Reasons to Believe

What kind of fans would we be if we didn't dust ourselves off, laugh about the state of the NHL and how it really isn't geared to a team built to skate and get ready to celebrate victory in the next game.

In this case, with the 5th game against an opponent that has so far won 3 of 4, it might be helpful to have a few positive ideas to focus the mind and spirit:

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 #68Pathetic Oiler Defence Make It Hard For Habs To Lose

Details

Date: 08/03/2012
Opponent: Oilers
Location: Edmonton

Win: 5-3

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

Habs goalscorers: Subban, Pacioretty (2), Kaberle, Eller
Opposition goalscorers: Horcoff, Omark, Hall

Play of the game

A loss probably would have been better here, so in reality, Edmonton actually won this one. But, if I must look for the nicest play that the Habs made, regardless of the fact that it led to a win, then I will. That play, I thought, was Subban's PP goal. The passing that led to the goal was quick and precise and exactly the type of passing that has been lacking on our power-plays. The other thing lacking has been PK's booming shot which was the second reason why he scored his 6th of the season on this play.

Dome hockey team

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

Forwards

Scott Gomez
Scott almost won the game-puck tonight as Edmonton's porous defence was just what he needed. Unfortunately for Gomez, we only play Edmonton twice a year and usually he has to contend with teams that have NHL defencemen and some sort of defensive strategy. When Scott plays like he did tonight he is a good player, but I fear, for his sake, that his chances have long since run out.

Max Pacioretty - Game Puck
For all those who said that Max was a 30-goal socrer, congratulations, you were right. He added another two to his tally tonight and now looks to have 35 in his sights. And, who knows, an extremely hot 14 games could take him dangerously close to 40. We have a good player in Patches going forward, a player who will hopefully be a 30/70 type player for the next few seasons.

Tomas Plekanec
I don't know if my linemates are as bad as Plekanec's and I play in about the lowest division of men's hockey possible. So, to see Tom go about his business and still be one of our better players says a lot. We'll probably get a centre, somehow, this summer, so where will Pleks fit in? Will he finally be a #2 behind a proper #1 (still liking that Gomez for Koivu swap? anyone?) or has Desharnais supplanted him? What about Gomez and Eller, do we have to play them on top-3 lines? At centre? In Montreal? Regardless, I respect Plekanec for playing out the season with heart and class.

Defencemen

Josh Gorges
Josh was maybe the only defenceman out there tonight, on either team, that a good team may employ to play defence for them; at least in the way everyone played tonight. Kudos then to Gorges for playing NHL D in a very open game. Tonight highlighted the very reason why Edmonton continue to be bad and why they have no need for any highly skilled Russian forwards.

PK Subban
PK picked up 3 points tonight and now, kind of quietly, has 30 on the season. He'll likely end up with 35-40 points which isn't bad considering the fact that a lot of people were looking to his lack of production as a reason for our troubles this year. Next year I would like to find a way to make him more a #2/3 for defensive responsibilities so that we can tap his offence even more.

Goaltender

Peter Budaj
This wasn't Peter's best game, but in the end he got the win and made a lot of good saves along the way. I am sure that management wouldn't have minded a loss tonight, and that may have been the reason for seeing Budaj in there, but I am sure that he had no interest in taking another loss and worsening his already unflattering stats. He may as well get some more playing time down the stretch, especially if we are serious about the draft.

Comments

We needed a loss, Edmonton needed a loss and we each needed the other team to win. Watching this game, however, you wouldn't have known that. Presumably, if we really wanted to lose we could (I mean, we have lost an awful lot of games that we were trying to win) and the same could be said for Edmonton. Both teams, however, went hard for the win as the players, not the management, were the ones out there, the ones that controlled the result. What we saw then, standings aside, was an 80's style Oilers game that had little to do with anything but speed, counter-attacks and scoring chances. It was actually a fairly exciting game to watch which made staying up late to watch and write a little more bearable than it could have been.

It is now on to Vancouver. Of more interest on Saturday, however, may be the Impact's first ever game in the MLS which also happens to be on the same day in the same city. Later on there will be a hockey game. If we lose, we'll probably be happy and if we win, against a very good Canuck team in their arena, we'll start asking ourselves, yet again, why we had to be so bad, for so long, against such equally bad teams. I for one don't want to start thinking that we would have or could have been good enough. I say, let's go through the motions on Saturday and let Vancouver get the 2 points that they need more than us.

Game #56Dominance In TO; Habs Win Big 4-Pointer

Details

Date: 11/02/2012
Opponent: Maple Leafs
Location: Toronto

Win: 5-0

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

Habs goalscorers: Cole, Bourque, Pacioretty, Eller, Darche
Opposition goalscorers: None

Play of the game

Eller has some serious moves and they never look better than when they are made to embarrass the Leafs defensively-challenged captain. After a good play in the neutral zone, Lars came in and mocked not only Phneuf, but Reimer too. It was a great goal, but, boy, did those three players help to make it look really easy.

Dome hockey team

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

Forwards

Tomas Plekanec
Pleks had another great game as he is certainly in that playoff-mode (no, not the girlie type) that we need him to be in. He picked up 2 points again and now has 5 in the 4 wins. This was a good night to have Moen miss as Pleks' unit had little to do, but I do hope he'll be back beside Darche and Tom soon.

Mathieu Darche
The coach likes Darche, that much is obvious. But, what does he bring to the Habs? If anything, he brings passion and a love for the CH more than anyone on the team. This guy plays with all his heart and it makes up for any lack of skill. When you play with that much heart and you get that much ice-time generally things can happen for you and they did tonight with a goal and an assist.

Erik Cole
More of the same from the Habs' top forward. With the Habs playing as well as they did and Toronto playing as bad as they did Cole wasn't needed to be outstanding tonight. He didn't mind though as he still went about his business and notched his 20th of the season (17th in last 40 games). Could it be that Cole's leadership is finally paying off? Have enough of the Habs followed his lead such that we are once again a good team? As of now it looks that way, but let's check back in couple of weeks.

