The Teams: How They All Did On DD13

As we sit here as Habs fans watching teams around us improve and bail out of a season, let's consider how each outfit did and how it might affect our team.

Trade 2013 Winners So Far

The Montreal Canadiens are still in the running for the biggest impact trade of 2013.

It wasn't the one yesterday, though if you'd told me in mid-slumber that they got that guy Drew-something from LA for picks, I might have thought otherwise. The trade that still stands is the one that brought in Michael Ryder for a second go-around with his goal every other game and 14 points in 15.

And it shouldn't surprise that a classic player for player trade be in the running for such a nod. One has to give a lot to get a lot. And Erik Cole was a lot.

Insert Headline: The Spin and the Motive for the Erik Cole Trade

Canadiens unload Cole to the Stars.

Erik Cole has been traded to the Stars.

Erik Cole's contract traded to the Stars for UFA Michael Ryder.

Canadiens acquire Michael Ryder from Dallas.

Stars and Canadiens swap scorers.

A Tale of Two Habs

Yesterday, we were treated to a most unusual event, hockey players competing with each other. In this case, it was two players familiar to recent Habs fans: Roman Hamrlik and Erik Cole.

The episode began with a now-very-familiar interview emerging from an Eastern European news report. In it, Roman Hamrlik was reported to be critical of an approach that he deemed to be going down the wrong path and voiced a desire to get back to play before any more money is lost by the industry and players alike.

Game #82Montreal And Staubitz Too Good For Lacklustre Leafs

Details

Date: 07/04/2012
Opponent: Maple Leafs
Location: Montreal

Win: 4-1

Habs Goalie: Budaj (W)
Opposition Goalie: Scrivens (L)

Habs goalscorers: Plekanec, Pacioretty Cole, Staubitz
Opposition goalscorers: Phaneuf

Play of the game

Price's cowboy hat (people wear those for real?) and Staubitz's first goal of the season at the last possible moment were noteworthy, but the best play was Cole's goal. It reminded me so much of Lafleur, but also of Cole himself. Down the right side with speed and gusto went Erik who made no mistake whatsoever on the career AHL-er. The goal was his 35th of the season.

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Forwards

Max Pacioretty
Maybe it is a good thing there are no playoffs because this sure is getting boring, isn't it. Every game the same players step up, every game they do it in the same way. It makes watching, writing, and I am sure reading very repetitive. Max scored and added an assist and, therefore, ended with a very impressive 65 points. The US will enjoy his play at World's and we'll all look forward to September to see him again.

Tomas Plekanec
When the Leafs had an early 5-on-3 the last thing I expected was a goal by us. I actually thought that an early goal by Toronto would be just what we needed to ensure a loss. What I underestimated, however, was how bad Toronto's players are. Not to take away from Pleks (only the second player to score in that situation that year), but it was two mistakes in our end that led to the breakaway and then horrible goaltending that allowed the uncontrolled puck to trickle in.

Erik Cole
Erik is the player we all dreamed of getting 3 years ago (Gomez, Gionta or Cammelleri) and is way better than the player we thought we got last July (Cole). He played with passion and pride every single game this year and is the perfect player to be leading a young group. I like Gionta, but wonder if his captaincy, like the reign of the coach and gm, should come to an end this year. If so, Erik would be the obvious choice in that regard.

Defencemen

Josh Gorges
Josh played another solid game and ended the season as one of only two players to play all 82 games (Cole). It was a good bounce-back year after his injury last year and one can only hope that the same happens for Markov in 12-13. Gorges, along with Markov, Emelin and Subban form a good top-4, or 4 of top-5; it will be interesting to see who sticks come game #1.

PK Subban
One of the best plays by Subban was his hit on Brown. Hitting is such a small part of his game, but he is still so good at it. To me that shows just how good he is as he has so many different tools; offence, defence, skating and passion are a few more of his other skills. It was another good game from PK in what was an up and down season (although, admittedly up of late). The 22 year-old is getting better all the time and hopefully has many good years in Montreal to come. I guess, like us, he'll be watching the lottery and draft with interest.

Goaltender

Peter Budaj - Game Puck
Peter played well again tonight and has actually been quite good of late. In fact, in his last 7 games (the last 4 weeks) he has a save % of .931. Maybe, in the end, he has earned himself an NHL job, back here in Montreal that is. These last few weeks should give management the confidence that he can be a decent back-up, but should also serve as a warning that he should be playing more. The cupboard is bare beyond him for sure, but if Price is healthy and if Budaj gets 25 games (he got 17 this year) I think we'll still be in a good goaltending spot next year.

Comments

So, there it is. 82 games have come and gone. It is a little disappointing that we were written off in October or November by so many and that they were right. We had so many chances and reasons to turn it around all year, but things just didn't work out. Trading Cammelleri and waiting forever for Markov to come back have to rank as the highest of the reasons though. I'm not sure we should have kept Camms, but the return we got (8 points in 38 games - 3 less than Gomez in the same amount of games) was absolutely pathetic. It killed our second line 3 months ago.

Tonight was disappointing in that for once I wanted us to lose a last minute game against Toronto. My guess is that the Leafs didn't want to win, but then again they are horrible, so maybe that was indeed their best. It was fitting that our top-3 forwards scored as they (and Desharnais of course) have carried us all season long. As sad as that seems (carry us to last that is, as we have been atrocious), just imagine where we would have been without the Cole line, without 242/246 games played from that trio. Next year we can't rely on them and them alone again. Our goal this summer has to be to build a real top-line (I would love 3 players better than Cole) or at least a line as good as that one. Pleks can be one piece, but who will the other two be? A draft pick in there would be great and a new acquisition, from a trade or free-agency, seems a must.

That's it then, another long season over and another summer to enjoy other things. Thanks to all the readers and loyal Habs fans out there. There are a ton of fans who jumped ship in the Fall or Winter, but if you are reading this you didn't. The team needs real fans and that, we have enough of. Now all we need is a good GM, a good coach, a good draft pick, a few good new forwards and a whole new winning regime. Sounds like Molson is going to have a pretty busy summer if he is going to keep us happy, as for me, I am now in sit-back and watch (and likely complain, but hopefully rejoice) mode.

Game #81 Staal Gets His Breakaway, Habs Made To Take A Point

Details

Date: 05/04/2012
Opponent: Hurricanes
Location: Carolina

Loss: 1-2 (SO)

Habs Goalie: Budaj (L)
Opposition Goalie: Ward (W)

Habs goalscorers: Geoffrion
Opposition goalscorers: LaRose, (Staal, SO)

Play of the game

The "best" play of the game tonight was a save. (If I was a cynic, I would say) one of Cam Ward's wonderful saves to stop the Canadiens from winning despite themselves. But from the perspective of the Habs fan, what a wonderful little stop that was from Chris Campoli with a lightning right leg -- something from the outdoor rink, that. Perhaps a nicer memory to leave of his career in Montreal for everyone.

