Game #70Mission Accomplished: Habs Beat B's In Regulation

Details

Date: 13/03/10
Opponent: Bruins
Location: Montreal

Win: 3-2

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

Habs goalscorers: Markov, S. Kostitsyn (2)
Opposition goalscorers: Wheeler, Lucic

Play of the game

Sometimes watching the game with new people and new perspectives can be a good thing. I was all set to make Sergei's second, our insurance marker, the Play-of-the-Game, but after re-watching another play (and listening to some wise hockey minds) I changed my own mind. The play that I settled on was Halak's brilliant save towards the end of the third, while we held a one-goal lead. The chance came from the stick of Krejci who had passed the puck well with Recchi on a 2-on-1. The shot was low and looked to be a certain goal, but Jaro got across with his left pad and made a true game-saver.

Dome hockey team

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

Forwards

Sergei Kostitsyn - Game Puck
Forget third line, the way these guys are playing it could be 1c. Sergei, again, found a way to be a high-impact player as he was very involved in the play and showed very good fore-checking skills on both of his goals. The first goal really started with a nice pass from him to Markov and was ended nicely with him finding a loose puck beside the net. His second was due to hard-work as he pressured Rask into making a mistake on what was a very easy play.

Dominic Moore
I think that it is safe to say Dominic Moore is giving the Habs something that not too many people expected. Tonight he recorded 2 more points (his first multi-point game as a Hab) and was, again, very good in his own end. In just 9 games with the team he has not just impressed me, but most of you too, I'm sure. In all he has 7 points is a +5 and the Habs are 6-3 during that stretch. The best part of all of this is that he has given coach Martin a third line to choose from, a group that is gelling and that is delivering at both ends of the ice.

Brian Gionta
This was a quieter than usual game from Gionta's line, but it was still a pretty good effort from Brian himself. Of the non-3rd liners I felt that he was the most offensive player on the ice and was one of the best at getting involved in the play. In all he played 19+ minutes of solid 2-way, was on the ice for one of our goals and neither of theirs and took a team-high 4 shots.

Defencemen

Andrei Markov
I wanted Markov to get the PP going, so he scored me a goal. I go through periods where I really wonder if there is anything that Andrei can't do. He was our go-to guy tonight and without his solid play a win may not have been in the cards. In addition to his goal he linked up very nicely with Sergei, at the end of the first, to give us a 2-goal lead. With 27 points in the bank I am still holding out hope that the last 12 games will bring him 13 points. With him hot going into the playoffs (as opposed to last year when he was out) we will be a much, much stronger team.

Jaroslav Spacek
Another player that impressed me on the PP tonight was Spacek. Two or three of his four shots were bullets from the point that forced Rask to make good saves. He has a good shot and, so, I was glad to see more of it tonight. Defensively there isn't much bad to talk about as his 20 minutes of ice-time didn't coincide with any Bruin goals - I really liked what I saw.

Goaltender

Jaroslav Halak
I am glad that Martin came back with Halak as the time for flip-flopping is over. I am also glad that Jaro put the bad game behind him and came to play tonight. It was a solid effort from start to finish and I was always confident that he would hold us in the game. His save towards the end of the game, on the 2-on-1, was an example of just how clutch he has become. The win was his 22nd and the chances that he hits 30 are very much still alive. His play, combined with that of Markov, Pleks, Gionta and the others has me thinking that we will be watching some meaningful hockey this April.

Comments

This game wasn't a must-win in that anything bad would have come from a loss, but beating a rival, in regulation, is at least a very- very-nice-to-win. Montreal, I thought, played very well in their own end right from the start as they never really gave the Bruins any great chances. The best part, really though, was that Boston never had sustained pressure, even when they were on the Power-Play. In all there were 11 Boston shots through 2 and the Habs were certainly in the driver's seat. It was also very nice to get an early goal in the third before the Bruins really got going on their comeback. The pace did pick up in the third as Boston tried to tie it up, but their 12 shots and one goal against simply weren't enough. This game was another great team effort as I felt all of the players contributed to keep chances down and to get our pucks deep into the Bruins' zone. The next 7 nights have us playing just once before we head into the final, busy three weeks. The win tonight was our fifth in a row (first time since October 2008) which, of course, sets us up very nicely for scoreboard-watching week. Cammalleri and Bergeron are also on the mend and will be back as soon as possible - hopefully before the end of the month. They will add a lot to our team and the prospect of playing with a complete line-up, for the first time this season, has every Habs fan very excited indeed.