Defencemen

Josh Gorges
The Leafs had two PP's before we scored our first goal. Without good penalty-killing this could have been a much different game, but once again we were excellent. Other than Price, no one was better than Gorges. In all he logged 7 minutes short-handed and frustrated the Leafs on numerous occasions.

Hal Gill
This was Mats Sundin night and no Leaf, current or former, was better than soon to be 37 year-old Hal Gill. I am thrilled about that, but one would think that there should be 20 pretty ashamed Leaf players in the dressing room right now. The best part is that Gill wasn't even that good. He was great on the PK and was our second best D-man, but there just wasn't a lot to do for any of the seven tonight.

Goaltender

Carey Price - Game Puck
Price may have got lucky, thanks to the posts, to get the shutout, but he wasn't lucky that we won. He was so good early on and until it was 2-0 that he made the other players' jobs so much easier. A hot Carey makes this team better and that is exactly what we have on our hands right now.

Comments

Montreal dominated a game that we needed to win tonight. We played a tight first period and relied on some good D and PK'ing to get us there. After that, when the game started to open up, we picked apart their defence and that led to a plethora of goals. They out-shot us, but there was no doubt as to which team outplayed who. Winning, especially in regulation, was huge for us and to win 5-0 makes it that much sweeter. This was a total team-effort which has been the theme of our 4 wins in 7 days week.

2 weeks ago we thought that there was a chance. Last week, there was no way we could even continue to think about the playoffs. This week, what is it? Well, we are 7 points back of 8th and we have 26 games to go. Of course, mathematically, we are still very much alive. But, is this a team that can get another 35 points in those games? Even then, would that be enough? All along I have believed that we may as well go for it and now, of course, there is no change to that. I do think that it is possible, but not because I think that we are a spectacular team or because we were unlucky earlier in the year. No, I think it because, first and foremost, we have a pretty easy schedule till the end of the year (have a look yourself) and the other reason is that we are getting better as a team and, like it or not Ontario, other teams are getting worse.

I have 26 more games to watch this year, and I know what I'll be cheering for. Go Habs.

Game #48Hurting Toronto's Chances? The Next Best Thing

Details

Date: 21/01/2012
Opponent: Maple Leafs
Location: Toronto

Win: 3-1

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

Habs goalscorers: Bourque, Diaz, Eller
Opposition goalscorers: Lombardi

Play of the game

In a weird way the play of the game tonight was Kaberle's penalty. With two minutes to go I trust our PK more than I trust us at even-strength. So, once we went man-down I was much more confident that we would hold on. In the end we held on and Toronto couldn't even get one of the two goals they needed. We needed a win and we needed a clean last two minutes - a penalty (who would have thought?) was just what the doctor ordered.

Dome hockey team

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

Forwards

Rene Bourque
We were told that he would score goals by being on the doorstep and, after 4 games, that is what he finally did. The goal was his highlight, but it wasn't a bad game otherwise. We'll need more goals from him if we are to keep winning, if that is what we want to do of course.

Erik Cole
Erik was the best forward again, surprise, surprise. At times he was too much size and too much speed for the slow Toronto D. His play on the first goal was a big reason for the confusion and for the goal. He ended up at +2, the night's best.

Lars Eller
Eller was fast tonight and he was rewarded with a goal that sealed the game. In all that is ten goals now - could he hit 20? Kostitsyn and Moen were on tonight too, so once again there were two or three lines that TO had to worry about. When that happens we often do well.

Defencemen

Josh Gorges
The true warrior in this one. When Komisarek looks across the ice he sees the player he could have been. Now, however, he fits the Toronto mould better than most and it is hard to believe that we once thought he was captain material. Josh for his part is and showed that again with his leadership tonight. After Toronto's goal I liked how he discussed what went wrong with PK. No matter who's fault it is Gorges seems interested in making this team better.

Raphael Diaz
He scored the game-winner and showed why he should not be in the press-box, but should be playing. The same can't be said for Campoli who really offers little to this team. Diaz didn't just score tonight, but also chipped in with 4 hits. When he plays like he did tonight he is easily in our top-4.

Goaltender

Carey Price - Game Puck
I was worried after the Leafs scored their goal as Price looked weak. Before and after that, however, he was stellar as he turned away 32 shots. He was our best player tonight, but I did like how the team really limited Tornto's chances throughout. When Price plays like this and the D is strong in front of him it hurts to know just how bad this season has gone.

Comments

Every time we win I regain hope, but logic and reason then kick in (and a quick look at the standings). I still enjoy a win as it is more fun to watch. Of course, a top-5 pick could mean a huge change to the future of this team, but it is hard not to cheer for the win each and every night. So, I have decided to just let be whatever will be.

Tonight the Habs played a decent game, the type of game that suits them. They scored even-strength goals, were good on the PK and played strong as a group. In the end, however, the best part was that we handed the Leafs the loss, in regulation. I would be almost as happy with the Leafs missing the playoffs as the Habs making it in most seasons. So, tonight was a great feeling. Saturday, in Toronto, what could be better than reminding a fellow bad team that they are indeed not that great. It just goes to show that a hot start means little when you face the hard, cold fact that the season is 82 games long.

It would be nice if the Habs kept this up and if they can have a strong couple of weeks we'll see where we are and see what we are hoping for. Until then, enjoy having some days off from the Habs (only one game in the next 10 nights) and enjoy the most boring hockey game on the earth next weekend in Ottawa.

Game #41Payback; Canadiens Comeback To Beat Lightning

Details

Date: 07/01/2012
Opponent: Lightning
Location: Montreal

Win: 3-1

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

Habs goalscorers: Blunden, Pacioretty, Cole
Opposition goalscorers: Lecavalier

Play of the game

Getting back in the game once down was critical, but I did expect it would happen. What I didn't expect was that we would get contribution from our 4th line. It was Blunden, in fact, that scored the goal, his first as a Hab. I would have maybe kept Nokelainen in over Blunden, but Cunneyworth obviously knows better than me. The move paid off with a timely goal and it was a nice goal to boot. I don't expect too many more from Mike, but his goal is a reminder of just how skilled all NHLers are when they have space and time to do what they want.

