Habs get back to basics

Date: 06/01/2016
Opponent: Devils
Location: Montreal
Win: 2-1

Habs Goalie: Condon (W)
Opposition Goalie: Schneider (L)

Habs goalscorers: Pacioretty, Mitchell
Opposition goalscorers: Henrique

Montreal Press Get It Right

I give the Montreal press corps a hard ride sometimes, so it's in my mind that I should pay them compliments when I see their good work.

I am not all that enamoured by the tempest they have created by making Markov's last game in the KHL a big issue. But compared to how it could have gone, they did some positively textbook journalism.

Game #60 Habs Don't Work Hard Enough for Points

Details

Date: 19/02/2012
Opponent: Devils
Location: Montreal

Loss 1-3

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

Habs goalscorers: Pacioretty
Opposition goalscorers: Parise, Clarkson, Taormina

Play of the game

Working hard up the boards, Pacioretty gained the zone and threw the puck to Desharnais. The feisty centre worked it around the back of the net and got it out front. After Kaberle fanned on it, Pacioretty picked it up right in front of the net and slammed it behind Brodeur.

Dome hockey team

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

Forwards

Tomas Plekanec
From his play, it's obvious Plekanec still wants to win every contest. He digs deep in his own end, makes timely steals and smart transition plays, and creates in the offensive end. His lost battle leading up to third goal was a shame, but he looked tremendous over the rest of the game and his -3 doesn't reflect his impact on the game at all.

Max Pacioretty
Notched his 25th of the season in another solid effort. Had a couple more promising chances and played a big role in the dangerous stretch of play we put together in the third period. Taking good lessons from Cole in using his body and finding good spots to score from.

David Desharnais
Yet another game where we didn't look fantastic in the offensive zone and Desharnais was key to what little we managed to generate. Picked up an assist and contributed greatly to the surge in pressure during the third period.

Defencemen

PK Subban
Didn't see so many of the same small positional mistakes that I've been seeing lately. Shifted his play towards the offensive when it was required and made sure his spot was covered when he was pinching. Began with solid play in his own end and built some good offense out of it.

Josh Gorges
Always a mainstay of our defensive corps, Gorges really did everything he could to keep us in this one. His play was excellent and he was integral to keeping the Kovalchuck line to only a single, lucky goal.

Goaltender

Carey Price - Game Puck
Carey got pretty unlucky tonight. He made some huge saves and kept the team in the running for the early stretches of the game. His play was outstanding and was beat by 2 lucky tips and a freakish shot that slipped between Bernier and Weber. Certainly wasn't the source of our woes in this one.

Comments

We started with a red-hot shift from Gomez and Kostitsyn, and then seemed to sit back on our haunches for most of the first period, and the first half of the second. Price made some huge saves to keep us in it, but ultimately New Jersey forechecked very effectively against us and anticipated play very well. They are a fast and well-coached team, and simply out worked us. They won battles, were usually first to the puck, and created good pressure. Even with good play from our defensive corps, getting outshot 12-4 in the first period is a good reflection of how one-sided the contest was.

The pressure we did manage to mount in the 3rd was dangerous, and it looked like we might draw even until Taormina got lucky and stole our momentum. Sadly, it was too little and too late. It looked again like the Hurricanes game in that the effort simply wasn't there early enough. If we could stretch that kind of play over 40, or even 60 minutes of hockey, our playoff hopes might be a little brighter today.

Game #51Refs Blow It Again, Cost Habs Again

Details

Date: 02/02/2012
Opponent: Devils
Location: New Jersey

Loss: 3-5

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

Habs goalscorers: Desharnais, Kostitsyn, Darche
Opposition goalscorers: Parise (2), Clarkson (2), Zubrus

Play of the game

I am mad that we lost, but I will try and save that for later. In here, I will be serious when I say that the play of the game was Darche's goal (Kostitsyn's a close second). After New Jersey made a mess of it at our blue-line on their PP Pleks started skating up in the hopes of getting the puck. Gill read it well and found Tomas with a great pass. Plekanec made a great move that wasn't quite enough to beat Brodeur, but was enough to seriously trouble him. Darche supplied the support and notched his third of the year.

Dome hockey team

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

Forwards

Andrei Kostitsyn - Game Puck
Not sure why one of our top forwards of the season started on the 4th line and got only 2 minutes in the first, but it didn't seem to bother him. He was the most dangerous Hab all night and scored a very nice goal to give us a two-goal lead.

Erik Cole
Don't let the two pathetic penalty calls confuse you as Erik, once again, had a good game. He played a good, hard, clean game tonight, but that didn't matter to the refs. They see a head-jerk here or a plea to the ref there and it is to the box for our top player. The rest of this season is his opportunity to get more players playing like him as he knows he is here to stay (does he wish he wasn't?).

Max Pacioretty
Max competed again tonight and should be pretty happy with his game. I am not worried about the -2 when one is an empty-netter and another should not have ever happened.

Defencemen

Yannick Weber
I thought that Kaberle, Diaz and Gill were below what we need tonight and Subban and Emelin weren't at their usual high levels. One player that played above his usual, however, was Weber. He picked up an assist, was a +1 (only Gill, of the D, was also a +) and led the team in shots in a D-low 11 minutes. Whether he gets moved or will be back next year is the question; games like this help to improve both scenarios.

Josh Gorges
Our makeshift #1 was our best again tonight. I do miss a world where Gorges, a natural 3/4, could be playing on a second pairing. Let's hope that next year Markov and Subban live up to their bills.

Goaltender

Carey Price
Not the best game from Carey with 4 goals on 21 shots, but things may have been a lot different with better reffing. The first goal was weak, but after that there were two deflections and one shot that he couldn't have predicted. Tonight he wasn't any worse than Brodeur, the difference was that the luck was in Marty's corner.

Comments

The Canadiens played much better than they did on Tuesday and I think deserved to win this game. Players like Plekanec and Kostitsyn were better which added some punch to our attack. The plan, however, got derailed with poor decisions that favoured NJ. The team that can never do any wrong in the eyes of refs league-wide capitalized on a couple of those calls/non-calls and that is that.

The two worst calls of the night were the high-sticking call on Cole and the non-call on hooking against Cole. The 'high-stick' (or should I say stick accidentally to head, no matter the height of the head) call was brutal. Brodeur's head was below Erik's waist and was out of the blue plaint. The blade of Cole's stick made contact, Marty threw his head back and the ref bit. Can the NHL just change the rule and say if a stick touches a player in the head it is a penalty (if Brodeur's mask bled would it have been 4 minutes?) because they are not calling anything near what the rulebook says is a high-stick. The Devils scored a crucial goal on that PP.

The second incident involved Cole again. This time. late in the third, with the game tied at 3 (the time/situation of a game when we are told that refs can't make calls else lose their jobs) Cole was hooked badly coming out of the zone. Unlike most hooking calls, which are made to keep TV viewers happy with PP goals, this one actually had an effect on the play and on the player being hooked. Cole was unable to clear the zone. The puck was kept in, the game-winner was scored and the horns sounded. A perfect scenario for the NHL and fans in New Jersey who need wins as incentive to pump time and money into a foreign sport.

