Habs Eyes On The Prize

Unprepared Habs Lucky To Gain Shootout Loss Point In Listless Effort Against Leafs

2010-03-21T05:45:51Z

It was dreaded that after a three day layoff the Canadiens would come out flat against the Leafs on Saturday night.

At least that was what the knot in my gut all day long was telling me.

I don`t know it is part of the athletic sporting psyche to take some opponents lightly, but after a short layoff I would prefer to see the Canadiens playing a team in which they figure only their A-game will beat.

As it goes, history repeats, and the Canadiens again made the grave error of underestimating a Leafs club that is stronger than their record appears.

It is maddening to see what can often be a Saturday night classic turned into a snoozefest. Such wasn`t helped by the Canadiens failing to show for 50 minutes before turning it on in desperation.

You could get the sense early in this game that the Habs had not properly prepared mentally to face Toronto. In the first five minutes of play, two passes of the long bomb variety seemed to be the prefered tactic of the Habs offense. Plays of the sort show a certain disrespect to the opponent in my eyes. It's not a smart way to plan to win a hockey game that lasts 60 minutes.

The Canadiens should have prepared for an excruciating trench battle, but instead approached this one like it was an exhibition and not a playoff game, which should forever be the mentality when presenting themselves in Toronto or when hosting them at the Bell.

In this one, it didn`t take Toronto long to clue in on the Habs game plan, and they quickly succeeded in clogging the Canadiens passing lanes. Too bad a football statistician wasn`t present to gather pass completion numbers, as Montreal dishers were a horrid bunch on this night.

Another thing this game had in common with the pigskin game - did you see the number of times the puck acted like a football? Did they forget to freeze the little rubber buggers, or what?

Want passes behind the receiver, too far ahead, hip high and dribbling? This was the gridiron on ice for your viewing pleasure!

Perhaps it was the ineptitude and lack of cohesion between the Canadiens forwards and defensemen that caused the game to appear so lumbering. The puck seemed like a foreign object to players such as Scott Gomez, Benoit Pouliot, Andrei Kostitsyn, Glen Metropolit and the pairing of Jaroslav Spacek and Ro man Hamrlik, especially. For these six, it was as though puck passing was a newly discovered science. It was painful to watch.

There are documentaries of dinosaurs sludging through quicksand....

What had been working so well for the Canadiens during their six game win streak was that units of five were in tune on the ice. In this one, there was nothing but discord (dischord?) After the Leafs found ways to jam spikes into the Habs gears, rather than fight for open space, Montreal resorted to the dump and chase game, but proceeded to deploy it without the commitment of heart, speed, legs and will.

It was a sad display of watching players go through the motions, constantly expecting and hoping some other teammate would do their work to spare them the effort and creative spark.

Another mind-number (as in numb-er) was the non-reaction on the part of coach Jacques Martin to how his troops were behaving. I'd say that about eight minutes in, you could see that the Habs players were in a fog of sorts. Watching the game on RDS and hearing Pierre Houde say "brouillard" a half dozen times had me hitting Google translations, because the word coming to my mind was "brume".

Despite the 1-1 score at the end of period one, I was curiously looking forward to see what adjustments Martin would make. (So, I felt like a sucker at the movies, having paid ten bucks to see Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman in Eyes Wide Shut....)

To that enticement, there was virtually squat as enlightenment. I noticed one shift in which Mathieu Darche replaced Tom Pyatt on the Tomas Plekanec line. It seemed to spark an extended stay in Leaf territory, but two shifts later Darche was back with his regular companions. I thought I saw (or maybe heard) Sergei being an added Kostitsyn to line number two, but if it happened it did not last long enough.

And this has always been my rap against Martin as coach. Perhaps as you have, my best Martin watching came in the successive seasons as Ottawa's bench boss in which he was never able to figure a way to beat Toronto come playoff time.

By game's end, Martin can assuredly look on top of things while putting context in an analytic matter explaining a loss. His Waterloo is that he seems forever incapable of affecting or altering such an eventuality while a game is in process.

To me, that creativeness is simply known as "stir some shit up". Create a game within a game. Ruffle some feathers and hoark a loogie on some egos out there.

Offer some adversity to an unsuspecting and vulnerabe opponent for a change!

I'll just name some names, familiar to Leafs and Habs fans alike: Darcy Tucker, Gary Roberts, Tie Domi, Doug Gilmour, Shayne Corson, Claude Lemieux, Brian Skrudland, Chris Nilan - all stirrers of shit and enemies of complacency. These players were all experts in affecting a game's tempo and temperature, and instinctively knew how and when to bring teammates along with them.

So, if I'm Martin for a line change at some point on Saturday, I delegate a trio of Lapierre, Darche and Moen to create a semblence of rippling havoc against the Leafs most effective line.

Martin is too often a "roll all four regular lines" kinda coach. I'll give him tons of kudos as he seems to have finally instilled his system and five man unit methods upon the team, but I will never get over his in-game sedateness when it comes to managing lines with a game on the line.

In a six game win streak, complaints and grievances tend to fall on deaf ears. Personally, I don't find the Habs played to the height of their glorious headlines of late. By the bold type, you'd think they were world beaters! In short, they were good, but hardly great in a lot of those games. In the six games won, they were to lucky to find a few opponents on cruise control, namely the Ducks, Oilers and Lightning.

A team often personifies its coach, and what is looked for at this crucial stage in the season is pure killer instinct, among many other team psyche attributes. There are pivotal moments in games, where contests are won or lost. One such opportunity occurs when the instance of an icing call forces a team to keep five tired players on the ice.

Maybe you have noted this, and perhaps you haven't, but I have seen a good dozen opportunities roll by wherein Martin fails to use the opportunity to gain an upper hand line wise. A foe's fourth line sits out there for the taking after being hemmed in for a minute. They ice the puck, glueing themselves to the next shift.

Response? Martin matches it in kind, rolling out the Metropolit or Dominic Moore lines in counter.

I shake my brain at the opportunity wasted!

How about countering with Plekanec, Gionta and Sergei for 40 seconds, just to keep the opposite side on their toes. Isn't the brief shuffle worth the disruption?

Perhaps the coach is too conscious of individual player minute managed, but I believe in the concept of a game being on the line by the middle of the second period. Or, at any given opportune moment.

First, a bench boss has to recognize one!

Jacques Martin is a beatable coach because the poker face he wears is a muse. He has nothing - no surprises up his sleeve. His habits are like telegraphed passes, every opposing coach sees his moves coming from miles away. He makes it easy to coach against him, when all an oppenent has to worry of is his own moves. No jokers in his deck of deuce moves.

Every game has its pulse.

This one was read like a flatliner the coach was clueless in kickstarting.

That's worrying.

Oh well, at least the Habs stole a point, caught up with Philadelphia and Ottawa in the standings, and escaped without an injury to Andrei Markov.

The Habs First Goaltending Controversy?

2010-03-18T22:01:05Z

Imagine, the Montreal Canadiens endured their very first ever goaltending controversy a whole four game into their existence!

