Mike Boone's Online Eeee-mail

What a putz ... and I don't mean Van the Man

Mike Boone — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:46:27 -0500

Allan Walsh, a sleazeball even by the liberal standards of decency by which we tend to judge lawyer/agents.

Did he think he was helping his client?

Jaro Halak is one of the really good guys in the Canadiens room – unfailingly cooperative with the media, win or lose; comporting himself with dignity and class, NEVER uttering a negative word about Carey Price.

A delicate situation for both goaltenders did not need the very public intercession of a grubby 10 percenter.

Shameful.

Unprofessional ... if not entirely unpredictable.

No one wants a return to the patrenalistic bad old days of Gordie Howe getting a Wings jacket as his signing bonus.

But some of these guys ...

I need a shower ... and some good sunny Sunday music.

About last night ...

Mike Boone — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:17:16 -0500

I made a promise when the season began: No panic until 20 games were in the book.

Then, and only then, would we be able to accurately gauge the success or faiulure of Dr. Gainey's off-season science experiment.

So let's hold off for another week, during which the Canadiens are at home to the Flames and then travel to Phoenix and Nashville.

Factoring in an 8 p.m. start in the home of country music, the Canadiens will have completed 20 games by next Saturday at 10:30.

Then, at 10:31, we can start panicking.

The Canadiens are in 11th place in the Eastern Conference standings. They are three points ahead of Atlanta, which has four games in hand.

The Canadiens began the night a point ahead of Tampa Bay. By virtue of their win, the Lightning vaulted into seventh place.

If the playoffs began now, Tampa Bay and the Islanders would be in, the Canadiens and Boston out.

But it's too early to panic, right?

Right.

Another sad Saturday night ...

Mike Boone — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:05:40 -0500

The Ls are piling up

A classic!

Mike Boone — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:12:28 -0500

Tampa Bay?

Isn't that a southern city?

About last night ...

Mike Boone — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:56:40 -0500

Let's call it Revenge of the First-Rounders.

Carey Price, chosen fifth overall in 2005, made 42 saves in regulation and two more in the shootout to win the 50th game of his career.

For the first time since the Oct. 3 game in Buffalo, he looked like the blue-chip goaltender the Canadiens thought they were drafting.

Andrei Kostitsyn was picked 10th overall in 2003, and we've spent six years reciting the grim litany of players chosen after him: Jeff Carter, Ryan Getzlaf, Mike Richards, Zach Parise ...

Kostitsyn has one goal this season. He's on the fourth line and played 7:32 against Toronto on Saturday.

Against the Bruins, AK46 played 14:44, including 1:44 on the power play (but no ice time in OT). His speed created the goal Glen Metropolit scored in the first period.

Is he Parise?

No. But in a big win, Kostitsyn skated hard, backchecked, made (mostly) good decisions and – for one night at least – did not look like a wasted draft pick.

It's a start.

Thanks to Price ...

Mike Boone — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:12:57 -0500

42 saves before the shootout, then two more

Wheeler: Glove save

Cammalleri: Wrister! Goal!

Bergeron: Wide

Gomez: Save

Recchi: SAVE!!!

Funny commercial

Mike Boone — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:27:47 -0500

We may hate the Broons, but they've got a great advertising agency.

The one-and-only Jarred Friedman found this gem.

About last night ...

Mike Boone — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:52:16 -0500

I find myself making this observation after every game:

Jaroslav Spacek gives it his all, but he's too small and, at 35, too old to play 25 minutes a game, including the power play and shorthanded situations.

His fellow Czech defence partner, Roman Hamrlik, is the same age but is bigger ad has more skill. But Hammer played 28 minutes last night ... which is fine if your name is Jay Bouwmeester.

Were Spacek and hamrli responsible for the 5-4 loss?

No way.

Spatch was on for four even-strength goals, two by each team, and finished the night even.

Hammer was on for one Atlanta goal, three by the Canadiens and was plus-2.

Monster minutes for the top D pairing is not unusual in the NHL. But given their age, I really worry how Hamrlik and Spacek will hold up through this month, December and however much of the new year Andrei Markov will be unavailable.