Game #33 Devils Torment Anxious Habs

Details

Date: 17/12/2011
Opponent: Devils
Location: Montreal


Loss: 3-5

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

Habs goalscorers: Subban, Campoli, Eller
Opposition goalscorers: Sykora, Elias (2), Clarkson, Zubrus

Play of the game

In need of a goal, the Canadiens needed to take advantage of a PP. They were able to do that on their first opportunity of the game. It ended in a goal, but the play of the game was the whole collection of play that led up to it including good battles won by Cammalleri, keep ins by Kaberle and Subban and strong play from Plekanec and Cole. The sustained pressure meant the Canadiens could be patient and it was the most patient shuffle back and then across that opened a shooting lane on a perfectly screened Brodeur for PK Subban.

Dome hockey team

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

Forwards

Lars Eller - Game Puck
Looking for clues as to why Martin was let go? Tonight Eller played the most ES minutes of any forward and he played on the PK. He played well too. Hopefully Cunneyworth will find a way to channel a player who is capable of burning opponents on his offside to cut into the net, who is capable of outmuscling bigger players with strong balance, who can score goals like the one he did.

Andrei Kostitsyn
It was a typical Andrei game. His best moments were all of the offensive variety and he made a couple of plays that will lead his critics to claim he doesn't pay attention. But he was certainly the most dangerous forward on the ice in re, had the most dangerous shots and made that one jaw-dropping play that we all wish he'd do more often.

Tomas Plekanec
Consider this an indictment of those that had the chance to step up and didn't. Plekanec was OK, nothing spectacular for most of his shifts. He had a clean sheet on the PK over 5 minutes and was part of that PP goal for his 3 minutes of PP time. But when down someone needed to step up and make a play and no one could muster it. So instead Mr. Steady gets the dome here with nothing over steady play.

Defencemen

PK Subban
Something has been off this season with Subban. In the off season we had been talking about the best prospect this organization had had in years. This sophomore slump (if it's that) was batting away at that warm weather optimism. But tonight, tonight of Martin's release, Subban seemed to show some release of his own and make a few rushes that didn't end in a memory of the coach berating him. He showed signs of the exuberance that makes him great and what makes Montreal love hockey. It didn't hurt that he scored a goal too.

Tomas Kaberle
His pass on the PP was sublime. he was making it before Cammalleri knew he would even feed the pass. Such is this player's comfort on the point in the PP. he buys the team seconds, not just milliseconds and it pays off in goals when they can get in the zone. Add to this that his peers were at times utterly atrocious (Campoli) and it makes his claim an easy one.

Goaltender

Pater Budaj
Carey made some serious saves, don't get me wrong. It was probably a tad of bad luck, but he didn't give his team a chance to win. Perhaps we blame Kevin Weekes who was still praising Price for a save when he allowed a goal on the identical chance. or perhaps we heap a little more blame on coach long gone s=who never saw fit to rest Carey despite many many games just like this with errors abounding.

Comments

The Cunneyworth era nearly looked like it would begin with a high note for a while in the second period. But some odd decisions with Nokelainen on the ice at strange times (and Campoli) made sure Martin's last day would be a Martin style loss. The Devils are a formidable opponent when they want to be and they showed it here with the better counter-attack of the night.

The changes that were made by the coach weren't drastic. But nor would we expect them to be hours into a tenure. The play proceeded as it likely would have if JM had been there. What changes lie ahead are uncertain. Cunneyworth coaxed better results from a depleted Hamilton team than this year's staff can and managed to have them scoring, so he may be suited to a team of middling talent and laden with injury. I would welcome, personally, any approach that seizes the initiative and makes the Habs run games rather than wait for results. I guess we'll see.

Of note other than the coaching were the play of Campoli and the implosion of Erik Cole. Campoli the stop gap has hopefully signed his own press box pass with his play tonight. He scored a goal that must be labeled one-off, after all it came off a Hal Gill pinch. He was Briseboiesque most of the rest of the time. Cole took several silly penalties including one that cost a goal and another that was the wrong kind of hit. He should be suspended for that play and this will hurt the team, just as his play off the puck hurt the team tonight. A rare series of lapses from a player who to this point has been nearly impeccable in bleu, blanc, rouge.

Game #79 Habs Milk Jersey for Vital Two Points

Details

Date: 2/3/2011
Opponent: Devils
Location: New Jersey



Win: 3-1

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

Habs goalscorers: Darche (2), Subban
Opposition goalscorers: Kovalchuk

Play of the game

It's not often I'll get to say this, but the play of the game happened twice tonight: two identical exchanges between Gionta and Darche in the first and third periods on opposite sides of the ice. Rushing down the ice in a 2-on-2 situation, Gionta took an outside lane with the puck while Darche drove to the net. Perfect puck placement from the captain allowed Darche to basically ignore his coverage and beat Brodeur on both his backhand and forehand in the same game, a feat not many players can boast of!

Dome hockey team

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

Forwards

Mathieu Darche - Game Puck
Darche was solid tonight, marking two goals by simply driving the net like a good power forward should. He made some great defensive plays and showed up strong in the neutral zone. Great teams are made of great role-players and Darche is proving his worth beside Gionta and Gomez.

Brian Gionta
Besides creating both of Darche's goals, Gionta led his line to be the most effective threat of the night. He contributed to most of our best chances and played well in his own zone. A character night from our captain.

David Desharnais
This spot could just as easily have been taken by Plekanec, who made two amazing steals and won some key faceoffs, but I thought that Desharnais was the main factor in making his line look at least as dangerous as Plekanec's. He works well in the corners to create chances, and looks like a player who's third in scoring for the Habs since the All-Star break (17 points, behind Gionta and Subban with 18 each). Some solid defence in the third period sealed his dome appearance for me.

Defencemen

Roman Hamrlik
Once again, we have our #1 defender playing like our #1 defender. Hamrlik has a gift for the smart, simple plays and making great defence look easy - like when he just forced the shooter outside to defuse a dangerous 2-on-1 in the second. He also played extremely well on the Devils' blue line to keep the puck in the offensive zone.

PK Subban
Despite being responsible for the giveaway that led to the breakaway and subsequent penalty shot in the first period, Subban recovered well and did a lot of things right tonight. His goal, a rocket of a shot past an excellent screen by Kostitsyn, came at a key time as did some solid defensive play late in the third.

Goaltender

Carey Price
Price started the game with a little luck on his side, getting some help from his post on the penalty shot about 5 minutes in. A bobbled puck in the first caused some panic, but I was more concerned about the team's reaction than Price's. He made the key saves at the key times and when challenged in the third, he didn't once look shaky while in his net. Outside the net, however, his puck-handling remains somewhat questionable and he committed an atrocious giveaway halfway through the third.

Comments

Overall a good showing from the Habs, the team as a whole played well together. Nobody looked bad, but we're going to need more from the Plekanec/Cammalleri/Kostitsyn line than we got tonight. They especially shined in the transition game, playing well in the neutral zone and doing a great job of creating offensive rushes. They also cleared the puck from the defensive zone quickly and didn't allow many dangerous plays to develop.

The Habs opened the game looking hungry and dominated the first period almost completely; doing an excellent job of keeping the puck out of their end and creating good chances on Brodeur. Things were a little more even through the second, and we squandered our first power play with terrible passing. The second PP was a different animal altogether, as we thoroughly dominated the Devils and came back from the locker room to score a welcome PP goal just seconds into the third. I was extremely happy to see the team not collapsing back into their zone after the goal to protect a 2-0 lead, instead they kept the pressure up and the puck in the other end. Hopefully we'll learn from this success. A strong game and a very welcome two points, we'll only need one more to clinch the playoffs.

