Ya gotta believe!

posted by Mike Boone at 12h10 EST on Nov 1


Luc Gelinas to Tomas Plekanec: Did Guy Carbonneau say something special after the second period?

Pleks: Yeah, you don't want to hear that.

What is it with games against New York Teams?

After 40 minutes, the Canadiens trailed 4-1 and were dead in the water.

After 60 minutes, they had another W.

Four unanswered goals in the third period. A 16-4 advantage in shots.

Tomas Plekanec had two, followed by Christopher Higgins and Alex Kovalev with the winner (his second of the game).

He had only one assist on the scoresheet, but the work Saku Koivu did on the typing goal was superhuman. 


J.T. on the third:


-Plekanec! Kovalev! Kostitsyn! Welcome back, boys!

-Kovy bleeds and the Habs win. Strange, but true.

-I'm not sure I like a twenty-minute win. Makes the boys think they're invincible.

-Chris Higgins is alive. Wow. I thought he was like Bigfoot...legendary, but rarely seen...until tonight.

-Price's stats took a hit, but he came up big in the last minute when he really needed it.

-I guess that's why Yann Danis couldn't beat Halak for a job.

-I've got to keep some baby aspirin in the house for games like this. The heart rhythm is only coming back to remotely normal about now.

-So, will this game end up on the DVD of the top ten games of the next 100 years? Mmm...maybe not.

-At least I'll be able to sleep without visions of Mark Streit on the PP dancing in my head for the next five days.

3P 00:00:

You gotta believe!

00:35:

And of course, Price makes an enormous save ... on his secodn shot of the period

3P 1:00:

I can't blog. I'm in shock.

3P 3:00:

Higgins is playing like his new beard is on fire

3P 4:41:

Pleks does a Gretzky behind the net, back to Markov

5-4

This is the Rangers game all over again 

3P 5:54:

Koivu plays his best shift of the season, and Higgins ties it up

Unreal

4-4 

3P 7:50:

Higgins with Lapierre and Bégin

3P 8:25:

Shots are 27-27

Crazy game 

3P Break:

Shots are 9-0. Islanders are falling apart.

3P 10:05:

ANDREI KOSTITSYN IS BACK!

And so's Tomas Plekanec 

4-3 

3P 10:30:

Crap shift for Lang line

3P Break:

Probably too little too late, but salvaging some dignity here would be nice

3P Islanders timeout:

Getting nervous?

3P 12:12:

FINALLY!

Kovalev works his ass off and Plekanec cashes a rebound

4-2 

3P 13:40:

Lang, Koivu and Higgins on first wave. Can't win a puck battle in corner. Koivu flattens Sutton. Streit high-sticks Kovalev. No penalty. At least the guys are playing angry.

3P 16:00:

Even the line changes are brutal

3P 16:30:

The brothers with Lapierre

3P 00:00:

Gui! on the first wave of the PP, with Kovy and Pleks No Kostistyns17:20

3P 19:59:

Higgins with Koivu and Tanguay.

3P 20:00:

Faceoffs: Lang 0-7, Plekanec 4-8, Lapierre 2-6

Pathetic 

Tomas Vanek:

Wow! 11 goals already

J.T. on the second period:


-It's the retro jerseys. The Isles think they're Bossy, Trottier and the gang.

-Hmmm...maybe the old "We'll miss Streit as much as Souray" thing is a little bit off the mark. (Pun not intended...seriously...it just came out that way.)

-Laraque's attempt to fight some life into the team was about as effective as CPR on a mannequin.

-I wish I could hire the Habs as my personal shoppers. If they make the Isles look this good, they'd make me look like a movie star.

-Carbo's going to have to break out the black leather and the riding crop. The boys are crying for some discipline. Especially since they appear to have left the PK and all sense of defense behind in Minnesota.

-Those were the days, my friend, we thought they'd never end...remember when Higgins used to play well on the Island and the Habs' PP used to score? Ahhh...memories.

-You can't hang this one on the Curse of the French Goalie. The Habs just suck. Although, maybe that's part of the curse...sneaky!

-Twenty minutes to make it respectable. I'm not expecting miracles. The Islanders are working hard, and our team appears to be the NHL equivalent of trust-fund babies.

Joël Bouchard and the telestrator:

GREAT analysis. What an addition this guy is for RDS.

