About last night ...

posted by Mike Boone at 8h28 EST on Apr 2


Oct. 8, 1956: Don Larsen pitches a perfect game at Yankee Stadium.

April 1, 2008: Montreal Canadiens play a perfect game at Scotiabank Place.

That's what Alex Kovalev called it. And, as has been the case throughout this amazing season, Kovy is right.

With Saku Koivu, Mike Komisarek and Francis Bouillon out of the lineup, Canadiens played a flawless road game in which everyone contributed. After sub-par performances in Buffalo and Toronto, the team kicked butt and took no prisoners in Ottawa.

Given the circumstances – Canadiens' injuries, Senators desperately needing a win – it was a more impressive W than the 7-5 game at the Bell Centre.

The last time Canadiens won a division title, it was called the Adams Division.

It's somehow fitting that in the game that sewed up the Northeast Division, Guy Carbonneau buttressed his Adams Award credentials.

Carbo had his guys ready last night. He and his assistants drew up a game plan – focused on containment of Ottawa's top line and relentless pressure in the Senators' end – that was executed to perfection.

When a guy like Mathieu Dandenault comes out of the pressbox to score a goal and play his butt off, you have to credit the motivational skills of his coach.

When Ryan O'Byrne is killing penalties late in the game, you have to admire Carbo's ability to develop the confidence of young players.

And when a team that most experts picked to finish up the track has 100 points with two games to play ... well, memo to the Adams engraver: there are two Ns in "Carbonneau."



Here's the stat that says it all:

After games in which three players – Koivu, Bouillon and Mark Streit – were injured blocking shots, Canadiens threw their bodies at 24 last night – 10 more than the Senators. Fifteen players had at least one blocked shot; Ryan O'Byrne had five.

And Carey Price stopped 32. I am grateful to Habs I/O posters Kjdavid and usversusthem for these Price stats:

Since his recall from Hamilton, the rookie goalie is 13-5 with a 2.30 goal-against average and a save percentage of .928. And since Cristobal Huet was traded, Price is 10-3-0 with a GAA of 2.29 and a .933 save percentage.

Project Price's numbers over a full season. Man, centennial year is going to be fun in Montreal.

And BTW, with two games left, Price has 22 wins. In his 1985-'86 rookie season, Patrick Roy had 23. 

Some observations:

• Coming off a minus-4 game in Toronto, my man Josh Gorges played 23:26. The Senators ran at him all night, and Gorges bounced off the boards, made great plays and laid on three hits of his own.

• Andrei Markov played a brilliant game and had the first fight of his career. Nice take-down on that weasel Spezza.

• Roman Hamrlik shook off a leg injury and played his usual calm, steady game. Mark Streit, playing hurt, had a judicious 13:33 of ToI, 3:43 of which was on the power play. O'Byrne played 16:49. And save a few kind words for the Breezer.

• Brian Smolinski played 15:49 of superb hockey, including a team-leading five minutes on the PK. Smo won 12 of 17 faceoffs. Maligned for much of the season, the veteran is elevating his game at just the right time.

• Steve Bégin had only one hit, but how about those two blocked shots on the PK? Along with Smolinski and Tom the Bomb, Bégin proved how smart Carbo is in deploying his fourth lines for double-digit minutes this season.

• One for the highlight reel: Guillaume Latendresse outracing Mike Commodore.

• What can you say about Kovy? First 35 goal scorer since Vincent Damphousse got 38 12 years ago. A leader, a warrior, an inspiration to the young Russian guys.

• Speaking of whom, how about Sergei K. getting into it with Chris Neil? Canadiens' refusal to be intimidated last night augurs well for the postseason.

• Frère Andrei fires a laser for his 26th. Already I'm worrying about the RFA offer some GM is going to make for this emerging star.

• Quiet night on the scoresheet – two shots, no goals or assists – but I thought Christopher Higgins played a great game. Digging in the corners, always on the puck, feet moving continuously – all the little things you have to do to win.

• Remember when the PK was a Canadiens' weakness? This just in: Achilles has left the building.

It's a sunny day in Montreal, and the forecast calls for more of the same right into the weekend.

Two more home games, with a shot at winning the Eastern Conference. Canadiens can finish no worse than second overall.

And arrogant, bullying, totally dysfunctional Ottawa – the team some, in October, were comparing to the 1975-'76 Canadiens – may finish ninth.

Sweet.


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cautiousoptimist's picture
Submitted by cautiousoptimist on Thu, 04/03/2008 - 10:08.
"Nice take-down on that weasel Spezza." Hahahahaha I briefly met Markov at that Perry Ellis puck-signing a couple of weeks back, and me may not fight much, but he's a big, ugly guy who looks like a Bond villain. I like his chances over Spezza any day of the week. www.flickeringpictures.com - not a hockey site, but still kinda neat

The Teacher's picture
Submitted by The Teacher on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 15:57.
Well, it is obvious that Mike has two feet firmly planted on the bandwagon this time. The bandwagon is riding very low right now. I congratulate Boone on his first post praising every single player, and you know what? Efery player definitely deserves to be praised after last night. Heck, Did you see Timo!!! "Are the Habs ready to pay the Price?"

