3P 00:00:
That's great: Colin Campbell's son gooning it up. This league ....
3P 2:00:
Who is Tanner Glass? And whi didn't he get an instigator call?
3P 3:03:
The PP is alive!
What a pass from Higgins to Mark Streit.
5-1
3P 4:28:
Latendresse hustle forces a Jokinnen penalty. Gui! is really playing good hockey.
3P 5:00:
37 shots on Huet. Strange game.
3P 7:00:
Not a great night for Kovy.
3P 8:00:
Pleks line is the only one that hasn't scored. Bouillon is back on the bench, and Koivu is being rested.
3P 9:00:
No Bouillon, And for five minutes, no O'Byrne
3P 9:40:
Oh well. Komisarek is slow to clear and Jokinen is quick to capitalize.
4-1
3P Break:
Hope Bouillon's OK. Hey, I wonder when Price will get another start.
3P 10:00:
Kerry Fraser has swallowed his whistle.
3P 12:30:
Uh-oh. Bouillon hurt blocking a shot.
3P Break:
Canadiens continue to grind it out with the lead. And Huet is sharp when he has to be. But I'm getting a bit bored: time for Florida to switch goalies again. Just for laughs, they should try it on the fly.
3P 16:50:
Great shift by Max line. They're developing chemistry.
3P 17:00:
Nothing wrong with Sergei.
3P 18:00:
Markov goes cross-ice and hits Kovy tape-to-tape. He is somethin' else.
3P 20:00:
Martin has changed goalies again. He's on acid, too.
Between periods:
Everything is breaking Canadiens' way. Mike Komisarek goes for five after a fight with some nobody and his defencemates hold the fort. Big night for Roman Hamrlik. Tomas Vokoun has been awful .... Christopher Higgins has three of the Canadiens' 12 shots ... Tough night for Max in the faceoff circle: 1-10 ... I'm still waiting to see the game in which the Canadiens' lack of a goon hurts them ... Props to Michael Ryder: he's flying tonight .... Kovy is amusing himself. The occasional pass would be nice.
2P 00:00:
Canadiens start the third period on the PP
2P 1:47:
Florida's fourth ine has been their best. Lots of traffic around Huet.
2P 3:00:
How about that Max line? Ryder hasn't looked this energized all season.
2P Break:
Canadiens are back into a groove. Forwards getting back to help the D. Good checking at both ends.
2P 8:00:
Koivu, Higgins and Ryder
2P 9:10:
Vokoun is on acid.
2P 10:35:
A gift! Pucks gets tied up in linesman's skates and the next thing you know Tom the Bomb has nudged it past Vokoun, who sucks tonight.
4-0
2P 11:00:
Memo to my man Gorges: If you're going to give the puck away, don't give it to Olli Jokinen.
2P 11:40:
The PP has gone COLD!
2P 13:08:
Yikes! Michel Forget, a big Quebec TV star, is in the crowd wearing a Panthers shirt.
2P Break:
Another PP. Goal would be nice.
2P 15:00:
It's become a boring Florida game.
2P 17:00:
Carbo looks concerned – with reason. If Florida breaks through, it's going to get very wild very quickly.
2P 18:00:
Canadiens are letting Florida come to them through the neutral zone ... and it's going to cost them.
2P 19:25:
Florida wins that. Gregory Campbell, a plumber, takes Komisarek off for five minutes.
2P 20:00:
Interesting to see how Florida opens up. Their style is not suited to three-goal deficits. And Vokoun is back.
Between periods:
Quite the meltdown Ray Emery is having in Ottawa – on a winning team. What a schmuck! ... I don't know what to say about this game. I'm still reeling from that start – against a team built for defence. I LOVED that pass from Gorges. He is playing his way into the lineup. And Ryder looks like a guy who's had a sore tooth pulled. Maybe this will get him rolling .... Max was 1-7 on faceoffs. The stats are screwed up: Canadiens had two hits, both by Saku Koivu. That's ridiculous ... I hate to be nit-picky but Kovy was in a bit of a fog on the PPs in the first period.
1P 00:00:
Florida tries a goon show at the buzzer
1P 2:50:
Another penalty. I feel momentum swinging here.
1P 4:00:
I object to cheerleaders on principle ... but Florida's are nice. Lots of Canadiens fans in the crowd. Quebec snowbirds, no doubt.
1P Break:
The danger – exhibited during that power play – is that Canadiens will lose focus with the big (and unlikely) lead.
It's not over, guys.
1P 5:30:
How strange is this? Canadiens are better 5-on-5 than on the PP tonight.
1P Break:
Good PK. And very good period for my man Josh Gorges. BTW, I thought Higgins got the second goal. It was Ryder, getting off the schneid at last.
1P 9:20:
O'Byrne takes a good penalty. Horton, who hit the post, was going to score.
1P Break:
Panthers have no shots on goal. Canadiens' PP nearly made it 4-0. What a start! Anyone – including Guy Carbonneau and Jacques Martin – expect this?