Game #69Canadiens Cut It Close Against Basement-Dwellers

Details

Date: 11/03/10
Opponent: Oilers
Location: Montreal

Win: 5-4 (SO)

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

Habs goalscorers: Plekanec, Gionta, Moen, S. Kostitsyn, (A. Kostitsyn - SO)
Opposition goalscorers: Nilsson, Gagner, Cogliano, Horcoff

Play of the game

This play was the main reason that Sergei got the Game Puck as it really was the best/most crucial play of the game. With the game tied at three I was a bit worried that we would find a way to lose to the league's worst team. Edmonton actually looked poised to go ahead and I thought a goal could come at any minute. I also felt that if they took the lead that would be it for us - so, that makes Kostitsyn's goal that much better. The play started with a weak dump-in by Gill that went right to the Oilers. Kostitsyn, however, fought hard in the corner and came out with the puck. He then moved in towards the net and put a well-placed shot up and over Dubnyk.

Dome hockey team

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

Forwards

Sergei Kostitsyn - Game Puck
Sergei has been playing well of late, but his service on the third line doesn't usually have that great of an impact. He can be an impact player, from time to time, but playing a solid two-way game is good enough for me. He has some chemistry right now with Moore and I feel that this now gives us our best third line of the season. Tonight Kostitsyn was an impact player as he scored that crucial goal and also added an assist.

Andrei Kostitsyn
At times Andrei looked great in this one and at others he looked quite mediocre. The good times included some quality shots, an assist on Plekanec's goal and good work in the offensive zone. His missed shots, flubbed passes and occasional defensive lapses made him look average, at best, at other times during the game. Well, he sealed his fate in the shootout where he made a fabulous move to score the only goal, the winner. We needed that goal, but I think, maybe more importantly, he did too.

Travis Moen
Right now the battle for the third spot on the third line is heating up. I think it is really between Moen and Lapierre and maybe even Darche. Lapierre, however, thanks to his dirty and inconsistent play, is slowly falling behind. Tonight's effort from Moen will help his cause greatly as he was really a force. He managed to score a goal (first in 30+ games) and pick-up an assist too. If he can be the energy guy for that line and play like he did tonight, then I think that line has everything we need from a third unit.

Defencemen

Andrei Markov
Markov was of course good tonight, but I think one area that needs to be improved is the PP. Now, you can point to Bergeron's absence and also at the play of his teammates, but at the end of the day this is his unit to run. I feel that we are trying to be too cute and are trying too many passes and that is costing us in our quantity of quality scoring chances. What he didn't do with the extra-man, however, he did at even-strength as he picked up 2 more assists (21) and dominated the flow of play while he was on the ice.

Hal Gill
This was a much better game from Hal which, thankfully, didn't involve any assists on Oiler goals. No, instead, Gill was quite discrete as I didn't really notice him much. When I did notice him, however, it was because he was making a good poke-check or was blocking a passing lane. As a 6th defenceman he can be quite effective as his long reach, size and ability to stay in position do help us. I hope that we continue to use him wisely and in the right situations and that he finds a way to be at his best for the next 1+ months.

Goaltender

Jaroslav Halak
This game did not start well for Halak as 2 quick goals already had me doubting him and our chances. He continued to look shaky throughout the game and with that came 2 more goals. It was decided then, Price gets the dome. In OT and in the shootout, however, Halak clawed his way back to respectability and I found reasons to give him the spot. He played the shootout particularly well (and, admittedly got a bit lucky) as he did not let any of the five shooters score. I am not thrilled with his game, I know he can/should be better, but when you get a win on an off-night, you have done well.

Comments

We started this game very strongly and I was convinced that we would run away with it after an early goal. To me, their defence and goaltending was too weak to match up and I was ready for a pounding. Four minutes later I was humbled as I had just watched my team go down in a game that no longer looked like a guaranteed 2 points. The Habs, however, kept up with the pace of the Oilers and found a way to match blows. No one player, on either team, was that spectacular all night as this was a team effort (for better or worse) by both squads. It was nice that we got to OT as I had been worrying that we would get 0 points; to me, 1 point at that point would have been enough. In OT we had our chances, but again our PP couldn't connect. It was then on to the shootout where one would have to think we held the advantage. Well, the goalie who I had never heard of had different plans as he decided not to let any of the three or four players that tried score between his legs. Luckily, for the sake of that 2nd point, Halak had found his form and Kostitsyn found the back of the net. These were 2 points that you really should get and, thank goodness, we somehow got. Boston on Saturday will be a test, but mostly a test of our desire to get into the playoffs. We don't want to allow the Bruins to get points just as much as we need them ourselves. So, let's see if we can continue our hot play and head into our week of scoreboard watching with 2 more in the bank.