One season before Georges Vezina arrived to settle matters between the pipes, Les Canadiens, as they were then known in 1910, had entrusted their goaltending to one Jos Cattarinich. After the Canadiens and Cattarinich had won an opening contest which ultimately did not count in the standings by a 7-6 score, the lost the following three matches by scores of 9-4, 6-4 and 8-4.

Cattarinich, an avid sportsman in Montreal circles, had never played goal in hockey prior to this. He had mainly tended goal in Lacrosse for the Montreal National where he was pretty decent. Cattarinich likely got the job due to his long friendship with Canadiens' manager and star defenseman Jack Laviolette. It was Laviolette actually, who earned the Canadiens first win on January 5, 1910 against Cobalt, coming on in relief of Cattarinich.

After surrendering 29 goals in four games, Cattarinich was history, almost!

Upon his release by the team, Cattarinich helped manage and finance the club and eventually bought it along with Leo Dandurand and Leo Letourneau in 1921.

To solve (?) their goaltending woes, Les Canadiens turned to Teddy Groulx, who did not fare much better. In his first game with Montreal, Groulx was shellacked 8-3 by the cross - town rival Shamrocks. Groulx won his next game (9-5) against the lowly Haileybury Comets before running off six straight losses in which he surrendered a whopping sixty goals.

On March 11, 1910, in the final game of the 1909-10 season, Les Canadiens finally won a second game, defeating the Shamrocks 5-4 in overtime. Groulx had been given the heave by this time, and it was the Montreal Nationals former goalie Patrick Larochelle in goal. Curiously, he was nowhere in sight by game's end, having been thrown out after arguing the Shamrock's fourth. When the game proceded to overtime and he was allowed back in according to rules, manager Laviolette was unable to locate him.

Sometime prior to that final first season game, Cattarinich made amends, big time. The Canadiens had ventured to Chicoutimi for a game against a local seniors team and again suffered a double digit, humiliating defeat. Montreal did not have Newsy Lalonde, who had recently been released to join Renfrew, but still administered a goal peppering at the Chicoutimi end. Their goaltending withstood the barrage, allowing only four goals. The following season, Cattarinich made sure to sign him.

Thanks to Georges Vezina, the Canadiens goal crease would be comparativelt calm the next fifteen seasons.

The Rocket Richard Riot: 55 Years Later

2010-03-17T08:50:38Z

Robert L Note: The Rocket Richard Riot occured 55 years ago today. Two years ago when I first published this look back, news of the widespread disatisfaction over Chris Pronger's minimal 8 game suspension for stomping on Ryan Kesler's leg with his skate, made the Richard Riot story a pertinant one. This week, news that Alexander Ovechkin, a player similar to the Rocket in style and desire, has been suspended two games for ending Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell's season, makes the Rocket Riot a reference point once again, more than five decades later.

Sometime in April 2008, Buffalo sports writer and NFL expert Larry Felsner (Pro Football Hall Of Fame writer) tackled the fateful day in Habs lore and gets it half right. You can tell his colors right off from the opening sentence - he ain't too well versed in hockey history to be touching on most of this.

Still the story is always a compassionate read, despite the inconsistancies with truth and myth. I've tried to clear up most of Felsner's boobs with comments in brackets. Beyond Felsner's account, there is a second, more accurate one sprinkled with videos of the events and pictures added. Enjoy!

From Larry Felsner, HOF Magazine:

Hockey has always been a niche sport, considered a superb game by those of us who love it, but largely ignored by hordes of other sports fans who reside south of the Canadian border.

The niche has never been smaller than the ‘50s, when the National Hockey League consisted of a mere six teams – the Chicago Black Hawks, New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins in the U.S. plus the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leads in Canada. Occasionally a few of the American owners might urge that the league be expanded, but most of the moguls were satisfied with what they considered a cozy setup. (RL - The expansion of 1967 was pioneered and executed mostly by Hab's GM Sam Pollock's insistance.)

Their feeder system, which supplied all but a tiny percentage of talent ( RL - It supplied all of it! ) to the NHL six, consisted of junior teams spread coast to coast across Canada, all of which were controlled – and sometimes wholly owned – by the major league clubs. The major league's control often reached down into the pee-wee leagues, so if a talented young player began serious competitive play for an affiliate of the Bruins, Maple Leafs or one of the others, he would remain the property ( RL - C-Form deafting.) of that organization until they traded or released him. With so much talent stockpiled in so few farm systems, the pay scales could be easily controlled, too.

It wasn't quite cradle-to-grave ownership, but it was close. Nowhere was the stamp of the parent team more traditional than in the Province of Quebec, where boys of French-Canadian heritage yearned to be happy serfs of the Canadiens.

By 1955 (RL - Try 1930!), the Montreal team, referred to as "the Flying Frenchmen" in newspaper sports sections all over North America, was established as the model of the NHL system. Montreal had a few outstanding Anglo players such as Doug Harvey, the all-star defenseman, and Dickie Moore, the reliable winger. But the core of the team was Gallic: Bernie "Boom-Boom" Geoffrion, the first to perfect the slap shot; Jacques Plante, the first goalkeeper to wear a mask; the regal center-man, Jean Beliveau; prize rookie Henri Richard and, most prominently, right wing Maurice Richard, the face and symbol not only of a hockey team, but of an entire province, Le Belle Quebec, in all its pride.

Eventually Maurice Richard was christened "the Rocket," (and later his kid brother Henri "the Pocket Rocket") yet the elder Richard did not barge into the NHL in the manner of Wayne Gretzky, and more recently, Sidney Crosby. As a junior he was considered injury prone (RL - Rocket was considered a top rank prospect, then suffered two key injuries.), and when he finally reported to the Canadiens as a rookie, he was rehabilitating from a broken leg. At first management feared that he would never be fast enough to fly with the other French stars, and the Montreal front office considered releasing him.

Instead, they gave him a second chance (RL - I'd suggest he earned it with 11 points in 16 games!), placing him on a line with two experienced veterans, left wing Hector "Toe" Blake and center Elmer Lach. The youngster, who had been the last man to make his junior team, flourished. The media nicknamed the trio "the Lamplighter Line," for the frequency for which the right goal light flashed for them. (RL - "The Old Lamplighter was Toe Blake's nickname, the line itself was dubbed the "Punch Line"). When Richard scored an unprecedented 50 goals in 50 games during the 1945-46 (RL - 2 seasons later.) season, the name "Rocket" was attached to him forever.

The names his opponents called him were far less printable. His will to win knew few bounds, literally.

There is a life-size sculpture of Richard in full skate outside a museum in Montreal's Olympic Park, but no sculptor, no matter how skilled, could capture his physical hallmark, his eyes. As Beliveau used to say, "He prefers to express himself on the ice. I would tell our younger players to watch the fire emanating from his eyes."

An opponent's view of Richard's relentlessness could be harrowing. "When he came flying toward you, "said Hall of Fame goalie Glenn Hall, "his eyes were all lit up, flashing and gleaming like a pinball machine." Wally Stanowski, a former Toronto player, went further. "He had that fiery look all the time," said Stanowski, "I once heard it described as having the look of an escaped mental patient. I thought that was a good description."