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Forwards

Tomas Plekanec
We've said this before. Pleks was the best forward on the ice for the Habs. He had his feet, he had his wits, the only thing he left in Montreal were his finishing hands. Another breakaway for Plekanec this season, this one ended in another great Ward save. How many scoring chances has he had on breakaways? How many has he had not on breakaways? The story of a down cycle year with useless wingers.

Erik Cole
The next in a pretty poor bunch. Cole wasn't quite his usual insistent self, but he still garnered chances. Of all Canadiens he came closest to sealing the win with a great showdown with Cam Ward.

Blake Geoffrion
I'm not sure what management thinks of this player. Hopefully it's more than what Cunneyworth thinks. From what I've seen, he's alright. he's certainly no less talented than the rest of the bottom 8 forwards. Hos goal tonight proves two things -- he has skill hiding in there somewhere, and he has a goalscorer instinct. I don't foresee him suddenly going all Pacioretty on us, but why not groom him to replace Darche?

Defencemen

Chris Campoli
His best play of the year to my knowledge. On top of that, a very solid showing in this game. I think we were all a bit surprised to constantly look up to see #17 as plays were broekn down, and just as surprised to see him pinching in up front. More of this earlier in the season might have changed the ball game for a few former coaches and players. Still, as I said, it's nice for Chris to leave us on a higher note.

Andrei Markov
Not his all-time best or anything, but more glimpses of the Markov we once knew. The progress tonight was in his defensive commitment: we saw a few body checks and battles on the boards. If nothing else, this painful last month with Markov will give him the confidence to start the year right next October.

Goaltender

Peter Budaj - Game Puck
I can hear it. "Now you make a save?" Budaj has been placed in a tough situation. At once playing for an NHL career and holding the Canadiens chances to the lottery in his control. His saves throughout will serve him well as he searches for a new contract, and he has looked better as time wore on. I hesitate to say the Habs should resign him though, as most of these high points have come in games of little meaning. I think we all hope those will be left behind soon. In any case, he deserves the recognition tonight as he was the second best player on the ice and did his solid best.

Comments

This game ended exactly the way it should have: on a Staal penalty shot. How the refs did not call Tomas Plekanec for a vicious slash/trip on a breakaway, one will never guess. That penalty shot in regulation could have spared the Habs a point and possibly put them in better stead for an Oilers surge to 28th. But they'll get a better pick for their shootout futility (this is some comfort) -- this being their 11th loss of this type.

On the bright side, the Islanders won, the Hurricanes won (obviously), the Lightning and Toronto went to OT (Toronto coming back to win (fools)) and Edmonton and Anaheim have to split 2-3 points between them.

This all means the Canadiens 76 points put them safely in at least 28th position. Only the Oilers can change that now, thanks to Anaheim's tie break winner over us.

With one meaningless game to go, the spring cannot come quick enough. The only thing holding back the optimism of new GM, new coach, new young star is the prospect of having to watch two terrible teams with young players who can't score duke it out before tee time. I jest, of course. I still enjoy the games. But the optimism about off-ice stuff is legitimate, it's where a Habs fan can find refuge and hope at the moment.

For once, it's the draft that can't come soon enough.

Gorges Recognized For Being Unrecognized (Again)

The only trophy that any Montreal Canadiens player will get this season (other than the hopelessly goaltender biased Molson Cup) has been given to Josh Gorges.

To quote HI/O: "The honour goes to a member of the team whose contributions have been under-recognized in the course of a season."

Not that I have any grudges with Josh Gorges, but this trophy is silly. All of the Canadiens are unrecognized this season, are they not? Apart from Carey Price, no one will get an award from either team or league. Diaz was the only one who was even honoured with an invitation to sub in at the All-Star game.

This trophy probably made a lot more sense when it was devised for the inaugural season of 1981-82. In the 1970s, there was plenty of Canadiens recognition to go around and the sight of a Habs player giving an acceptance speech in June was not so rare.

But nowadays, the Canadiens as a group are rarely recognized. Subban got a nod for the All-Rookie team last season. But the last trophy won by a member of the Montreal Canadiens was the King Clancy trophy in 2006-07. The last trophy for hockey related achievements was the Roger Crozier award to Cristobal Huet in 2005-06. And the last major trophy won by anyone in bleu, blanc, rouge was taken in by Jose Theodore a decade ago.

As I said, nothing against Gorges, but this season has been watchable thanks to three major contributors, only one of whom is being recognized (and that's that flawed process again). The team, or the media, or whoever, needs to adapt to the times and recognize the major contributor before bestowing the only trophy of the season to the a man who has worn the underrated tag like a badge of honour for 6 whole seasons now. Can you even be unrecognized or underrated anymore if every story about you touts you as one of the most underrated players in the world? Maybe having won the trophy for being unrecognized (the second to last trophy won by anyone on the team) should be a hint.

Recognition first for the "recognized". We'll do it here once all the games and stats are in. That's something I guess.

Game #79 11th Habs Shootout Loss Helps Buffer Gap With Leafs

Details

Date: 31/03/2012
Opponent: Capitals
Location: Washington DC

Loss: 2-3 (SO)

Habs Goalie: Budaj (L)
Opposition Goalie: Neuvirth (W)

Habs goalscorers: Cole, Plekanec
Opposition goalscorers: Perrault, Beagle (Hendricks, Semin, SO)

Play of the game

I think the play of the season could very well be in the making in discussions regarding the next GM. Perhaps in the same building as this contest? To also look to the future, the most encouraging play was that of Markov and Subban on the PP tonight as they really gelled for quite a long time. I have had questions about the two conductors playing together, so it is heartening to see them melding. Markov is still the grand orchestrator, but Subban now takes most cues.

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Forwards

Erik Cole - Game Puck
Let's face it, no shootout shot for Cole in this one was an admission of defeat. He was the most dangerous shooter all night and he's been the most dangerous all season. IN this game, he scored of course, but impressed at many other points as he recognized the standoffish defending to cut to the middle on many more occasions than usual. His best play came when he did this, had his shot blocked and proceeded to recover the puck, walk around more defense and get an even better chance away.

Lars Eller
On RDS they were talking a bit about Eller. I heard but wasn't really registering. I think they were saying that he needed some wingers. It was very apparent in this game. What Eller can do well is baffle that first defender. Often after that he opens a great passing lane or just walks into second coverage. Get him a pure scorer who knows positioning (imagine we had had one of those to gel with him...) and he'll make these plays count for more than good impressions.

Tomas Plekanec
Pleks is having a sub-par season and has played most of the time with slumping (sometimes incapable) wings. So when he notched his 16th goal and 50th point, it was an opportunity to remember his quality. In better circumstances, he's a 70-point producer who can make a scorer's life easier. He was good in this one. His goal was outstanding.

Defencemen

Andrei Markov
I've already alluded to his PP skill. IN tonight's game, I thought he stepped up from recent games his defensive play as well. The Habs really did play quite a good defensive coverage after that 2nd Caps goal and Markov was a big part, often seen ushering his mar wide or stealing the puck from unexpectant stick.