Game #68Montreal Keeps It Going With Strong Home Effort

Details

Date: 09/03/10
Opponent: Lightning
Location: Montreal

Win: 5-3

Habs Goalie: Halak (W)
Opposition Goalie: Niittymaki (L), Smith

Habs goalscorers: Metropolit, Gomez, Pouliot, Darche (2)
Opposition goalscorers: Stamkos, Walker, St. Louis

Play of the game

We were never in any real danger of going down in this game or losing our lead, so the clutch aspect is out for me tonight. Instead, for a change, I can just focus on the prettiest play of the night. It really comes down to two plays for me, both involving Metro, but I chose to go with the first, our PP marker. That play started with a rush out of his own end by Spacek. A drop-pass to Gomez at centre-ice, who was at full speed, allowed for an easy gain of Tampa's zone. Scott then, with a full head of speed, went around the net and exploited the man-advantage. He was given a lot of time to find a streaking Metropolit who took the pass well and one-timed it into the net.

Dome hockey team

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

Forwards

Scott Gomez - Game Puck
Right now Scott is playing his best hockey as a Hab and likely his best of his contract (ie. since leaving the Devils). His passing is on, his defensive game is sound and he still puts tons of pucks on net which is always a good thing. Tonight he led the way with a goal and two assists and another four shots. His line was explosive and once again set the tone, early, for the whole game. Thankfully, too, his face-offs were good tonight.

Mathieu Darche
I think that the ex-Redman may just have had the game of his life tonight, right at home. He scored two goals and that marks the first time that the veteran has potted 2 in a game in his career. He is proving to be such a useful addition as he really can be used on any line. Along with Moore, they are breathing life into our 3rd and 4th lines - something that was desperately needed. Besides the goal Mat was also a very involved player in other aspects of his play. He isn't afraid to mix it up and seems to be able to play whatever role (scorer included) asked of him.

Glen Metropolit
Those legs have been given new life. I am not sure how Metro spent his break, but I am assuming he didn't play much hockey during those two weeks. Granted, he has been given more competent linemates, but a lot too can be said of his own play. He is once again involved offensively and seems to be able to handle a full 60 minutes without any real problems. He scored a goal and an assist tonight and now has a very impressive 28 points. If he can stay rested, as we go forward, then he will represent a very important piece to our bottom-6 puzzle.

Defencemen

Andrei Markov
Tonight represented yet another outstanding time-management game, concerning Andrei, by Martin. He knew that Marky wasn't needed to play 25+ minutes and, therefore, gave him a mere 20 minutes and spread around the rest. Don't, however, let this usage fool you into thinking that he didn't play that well, no, it was quite the contrary. He managed 2 assists and was, once again, far and away, our best defenceman. To put it into perspective he was on the ice for 3 of our goals and none of theirs as he yet again excelled in both ends.

Jaroslav Spacek
Jaro's strong play was on display again tonight and it all started with that drop-pass to Gomez on the PP. A simple play, yes, but it shows focus and confidence, two things that we expect from the high-paid veteran. That single assist, along with a +2 rating, are the only real stats to point to in what was a solid, mistake-free, effort. He is another player who we must not overplay, but I think the schedule and the fact that our blue-line is currently healthy will help keep that very manageable.

Goaltender

Jaroslav Halak
Halak certainly didn't blow anyone away tonight with his play, but he didn't have to. All in all I would say it was an average game from the keeper who hasn't been allowed to be just that much this year. The first goal was possibly one of the worst defensive plays that I have ever seen (2 back-to-back, tape-to-tape passes from Gill to the opposition), but the other 2, especially the third, should have been stopped. That last goal was the first sign of 'lack-of-focus' that I have seen from Halak in a long time and am going to forget about it for now; let's hope it was a one-off.