Game #54Devils Show That They Are No Edmonton Or Toronto

Details

Date: 6/2/2011
Opponent: Devils
Location: New Jersey

Loss: 1-4

Habs Goalie: Price (L)
Opposition Goalie: Brodeur (W), Hedberg

Habs goalscorers: Subban
Opposition goalscorers: Zubrus, Kovalchuk (2), Zajac

Play of the game

The Devils made us look average, at best, today so there wasn't really much to choose from. I suppose, then, that I will go with our goal. The goal itself wasn't that special (a Subban shot that deflected off a Devil on it's way in), but the passes from MaxP to Gomez and then from Scott to PK were good. The Gomez pass, in particular was a nice play and he earned his assist on that one.

Dome hockey team

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

Tomas Plekanec
Not a horrible game from Pleks, I thought. There wasn't too much going on, but I did like how he was trying to score. In all he had 6 shots, which led the game, and seemed to be involved in quite a few of our almost-scores.

Max Pacioretty
I liked pretty much everything that Max did with the puck tonight. He skated fast, made some nice passes and, more than any other player, made things happen. What I didn't like, however, were his 2 penalties, penalties that cost him the game puck.

Scott Gomez
This was a decent game for Scott against his old team. He led the forwards in ice-time (22:36) and picked up his 21st assist in this one. In general, his passes were good and a lucky bounce here or there for Gionta could have meant a multiple point night.

Defencemen

PK Subban - Game Puck
He stands out more in most other games (even ones in which he doesn't win the game puck), but tonight he was our best player even if it wasn't his best game. His goal, his sixth, gave the Habs hope, but luck, in the end, wasn't on our side. When PK can contribute with goals he is quite the force to be reckoned with, so that is one positive we can take from today.

Jaroslav Spacek
I wasn't sure who to put in here, but I knew that it couldn't be Gill and had no reason to make it Weber or Picard. So, that meant Jaro or Hammer. I went with Spacek because he stood out in my mind more tonight. I can't say that I remember anything too incredible, but I did notice some solid plays in our own end.

Goaltender

Carey Price
I thought that he looked a bit weak on the first goal, but beyond that it wasn't a horrible game from Carey. The Devils played well and we didn't in front of Carey; when that happens you generally lose.

Comments

After a great week I am not that bothered that we lost to the Devils. If they go on to win all their remaining games and make the playoffs instead of us then I'll be quite upset, but, in reality, we lost to a non-playoff team after beating 3 teams that are much closer to us in the past few days. The Habs didn't look horrible and there were times when we looked poised for goals, but at the end of the day we were the second best team on the ice. One thing that I saw, something that I have never seen, was a goal awarded without the puck ever going in the net. Kovalchuk was on a partial breakaway with nothing but an empty net in front of him. A Habs hook certainly impeded him and was destined to be a penalty, but when Ilya shot it hit the post. For a league that will change second assists 2 days after a game for accuracies sake I was surprised to see that this was allowed (I am assuming, as bad of a ref as Pollock is, that this is in the rule book). We all know that Kovy would have scored that goal and, that by that point, it didn't matter if they scored, but I still can't think of another rule like this; in hockey or any other sport. In soccer a defender's handball, on the goal-line, is a red card, but there is still a penalty shot as the ball was never in. This isn't too big of an issue, but after 2.5 hours of not too exciting hockey it did get me thinking.

Game #26Boring Devils Hockey Takes on a Whole New Meaning

Details

Date: 2/12/2010
Opponent: Devils
Location: New Jersey

Win: 5-1

Habs Goalie: Price (W)
Opposition Goalie: Hedberg (L), McKenna

Habs goalscorers: Gionta, Eller, Pyatt, Gomez, Pouliot
Opposition goalscorers: Arnott

Play of the game

For pure beauty, I really loved Gomez's goal. It wasn't an important goal, but, pound for pound, it was the nicest play on the night. The goal came on the PP when we were already up by three. Showing the effort that we were at that time, however, was nice to see. I think that the Habs wanted to make sure that they didn't go to sleep tonight as they did last night. The play all started with a great play by Hamrlik at the blue-line. He did very well to hold the puck in and to exploit the stickless Langenbrunner. Cammalleri contributed by feeding the point and Weber did his part by turning that pass into a very good shot. Darche, who was again in front of the net, did a good job of distracting McKenna and then Gomez finished the job with ease. It was a great team effort in which every player played a part. It actually makes you question the two assist rule as so many assists that are presently awarded are far less crucial to the end result.

Dome hockey team

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

Scott Gomez
Scott probably should have had two or three goals tonight, but that is what I find so great. He managed to score one and seemed to be in the right spot on so many other occasions. I felt that he was on last night and that it only got better tonight. If he had a second winger I think that our second line would be one worth watching each and every shift.

Lars Eller
Lars played a nice game, but his big moment was the goal that he created all alone. The wrap-around effort ended up being the game-winner and ended Hedberg's night. He is another player that is coming on as of late and I am enjoying the ride. Darche and Pouliot are complementing him well and I do hope that we keep that line in tact.

Michael Cammalleri
Mike was part of our best duo tonight, but, thanks to Moen, we must only call it that. In all he had five shots and a virtual assist. I was actually surprised that he didn't score as he was on and Jersey were clearly off.

Defencemen

Roman Hamrlik - Game Puck
Another very good game from Hammer. He has been overshadowed by Price and Plekanec, but when you think about it he has really been one of our top five players all year long. He has limited the amount of mistakes he makes and, when he doesmake one, has earned the trust of Spacek who does a nice job cleaning up. Tonight Roman had two real assists, but, on Gomez's goal was the main reason that the puck ended up going in the net. With 56 games to play I just hope that he stays healthy, rested and fit; if so, we are in good hands.

Yannick Weber
Weber has given Martin something to think about. I don't think that he should be in instead of Subban, but I could see him stealing Picard's spot while Markov is out. He has the shot that we need on the PP (tonight he took 6) as PK, despite the wind-up and velocity, can't really shoot. Even Spacek, who looked good last night, isn't in the same league. I was happy that Weber got a point, but would be happier if he plays on Saturday.

Goaltender

Carey Price
Some bad puck-handling moments early on were all that bothered me tonight. Otherwise, he played a solid, mistake free game. It was a shame that he didn't get the shutout, but who really cares as a win is a win and that is exactly what Carey gives us the chance to do each and every night. In fact, in 24 starts, he hasn't had a terrible game and I can't even remember a bad one.

Comments

Poor old New Jersey, they just aren't a very good team. They have some names, but seem to be missing the depth that they once had. Beyond their top two 'scoring' lines they don't have those shut-down players that they once boasted. Their defence is average at best and without Brodeur they really stand no chance. Now, I wouldn't count them out just yet though. Lou won't let the season go, so I am sure that the required coaches and players will be in place before too long as New Jersey will still want to make the playoffs. Unfortunately tonight was more a case of the Devils being bad than us being good. We didn't play badly, but I can't say that it was one of our better games. I can't, however, pick out any negatives as we were never tested all game long. It is, therefore on to San Jose, at home, who will be a good match-up for us as they are another team that you should never count out. I am, however, more focused on us and am hoping that I will see more good stuff from Gomez and Eller in particular.