Habhopeful's picture
Submitted by Habhopeful on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 15:56.
Oh forgot to mention, anyone see the frozen moment on NHL.com from the Buffalo game?? its awesome...you could literally see the heartbreak on the Buffalo fans... http://fans.nhl.com/groups/Frozen_Moments_Archive/snapshots/57871 "If I wanted to hear from an ***, I would fart..."

Habhopeful's picture
Submitted by Habhopeful on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 15:53.
Carey Price: 1st star of the night on NHL.com "If I wanted to hear from an ***, I would fart..."

sidhu's picture
Submitted by sidhu on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 17:23.
Great pic - gotta love "The Comeback"

Submitted by nightmare_49 on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 14:35.
The two RDS boys almost jumped out of their booth when Dandy scored as the line was composed of three Quebecois players , a little insecure , and their fan base was surely made aware of the fact and the line did play well and Dandy is a gamer. IMO where the player comes from is of no relevance and the bottom line is to go as far as we can to acheive our goal and written by a true square head.

Submitted by johnny boy on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 14:17.
... and before i forget, i think Brisebois deserves some recognition for being a class act this season. He has come in and accepted his role as a depth defenseman (despite playing 20 + mins a game last time he was in MTL). When he has been called on to play, he has played solid, error free hockey. When he was relegated to the press box for weeks at a time, he didn't utter one complaint. He's been an excellent addition to the club, and a steadying influence on the teams young french canadians. All that, and he's only making $700 000. Just another reason why Bob is an excellent GM.

JasonM's picture
Submitted by JasonM on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 14:34.
Thank you for posting this. Despite the amount of flak he's taken this entire season by the fanbois who jump on the "Hate Breezer Bandwagon" PAtrice has been nothing short of a great pickup. He adds depth and experience to our defensive core. He's played well enough to not get too much attention on himself and has been reliable. Best of all he's been a teamplayer and has been pro-team since the moment he signed his meager 0.7M $ contract. He led by example in this regard. Would I have him around another year? I'm unsure if we have younglings ready to be called up. But for this year he's gained my respect and hopefully will get to put his name on another cup with les Canadiens de Montreal!

usversusthem's picture
Submitted by usversusthem on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 14:04.
Oh, and for anyone interested... NHL.com just put up an article talking about the '08 draft and the lottery to determine who gets to pick where... apparently, "[...]the only Clubs with the opportunity to receive the first overall selection are the five teams with the lowest regular-season point totals[...]." The Leafs are currently tied with Florida for eighth worst point total in the league with 83, higher than Phoenix and Columbus (80 each), the Islanders (77), St. Louis (75), Atlanta (74), Tampa (71) and Los Angeles (69). None of these teams have more than three games to play, meaning that, even if they all won all their remaining games and Toronto picked up no points in their remaining two, the Leafs could only finish sixth worst in the league. As such, they are mathematically eliminated from being eligible to draft first, assuming Cliff Fletcher doesn't come up with a miracle trade for it—and given where he was ranked in the THN GM list, there's no indication that he will—it's safe to say that Toronto have officially and catastrophically failed to achieve either of their supposed goals this season, that is to say, either to make the playoffs, or to tank for a shot at the first overall pick. Everyone, go look up the word Schadenfreude and then bask in the gloriousness of it all.

Gr8stFranchizEvr's picture
Submitted by Gr8stFranchizEvr on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 14:04.
In response to "usveresthem"... My observation was in no way taking anything away from either goalie. It was a compliment to both of them and to Gainey for orchestrating positive changes. Just giving credit where credit is due - no matter who either team has played. The same argument could be said of the Habs dominating a struggling Ottawa team last night and last week! But, in the end, the team [and surely the goalies] have to play well to win. Kudos to both Price & Huet.

usversusthem's picture
Submitted by usversusthem on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 14:06.
I agree, I'm happy to see Huet do well. I just wanted to put his success in context, is all. I'd say those numbers might be a little misleading—they are, at face value, pretty spectacular, but I think, rather than spectacular, that he has been very good when called upon, and has enabled his team to win games they might not have won with Kolzig or Johnson in net.

Submitted by johnny boy on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 14:03.
Why is no one talking about Price as a Calder trophy candidate? Toews, Backstrom and Kane are worthy candidates for the award, but Chicago will miss the playoffs, and so might Washington. Price has been excellent in the stretch run and has developed tremendously since the beginning of the season. This wouldn't have been a consideration in September, but if the awards were only based on the last 2 months of the season, Price would be a shoo-in. He deserves to be nominated, at least.

Chuck's picture
Submitted by Chuck on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 19:42.
Price has already won a Calder. ;) . . . ______________________________________ "All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!"