Comments

With the way that we have been playing since the Olympics the message was clear - play as you did out West and the points won't be an issue. Well, it was message received, I'd say. Tampa, even at their best, doesn't match up to us (especially after their first line) when we are at our best and tonight, I'm happy to say, that they weren't playing near their best anyway. Lecavalier may have had 8 shots on goal, but to me was a non-factor and doesn't seem like the player that we all fell in love with (right after we fell out of love with Briere). So, a strong start and some quick puck-movement was just too much for the Lightning to handle as we imposed our play on them. Their D and goaltending looks very sub-par which should only help us as we race with them towards the playoffs. It was good to see the Habs play in red (first time in 24 days) and I think they really fed off the energy of a fan-base that was happy to welcome them home. We now have 2 very winnable games coming up before heading into a 1-game in 7-night stretch. I would suggest that anything less than 2 points from our Thursday and Saturday match-ups (Oilers and Bruins) would be very disappointing after the way we have been playing in March.

Game #67An Unlikely Comeback Ends A Productive Road-Trip

Details

Date: 07/03/10
Opponent: Ducks
Location: Anaheim

Win: 4-3 (SO)

Habs Goalie: Price, Halak (W)
Opposition Goalie: Hiller (L)

Habs goalscorers: Plekanec (1, SO), Gionta (1, SO), Markov
Opposition goalscorers: Perry, Visnovsky, Niedermayer, (Getzlaf - SO)

Play of the game

So many to choose from and there I was 15 minutes from the end of the game wondering just what I may choose. The play that I keep coming back to, however, is that very first good play of the game from us; Plekanec's goal. That goal (we were down 0-3 at the time) gave us new life and made us realize that this team stacked with Olympians just isn't as hot in the NHL as one would assume. The play started when Gorges picked-off a pass in his own end. He then sent Plekanec away, up the middle, who, with blazing speed, got in alone and shelfed one on Hiller. It may have been a long time till we scored again, but I believe that that goal gave us the momentum that we would hold for the rest of the game.

Dome hockey team

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

Forwards

Brian Gionta
It was a quietish game from Gionta until there was about 2 minutes to play in the third. It was at that point that Martin decided Moore could use a little offensive help on his wing as Sergei, although decent, wasn't generating much. A great pass from Dom led to the 2-3 goal; Gionta's 20th. Brian then found a way to score (just barely as the puck was hung-up in Hiller's shirt) to keep the shootout alive.

Tomas Plekanec - Game Puck
Am I happier that Pleks scored, played a great game and we won or that Benoit Brunet was made to eat his words? Well, it is the win, of course, but you have to love when that guy is wrong (let's just say that there has been a whole lot of loving this season). Your best players may not be the best on every single shift (ask Crosby), and they may, at times, make mistakes, but when you need them the most there they are. Tonight's game was one of the best efforts all year from the 'can't-do-anything-right' centre. His breakaway goal was just the pecking on the surface as he went on to add shootout winner, game-high 7 shots and was 13-7 on face-offs.

Dominic Moore
Moore is the player that neither Lapierre (am I tough if I take cheap shots?) nor Metropolit (my legs age twice as fast as the rest of me) could be this season. He is quick, responsible, energetic and he finds a way to contribute offensively. Tonight it was thanks to his hard-work in the corner that we even scored a second goal - that marks his 4th point as a Hab in just 6 games. Like Pleks, he also did well in the face-off circle with a 62% efficiency.

Defencemen

Andrei Markov
Markov played a great game and was very involved at both ends. I pointed out last night that he was being rested for when we may need him more, for when we need the points more; well, tonight was that night. There was no lead, no points in the bank, no, if we wanted a win it was going to be tough work. So, it was not a surprise to see Andrei out there for a team-high 25+ in this one. I watched him very closely towards the end of the game and loved how he got the better of Perry, You see, it was Perry who (cheap as ever) slashed Markov at centre-ice. Well, instead of retaliating Markov simply went to the other end and managed to put the game-tying goal in. I love nothing more than seeing brats like Perry put in their place and am so glad that it was Markov that did it.

Josh Gorges
Jaro and Hammer had good games, but I felt that Josh stood out tonight above those two. He wasn't on the ice for a Duck goal, was on the ice for two of ours and had an incredible assist on Plekanec's 19th. I liked how he was being used on the PP as well as the PK tonight too. Right now he is playing like our 3rd or 4th best defender and is giving us some security on that 3rd pairing. I think that that move by Martin makes so much sense and allows Gill to be deployed at ES without there necessarily being a golden chance created against us.