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 had a great goal and picked up an assist on Cole's goal at the end. Beyond that, however, there was so much offence; he led the team in shots (7), attampts (11) and take-aways (2). He also drew the penalty at the end of the game which meant the Habs avoided a potentially frantic final 30 seconds. We needed a better effort from him and we got it tonight. His line was one of the big reasons that Tampa got little going all night as they were, more often than not, in the Lightning's end. I like that lines have formed and that people know their roles, I think that that is helping us right now.

Erik Cole
It was between him and Desharnais. Both players played well, but I thought that Cole had the slight edge tonight. Stealing David's goal at the end of the game, of course, plays in his favour! Not his most dominant game, but he showed that good players can have quieter nights, yet still be better than most of their opposition.

Andrei Kostitsyn
Despite Cole's line being in the dome almost entirely I felt that Eller's line was the most dangerous all night. They didn't score, but came oh so close on so many different occasions. The best element on that line was Kostitsyn as he continued his very strong play. When your top line is your third best on most nights and they aren't playing that badly you know that things must be going well.

Defencemen

Josh Gorges
Gorges came back hard after Subban lost the puck in the offensive zone and took the puck away from Downie beautifully. That was his best play all game, a game in which he was solid throughout. As Gill fades away as a regular it is Gorges who is becoming the shot-blocking machine; tonight he added five to his tally.

Alexei Emelin
Three of our seven guys are being used sparingly and I think that it is brilliant. So, it is like we have four regular D and Emelin is now firmly in that group. It was more of the same tonight as there were more hits and more rushes. I believe that it is only a matter of time till his rushes and shots turn into assists and goals. The more I watch this player, the more I like what we have here. He could very well end up being a fixture on our back end for many years to come.

Goaltender

Carey Price
Price played a very good game and could have easily had a shutout. The goal was a bit unlucky (or very skilled from Lecavalier), but wouldn't go in 9 times out of 10. When the team plays well for a full 60 minutes it makes Carey's life a whole lot easier. Tonight they only allowed 24 shots and that makes it much more realistic to expect him to let in 2 or less than when we let up 35 or more.

Comments

The knock on the Habs earlier this season (like in December) was that if we went down we were out of it. Well, for a second straight game we showed that there is fight in us and that, given time, we can find a way back in. Tampa managed to get the lead, but weren't necessarily playing that much better than us. In fact here was a team just like us in their fragility. For some reason they are another team that lost to Boston in 7 and is having a hard time this year. So, the Habs did well to come back, but I can't say that it was too hard. We just kept plugging away and the chances came and within them a couple of goals. And, once we were back in it we kept playing that same way. It seemed that we had a plan and our goal was to execute that plan for a full 60 minutes. When that happens and the players are on we show our depth, speed and tenacity. This 'small' team is winning a lot of battles right now as players like Cole, Emelin and Kostitsyn are providing the muscle that most people don't think we even have.

I wanted to see us play seven defencemen for a long time. Not seven D like Carbo, Martin or Julien did, though, but to use them all as D. For the past two games we have done just that and it is working rather well. The cost to the forwards is that we have a player from a top-3 line play on the 4th rather than a D-man . That means we get a better player on the ice more and our 4th line is better than if we used a 4th-liner or a D in that spot. The benefit can also be seen at the back end. Gorges, Subban, Emelin and Diaz (and eventually Markov) are all-around guys, guys that can log 20+ minutes and play in all situations. But, I think that it is clear that, ideally, Gill, Kaberle and Campoli (and Weber) aren't. So, what we do is we take that 34-38 minutes of ice-time and divide it by three instead of two. It doesn't hurt the team as those guys are only still on for about 17-19 minutes as a pair (about 12 minutes on average each) and it also keeps them fresher. It also keeps each individual off the ice (which isn't a bad thing) more. You can then use those three when the timing suits them - Kaberle and Campoli when more offence is needed and Gill when we need a bit more of a stay-at-home presence. I really like the concept and hope that we keep it up, especially when Andrei gets back.

Game #31Montreal Changes The Script In The Third, Win At Home

Details

Date: 13/12/2011
Opponent: Islanders
Location: Montreal

Win: 5-3

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

Habs goalscorers: Kostitsyn, Darche, Cole, Nokelainen, Gill
Opposition goalscorers: Moulson, Bailey, Tavares

Play of the game

After New York tied it up I was sure that we were either going to OT or, worse, would lose in regulation. Kostitsyn, however, had different ideas and it was his initiative that led to the winner. A dump-in was made with about 6:30 to play and it looked like the defence would grab it, the Habs would change and the game would continue. Andrei didn't let that happen, though. Instead he chased down the puck, made a beautiful hit to win both body position and the pcuk and kept the play alive in the Isles' end. That play led to good possession which led to Nokelainen, Kostitsyn's eventual replacement, firing home his second 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
He was close to winning the game-puck tonight, he was that good. He used size and strength to win battles and win pucks, he used it to get off shots or chances that others would not be able to make. His goal was a perfect example of his drive and his incredible shot, his hit on the play-of-the-game was an example of his speed and strength. Tonight's goal was his 9th, in just 21 games.

Erik Cole - Game Puck
Erik can fly out there and because of it generates so many chances for himself and his linemates. Another thing that he does really well is shoot. He has an amazing shot and when he gets passes like he did on his goal (courtesy of the crafty Desharnais) he rarely makes mistakes. His 11th goal (coupled with his slow start) has me firmly believing in 30 from him.

David Desharnais
I must just mention Nokelainen here as his shot, the game-winner, was incredible. Overall, however, I felt that Desh had the stronger game. He picked up two assists including a fantastic one on the PP on Cole's goal. He also did well in the face-off circle at 53%. When he plays as he did tonight he is a legitimate 2nd-line centre and he then adds so much to his wingers' games. Not sure what will happen when Gomez and Gionta are back, but can't say I mind David getting 18+ minutes with a good amount of 2nd unit PP time.

Defencemen

PK Subban
PK played 26 minutes of hockey against New York's best tonight and did a formidable job of containing them. He also, unfortunately, led the team in giveaways which is something that he must work on. He did, however, contribute offensively and picked up an assist, a nice PP assist, on Cole's goal. In the end I am not too worried about his offensive or PP numbers in the end, though. If he can limit the blunders in his own end then he'll be one of the most imposing defensive D-men that we have had in years and that may just be what this team needs from him.

