Sabres

It was a good, if not overwhelming, win – the foundation for what should be .... has to be ... a winning homestand.

Guy Carbonneau was reserved in his post-game remarks. He liked his team's intensity from start to finish.

But if I could apply some amateur psychology while sitting through the coach's post-game press conference (and blowing the audio due to a technical problem), I thought Carbo had not recovered completely from the profound disillusionment and seething anger he felt after that game in Washington.

The coach needs more convincing – and so do I.

One game into the season, you'll read mostly positivity from the Ol' Pessimist.

The glass is half-full because:

Canadiens will get at least a point.

Not sure they deserve one.

Kotalik: Backhand goal

Lang: Save

Stafford: Backhand goal, same as Kotaik

Koivu: Save

Loss ... but a helluva game, and a point.

Guest rant: Habhopeful:

Most Noticeable & Most Impressive-Robert Lang
Weakest Forward-Alex Tanguay(although its first game of the season so lets not jump all over him just yet)
Weakest Defensemen-Breezer (Komisarek had a a bit more than couple moments)
Strongest Defensemen-Hamrlik & Markov(Gorges & Obyrne Were Next)
Best Line-Lang, Skoz, Kosto
Price was Awesome tonight But if MIller keeps this play up, BUffalo will surprise(although i had them pegged as 7th place)

Now that was fun except for some nauseating moments, Im goin out to a bar! See ya folks tomorrow!

He wasn't one of the game's three stars, but Ryan O'Byrne shoud have been.

As I was leaving the Bell Centre last night with Patrick V. Hickey, my friend and colleague raved about the monster game O'Byre had played.

At first I chalked Hickey's enthusiasm up to Celtic solidarity. Then I checked O'Byrne's game stats:

19 minutes, 35 seconds of ice time – a season high, and third among Canadiens blueliners behind Andrei Markov and Roman Hamrlik. Most significantly, O'Byrne played 4:10 on the PK.

Six hits, second to Steve Bégin's eight

Five blocked shots – no one had more.

Plus-2.

The latter shouldn't have surprised me. Since returning to the lineup after his hand injury, O'Byrne has had only one minus game, a week ago in Buffalo when he was minus-1.

With two Top Six defencemen, Mike Komisarek and Francis Bouillon, out of the lineup, Canadiens have not missed a beat. Josh Gorges and O'Byrne have stepped up huge. Mark Streit is back playing the position he favours. The frequently-maligned Patrice Brisebois has been quietly steady.

This team is loaded at a position where it is very good to have depth.

And the guy playing behind the D isn't too shabby either. 

Bob Gainey wasn't grinning like a Cheshire cat on the elevator heading down to dressing room level.

But he should have been.

Much maligned all season for signing Bryan Smolinski to a $2 million contract last summer, the Canadiens general manager is looking like a genius as the veteran centre cranks up his game for the late-season push.

Reggie Jackson was Mr. October. It's too early in the month to crown Smolinski Mr. April, but he's played two superb games on a shutown line with Steve Bégin and Tom Kostopoulos.

Smolinski's stall is just inside the door of the Canadiens' room. Scrums in that corner have been getting thicker as the games have become more meaningful.

"It's been a while and it's nice to get two," Smolinski said after sinking the Sabres with a pair of goals. It took 81 games to do it, but the 37-year-old veteran was named the game's first star.

"We're missing key players," Smolinski said of the Canadiens' injury-ravaged lineup, "and guys have to step up. Guys are playing different roles with different responsibilities."

Guy Carbonneau has stressed the leadership role his veterans will have to play. The coach has praised Smolinski and Mathieu Dandenault as players who excel at this pressure-packed stage of the season.

"This time of year is so much fun," Smolinski said. "You enjoy 82 games, as many as you can play. But there's no feeling like playoffs."

Smolinski said it was a "good sign" that his grinding line is getting good offensive chances while playing solid defence. Bégin led the Canadiens with five of their 25 shots on goal. The fourth line gave Carbonneau almost 14 quality minutes.