Late in his career, the Rocket suffered an Achilles tendon injury which kept him inactive for a long time, and there was some fear that his career might be ended. When he came back to play it was in the lair of Montreal's arch-enemy, Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. Richard didn't start the game, but played with the second line. When he jumped over the boards to come on the ice for the first time, there was a puck loose near the Leafs' blue line. He pounced upon it, like a lion on a young zebra. He launched his shot immediately, and it flew past Johnny Bower, another Hall of Fame goalie.

The Toronto fans, most of whom hated him, exploded in a rueful salute.

In a game on March 15 against New York (Boston) near the end of the 1955 season, Richard's competitive fury, which he managed to channel most of the time, became completely un-channeled. It started when the high stick of Ranger (RL - The Bruins) defenseman Hal Laycoe cut him and it drew blood. Laycoe was a former teammate of the Rocket's, but that didn't stop Richard from attacking him in revenge, hitting him across the shoulders and face with his stick. (RL - Richard also used his fists, after an initial stick blow.)

Finally, as the fight seemed to subside, lineman Cliff Thompson moved in to separate the combatants and return order to the game, which is part of a linesman's job. Richard did not wish to be soothed, and when Thompson tried to move him away from Laycoe, he punched the linesman twice in the face, knocking him unconscious. (RL - Actually Thompson approached and withheld Richard from behind as Laycoe decked him! Just a small, minute detail.)

As soon as the game ended, the referee filed a report to the NHL commissioner, Clarence Campbell, since attacking an official in hockey is just as serious as it is in any other sport. After digesting the report and pondering his options (RL - Apparently discussing it with the owners of the 5 other NHL teams! ) for two days, Campbell issued his decision: Richard would be suspended, not just for the last three games of the regular season, but for the entire Stanley Cup playoffs.

The people of the city of Montreal and the province of Quebec itself were thunderstruck. The Canadiens and Detroit were tied for first place in the league and were to meet that night in the Montreal Forum. The fan reaction was so immediate and furious in the city that the police commissioner warned Campbell, whose office and that of the league were located in Montreal, that it would be inadvisable for him to attend the game as was his usual custom. Public attitudes were so poisonous that his staff begged him not to even think about entering the Forum.

Hours before the opening face-off, crowds, most of whom did not have tickets, gathered on St. Catharines St. and adjoining streets around the Forum, and they were in a surly mood. At the Montreal Gazette, the editor, sensing that the usual number of reporters staffing a Canadiens game would not be sufficient to cover what might happen, assigned a young sports writer named Red Fisher (Fisher worked for the Montreal Star in 1955, not the Gazette.) to rush to the Forum, not to cover any aspect of the game, but to handle whatever other newsworthy event might occur.

Fisher, who was to become a journalistic legend in Montreal, had never before covered anything at the Forum, but as soon as he arrived he sensed that what was growing among the crowds, both inside and outside the building, was a possible riot. He was correct.

This was 12 years before Gen. Charles DeGaulle, the greatest Frenchman of the 20th Century, visited French Canada and finished his emotional speech with the words "Long Live Free Quebec!" (RL - Vive le Quebec libre!) Among those listening intently to DeGaulle was Rene Levesque, who would found the Quebec Separatist Movement that same year.

But the bitter feeling between Anglo Canada and Gallic Canada had been simmering for years, (RL - About 100 years!) and it seemed to begin to boil over as a result of Campbell's suspension of Maurice Richard. After all, Rocket was a man of the Montreal streets who had grown up across the street from a prison. Early in his career, he spent a day moving his family out of their old house and into a new one, carrying heavy furniture up and down stairs. Then he went to work at the Forum, scored two goals and assisted on another (RL - In fact, it was a mere 5 goals and 3 assists in a crushing 9-1 win over Detroit!) in a Canadiens' victory. The people of Quebec saw themselves in him, and what they saw as an insult to him was also an insult to them and French Canada.

Clarence Campbell was a tall, dignified and austere man, a lawyer who had been a judge for Canada in the Nazi war criminal trials in Germany after World War II. He brushed aside warnings about showing up at the Forum, walking quickly to his seats, which were in the stands amid ordinary fans. With him was his secretary who later would become his wife. Their appearance amounted to a red flag in the face of bulls.

Red Fisher stationed himself on the stairway just below where Campbell sat. "People began throwing things at him – tomatoes, eggs, garbage – and one man walked right up to him and smashed a tomato right into Campbell's shirt. Then a guy whom I recognized as a local street thug walked up the stairs to Campbell's seat with a smile on his face, stuck out his hand and when Campbell reached to take it this guy punched him.

"There was a Detroit player, whom the Red Wings had made a healthy scratch for the game, who was in a seat near Campbell's. He came over and pulled the thug away and they began fighting."

Amazingly, the game began to go on. Midway in the first period, Detroit had the lead and the fans began to pelt Campbell with more vegetables and garbage. It was announced that Detroit was awarded a forfeit victory. Finally, a tear gas canister was detonated, and the Forum was evacuated. (RL - Tear gas first, forfeit afterwards.)

As the fans emptied the building and filled the streets, the riot began in earnest, with cars overturned, stores looted and fires started. The authorities reached Richard, who seemed stunned at the angry outpouring of the fans over his suspension and the riot that ensued. They asked him to help calm the city and he did. "I had to go on the radio and ask all the people who were doing damage on the street and to the stores to stop."

The rioting finally stopped the next day, but the fury of the people was slower to subside. Geoffrion, who was in a close race with Richard for the NHL scoring title, won it with the Rocket suspended in the final two games. "Boom-Boom" received death threats as a result.

Without Maurice Richard, the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup as well as the regular-season championship, but Richard would come back for five more seasons, all of which ended with the Canadiens winning the Cup. He retired in 1960.

Upon his retirement, some of the notable players against whom he competed were contacted for their reaction. Gordie Howe, Detroit's great right wing and Richard's fiercest rival, put his feelings succinctly: "He was a bastard."

At the closing of the Montreal Forum in 1996, a tearful "Rocket" received the longest standing ovation in the city's history. For some 16 minutes, adulation poured over him, the fans chanting his name over and over again. The "Rocket" died in 2000 and received a formal state funeral that was broadcast live across Canada.

Here, for perspective's sake, is a more accurate accounting of the event of the Richard Riot and suspension.

As Montreal's great star, it was common for Richard to be antagonized on the ice. Teams would reportedly send one or two players to do nothing more than annoy him, and throughout his career Richard was fined and suspended several times for retaliation assaults on players (and even officials). One such incident would spark one of the worst hockey-related incidents in history.

On March 13, 1955, Richard was given a match penalty for intentionally injuring Hal Laycoe, after he had been deliberatally struck in the head with a hockey stick by the player, in a game against the Boston Bruins.

Laycoe had highsticked Richard in the head during a Montreal power play. The referee signalled for a penalty to be called, but play was allowed to continue because the Canadiens had possession of the puck. Richard indicated to the referee that he'd been injured, and then skated up to Laycoe -- who had dropped his stick and gloves preparatory to a fight -- and struck Laycoe in the face and shoulders with his stick.