2P 2:22:

Another Kovalev turnover. I'm losing count

2P 3:17:

Tanguay turnover, bad line change, Nielsen left all alone

4-1

 

2P 4:14:

Against a Comrie forecheck, O'Byrne has to do better than ice the puck coming out of the corner. He's awful

2P 5:20:

Kovalev on fourth line out of the break

2P Break:

Second wave PP was terrific. And Koivu had an open net. So they're not dead yet. But Kovalev ... ouf! Pas bon.

2P 7:43:

First Islanders' minor of the game

2P Break:

Islanders are just dominating. It's scary ... and inexplicable. When does the wake-up call sound?

2P 10:20:

Streit pinches, gets caught and all the blue shirts get back

2P 10:50:

Kovy misses an open net. It's not his net

2P 11:00:

Very significant: Islanders are taking no penalties because they don't have to. Shots are 22-1

2P Break:

The announcers are very astute. Houde said look at the space between Canadiens forwards and defencemen. ZERO puck support

2P 13:00:

AK46 can't beat Richard Park?

2P 14:00:

Decent PK. I'm grasping at straws

2P 16:20:

Great shift for Gui! But Kovy stays on forever and takes a penalty.

Brutal 

2P 18:00:

Remember when Carbo used to say he didn't believe in that kind of hockey?

2P 18:20:

Tic-tac-toe

Huter to Weight to Guerin.

They look like the islanders dynasty. Pathetic

3-1 

2P 19:00:

Another Islanders PP. Canadiens are stuporous

2P 19:30:

Terrible start to the period. They're in a fog

2P 19:50:

Islanders had a 12-6 advantage in hits.

2P 20:00:

What's with the wet ice?

2P 20:00:

Surely they can pressure that NYI D. When Streit has to play 26 minutes a game ... c'mon. Get serious

J.T. on the first period:


-Nice to see some of Plekanec's hard work pay off with a beauty set-up on the first goal. And I'm sure I saw that Kovalev shot in a DVD somewhere...

-The team seems so close this year, I think they need to punish themselves when it comes to stupid penalties. They should have a "dumbass play of the night" hat or something. I bet you'd see them play smarter if they had to wear that in the room after the game.

-Okay, good to have the Streit revenge over with early. The Danis revenge I'm more worried about. I wonder how much they have on the table for their team to win this tonight?

-With the lousy schedule the way it is, I really hope the Habs win though. I don't want the bitter taste of Isles in my mouth for the next week.

-You could feel the cottony softness of the second Isles goal.

-If Laraque was a train, he'd be the opposite of an express. He'd be the freight that runs over pickups on the tracks.

-Anyone have a recent photo of Sergei Kostitsyn? The milk carton people need it.

-I'm still waiting for the dominance. What the hell happened to the dominance? They promised!

1P 00:00:

Good PK ends a bad period

1P 2:17:

Gui! had to hook that guy, or it's a scoring chance

1P 3:00:

Islanders winning battles in the neutral zone. Shots are 12-8 for the home team

1P 5:00:

Brunet says Canadiens are trying to make perfect plays in the offensive zone

1P Break:

Hunter gets a great chance that handcuffs Price. The Islanders are playing with confidence and the Habs are stumbling around.

1P Break:

Streit pinches then gets back to get the puck in the corner. And no one puts a body on him?

1P 7:33:

That was pathetic. Jon Sim, deflected by O'Byrne

2-1 

1P 8:00:

Koivu in alone off some good forechecking

1P 9:20:

BGL moves in slo-mo

1P Break:

Islanders won't roll over. Canadiens will have to work harder than they expected

1P 10:00:

O'B is playing with some fire

1P 11:45:

Tanguay is so slick with the puck

1P 14:00:

Sutton nearly made it 2-1. Thisis a lousy start

1P 14:27:

And now a bad icing. Not a good shift for Kovy

1P 15:00:

Did Kovy think he was going to complete that cross-ice pass?

1P 16:13:

Hey, we remember that guy!

Just inside the post.

1-1 

1P 17:21:

Uh-oh. Markov penalized. Best PK guy

1P 17:57:

Tomas Plekanec lives!

Great feed to Kovalev

1-0 

1P 19:30:

Islanders aggressively forechecking

October points:

15 last season, 15 this season. But Canadiens had played two more games a year ago.

GAA:

Mike Smith in TB: 2.11 on a crap team

Markov-Komo:

Best pair in the East .. and maybe in the league

Retired Islanders numbers:

Was that a great team or what? I liked them more than the Oilers.