Goaltender

Jaroslav Halak
Martin made the right call when he pulled Price after 1. 3 goals on 11 shots (all stoppable) didn't mean that we had to lose this game, it just meant that we couldn't let in too many more. Jaro came in and stopped everything that he saw (21 saves) and allowed his team to get right back into the game. He was very solid throughout and made a couple of game-savers in OT. He may have been lucky in the shootout as a couple of Ducks missed, but, luckily, he got the required goal-support. That is 2 wins in 24 hours for the kid and gives him 19 wins on the season. I think that the writing is on the wall, Jacques; Halak gives us the best chance to win, he cannot simply be a back-up. Let's see what happens this week, but I know that I want to win and that means that with 15 games left I'll put all my eggs in the Halak basket. After all he does win 25% (61% vs. 36%) more of his games than Price and we may just need those numbers now more than ever.

Comments

Had Price been on his game this could have easily been a 0-0 first period and we would all be talking about the great team effort that we had, once again, put on display. Instead it wasn't a good team effort, it was bad period and the Habs were in a hole that we often are unable to get out of. The change of goalie was, luckily, accompanied by a change of style from the Ducks and that meant that we would get a chance to peck away at a pretty sub-par defence. Little by little we kept coming, but Hiller proved to be too much. In the end, however, our 43 shots were too much and we found a way to score on three of those. OT could have gone either way as both goalies did the job and kept their teams alive. The shootout was exciting as Anaheim had not one, but two chances to win the game. Halak and Gionta, however, played the heroes and sent it to sudden-death. There the Ducks chose not to send the ultra-proficient Saku Koivu, but instead chose defenceman Wisniewski. We countered with a forward and that is what made the difference. It was great to see Saku again and he still looked very good. It was unusual to see him killing more penalties than playing on the PP, but I suppose that his role isn't what it used to be. I am happy, however, that he himself seems to be happy in California and am hoping that the Ducks can find a way into the dance. He has always been a class act and one can only hope the best for him. I am, therefore, happy that they got 1 point, but am much more pleased with the surprise 2 that we got. It is now back to Montreal and back to business on Tuesday as, believe it or not, there are only 15 games to play.

Game #66Habs Get Their Points After 2 Solid Games In Cali

Details

Date: 06/03/10
Opponent: Kings
Location: Los Angeles

Win: 4-2

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

Habs goalscorers: Gionta, Moore, Pouliot, Plekanec
Opposition goalscorers: Kopitar, Modin

Play of the game

With time ticking down at the end of this game I feared that another last minute goal-against was about to come. Leaving LA with one point wouldn't have been disastrous, but the more points we get the better, so I was really hoping that we would hold on for the win. With about 1:15 left to play, and Quick on the bench, Sergei stepped up to a pass in the neutral zone and cut it off. He then made a great play off of the boards to a streaking Plekanec. Tom went in and made absolutely no mistake as he got in very close (on a defender) and put the puck in the bottom left corner of the net.

Dome hockey team

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

Forwards

Brian Gionta
This line had an amazing start to the game and within 22 seconds had put the Habs up by 1. It was nice to see the team come out of the blocks with so much energy as it really set the tone for the rest of the game. It was Brian who scored that goal and then, believe it or not, contributed (assist) in a very similar fashion 36 seconds into the third. Gio, right now, is our hottest player and I think, until Cammalleri is back, we will need quite a bit from him.

Scott Gomez - Game Puck
Scott was at the root of both of his lines' goals and was really the engine driving that line all night. His passing was exceptional (he ended with 2 assists) and could have led to a few more goals. I would have liked to see better work on face-offs, but all in all this was a strong game, in both ends for Scott.

Benoit Pouliot
Pouliot took a couple of games to get back into the swing of things, but certainly looked like his old self tonight after two sub-par games. He was the third member of the 2-point club as he also chipped in with a goal and an assist. His goal, in particular, impressed me as it was truly a goalscorer's goal. First off he was positioned so well in front of the net and when the pass came he didn't shoot it over the net or fan on it, but instead found a small hole in Quick to put us up by 2. His goal was his 15th of the year and has me thinking that he'll be at 20 in no time.