The linesmen attempted to restrain Richard, who repeatedly broke away from them to attack Laycoe, even breaking his stick over his back. Moments passed and a second linesman Cliff Thompson, restrained Richard by holding both his arms in a lock. Richard broke loose and punched Thomson twice in the face, knocking him unconscious. Richard later said at a league hearing that he thought Thompson was one of Boston's players.

Given that it was Richard's second assault on an official in that season alone, a formal inquiry took place on March 16 after which NHL president Clarence Campbell made the following statement:

"I have no hesitation in coming to the conclusion that the attack on Laycoe was not only deliberate but persisted in the face of all authority and that the referee acted with proper judgment in accordance with the rules in awarding a match penalty. I am also satisfied that Richard did not strike linesman Thompson as a result of a mistake or accident as suggested. There is singularly little conflict in the evidence as to important relevant facts. Assistance can also be obtained from an incident that occurred less than three months ago in which the pattern of conduct of Richard was almost identical, including his constant resort to the recovery of his stick to pursue his opponent, as well as flouting the authority of and striking officials. On the previous occasion he was fortunate that teammates and officials were more effective in preventing him from doing injury to anyone and the penalty was more lenient in consequence. At the time he was warned there must be no further incident. It was too bad that his teammates did not assist officials instead of interfering with them. The time for probationary lenience has passed, whether this type of conduct is the product of temperamental instability or willful defiance of the authority of the game does not matter. Richard will be suspended from all games both league and playoff for the balance of the current season."

The suspension - at the time, the longest in NHL history for an on-ice incident - was considered by many in Montreal to be unjust and severe. Detroit Red Wings General Manager Jack Adams leapt to Campbell's defence, saying that Richard was becoming "too big for the league" and needed to be "put in his place."

The suspension came when the Rocket was leading the NHL in scoring and the Canadiens were battling for first place with Detroit. Richard's suspension also cost him the scoring title, the closest he ever came to winning it. When Richard's teammate Bernie Geoffrion surpassed Richard on scoring on the last day of the regular season, he was booed by the Canadiens' faithful.

Public outrage from Montreal soon poured in. Local radio call-in shows became so inundated with calls that radio stations were begging people not to call in. For his part, Campbell did not budge, and announced that he would be attending the Habs' next home game against the Red Wings in four days. Security was increased at the game, which itself was uneventful. However, it saw many protesters with signs that read "A bas Campbell" or "Vive Richard", with much of the crowd noise directed at Campbell, and few paying attention to the game or to the fact that Richard himself had also taken a seat at the game. As Montreal coach Dick Irvin Sr. pointed out, "the people didn't care if we got licked 100-1 that night."

Midway through the first period, Campbell arrived with his fiancée. Outraged Habs fans immediately began pelting them with eggs, vegetables, and various debris, with more being thrown at him each time the Red Wings scored, who built up a 4-1 lead. The continuous pelting of various objects stopped when a tear gas bomb was set off inside the Forum, not far from where Campbell was sitting.

The Forum was ordered evacuated and Campbell ruled the game forfeited to the Red Wings. The victory would ultimately provide Detroit with the margin it needed to win first place overall and be guaranteed home ice throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Said Jack Adams after the game, "I blame [the media] for what's happened. You've turned Richard into an idol, a man whose suspension can turn hockey fans into shrieking idiots."

The tear gas bomb and forfeiture had also altered the mood of the incident, turning it destructive and violent. A riot ensued outside the Forum, causing $500,000 in damage to the neighborhood and the Forum itself. Hundreds of stores were looted and vandalized within a 15-block radius of the Forum. Twelve policemen and 25 civilians were injured. The riot continued well into the night, with police arresting people by the truckload. Local radio stations, which carried live coverage of the riot for over seven hours, had to be forced off the air. The riot eventually ended at 3 am, and left Montreal's Ste. Catherine street in shambles.

Reporters lined up to see both Campbell and Richard that day. Richard was reluctant to make a statement, fearing that it could start another riot, but eventually gave the following statement:

"Because I always try so hard to win and had my troubles in Boston, I was suspended. At playoff time it hurts not be in the game with the boys. However, I want to do what is good for the people of Montreal and the team. So that no further harm will be done, I would like to ask everyone to get behind the team and to help the boys win from the New York and Detroit. I will take my punishment and come back next year to help the club and the younger players to win the Cup."

His words would prove prophetic, as the Habs would lose the Cup final to Detroit in seven games, but would win the Cup in the year after - and the four years after that. Richard retired in 1960 after the Canadiens' fifth straight Stanley Cup, a record that still stands.

For more on the Rocket, and the riot on March 17, 1955, check out these links.

18 newspaper clips from the Montreal Gazette between March 15 and March 18, 1955 - historic stuff!

Maurice Rocket Richard Tribute Website

Canadian Musuem Of Civilization Online

Maurice Richard at Wikipedia

Richard's HHOF Profile

CBC Television and Radio Archives of Richard

Leave Our Richard Alone - NY Times March 17, 1955

The Hockey Game That Broke Out During A Riot - Detroit News

Crucial Win Over Rangers Cements Notion Habs' Organization Are On Right Track

2010-03-17T06:10:24Z

Notice something, somewhat obvious and delightful, when speaking to fellow Habs fans these days?

Personal pronouns, man!

When talking about Les Canadiens to friends and fans recently, I notice the team is rarely termed "they" anymore - as in "they aren't playing like I'd hoped" or "I don't know about them Habs anymore.'

Now I hear things like "we're on a roll" and "it's looking good for us making the playoffs!"

Today, I even caught myself doing it - something I try to abstain from - when I said "all hopes are permitted since we've won five in the row."

Well now, with tonight's win over the Rangers, "we're" at six!

Ha! I like that "we" thing - it makes me smile. (Like I or you have anything to do with the team we cheer for, other than supporting them, which we don't always do, or do in our own particular way).

So allow me, if you will, to continue in the personal pronoun mode, as our team is discussed along with all the decisions and moves that have been going right of late and translating into wins.

The New York Rangers were advertised in this game as being a desperate team fighting for a playoff spot. In their own building, an unfriendly one at that, they were dominated by the Canadiens, in a game in which the score does not at all reflect the game itself.

On a purely statistical level, Montreal outshot NewYork 35 to 20 and won 57% of the faceoffs at Madison Square. The hit margin of 27 to 24 for the Blueshirts states that Montreal were not physically outduelled in the Ranger's' home rink. Our Canadiens owned a slight edge in blocked shots and takeaways and committed only one turnover (WTF?) to the Rangers' six.

Going further, the Habs fired wide but five times, against 15 Rangers shots going MIA, which testifies perhaps that Montreal's chances weren't as rushed as those of the Blueshirts.

While I do not believe that there is such a thing as a perfect hockey game, this contest marked one of the closest the Canadiens have come this season, especially in a road game.

I used the word "dominant" earlier, perhaps a better term is to say the Canadiens "controlled" the game from start to finish.