PK Subban
It's perhaps a bit boring that Subban keeps getting the write ups. He is earning this recognition now by simply being the best defender on the ice. There's a lot we already take for granted with Subban. It's important we shouldn't forget that much of that are things others simply could never do. He'll be as disappointed as anyone that the season ends in a week. However, for him that lottery is guaranteed to mean something.

Goaltender

Peter Budaj
Budaj ended with a familiar clatter in the shootout. 0 saves, 1 miss, 1 loss. In the game he was adequate and was complicit in gathering the unwanted point. In the comments for yesterday's game, Bruins24 mentioned the complete black hole after Carey Price in Canadiens goaltending, and I'd include Budaj here. He's been OK, but not an option to replace Price in the event of injury. For that reason, one must think his last minutes as a Hab were played out in a Washington shootout.

Comments

When they make the playoffs, they squeak in. This team appears to want to squeak in the other way too. They played a heck of a last 40 minutes plus OT to get a point. They should have and so nearly won. Fortunately, that bad luck that placed them in this scenario made a timely return to halt the unfortunate.

All will be thrilled to hear that the Leafs also won to prepare a 4 point gap and leave the Habs in the losing seat. Minnesota have a point as I write in OT, and we'll hope for another. The Habs look poised to go bottom 5 and possibly bottom 3 with a team that really needs a defender. The possibility of Grigorenko, Yakupov or Galchenyuk is getting pretty exciting.

The big game this week, however, takes place in the boardroom as any decision on GM will be 100 times more important than even a 5-draft pick swing at this stage. The rumour is that Molson and Savard are formalizing the list come Monday for the hunt. I don't agree with CBC panels who suggest a wait for a failed GM. I think Molson would have waited to fire Gauthier if he agreed with the Milburys of the world. It could be a week as exciting as any playoff push. Hold onto your hats.

Game #77Blown Call By Linesman Helps Habs And Panthers

Details

Date: 27/03/2012
Opponent: Panthers
Location: Montreal

Loss: 2-3 (SO)

Habs Goalie: Price (L)
Opposition Goalie: Clemmensen(W)

Habs goalscorers: Cole, Leblanc
Opposition goalscorers: Wolski (1, SO), Samuelsson

Play of the game

St. Denis made a great play at his own blue-line to take the puck that totally caught Florida off-guard. A pass to Leblanc came with the interception and, wouldn't you know it, the Habs had a are 3 on 0. Leblanc was in first and instead of trying to get All-Star game cute he did it all himself as he deked the goalie and put in a beauty of a goal.

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Forwards

Max Pacioretty - Game Puck
Max was buzzing all night in the offensive zone, especially during OT. He didn't score tonight, but did take an incredible 9 shots on goal. He hasn't scored in a while which actually suits me and the Habs just fine. We all know that he is playing well and that he is a good player, we no longer need numbers to tell us that.

Louis Leblanc
Tonight was actually one of Leblanc's better games of the season. I was already thinking of giving him a dome spot when he took a high-sticking penalty. That I didn't like, but I have seen worse. But then his goal sealed his spot as it was truly a nice one. Even after tonight I am not convinced that he is top-6 material, but it is nice to know that come next Fall he will be realistically competing for a spot on one of the top lines.

Erik Cole
Cole scored his 31st tonight which is a career high for him and that was also his 56th point. He is now only 5 points from his best in that category too. It is a surprise to me that after all of the signings gone wrong in Montreal over the years Cole would come in here and be our best player and have one of his best years. If anything, Erik has made this season fun to watch when he and his linemates are on the ice.

Defencemen

Frederic St. Denis
I really liked what I saw from Fred tonight. He seems to know when to keep it simple and when to go for it. In my opinion, he is a superior defender to Campoli in every aspect of play and that should be enough cause to let Chris (as if they would keep him anyway) walk away this summer. His pass on Leblanc's goal was just one of many strong offensive plays St. Denis offered up tonight.

PK Subban
Markov and Emelin had rough games and Campoli wasn't that great either. So, of PK or Gorges I go with Subban tonight. He offered more than Josh in each zone throughout the game, but I can't say that I was too thrilled by some of his give-aways. He did, however, play 28-minutes of +1 hockey and added 4 blocked-shots to his season total.

Goaltender

Carey Price
Price was very good again tonight and can't really be faulted on either of the goals. The second one was a fluky goal that should have been whistled dead anyway. On top of that I don't think he had a good look at it and I don't think this was a case of losing focus because of a presumed offside. That kind of stuff happens way too fast for someone to just stop playing.

Comments

There wasn't much to that game really. The Habs had a couple of nice plays and Florida, quite frankly, got lucky to bag two points. The loss is what we wanted though, so it is a shame that it had to come after regulation yet again. 1 point, at this point, is still better than 2, however.

What I don't really understand is why the organization is trying to win at this point. I don't think that there is a rule that states you have to try to win (and even if there was we could have easily lost while still making it look like we wanted to win). From a coaching perspective I feel that Cunneyworth may want to win as he is likely gone anyway, so each win is better for his career - fair enough. The players should be torn here, though. Maybe certain guys want to stay in Montreal and, thus, don't want too many good players, via the draft coming in, but surely our top players (Cole, Price, Patches, Subban, Markov) must see the advantage of losing. And, seeing as those players are the reason we win (or get to OT) I am a little surprised with the constant desire to win. I think that losing on purpose can breed a losing attitude, but I am talking about 5-10 games here, not a season, surely these players could take a break from character-building for a few weeks, no? Lastly is the front office, now why would they want us to win. Revenue is what it is as the games will sell out and tv deals are done. A good businessman must know about short-term pain for long-term gain, shouldn't they? I think that the message should come down that we are happy with the points we have now, that from now on we ensure we finish 29th.

The league has made a stupid rule where losers are rewarded and there are a few former Habs execs that would be all over taking advantage of this flaw in the system. I see nothing wrong or unethical with trying to lose as the fans, players and management are all in this together for the long haul, with one goal in mind; to be better next year than they are now. We have 5 games to get that 29th spot and I hope that the team can do that for us. I mean, isn't that the least they could do after making us sit through what has been a very disappointing season?

On a more comical and heart-warming note we are now just three points back of Toronto. They will miss the playoffs again this year which comes after a start that many believed would carry them into a playoff spot. My hope is that they win their last few games and don't get a top-5 pick. I would especially enjoy a win when we play them in the last game of the year.

Game #75 Hat Trick Seals Result For Habs Over Sens

Details

Date: 23/03/2012
Opponent: Senators
Location: Montreal

Win: 5-1

Habs Goalie: Price (W)
Opposition Goalie: Anderson (L), Bishop

Habs goalscorers: Cole (3), Nokelainen, Eller
Opposition goalscorers: Spezza

Play of the game

There was a good handful of plays to choose from tonight. Cole's goals were all very nice, Nokelainen's was good, Price made several nice saves. But my play of the game nod goes to PK Subban for his save on Jason Spezza to keep the game out of reach at the time. Only moments after being hit by Spezza (without retaliation from PK), he kept his head and his coverage to save Habs blushes and momentum in the early game.