Game #6New Jersey Goes All New Jersey-Like On Montreal

Details

Date: 21/10/2010
Opponent: Devils
Location: Montreal

Loss: 0-3

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

Habs goalscorers: None
Opposition goalscorers: Parise, Arnott, Taormina

Play of the game

From a Habs perspective there was one play that really stood out for me. With the game still within reach at 0-1 the Devils came in on a very fast 2-on-1 after Gorges made a rare mistake. I can't remember who shot (and have little desire to sit through highlights of that game to find out), but think it was Zajac. The 2-on-1 was textbook as the passer waited out the defender and got the puck to his right. The highlight for me was obviously the save which was spectacular; the speed with which Carey got across was very impressive indeed.

Dome hockey team

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

Brian Gionta
Gionta didn't really have a good game, but I felt that the effort was there. Considering that we didn't play that well at all I was actually only looking for players who tried in this one. He drew two penalties, both times hitting his buddy in the other net, not great, but at least we had someone around the net at some point; those penalties at least serve as proof of that. He also took a very impressive 8 shots.

Jeff Halpern
Jeff stood out to me tonight, but, when looking at his stats, I am not too sure why. I did like how he fore-checked and how he played a tight game in his own end, but this is certainly the type of effort that gets forgotten when we actually score goals. He played more on the PK than any other forward and helped us go 4/4 in that department.

Travis Moen
When no one played that well it is OK to give Moen a look. He is in here for getting beaten in a fight again. He dropped his gloves for a staged boxing match against a real fighter, again, which shows more heart than any of the 19 others tonight.

Defencemen

PK Subban - Game Puck
PK had moments tonight that I (and I am sure he) will try to forget. There were other moments, however, when I thought that he looked the best player on the ice, on either team. He controlled and passed the puck very well and I was happy to see so many spin-o-ramas. One may think that he is overusing that move, but when you realize how simple, relatively safe and effective it is you rest assured. He has that move down and it seems that no player out there knows how to stop him once he starts. With a burst of angular acceleration (too much?) he always comes out of those spins much better off that he started.

Alexandre Picard
We all know that it can't be Hammer or Spacek (ouch, what are they doing out there?) and Gill and Gorges, at -3, looked off too, so I guess this is a unanimous choice. Just wish I had more to say than that he is in here because he wasn't as bad as the rest. I did actually notice him, though, and liked his team-leading 3 hits. He has had a decent start to the year and he is better than I thought he would be.

Goaltender

Carey Price
That first goal was weak and I felt it set the tone for the game. It was a mistake and can be forgiven, but against a team like New Jersey it isn't shocking that that one goal was enough. So, the moral is be very careful against Jersey until we have scored a goal because, at that point, it becomes a whole different game. Aside from that mistake he was pretty good. He made some fantastic saves, but also let in two more, one of them pretty soft.I wouldn't say he had a great game and, given the result and the two weak goals, it is debatable if you would say that he had a good game. One thing I do know, though, is that the comfort of a Price or a Halak on the bench no longer exists as Auld doesn't really instill confidence in this fan. All I can say is prepare yourselves to be bored as I expect Carey to get pretty much all of the domes this year barring any major catastrophes.

Comments

This was a typical New Jersey game. It was quick, short on chances and not very memorable at all. Brodeur played well, but you can see how he has piled up so many wins and shutouts over the years as their defence does such an excellent job of limiting both quality chances and sustained periods of pressure. They are happy to wait out teams until they make their own mistakes which is precisely what they did tonight. Let's just imagine we had 6 days off, but that it cost us 2 points for the luxury. After tonight, and a virtual week off, there will be no excuse to come out flat against a struggling Sens team in Ottawa on Saturday night. One good game and a win and we'll all be back in the right direction after this little, predictable, blip.

Beware The Devils: A Preview

After a trip and a break from daily Internet, it's a return to the world of bloggery. To start with then, a look at tonight's game and the issues that surround it.


Key match-ups

Gionta and Matt Taormina
I don't know if they'll ever lay each other this evening or not. But here you have the Canadiens second line winger and the Devils second pairing weak link. Gionta needs out of a slump and injuries to Salvador, Volchenkov and Salmela give him this gift.

Kovalchuk and Price
Playing now occasionally on the right wing, Kovalchuk is known for getting shots in every game he plays in. And shots from the leading goalscorer since the lockout tend to be deadly accurate. If he streaks down the right, he'll know to shoot high. Price needs to be aware of what he's facing.


Devils forecheck vs. Hamrlik and Spacek
Traditionally a strong forecheck against two who seem to enjoy the forecheck less and less each year. Both Hamrlik and Spacek have a bit of a history to forget against the devils and it will be interesting to see if their troubles this season and from the past can be put aside for a game or not.


Pouliot and Pyatt
I know Pouliot's omission from the second line has more to do with Gomez and Gionta's need for spark, but even so the big man must somehow regain his place in the pecking order. If Pyatt overtakes him this evening, it could be a big setback. Pyatt meanwhile will want to solidify his place with some contribution. He's already the coach's golden boy, if he gets G and G going, there's no telling the currency in good will he gains.


Momentum

At a glance, it looks to all be in the Habs favour. But beware buying too much into that. The Canadiens have won their last two and managed points in their last four, but the schedulemakers at the NHL have a habit of taking the wind out of sails in October for this team. No game since Saturday means the momentum of that Ottawa win is only as meaningful as the momentum of the report on Pyatt making line 2. The Devils meanwhile look a stinker. But if I asked Felipe Alou, I think he'd tell me to put money on them in their next few games. For a team like the Devils with talent at all positions, a disappointing record is often the last thing you want them to draw on for motivation when you meet them. Strangely, I feel the momentum is even.


Devils the Habs covet

Zach Parise
New Jersey educated and a dynamic scorer to boot. Kovalchuk has all the press right now, but this Devils team's real diamond is Parise who has seldom disappointed when I've sat down to watch him.

Colin White
As players changed in New Jersey over the years, results stayed strangely consistent.Brodeur's been there through tick and thick of course. Colin White has too. Quietly, the core defender on the Devils has made a solid career out of keeping play clean in his zone. If Montreal doesn't covet a defender like this, they should.


Habs the Devils covet

Andrei Markov
The talented puck-mover they've missed since Niedermayer turned tail. And more importantly injured to start the season, allowing them to play salary tricks while making a better roster for the playoffs.

Tom Pyatt
For the first time in years, the Devils line up without Jay Pandolfo. Not to say he's irreplaceable, but I'm sure they'd like to have replaced him. Pyatt isn't that player yet, but he could be trained to Pandolfo efficiency in NJ and probably always keep his low price tag. To go with their flash and salary up front, the Devils need some balance on the cheap.


Ready-made excuses

If Montreal lose:
- Markov is injured
- Quebec goalie
- Devils are one of the elite teams in the NHL
- Weren't ready to start the game

If New Jersey lose:
- Kovalchuk is destroying the team
- Brian Rolston's salary
- Quebec posts turned on Brodeur


Impact of this result

Until now games have been relatively meaningless. And they will continue to mean little for a long while. However, this game has the potential to be important to both teams going forward.

For the Habs, with a history of allowing the devils to walk in and take points, and no doubt helping them out of slumps on many occasions, this game could prove that time is over. Kicking the Devils while they're down, and particularly contributing to Brodeur's bad start could banish a significant bugaboo for this team. Needless to say, turning the trick would be beneficial to Carey again, as beating a Hall-of-Famer is always a boost.