Defencemen

Andrei Markov
At just over 20 minutes of ice-time one may think that Markov wasn't playing his best, but I don't really think that that is the case. Martin, I believe, is being smart by not overusing our star as he gives him more time to rest and get ready for what will be a crazy last few weeks of the season. Of course, if we had more than one PP we would have seen more of him for sure, but I guess, tonight, we didn't need him as much. He still, however, managed to collect an assist, lead defencemen in shots and lead the whole team in hits, with four.

Jaroslav Spacek
I was very happy with Jaro's play tonight. Offensively there is little to speak of as we didn't really get our chances on the PP. He did, however, chip in on our third goal with a very good play to keep the puck alive at the blue-line (no assist though). I felt, though, that it was his play in our own end (and the fact that he ended the game at +3) which earned him a dome. He was strong all night long as he, once again, worked well with his countryman.

Goaltender

Jaroslav Halak
Halak hadn't played since that disastrous effort against the Flyers three weeks ago. Well, he had played, for Slovakia, and had done really well, but I think we were all looking for a return to form in the red-white and blue. Tonight's game, thankfully, was a very solid effort. He wasn't tested much throughout the game and could have done better on the goals (both were scored in a very similar fashion), but with 23 saves and no major-scare moments he certainly never put the Habs in danger of missing out on points. It's nice to see such strong play from our 2 goalies in back-to-back games and one now has to wonder, since the deadline has passed, if Halak will continue to be the #1 (as he was for most of December-February) or if Price will be (as he has been for most of his career) or if we'll continue to ride a 1a/1b tandem which, at the moment, is keeping us very much alive.

Comments

This game was very much like the San Jose game in that we came out strong and tried to impose our style of play on the opposition. Tonight, however, we saw the full-length version after watching the preview on Thursday. Luckily for us the Kings did not rise to the level of the Sharks which meant holding onto this lead was much more manageable. I felt that most of the team played pretty well and, while there were standouts, this was a nice team effort. A game like this, on the road, against a good team can sometimes act as a sort of turning point or starting point of good things to come - let's hope that's the case. Believe it or not there are just 16 games left in the marathon and I feel that the Habs, considering everything, have given themselves a very good shot at playing into late April. Right now we sit in 8th (2 points behind 6th, 3 up on 11th), but have played the most games of anyone. Winning, therefore, is very important at the moment as I feel we will need at least 20 more points to get into the playoffs. We can't however, assume that games-in-hand are a bad thing as we are talking about teams who lose more often than they win and I, for one, am happy that we at least already have those 68 points in the bank.

Game #65Montreal's Luck Runs Out 5 Minutes Too Soon

Details

Date: 04/03/10
Opponent: Sharks
Location: San Jose

Loss: 2-3

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

Habs goalscorers: Gionta, Gomez
Opposition goalscorers: Marleau, Heatley, Malhotra

Play of the game

Price had some ups and downs in this game, but, boy, were the ups very good/ The one that stands out for me was a save that he made on Pavelski on a breakaway. The save itself was spectacular as Carey stayed up for the whole play. Pavelski came in with speed from the left side, but a top-corner wrist-shot (somewhere all Sharks were advsied to shoot tonight) was snatched up by the suddenly active glove of Price. It was the best of a series of saves that helped put a big Price stamp on this game.

Dome hockey team

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


Forwards

Brian Gionta - Game Puck
Brian, and his line were the best unit for us tonight. They had a rough few first 5-8 minutes, but after that they seemed to get comfortable with the flow of the play. All 3 members chipped in to create the first goal which was put in the back of the net by Gionta – it was a very well-placed shot. Gio also played a role on our second goal (an assist) and took 5 of the team’s 30 shots.

Scott Gomez
All in all Scott was a 32% on face-offs, but considering the team was at 31% for the night you can’t really blame just him. Like Gionta, Scott scored a goal and added an assist. His goal hit a Shark before reaching his linemate who was positioned in front of the net, primed to score himself. Scott’s actual assist, on his buddy’s goal, was the result of hard work and his great passing-eye. As usual, Scott shot a lot; in all there were 6. Most of his shots seemed easy to save, but he proved, yet again, that when you put pucks on net, good things can happen.