The Canadiens were missing three regulars – Markov, Ryan O'Byrne and Hal Gill – on defence last night.

And it showed.

Another bummer

Mike Boone — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:39:43 -0500

Long season, folks

What we don't want to hear tonight ...

Mike Boone — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:30:27 -0500

Shout out to the guys at Four Habs Fans for this classic

Hideous, or merely ugly?

Mike Boone — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:30:12 -0500

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon talk about the vintage unis.

(Thanks to video scout Jarred Friedman)

About last month ...

Mike Boone — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:32:56 -0400

One month down, five more and 10 days of a sixth month to go.

And that's just the regular season.

So what have we got here?

Contender or pretender?

October was bookended by two wins against the hated Leafs. But neither was easy.

Carey Price – remember him? – was the hero on opening night at the ACC, stopping 43 shots through 64:17 before Josh Gorges, of all people, scored in the dying seconds of OT. The joy of starting the season with a W was severely tempered by an injury to Andrei Markov, who hasn't played since and won't until February at the earliest.

Last night, a comfortable 4-2 Canadiens lead evaporated in three and a half minutes, and the barber-pole boys – for the love of God, BURN THOSE UNIS!! – needed a shootout to take two more points. Against a team that will be golfing in April, the Canadiens coughed the puck up a mind-biggling 31 TIMES – once for each day in October.

Then as if hideous vintage jerseys and all the centenial bushwah weren't sufficient hubris and an affront to the Gods of Hockey, the fans had to start serenading Toronto with the Na-na-na-na Goodbye song.

And of course, it turned out the game was not over when the fatuous people sang.

The Cardiac Canadiens, a team that should NEVER be saluted until the final siren sounds.

Trick or treat?

Mike Boone — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:33:19 -0400

4-4 game.

Shootout

Cammalleri: Wrister. Goal

Stempniak: Easy save

Gomez: Shelf

Kaberle: Save

Welcome back, Komo

Mike Boone — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:06:28 -0400

Let's show him some love, with a Bob Marley soundtrack ...

Fright night

Mike Boone — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 08:34:20 -0400

Worried about how awful the Canadiens will look if they wear their barber-pole unis tonight?

Check out this vintage Habs Halloween party footage (dug up by the indefatigable Jarred Friedman)

• And some Halloween birthdays at Kevin van Steendelaar's site.

About last night ...

Mike Boone — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:17:17 -0400

Fifth road loss in a row.

Outshot 36-22.

Impotent power play.

Hopeless in the faceoff circle.

And yet ... and yet ...

This wasn't nearly as depressing as the Canadiens' no-shows in Vancouver and Pittsburgh.

As was the case in Edmonton after the Vancouver bed-execration, the Canadiens followed an embarrassment with a decent effort.

Decent, but not good enough.

Heartbreaker

Mike Boone — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:43:40 -0400

Canadiens battled back from 2-0, but a third period miscue – AK46 being mystified by Patriuck Kane – led to Patrick Sharp's winner.

Not as bad as Pittsburgh, but another road loss to a good team.

Blackhawks blooper reel

Mike Boone — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:13:41 -0400

Sadly, they make fewer mistakes on the ice.

(Shout-out to video scout Jarred Friedman)

Three pick-me-ups

Mike Boone — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:09:42 -0400

To chase your morning-after blues:

• Mike Komisarek had a giveaway and was on the ice for Dallas's winning goal last night. Komo has no points and is minus-6 on the season.

• For those who missed the telecast, a screen grab of Jacques Martin. Nice tie, eh?

• Kate Rusby is plus-100. Thanks to radio guru Sheldon Harvey for posting this to Facebook.

About last night ...

Mike Boone — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:16:35 -0400

As bad as Vancouver?

The Canadiens had 28 shots against the Canucks but only 24 in Pittsburgh.

Henrik Sedin had two goals, his brother three assists.

Sidney Crosby had a hat trick and might have had five. His brothers-in-arms, Bill Guerin and Chris Kunitz, each had three assists ... and Kunitz added a late goal.

Not to put too fine a point on it, the Canadiens came up empty against quality opposition in both games.