For the devils, a win here could really kick start their road to recovery. A small win, perhaps not. A big win, certainly. If Brodeur gets his customary support from former Forum ghosts, then his slump too might be a thing for memory.

The Kovalchuk Deal: Still A Win For Devils

Since yesterday, I have read a half dozen articles that showcase the Kovalchuk ruling as a headache for the Devils.

Damien Cox did some wacky math in The Spin the other day:

But you could argue Kovalchuk will, when its all said and done, cost the Devils somewhere between $150 million and $200 million in salary, fines, prospects, draft picks and players

.

Today, Pat Hickey seems to echo the line that the deal is mostly negative for the Devils too.

AS usual, i feel some of the commentators have been swept along and are missing the main point. While it's true the deal has been costly this summer (a $3 million fine and a first and 3rd round draft pick), it still is hugely beneficial to the Devils.

First, we have to debunk the fact that the Devils somehow paid
with Niclas Bergfors, Johnny Oduya, Patrice Cormier and a first-round pick for Kovalchuk. That trade (and we're not forgetting Salmela) was made for the pleasure of dressing Kovalchuk in the 2010 close to the season, nothing more. Ilya was always going to be a UFA, and if anything that's why the cost was as low as it was.


The benefit of Kovalchuk

Really though, the true benefit of this deal comes from being able to dress Kovalchuk for this season and the next 14 at the relatively cut-rate price of $6.67 million a season.

That salary for a player like Kovalchuk is a bargain by league standards at the moment. Kovalchuk hasn't scored less than 40 goals a season since his 20th birthday and has been a point-per-gamer with no supporting cast for many years. Hi salary cap mark puts him currently at the 25th highest in the league (not bad for the best goalscorer of the decade) and behind players like Thomas Vanek, Patrick Marleau and Anze Kopitar (not to mention Scott Gomez).

Now here's the best part. If the league doesn't shrink and the salary cap grows (even only to keep up with inflation) Kovalchuk's cap number will likely look better year after year as players surpass him with new contracts.

And penalties aside, there is nothing the league has done or can do to circumvent the original intent that Kovalchuk would retire whenever he wanted to, presumably long before the age of 42.

So instead of tallying Patrice Cormier and a few draft picks, tally the fact the Devils just acquired the only available superstar in the NHL and signed him to a bargain deal for his current numbers. The numbers stand to look better over the years too as salaries and caps are pushed higher or Kovalchuk retires.

There's no guaranteeing a Cup with a move like this one, but let's not paint one of the most creative deals (maybe the last creative deal) as all negative. The Devils are a better team today than they were last year with Oduya and Bergfors and their three draft picks and that's what really matters.

Game # 76 Habs Get An Early Taste Of Playoff Hockey

Details

Date: 27/03/10
Opponent: Devils
Location: Montreal

Loss: 2-4

Habs Goalie: Halak (L)
Opposition Goalie: Brodeur (W)

Habs goalscorers: A. Kostitsyn, Plekanec
Opposition goalscorers: Elias, Langenbrunner, Zubrus, Rolston

Play of the game

The Devils were pretty tight tonight (when Skoula wasn't on) and it took creativity and sharpness to undo their defence. The cliche goes that a team must keep up a consistent level of forecheck and effort in order to wear an opponent down, only then breaking through. It's not exactly true. A team can also put together momentary flashes of brilliance for their breakthroughs. 4 of those ending in goals beats many games of 65% possession. My favourite play of the night came to nothing in the end, but was quick, sharp and very clever – it was more elite than a lot of what we've seen. Cammalleri, Plekanec and Kostitsyn were breaking in together and unlike their 3-on-2 that ended after a skirmish in a messy and somewhat questionable goal, their break in was smoothe. From there, they fanned out, AK the trailer. Andrei passed very firmly to Tomas who without a second's thought sent it back again. The defence on ther heels, Andrei unleashed a hard shot immediately. It was blocked, but I tell you, try that play again and it will be better than 25 Benoit Brunet dump ins.

Dome hockey team

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

Forwards

Tomas Plekanec
His line played most against Elias, Langenbrunner and Parise – the original Devils style line. Given good efforts from all those players, I thought Tomas and his linemates did very well. Pleks himself had a hand in a few nice plays, and his goal was a masterful and stealthy redirection. I don't know if he's 1/2 injured, 3/4 healthy or what. The way he seems to be enjoying Cammalleri's return, I find no reason to harp on his minor knocks.

Andrei Kostitsyn – Game Puck
Andrei will never please those who adhere to the tenet that everything in hockey comes through hard work. I have seen hard workers come and go in the hundreds, and I'd rather have Andrei's shot with the combination of positioning and luck that he had in this game. The first goal was a goalscorer's effort. The second goal was his miss, kept alive by his presence of mind and ending with his forceful pass to Pleks' skate. The scoresheet only records 2 shots, but he was the engine behind many good chances.

Mike Cammalleri
The time has come to recognise Cammalleri following his return. First of all, someone needs to be congratulated about bringing players back who are ready to go and contribute from the first shift. Past years players must have been rushed back, as we've never seen anything like these healthy bodies being reinserted. Mike himself must also be commended for approaching each game back as if nothing had happened at all. This game I mistook Mike for Gomez on a few occasions as he flew across my screen – his new knee looking the least of his concerns. There were also two assists on the two goals, and the fact that he was part of all these dangerous moves that I've been discussing.

Defencemen

Roman Hamrlik
Fresh off a proud dome appearance, Roman repaid the recognition with another good game. Playing big minutes again, Hammer was often facing down either Kovalchuk's combo or Parise's. He made his mistakes (as highlighted on the 4-on-4 "tripping" play by RDS, but he also won a lot of the puck for his team. It was mostly sound and lacked the wild "Hail Mary" style that Markov was bent on trying out, a reliable game.

Jaroslav Spacek
Spacek played the most minutes of any defender in this game, and he played the hard minutes too. I thought he made his mistakes like Hammer, but they were fewer than say Gorges. I wouldn't go so far as saying the Devils looked like they disliked playing this pairing. With Spacek there, though, it seems the nights of being penned in for periods at a time by this team from NJ may be on the way out.

Goaltender

Jaroslav Halak
While he made some very good saves, a couple even with the game on the verge of getting out of reach, he still lost. In typical fashion (at least for this season) he dd keep the contest alive. In fact, some of his best saves were made once the Devils opened their account, but before the Habs scored, and also when the Devils were up 3-2. This wasn't a loss to be blamed on Halak, nor would I have given the goalie the game puck had a late one popped in to be followed by a shootout win. Average to below average by his new standards.

Comments

The first thing you notice when you end a period against the Devils is that they're a cut above the Panthers. As a team, they do things right. They anticipate better, the find better position, they don't waste many passes. Facing a team like this takes a big adjustment after some of the games the Habs have just come through. Waiting for the puck on the boards (Gionta) won't do, passes an inch off or too feathery (Pouliot) will be picked off. The Canadiens knew this was coming of course, but any team coming off a Panthers game could be forgiven for being caught by the new pace.

The team came out very well and dominated early. Two things happened to turn the tide, though – Brodeur saved everything and Metropolit got injured. The Brodeur saves meant the Canadiens had expended a lot for a nice display and some marks in the shots column, their resulting fatige was to be seen in the third. Losing Metro meat Martin cut his bench to three lines, pretty much, only compounding that fatigue issue in the end.