Gr8stFranchizEvr's picture
Submitted by Gr8stFranchizEvr on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 14:06.
Good point. Not sure what the criteria for Calder nominations are. Anyone know?

frank81's picture
Submitted by frank81 on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 14:16.
"The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League. The winner is selected in a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association at the end of the regular season." http://www.nhl.com/trophies/calder.html

Gr8stFranchizEvr's picture
Submitted by Gr8stFranchizEvr on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 13:31.
Could this be a team of destiny? Very good chance! Here's to a deep playoff run!!! Interesting stats on Price. He's playing excellent hockey, and I think we saw his best yet vs. the Sens last night. He'll only improve and that's got to be a concern to the rest of the NHL teams! Not to bring any controversy or comparisons to the two goalies, but I was curious to see what Huet's stats were since being deported to Washington. He's playing some damn fine hockey down there, too. So, it seems Gainey is a genius as both goalies' play since the trade has excelled, which makes the trade-deadline transaction a "win-win" deal! Here are Huet's stats as a Capital: 11 games 9 wins 2 losses 2 shutouts 1.75 GAA .933 save %

NoTinFoilCups's picture
Submitted by NoTinFoilCups on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 14:15.
That was a steal of a trade for Washington, good trade for the Habs as well but in hindsight they could have asked for a conditional 1st round pick if they made the playoffs.

usversusthem's picture
Submitted by usversusthem on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 13:49.
Yeah, but... Over that same time period, Price has been facing 34 shots against per game, against playoff calibre teams (New Jersey, Ottawa, Anaheim and SJ, for instance), while Huet has been facing 26 a game, mostly against teams from the Southeast Division... and he's played Boston three times, too.

Ian G Cobb's picture
Submitted by Ian G Cobb on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 13:07.
I haven't been able to stop smiling, it was a fun night for all of us with a lot more to come for years. And that weasel Spezza taken down by Markov was great. (Super name for the big chicken Mike) Not a whole lot more praise to say that has not already been said. The only other thing that I would like to say is the only team I don't want to meet is the Sabers in the first round. I think we match up nicely against all others.

the_larry's picture
Submitted by the_larry on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 12:48.
Life is good :) Begin seemed to have more than just 2 shot blocks last night, but man was a deadly on the PK

ZepFan2's picture
Submitted by ZepFan2 on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 12:29.
OT: I was channel surfing and landed on Monday night Raw. I was about to change the channel when Chris Jericho was doing his entrance and was walking down the ramp and what do I see in the crowd...a WWE fan wearing a Habs road jersey. The camera then went through the crowd and all the signs in the crowd when one caught my eye, it was a "Go Habs Go" sign. lol I figured it was Raw live from the Bell Center. Nope, it was from Orlando. I guess we have fans everywhere! :) Yup, it's a fine day to be a Habs fan!!

Chuck's picture
Submitted by Chuck on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 13:56.
It's okay to admit that you like wrestling. :) . . . ______________________________________ "All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!"

ZepFan2's picture
Submitted by ZepFan2 on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 15:41.
Lol Actually, I did quite enjoy the Spezza vs Markov match.

Submitted by ebk on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 12:40.
Giving the importance of the game and the players they were missing, last night's game maybe the best one this team has played all season. After two lackluster showings in the previous games, the Habs put away the Senators, clinched the Northeast division and earned some needed R&R for the playoff push set to start in a week. On December 23rd, after losing to Dallas, 4-1, the Habs found themselves with a fairly mediocre record of 17-13-6, having won only 6 out of their last 18 games. Since then however, this team has gone 28-12-4 and shown that they will be a force to be reckoned with in the Stanley Cup Play-offs. The biggest reason for where the Habs now find themselves, is a big, talented Russian thoroughbred named Alex Kovalev. Since December 23rd, in the Habs last 44 games, Kovalev has logged 20 minutes or more a game 28 times. He has produced 52 points, including 20 goals and is an outstanding +16. Tomas Plekanec, Andrei Kostitsyn and Kovalev have scored 58 goals in that span and have accounted for 45% of all goals scored by the Habs. A even more telling stat may be that the rest of the forwards for the Montreal Canadiens have scored a grand total of 69 goals during these games. The last two games of the season, I expect Carbo to reduce the workload of Kovalev significantly and let some of the other players carry the load. The playoffs start in a week and this team needs Kovalev at his best to win the Eastern Conference.

NoTinFoilCups's picture
Submitted by NoTinFoilCups on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 14:25.
Right on, no need to go busting ourselves at this point to try getting 1st in the conference, too much risk for too little reward. Pittsburgh may not even be there once the conference finals come around.

Ed's picture
Submitted by Ed on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 13:26.
I agree with you on Kovalev, and that line. Those stats you have there are amazing. I remember earlier in the year when some fans were complaining that Kovalev was not getting enough ice time, and that he should play at least 20 minutes a game, just like the other stars around the league. The better players thrive on additional ice time. What makes it more amazing is that period where there were a lot of suspicions that Kovalev was playing with an injury. He does indeed deserve a rest before the playoffs.