Tomas Kaberle
Tomas only played 17 minutes and was on (looking a bit lost) on New York's tying goal. How can I take away what he does for us offensively though? That is why we got hi, right? He can be the #5 or #6 in our end provided he does what no one else this year has done. And, for his part, he is getting his job done. He collected a third assist tonight, but, more importantly, ran our PP calmy and with authority. He is so good at controlling the middle of the ice, moving the puck and controlling it that we are getting more time in their end on the PP and more shots, just like that. As of now it is looking like a great move that Gauthier has made. But, check back in 2 weeks to see how it's going then.

Goaltender

Carey Price
It was an average night for Carey, but in the end he got the job done and delivered the Habs a rare home win. He did make some good saves down the stretch which enabled the Habs to stay tied. I am sure that he was as happy as you and I when Nokelainen, and then Gill, scored to keep this game to 60 minutes. I'd like to see Budaj get a start before Christmas, but only to give Price a rest. He has been playing well and we have to make sure that he is fit and rested enough for the second half.

Comments

You look at games like this one in October and you pencil in a win. Home to the Islanders, that wouldn't even be funny. The Isles jumped out to a lead, but good plays by both Kostitsyn and Campoli had us right back in it. The Habs then dominated the play until they were up 3-1 after a few seconds in the third. Their good PPs, strong fore-check and solid D didn't matter anymore as it was 'see if we can hang on' time. As is the custom these days the opposition tied it up as the Habs, once again, looked disorganized in their own end. After the tying goal, however, Montreal went for it. Nokelainen's goal gave us the lead again and Gill's unlikely 175' marker gave us the win. New York probably regrets tying it up so early as it lit a fire under the Habs, a fire that sometimes isn't lit until OT.

Kaberle looks like he may be the December PP specialist acquisition we were looking for. Is he the latest in a long line of players that we have found over the past few years that can get the job done? It looks like he may very well be. I am not quite sure about Campoli though. I am glad he is healthy and game-ready, but I am not convinced he is a top-6 on our team (even with Markov out). Let's not forget that Chris was brought in to do what we have now brought Kaberle in to do and I think Tomas will most certainly do it better. So, do we want Campoli over Emelin? I don't. Over Diaz? Probably not. A win is a win and I am thrilled, but I feel that we can't let a guy like Emelin sit too long as wins aren't a given and I think he is certainly part of the solution.

Game #27Montreal Bags Crucial Road Win

Details

Date: 03/12/2011
Opponent: Kings
Location: Los Angeles

Win: 2-1

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

Habs goalscorers: Plekanec, Kostitsyn
Opposition goalscorers: Penner

Play of the game

Louis Leblanc has looked pretty good this week and will likely have a spot on this team in the next few years. He picked up his first ever point today on a very nice passing play and now has just one fewer point than Darche, Nokelainen and Palushaj combined (as a group they have played in 62 games). The play started when he held up at the line and found the trailing Kostitsyn. Andrei passed to Eller before almost imediately getting the puck back and one-timing it up and over Bernier.

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
Kostitsyn was down on the third line tonight, but as has happened before this year he made the line the team's best. They may get third-line time, but they were our top unit in the limited time they had. He was a force to be reckoned with tonight and was the biggest factor in both of our goals. He now has 7 goals and 12 points in 17 games which is a 34-goal, 58-point pace.

Lars Eller
Lars only played for 11 minutes tonight as again his usage remains a mystery. He isn't used much on special teams which I can live with, but I would like to see some more ice-time overall somehow. It isn't like he is playing with Darche and Palushaj either as we want to see more of players like Kostitsyn and Leblanc too. I didn't like his penalty on Doughty today, but otherwise felt that he played a strong 2-way game.

Tomas Plekanec
Can you imagine if Plekanec had players like Ovechkin or St. Louis on his wings? He is such a smart hockey player, as we saw tonight, but often has to play with odd bits. Gionta and Moen are decent enough players, but I am guessing that to win a cup your top-line probably needs a little more power from the wings. Regardless of who he played with today Tom did the job. He scored a PP marker and did well to create things for himself and his wingers.

Defencemen

Josh Gorges
With the news today that Markov will need another few weeks I am comforted to know that Gorges is currently at his best. He played like a #1 today as he continues to do a great job leading this young corps. He led the team in ice-time with 26 minutes and, apart from a great deflection from Penner, stayed out of trouble. If Subban was at his best and Markov was back can you think of any other team that would have a more dependable #3?

Alexei Emelin
Nothing flashy from Alexei today, just good hard hockey. Funny, isn't it, that he is getting into the domes now on nights when there isn't even a huge amount of hits. His play has been so good, and was again today, that his normal play is top-3 material on our current squad. If there is one thing about the past 3 weeks and even the past 3 games that excites me it is Emelin's play. I can't wait to have a full defence corps with Emelin playing alongside a Markov, Gorges or Subban on a regular shift.

Goaltender

Carey Price
Carey was great today and was one of the biggest reasons that we walked out of the Staples Center with the 2 full points. He fought hard to see everything and to get in the way of everything. This was one of those games where you could tell that he was in the other team's head and no matter what they tried to do it would always be too little. At least that is what it felt like watching from home. After a rougher that hoped-for start he now has some very good numbers after today's game - 10 W, 2 SO, .919 and 2.23. If he keeps it up he'll be off to Ottawa in January for the world's most dull weekend of hockey.

Comments

The Canadiens once again jumped to a first-period lead in this game, but, unlike the other California games, were able to hang on. The two biggest reasons for that were that they kept attacking and that their PK was again phenomenal. LA has a good team that we may lose to if we played them tomorrow, but the Habs showed up today to let us all know that they still do too. We got into all sort of penalty trouble today, but our PK units kept us in the game as they have been doing all year. As for our other special team, the PP, we looked good. Not only did we score a goal, but we also showed some life. I was happy to see AK46 logging 4+ minutes with the extra-man as I feel he is a part of the solution. We were quicker, crisper and more creative today and I think that it has a lot to do with Kostitsyn who may give us that element we have been looking for, the link to the Kovalev, Koivu, Ryder PP units of years gone by that seemed to have it all figured out.