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Forwards

Erik Cole - Game Puck
If one scores three goals in a NHL game, it doesn't really matter what else one does in a game. Cole happened to play well the rest of the night and set a record for fastest hat trick by a Montreal Canadiens player from opening faceoff as well.

David Desharnais
Desharnais was slick in the offensive zone in this one. He got two assists thanks to Cole's huge efforts. But it was his play on non-goals that impressed me. But for the first 5 minutes of the game, Desharnais was the stand out forward for me.

Ryan White
White played a major role in fending off the Sens in this one. While the team chasing 3 goals probably should have gone for goals, thanks to White's urging, they ended up trying to pull out his gold locks instead. White sort of fought, he was penalized for it. His real impact came as the agitator and distractor.

Defencemen

PK Subban
Subban looks sharp. He's a spring-time player, that's becoming more clear. Tonight he was unleashed on a few occasions to rush and I very much enjoyed seeing that again. It's easy to forget how young PK is, and how really he has lots still left to learn. Highlight moments for me were that save, a rush that Bourque (brought in to stand in front of the net) botched by not being anywhere near the net, and a nice clean body check after an offside (but during the whistling down). He was doing it all in this one.

Andrei Markov
This player just exudes quality. There are things he makes look so simple that once we maybe took for granted. Seasons without his hands and feet make one realize how important keeping a puck in is, how vital to a PP a laser-guided one-touch pass can be. He's still avoiding the contact, I'm noting. But that's just fine with me. I'll gladly take the efficient defender's passing on its own.

Goaltender

Carey Price
Played a very good game. The stops were flowing and he was for once in sync with his defenders. It's a shame that this comes now and not earlier in the season. We could have used the winning before and the losing now. Whatever desire the Habs fans have for Grigorenkupov, Price counters with disregard for losing.

Comments

5:41 into this game and it was over. A team that desperately needed to win allowed a team that desperately needed to lose to get these first three goals and pouf. The strategy from there out consisted of a lot of scuffling and some decent PP action from both sides. The game ended up being long and drawn out in the end because of all the penalties and silly scuffling. In the end, that was all for naught. Neil will have earned some pooler that deals in PIMs a wonderful payout, but beyond that it's just later nights for everyone.

One can't blame the Canadiens for the approach they took, the result or the Senators behaviour. But in an ideal world, this game would have ended 8-9 in regulation after such a flying start. Both these teams are now playing with fire, as lottery and playoffs hang in the balances. As I root for Montreal to go quietly into the night. I am also hoping that Ottawa prevails in their impressive season to make the playoffs. I fear for us all if the two teams on display tonight continue into the next two weeks in this form.

Tomorrow a dose of the Flyers should aid the Canadiens to find their former quest, as the Flyers usually have something to prove and often end up proving it against the Habs. At the finish now, Toronto has won, so has Edmonton. So a victory of less cost can be enjoyed for the beautiful 5 minutes and hat trick it produced.

Game #74That's More Like It; Habs Lose Properly

Details

Date: 21/03/2012
Opponent: Sabres
Location: Buffalo

Loss: 0-3

Habs Goalie: Price (L)
Opposition Goalie: Miller (W)

Habs goalscorers: None
Opposition goalscorers: Hodgson (2), Pominville

Play of the game

My favourite play was a rush by PK. It was in the third period when the game was out of reach, but it was still a solid individual effort. He did very well in his own end to break coverage twice before heading up the ice. Blunden, of all people, then found some space and Subban found him. Miller then made a great save on what would have been a goal against most others.

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Forwards

Tomas Plekanec - Game Puck
My goal this summer, once I take 3 months off from thinking about hockey, is for Plekanec to get some wingers. Bourque is not Cammalleri, Gionta is not Kovalev and Geoffrion is not Kostitsyn. The Habs owe it to this player, who always gives it a solid effort, to surround him with good players. Tonight was another good effort as he had 6 shots and was perfect, again, on the PK.

Petteri Nokelainen
I noticed him for once and I think it has something to do with 9 minutes of ice rather than 3. Another reason may be that he was playing for Jari Kurri and a spot on Finland's World Championship team. He may be playing his last few games as a Hab, so I can't say I am that excited about a decent game as I do think it is way too late to impress at this point.

Erik Cole
Erik squeaks in here as he really wasn't that good, but the rest of the forwards weren't just normal, most were bad. Has the team checked out for the year? It seems so, but for the first time I am starting to assume that Cole has done so too.

Defencemen

Josh Gorges
A good, quiet game for Josh that had a slight blemish on their first goal. He led the team with 4 blocked-shots and played the second most minutes. I know that I have talked a lot about World's for many Habs, but I may add Josh to that list. He is what Canada loves when it comes to stay-at-home D and I think that this may be his best chance to wear the Maple Leaf.

PK Subban
A no-brainer tonight is PK. He seems frustrated with the team's current situation and I get the feeling that this will be the exception year in what will be a great career. I liked how he stood up for Campoli at the end; it seems he has been doing more of that lately.

Goaltender

Carey Price
There wasn't much help from his teammates so this game was always going to be a loss for Carey. He did, however, put forth the type of effort that could have been worthy of a win. Interesting that he spent 2 minutes on the bench as it seems Cunneyworth wasn't afraid to try something slightly different than the rest.

Comments

Both teams got what they wanted (or at least what they should want) tonight, so everyone should be happy. It was a pretty dull 60 minutes to get to it though as Buffalo isn't exactly the most exciting team that the Habs could lose a game to. I felt that Montreal were in the game, but in a way weren't. There were some chances, but zero goals isn't that shocking as only two or three of those were really good chances. A lot of stupid penalties not only gave the Sabres extra chances, but also gave us time to keep working at our league's-best kill.

Two and a half weeks and eight games to go. It would appear that we'll finish 28th if everything goes according to plan which is still quite good (guaranteed top-4 pick). You then never know what the summer will hold beyond that; we could be looking at a new coach, GM, star 18 year-old and maybe a new vet or two. I am starting to get excited for the off-season, we just have to sit through 2.5 more months of hockey first.

Game #73Close Game Puts Habs Back In Comfort Of Last Place

Details

Date: 17/03/2012
Opponent: Islanders
Location: Montreal

Loss: 2-3 (SO)

Habs Goalie: Budaj (L)
Opposition Goalie: Montoya (W)

Habs goalscorers: Palushaj, Leblanc (Desharnais, Bourque - SO)
Opposition goalscorers: Streit, Nielsen (1, SO) (Moulson, Bailey - SO)

Play of the game

Subban's good play continued tonight and he was at his best on our second goal. After taking a pass from Budaj (who now has as many points as Engqvist, Staubitz, St. Denis and Geofrrion combined; Peter has played 27 less games than those guys combined) he rushed up the ice and caused confusion. A nice pass found Leblanc open in the slot and the kid went against the stream, upstairs with a backhand. It is the type of goal that only a puck-carrying defenceman can generate and is a big reason why I always take notice when PK takes off.

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Forwards

David Desharnais
David played well throughout and scored a spectacular goal in the shootout. Surprisingly he played over 24 minutes of hockey as it has become obvious that the team's goals don't line up with mine.