Overall, the game was not a complete loss. As I said in the play of the game, there were occasions to sit up and take notice of an offensive move – something previous editions would have been proud to say once a season vs. the Devils. The defensive play was mostly tidy, and apart from two early (and costly) pens, discipline was dead on. If the Devils gave a rendition of some playoff hockey this night, then the Habs didn't make fools of themselves. If the Devils are indeed to be the first opponent, I don't see reason to throw up the white flag, even with the loss.

Anyway, 6 more games. 6-7 points must be found. Twice Carolina, Islanders, Philly, Buffalo and the league's annual close-out game between habs and Leafs. It should be an interesting and nerve-racking two weeks. Hope you enjoy.

Tanking For A Pick Why The Habs Should Keep Winning

A win on the books has done little to turn minds away from tanking. Some analysts feel quite strongly about their ability to see the future months of 2010, so much so that the "towel", they insist, must still be thrown in.

I take issue with that argument for a few reasons. Some of which I elaborate on here.


The missing argument

When people advocate the tank, they always point to the Pittsburgh Penguins as the poster child. Pittsburgh drafted in the top 5 for 5 consecutive years on the backs of some horrible seasons. This landed them Staal, Crosby, Malkin, Fleury and Whitney. It seems a convincing argument, but how much more valid is it than saying a team should wear red to win, or a team should acquire Scott Niedermayer to win. It's not pure coincidence, we can see that. But while Pittsburgh turned their losing into winning, does that mean tanking is a reliable method?

The counter argument is often missed. That is, that teams that have been bottom of the league for nearly a generation have been enjoying near the same frequency of high draft picks as Pitssburgh, yet not turning that into results they can be proud of.

Take the Florida Panthers. You may remember them from lottery draws from nearly every year in living memory. Their most recent go-around in the land of top 5 picks was from 2001 to 2003. In 2001, they selected Stephen Weiss 4th overall. In 2002, Bouwmeester first. Then in 2003, after winning the lottery they traded down to pick Nathan Horton at 3rd. Their next season in the "build" phase, it was Rotislav Olesz at 7th. So that's 4 years building through the draft with results many in Montreal would consider unacceptable. And where has it left them? Last time I checked they missed the playoffs in 2008-09 and are in the thick of the race to miss again.

Florida's not alone. Columbus clocked up Klesla and Zherdev in the top 5 to go with Nash in building their version of the playoff evaders. Atlanta, famous for never winning a playoff game in their history also show a disturbing trend, even selecting well in Heatley and Kovalchuk, can't build a winner (at least in part due to duds Lehtonen and Stefan as top 5 picks). The San Jose Sharks may look like an example to follow now, but their success is mostly down to industry in trades and not due to selecting Andrei Zyuzin, Patrick Marleau then Brad Stuart to affect their outcomes. I could go on (hello Winnipeg).

Tanking is no guarantee for success. the only thing tanking does guarantee is a high pick and lots of losses. After that, you need more on your side – either good scouting or luck.


Franchise players

The premise of tanking as a legitimate strategy is nothing new. In the days of certain draft position, scouting departments could identify certain gems of players (Mario Lemieux, Mats Sundin, Eric Lindros, etc.) that were worth turning in a season for. And although we've been in a rich vein of drafts of late, the reality of the draft is that it's a hit or miss affair.

I had a look back at the drafts from 1990 to 2005 (supposing that 2006 draftees on are too young yet) and did some sums. What I found was that:

– In total there were 15 franchise players to be had (with some generous assessments in there) from the first round.

– Only one draft had three franchise players (1991) and 4 had two

– 6 franchise players were taken with the #1 pick

– There were only 5 franchise players taken from picks #2-5 in 16 years, compared to 4 with picks #6 to the end of the round that year


So franchise players don't come along every year, and they rarely more than one at once. What's more, you have almost as much chance nabbing one with any other pick in the first round as with one in the top 5. This is interesting enough, but then consider great players – players who once you get a few together can be the foundations of a great team.

– Only 37.5% of picks in the top 5 turned into players I judge to be great or better

– Only 34% of picks #2-5 turned into players I judge to be great or better

– Every year of the draft has produced one player great or better outside the top 5, 2003 produced multiple

– 2 years the top 5 has not produced a player great or better


That's an awfully big percentage of picks who may be able NHLers but won't fulfill the dream of tanking for Cups. Plus, good scouts show that they don't need a good pick to get the right player (and I'm not even including round 2 on).

One final thing:

– Recent drafts have been good producing 4 or 5 good to franchise players from the top 5 picks

– A run of drafts from 1991 to 1996 never produced more than 3 good to franchise players (meaning at least 2 were mediocre to poor). 1994 had four duds and 1996 only had 2 good players in the top 5, nothing more.


A better way

As you know by now, I see tanking as a highly flawed strategy that relies on a fair amount of luck and certainly timing. I think there must be a better way.

Generally, I think there is. It is demonstrated by teams like Detroit, like New Jersey, like San Jose. What these teams have shown is that attention to detail, attention to player development and shrewd management along the way can outdo and outpace the tanking strategy 9 times out of 10.

By committing to winning in Hamilton and hopefully Montreal, Gainey and his team can grow the winning mentality over time. Though they may miss the Rick Nash every once in a while, by teaching an ethic, they can make their Plekanecs into more effective players over the long run.

For me, tanking is out. I'd much prefer the Molsons to sink whatever windfalls they get form the playoffs into more men like Guy Boucher and more and better amateur and pro scouts.

When it comes to games that remain – win them all if you can. Try to win them all, no question. More good will come of 25 games of a team gelling and pulling in one direction than a 34% chance at a great player.


Draft lottery

On a final note, and as we're on the topic of the draft.

There are a lot of misconceptions about the draft lottery. My own were born of the fact I assumed I knew what was going on, so never really looked into it. As I had a look, I found out some interesting things many of you must already know, but some of you might find blow assumptions away:

1) There is only one pick determined by lottery. Once that lottery has taken place, all other picks proceed in the reverse order of the standings.

2) All teams who don't make the playoffs are in the lottery. However, the rule that a team can only move up 4 places means only the bottom 5 can actually win the 1st overall pick. Not being in the bottom five, however, does not preclude you from winning the lottery. So a team in 7th can win the lottery, but that team will only actually move up to 3rd in the draft.

3) A team can only move down one place, but this is obvious given the first finding.

This has interesting implications. The team in 5th from last can only pick 1st, 5th or 6th in actual fact. They can never acquire the 2nd, 3rd or 4th picks, because a team can't move up less than 4 places so long as there are places to move ahead. The 5thfrom last team has best odds of picking 5th (74.7%), but actually has a better chance of picking 6th (17.2%) than 1st (8.1%). The team in last is often said to have a 25% of winning the lottery, but given they retain the first pick if any team from 6th to 14th from the bottom win the lottery, they actually have a 48.2% chance of winning the first pick.