I could also infer "puck possession" in attributing the stellar play, but I think that what the Canadiens are doing best falls under "positional poise and awareness," as Montreal more often owned the play rather than the puck itself.

As you may have sensed, this is all leading to appreciation for coach Jacques Martin and his system, which we are finally getting an understanding of, seeing it fully at work. Remember that June 2009 day when then GM Gainey proposed that Martin coached teams that were hard to play against?

Ask the Rangers if the Canadiens were a tough opponent in this one?

It's been hard at times this season, I'll admit, to like Martin and be convinced he was on the right path. Perhaps his statements about seeing the real Canadiens gel in twenty, then fourty games, and finally a definite maybe by season's end, put us all of off.

We've also not appreciated how several players were handled within the contraints of his system, but we've begun to be a forgiving bunch. For now.

We're liking things because everything seems to coming together at once and working as it should within the team scheme. The Canadiens are looking organized for a change, at long last. It's been since the end of the 2007-08 season, since our team has been looking this together. A relief.

So why, we are entitled to ask, haven't the Canadiens been able to get it in gear until now?

I despise the word "excuses." I consider it a blaming term for the less intelligent. There are, however, several good and understandable "reasons" as to why the Canadiens have spit and sputtered until now, all plain as the light of day.

Sometimes it takes seeing things work as they should to understand exactly what is wrong when things function badly.

Injuries (a reason, not an excuse) cause team dysfunction. The absence of a key player or of many players along the way creates all kinds of role disorientation on a team.

Players on a team are like strings on a guitar - one note out of tune makes the whole tempo goes foul. Players are asked to perform unsuitable roles with unsuitable partners, doing things they are ill equiped for, for more or less minutes per game.

That in itself in hockey is not all that uncommon. All NHL teams deal with as much all season long. But as the Canadiens themselves were very much a reconstituted team from the get-go, injuries really threw them for a loop. It took a toll.

Starting at game one, defensive stalwart and offensive quarterback Andrei Markov was gone for half the season.

Brian Gionta, leading the team in goals at the time, missed 21 games.

Andrei Kostitsyn, just as he caught fire was sidelined for 23 games.

Defenseman Hal Gill, crucial to the PK, missed a dozen games.

Marc-Andre Bergeron, crucial to the PP has missed more.

In two separate injuries, Benoit Pouliot missed close to twenty games.

Mike Cammalleri will have missed 15 by the time he returns, hopefully this Saturday.

Center Scott Gomez missed four games but played injured for two weeks.

So did Jaroslav Spacek, who is almost a different player since the Olympic games allowed him to rest up and recoup energy.

Roman Hamrlik and Ryan O' Byrne have missed a half dozen games each with varying bobos.

As stated, it all takes an undeniable toll.

Most teams, having suffering as much, would not likely be sitting sixth in their division at this point in the season, had a whole lot of things not been done right by both the players and the folks in charge.

It's time to own up now, and Bob Gainey, who left the GM job with more than one poisoned dart in his back, and replacement Pierre Gauthier, have done a bang up job keeping this team on the skids. Coach Martin also appears to have not deviated from his vision of the team, despite the numerous forks thrown into his road. All three deserve merit and mea culpas.

So say it!

Lo and behold, there is direction here on this team after all, now that the club seems poised to crawl from the big muddy.

It can be evidenced now, with the return of mostly all injured players, the newly observed committment shown by five man units on the ice, the clearer identity of lines and their better defined job detail. All of this and more, has gone a long ways towards helping the Canadiens accomplish what hadn't been truly been capable of, or was fairly possible, for 65 games.

The Gainey - Gauthier - Martin trio may have tried fan's patience, but many astute moves were theirs.

-- Playing without Andrei Markov for 37 games was akin to playing on a crutch for a team so used to counting on him. Within days of Markov's injury, Marc-Andre Bergeron (Yours truly was skeptical) was signed, assigned to Hamilton for conditioning, and called up. It cost the Canadiens nothing, but his impact, especially on the powerplay, was almost immediate. Consider where the Habs would be without Bergeron's contribution.

-- Guillaume Latendresse was faultering under Martin. The reasons are less important today. Talented but confused, Montreal exchanged prospect problems with Minnesota, (yours truly was pissed), and it paid off at both ends. It was a risky trade, but in the end, a deal of the best kind. Benoit Pouliot arrived in Montreal, welcomed by all Latendresese doubters, and proceded to become the team's third most impactful sniper not named Cammelleri or Andrei Kostitsyn.

-- Sergei Kostitsyn had all the makings of a team problem child. After a disillusioned season carried over into training camp, the Canadiens reacted at the first disgression, sending him to Hamilton (yours truly disagreed) for some head cleansing at the Guy Boucher rinse wash. Sergei grew up, lo and behold, his contribution now a vital part of the Canadiens success of late.

-- The subtraction of the Georges Laraque distraction (yours truly was a cheerleader) has hardly hurt. A fart in the wind now, the move solidified team unity.

-- Replacing "not ready for prime time players Matt D'Agostini and Max Pacioretty with the veteran presences of Dominic Moore and Mathieu Darche, were timely and significant, an d have helped reinforce team depth at the most important time of the season.

-- Lastly, an unproclamated resolving of the number one goaltender non-issue, in which the Habs did not buckle and send a goaltender at the trade deadline, was both wise and visionary. Until the Canadiens know as much of Jaroslav Halak that they do of Carey Price come playoff time, a decison cannot be made in haste. A better resolve will come when more evidence has been presented. (Yours truly sits on the fence, like one who has two gorgeous chicks who put out and refuses to choose!)

-- Honourable mention to Via Rail and Air Canada, in the callup and return of as many as 17 Hamilton Bulldogs in this time. Kudos to whoever is supplying the AAA batteries for the Habs salary cap guru who's calculations have helped make the myriad of callups plausible on a weekly basis.

All of the above is testament to the fact the Canadiens organization has vision and more insight than we often given them credit for. They know gallons more than we.

With a playoff spot looking better and more assured every day, can we Habs' fans be allowed to think and dream beyond?

Let's not go that far, so soon.

But there are several Cup contenders, some great regular season teams, that own some very questionable goaltending.

That is all I will expound upon one playoff credo.

Another has to do with teams who get hot at this time of year, as the playoffs approach.

For the first time this season, I am truly excited and over my head about our team.

I can say it now......"Our Habs!"

What took 'em so damn long!

Moore's Dividends Have Had Their Say In Habs Winning Streak

2010-03-15T15:29:33Z

Alphabetically in Canadiens history, Dominic Moore's surname sits between greats Dickie Moore and Howie Morenz, and that would be where any comparision would slam into a wall. No one is about to confuse the Habs latest acquisition with legends of Canadiens' lore. In time he may have much less in common with alphabetical buddies such as Pete Morin or Dave Morrisette, unless time proves he was simply passing through the Canadiens organization.

Count me in as one who hopes to see more Moore next season, as I find him to be the perfect addition for this team down the middle.