Trap game?:

Could be. On paper, it's a gimme.

O'Byrne:

Watch the zone clearances and puck handling. That's his major problem. As for Sergei, Bouchard says "Intensity, intensity, itensity."

The coach:

I love Carbo. A very intelligent man.

Bergeron and Morissette:

Think BGL needs the work. He played 60 to 70 games in Phoenix and Edmonton

Eric Hoziel:

My first, but not last, spelling mistake tonight

Eric Doziel:

Remembers the magic that was Guy Lafleur

DiPietro:

Out four to six weeks. The dangers of that crazy contract.

Saku Koivu:

RDS guys didn't say it, but a significant stat: only one penalty this season

Tomas Plekanec:

Stats aren't the whole story, says Benôit Brunet. The guy is working and effective in all three zones. RDS shows a neat takeaway on the PK

60 Minutes it isn't ... but it seems longer:

Luc Gélinas interviewing Andrei Markov.

Yann Danis:

Bouchard likes him. And he could be playing for the number one job tonight, because DiPietro is an occasionally-walking hospital ward

Valentenko:

$65,000 in Hamilton. $400,000 in Russia. Any questions? Factor in that the kid supports his family back home. Joël Bouchard doesn't consider him a "super prospect"

This is great:

if you understand French. The guys at Montreal radio station CKOI spoof Sarah Palin:

http://snipurl.com/4wtkg 

So wierd:

Two straight Saturdays with the Canadiens on the road

StumbleUpon
Tags:

Comments

123456789next ›last »
SlovakHab's picture
Submitted by SlovakHab on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 07:18.
"I can't blog. I'm in shock." :D that's so funny!

howtathor's picture
Submitted by howtathor on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 05:53.
I really feel bad for Streit. He's got that cannonading drive and can hit the net. He's saddled so much responsibility now. I know he wanted to play defence but did he want to become Andre Markov? Maybe, time will tell. He has such a p*** poor team, with no goalie, a psychotic owner (how do these guys make money and I don't?) and he's "the man"! Careful what you wish for! I'm sure we could have kept him had we given him a modest raise and promised that he could play D full time. He would be great on the PP. Yup, I think we've run out of Sourays. Streit did a commendable job last year filling in for Shelly on the PP but Marky for all his blessed skills lacks a drive of cannonading velocity. Maybe Webber but that might take a year of seasoning. Valentenko had an awesome shot but he now plies his trade in the KHL. Subban is maybe two years away. I've always liked Beauchemin in Anaheim. I wonder what it would take to get him. Or Marc-Andre Bergeron? All I can say is I'd like to see Markov back on the left playing qb and Tanguay down low where his is most dangerous. He's the Kovy of the second unit but he's expected to the be the Markov of the first unit. Oh yeah, and what's up with the Leafs? Should be quite the game next Saturday. Those ACC people will get their $$$$$$ worth!

Chris's picture
Submitted by Chris on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 06:58.
I don't think a lack of shot is Markov's issue...he just does not have the same accuracy as Streit or Souray on the slapshot. Since he's more effective on the left point than just about anybody else on the planet, it makes sense to put someone else there. At least we know that both Weber and Subban also have cannons from the point. :)

Glorious CH's picture
Submitted by Glorious CH on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 23:53.
nothing to celebrate here tonight, we bet a lousy team by the skin of our teeth.

RetroMikey's picture
Submitted by RetroMikey on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 10:06.
I have to agree. "We will win the Cup only with Carey Price in the nets"

Chuck's picture
Submitted by Chuck on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 12:37.
Two points are two points. Be glad to get 'em. __________________________________

likehoy's picture
Submitted by likehoy on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 23:34.
interesting stat...we're still first in the east in GA and second in the league...even though we let in 4 tonight. another interesting stat...we're tied with, yes you guessed it, tampa bay for GA.

Number31's picture
Submitted by Number31 on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 03:53.
One thing to mention here, I thought he might pull Price to send a message to the rest of the team to step up and stop relying on the backend. However I'm glad he didn't pull him. Frankly letting in 4 out of 26 by the 2nd period with many powerplays? Well, that's a gameload right there. Not smart to pull him unless it's mutually decided. Halak was pulled in the Ducks game because it was 4 out of 12. If you want to see a team completely guilty of also relying on their goalie and being outworked yet still winning and struggling in a win against a weaker team... You should have seen the Flames/Kings game...