"We're keeping it really simple," said Kostopoulos, another UFA signing, "chipping it off the walls, supporting each other, getting pucks to the net. We've been getting some bounces lately."

Buffalo's only goal came on the power play, but Canadiens' red-hot PK killed four of five shorthanded situations.

"Yourr best penalty-killer is your goalie," Smolinski said. "I don't think (Carey Price) understands what the word pressure means. He's been outstanding."

•  •  •

Hey, great spoillers, those Leafs:

Ottawa got THREE shorthanded goals tonight. That's ludicrous.

OK, I'm signing off. Gonna hide in the bathroom to see the Harlem Globetrotters for free.

Now that's real basketball. 

A bad leg – an injury not specifically defined by the Canadiens – will keep Michael Ryder out of tonight's game vs. the Buffalo Sabres, as will the flu bug that's keeping Mikhail Grabovski down. Ryder is getting tests today, according to head coach Guy Carbonneau. Hamilton callup Matt D'Agostini is in for Ryder, making his NHL debut.

The six roster players not playing tonight: Mike Komisarek, who was on the ice with his teammates this morning; Saku Koivu; Francis Bouillon, who skated part of the morning session and hopes to be back on Saturday; Hamilton Bulldogs callup Greg Stewart; Grabovski; and Ryder.

Komisarek reported that his injured hip "feels great, and I'd love to play tonight ... but I don't think they'll let me." He was right on that score.

Post-skate audio follows. Carbonneau, beginning in midsentence, is speaking first about Ryder:

• Guy Carbonneau • Matt D'Agostini • Greg Stewart
• Francis Bouillon • Bryan Smolinski

I  hope the Canadiens made it through customs last night..

They  were travelling by bus to Toronto. It's a 90-minute trip unless you're tied up at the border, where the team would have been wise to declare the win they stole in Buffalo.

Steve Bégin joked after the game that Canadiens ought to sneak out the back door and not make too much noise, lest they attract the attention of the police.

It was a prima facie case of Grand Theft Hockey.

At least in their miracle five-goal comeback against the Rangers, Canadiens played a great third period.

Guy Carbonneau said his team played three minutes against the Sabres. The coach's math  be a little off: Canadiens got two points by scoring three goals in a shade over six minutes.

And the goals, Christopher Higgins said, "fell from the sky". It's not like momentum  had swung to the visitor's bench when Tomas Plekanec scored on a power play to launch the comeback. 

Sometimes you win games you're not supposed to. And sometimes you lose games you ought to have won. It tends to balance out over the course of a season. 

What's nice is when Lady Luck sidles over to your bench and whispers "Hi sailor" in late March. If she sticks around for a few drinks in April, who knows where it might lead in May.

Canadiens' Tomas Plekanec and Alex Kovalev celebrate Plekanec's game-tying goal, scored with 14.6 seconds left in regulation time.
Gary Wiepert, Reuters

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Someone tore the word "quit" out of the Canadiens' dictionary.

Tomas Plekanec scored two goals in a span of just over two minutes late in the game, his 28th and 29th of the season, and Christopher Higgins scored at 3:38 of overtime on a beautiful pass from defenceman Mark Streit to give the Habs a wild 4-3 come-from-behind win over the Buffalo Sabres and first place – again – in the Eastern Conference.

Streit assisted on all three of Montreal's third-period goals.

The Canadiens, nailed early and often by penalties that were and sometimes maybe weren't infractions, had a chance tonight to pull back into first place in the East. But they seemed not headed for that luxury, falling behind the Sabres 3-1 until late in the game.

With the win, the Canadiens vaulted the idle Pittsburgh Penguins into first in the conference, using their game in hand over the Pens to full advantage. They're now six points clear of the Ottawa Senators to lead the Northeast Division.

First the defenceman soils the bed to give Buffalo a seemingly insurmountable 3-1 lead.

Then, with less than three minutes left, Mark Streit went to work.

