Game #1

The Canadiens Game in Review

Date: Wednesday October 3rd, 2007
Opponent: Carolina Hurricanes
Venue: RBC Center, Raleigh, N.C.


Team Stripes


Final Score: 3-2 (OT) - Win

Habs starting goalie: Cristobal Huet (W)
Opposition starting goalie: Cam Ward (L)

Habs goalscorers: Mark Streit, Saku Koivu (2)
Opposition goalscorers: Erik Cole, Bret Hedican




2007/08 first
There's a first time for everything, so they say. What they didn't tell you is that every game, something happens for the first time, you just have to look harder in March...

1st Habs Win
1st Overtime Win
1st Game for Smolinski, Hamrlik, Kostopoulos as Habs
1st Goals for Koivu, Streit
1st Points for Koivu, Markov, Kovalev, Streit, Higgins, Ryder
1st Win for Huet
1st Game back for the Breezer
1st Game in tight (white) new shirts
1st PP Goal For
1st PP Goal Against
1st Game for Chris Higgins wearing the 'A'



Play of the game
The play you're straining to see on the press catwalk monitor...

There were definitely a few to choose from here. Huet's incredible stick save in the 1st, Koivu-Higgins-Ryder's passing play in the 3rd (that led to a missed net by Higgs), Bouillon sweeping the puck off the line in the 3rd.

The play of the game, however, has to be Saku's OT winner. A great play by Markov, Ryder and especially Higgins to give Saku an easy put-home.



Game puck
Trophies are for the end of the year, play well in the game, you get a lovely puck...

Saku Koivu

2 goals, energy and leadership, brought the full package tonight.



Dome hockey team
We're going into the last minute with these 6 (and they're attached to the ice, so they're not coming off)...

Forwards

Saku Koivu
- Led the offence tonight and was working well in both ends

Alexei Kovalev
- Offered us his usual mix of play making and puck handling, and again made opposing defenders look like pylons

Christopher Higgins
- A force around Ward's net all night, a no-look backhand pass was the key to the winning goal

Defencemen

Mark Streit
- Played the point on the top PP unit very well and was a force defensively

Francis Bouillon
- Offered a good mix of offence with some spectacular displays of speed and poke-checking

Goaltender

Cristobal Huet
- Played strong all game, proved (again...why does he always need to prove this? Who exactly wants this proof?) that he is our number 1, gave us every chance to get the win



Eyes on Kovalev
Did he flit and float? Someone ought to keep track...

Kovalev didn't have a great game, but did have a good game. As usual he created a lot of space for his linemates by drawing defenders to him. He finished with one assist (a gimme on the PP, but a point nonetheless) and had good chemistry with Kostitsyn and Grabovsky. He turned the puck over a few times, but stole the puck more often.

Kovalev's Assessment - Good



Overall Comments

The enthusiasm in Saku, Markov and company's faces all night tells me they are ready for the season. They want to win and they want to win a lot. 40 shots on net was a great showing and at times we were dominating, we had all 4 lines buzzing. As per usual we took way too many penalties, but as is the norm in the NHL, the refs kept that category even between the two teams. You can count on this all season long regardless of how dirty either team is playing. That seems to be music to our ears as our Power-Play seems as potent as last year with Streit filling in very nicely for Souray.

All in all a great start, always good to get 2 points under the belt, and road wins are key. Starting the season strong has never been our problem, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't focus on just that. 2 points down, 94 to go...