G-Man's picture
Submitted by G-Man on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 23:22.
What a comeback after 2 periods of out of sync hockey. Cudos to les boys for getting it together in the third. I think 5 days of practices may cure what ails them, although 8-1-1 is a damned good start. Glad Pleks, Kovy and AK46 got rewarded for all those chances they were missing earlier in the season. Time for the trade speculation to begin; there's too many empty nights before the next game. :) Gilbert 2008/09 is the season of the Habs

Submitted by HabsFanFromLI on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 23:00.
I've been going to Islanders/Canadiens games at the Nassau Coliseum for 30 years, and I've never seen so many Habs fans in that building. The place was going absolutely nuts as the Habs were mounting their comeback. It sounded like the game was being played at the Bell Centre. I'm now hoarse from Ole'ing too much.

likehoy's picture
Submitted by likehoy on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 23:02.
this is one of the few times you see kovy actually playing like he cares...but he made too many errant passes...lucky enough it worked out in the end! andrei K, what hands! and joel bouchard was right...the islanders aren't used to winning and they didn't win. oh ya and you've gotta love how talented our team is...we've shown that we can turn it on in the last period and come out with the win (philly and NYI now)

fun police's picture
Submitted by fun police on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 23:22.
i think your wrong on kovy, he tries to make things happen so he makes those errant passes. just because a person, for example tom the bomb, skates around and hits everyone and falls down, does that show he cares more. that's the type of player he is. kovy is a highly skilled offensive player and on most nights, he is the best player on the ice bar none. i think you are off a little on what it looks like when someone "cares" or not. not caring is malakhov skiing at tremblant when he should have been playing, but i guess you know what not caring looks like better than i do.

likehoy's picture
Submitted by likehoy on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 23:32.
okay you're right, kovy cares every night, but he turned up his care level another notch tonight. He turned it up to almost koivu level. When the team's in a pinch, there's no player like Koivu when it comes to taking it to another level and it's refreshing to see kovy at that level. he's had some shifts close to two minutes the last two games. and errant passes can kill, albeit he was trying to make things happen, but it can be frustrating watching these passes fly into the opposition...too many interceptions...it seemed like just one of those nights, if we didn't win...kovy's giveaways would have been highlighted a little more.

fun police's picture
Submitted by fun police on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 12:44.
would you rather him turn into a one dimensional dump and chase player or is he getting paid because he can stickhandle in a phone booth. i'm not saying kovy is gretzky, but gretzky had a give away problem, but he was what he was. kovy will make a couple of bad passes but he will also drop your jaw in awe a few times a night and be the difference.

TC's picture
Submitted by TC on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 22:26.
Random Thought's about tonight's game from the Hockey News Canadiens Blog: Habs Complete Improbable Comeback, Stun Islanders 5-4 http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/19420-Canadiens-Blog-Habs-complete... T.C. tc.denault@habsworld.net

howtathor's picture
Submitted by howtathor on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 03:09.
The Sim goal was not so much a whiff as it was deflected by O'byrne's stick.

Submitted by jimbo on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 08:27.
A *** shot from that far out is a whiff.

Submitted by rswinter (not verified) on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:56.
MSG commentators said it best "you had a far superior Montreal team that thought they could sleep for 40 mins and a New York team that didn't know how to handle such a big lead" The 3rd period makes a lot more sense when you hear that GO HABS GO ... 8 - 1 - 1 makes for the best record in the NHL

linp's picture
Submitted by linp on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:53.
One observation: If Kovy gets mad during the game, he plays much better. Our #1 line also plays much better. Our whole team also plays much better.

Chris's picture
Submitted by Chris on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:57.
If Kovy gets mad, he either plays much better or becomes a seek-and-destroy machine on the ice...ask Darcy Tucker. :)

TOEmastro's picture
Submitted by TOEmastro on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 22:05.
I still remember where I was on that day: I was at a pub, the place went silent when it happened. What broke the silence was someone yelling out " Who hownes the Cheifs?" great times

Submitted by sportsfreak_39 on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 23:05.
I was at that game. Good times :)

usversusthem's picture
Submitted by usversusthem on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 22:08.
more like who owns the leafs amirite?