Shot from the point on the power play, tipped by Tomas Plekanec: 3-2

With seconds left in regulation and Carey Price on the bench, a Streit shot, a rebound and Plekanec: makes it 3-3

Finally, in OT: a perfect set-up for Christopher Higgins (and with Higgy, it has to be perfect).

Three assists in five minutes, and Canadiens bag a W and move past Pittsburgh into first place.

Wildest comeback since that crazy Rangers game. 

Carey Price made 35 saves and had no chance on any of the Buffalo goals. 

Did anyone foresee this?

The consensus among so-called experts was Canadiens would finish out of the playoffs again this season.

They still might. But it would take quite a tumble – all the way from first place in the Northeast Division.

So which combination of results would you prefer today?

• If Ottawa beats Pittsburgh and Canadiens beat New Jersey, the non-playoff team is first in the Eastern Conference.

• If Pittsburgh wins, Canadiens can open up a three-point lead on Ottawa if they beat the Devils.

Of course, if the Senators win or salvage a point in a tie and Canadiens lose ... I won't even go there.

No matter what happens today short of a total humiliation at the hands of Martin F. Brodeur and his very pissed-off teammates (who got all of 18 shots in a hame against Cristobal Huet last night), Canadiens will be going to the west coast with wind in their sails.

Not that they're actually making the trip by boat. They'll be flying to California, on Cloud Nine.

Canadiens goaltender Carey Price keeps his eye on an
incoming puck as Sabres centre Paul Gaustad looks to get in Price's way during the first period on Friday night. REUTERS/Gary Wiepert

Updated by Kevin Mio

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Say hello to your first place Montreal Canadiens.

With their 6-2 win over the Sabres on Friday night, the Canadiens overtook the Ottawa Senators for top spot in the Northeast Division with 79 points and also moved into second spot in the Eastern Conference.

The win, combined with New Jersey's 4-0 loss to the Capitals - with former Hab Cristobal Huet in net for the shutout - sets up a battle for first place in the East Saturday night as the Devils visit the Bell Centre.

Tomas Plekanec led the offence for the Canadiens with the first hat trick of his career - with all three goals coming on the power play - while also adding an assist on a pretty third-period goal by Andrei Kostitsyn. Plekanec now has 24 goals on the season.

On Feb. 29, 2008, your amazin' Montreal Canadiens are in first place in the Northeast Division.

If they beat New Jersey at the Bell Centre on March 1, 2008 – and if Ottawa beats Pittsburgh – the unbelievable, unreal Canadiens will be in first place in the Eastern Conference.

It's all a dream.

Bobby Ewing is going to step out of the shower any minute.

But for now, let's enjoy it. 

Is it me, or is this an HD Monty Python sketch?

Did you love the shot of Lindy Ruff freezing his butt off in a windbreaker? I can't wait to see what Michel "Mean Mr. Mustard" Therrien is wearing.

Jim Hughson found the opening "spine-tingling". I thought it was the latest example of the American tendency to conflate patriotism and sports.

And let's not forget to add a healthy dash of militarism. Too cloudy for fighter jets, but no probem: nothing says hockey like helicopter gunships.

Water droplets on the camera lens. That's it, I'm outta here. There has to be a football game being played in a warm place.

Sabres' Thomas Vanek crashes the crease of Canadiens' Cristobal Huet during tonight's first period.
John Mahoney, Gazette

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Consider this the weekend the Canadiens were buffaloed. Literally.

Twenty-four hours after being handled 4-2 by the Sabres at HSBC Arena, the Canadiens were outskated, outshot and outscored by the same Northeast Division rival tonight, falling 3-0 to a disgruntled and not afraid to show it sellout crowd at the Bell Centre.

The Canadiens outhit the Sabres 36-23, if you're looking for small victories. But Montreal was outshot 35-24, so there.

It was the Sabres' fourth victory in a row and a dramatic reversal of fortune for the visitors; the Canadiens had won the last four Bell Centre games between the two teams, outscoring Buffalo 14-8.