Submitted by RS on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 11:47.
Update on those Bulldog injuries, Chipchura out 7-10 days and Valentenko is day to day, both with shoulder injuries. http://www.thespec.com/Sports/Local%20Sports/article/348459

Submitted by nightmare_49 on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 13:08.
rs - Good work , it's very hard to get information on the Bulldogs especially injuries.

24 Cups's picture
Submitted by 24 Cups on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 12:24.
RS - They both have a good shot at next year's team. Valentenko could try for Brisebois' 7th spot on defense and Chipchura could try (again) for the 4th line checking role. In the process, we would give two more kids a shot and save money as well. The Original 24 Cups

Submitted by krob1000 on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 11:46.
Any word on Bouillon....I heard no fracture but is he expected to return against Buffalo or is he still too swelled to play until Toronto.

Mr.Hazard's picture
Submitted by Mr.Hazard on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 11:40.
Ottawa outshot us 8-5 on THEIR powerplay. Isn't that beautiful? That extra man playing during i-dont-know-how-many-minutes-but-it-was-a-lot was good for a team total of a +3 shot differential. Ex nihilo nihil fit

teamplayer's picture
Submitted by teamplayer on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 12:59.
yes we are blocking the shooting lanes real well lately... i'd say about 80-90% of those blocked shots where on the pk. the only decent shot they had on the pp was the one by spezza, all the other ones were easily stopped by price and the one that went off the post in the last few minutes was tipped by one of our guys stick. Redden was being forced to shoot wide of the net, they did the same play 3 times on the one pp and i think he missed the net by a total of 15 feet.

Ryan's picture
Submitted by Ryan on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 11:28.
Senators = Montreal Canadiens of 1975-'76? More like the Montreal Canadiens of 2006-'07

Batalla's picture
Submitted by Batalla on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 11:27.
As dominating and "perfect" as the Canadiens were last night, you have to hand something to the Sens. They played a good game too. We just played better. The PK was great, the PP was good, but the goaltending was perfect. I am not a fan of Gui!, but I gotta admit, he played a heck of a game last night. More of that, and maybe I'll come around. Ryder had a couple bad penalties, but overall I thought he played well too. Some people say we don't have a shut-down line. But I think Smo, Begin, Tom, Lapierre and heck, the REST OF THE TEAM can do it. So maybe... Just maybe... Destiny is on our side? http://habsbros.blogspot.com/

Les-Habitants's picture
Submitted by Les-Habitants on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 11:21.
That game was so sweet. Man, I'm lovin' it. The line combinations worked well, and they'll only be better as we get healthier. I love this year's team. Go Habs Go

Mr.Hazard's picture
Submitted by Mr.Hazard on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 11:17.
Ottawa outscored 7-0 in past two games... Ex nihilo nihil fit

Mattee.'s picture
Submitted by Mattee. on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 11:16.
(meant to post this here) Hey all! GREAT GAME LAST NIGHT! Mannnnn I lost my voice! I posted once last night from Scotia/Bell/Bank Place but it was insane! First things first: HABS FANS ARE AMAZING! So knowledgeable! We formed a little gang behind the penalty box and were leading chants all night long! GERRRRBER!!! DROWNED OUT IN THEIR OWN BUILDING! We wanted to really make it feel like home so when the boys scored we tried to sing Vertigo! "Hello Helloooo I'm at a place called Vertigooo!" We sounded terrible, but after a while it caught on too, could you guys hear us?! I brought a HIO poster with me as a hello to all of you, but I don't think I got on. My little sister seems to believe I did. Craziness everywhere! There were a couple brawls at the end of the game too! hahaha. One massive one behind Gerrrrberrs net and one in our section! Some idiot threw beer at me, (I'm not sure what I did, but I probably deserved it---- actually, that's a lie, I know exactly what I did)... anyway... he also hit another habs father with his 12 year old son. Naturally, a dozen habbers took offense, and next thing you know.. MAYHEM! The cheers carried on late into the night and, as promised, Philips, Neil, Spezza (he got extra), Commodore, Robitaille and Lee suffered endless harrassment and some of their longest 2 minutes while in OUR Penalty Box. One thing I will say is Sens fans are good people. We laughed and all got along (mostly) and we understand that it's just a game. The passion just isn't quite there (not even close) but maybe that comes with a few cups. We also know waaaay more about hockey than they do. Even with regards to their own team. Finally, a friend of a friend got a picture of Latendresse giving him a thumbs up while he was in the box at the end of the game! Very Funny, I'll see if I can get it and post it somewhere! - Scotiabank Place, Our Home Away From Home - Anyways! Brilliant Night! We Clinched the Division! Next UP: Conference! AND THEN LORD STANLEY"S MUG! GO HABS GOOOOOOOOOOO!

teamplayer's picture
Submitted by teamplayer on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 12:48.
yeh that was a fun game to be at last night, I was sitting to the left of gerber (for the 1st n 3rd) just to answer your question: No I couldnt hear you guys chanting the vertigo song, too many other cheers and chants going on at the same time. I dont know how i missed the brawl behind gerbers net. the only thing I saw happen there is when some old guy went to catch the puck missed it and it hit him right in the face, it was sad at the time but hes probably okay and laughing now at the fact that he has a black eye is okay. ahwell at the end it was pretty sweet, a standing ovation in the final minute. and after the game was finished and the team was going off the ice, how loud was everybody cheering "carey, carey, carey..." and he gave a non-subtle wave to the crowd while going off. the habs fans were alot better tonight then they were at the hsbc last weekend but then again we had something to cheer about the whole game this time instead of the last 8mins of that game

notbigbird's picture
Submitted by notbigbird on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 11:50.
A father should never hit anyone with his own son. Sorry couldn't resist. It's such a funny picture in my head.