TOEmastro's picture
Submitted by TOEmastro on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 22:18.
yeah, but everyone caught the reference in hindsight, that would have been hilarious

Submitted by Wencz on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:52.
There's no doubt about the talent on this team... when they decide to show up that is. Is it me or did Kovy coast for two periods (how many give-aways?) and then just decide to take over. Scary. The only thing that should concern people is this team's commitment to playing night in and night out against every team. If they can develop a winning attitude we're in for a hell of run this year. That was exciting.

Submitted by Chris Nilan on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:50.
Isles' coach's press conference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_HHLfIunG0

Submitted by HabFab on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:55.
Oh yeah...put the cat in the hat!!!

Submitted by HabFab on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:46.
O'Byrne can be sent to Hamilton without clearing waivers.He has less then 160 games and is only in his third year as a pro.To those asking, the question about whether he has a 1 way or 2 way contract has nothing to do with waivers.It does has to do with what the Habs would have to pay him in Hamilton.I would be surprised if he had he didn't have a 2 way contract considering his age and years as a pro.So can Sergei if needed to get his head back into it.

Chris's picture
Submitted by Chris on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:56.
You are mostly correct...just looked up the rules. O'Byrne is exempt from waivers. However, there is a situation where a two-way contract can come into play for re-entry waivers, but there are very few NHL players that it applies to.

Submitted by HabFab on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 22:02.
Yeah ,some veterans but that is for re-entry waiver which is different then waiver BUT we could go on all night.Glad you checked it out,like to see others suffer through that document.

Submitted by Chris Nilan on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:45.
Damn good thing we didn't trade the whole team after the second period tonight.

Willy the bum's picture
Submitted by Willy the bum on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:41.
Don't forget, J.T. END OF 3P: Coach Carbo with a tiny grin on his proud face... gotta love that! ---------- "We all wore the same costume as Maurice Richard did; the red-white-and-blue costume of the Montréal Canadiens, the best hockey team in the world." - Roch Carrier

J.T.'s picture
Submitted by J.T. on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:47.
I didn't forget. I just thought it was a little jinxy to mention that. Don't want to get cocky on a night when the team played twenty minutes and still won. http://habsloyalist.blogspot.com

Willy the bum's picture
Submitted by Willy the bum on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:56.
Yeah, so do I, but hey... The Habs sure know how to get the fans pumping! :D ---------- "We all wore the same costume as Maurice Richard did; the red-white-and-blue costume of the Montréal Canadiens, the best hockey team in the world." - Roch Carrier

TOEmastro's picture
Submitted by TOEmastro on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:36.
that was.... cool?

Wonger63's picture
Submitted by Wonger63 on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:35.
I saw laraque had 40 seconds of pp time. Was that to stand in front of the net type of deal?

Mike Boone's picture
Submitted by Mike Boone on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:39.
Exactly

TOEmastro's picture
Submitted by TOEmastro on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:36.
when the team looked broken, we had to try SOMETHING

Ian Cobb's picture
Submitted by Ian Cobb on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:24.
OK, it looks like we only have to play 20 min a game, my mistake, I thought you played for 60 min. You know, maybe we are that good. Kovalev takes a cheap penalty and NY scores, he then gets nicked for a little blood and no call. He gets pisst and scores 2 and Pleks 2. This is a very different kind of team, good ,but I think they know how good they can be, sure hope it does not come back to bite them in the ***.

Submitted by HabFab on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:49.
Ian ,what are you putting in that "special spaghetti sauce" you are feeding PK ? Another 3 points tonight,makes 18 in 13 games.

Ian G Cobb's picture
Submitted by Ian G Cobb on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 22:03.
Hi Frank,he is having a fun year. He is a real cool kid, living his and his dads dream, and he is just so loose about life in general. He says he is going to be on the roster next year, but you and I both know that it takes a few years in the minors for a D to develop properly.

Submitted by HabFab on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 22:10.
Actually Ian ,I'm feeling that if anyone can, he can.I see Schneider here big time and if I remember correctly ,he spent little or no time in the minors.

Chris's picture
Submitted by Chris on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 22:16.
I am hoping that Gainey is able to re-sign both Bouillon and Komisarek, giving us five returning starters for next season. That would leave O'Byrne, Weber and Subban to duke it out for the 6th spot. I think Weber is the better all-around player right now, but we'll see how they each do this season. Mathieu Carle will also be in the mix.