Andrei Kostitsyn
Don’t worry, I heard Brunet telling me that Andrei had a bad game, but I have stopped listening to that guy when it comes to certain players. I can acknowledge that it wasn’t a great game, but I do believe that he was our third best forward. The thing that helped to make up my mind was the fact that when he shot (4 shots in all) he almost scored. (Also, no one else was really that great) His brother, and even Plekanec (who Brunet is really worried about – I guess he forgot about his play before the Olympics) got him the puck all night and, through persistence, there came chances.

Defencemen

Andrei Markov
I am convinced that Markov is still not 100% as his two games since the Olympics (and the Olympics themselves) have not been played at the height of his abilities. He still, however, is finding ways to contribute and, maybe unsurprisingly, was, on this night, our best defenceman. Again O’Byrne looked bad, and again Andrei did his best to limit the damage. It is hard to impose yourself in your own end when you are dragging an anchor like Ryan around with you, but I think he is doing better than anyone else could. Offensively he seems almost all there - an assist and some decent power-play puck-movement makes me think that this is the area of his game that is closest to its best.

Roman Hamrlik
Hammer led the team in ice-time and was only one blocked-shot off the team lead. I thought that he was our best defender in our own end and felt that his pairing was the most consistent. He was involved on our second goal as he was just a pass or two off the scoresheet. If this game was any indication it would seem that, with Bergeron out, he’ll be seeing some serious PP time; by the looks of it, he should have a positive impact in that department.

Goaltender

Carey Price
At times during this game I was wondering what was going on with Price and at others I was wondering where we would have been without him. What I really liked was his involvement in the game. What I mean here is that he seemed focused on every shot, seemed to challenge every shooter and seemed confident in his abilities and choices. His puck-handling, too, was good as he didn’t bother with passing the puck (he usually gives hard to handle 5’ passes), but instead just left it for the defenders. The bad parts were of the final goal (it seems it always comes at the worst time for the kid), the throwing of the stick penalty and the fact that he was beaten a total of 3 more times (the post, luckily bailed him out and likely saved him this dome). All in all he gave us a serious chance to beat one of the best teams in the league and that was all I was looking for from our keeper tonight.

Comments

We played a strong game considering the situation, I think. We were playing a team that has lost less than 50 games in regulation in that building since the lockout – that is almost 5 seasons. So, the fact that we were leading for a good portion of this game is a positive for me. Yes, it would have been nice to hold that lead and get the win, but sometimes you can feel alright with a loss. For example, I would much rather lose that game than lose, at home, to the Thrashers by 3 or 4 goals. Both get you nothing in the standings, but you have to think that we feel pretty good, mentally, about this one. I guess the main negative was the fact that a good portion of our team didn’t really get too involved tonight. We held on and played well enough, but had we seen a good game from 5 more players I have no doubt that a win was doable. I never really like these West Coast swings as the times of the games is less than appealing, but mostly since the competition is generally pretty good. I feel that 2 points, however, in the LA region this weekend (out of 4) will set us up nicely for our return home on Tuesday.

Game #64Habs Get A Much Needed 2 Points After A 3rd Period Storm-Back

Details

Date: 02/03/10
Opponent: Bruins
Location: Boston

Win:4-1

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

Habs goalscorers: Metropolit, Lapierre, Darche, Pouliot
Opposition goalscorers: Sturm

Play of the game

After 2 periods we were down by a goal, but I felt that 2 points were certainly within reach. I am, therefore, happy that the team believed the same and came out with a very impressive 4-goal performance in the final 20. The best of the goals, and the play of the game, was the winner; scored by Lapierre. With 12+ to play I thought both teams may hang back and secure a crucial point, but the Habs had different plans. Instead of following the Bruins' lead of not really mounting an attack we decided that the best way to win would be to score, and, thus, attack. The second goal started with a little dump-in by the hard-working Dominic Moore and was chased down by Moen. Just like Perry against the US (Kesler's empty-netter) Ference didn't really go all-out for this puck. That lack of effort enabled Moen, who was working his hardest, to get the puck. A quick, unexpected shot was stopped, but Lapierre followed up to put in a very timely rebound.

Dome hockey team

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


Forwards

Glen Metropolit - Game Puck
Glen played tonight the way he had done earlier in the year - with fire and effort. You have to think that the veteran must have benefited from the Olympic break almost as much as CTV. He looked refreshed and ready to go and that is just what we need from our 4th line, energy, centre. His hard work paid off with a goal and an assist and he even led the game with 5 shots. A little PP time and a 4th line role is ideal for Glen as we have seen the negative effects of asking him to do too much. If he can play the final 20 games as well as he did his first 20 then that line should have a positive impact from here on in.