Was this a disastrous trip out west? It felt like it for a while, but 3 points in 3 games in 4 nights isn't bad for this team (or any) on the road, out of your time-zone. This was probably one of the harder trips we'll take all year and the fact that we were missing Pacioretty among a bunch of others made it that much harder. In the end we got the 3 points, some players stepped it up (Price and Kostitsyn come to mind) and we saw a lot of good stuff from guys like Leblanc, Eller and Emelin. The future doesn't look that bad people and, upon reflection, neither does the present.

Game #16Habs Back To .500 With Another OT Win

Details

Date: 12/11/2011
Opponent: Predators
Location: Nashville

Win: 2-1 (OT)

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

Habs goalscorers: Desharnais, Pacioretty
Opposition goalscorers: Weber

Play of the game

Our first goal was a beaut and was surely my pick for play-of-the-game, I swear. But, the Habs, once again, exceeded my expectations and pulled some magic off in OT. It was Subban, really, who made our goal possible with incredible poise, patience and control at the blue-line. With that came time and space for others as 3 defenders rushed to him. So, MaxPac was wide open when he took the pass and he even had about 2 seconds, while standing completely still mind you (Flyers trap-breaking still), to get off the perfect shot up and over the arm of one of the league's best.

Dome hockey team

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

Forwards

David Desharnais
David has been playing well, well enough to be on a top-2 line, but with the return of Gomez tonight it looked like he was out to prove that one more time. He scored our first on a very nice play and then was in on the winner too. He makes things happen in the offensive zone and with the solid D and goaltending we are getting lately that is really what this team needs.

Max Pacioretty
Max's best play was certainly his OT-winner (thanks PK), but he was pretty decent throughout. He hasn't been the red-hot player that he was in October of late, but has still been one of our best forwards on most nights. It would appear that he is settling into a partnership with Cole quite nicely which excites me as it is possible that we'll have 2 other equally good lines out there when we are healthy. Max took a lot of hits and contact tonight which is the thing that amazes me the most about his play this year. It would (somewhat remarkably) appear that he isn't afraid one bit to be out there and in a way is even playing faster, stronger and more courageous than he was before Chara assaulted him.

Erik Cole
I liked Cole again tonight and continue to like the new dimension that he is bringing to the Canadiens. He may not have scored or had many chances of his own, but one can never under-estimate the value that his fast, physical play has as it wears the opposition out and, more importantly, creates openings for his teammates.

Defencemen

PK Subban
We can't seem to go a game without an injury or a scare; tonight it was Subban's turn. When he wasn't out there to begin the third I was worried, not just worried for the next few games, but worried about how we would bag the win (or at least one point) tonight. Luckily his absence was short-lived and he was back taking regular shifts early in the third. He was a big reason that we held Nashville from going ahead and the biggest reason why we ended up winning.

Josh Gorges
Josh isn't the same player that he was a month a go; he is better. In fact, Josh isn't even the player he was a year ago; he is better. The biggest change for me is how he is getting involved offensively and how he is actually doing a good job of it. There was another assist tonight giving him 8 points, tops among our D-men. He has stepped up in Markov, Wisniewski and Hamrlik's absence which is good to see. I hope that it continues when Marky is back, however, as it doesn't seem to be affecting Josh's defensive play one bit.

Goaltender

Peter Budaj - Game Puck
He never had to be spectacular tonight, but made all but one of the stops that you would hope he would make. He has only played twice, but has delivered in both games (we lost the other one, but he did play well and only allowed 2 goals). I think that any person can see the value in Price getting 20 nights off this year rather than 10 and Budaj is telling his coach that that is quite alright. His rebounds at times were juicy tonight, and it may be lucky that they didn't cost us, but that also shows how well the D (and forwards coming back) have been playing. His numbers now speak for themselves, so let's hope we see more of him as the schedule ramps up.

Comments

Montreal played another good road game tonight by staying out of penalty trouble (have to do something about the SH goals though; how about D at the point?), for the most part, created chances in the offensive zone and imposed their game-plan on a pretty decent Nashville squad. The Preds certainly took over parts of the game with strong play, but with a combination of luck and hard work we weathered the storm. For our part we didn't generate too many chances (not enough really, considering the quality of their D and goaltending), but on the road if you can grab a point, I don't care how you do it. Winning in OT was a bonus that I wasn't expecting as I was already calling it a win with the 1 point. This team has talent, though, and surprising depth, so it wasn't too shocking, really.

Things seem to be settling back to normal around the East. We're back into that 6-12 range (2 points out of the playoffs) where I think we'll be all year, the Islanders are last and the Leafs only have 10 points in 10 games after 11 in 7 to start. The flip-side to that is that Boston is moving up and so are Tampa. It will be a battle, as it is every year, but that is good news. 3 weeks ago we wondered if it would be a battle at all. We have shown, however, that we are still an NHL-level team who can win on any given night. Our depth is showing and is paying off as is the play in our own end. Once the PP gets going (79 is surely the key) we'll hopefully be back to our old selves, back to that team that doesn't have to sweat until game #82.

Game #15Gorges' First Gives Habs First Extra-Time Win

Details

Date: 10/11/2011
Opponent: Coyotes
Location: Phoenix

Win: 3-2 (OT)

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

Habs goalscorers: Gionta, Moen, Gorges
Opposition goalscorers: Boedker, Torres

Play of the game

After the first period it was looking like Pleks could be hurt, it was looking like Desharnais was now our top centre. Tom came back to start the second, however, and did very well on one of his first shifts that period. He fore-checked hard and created confusion behind Smith's net. Then came his linemate Gionta (noticeably fueled by the prospect of having Pleks healthy after that scare) who made a fantastic play to strip Gordon of the puck and stun a flat-footed goalie. That goal changed the Habs's gameplan; it gave us a serious chance to win from that point on.