Submitted by HabFab on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 22:23.
Yemelin's contract is up in Russia, and he is not coming over unless he plays in the big's so he is another to consider.He is defensive and physical playing a North American style.

caper_5's picture
Submitted by caper_5 on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:14.
I'm glad I picked 5 habs in my pool

Submitted by Timo (not verified) on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:13.
So has Boone outsourced the between period commentary to J.T. now? I am not complaining, I like her comments... Just wondering if Boone is slacking off :)

J.T.'s picture
Submitted by J.T. on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:35.
No one's talked to me about anything. I just post like everybody else. If there was outsourcing, I'd at least have someone pick up my bar tab, right? http://habsloyalist.blogspot.com

Mike Boone's picture
Submitted by Mike Boone on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:27.
Boone is trying out this approach, saving his own analysis for About last night ... But I reserve the right to jump back in to between-period analysis.

Mr.Hazard's picture
Submitted by Mr.Hazard on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 22:31.
Good trade. JT's comments are swell, and I always find myself looking forward to the About last night's from the moment a game ends. Ex nihilo nihil fit

Submitted by HabFab on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 22:25.
"Boone is..." ,still suffering with a fever??

Gr8stFranchizEvr's picture
Submitted by Gr8stFranchizEvr on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:29.
The MAN has spoken! LOL Don't mess with Boone.

caper_5's picture
Submitted by caper_5 on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:45.
Da Boone!

Xtrahabsfan's picture
Submitted by Xtrahabsfan on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:27.
Isn't that when his computer crashes?lol

twilighthours's picture
Submitted by twilighthours on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:25.
I thought J.T. was a he - that guy from NFLD who did the Gainey interview.

Ian Cobb's picture
Submitted by Ian Cobb on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:32.
He is a cross dresser from the rock, don't let them fool you , no women could know and be that sharp about hockey,!

caper_5's picture
Submitted by caper_5 on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:35.
Ya gotta love women from the rock!

caper_5's picture
Submitted by caper_5 on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:30.
Unless I need new specs and judging by her profile pic, I'd say she's a fox!! Pun intended, sorry couldn't resist.

Mike Boone's picture
Submitted by Mike Boone on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:28.
She's very much a She. Check the pic.

Submitted by Timo (not verified) on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:31.
Cute too.

Mike Boone's picture
Submitted by Mike Boone on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:40.
Easy there, big guy. Married woman. But WAY cute.

Submitted by HabFab on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:52.
Timo spent last week in Yellowknife ,he was trying to organize a group hug last night...a little uneasy here.

Gr8stFranchizEvr's picture
Submitted by Gr8stFranchizEvr on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:16.
my thoughts too

Gr8stFranchizEvr's picture
Submitted by Gr8stFranchizEvr on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:11.
Kovy interview. He says about coming back after not playing for 40 minutes, "because of the centennial year we want to make a lot of DVDs" ROFl!!!!

SlovakHab's picture
Submitted by SlovakHab on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:07.
- AK27 and AK46 +4 on the game - O'B needs some time in Hamilton for sure. He will struggle if we don't do something with him quick - BGL will have difficulty to hang on to the 4th line spot if he doesn't start skating faster - Noticed Lapierre standing next to the exit, cheering the boys as they were leaving the ice? What a team guy. - What's up with Sergei? - I am so happy for Tomas Plekanec. 2+2, and was one of the reasons why we came back - Danis is really not an NHL calibre goalie - Lang is OK but I will not mind Chipchura replacing him on the 3rd line next season.

doug's picture
Submitted by doug on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:45.
I came on to make my summary and you had the major points: 1. BGL nice to have around but kind of expensive for what you get 2. I agree with "where is Sergei" and "see you O'B" 3. Lang has indeed quieted down since the beginning; Tanguay also seemed invisible today. Lats seems coming down to earth as well. 4. PP needs a shot from the point badly. 5. Notwithstanding his goal, Higgins can be frustrating to watch because of his lack of finish. 6. Not pressing, but got to move Dandenault - no room for the guy. 7. Think we need to pick up a defenseman but given our record no rush on that. I would consider Weber for the PP and would want to try that earlier in the season. I feel like team is solid but am somehow uneasy about the way they're playing. . . their record is better than they've been playing lately. Can't put my finger on it but seem like they're missing something: I think it may be the lack of a lethal powerplay. In other news: 1. I was wrong about Ryder. . . I think he's done and won't burn us. 2. I was right about Ryan Malone - what a stupid signing by TB and I'm so glad Gainey showed restraint with the silly UFA prices in the off-season: reminds me of Martin Lapointe when he signed in Boston years ago. . . 3. I like Streit a lot - and wouldn't feel bad if he scored 15. . . didn't fit enough to play the whole game for us with our line-up and his particular skills.