For the time being though, the pre-trade deadline pickup of Moore looks to have been one very asute move by new Canadiens GM Pierre Gauthier, who sought to improve the Habs depth wise rather than with a top end acquisition. Moore, a centerman with a savvy knack on faceoffs, has solidified the team's third line, which gains in confidence with each passing game.

In nine games thus far with Montreal, Moore has potted a pair of goals to go along with seven assists, two coming in Saturday's crucial game against the Bruins. Typical of the player, none of his goals or assists have been of the highlight reel variety, most being the workmanlike efforts of an on the ball and persistent pest.

Moore is the kind of relentless pursuant opponants feel breathing down their necks. Anaheim's Ryan Getlaf could attest to this. Late in the March 7 contest against the Ducks, Getlaf slipped up on a loose puck in the Duck's corner, and before he knew it, Moore had swept in, with one motion feeding the abandonned disc to Brian Gionta, who made no mistake in beating Jonas Hiller. Moore's heads up play keyed the Canadiens comeback.

With out that sort of alertness by Moore, late in a game seemingly lost, the Canadiens are not riding a five game winning streak presently.

Moore's presence on the ice has best been felt by linemates Travis Moen and Sergei Kostitsyn, who is playing his best hockey of the season with three goals in his last two games. Moen ended a 33 game drought against Edmonton, alongside Moore, bringing his season total to 8 goals. Curiously, in many of the plays in which his linemates shine, Moore is out of sight, having done the invisable work away from the plays that often leads to goals at opposite sides and ends.

With speed and tenacity, Moore's best assets, he enables transition from within his own end, often by slowing up opposing centers on the turnaround. If we are seeing Kostitsyn flying up high, it is because Moore is handling the work down low.

Another benefit of the addition of Moore had been the assigning of proper minutes to the remainder of his third and fourth line compatriots. Against Boston on Saturday, Moore played 13:13, Kostitsyn 11:38 and Moen 13:30. The fourth line of Glen Metropolit, Maxim Lapierre and Mathieu Darche all fell into the 11 minute range.

As the playoffs near, the minute distribution becomes a key factor in how coaches can successfully manage their bench. With solidified and defined third and fourth line roles, Habs coach Jacques Martin has more interesting options at hand, while less cold bodies translates into a warmer team on the whole.

It is something everyone concerned can get used to.

Canadiens Magic Number Sits At 8

2010-03-14T08:07:20Z

My prediction, the Canadiens will clinch a playoff spot by the time of March 31 game against the Hurricanes in Montreal. That date is seven games from now, and the Canadiens will then have five remaining games in April in order to jostle for positions six to eight.

Or, perhaps they will be in a fight for first in the Northeast?

As it stands now, the Habs magic number can safely be set at eight, as should they win that many, none of five teams (Rangers, Lightning, Thrashers, Panthers or Hurricanes) chasing them could catch them in the standings.

Looking at the mathematical probabilities should Montreal only manage a .500 record with 6 wins in 12 games, the Rangers, who are currently seven points back, would need to win 12 of their final 14 games to surpass the Canadiens.

Not gonna happen!

Also in the "not going to happen" category is the Lightning, Panthers and Thrashers winning 13 of their final 15, or Carolina winning their final 14 games.

Based on the error margin of the four teams closest to them, any combination of Canadiens wins and losses by those teams adding up to eight will put the Habs in the post season. The teams mentioned will still have diminshing chances of catching the Bruins.

Of course, if the Habs somehow lose all momentum and stink the joint out for 3 or 4 games, then all bets are off.

Interestingly, since the beginning of February, thanks to the Olympic break, the Canadiens have only lost four of their last fourteen games. Just prior to the Olympics, they had sunk as low as 12th, among a cluster of six teams all one point apart.

The Canadiens current winning streak of five has allowed them a cushion from all the games-in-hand that their trailors owned.

They can now begin looking ahead at teams above them rather than behind.

With the Senators loss to Vancouver Saturday night, Ottawa is only three points up on Montreal with one game in hand. Buffalo are up six points on the Canadiens and have three games in hand. Montreal could likely catch Ottawa by staying hot, but Buffalo remains out of reach, unless the Canadiens somehow manage to win both upcoming contests again the Sabres.

Below are the schedules of remaining games for the Canadiens, Senators and Sabres.

Habs and Bruins Set to Duke it Out One Last Time

2010-03-13T15:00:36Z

More photos » Ryan Remiorz - AP

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price stops Boston Bruins Marco Sturm during the first period on Friday, Dec. 4, 2009, in Montreal.

Browse more photos »

The Montreal Canadiens (34-29-6) and Boston Bruins (30-24-12) will meet for the final time in the regular season Saturday night at the Bell Centre.

Montreal has won four of the first five meetings, two in shootouts, with there most recent coming on a 4-1 win in Boston on March 2.

Both teams are in the thick of a multi-team race for the bottom playoff seeds in the Eastern Conference, where 10 points separates sixth from thirteenth. The Canadiens are currently holding on to seventh place, with Boston just two points back in eighth, with three games at hand.

Game time is 7 p.m.

The Canadiens are riding a four-game winning streak, despite playing a relatively weak game Thursday night, edging out the lowly Edmonton Oilers in a 5-4 shootout. Their number two ranked power play went 0 for 7 on the night.

"We're getting a lot of opportunities," said Montreal's Glen Metropolit. "We missed a few chances, but I don't think we're struggling on the power play."

Canadiens coach Jacques Martin had a slightly different take on his teams problems with the man advantage. "I think we gotta make more of an effort at getting pucks at the net, " he said. "Even if you don't get that first shot, rebounds can give more opportunities.We have to be more committed to getting the puck at the net"

The Canadiens offense has started to pick up, led by Scott Gomez ( 8 points in his last 5 GP) , Benoit Pouliot (5pts in 4 GP), Brian Gionta (6pts in 5GP) and Andrei Markov (7pts in 5 GP).

Markov sat out the Canadiens practice on Friday to take a therapy day.

"Everyone's tight down there," said Pouliot on the tight playoff race. "They (Boston) are right the with us, and they are going to come out strong Saturday night."

Expect Carey Price to be between the pipes for the Canadiens on Saturday night. The 22-year old is 3-0, with a 0.97 GAA and .971 SvPct against the Bruins this season.

Mike Cammalleri and Marc-Andre Bergeron remain on the Montreal injured list.

Forward Maxim Lapierre returns from his four-game suspension stemming from a late hit last Thursday against the Sharks, which allows the Canadiens to return Ben Maxwell to the Hamilton Bulldogs.

The Bruins took out their frustrations, after learning that the Penguins Matt Cooke was not suspended for his hit on their team's leading scorer Marc Savard, on the sixth place Flyers with a 5-1 win on Thursday night.

Savard was diagnosed with a grade two concussion Thursday, and is likely out for the season according to Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli.

Chiarelli had a closed-door meeting with his team on Thursday afternoon to discuss the situation with his team.

"It's behind closed doors, so that's between us and him," said Bruins winger Blake Wheeler. "What I can say is that everyone was inspired. He touched on the things that everybody has to take care of. Hearing it from him, it definitely lights a fire."