Louis Leblanc
Leblanc only played 11 minutes and took 2 penalties, but I can't stop thinking about that backhand goal. With 9 points in 33 games I am not sure that he is really going to be the player that all hope for, but when he scores goals like he did tonight it certainly helps to fuel that fire.

Erik Cole
-1 and only 2 shots, but still in the dome, way to go other forwards. Tonight was a chance for guys like Palushaj, White, Bourque or Eller to step up, but again there was nothing. Aarron did score a soft, fluky goal which was long overdue, mind you. I guess there is a reason that Cunneyworth refuses to give ice-time to certain players as they aren't really proving that they deserve it right now.

Defencemen

Andrei Markov
I really enjoyed watching Markov tonight as it makes the games that much easier to sit through. I was also happy to see him back in after missing yesterday's game and wonder if they didn't want him to play two days in a row so soon so sat him yesterday? He almost hit 22 minutes tonight and I am hoping that he stays there for the rest of the year. He has proven he is still elite and is worth hanging on to, so now it is all about getting minutes under the belt; 9 more games then World's please.

PK Subban
Subban has taken all year to get to this point, the point where I feel he is playing some of his best and most consistent hockey as a Hab. Like the Desharnais line it will be hard for him to miss a dome from here on in. And, like Markov, send him to World's too as I feel that could go a long way in healing relationships with other NHLers (seems like no other players or fans like him at all) which may end up helping him down the road.

Goaltender

Peter Budaj - Game Puck
Since no other player really stepped up and Peter played pretty well this seemed like the right choice for the game puck. I thought that he made some great saves, especially that one on the Bailey partial break where he really stretched out to make a toe stop. 9 more games for the Habs means 3 more for Budaj, I think. Both goalies may also go to World's which, again, won't hurt at all.

Comments

Losing in OT when you are unsure about winning or losing being the goal is the worst possible outcome. There is no 'well, at least we killed the other team' feeling, yet you still get saddled with a point. I am not surprised that we are going to OT so much though as teams at this time of the year are very cautious starting at about 15 minutes to go in the third. It seems that most teams are happy to take their chances in the skill contest as long as they are guaranteed a point. I bet that a bad team who was horrible at shootouts would still get 100 points on the year if they 'tied' every game just based on odds. So, you can see why so many bad teams take that route (us and the Islanders have gone to OT a combined 40 times this year, translating into 56 points).

How about a system where coming 9th is better than 15th? Instead of rewarding teams that come last with high draft picks and making fans sit through game upon game that means nothing the league makes finishing higher worth something. No team would rather the first pick than playoffs (if they did, then the current system would still work for them), so, I suggest having 17th get the first overall pick and 30th gets the 14th. Letting Columbus, Edmonton and the Islanders draft high every year doesn't create parity anyway when you think of it. So, how about giving all 30 teams 82 worthwhile games.

Game #72Montreal Gives It Their Best Shot, But Still Get Stuck With A Point

Details

Date: 16/03/2012
Opponent: Senators
Location: Ottawa

Loss: 1-2 (OT)

Habs Goalie: Price (L)
Opposition Goalie: Bishop (W)

Habs goalscorers: Plekanec
Opposition goalscorers: Greening, Kuba

Play of the game

Sometimes choosing this is hard, sometimes it is easy, though, like tonight. When the Habs make one, and only one, good play it is pretty straightforward. That play, of course, was our goal. It was Ryan White's stick that started the play when it blocked a Senators PP pass. The puck then went to the speedy Plekanec who made a very nice move before unloading a bullet to the top right corner.

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Forwards

Erik Cole
It is possible that Erik now sees the value of playing for a pick as tonight wasn't vintage Cole. There were moments that excited, however, as he still showed some speed and strength on the puck. Let's just say that the others made this a pretty easy dome for him to bag.

Tomas Plekanec
He scored a goal, his 14th and played 27+ minutes. The Habs are certainly getting their money's worth from Plekanec of late as he continues to play well, and a lot, despite being saddled with the likes of Ryan White and Rene Bourque; players that should not be on an NHL 2nd line. They need to find Tom some wingers to play with this summer because I can't see anyone on the roster (assuming the Desharnais line remains intact) being the solution.

Max Pacioretty
I had to choose someone and, of the legitimate options, he was the only one without any penalty minutes. Playing well, to me, still means playing well even though those that took a lot of penalties increased Ottawa's chances (and our at 0 points). So, I guess the dome, at this point, isn't necessarily who I liked best on the night.

Defencemen

Josh Gorges
No Markov, Kaberle or Diaz meant that it was more big minutes and more special teams for Josh. He did OK tonight and was better than the bottom four. He still looks tired though and hasn't been playing as well. My guess is that he is going to rest a lot this summer; good thing he gets an extra month.

PK Subban
I wasn't sure about Subban as he didn't play his best, but at the end of the day it was still good enough. He got in a rare fight tonight and had to put up with his usual (and unfounded; does anyone know why he gets booed in every rink?) boos. It would be nice to see him get the call to play for Canada next month as he could use some big-game, meaningful-hockey development this year.

Goaltender

Carey Price - Game Puck
Carey was great tonight and was very close to a win and even a shutout despite how badly his teammates were outplayed. He was probably the biggest single reason why we got a point and why it even looked like a competitive game on the scoresheet. I'd play Budaj tomorrow, though as the Habs need to cool it and Price could use a Saturday night off.

Comments

Did Plekanec break the game-plan? Wait, what does the game-plan say about penalty-killing, are you allowed to take shots from the high slot? That goal, almost a fluke goal, gave us the lead and almost gave us a win. That is pretty crazy considering how badly we played and how much we were outpayed by Ottawa. Add to that the fact that the Sens had 8 PPs and it is shocking that we even got to OT. So, was the game-plan to not really try to score and to not worry about taking penalties and to see what happens? That is what it looked like to me. Sad then, isn't it that the team that is now leading our division barely beat us. We could and should have been a better team this year and no matter how much I now want to finish low and be ready to go for October I can't help but be disappointed about what should have been a decent season.

It is not all lost, however, as Edmonton won and we did lose. Tomorrow is the Islanders and if we thought it was hard to let Ottawa win we should see what New York will be like. They have been trying to win hockey games for 30 years and have done about as well as Toronto has done at making good trades. 10 games to go now for the Habs, think we can get a good start to that tomorrow, please.

Game #71Montreal Can't Stop Getting Points; 9th-12th Here We Come?

Details

Date: 14/03/2012
Opponent: Senators
Location: Montreal

Win: 3-2 (SO)

Habs Goalie: Price (W)
Opposition Goalie: Bishop (L)

Habs goalscorers: Cole Desharnais (1,SO)
Opposition goalscorers: Greening, Karlsson

Play of the game

I have never, ever seen a player do this, in any sport, at any level. Cole took a pass in the neutral zone and went in with his usual speed down the right-side. He put a good shot on net, but it was stopped. A juicy rebound came out just as fast as the shot had gone in and all of a sudden, bang-bang, it was in the net. Yes, I have seen that. But, I have never seen a player high-five the ref after a nice goal, but that is exactly what Erik did, it was hilarious. Nice to see Cole enjoying himself and nice to see that the Habs still seem to enjoy playing. I may try high-fiveing the ref next time I play, but I just have a feeling it will more likely mean 2 minutes for me rather than rapturous applause.