Maxim Lapierre
Max is another player who may just benefit from this fresh start. Of course, it is too early to say that he has turned his season around, but even 1 out of 3 games at this level would, once again, make Max a valuable piece. He was actually up on the 3rd line with Moen and Moore and probably wants to beat Travis out for that spot as one can only assume Sergei will be there when Camms is back. Max really looked good tonight and, to go along with his goal, there were game-highs in hits (6) and face-off % (88% or 7-1).

Mathieu Darche
I think it is now safe to say that Darche has earned his spot on this team - even when we are fully healthy. He, along with Moore, have proven to be a cut above D'Agostini and Pacioretty and can not only bring strong positional play, but both players also offer an offensive upside, good NHL experience and the ability to play any role asked of them. Tonight Darche was on the 4th line - the spot that he is most likely going to end up in. He worked very well with the surprising Pyatt and Metro. Like Glen, Mat had a goal and an assist and an impressive 5 shots.

Defencemen

Andrei Markov
Tonight Andrei was our second best player as we once again were reminded of how much better of a team we are when he is playing. He did very well in his own end to break up plays, cover up for his teammates and to block shots (game-high of 4). I was happy he wasn't over-used for three reasons - a) we don't know if he is 100%, b) he had no Olympic break and c) we will need him a lot in the next month or so if we want to make anything of this season.

Josh Gorges
I thought about Gill tonight, but there were just too many mistakes, although he was decent on the PK. Hammer and Spacek looked energized and both played solid games, but neither to their potential. And then there was O'Byrne, who was just his usual self (not the good usual). So that leaves just one, the quiet man. That is exactly the game Josh had too; a quiet one. I think that the only time I really noticed him was on a perfect pass up the middle - a pass that was the third assist (not counted) on our first goal. Despite going relatively unnoticed he still put in 20 minutes and almost 3 of those were on the PK.

Goaltender

Carey Price
Carey started the game a little weak, but he got stronger as the game went on. Early on there was a soft goal, a post and a few bad puck-handling moments, but I am happy to say they all seemed to be isolated incidents. In the end he did what he had to do, he got us the win. It wasn't spectacular and he didn't steal us anything, but he made sure that a 1-0 lead was the most Boston would get. Was this his last night as a 1b? Was this his last night as a Hab? Or was this simply the first game, of many, after the Olympics for the Habs with two, solid, sought-after 'tenders. Only time will tell I suppose; we'll see by 3.

Comments

Tonight's game felt weird as, for some reason, 2 weeks can, sometimes, feel like a very long stretch. I think that I got so into the Olympics that I almost forgot about the Habs. So, I went into this game expecting very little and even thought that a loss, on the road, wouldn't be a huge deal. We started the game nicely, but despite 2 decent enough periods we were down and were once again shooting at a wall of a goalie. After 40 minutes, however, things changed and we stopped playing as well as Boston and instead started playing better. 4 goals and a doubling in shots (14-7) gave the Habs what I consider to be unexpected, yet welcome, points. Tonight marked the return of Andrei Kostitsyn and of Benoit Pouliot. Neither player had a great game, but their presence meant that we could take 2 Hamilton players off the team and ice 4 competitive lines. Both players will only get better and one can only imagine the impact the Cammalleri will have when he is back in mid-March.

So soon after the Olympics comes another big hockey event - the trade deadline. As exciting as this day is always made out to be (with the potential of picking up Hossa for Higgins) it is usually a bust for the Habs. We have made moves during this time in recent years, but there hasn't really been anything earth-shattering. The last move involving a big-name Hab was, of course, the trade that got us a very important (cough) 2nd round-pick for an All-Star goalie. I guess that I am hoping not to be disappointed yet again with a repeat performance of that move as I think we all know what happened a few weeks later. Right now goaltending is not an issue, but is instead is a strength, so addressing that now may be as foolish as it was when we were a top-placed team who decided they didn't need such a good goalie in order to go deep in the playoffs. Picking up a Ray Whitney or a similar type player wouldn't be the end of the world, but if we are to rent I just hope that it doesn't cost us too much. I just look at tomorrow as survival day, as in can we get through the day and, at the end of it, not say that we are a worse team than when we started? A lot of teams can't, I hope that we can.