"It's over and done with, and the league dropped the ball. It's pretty sad," said disgruntled Bruins veteran Mark Recchi on the Savard/Cooke incident on Friday. "He (Cooke) is a repeat offender. "I think it would be very different if Sidney Crosby got hit like that."

The former Canadien sits just one goal behind Hall of Famer Guy Lafleur in career totals with 559.

Recchi (42), along with linemates Patrice Bergeron and Marco Sturm, have picked up the slack in Savard's absence, combining for six points in Thursday's win and 13 points in the last two games.

"It's been a pleasant surprise," Bruins coach Claude Julien said on the veteran's reliable performance. "He's playing on a line that is playing really well in the last few games. He's done a great job of leading by example on and off the ice and it's paid off for us."

Miroslav Satan (groin) did skate on Friday and could be a game-time decision for Boston. Defenceman Andrew Ference is also out with a groin injury and listed as day-to-day.

Tuukka Rask (5-1-0, 2.11 GAA, .938 SvPct in his last six games) should get the start for Boston. Rask recorded a shutout in the Bruins lone win over Montreal this season.

Bruins vs Canadiens coverage

Stanley Cup of Chowder

March 13, 1955: This game would be one of the most infamous in the storied history of the two rivals. It was in this game that Canadiens legend Maurice Richard struck linesman Cliff Thompson. Richard would be suspended for the rest of the season and playoffs, ultimately leading to chaos at the Montreal Forum and in the streets. Ya! The Habs Rule! takes a closer look at that game.

Habs / Bruins video from the 1969-70 Season - An Amazing, Down to the Wire Race

2010-03-13T12:47:55Z

While the Canadiens and the Boston Bruins are battling it out for a playoff spot this season along with other teams in the Eastern Conference, including the New York Rangers - currently on the outside looking in - it was 40 years ago, in the 1969-70 season, that these three teams, along with the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings, were involved in one the fiercest battles for playoff spots in NHL history. Habs fans will surely recall that it all culminated in what is probably the most frustrating and controversial endings to a season the Canadiens have ever endured.

For most of the 1969-70 season, the race was so close in that East Division between five of the original six teams that each of them had a chance to win the division title and, at the same time, was in danger of missing the playoffs.

For the 1969 Stanley Cup champion Canadiens, the scenario of missing the post-season was unimaginable, yet all season long, they never quite hit their stride. Three years ago, this site presented the dramatic story of the final weekend of the season that left the defending Stanley cup champions Habs outside the playoffs for the first time since 1948, even though they had collected 92 points (38-22-16) in a 76 games schedule, more than any of the West Division teams and the most ever at that time for a non-playoff team.

The bizarre ending to the season led to changes in NHL tie-breaking criteria and a division realignment the following season, as two new expansion teams, Buffalo and Vancouver, joined the league.

For the Canadiens and their fans, the storybook Habs Stanley Cup win of 1971 was redemption for the huge disapointment of 1970.

There isn't much video footage that still exists from the Habs' 1969-70 season, but, Boston television has preserved color highlights of Bruins games from that year, including four games against the Canadiens. It probably adds up to a good amount of what is available in terms of vintage Habs footage from that season.

Today, we present to you highlights of three of those games. These precious videos allow us to see many Hall of Fame members from both teams, and some lesser known players.

Of the three game's highlights shown, two were played in Montreal and one in Boston. The dates are November 29th, December 21st and January 31st. At the time of that last game shown, Habs and Bruins were tied for second place in the East division and they would remain tied, as you will see. Of note, the Habs won the season series (3-2-3) against the eventual Stanley cup champions Bruins.

Even though the Habs collected 92 points, their season was marred by injuries and internal problems. A number of games were missed by key players such as Jean Béliveau, Henri Richard, Jean-Claude Tremblay, John Ferguson and Serge Savard, who broke his leg in March. In addition, there were suspensions to Jacques Laperrière and Ferguson, a conflict between coach Claude Ruel and goalie Lorne Worsley (who was traded to Minnesota at the end of February), personal problems that affected the play of Dick Duff (he was traded to Los Angeles at the end of January) and the forced retirement for Gilles Tremblay because of health complications.

Ruel offered his resignation to GM Sam Pollock in February, but he refused it. Of note, that was the final NHL season for Claude Provost and the last season with the Canadiens for Robert Rousseau. On the other hand, three new players, Peter Mahovlich, Réjean Houle and Marc Tardif made their debut with the Canadiens that season.

As for the Bruins, they eventually tied Chicago for first place with 99 points, but the Blackhawks were awarded first place because of more wins. Bobby Orr became the first defenseman in NHL history to win the league scoring championship with a new record for assists with 87 and a total of 120 points. He won the Norris and Hart trophies, as well as the Conn Smythe for playoff MVP.

Watch Orr closely in the vids! To suggest footage of him in these clips are precious is almost an understatement. Bobby was damn good!

1969-70 remains the only season in NHL history that no Canadian teams were involved in the playoffs, as the Toronto Maple Leafs (shocker!) finished last in the East. It was also the last season where home teams wore their colored jerseys until the 2003-04 season.

The video highlites are truly beautiful. A sight to behold. Enjoy!

Video 1 November 29 in Montreal

Video 2 December 21 in Boston

Video 3 January 31 in Montreal

The teams met eight times in the 1969-70 season, one in which the Bruins would go on to win their first Stanley Cup since 1941. As mentioned above, the Canadiens held a 3-2-3 record against the Bruins that season, outscoring them 30-22 over the course of eight games. Here are the boxscores from those games:

Montreal 2 Boston 2 at the Gardens November 23, 1969

Montreal 5 Boston 2 at the Gardens December 21, 1969

Boston 6 Montreal 3 at the Gardens January 18, 1970

Montreal 3 Boston 3 at the Forum January 31, 1970

Boston 2 Montreal 0 at the Gardens March 8, 1970

Montreal 6 Boston 3 at the Forum April 1, 1970

Montreal 2 Boston 2 at the Forum November 29, 1969

Montreal 9 Boston 2 at the Forum on November 1, 1969

Finally, the local papers, days later, still did not quite know what to make of the Canadiens surprise omission from the post-season. Here's a glance at one paper's take.

Habs Battle Oilers to a 5-4 Shootout Win

2010-03-12T03:48:36Z

More photos » Ryan Remiorz - AP

The Canadiens' Travis Moen is congratulated by teammates after scoring against Edmonton Oilers goaltender Devan Dubny during the second period of Montreal's 5-4 shootout win on Thursday night.

Browse more photos »

It took a shootout, but the Montreal Canadiens managed to beat the last place Edmonton Oilers 5-4 Thursday night at the Bell Centre.

Travis Moen and Sergei Kostitsyn had a goal and and assist each from Montreal and Jaroslav Halak made 22 saves for the win.

Oilers rookie netminder Devan Dubnyk made 21 stops, and still remains in search of his first NHL win.

The victory, combined with a Philadelphia Flyers loss to Boston, puts both teams at 74 points. The Flyers hold the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference as they have three games at hand. Boston maintains the eight position with 72 points.