Buffalo's Jaroslav Spacek and Thomas Vanek beat Canadiens goalie Cristobal Huet in the first period. Jochen Hecht backhanded the puck almost the length of the ice into an empty Montreal goal in the final minute to complete the scoring. Well-travelled former Habs netminder Jocelyn Thibault earned a very satisfying shutout.

The Canadiens return to action Tuesday night in Toronto, head to New Jersey to take on the Devils on Friday, then return to Montreal for a date next Saturday against the Nashville Predators.

Canadiens' Steve Bégin is in hot pursuit of the puck.
Dave Sandford, Getty Images

Look here for game photos.

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Thomas Vanek scored with 8:33 left to play tonight, taking advantage of a highly dubious penalty called on Montreal defenceman Mike Komisarek 76 seconds earlier, to give the Buffalo Sabres a 4-2 victory over the visiting Canadiens.

Daniel Paille scored an empty-net goal with 14 seconds to play to add the insurance goal.

Vanek backhanded a rebound past Canadiens goalie Carey Price with Komisarek serving a tripping penalty, the Montreal rearguard having dived to clear a puck, Sabres' Derek Roy sailing over his stick to draw the minor.

The call left Canadiens coach Guy Carbonneau practically beside himself in anger, and Komisarek delivered a few words to referee Dan Marouelli as he skated back to the Habs bench. Carbonneau mockingly applauded the referees as he returned to the dressing room after the game.

Canadiens goaltender Cristobal Huet makes a save against the Buffalo Sabres.
Greg Stewart, Getty Images

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Sooner or later, the Buffalo Sabres were going to wake up. Unhappily for the Canadiens and their fans, they chose tonight to hear the alarm.

Losers of three straight games, including a 3-2 decision Thursday in Ottawa against the Senators, the Sabres dominated the Habs from start to finish, running up a 3-0 first-period lead before shifting down and pretty well suffocating any hopes of a Montreal comeback to earn a 4-1 victory on home ice.

The Canadiens (10-5-3) were outclassed in every area of the first period, and the Sabres (7-10-1) were happy to jump into their first lead in 495 minutes and 33 seconds, Clarke MacArthur banging a Derek Roy rebound past goalie Cristobal Huet at 7:59. The goal followed a terrific rush by Buffalo defenceman Brian Campbell, which sent the Canadiens into a mad, disorganized scramble in the defensive zone.

Daniel Paille put the Sabres up 2-0 at 12:19, tipping in a point shot by Nolan Pratt.

The onslaught continued with Drew Stafford having the puck ricochet in off his skate at 15:22, Vanek whipping the puck out front as Stafford swept in on Huet.

It was the first time this season the Habs had trailed after the first period.

The Canadiens are off to Buffalo this afternoon, ready to begin a back-to-back Friday-Saturday weekend against the Sabres, then home to the Boston Bruins.

The Gazette's Pat Hickey caught up to one head coach and two players in the Canadiens' dressing room after today's practice in Verdun for these comments:

Head coach Guy Carbonneau on changes to his lines, among other things, as he shuffles his deck by switching Michael Ryder for Tom Kostopoulos on his No. 1 line. Clip runs 5:00.

Goalie Cristobal Huet on starting tomorrow in Buffalo, and on back-to-back games. Clip runs 2:24.

Forward Christopher Higgins on his new linemate, Kostopoulos, and on the challenge that awaits in Buffalo. Clip runs 3:12.

Pat Hickey reports from this morning's Canadiens practice that Michael Ryder skated on the third line, with Tom Kostopoulos elevated to the first, working out with Saku Koivu and Christopher Higgins.

The likely lines to face the Buffalo Sabres on Friday:

First line: Higgins, Koivu, Kostopoulos
Second line: Plekanek, Kovalev, Kostitsyn
Third line: Begin, Smolinski, Ryder
Fourth line: Latendresse, Chipchura, Dandenault

Defence pairings seem likely to remain the same. Cristobal Huet is expected to get the start in goal, with Carey Price getting the call at home Saturday vs. Boston.