The Teacher's picture
Submitted by The Teacher on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 16:07.
Hahaha nice "Are the Habs ready to pay the Price?"

Mattee.'s picture
Submitted by Mattee. on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 15:25.
LOL - brilliant. my bad.

Submitted by kovyfan on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 11:54.
Haha...I had the same picture in my head.

Submitted by krob1000 on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 11:13.
http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080401.wsptroy1/GSStory... Good article if you want to annoy a Sens fan at work today.

Submitted by krob1000 on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:38.
Carey Price played with some fire last night and that was nice to see. He only had to make a handful of key saves despite 32 shots. What stuck out to me and has been mentioned was his whack of Chris Neil in front of the net and then the glove save at the end of the game. It was a fantastic save but at the time the game was already won. The reason it was so memorable was the way he flapped the glove immediately after catching it. I had instant flashbacks to Roy early in his career and that was a staple of his. I remember being a kid and playing goalie and doing that glove flapping everytime I caught a shot. He did it so instinctively but so confidently. Not really showboating but definitely a message and a sign of "the swagger" we hear about Price but rarely see as he comes across as very humble.

Submitted by Geezerfan on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:30.
To me, this is like deja vu all over again. As a long time resident of both Halifax and Fredericton, I passionately followed the Habs farm teams (Voyageurs and Canadiens) of the 70s, 80s, and 90s. I enjoyed the play of, and met a lot of the players when they were in their professional infancy..from Robinson, Lambert, Lupien, Risebrough, Langway of the 70s on to Skrudland, Lalor, Kordic, Bucyk of the 80s. As I watched the playoff of the Sherbrooke Canadiens in the spring of 1985, especially against a very good hometown Fredericton Express (Nordiques farm team) I took notice of how well the Sherbrooke team played in the playoffs after what I would (generously) call a mediocre season. Skrudland and Gaston Gingras were simply amazing! There was also this gangly kid in nets who did not impress anyone in the regular season...Patrick Roy. A lifetime friend who was also a part time bird dog for the Habs incredibly told me that he was supposed to be the franchise. Neither he nor I believed it at the time!! Flash forward one year to 1986 Cup run and look at who were in the Habs lineup...Richer, Gingras, Lalor, Ludwig, Bucyk, Kordic, Skrudland, Boisvert and of course...the soon to be beatified Patrick Roy. Just a long story to tell you all that I have now the same kind of edgy, positive, anticipatory feeling that I experienced in the spring or '86.

Submitted by wild flower on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:28.
Shouldn't we get back to speculating about Koivu's foot for the rest of the regular season?

Submitted by Wencz on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:24.
What a satisfying win; for me it's as important as the big W's we've posted against NJ this year. Notwithstanding the clinch, that is the first time all season we've out-and-out beat Ottawa over 60 min. Good timing, especially with a first-round match-up looming. And it's nice to see what we are capable of when the boys want it, even with the leaders that we're missing. Props to Big Gorges. I've got a lot of respect for a guy who sacrifices his body like that to makes plays. Hope he buries one soon. Sergei ain't foolin' around. I think he really wanted to go with Neil. Bottle some of that and sell it. Great work by Higgy, the kind of stuff that doesn't show up in the boxscore. Ryder worked his butt off too. I love the new, snarly Ryder. F it. They all played well.

HabsInBlood's picture
Submitted by HabsInBlood on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:17.
Jason Spezza is such a pussy!! He wants to send a message and show he wants to win by jumping Andrei Markhov?? Markhov had no choice but to fight him after Spezza bear-hugged him and dropped his gloves. Nice bold move there Jason. It figures ... that effer is from Toronto. And what's with Spezza's forehead? It's like the size of a map of Canada. He should sacrifice for the team, take off the visor thereby exposing his mammoth like forehead, and just let them bank some pucks off it ... sure is a big enough target. There is no rule against banking the puck into the net off a player's forehead, right? I swear to god I just looked up DORK in the dictionary and saw a picture of him beside it!! Also, did anyone else watch the game on NHL Center Ice where it was the Ottawa feed? Not so much Gary Gally (spelling?), but that other hick is such a homer. Jason Spezza is such a pussy!!

Submitted by wild flower on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:20.
Another pussy was Raycroft telling everyone it was nice to feel like an NHL player again. I prefer the way Ryder went about it.