Game #52 Patient Habs Beat NJ At Devils Hockey

Details

Date: 22/01/10
Opponent: Devils
Location: New Jersey

Win: 3-1

Habs Goalie: Halak (W)
Opposition Goalie: Brodeur (L)

Habs goalscorers: Pouliot, Darche, Cammalleri
Opposition goalscorers: Parise

Play of the game

For fans who've been longing to beat a decent opponent in a conventional way, this game had it. There were a bundle of little plays that I liked. There was attention to detail, and it was nice to see for a change. If the Habs had lost, I'd be regaling you about a sequence of possession. Instead, the attention to detail was rewarded, and I can choose the more beautiful offensive play. Pouliot's goal was the prettiest. Starting from good possession in the Devils zone, the play turned dangerous when Scott Gomez along the left side boards threaded a perfectly weighted pass to Markov for a clear chance. Markov didn't score, but no player retreated on the play. Markov dug out his own rebound and through Moen got it back to Gomez. Not one to sit and admire his passes, he instead took two steps and put an even better pass onto the predatory Pouliot's stick, the gaping goal awaited. But Team USA wouldn't need that...

Dome hockey team

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

Forwards

Tomas Plekanec
Another reason to like this game is that the players made the dome selections a race. Instead of 3 or 4 forwards turning up, there were reasons to like 8 or 9 of them. Plekanec stood out for me this game because of his industriousness. When he's off, he finds the outside with regularity. When he's on, as in this game, he wants the puck and he plans to keep it. And attention to detail, when ready, he's Mr. Attention to Detail. He didn't win all his faceoffs, but he won some important ones. He made good passes, had efforts on net, won his dump ins and he had two steals. As games with no points go, this was a great one.

Mathieu Darche
I'll never understand the grudge some people have. Why, for instance was Darche's call up met with such pessimism? I'll never know. Having seen him in cosier arenas than NHL barns, I'd had reason to believe for a long time. However, he surpassed my expectations tonight. His goal was not only hard work exemplified, but there was exceptional skill in it, and his work on the insurance marker was timely and a long time coming for Habs fans watching the team this season. What made his performance most special, though, is that finally we get the Hamilton call-up who will actually do whatever it takes to make his place. In fighting for his career, he may have shortened a few others on this night.

Mike Cammalleri
Cammalleri hates losing and you can smell it. Perhaps we've been waiting for someone to get fed up and become the leader that says "no more". I think when Mike confronted happy-go-lucky, cash-my-paycheque, Maxim Lapierre the other day, he did that. I don't know if it woke Max up, but it actually seemed to wake Mike up, which is a better result. This game he was tenacious and sly. His goal was a great one and showed the one-mindedness of the goalscorer. In the defensive zone, he made an impact too, and one dive to clear in particular, showed me how far he wouldgo to win this time.

Defencemen

Andrei Markov -- Game Puck
It wasn't a perfect game from the maestro. That Brisebois flashback up the middle at 2-1 was a real low point. However, on balance, Markov played like a #1 defender on the night, like a #1 defender who was in control. The highlight of his game for the video editors came on goal #3, with that visionary pass to Cammalleri. And his play on the first goal was integral to the play. I think that in a game where patience and attention to some of the things that had been missing, though, Markov's general calm and calculation in his own end was perhaps even more valuable. Adding that to his offensive contribution made him the standout player for me.

Josh Gorges
Gorges got serious. A new haircut gave us a flag that he recognised the need for a new start. A new start is what he gave. A mere game after being questioned as a #4/5 defender, he brought back his claim for #3 mantle. Playing with Markov can be easy if you make it so, and Gorges did. His feet were constantly on the move and his desire was always with winning the puck. He made the Devils wish there hadn't been a wake-up call for #26.

Goaltender

Jaroslav Halak
A much better defensive effort than in some time, combined with a goalie making the saves expected of him. Halak did nothing too spectacular for me, nothing more than paying attention that is. That first goal would have been nicer out than in, and the way he was beaten was not flattering. But from there in, Jaro brought the calm and patience that infused his teammates. Another win, and more points against a non-Islanders team (though are they still considered a cheap win as we look up at them?) does more to bolster Jaro's claim that he has ironed out some of his difficulties. He seems more stable in these wins than in the wins of a year or two ago, and it seems he's maturing. If he played like this every night, the Canadiens would be a happy bunch.

Comments

Right from the start of this game, there was a different feel. The Canadiens came out knowing that to beat the Devils, 60 minutes of hockey was required. You couldsee them budget energy early on and budget silly chances. There were moments of madness to be sure, and this was no game for the textbooks, but what an improvement? An improvement from the recent losses, an improvement on the recent wins.

I get the feeling that sometimes Habs fans are like me and look at the team they watch and ask of it "Why can't we just do things the way everybody else does?", "Why can't we defend well, score at even strength, win some of the battles on the boards, etc.?" Last night, I thought they did emulate their rivals. There was some Buffalo in that win, some New Jersey in it. Rather than pushing every break out to be a breakaway, they took the possession at times and worked it. Rather than forcing every pass forward, they recognised the backwards thinking in that philosophy. It was actually funny that at one point I was noting a play to admire and discuss later while Pierre Houde lamented the Devils pinning our Dmen down. It seems that perhaps the answer to those questions about our lack of patience, our choice of quick fix over intelligent play are slightly engrained in everyone, certainly Pierre Houde anyway.

This is what Jacques Martin is up against. A culture, an ethos. He's had an easy time of coaching puck possession into Gomez, Gionta, even Hamrlik -- you can see it. but players like Gill, Pacioretty and even Markov have a lot to unlearn. This game was a nice start.

Game #35New Jersey Shut Canadiens Down; Find A Way To Win

Details

Date: 16/12/09
Opponent: Devils
Location: New Jersey

Loss: 1-2

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

Habs goalscorers: Moen
Opposition goalscorers: Pikkarainen, Elias

Play of the game

If we can't learn that taking penalties is bad and that you shouldn't take them, then I am least glad that we were able to score while man-down; tonight it was Moen who managed to get one by Brodeur. He did well to get ahead, and stay ahead, of the Devil at the point (Langenbrunner I believe). In he went then on a 2-on-1, but he decided to go to the outside and to his backhand. At that point a pass, considering the coverage, was unlikely so he shot. Marty probably would have liked that one back, as it was a bit weak, but what it did was give the Habs a 1-0 lead on the road.

Dome hockey team

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


Forwards

Mike Cammalleri
Mike was our most threatening player tonight, but couldn't really get it going. His 3 shots amounted to 1/6 of our total - at least 2 of them were decent attempts. He can't score every night, but it seems that it is possible for the team to expect him to in each game.

Travis Moen - Game Puck
Travis scored our lone goal, which, on this night, means a whole lot. I noticed he actually did do quite a good job on the PK overall too. He was actually on the ice a lot more tonight including in the dying seconds. Not sure I would give him the 6th most minutes of our forwards, but I guess Martin is really running out of options in our secondary offence department.

Andrei Kostitsyn
To win your best players have to be your best, but you know what, even in a loss the same tends to hold true. Andrei didn't have too great a game, but I can list 9 forwards that he was better than, so there you have it. He actually had a few good fore-checking shifts and picked up a team-leading 4 hits.

Defencemen

Roman Hamrlik
Hammer went down in the 2nd and didn't return with what appeared to be a knee or lower leg injury. I don't think that I have to say how I feel about the potential of losing him for a long time, so let's just hope I won't have to. Not that dominant tonight, but +1 and 3 hits (and no mistakes) earns him a bit of dome.