Gary320's picture
Submitted by Gary320 on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:07.
"Did Carbonneau say anything special during the 2nd intermission" "Oh you don't want to hear that" - Plekanec Triple post?

Submitted by Timo (not verified) on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:06.
Lol... Gelinas asked Pleks what did Carbonneau said between 2nd and 3rd... Ples replied "You don't want to know" :)

Gr8stFranchizEvr's picture
Submitted by Gr8stFranchizEvr on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:06.
Just saw Pleks interview... When asked what Carbo said in the 2nd intermission, he responded "you don't wanna hear that!"

Big Bird's picture
Submitted by Big Bird on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:06.
You know there is one thing that has been on my mind that I have to say from the peanut gallery: (1) Ryan O'Byrne has taken a lot of criticism for his play of late. I agree that his play leaves something to be desired but to demand that he be traded or sent to Hamilton just borders on the insane. (2) Couple of names to throw at you: Francois Beauchemin, Ron Hainsey and Francis Bouillon. We ultimately got Bouillon back but we lost the other two. The thing with young defencemen is that it takes time for them to develop, particularly big hulking defencemen who are 6'6". (3) If you look elsewhere the same thing happened with Chara when he started in the league. We all hate him (because he plays for Boston) but we'd love to have Chara on our team wouldn't we? (4) One other name to throw at you: Mike Komisarek came on the scene and had many problems when he started. People criticized him and now look. We are all praying to God, Buddah, Jehovah, Allah, Zeus or whatever that Komisarek resigns as he's a soon to be UFA. (5) I'm not suggesting that O'Byrne is another Komisarek but at least be patient for someone who is a sophomore in the NHL. We have lots of other young defencemen coming through the pipeline (McDonough, Fisher, Subban, Carle, Yemelin) so we need to have the right mindset and be realistic. (6) Those who are patient will be rewarded. That applies not just to life but to hockey prospects as well.

zamboni's picture
Submitted by zamboni on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:24.
You can also include Robidas in that list. I agree 100% with you, we've got to show the same patience to OB that some other favorites have benefited.

Chris's picture
Submitted by Chris on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:17.
I definitely don't think O'Byrne should be traded, but a trip to Hamilton might be just what he needs. Komisarek split time in his first three seasons between Hamilton and Montreal (although the third season was the lockout year, so that one is not necessarily the best example). Chara split his first two seasons between the AHL and NHL. Beauchemin honed his craft for five seasons in the AHL. Bouillon bounced back and forth between the IHL, ECHL, AHL and NHL for years. I don't think we should be giving up on Ryan O'Byrne by any stretch of the imagination, but having all his errors fixated upon by a fan base with Stanley Cup aspirations might not be the best for his long-term development, and that should be the deciding factor in all personnel decisions.

showey47's picture
Submitted by showey47 on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:24.
Not that i want obyrne sent down, i wonder with his new contract if he has to clear waivers since it is probably a one way deal. This was how we lost beauchemin and hainsey but the latter happened when he was called back up.

Chris's picture
Submitted by Chris on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:27.
I was wondering the same thing. If he has a two-way contract that pays him less than $75k while in Hamilton, I think it is safe to send him down. If its a one-way deal, then we DEFINITELY can't risk it. He's a good player going through a rough patch. Happens to them all.

Submitted by ebk on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:21.
Now don't be bringing logic into a blog. To follow up on your point, Ryan O'Byrne has played 121 minutes this year and those were only the 3rd and 4th goals scored while he was on the ice. Sending him to Hamilton would be stupid, the team simply doesn't have a better alternative than him at the moment. Would you rather play a mistake prone 24- year old or a mistake prone 37 year-old. Kind of a no-brainer in my books

Chris's picture
Submitted by Chris on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:36.
The mistake-prone 37 year-old knows ALL about the Montreal fan base and the pressure that comes from it, and is pretty much immune to it at this point in his career. O'Byrne has not ever been subjected to that glare before, and it may not help him continue his development. I am in favour of sending O'Byrne to Hamilton, waivers permitting, because he needs to play some heavy minutes to work through his issues. I don't think it should be done as any type of punishment. Give him a 5-10 game stint in the minors to get his game back into shape and then bring him back.