Dome hockey team

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

Forwards

Tomas Plekanec
Pleks played a great first period, but really seemed to step it up after that as to show us all that he was fine. He was in on our first two goals; something that we have now come to expect. Losing him would be as bad as losing Markov or Price so I do hope that he is OK. He seems to have good chemistry with Gionta which may work well for Gomez's return as I really think Scott needs a fresh start, with 2 new faces on his flanks.

Brian Gionta - Game Puck
The skipper was the biggest part of our two first goals, our two best plays of the game. This was one of those games where you really noticed Gionta, a game where he led his team as a captain should. The points give him 10 on the year which isn't horrible considering the slow start that we had. I hope that Martin keeps him with Plekanec for now as we really need 3 strong lines and I think that the G-G combo has become too predictable for our opponents.

Erik Cole
Cole impressed me with his speed and strength tonight. I normally hate seeing our players go to the outside of defenders as more often than not it ends in a turn-over. Tonight, however, in Erik's case he was beating his men, he was creating chances by going around the outside. He is still trying to find his true spot in our line-up, but the better he continues to play, the more options he gives his coach.

Defencemen

PK Subban
PK stayed out of trouble tonight in that he kept things clean in his own end and in that he didn't get sucked into any tussles or into taking any penalties. That meant that he could really focus on his game which is to win the puck back in our end and do something with it in the other two zones. He didn't factor too heavily on our goals, but he did end up +3 which is a number that I think speaks for itself.

Josh Gorges
Gorges has been better of late after a bit of a slow start. Tonight he played as a true #3 or even #2 and that is what we need, especially while Markov is out and 3 youngsters are in. He scored the OT winner which may go down as his only goal of the year, but wouldn't you rather that than the 5th in a 5-1 win or the lone goal in a 1-4 loss? I am not suggesting that he is clutch offensively, but it was nice to see him join in at exactly the right time, even if this is the only time we see it all year.

Goaltender

Carey Price
I thought that he made some poor choices handling the puck in the first period, but aside from that played a very solid game. Phoenix managed 34 shots, so to make 32 saves, on the road, is certainly a great performance. One thing that he did well tonight (and maybe this was purely in stark contrast to Smith) was that he found pucks well after they dropped below or near him. There weren't many second chances and that ends up really helping a fragile team like the Habs out and can very well make the difference between W and L.

Comments

It is always nice when a losing streak is stopped at 2. I have heard a lot about how we were all over Edmonton and could have or even should have won. Too many of those games in a row, however, is a Florida or Columbus type of thing. We have to win the majority of our games some how, some way. Tonight we found a way to walk out of their with the full two points all the while staying out of any real trouble penalty- or injury-wise. Phoenix aren't the most exciting team to watch, but I do respect the clean type of hockey that they play as it means (unlike games against Boston) you don't really have to worry about losing guys to dirty and unnecessary plays. In fact, this is a team that we match up well against and we proved that by matching them step for step throughout the whole game. It is hard to say that either we played better than them or they better than us, nope, it was just a good old (used to be called a draw) even game. It is good, however that we got the extra point as we need it badly.

We're entering an interesting stretch over the next little while. It is a stretch that has us playing more games than we have been doing and a period in which we may get as healthy as we'll be all year. Getting Markov back will be a huge boost. I am sure that a lot of people have forgotten just what Andrei can bring to this team, but I am sure that within mere days of his return they will be reminded. Until then we have to hold the fort and win games like we did tonight. Each loss makes it 2 more games back to where you want to be, so let's hope the Habs take the easy route and win each of their upcoming games.

Game #1-6Montreal Gets Some Bounces And Calls; Off To Boston

Details

Date: 26/4/2011
Opponent: Bruins
Location: Montreal

Win: 2-1

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

Habs goalscorers: Cammalleri, Gionta
Opposition goalscorers: Seidenberg

Play of the game

It has to be the play that Cammalleri made to give us a Power-Play 8:54 into the first. He shot the puck right at the Boston bench with one goal in mind - to get a call. Had he missed it would have been icing, but he made it count. It is another example of a stupid NHL rule (is that really too many men? have you seen some of the changes), but if there is one thing I love it is to take advantage of stupid rules like that.

Dome hockey team

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

Forwards

Brian Gionta
Another great game for the skipper. He scored two goals tonight thanks to great hustle. Whether the NHL likes it or not this was a 3-1 game as far as I am concerned. The sound of a whistle shouldn't be enough to disallow a goal when goalie, defenceman or forward have yet to react to it. This was his first elimination game as the captain of the Habs and I felt that he did a very good job.

Scott Gomez
Gomez played a good, hard game tonight. He caused a lot of turnovers as he was just too quick for the Boston D. He had 5 shots and our dome forwards, in total, had 16 of our 27. The big players stepped up tonight and that is what we need a player like Scott to do. Tomorrow is a new test, let's hope that it is more of the same from #11.

Michael Cammalleri - Game Puck
Mike now leads the NHL with 9 points. Tonight's goal was his 5th game 6 goal for the Habs in just three tries; not too shabby at all. He is a big game player and tonight he played a big game. He played so well, in fact, that Martin used him for an unheard of 25+ minutes. With 20 hours until game 7, however, I just hope that he'll be ready to give us more of the same.

Defencemen

PK Subban
PK did well to get in on both of our goals; an assist and what I'll call a helper. He is very good on the PP as he is patient and timely. Sometimes he can rush it, but tonight, on the 5-on-3's, he waited for the right situation to present itself. In his own end it was more of the same from PK. He backs down from no one, rarely made a mistake and calmed Habs fans around the world right down with his steady play.

Roman Hamrlik
Hammer wanted this one tonight, you could see it on his face. A veteran like Roman knows that there won't be too many more chances like this in his career and, so, he made the most of it. His play in our own end was exemplary as he had 8 blocked-shots (5 more than any other player) and gave us more of what PK did - calm, steady play.

Goaltender

Carey Price
Carey did what he had to tonight, making great saves look easy and giving his team a chance to win it with just two goals. Luck was on his side tonight for the first time in four games and that was certainly a welcome addition in our end of the rink. His trips behind the net, however, continue to be an adventure and as good as he is at controlling the puck I still feel that he takes too many unnecessary risks (like on the Spacek penalty where he was caught behind his own net).

