ex-Habs waltz into our zone and score.
Oh well... it's Christmas. We can all relax for a few days and take a breather from our obsession. A very happy holiday to everyone who works or posts on this site.
Submitted by Habsrule1 on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 10:29.
Habs played ok, but not as well as I had hoped. I was thinking a thrashing of the Canes was in order.
Although, with a decent reffing job, and an unrusted Price, we would have won 3-1. Price was a little weak on the first & third goals (first due to the huge rebound, and third...well, it went through the 5-hole).
Other than that, I loved how Lats played. I think giving up on a 21 year old like many fans here have suggested, would be crazy. He has some huge upsides, and we have to be patient.
I like Lang. Some think he's too slow, but I think he uses what speed he has well, and more importantly, he's always in position to create chances.
Brisebois is, at the moment, our best offensive defenseman. He has that outlet pass down pat, and he has a very accurate shot...and he actually uses it. More often than not, when he has the puck in the offensive zone, he actually shoots it, which often leads to a deflection or a rebound. This guy's a steal at his salary. We even see him pep-talking the younger guys on the bench.
D'Agostini....wow. This kid has a nose for the net. I'm thinking he can go ahead and buy a house in Montreal. Ok...maybe premature, but I love what I see so far.
I think the Habs are about to hit their stride. When Saku gets back, I think we're going to make a very good run towards the top of the east. I'll be happy if we finish fourth, and turn it up even more in the playoffs.
It's all about timing and momentum. We just need to get better consistently, like we are on the PP. The whole team needs to rise up every game, and bring that work ethic into the playoffs!
I believe!
Go Habs Go!!
"I can't hear what Jeremy(Roenick) is saying because my Stanley Cup rings are in my ears" - Patrick Roy
Habsrule
Submitted by Blitzen on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 09:57.
Guys have to begin to work hard from the drop of the puck. Not sure how many lessons about that fact they'll need to get it but they've already had several.
Refereeing was absolutely horrible last night. As soon as Ward got close to the puck, referees would blow the whistle. There was one instance where the puck was under Price's pads - no way the refs could see it - and no one blew the whistle. In OT, SKoz was tripped along the boards: no call. Just before the game winning goal, the referee was calling a Habs penalty - why again wasn't their goal disallowed when Price touched the puck like ours was when Ward touched the puck? Refs in this league have zero accountability.
_____________________________________________________
Mad Pax...Beyond Powerdome
Submitted by Chris on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 13:29.
The play was blown dead because Matt Cullen touched the puck, not because Cam Ward made the save. Cullen did not have control, so it shouldn't have been blown dead, but those are the breaks. If the Habs show up for more than 20 minutes, they are not in the situation where the refs can control the outcome.
Submitted by Habsrule1 on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 13:45.
They played a decent game, but they should have dominated more. This was far from our worst game, but I expected more. Time to recharge and dominate in the new year!
Go Habs Go!!
"I can't hear what Jeremy(Roenick) is saying because my Stanley Cup rings are in my ears" - Patrick Roy
Habsrule
Submitted by Chris on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 14:34.
I agree that they played decently. Montreal somehow has to find a way to manage their focus through every game if they want to be an elite team. We know they can play with and beat the elite teams...the maddening part is that we also know they can also play down and lose to the cellar dwellers.
Submitted by Habsrule1 on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 15:08.
Absolutely agree.
Nothing worse than knowing they can win a game, and then watching them lay an egg. If they can play the way they did against Calgary, Detroit and NYR just 70% of the time, we would not lose very many games.
I think it's just the way it goes in sports sometimes. I just hope we peak at the right time.
Go Habs Go!!
"I can't hear what Jeremy(Roenick) is saying because my Stanley Cup rings are in my ears" - Patrick Roy
Habsrule
Submitted by sadave on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 09:47.
Two gifts I want from Santa:
1. Play complete games. 60 minutes, Boys.
2. Don't let the other team cross into our zone so easily.
Make that three things I want from Santa:
3. Best Holiday wishes to everyone here at HIO!!
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