Details
Date: 17/01/10
Opponent: Rangers
Location: New York
Loss: 2-6
Habs Goalie: Halak (L)
Opposition Goalie: Lundqvist (W)
Habs goalscorers: Cammalleri, Gionta
Opposition goalscorers: Callahan (2), Dubinsky (2), Gaborik, Drury
Play of the game
I suppose if I am picking a play of the game I have to only consider the first period; if you saw the game you know what I mean. So, with very little to choose from I went with a play that should actually get some serious credit anyway. First off it put us up 2-0 and was on the PP - gotta like that. Secondly it was maybe the best Habs goal I have seen this season. Like most Power-Plays the play started with a Markov pass and a Bergeron one-timer. Gionta deflected the shot, but off Lundqvist flew the puck. Then, with his back to the goalie, Brian batted the puck, backhand, out of mid-air, at shoulder height, into the top of the net. Unfortunately it was the last good moment of this game, but it sure was exciting at the time.
Dome hockey team
The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome
Forwards
Tomas Plekanec
Our team was bad tonight, so it is no surprise that our best players were better than our bad ones, doesn't mean they played that well though. Pleks is in here because he made an incredible pass to Cammalleri on the first goal. We need that duo going (trio anyone?) so it was nice to see them get one.
Brian Gionta - Game Puck
Brian worked hard and had quite a few chances, he also accounted for 1/4 of our 20 shots. His goal was world-class as he again showed off his incredibly quick hands. His line was pretty out of it tonight, but he did try his best to get things going in the second and third periods.
Mike Cammalleri
Mike scored a great goal, but to tell you the truth there wasn't much after that. In all he was -2 and failed to take control on the PP, but, like I said, he was still one of our best 3. Would have been nice to see him rise tonight to take this game for us, but again he, like us, must be wondering when the third or fourth line will ever do anything.
Defencemen
Roman Hamrlik
Our defence was bad tonight so I hope Roman doesn't take this the wrong way as he too was pretty bad. That said, he was our most reliable player back there, of the four, as we had one pairing that was simply pathetic (they know who they are). No major stats to point to, but only being on the ice for 1 goal against didn't go unnoticed.
Josh Gorges
Josh, like the rest, wasn't his best tonight, but I saw something tonight that really made me happy. That was his fight with that rat Sean Avery. Josh shouldn't have to defend players that are bigger and, in some cases, worse than he is, but that is what he did when he came to the defence of Moen and Markov. Great to see Josh get involved and show some heart even if he got his clock cleaned.
Goaltender
Carey Price
Halak managed to put up one of his worst games of the year at the same time as the rest of the team. He has won games like this earlier in the season, hiding the team's ineptitudes, but tonight he let in goals that most goalies would have and then some. I can't blame him for the loss as he was hung out on numerous occasions, but a big save here or there would have given the Habs a chance to get points that they clearly didn't deserve.
Comments
This game started with so much promise, but something happened after period #1. New York started the second on a mission, we started it with the vision of leaving in 40 minutes with 2 points. The problem was that we thought we had won already and that the work was already done. New York kept coming for those last 40 minutes, however, and the Habs just sat and watched. Halak let in a few bad goals at the wrong time, our D let up odd-man rushes as though they were part of the game-plan and the forwards were about as creative as Brian Burke on July 1st. Overall this was a bad game which makes this quite a bad week. All we have to show for the week are 2 points against a team that actually played worse than us. Funny, isn't it, how we all complained about injuries in November and December? The irony is that we are as healthy now as we have been all year and we are playing some of our worse hockey. The K brothers will certainly help, but I don't even think that they can teach 6 men to play defence, another 6 to score (or play any sort of real offence) and a coach to adapt. This could be a long month as we head into the Olympics, but I am still hopeful of a turn around. Slumps like this happen way too often for me to not think that next week we'll win 4 straight and have 3 players screaming 'all-star' at the top of their lungs. We'll see, I'll hope.
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