Comments

You'll get your money worth in this series after the Habs had you thinking that it may be done in 5 or less. We were the better team tonight, but we did get some luck and some calls. We did outplay Boston, but it was close to being a loss, that is how important bounces are. It was more of the same from the dirty Bruins as Lucic had no problem face-planting Spacek right into the glass. There was no last-minute back-turn from Jaro, just a good, old-fashioned hit from behind. I am not sure if that play was the reason that we won (I believe that we would have won anyway), but it did make the task easier as it gave us a nice long PP to get things going.

Tomorrow will be more of the same for the Habs as it will be our 3rd road game #7 in 12 months. The last time the Bruins played in a game #7 they blew a 3-0 lead in goals and a 3-0 lead in games. The Habs, of course won both of their's last year. In fact, we have won our last four game #7's and haven't lost since we lost to the Bruins in 1994. But, we all know that history means nothing, it can only support present arguments. So, we have our work to do, but we are all in the same boat with 20 hours off and a flight to Massechusetts. The Habs have been a good team this series, probably the better one, but that means nothing now. Now we have to be the best team tomorrow in one game, that is all that counts, that is what our season has come down to.

Game #1-2Montreal Take Firm Hold In Boston

Details

Date: 16/4/2011
Opponent: Bruins
Location: Boston

Win: 3-1

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

Habs goalscorers: Cammalleri, Darche, Weber
Opposition goalscorers: Bergeron

Play of the game

Too many choices, how nice is that? I wanted to say the save that Price made at 2-0 on Lucic, but think that it has to be our first goal instead. Boston were fragile tonight and, so, to be able to go up early against a team that is down a game and their best player was a big deal. It all started when Wisniewski made a great play to steal the puck in the neautral zone. A big shot meant a huge rebound and on the door-step was Cammalleri the poacher. That goal cemented the doubt that they had in their heads; it was the most important Habs goal of the year thus far.

Dome hockey team

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

Forwards

Mathieu Darche
Darche scored a very important goal to put the Habs up by 2; it ended up being the game-winner. His linemates weren't as dominant tonight, but he himself played a good playoff game. He, along with Moen, led the Habs tonight in the combined total of shots, hits and blocked-shots with 8. I have a feeling that those 3 categories will be as important in the upcoming games vs. Boston as they have been thus far.

Michael Cammalleri - Game Puck
Mike set the tone early as he was in on both goals within the first two and a half minutes (not a bad start). His line played well and I felt that Moen did a good job alongside Mike and Pleks. Cammalleri is the type of player that seems to able to score when needed, a big-game player; let's just hope that this is simply the start of it.

Lars Eller
The other two members on his line deserve a mention (Pyatt and Weber) as they competed all night long. Lars, I thought, was the best of that group, leading the charge throughout the entire game. Believe it or not this playoff rookie led the game with 4 hits.

Defencemen

Roman Hamrlik
+2, filled in on the PK formidably and had a very good read on the third goal as it was his interception that led to the goal. Hammer is a good example of what we have and Boston don't. See, he can do very good work in his own end, but he can also 'relance l'attaque' better than any of the D that they had in their line-up tonight.

James Wisniewski
James got the ball rolling with an early steal and assist and kept the good play up throughout. There was a questionable hit from behind, but at least he stood up for himself when Hnidy came looking for trouble. I hope that he'll shoot more than the once that he did tonight if needed, but can see his value beyond the shots when he plays a solid game in our own end and we win by 2.

Goaltender

Carey Price
This is the type of goaltending that wins playoff games and playoff series. 1 goal in 2 games to go along with some of the most relaxed, confident and positionally-sound 'tending that I have ever seen from any NHL goalie. He got a bit lucky with some posts tonight, but had those shots gone in I am sure that he would (as well as his teammates) have been up to the task of taking Boston down.

Comments

This is a dream start for Montreal. We now head back home with 2 wins in the bank and 3 of the next 5 games (if needed) in Montreal. Like I said, though, it is a start, not the end. Winning 2 more games won't be any easier because we have won these 2. We have collapsed before from this kind of lead and must be careful to not let that happen again. The positive is, of course, that we are playing Montreal Canadien hockey which is a better product and more successful type of hockey than Boston Bruin hockey. They can keep hitting us after the puck is gone as much as they like because that is the point, the puck is gone. We are moving the puck up, through their team and they seem to always be one step behind, always playing catch-up. We've lost to this team though, we've lost big, so I would still be worried. We have to be worried that things may not always go our way. The big saves may go Thomas' way, not Price's, the posts at their end may be the ones ringing, not ours and the refs may start giving them more of the benefit of the doubt. So, we must keep the foot on the gas. Scoring early is, and always will be, key and that must be our only priority on Monday night. I like watching the Bruins play catch-up hockey, simply because they are not very good at it at all.

Game #82Habs Play Tight Game; Let The Real Season Begin!

Details

Date: 9/4/2011
Opponent: Maple Leafs
Location: Toronto

Win: 4-1

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

Habs goalscorers: White, Gionta (2), Plekanec
Opposition goalscorers: Kessel

Play of the game

Price made an incredible save on a goal that wasn't, but could have been. The refs went upstairs on a puck that may well have crossed the line. The official call, however, was that it stayed out and that was because of the work that Carey did. He somehow got his hand on the puck which was rolling on the line and managed to take his hand out of the net as the rest of his body found its way in. It was a truly acrobatic play and one of Price's best saves of the season.

Dome hockey team

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

Forwards

Ryan White
Who knows what role Ryan will play in the playoffs, but he showed his coach that he was ready if needed. He scored an early goal and then went on to get in a fight and make 4 hits (led the game) and did it all with the least amount of ice-time of any player on either team.

Michael Cammalleri
Mike didn't score tonight, but certainly got enough chances to show that he is ready to go. In fact, I think that he got the most quality chances of any Hab other than Gionta. It should be interesting to see if he can elevate his game to the same level that he did last year.