1P 14:20:
This is a new one on me: Bryan Allen gets SIX MINUTES for roughing
1P 14:57:
I'm hallucinating this:
Higgins ... again.
3-0 in 3 goals on 3 shots .... and goodnight Mr. Vokoun.
1P 15:10:
Gorgeous Gorges:
A pass to spring Ryder, over to Higgins.
2-0
Wow!
Martin takes a timeout. They must be reeling.
1P 16:30:
This low camera is making me queasy. And the SRO crowd has been anaesthetized.
1P 17:30:
I like that: Max gives Zednik a little nudge after the whistle.
1P 18:18:
Gui! Gui! Gui! And the Captain likes playing with him.
1-0
Great start.
1P 20:00:
Kerry Fraser again. Horrible camera work. Koivu is playing. But how well?
Fashion note:
Jacques Martin and Renaud Lavoie celebrate National Stripes Week
Pre-game:
How to beat Tomas Vokoun, who's red-hot? Traffic in front of him, says Yvon Pedneault ... an indication of how well Andrei Markov and Mike Komisarek have played on the road trip: Ovechkin, Kovalchuk and Lecavalier: no goals ... The eternally upbeat Jacques Demers says Michael Ryder will come around .... Praise fr one of my favourite NHLers: the underrated (except by conoisseurs) Olli Jokinen
Bête noire:
The French phrase describes the Florida Panthers, the only NHL team with a winning record against the Canadiens. They play a hermetic style that tends to frustrate Canadiens. Jacques Martin's teams work, work and work some more. They pressure the puck, they battle one-on-one, they work the corners – and they bore you to death. Canadiens will have to grind with them and wait for breaks. I wonder if fatigue will be a factr with Tomas Vokoun, who faced 41 shots in Atlanta last night.
La Ligue en Question:
Pre-game punditry: Guillaume Latendresse is better with talented linemates, says Bertrand Raymond. Benoit Brunet says consistency is difficult for young players. Raymond is glad to see scorers playing with Maxim Lapierre .... for all their troubles, Canadiens are fourth in the Eastern Conference .... Raymond says what irks fans this season are games in which Canadiens don't show up, Dallas being Exhibit A ... Disappointments in 2007: Demers says if Alex Kovalev had played 10 more games last season like he's playing now, Canadiens would have made the playoffs Raymond didn't like Canadiens eliminated in the last game of their season – and not knowing, 24 hours before that game, which goaltendr would be called upon to save the season .... Wishes for Saku Koivu? Raymond says a trade to a contender where he can be the second-line centre. Brunet would like him to have a dominant winger .... What would they wish for Canadiens fas? Brunet: "Patience .... it's coming."
Share the agony and ecstasy of Habs fandom and read live blogs from every game with Gazette columnist Mike Boone.
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As familiarity take place, O'Byrne is bound to throw more of those
hip cheks that as his butt acting like a loaded torpedo,... its my favorite hit in the game,... the timing, the sliding backward-out then the merciless butt whip that leaves the target frozen in time and the boards waving out the energy released from the shock acting out like a giant oscilloscope.
Of course this is just candy while the main meal and true satisfaction comes from watching your team playing elite type hochey.... when both shows up its like hochey paradise.
Was this the awakening of the BIG O on D...That hit by O'byrne was why he was called up in the first place. He needs to be a presence out there and he answered the bell twice. Not the greatest fights in the world but he showed HEART tonight...Keep those hits coming. Way to go Ryder nice to see you have a great game.
carb.will raise the banner (: (soon)
ED.....great point.......
carb.will raise the banner (: (soon)Where are all of you who said Carb.is an idot with the line changes pleas give credit where credit is due.
Good win-strange though-Vokoun had a bad night but they were skating.Kovalev is a horse and even when he carries someone to the net on his back -no penalty.I worry about sitting a good young player like Chips-was everyone on the team better than him?Dandy is not and he can't take face offs.I'm still confused about that decision.Why Chips??Well now its on to the big Apple and the big A..hole Avery.Should be interesting.....
Go Habs Go
I agree about Chips. He has been one of our most consistent players this year. Curious given that he is a player in the Carbonneau mold. There must be something more to it. I would play him anyday over Dandy or even Tom the Bomb. You know what the problem is? With 8 defencemen in the lineup there is no room for a forward! When Cube went off last night I didn't think "I hope he's okay", I thought "great, maybe now Streit can go back on D"!
I hope Carbo doesn't blow Chips confidence with this benching, and Price for that matter. These are two of our best kids and they need to play. Knowing Carbonneau, he will stick with this lineup until we lose or have an injury. He's not a genius but is riding a lucky streak. I would have had Chips centering Ryder and Higgins but Lappy is just so darn fast that he makes the other two that much better. Chips is a more heady player, a better playmaker but his speed is not one of his strong points. I hope he can play his way back into the starting lineup.