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Forwards

Erik Cole
At this stage it would take something special for the dome to be occupied by three players that aren't on Cole's line. With Ryan White (yes, Ryan White) on our second line and Staubitz on our team it just isn't fair anymore as Cole and company are raking in the domes. 3 more goals to hit 30, 4 more for a career-high. Considering we score 2-3 goals a game and no one else can score I would say this is a lock.

David Desharnais - Game Puck
David scored a goal and was the lone successful shooter in the shootout. He outplayed his opponents most of the game and that is probably why he saw the most ice of any of our forwards. We didn't score on the PP tonight, but I feel that it is improving. Desharnais, in my opinion, is a big reason why we are getting better as he seems more comfortable running a PP and working the half-boards as of late.

Max Pacioretty
The same reason that some people are excited about next year is the same reason that I am worried. We have shown this year that we are not a deep team and that has been painfully obvious over the past few weeks. When you look at our forwards after the top-3 and Plekanec it really is a mess. Eller and Leblanc may have potential, but aren't there yet. Beyond that we are looking at an unflattering group that includes Gionta, Gomez, Bourque, White, Staubitz, Nokelainen, Geoffrion and Palushaj...ouch. Not hard for Max to make the dome tonight as he played like himself and, as predicted, so did the other 9 forwards.

Defencemen

Andrei Markov
Andrei is already at the stage where if he plays alright he will get in the dome. Gorges had an off night and I wasn't that impressed with Campoli. Weber and St. Denis were alright, but I would still take Markov. He looked more comfortable tonight and was a few inches away from winning the game in the shootout. I was happy that the crowd got behind him so much as they seem to echo what we have been saying on here. So, I guess it is just Michel Beregeron that thinks he should go. He does have a good track record, though as he is a big reason that the team and certain fans turned on Koivu, Kovalev and Kostitsyn. Let's hope that Markov is one Eastern European that can escape that joke's wrath.

PK Subban
Subban was our best defender tonight and, for a change, was miles ahead of Gorges in both ends. His shot that got deflected by Desharnais was a perfect point shot and Desh made a great deflection. He played 28 minutes tonight which he can handle and makes sense, but if we really want to finish low and want to see even more progression from some I would share that ice-time around more, in particular with Emelin, Diaz (when they are healthy) and Weber.

Goaltender

Carey Price
Carey was great tonight and may be the biggest reason that we are 2 points further from our goal and Ottawa is one less from theirs. Can't blame him, though, for playing well and wanting to win, I would be doing the same. I was happy to see him go 3 for 3 in the shootout as he stopped a trio that were 13/21 coming in.

Comments

I get the feeling that with Markov in the line-up in December or even January we would easily have 10 more PP goals, a couple more shootout wins and likely 5-10 more points. So, we would be in the hunt for sure. That, to me, is one of the most encouraging things as we head into a long summer of MLS watching in Montreal. He brings a certain element that helps us and his presence makes every defender better as less is expected of each. You also have to wonder what would have been had Cole, Desharnais and Pacioretty been together from the start. It sure makes a great case against always going with Gionta and Gomez, doesn't it?

Next up is, the Ottawa Senators. It is off to Scotiabank Place where Montreal fans will surely be loud and, maybe regrettably, egging their team on for the win. As much as I would like 85 points at this point (because I enjoy a win more than a loss) I know that that is no-man's land in the NHL. One of the biggest reasons that teams like Toronto never get better is because they never draft high (it probably doesn't help that they draft very poorly and are run by the angriest man in the Western Hemisphere), so I can't stress enough the importance for us to abort on the season. It seems that 9 forwards and 3 D have bought into it, any ideas how we can get the rest of our crew to chill out down the stretch? We get it guys, you are good and this season isn't your fault, but please, take it easy!

Game #70 Habs Fans Unsure Whether to Celebrate Last-Second Point

Details

Date: 3/12/2012
Opponent: Sabers
Location: Buffalo

Loss 2-3 (OT)

Habs Goalie: Price (L)
Opposition Goalie: Miller (W)

Habs goalscorers: Cole, Desharnais
Opposition goalscorers: Ennis (2), Myers

Play of the game

Another play of the game brought to you by the Pacioretty/Desharnais/Cole line. In this version, total chaos breaks out in the Buffalo end with Montreal finally finding some offense in the dying seconds of the 3rd. After a couple of shots on Miller and a couple of battles for pucks finally being won, a cross-crease pass found itself heading straight for Desharnais' tape and he made no mistake in putting this one into the wide-open net to tie the game with 5 seconds left on the clock.

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Forwards

Max Pacioretty
I'm sure we all had a bit of a gasp when we saw him go off in the second after taking a puck to the ankle, but Pacioretty not only came back, he also led the team in shots with 5 in only 15:39 of ice time. Didn't really deserve the penalty he took during the power play in the 3rd in my opinion.

Erik Cole
Scored the opening goal to give some vital breathing room. Again filled his role as the offensive—well, maybe not juggernaut, but about the closest thing we have to one.

David Desharnais
Set up Cole's early goal and scored a beauty himself in the dying seconds. Currently on a 0.8 point/game pace. These 3 players accounted for 11 of our 28 shots tonight, and our defencemen another 10. Is it any wonder these are the only 3 forwards we ever see in the dome these days?

Defencemen

PK Subban
Another great game for Subban. I really want to see him continue developing at the pace he has over the past 2-3 seasons, and having a mentor like Markov on the ice will help in that respect. Just having another reliable defenceman might have done the trick, and Markov brings far more than that to the table.

Andrei Markov
Head and shoulders above any of our other defencemen. Markov has great hockey sense and a fantastic sense of timing. Even with a -2 finish, he reminded me tonight of what a great player he really is and how happy we should be to have him back. Here's hoping we actually see him for more than a handful of games next season.

Goaltender

Peter Budaj - Game Puck
Honestly sorry to not see Budaj play more given the game he had. He made some truly amazing stops and showed smart positioning and a fair amount of agility throughout the contest. I don't think Price would have necessarily stopped anything Budaj didn't tonight – the first Ennis goal in particular was spectacular.

Comments

It's feeling a little like a broken record around here these days. But with only one line producing any offense at all and good goaltending, basically 4 of 6 dome spots are already taken in a given game. And with Gomez forgetting what the second half of "give and go" offense means, we're unlikely to see much from him, Eller or anyone on that wing. Plekanec seems to only be interested in special teams goals, and Bourque seems to be still finding his feet.

Buffalo had strong forechecking and we had a very difficult time getting established in their zone. The unbalanced shot total here really does reflect the zone domination of the Sabers. Once again, Ruff showed why he's such a respected coach and came out with a solid game plan that was very effective in shutting us down.