Habhopeful's picture
Submitted by Habhopeful on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:15.
I think the habs are the only team where they could play a game in another city, in another country and in another arena and still have the loudest fans there, the way Chara and Alfie get booed in there own arena is beyond me, they either have the quietest fans or we just plainly have the loudest...it INSANE!!! all i hear is OLE OLE OLE!!!GO HABS GO!!!NAH NAH NAH NAH!!!and BOOOOOOOO!!! whenever a hated player on the home tema touches the puck...ITS IS amazing and gives me shivers down my spine, I'm soooooooooooooooo happy with our team, everyone played great overall, we got hammered a bunch of times but we never backed down and I loved what price was doing to niel, first the crosscheck and the he tipped his helmet to to try to cover his eyes, this shows he's starting to become more comfortable with disrupting whoever is trying to disrupt him and being able to take charge of his own crease...Price really is the real deal, its showing and he only 20 years old...Did anyone catch the Caps game?? good on Huet hes hot right now 7 Wins in a row, im glad he got moved cause now he could have it all to himself rather than having to battle with price...another things on the caps game was how loud it was, washington is starting to get there fan base on track, it was pretty loud there during the game and it sold out...Its no Bell Center...or TD Banknorth Garden...Or Scotia Bank Place for that matter...WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! "If I wanted to hear from an ***, I would fart..."

Submitted by wild flower on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:13.
Nice - Sportsnet is giving Markov the decision in his fight with Spezza because he go the takedown. I though AK 46 showed signs of more to come last night. He has a wicked release that by itself makes him a special talent.

Submitted by krob1000 on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:20.
Spezza was actually trying to pass those punches to Heatley.

usversusthem's picture
Submitted by usversusthem on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 13:15.
Hahahahaha. Awesome.

likehoy's picture
Submitted by likehoy on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 11:03.
HAHA good one!

Submitted by Barts on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:11.
Tell ya what, no one is talking about Guillaume Latendresse, but he played a hell of a game last night. Physical presence, and he skated his arse off. Gui, Gui, Gui!

Submitted by krob1000 on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:15.
Glad you noticed it too.... One highlight that noone has mentioned on here was when he OUTRACED.....that is not a misprint.....he OUTRACED Mike Commodore (who had a stride head start) then managed to get a semi breakaway, was hauled down, managed to give Gerber a decent lick and draw a penalty. Best burst of speed I have seen this season from Lats for sure.....Commodore or not.

Submitted by nightmare_49 on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 14:16.
Krob - Once he gets going he's been alright (like a train) but off the mark he is brutal and he needs to keep his legs moving and can't play the Bonk style and stand around cuz he gets burnt. His few appearances on the energy line have changed his play for the better and his use of his strength while moving his legs has improved also and i don't mean hits and his all around play is an asset now but i don't need to remind a power skating guru of that, lol.

Submitted by krob1000 on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:28.
Apologies to Boone...he noticed it.

Submitted by wild flower on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:14.
drawing penalities with his blinding speed.

Submitted by krob1000 on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:09.
Anyone wonder if Andrei spent a lot of time beating Sergei up as a kid because Sergei sure is a feisty little feller. I can see Andrei giving him "nougies" until Sergei was about 13 then the roles being reversed. The end result was two fantastic, feisty hockey players but Andrei's hairline has definitely suffered as a result of Sergei's years of "payback nougies".

piche's picture
Submitted by piche on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:45.
Anyone notice that Andrei layed a nice hit on Neil on the shift right after the scuffle with Sergei?

Submitted by krob1000 on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:56.
I didn't catch that. We had a Sens fan in the ofice the other day talking about how weak we were and he specifically mentioned teh Kostitsyn's and how fragile they were. Him being a client I didn't challenge it too muhc but I said "I don't think you have seen enough of them then because they don't back down from anyone". I know he was watching last night against his beloved Sens....hahahahah. Sergei stands up to Neil, draws the second penalty leading to the 5 on 3 game winner, Andrei palyed physical all night and then put the final nail in the coffin. They are in a dogfight to make the playoffs....botht the Leafs and Bruins have recently beaten them so it is very possible that the Sens don't get another point....in which case I would suspect they don't make it. Still a longshot but not nearly as much of a longshot as it was before yesterday.

Habhopeful's picture
Submitted by Habhopeful on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:15.
HAHAHA!! NICE! "If I wanted to hear from an ***, I would fart..."

Submitted by wild flower on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:15.
ha ha

Submitted by jeepdude on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 09:46.
It is nice to watch a player evolve and mature the way Gorges has. I have gone from wincing at seeing his number go over the boards,to making sure I look for him in clutch situations. Murray has not only lost that room, by the sounds of the crowd in the last 10 minutes, that whole club has lost the building.