Brian Gionta - Game Puck
Two goals for Brian tonight and I guess the biggest shock was that he didn't have more. That gives him 29 goals on the year which is not only what we expect from the captain, but also what we need. Pleks, Camms and Andrei can all score, but Gionta shouldn't be forgotten as one of, if not the, most potent threat on the team. It was a good first year as captain for Brian, next up is his first playoffs.

Defencemen

PK Subban
PK's ready, don't you think? He is the type of player that lives for big games and I am sure that he can't wait for next week. He played the most of any Hab tonight and his 7 shots led the team by 3. I am positive that he'll be back with Gill, so the question is whether Spacek is in and is so, who is out?

James Wisniewski
I liked the Wiz's play tonight. It was a nice reminder of the type of player that we have on our hands as I think it is a treat to have such a high-quality replacement. I am not sure how many games he has left in a Habs uniform, but 16 wins would sure be nice.

Goaltender

Carey Price
Carey played a good game and made a few great saves. His season wraps up with pretty impressive numbers, the type of numbers that we haven't seen for years. It wasn't all good, however, as his puck-handling almost cost him and the goal was a bit weak. Luckily he has learned to shrug off mistakes, so weak goals don't seem to phase him. If he can keep mistakes down though, then this could be another enjoyable run as I don't see many cracks in him at all.

Comments

Well, that's that, 82 games up, 82 games down. It was a nice way to end the year in that we got a win, Toronto got a loss and we avoided any major knocks. All in all it was a good season, 96 points is a good result. I wouldn't say that we are miles behind the top teams and considering that we are relatively healthy (forget the big 3 injuries) we have a certain amount of depth that I am happy about. It will be a potentially dirty series with Boston, but if we can score and score early on them then they will change their style. When that happens they start trying to score and forget the rough and dirty stuff; that is generally when we can better them. Price is the key, but with players like Subban, Wiz, Gill, Gio, Pleks, Kostitsyn and Cammalleri I feel that we have enough options. It will be good to get a few days rest this week, because we all know how tiring another 2 months of hockey watching can be!

Game #77Montreal Can Breathe a Little After Solid Team Effort

Details

Date: 29/3/2011
Opponent: Thrashers
Location: Montreal

Win: 3-1

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

Habs goalscorers: Hamrlik, Darche, Kostitsyn
Opposition goalscorers: Antropov

Play of the game

Price made a great save on Byfuglien in the first minute of play. The Habs came out a bit slow and Atlanta came out strong. That chance was a result of us not quite being ready for their urgency. The save, however, calmed things right down and perhaps saved the game for us. After that the Habs took control of the game and it was much nicer to be able to do that being tied at 0-0 than being down 0-1.

Dome hockey team

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

Forwards

Andrei Kostitsyn
He played a good solid game and was very involved physically. The chances weren't there as much as they have been, but I felt that it was always a positive shift when he and his linemates were on. He did, however, get a goal right at the end, a goal that sealed it; it was an empty-netter from his own blue-line, his 20th of the year.

Mathieu Darche
Darche was at his best tonight. It was for games like this that we re-signed in and why we let Lapierre go. It had been a tough return from injury, but after missing 5 weeks I can't say that I am surprised. Tonight he was a weapon to be reckoned with in the offensive zone and, once again, played smart hockey.

Scott Gomez
Scott was our best centre tonight, just ahead of Desharnais (didn't see anything too special from Pleks). He was on right from his first shift and set a good example for others to follow. This is the type of play that will help us in the playoffs - speed, aggression, passes and the ability to get under his opponents' skin.

Defencemen

Roman Hamrlik
I had a feeling that someone like Hammer (my instinct, for some reason, said Sopel) would score the goal that we had all been waiting for. It was a good team goal and with four people in as close as they were you could tell how badly we wanted it. Aside from the goal Hammer played a solid, reliable game as he logged the second most ice on the team. Tonight may have been a reminder from him and to us fans that he is still our #1. Who knows what will happen in the future, but for now it seems like he will do his best to lead us throughout the remainder of the season.

James Wisniewski
Wide-open games against a weak defensive team is the type of game that James must love - at least it looks that way. I am not sure if he will be as effective as he was tonight against tighter (playoff) competition, but I am sure he'll still find a way to contribute. The good thing is we have Hammer, Subban and Gill ahead of him who are ready to carry huge loads. Add to that the fact that Mara and Sopel have been decent, Weber and Picard can do the job and Spacek will, if he is healthy, be well rested and all of a sudden our D seems to be in good shape (just imagine Markov and Gorges were around).

Goaltender

Carey Price - Game Puck
On a normal night beating the Thrashers 3-1 at home wouldn't be a big deal. But, after 3 straight shutouts and in need of points for the plyoffs this game was huge. Carey knew this and did not let anyone down. In fact, this game was a shutout whether the NHL believes it was or not (once again 4 men miss an obvious play by the puck-carrier) and that just shows how key Price is. We have 5 more games and with 3 points likely being enough I would like to see Carey sit 1, maybe 2 of those just to be safe.

Comments

I am not going to say that all is good and that we are back on track, but there are certainly some positives here. First off, however, Atlanta are a pretty weak team (when compared with the current competition in the East), maybe only slightly better than Florida, Ottawa and the Islanders. So, beating them, at home, is more like a must than a big deal. Add to that the fact that they played like a team that was already on vacation and that makes this win not that special. What is important to note, however, is that the Habs did play a good game and I think that this was true despite Atlanta. The significance of this isn't the win, but the fact that we had played 2, maybe 3, pretty passionless games over the past week. We had looked tired, out of ideas and sloppy, but tonight looked re-energized and ready for what lay ahead. So, it doesn't matter who the opponent was or what the score was as it was the effort that mattered.

Tomorrow is our last back-to-back game of the season and after that we'll have 4 games in 10 nights. Hopefully we'll get enough points to breathe even easier next week so that we'll be able to rest (either by press-box, limiting ice-time or giving easier assignments) some key players. It is looking like our last two games (in Ottawa and in Toronto) will (thanks to all the other games that will be played by then) simply be for form and placement as I anticipate us being in and both of them being out by then. That means we have one week to make it count and then a pretty easy 7-9 days as we wait for the real season to get going.