With the exception of an OT win against the Rangers – who may be in the process of plummeting back to earth – the Canadiens haven't taken a point against an upper-bracket team this season.

Ominous?

Well, it's still early.

And does any person not watching the game at the Douglas Hospital think the Canadiens are as good as Pittsburgh?

Chumped by the champs

Mike Boone — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:23:28 -0400

Canadiens kept it interesting for 20 minutes.

But too much Sidney Crosby.

Too many turnovers.

Not quite as bad as Vancouver, but still a spanking ...

Kermit the Goalie

Mike Boone — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:22:20 -0400

Is MAF loose or what?

(Thanks to Jarred Friedman)

About last night ...

Mike Boone — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:05:03 -0400

Bob Gainey won't repeat the mistake he made last season in flippantly referring to Guy Carbonneau as his best acquisition.

But the Canadiens general manager, who's loking pretty good 11 games into a fresh season, could justifiably point to Jacques Martin as his best off-season hire.

Let's look at the chages:

Scott Gomez is an upgrade on Saku Koivu.

Mike Cammalleri is an upgrade on Alex Tanguay.

Brian Gionta is an upgrade on Alex Kovalev.

Jaroslav Spacek/Paul Mara/Hal Gill constitute a defensive upgrade on Mike Komisarek/Francis Bouillon/Mathieu Dandenault.

Travis Moen is an upgrade on Tom Kostopoulos.

But the biggest improvement is behind the bench.

Minus the team's MVP since the opening game, Jacques Martin is turning a group of strangers into a cohesive hockey team

Are the Canadiens Cup contenders?

Let's not get too crazy.

But they work hard, they don't quit and they're fun to watch.

And those qualities, Habs fans, are a MAJOR upgrade.

Czechs cashed!!

Mike Boone — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:20:32 -0400

Tomas Plekanec feeds Roman Hamrlik for the winner

Upon further review ...

Mike Boone — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:37:20 -0400

The Hockey News' Ken Campbell on Carey Price.

(Thanks to Jarred Friedman)

Feeling nostalgic for last year's team?

Mike Boone — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:26:26 -0400

Here's something to cheer you up on a bleak Monday morning:

From Habsworld_net on Twitter:

Mike Cammalleri has as many points (11) as Alex Kovalev (4), Saku Koivu (3), Christopher Higgins (2) and Alex Tanguay (2) combined.

But Bob Gainey is incompetent, right?

• • •

Separated at birth: Rogie Vachon and Vito Corleone

About last night ...

Mike Boone — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 07:11:51 -0400

Tony Marinaro of the Team 990 asked the best question, and it came late during Jacques Martin's postgame press conference.

Citing the use of Guillaume Latendresse, rather than Andrei Kostitsyn, on a Canadiens' power play, Marinaro asked:

"Was that a reward for Guillaume, a challenge for Guillaume or a message to Andrei?"

Martin, who smiles less often than Stephen Harper during these sessions with the media, couldn't suppress a grin as he replied:

"All three."

I met Marinaro later and complimented him on a great question.

"Martin liked it, Tony," I added. "He liked it big-time."

Just like I'm liking this calm, cool, professorial hockey coach:

Big-time ... and my admiration for Martin is getting bigger all the time as the team he wants to build starts coming together.

MIKE CAMMALLERI!

Mike Boone — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 12:36:53 -0400

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!!! And it cost Scott Gomez and Paul Mara money:

Both former Rangers put bounties on beating their old team.

Those were the days...

Mike Boone — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 07:42:05 -0400

Chris Elliott hangs out with the Rangers, including Scott Gomez, for a Letterman spoof.

(Thanks to Jarred Friedman for the find)

Sergei's KHL linemates?

Mike Boone — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:40:29 -0400

What's sad is they skate better than Gui!

(Tip of the HIO tuque to Jérôme Barbier for finding this)

• • •

Thanks to yathehabsrule for link to Brian Gionta interview.

PS: Make him captain already!

• • •

Google the words "no life" and it's a good bet the top hit will be this offer to stay ho,me on a Friday night and watch the Bulldogs streamed live.