Josh Gorges
Bergeron wasn't great, O'Byrne generally looked bad, Spacek should be better and Gill didn't dominate on the PK like he should, so that leaves Josh. He was good, not his best, but good enough. Hopefully, with Markov's return, being better than the rest won't mean a dome anymore. I assume that Andrei will be a regular fixture which means the other dome spot won't be all about which 2 of the main 3 (Hammer, Spacek, Gorges) didn't have an off-night.

Goaltender

Jaroslav Halak
Harsh? Perhaps. I actually thought a long time about this one, but I couldn't go with Carey tonight. He only let in two goals which I will say put his team in a position to win, but then I looked closer. New Jersey didn't really attack us and we also all know that 3 goals in Jersey isn't as east as 3 goals at home against a weaker team. Now, add to that the fact that both goals were particularly weak and that he messed up on his puck-handling, by taking a 'touching-the-puck' penalty and all of a sudden you have 3 blunders. Jaro may not have won us this game, but we are now used to seeing both of our goalies make 2 or less mistakes on a given night, so our standards, dear readers, have thankfully been raised.

Comments

Typical New Jersey hockey and, for a third straight game, we go home with a loss from a game that we all believed could have been won. It may be that our team is simply running out of luck which is why I think it is about time that Markov came back - we need something to change what is happening out there. We need to take less penalties, we need to have a more varied attack and we need to be a little more focused in our own end. Markov can certainly help with all that and I actually think it could be to the tune of a 1 goal (or more) per game difference. I never want to take anything away from Canada's #1 and the best of all-time, but you can see a few things by watching tonight. You can see how great coaching and managing can allow a goalie to play 70+ games/year and you can see how it may be easier to get 40+ wins a year when your team allows 0 really good scoring chances. Brodeur is the best at what he does and I think so are the Devils. This is a team that, for 15 years, has been playing a 'boring' style of hockey, but have been getting results. The Habs change their mind every few seasons of how to approach the sport, the Devils, however, already found a way to make it work.

Stirring The Habs-Bruins Rivalry

If you follow my thoughts from day to day, you will note my total revulsion for all things coming from the hockey curiosity south of Montreal that is Boston.

To describe Bruins fans as arrogant would be a dis-service to arrogant people all over. So as a public service to all of you I attempt to keep an eye on the Boston media and expose you to stories of their pin-wheel dreams gone berserk.

In July, I found a new thorn in my side in James Murphy of Murphy's Law. Back then he was writing about how the suddenly useful Bruins would undoubtedly conquer all opponents this year in an 82-game synopsis that makes a Halak for Lecavalier and Hedman trade look like good sense talking. With the subtlety of a hammer and the insight of a constipated gnat, Murphy irritated me then.

Well, never one to lie down on the job, James has produced another piece to rile the rah-rah masses of Beantown, with some directed jabs at rivals like us (I'd never do such a thing). So again, for my piece of mind and your amusement, I share with you his piece: Bruins Show Claude Julien the Faith He Always Deserved

Now look, I don't disagree with offering a contract extension to the coach who just won the conference and the Jack Adams trophy. But do we really need to pretend that Julien is the first coach to win those plaudits? Nor would he be the first Adams trophy defender and once-can't-do-no-wrong coach to get fired if things go wrong for him – despite said extension.

The thing that riled me up is the length at which Mr. Murphy criticises the Canadiens organization for their mistreatment of Claude Julien – once again insinuating that he was somehow mistreated in his firing.

It's a myth.

Murphy provides me the ammunition himself:

The Canadiens got off to a strong 12-3 start under Julien that season, before winning just seven of their next 25 games.

7 wins in 25 games!?! That's horrible enough. If you remember the time well, you'll recall there were other issues like the Theodore saga, as well as some other problems with ice time and employing the right players. Montreal fans had been baying for Julien's head for some time without hesitation, simply because he was a rookie coach going wrong. His solutions weren't well thought out. His AHL experiences weren't translating to the NHL for him.

When you consider that Claude had only been allowed to stay on after Bob Gainey's hiring on a temporary basis to begin with and you can see that.

The team was faltering. Players were faltering. Julien, on extended job interview, was not doing great in Montreal – not when you consider the expectations post-lockout were high. His firing was a very run-of-the-mill NHL firing – one employed to give a boost to the team in question – nothing more. No raw deal here.


Julien's other raw deal

For me, Claude Julien's other raw deal is the more telling. As Murphy reminds us, Claude was fired again on April 3, 2007, with his team 47-24-8, holding onto first place in the Atlantic Division and second in the Eastern Conference.

At the time, this was a first for me. This was a winning coach during a winning patch. It seemed to defy logic.

Defy logic, indeed. But was it a raw deal?

Well, that certainly depends on your outlook. While players are quick to hide behind bad coaching when things go bad, so too coach apologists prefer to blame sour culture and bad play throughout. Interesting then that this firing left no one anywhere to hide. All it was was a GM reviewing the performance of his employee and deeming that it was not up to scratch. Is that unfair?

Lamoriello told the Canadian Press, "I did not feel that we were going in the right direction, both mentally and hockey(-wise), going into the playoffs, for a variety of reasons." He went on to say that we were not privy to the inner realities of the club.

It is if you think that a GM should only use a single season of experience in making judgments. But, if you allow a manager with Lamoriello's resume to draw on a longer period of observation, then it gets blurrier. After all, if Lou Lamoriello deems that his team will fail with Julien at the helm in the first playoff hurdle, who am I to say he was wrong? Indeed who is Peter Chiarelli?



Bruins immune to a fall?

I think I've made it clear that I side with Gainey and Lamoriello on their decisions of the past. I see 2 experienced GMs making 2 hard choices to release a coach with lots of long-term potential, but in each instance what they deemed to be too little immediate pay-out.

Murphy sees it differently – he calls each move a raw deal. He would have seen Julien last longer in each position, I suppose.

When it comes to the Canadiens of 2005-06, he prefers to blame the entire roster, even the wider organization:

But if you ask most players from that Canadiens squad -- or any players who played under Julien -- the team’s struggles were more a result of the players on the roster and the culture that dominated the Habs’ dressing room for the next three seasons.

I think I could go on about this, but I don't think it necessary. Only to remind the Bruins again that they are not the first team to lead the conference in points. Perhaps they might check the last page of their history book.

To think the Bruins are immune to a fall from grace is to ignore the lessons that have unrolled in their very own division over the past two years. Indeed, it is to ignore what has happened in Julien's and many another coach's career as well.

I'm sure we all wish the best for Claude Julien the minute he moves on from the Bruins, but until then I know I can count on many of you to join me in toasting the Bruins this autumn:

"Here's to their fall."

Elias On Gomez & Gionta

I wrote about these guys yesterday. Now it seems Elias is speaking on his fondness for the pair.

Check out the article in French on Fanatique.ca here.

The quote of the piece for me has to be this:

« Scott Gomez est un bon patineur ainsi qu'un bon fabricant de jeu qui doit contrôler l'action. Brian Gionta est aussi un bon patineur avec une éthique de travail irréprochable et des mains rapides autour du filet. Si on les jumèle ensemble, c'est très dangereux. »

Scott Gomez is a good skater and playmaker who (has to/likes to) control the game (tempo). Brian's also a good skater and has a work ethic beyond reproach, with quick hands around the net. If you put them together, it's very dangerous.

Terrific work ethic? If you say that about a teammate, I thought it was kinda like saying he's got a nice personality:

"Scott has great hair and these eyes you get lost in. Brian also has eyes and a really really great personality..."


Good interview, though.