Date: Saturday December 22nd, 2007
Opponent: Atlanta Thrashers
Venue: Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
Team Stripes
Final Score: 2-3 - (SO) Loss
Habs starting goalie: Cristobal Huet (SO)
Opposition starting goalie: Kari Lehtonen (W)
Habs goalscorers: Sergei Kostitsyn, Alexei Kovalev
Opposition goalscorers: Vyacheslav Kozlov (1, SO), Eric Perrin, (Marian Hossa - SO)
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 NHL Goal from his own shot for Sergei Kostitsyn
Play of the game
The play you're straining to see on the press catwalk monitor...
Kostitsyn's goal was the nicer of the two and on a fairly slow night it is the play of the game. Koivu worked hard around the net to generate a few chances; the first wasn't converted, but on the second great chance S. Kots skated in hard and snapped a high shot up past a sprawled out Lehtonen.
Game puck
Trophies are for the end of the year, play well in the game, you get a lovely puck...
Alexei Kovalev
He was on fire tonight with the puck and had a nice goal to boot. He was our best all around player and I think that we have all learned our lesson - he must be the 1st or 2nd shooter in the shootout.
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
- Again he took too many penalties and I just feel that they may be costing us some games. That being said if it weren't him it would be someone else to meet the quota, otherwise a great offensive game
Alexei Kovalev
- I think he wanted to remind Kovalchuk who the real Russian Master is with the puck. He pulled out all his best moves tonight, one of which was his slapshot - good for #15 on the year
Sergei Kostitsyn
- Is he this year's Ryder or Higgins for Saku? I think so. The skipper likes to work with young, raw talent and Sergei may be the best Saku has seen in the past few years. His goal was a goalscorers goal and he looks ever more comfortable out there
Defencemen
Mike Komisarek
- Had another great game in his own end, but tonight he became a visible 2-way player. He was joining into a lot of the attacks, but always made sure he was back or that someone would cover
Roman Hamrlik
- A good solid all around game. Some nights not making mistakes and sticking to the game plan is what I need to see from our D - tonight Roman did that the best
Goaltender
Cristobal Huet
- If we could put Carey (or anyone) in for a shootout I would - Huet isn't the greatest in that area. He did, however, have a great game and gave the team a chance to win a game that they shouldn't have let slip away
Eyes on Kovalev
Did he flit and float? Someone ought to keep track...
A very nice game for #27. Again tonight he was used on the PK and it continues to look like a good decision. He got us a point on a night where we almost went away with 0. Huet cost him a chance to shoot in the shootout and potentially give us 2 points.
Kovalev's Assessment - Very Good
Overall Comments
This wasn't such a fiery game and that is exactly why we shouldn't have lost it. These types of games don't come often for the Habs and we must learn to take advantage of them. Unless we can start beating the good teams on a more regular basis then there should be no reason that we lose to weaker teams night in, night out.
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