Much as I hate seeing us lose, I don't know how I feel about pulling a point from the fire with 5 seconds left in the game. Makes for an exciting finish, sure. But I wouldn't be quite so unhappy to lose a position or two in the draft if it means finishing ahead of the Leafs, who are only 3 points ahead in the standings...

Game #69Montreal Takes It To The Cream Of The West

Details

Date: 10/03/2012
Opponent: Canucks
Location: Vancouver

Win: 4-1

Habs Goalie: Price (W)
Opposition Goalie: Luongo (L)

Habs goalscorers: Geoffrion, Cole (2), Subban
Opposition goalscorers: Kesler

Play of the game

Tough call in this one, but I am going to have to go with Geoffrion's goal. Not only was it a tying goal, it was also a good goal put together by two players that mean a lot to this organization (Blake and Leblanc). The goal was a Geoffrion's first as a Hab since 1964; let's hope we don't have to wait another 48 years for the next. Think Blake will still be with us in 2060?

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Forwards

Erik Cole - Game Puck
Erik played a fantastic game and seems very intent on making sure we don't draft any forwards that would immediately drop him down the depth-chart. That, and he must have some serious passion and pride. His two goals tonight were both hard-working goals and they put him at 25, oh so close to the 30 mark (the high in his career).

Max Pacioretty
Patches kept it rolling tonight with 2 more points. I believe that with 13 games left he will hit 35-30-65 which is something that even the most opptomistic weren't always saying. I find as the games and weeks have gone by he looks more and more like a complete NHL player. His play is giving me a lot more hope for next year than I had just a month ago.

Blake Geoffrion
Why not? He did what his Dad couldn't do and that is score a goal as a Hab. That is not a shot at his Dad, but just praise for Blake because of what he could mean to this team. Imagine how excited Edmonton fans would be if Gretzky's Great-Grandson were to play for them in the 2060's or Detroit's if the Lidstrom name came back 70 odd years into the future. I think that Blake was a good move by this team and I was happy to see him pot his first. Besides that, I felt that he played quite well as there were a couple of other chances too.

Defencemen

Andrei Markov
He looked out of place at times and unsure of himself, but I still felt that he played quite well (and, I need someone new to write about). What he hasn't lost is his offensive vision and his incredible skills of keeping the puck in at the point. Tonight was just the first game in a long road back to being our best defender and best overall player and I think he did well considering everything. My hope is that his utilization and confidence increase over the next 13 games so that we can all have a summer where he doesn't have to be the unknown that he has become during recent off-seasons.

PK Subban
I hate to say it as PK has been fantastic for a lot of the year and above what one would expect for all of it, but, don't you think that if he played and shot like he did tonight a little more often from October to February we may be talking about playoffs and not lottery? Again, however, his play has me more excited for next year than wondering what could have been in this one.

Goaltender

Carey Price
If Cole only scores one the game-puck is Carey's. That doesn't mean that he played any worse, just that Cole really stepped it up. Price was very, very solid tonight and totally outplayed the often shaky Luongo. I would assume that Carey will be playing for Canada in a few weeks at World's and think that it will be good for him to get back to playing behind a solid, winning team.

Comments

I was hoping for the loss tonight, but still found myself happy with the goals and with Markov's return. Ideally, I suppose we play an exciting game, but lose something like 4-5 in regulation. That way we get what we want and still get some entertainment. We still have 13 games to lose, however, so I am hoping that we'll get back on track against desperater teams. Tonight was indeed an exciting hockey game and, standings aside, I think we played well and showed that we can be a decent team. I am done thinking abut the Fall and what could have been, though. My sights are firmly set on the draft and on a return to the playoffs as soon as next year.

It was fabulous to see Markov back, but no one could have been more happy than he is. I am sure that he wants nothing more than 14 wins and a trip to the playoffs as I am sure he feels bad for his teammates and fans for being out so long (although, it was not at all his fault). It was nice to see an assist from him too, on the 5-on-3; a PP that he bumped Kaberle off of. People are talking about him taking it easy and skipping World's (if selected) because of the risk to his knee. I, however, believe that if it is healed then it is healed and, if so, he is no more of an injury risk than any other player. So, I hope that he plays a lot down the stretch and does go to World's as I feel a happy, healthy, game-ready Markov is the exact thing this team has been missing and is the main thing that we should be excited about come October.

Game #66 Falling Leafs Bury Habs

Details

Date: 3/03/2012
Opponent: Maple Leafs
Location: Montreal

Loss: 1-3

Habs Goalie: Price (L)
Opposition Goalie: Gustavsson (W)

Habs goalscorers: Cole
Opposition goalscorers: Frattin, Grabovski (2)

Play of the game

Pacioretty held up his rush and threw in a shot with Desharnais crashing Gustavsson. The centreman grabbed the loose puck and threw it over to the slot, where a waiting Erik Cole buried his 23rd of the year.

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Forwards

Max Pacioretty
He's been the quiet one of his line the last couple games I've watched, but the fact remains that this trio is the only one the Habs have running that can actually score.

Erik Cole
Came through early to put the Habs up in the first period. Had a lot of great rushes at Gustavsson and although I wish he'd been able to put one of those away, there's no one else generating the offense he does every game. Wish he hadn't taken that bone-headed penalty at the end.

David Desharnais
The final cog in what seems to be the entirety of our offensive machine. Desharnais is a smart, tough player with a nose for the net and great hockey sense. A key piece of the team's future.

Defencemen

PK Subban
Hit, shot, played good defence and quarterbacked the power play. Got under the Leafs' skins. What else do you want?

Chris Campoli
Actually liked what I saw from Campoli tonight. Led the team in hits (5) and tied for the lead for blocked shots (3). Liked Weber tonight too, but I gave Campoli the edge.

Goaltender

Carey Price - Game Puck
Made some tremendous saves, even if the 42 shots recorded for the Leafs was a little misleading. I didn't feel like any of the goals was particularly weak, but neither were they particularly spectacular. Still, Price was one of the few positives of the evening.

Comments

A bit of a sleeper, which is a surprise given we were facing the Leafs. We really didn't seem to have much killer instinct, and we missed some serious assignments in our end. Kessel was left wide open in 2nd only to be robbed by Price, but Grabovski buried his opportunity on the PP late in the 3rd. On our side, Gustavsson made plenty of mistakes and we failed to take advantage.

We still didn't see much offense from anyone beyond the Cole/Desharnais/Pacioretty line, although the last 2 or 3 minutes featured a little bit from the Eller and Plekanec lines. We'll need to find some secondary scoring if we expect to improve our record.

Game #65Habs Take Round-About Way To Secure Rare 2 Points

Details

Date: 01/03/2012
Opponent: Wild
Location: Montreal

Win: 5-4 (SO)

Habs Goalie: Price (W)
Opposition Goalie: Backstrom, Harding (L)

Habs goalscorers: Subban, Eller, Pacioretty, Desharnais (1, SO)
Opposition goalscorers: Kassian (2), Heatley, Setoguchi

Play of the game

The play we have been waiting for all year, the play that may have made us a playoff-bound team came out tonight. It was, of course, PK's PP goal. Last year ended with a reminder of the kid's shot and a warning to the PK units of 2011-2012 to watch out. Well, no one has had anything to worry about all year. If they were worried at this point of the season it would have been because Subban had been blasting shots, like the one he took tonight, by everyone.