Chipchura will not be out of the lineup long. He is certainly better than some of the forwards they are dressing but maybe he is a little banged up. He was not playing as well as he had earlier, so a little time in the press box will not hurt him. He is going to be a big part of the Habs future, so you can bet they will be sure he gets enough ice-time to develop into the player the team thinks he can be.
Sometimes when you analyse a game you have to take off your blinders and be objective in your summary of the event. To put down other players that have had a decent game cuz your favourites didn't play and use the two "D"men playing forward arguement is pretty lame and rather selfish. The bottom line is that we needed energy and these line changes supplied that and also split up Higgy and Saku which was long overdue. Chips and Price are a big part of our future but winning is the name of the game and often temporary changes are needed to give others a spark. I hope you know that Dandy was drafted as a forward and Streit is a big part of our PP and in the future try and realise that dressing 12 skilled forwards doesn't automatically give you 2 points as last i heard hockey was still a team sport.
Sooo apart from Habs-Kat apparently taking the reigns of 'Babe of HIO from Naila',
How did Ryder look?
and Habs- Kat, what do you say now that they're on a winning streak?
I say I'm pretty excited now. They're sitting pretty in fourth place and its not as though they're winning with one-goal games. The Habs right now remind me of the Senators at the beginning of the season. Lets see if they can keep it up though. I'm going to keep my expectations low so that I can remain surprised :)
You and me both!
I want to wait and see if their effort tonight and the first game back at the Bell is on par with the last two games.
If the effort is up there, I won't complain.
I've never seen Ryder skate so well in three years! He was forechecking, backchecking, laying some bone crunching hits, you name it! In my eye he never hit so well since he put Marty Havlat out for the season with a separated shoulder two years ago. Same with Gui since the Dimaio incident. That said, the guys have to realize that injuries are part of the game and guys like Ryder who have the size have to use it.
Ryder looked prrrrrrretty good. nice goal and he skated allright. That ups his stock by one point, he's got a long waay to go.
I Heart "System."
Hard to believe we can have our butts handed to us in Dallas and then come out lookin like world beaters the next two games. What did they put in that turkey? But seriously folks, it's been a true pleasure to witness the last two games. I don't know what happened, maybe a "bolt of lightning" struck the team plane or what? The lines have been playing great together. I still have a problem with Chipchura bieng the odd man out. I would rather see him play center on the fourth line but hey, who am I to question with success. Kudos to Ryder for getting his game on, his checking last night was great and he created some good chances in the offensive zone. I haven't seen the guy smile for I don't know how long! New York will be a test, going from the warm climate of Florida back to the dreariness of winter and the unfriendly confines of MSG. Maybe we should pack up the show and move to Florida. Now there's a team that can sell out every night in the sunshine state! I'm not planning the parade route just yet but I can dream can't I?
Hey guys, with 6th in the NHL in scoring! GO HABS GO
So hot.
yes way to go HABS!!!! wOOOOOOOOO
7 out of a possible 10 points is something to be proud of. Huet has been absolutely outstanding during the road trip. The Habs have been a little fortunate to run into some cold goaltending in games versus Washington, Tampa and Florida. If your goalie outplays the other team's, you have a good chance to win every night. Huet and Price have routinely outplayed the goalie at the other end this year and it shows in the standings.
If Ryder gets his butt in gear and Gainey keeps the kiddie corps with the big club for the rest of the year, you never know. The Plekanec line has been outstanding all year and if the 2nd and 3rd lines get going on a nightly basis .......
Thanks for reading
Ryder is only as good as the team mates he plays with.Like Higgins.
what is that supposed to mean?
Where are HabsSuck & TradeRyder tonight? I did not miss their negativity.
HAHAHAHAHA! I was wondering about that too!
trade ryder!
just kidding. that goal should unleash at least 5 more!! go habs go!! wooo. great sleep tonight.
Huet now leads the league in save %. Show your love and appreciation and vote for him in the all star game. While your there you may aswell vote for Markov, Koviu and Kovalev too.
Jay Onrait?....Jennifer Hedger?....BLAHHH! AM Radio has better looking people!
Just got back from work and unfortunately missed the game -- Mr Boone, your commentary is hilarious.
I'm so glad that the Habs won this game after drubbing the Panthers. I admit I was one of the people who thought Carbo was on shrooms, dope, paint thinner, etc., in setting these lines, but clearly they've worked.
Hey, someone should tell Brisebois and Smolinski to stay in Florida!
I wouldn't mind this time if Brisebois decides to head to Paris for some time off ;)
You and the rest of the city.
gREAT WIN WAY TO GO HABS!!!!
I was happy with five points on this road trip. Seven out of a possible ten points on the road is staggering to say the least. One more game and then they're home. Oh wait.....one more game and then they're home. That can't be good news. Can't they play the rest of the season on the road or something?
You have to love people who don't think that there is something inherently wrong with grown men who act like elementary school children, fighting on the playground, when they lose. I think it's called POOR SPORTSMANSHIP, or something of that nature. If you're going to pay some DOOFUS hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight, why not put him in a boxing ring with Don King standing in his corner? What the hell is 'noone' anyway?
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