The Big O's picture
Submitted by The Big O on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 09:45.
Boone, you WORRY wayyyyyy too much about RFA's. No one is going to go after Andrei K, if they do, they'd have to offer something that MTL wouldn't match, a la Penner, where he goes from 450 to 4.25 Million. Mtl will probably be offering up Ryder money to him, so a team would have to offer around 4.5 to 5 million to get him. At which point, I'd take the two first rounders, one second and one third rounder for him or 4 first rounders. You couldn't even get that on trade deadline day for established superstars! So there's one less thing for you to worry about now! Here's the RFA compensation list just in case and I hope this puts an end to all fear of other teams trying to get out RFA's! If the offer is up to $660,000, no compensation If the offer is $660,000 to $1 million, compensation is one 3rd round draft pick If the offer is $1 to $2 million, compensation is one second round pick If the offer is $2 to $3 million, compensation is one 1st and one 3rd round pick If the offer is $3 to $4 million, compensation is one 1st, one 2nd and one 3rd round pick If the offer is $4 to $5 million, compensation is two 1sts, one 2nd and one 3rd round pick If the offer is over $5 million, compensation is four 1st round picks

Norm0770's picture
Submitted by Norm0770 on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 12:52.
Something else of note is that the draft picks offered as compensation have to be that team's original picks...So we don't have to worry about the Lowe or whatever sap takes over in TO making ludicris offers for our guys.

24 Cups's picture
Submitted by 24 Cups on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:22.
Big O - Which reminds me - glad to see the Oilers were knocked out of the playoffs last night. Looks good on Kevin Lowe, the worst GM in the NHL. He's the guy who is responsible for screwing up the RFA salary grid. The Original 24 Cups

coutNY's picture
Submitted by coutNY on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:40.
Theres still a few up for consideration... JFJ of the laffs and MURRAY of the Sens if they spiral out of the playoffs, at least Lowe has injuries to as an arguement. Also I think Buffalo could of let go 4 first round picks and held on to either Drury or Breire and Campbell for Vanek??? Going from Presidents trophy to most likely out of the playoffs is a pretty good fall.

24 Cups's picture
Submitted by 24 Cups on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 11:38.
coutNY - It was stated last night during the Buffalo game that management/ownership ordered Regier to make certain moves that were based on a financial perspective rather than a hockey perspective. Ruff is a very good coach as well. Ferguson made lots of bad moves but they were mostly based on a mentality that had been long established in the organization. Tampa has bottomed out but at least Feaster got them a Cup. Ottawa? Forgetting we're Habs fans, I still can't believe they are as bad as they've shown since the Christmas break. I realize the goaltending is brutal but still.... There has to be something wrong with this club internally and Murray will probably lose his job if he can't turn it around this month. They may have to totally restructure the team. The Original 24 Cups

Exit716's picture
Submitted by Exit716 on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 11:27.
Buffalo has a Jeffrey Loria type of owner. Look at the key talent that has left there in the past couple of years. Oh, they better sign Miller soon or he'll head down the 401 to Detroit after next season.

coutNY's picture
Submitted by coutNY on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:35.
It's a little more on the dollar scale these days because the compensation amounts have gone up as the Salary Cap increases... Example if the cap increase by 10% so will each compensation amount which will be talied at seasons end. The amounts you are posting are based on the original 2005/2006 CBA agreement. Even last years was bit higher... From TSN~ 2007-2008 The compensation scale was: $773,442 or below, none; $773,442-$1,171,882, third-round pick; $1,171,882-$2,343,765, second-round pick; $2,343,765-$3,515,647, first- and third-round picks; $3,515,647-$4,687,530, first-, second- and third-round picks; $4,687,530-$5,859,412, two first-, one second- and one third-round pick; $5,859,412-plus, four first-round ....but the same basic structure.

Submitted by RS on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:20.
Kevin Lowe should be fired. I don't have a problem, in principle, with tendering contracts to UFAs. It just doesn't make sense in terms of the compensation involved. That said, I would love to see Lowe make a big offer for Corey Perry this summer. It would be fun to see Burke's head explode.

piche's picture
Submitted by piche on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:49.
Yeah... but it started before Kevin Lowe... remember the offer that Carolina gave to Federov. Detroit raised there prices to compensate for keeping him. But this had to do with ownership as much as GMs. Karmanos and Ilich(sp) don't get along very well.

piche's picture
Submitted by piche on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 11:07.
This was back in 1998... to make matters worse I believe the offer was front loaded... viewed by some as a deliberate attempt to clip the Wings' wings. "Karmanos and the Hurricanes signed Fedorov to an offer sheet while Ilitch was recovering from heart surgery. Because the Hurricanes had less of a chance to reach the third round than the Wings, Detroit's risk of a balloon payment was greater than that of Karmanos's Carolina team. This prompted the Wings to protest the contract to the N.H.L., which ruled the contract illegal. The league's decision was overturned by an arbitrator. The Wings had to match the Carolina offer, bonuses included. "

Submitted by dudefella on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:12.
Thanks for the list, I've always wondered about that. But regardless, the Canadiens are in such great shape with the salary cap that we'll be able to match any offer made, anyway. Don't worry about Andrei -- he's staying where he belongs.