Submitted by Jim M on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:50.
Chris His confidence is very, very low at the moment and a trip to Hamilton might do him more harm than good. I think he needs a bit more time before that step is taken. Patience is a virtue, especially when the Habs have taken 17 out of 20 points. I thought a player had to play 160 games to make him eligible for waivers. Anybody know the answer to that one?

Chris's picture
Submitted by Chris on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 22:07.
To me, both solutions seem unappealing: he either spends the next 5-10 games in Carbo's doghouse, using practice to regain his form and confidence (with no defenceman coach on the team...the Habs MUST do something on that front) or he goes to Hamilton and spends 5-10 games logging heavy minutes (including PK) to regain his confidence. If the team pitches it the right way (we did this with Komisarek, we did it with Bouillon, the Islanders did it with Chara, etc.), I think it could be a positive. Ah well...Gainey is a smarter guy than I am, so we'll see what he chooses to do soon enough. I was hoping that the Bulldogs would have a busy schedule this week so the Habs could sneak him down for 2-3 games during this layoff for the Habs, but the Bulldogs only play Sunday night and then are off until Nov. 7 themselves.

Submitted by ebk on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:37.
like I said on another post, we don't seem to agree on much tonight but what the hell, that's what makes this a good blog.

caper_5's picture
Submitted by caper_5 on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:12.
I'm ok with being patient with O'B, but at 6'-6", why is the one always on the ice after a check?

Chris's picture
Submitted by Chris on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:44.
Because his checking technique is absolutely horrendous. But so was Komisarek's when he first came up. Those big defencemen often take a while to figure out that satisfying the fans on every hit isn't as important as coming out of the battle with the puck. Lidstrom is the master at it, although I have to say Markov is also quite good...they don't paste their guy into the boards, but more often than not they come off the boards with the puck.

Ian Cobb's picture
Submitted by Ian Cobb on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:11.
Your right big bird, and don't forget about Weber.

Batalla's picture
Submitted by Batalla on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 20:59.
So what's the catalyst for tonight's game? Wassat, you say? Gui! on the 3rd line while Higgins goes to the first? Yup, that's it... And despite a few gaffs in the first, Carey Price (http://habsbros.blogspot.com/2008/11/plusminus-carey-price.html) was solid when it counted.

Bugs's picture
Submitted by Bugs on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:09.
By Higgins, I'm sure you mean Koivu. And by first line, I'm sure you mean second. Lemme tellya: if Higgins had missed THAT opportunity, it woulda been Laraque next shift. Thought Gui! played very well, laid down a little bit of smackdown and was "seldom" caught outta position. Played good. No? Catalyst? Really? Higgy's gonna explode? Cool. Let's get it on. Peace Out. ______________________________________________________ Lord Bugs Potter, esq. Earl of Fluppitburg, Baron of Flopshlupshire and Knight of the Flannel Republic.

Chris's picture
Submitted by Chris on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:01.
More like the Plekanec line finally waking up, I would say. While the Latendresse/Higgins switch paid off for the last goal, I would hardly call it the catalyst for the third period heroics.

Submitted by rswinter (not verified) on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:06.
I would say it was just that first goal by Pleks. Boy, it was ugly but it got the ball rolling and doubt into the Isles mind. http://coasttocoasthabs.blogspot.com/

Submitted by ebk on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:06.
I disagree that the Plekanec line has finally woke up. They have played well for most of the season but have not been able to put the puck in the net. It happens. Sometimes you play like crap and score a couple and sometimes you play great and you can't buy a goal. They certainly have not played as well as they did last year but they have played pretty well this one.

Chris's picture
Submitted by Chris on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:21.
I don't share your opinion that they've played well, although they've been better for the past few games. Last year, they were constantly moving without the puck and the puck was zipping back and forth between them. This year, Plekanec and Kovalev have both been trying to do too much themselves.

Submitted by ebk on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:31.
no, we seem to disagree on many things tonight :)

Chris's picture
Submitted by Chris on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:37.
It happens...I have nights where I don't even agree with myself. :)

Submitted by ebk on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 21:35.
I just pulled a doug, oops

123456789next ›last »

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.
  • Allowed HTML tags: <a> <em> <strong> <cite> <code> <ul> <ol> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd> <b> <i> <p> <br> <div>
  • Filtered words will be replaced with the filtered version of the word.

More information about formatting options




Ê