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Forwards

David Desharnais - Game Puck
3 points on the night give him an astonishing 50 on the season. He also scored the lone shootout goal and gave the Habs two points that they so desperately needed and wanted...right? David has to be the biggest surprise of the year, doesn't he? We talk about Emelin and Cole and Pacioretty, but we always had hopes for those three, did anyone ever expect this kid to be leading an NHL team in scoring in March?

Max Pacioretty
Max also had a multiple point night as he picked up goal 26 and points 47 and 48. As good as his line has been and as exciting as it has been to watch these are really numbers of second-line (ideally) players. Max has had to rise up to be a top-2 winger and top-3 forward thanks to the play of Plekanec, Kostitsyn, Gomez, Gionta and Cammalleri. Those are the players that cost us this season, not Gauthier, not Markov and not Martin.

Erik Cole
At -3 and no points I didn't want to put Erik in, I even considered Geoffrion for the single reason of being a Geoffrion, but in the end I had to go with #72. Cole was strong tonight and was better than all the other forwards who, surprisingly in a 5-4 win, didn't really contribute that much at all.

Defencemen

Tomas Kaberle
He is in here mostly for his offensive play as he wasn't too hot in his own end, but, then again, who really was?. He was a big reason why we scored 3 PP goals tonight as he brought a calming presence and manages to find players in space. He now has 2o points (2 tonight) in 36 games since joining the Habs (a 46-point pace) and is the type of player that a team needs and we'd need if he wasn't here. Just think of how bad the PP would be if he never arrived; believe it or not, I think it would probably be worse.

PK Subban
I loved the hits and I loved the moves. Desh robbed PK of the game puck tonight as I felt that this was one on Subban's better games. Defensively he wasn't at his best, but I have to look past that as I feel no one on the team really was. His goal was a rocket that I wish we saw more of as it really seems unstoppable when he connects.

Goaltender

Carey Price
I didn't like the clearing attempt (was he going for goal) right up the middle along the ice late in the third. That no-no of a play was picked off and translated into a goal just a few seconds later. I also wasn't a huge fan of 4 goals on 30 shots (.867) and 3 in the last 4 minutes. Had we lost I probably would have gone with Budaj and heading into a shootout I expected a loss (thanks to our inability, this season, to score and to not get scored on). Carey, however, surprised me with a solid shootout and saved his dome and bagged himself a win.

Comments

The Habs have 17 games left and it is becoming hard to know what to hope for at this point because I like to win, but logic says lose. Up until 2 weeks ago I had one thought and that was playoffs. I knew that it would be tough, near impossible really, but I still wanted to get in. Yes, it is good to worry about the future, but worrying about the future hasn't done a whole lot of teams any good in the past, so I worry more about the present. Then came the string of losses and the Kostitsyn trade and I seemed to have all of the hope sucked out of me. Chasing teams like Florida, Toronto and Winnipeg made me think that, as bad as we are, we'll still make it because, boy are they bad teams. Then we went and lost to Florida and Tampa and I realized that we are worse than some bad teams, it had really sunken in. So, now I can see the value in coming bottom 5 (or better yet, bottom 2) as coming 9-12 is more a Toronto kind of thing.

This weekend, however, I will cheer hard for the win. I love the fact that Toronto hasn't made the playoffs in 8 years and hope that the Habs can be a big part of why they won't make it again. Seeing them be as bad as they have been for the past 45 years always bring a smile to my face.

An interesting little piece of trivia that I came across today was the fact that Blake Geoffrion actually had a family member 4 generations back play for the Habs too. That player was Billy Coutu who was a previous captain, won a Stanley Cup in 1924 with the Habs and is considered, by the Hockey News, as one of the 100 best Habs ever. There is no blood relation to speak of (maybe why no one has mentioned it), but Billy was Blake's Great, Great, Great Uncle or Boom-Boom's Great Uncle. This is where it may get complicated. Coutu was married to Howie Morenz's Wife's Mother's Sister, so was an Uncle-in-law to the great #7. In fact, the two played together. Coutu is also known for being the only player ever to be banned for life by the NHL, that happened in 1927 when he attacked an official.

Game #64 Geoffrion's Lineage No Magic Potion for Habs

Details

Date: 28/02/2012
Opponent: Lightning
Location: Tampa Bay

Loss 1-2

Habs Goalie: Price (L)
Opposition Goalie: Garon (W)

Habs goalscorers: Desharnais
Opposition goalscorers: Stamkos, Hall

Play of the game

Working alone, a canny Desharnais made a great steal to start a rush down-ice with Cole keeping pace. As a second defender hustled back to get a body on Cole, Desharnais used the struggling pair as a screen and snapped a beautiful shot past Garon.

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Forwards

Tomas Plekanec
Once again showed his desire to win, his impeccable penlty-killing skills, and some smart drives to the net. He actually beat Garon, but the Tampa goaltender got lucky as he managed to deflect the puck just wide.

Erik Cole
Carried a lot of offensive weight once again. Won battles that seemed already lost, and got stoned by an incredibly lucky Garon in the 2nd. Also sent a defender flying into the Tampa goalie for a comical finish to the 3rd period.

David Desharnais - Game Puck
Scored our only goal and did it by himself. Tied up a game that, despite the shots being pretty even, did not feel even at all. With Cole, again created most of the meager offensive threats we had.

Defencemen

PK Subban
Was hard filling out the defenders this evening, as no one really distinguished themselves too strongly. Subban is one of the few things that keeps our top power play unit looking even vaguely competent, and looked good enough in his own end.

Josh Gorges
A bit of a no-brainer. Gorges knows where to be and when. St. Louis looked like he might be breaking free and turned hard to shake Gorges, who just put the body to his opponenet and neutralized the play completely. Made some smart plays at the other blue line and didn't make mistakes behind his own.

Goaltender

Carey Price
Let down once again by the skaters in front of him. The Stamkos goal was a beauty, and so was the the saucer pass to Hall and his top-shelf marker. Price made some good saves, including a pokecheck to strip Stamkos in a dangerous-looking play in the 3rd. Price kept the team in this one the whole way once again, but there simply wasn't enough offense to cash in on his good play.

Comments

Credit where credit is due: The Lightning did a lot of things right in this game. Garon made some really spectacular saves, and his team did a good job of getting bodies around him to control rebounds, and to limit the Habs' effectiveness in the offensive zone.

It was fun watching Emelin provoke Malone into a total frenzy and not throw a punch back, but less fun watching the Habs being unable to score over the 5-minute power play that ensued. Frankly, we probably had better chances on the PK. Almost every team we play against seems to work harder and have more discipline, and as a result we lose a lot of those games.

Liked what I saw from Geoffrion, he played about 13 minutes, mostly beside Plekanec. I think Price might have tripped 2 or 3 guys tonight, which I almost like to see as I think a lot of teams take liberties with him. All in all, another hard game to watch as it seems we're just limping through the rest of the season.