Lee_D's picture
Submitted by Lee_D on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 09:39.
MONTREAL WINNING THE EASTERN CONFERENCE ON SATURDAY NIGHT WOULD BE AMAZING! I'LL BE AT THE GAME! GO HABS GO!

RGM's picture
Submitted by RGM on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 09:30.
Good news about the weekend weather. It'll be a nice change from gloomy Halifax! See you April 5th at the Bell Centre!

Big Bird's picture
Submitted by Big Bird on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:22.
Rich, Great to see someone from my hometown on here. Not to mention someone who shares the same political and similar beliefs (WRC).

Submitted by CDK on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:01.
No kidding. The sky is always overcast and the ground is always slushy. We're continually between seasons here.

Big Bird's picture
Submitted by Big Bird on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 09:29.
This just in - Achilles left the building. Love it.

MikeL's picture
Submitted by MikeL on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 09:21.
I don't think enough can be said about how well this team has drafted over the past 6 or 7 years. It is the single reason why this team is where it is today. Their 1st round draft picks from 2001 until 2005 are Komisarek, Higgins, Kostitsyn, Chipchura and Price. 4 out of the 5 are impact players on our team right now, and Chipchura would likely be playing in the NHL if he were with most other organizations. Want another draft stat? 9 out of our top 10 scorers this season were drafted by this team. Kovalev is the only exception. This teams drafting has been very special over the last few years, and it will get tested in the coming seasons when the Habs will have late round picks. (Hopefully)

24 Cups's picture
Submitted by 24 Cups on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 09:16.
Mike - Wow, that was your longest post of the year. Who do you think you are, kRob?! There's nothing left for the rest of us to say:-) Over the course of the year, some posters on this site have wondered why guys like Dandy, Brisebois, and Smolinski are on the roster. Dandy may have lost his regular job due to our youth movement but he always seems to have the knack of scoring an important goal when we need it the most. Smolinski has a very economical skating style but he wins faceoffs and fits in perfectly as a right shooting centre for the 4th line. Brisebois doesn't go into many corners and rarely clears the front of the net (although he did last night). And his pass up the middle through our defensive zone ages me every game. BUT he is proving his worth just when we need him the most. His experience right now is worth more than anything a young prospect from Hamilton could ever provide. I might be going over the top here, but the play of the game might have been when Kovalev kept the puck in the Ottawa zone (right on the blueline paint) with a great stick manoeouvre which led to Montreal's third goal midway through the final period. It was definitely lights out at that point. (Kovy also scored the first goal of the game which helped set the wheels in motion) Once again the resiliency of this team takes them to new heights. Sometimes, intangibles outweigh skills. The Original 24 Cups

Submitted by Bouleau noir on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 11:21.
You are not going over the top there 24C... but Kovalev shurely did... he had everyone but the linesmen mesmerized by this play (thanks god).

HabsInBlood's picture
Submitted by HabsInBlood on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:08.
I think one of Kovalev's strengths that we haven't really yet talked about is as follows. He can excel in both finesse type games (i.e. regular season) and playoff games. He's proved it in the past. Last night was an example of him coming through in a "playoff type" game. I wouldn't be surprised if this becomes a popular topic of discussion over the next couple months!!

Submitted by krob1000 on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:12.
Kovalev can do whatever he sets his mind to ......imagine what he could have done if Gainey had been the G.M. ten years ago.....he likely wouldn't be playing here. THis season will always be remembered and Kovy will go down in Habs lore regardless of the finish this season just for his amazing turnaround and contribution to the Russian contingent. He has been nothing short of spectacular.

Submitted by krob1000 on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 09:17.
Every time I post it is flagged now....enjoy the rest of the season folks.

24 Cups's picture
Submitted by 24 Cups on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:18.
kRob - I don't understand. I know that some other people experienced that problem but that was a few days ago (glitch with the system). Nobody would ever flag your comments due to content or breaches of policy. I also wonder - if someone flags a comment does that mean it automatically disappears or does it mean that one of the site managers will review it and then delete it if he feels it is offensive? kRob, I know I don't have to state the obvious but all of us tease you about the length of your posts out of respect and admiration. We're winking at you. For me, reading your posts is like a daily routine on this site, just like reading a good column in the Gazette or Toronto Star. Hopefully, Dave will work out this problem for you. Once the playoffs start, this site is going to be taxed to the limit. There may be even more techo problems for all HIO fans. The Original 24 Cups

Submitted by krob1000 on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 10:26.
I probably jumped the gun a bit but I had an exchange on here before and was flagged several times and thought maybe I was in the doghouse with Michael Ryder for it. They had to delete a big chunk of the thread...I never really swore or anything but you know how it goes soemtimes on here. I appreciate the compliments and I never take any of those length of post comments as anything more than jokes and good natured teasing. I know I have a big "Cyberyap".....(the first step is admitting you have a problem).

Ed's picture
Submitted by Ed on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 13:36.
I can't imagine you being flagged for anything! It had to be a mistake. I was flagged last week, and I was not sure why. I was responding to someone who I think has since been banned. What was it like in that doghouse? Say hello to Ryder for me.

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