The first ten minutes of the period gave an indication of a wild night on the scoreboard.

Tomas Plekanec whipped his 20th goal of the season past Devan Dubnyk at 1:20. A minute later the Oilers' Robert Nilsson scored a near carbon copy goal, beating Halak.

With Benoit Pouliot serving a holding penalty, Sam Gagner put the Oilers ahead 2-1, at 3:43 on the team's fourth shot of the night from a bad angle.

Brian Gionta closed out the first period scoring, when he deflected in an Andrei Markov shot, at 9:45, to tie the game at two. Four goals for both teams on ten shots.

"No game is easy this time of the year," Gionta said, citing that a win against a team just playing out the season is just as important as one against a playoff contender.

At 15:25 of the second period Kostitsyn and Dominic Moore assisted on Moen's eighth goal of the season. It was the big winger's first goal in 34 games, dating back to December 16, 2009.

Just 32 seconds into the third period, the Oilers' Dustin Penner kept whacking at the puck and Andrew Cogliano finally squeezed it past a stretched out Halak to tie it up.

The Moore line retook the lead for the Canadiens, at 8:05, when Kostitsyn worked his way out of the corner and ripped a wrist shot by Dubnyk, snapping his own eleven-game goal scoring slump.

"It's important to have production from different people," said coach Jacques Martin "Since the Olympics, they (the third and fourth lines) have raised their level of play, and they've contributed."

The lead was short lived, just 1:14, as Shawn Horcoff fired a shot from just inside the blueline that deflected off Jaroslav Spacek and past Halak.

The Canadiens closed out the final period with the man advantage, when the Oilers were caught with seven skaters on the ice. The power play carried into the overtime, where Montreal managed just one shot and even managed to ice the puck. They closed out the night going 0 for 7 with the man advantage.

"We have to play better on the power play," Markov said. "We have to shoot more and stay in front of the net. Sometimes it was a bit fancy, but wehave to score."

Edmonton then had a brief but unsuccessful man advantage, to close out the extra time, when Tomas Plekanec slashed Horcoff.

Shootout:

Plekanec - five hole attempt stopped

Potulny - stopped

Gomez - five hole attempt stopped

Horcoff - stopped

Gionta - five hole attempt stopped

Brule - off Halak's glove and off the post

Pouliot - as CJAD's Murray Wilson said, "Someone change the record" five hole stopped

Nilsson - Had Halak beat but coudn't get puck in

Andrei Kostitsyn - Goal!

Gagner - stopped and 0 for 7 on shootouts

"It's all about luck in shootouts, it's all about 50/50," Halak said. "It was a great great win, even though I didn't play my best, but it happens."

The Canadiens close out their three-game homestand Saturday night when they host the Boston Bruins.

Three Stars: 1. Sergei Kostitsyn 2. Shawn Horcoff 3. Andrei Markov

Oilers vs Canadiens recap

Oilers vs Canadiens boxscore

The Copper & Blue

Habs Look to Extend Winning Streak vs. Oilers

2010-03-11T11:56:16Z

More photos » John Ulan - AP

Browse more photos »

The Montreal Canadiens (33-29-6) will be looking to extend their winning streak to four games as they host the Edmonton Oilers (21-39-6) on Thursday night.

As the Canadiens continue to hold their sixth place position in the Eastern Conference by a mere two points, the Oilers are just looking out their dismal season that sees them dead last in the league overall.

A win for Montreal would match their season high win streak mark of four games, which they have done twice this season.

This will be the second, and final meeting between the two teams this season. The Oilers won the first game at Rexall Place by a 3-2 decision.

Puck drop is at 7:00 EST

Montreal comes into the game after a convincing 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday. Scott Gomez had a goal and two assists in that game, and has eight points in the last four games for Montreal.

Jaroslav Halak, should get the start again after getting his first full day off from hockey and extended travel since February 8. Halak is 2-0 with a 1.73 GAA and .942 SvPct since reliving Carey Price in the second period of the Habs 4-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks.

Many feel that Halak needs to be the go to goalie for the Canadiens down the stretch. Longtime Canadiens writer Red Fisher is the latest to agree.

The Canadiens took Wednesday off, so expect to see the same lineup from Tuesday. Coach Jacques Martin ran the same line combinations during the Thursday morning skate.

Edmonton played a miserable game Tuesday, losing 4-1 to the Ottawa Senators, spending most of the game in their own zone, and have just four goals in regulation in their last three games.

The Oilers, beleaguered by injuries all season, found their problems get worse before and after the trade deadline. They lost defenseman Sheldon Souray for the season right on deadline day. The veteran rearguard, and subject of many trade rumours leading up to March 3, was diagnosed with an infection in his hand after surgery to repair a broken bone received in a pre-Olympic fight with the Flames Jarome Iginla.

They then lost blueliner Ladislav Smid, who will require neck surgery and is out for the season, and forward Ryan Jones (knee), this past weekend.

To top it off, left winger Patrick O'Sullivan left Tuesday's game with a hand injury and did not return.

With all the injuries continuing to mount, Edmonton recalled forward Chris Minard from the Springfield Falcons (AHL) on Wednesday.

If injury problems were not enough in Edmonton, the recent DUI charges against injured goalie Nikolai Khabibulin have also added to the teams woes. Khabibulin spoke to the media briefly on Tuesday. While advised by council not to talk about the pending court hearings, he did talk on his frustration of missing most the the 2009-10 season.

"It's not fun to rehab most of the time," he said. "Hockey is what I love to do. With the team being in last place, it's never fun."

Despite the lone bright spot in Quebec-born goaltender Jeff Drouin-DesLauriers (2-1-0, 1.62, .944 in last 3 GP), rookie Devan Dubnyk will get the start for Edmonton. Dubnyk is still seeking his first NHL win this season.

La Presse's Marc Antoine Godin has some reaction from DesLauriers on his disappointment, and understanding, in not getting the start against his home province crowd. (Note: Google Translation)

Oilers vs Canadiens coverage

The Copper & Blue

A little Habs history:

Canadiens HOFer and former captain Sprague Cleghorn was born on this day in 1890.

Thousands gather at the funeral for Habs legend Howie Morenz on March 11, 1937.

Gerry McNeil earned his first NHL shutout on this day in 1950.

Halak Finally Gets his Chance vs Lightning

2010-03-10T00:20:17Z

More photos » Chris O'Meara - AP

Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Antero Nittymaki gets the start Tuesday night against Jaroslav Halak and the Montreal Canadiens

Browse more photos »

For the first time in his career, Jaroslav Halak will get a start for the Montreal Canadiens (32-29-6) against the Tampa Bay Lightning (27-26-11) on Tuesday night.

The Lightning have owned the season series against the Canadiens, with their latest coming from a 3-0 win on Jan 27. Tampa Bay is 5-0-3 in their last eight meetings with Montreal.

The Canadiens hold continue to hold on to sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings, while the Lightning sit in 11th place, just four points back of 8th place Boston.

Game time is 7:30pm at the Bell Centre.

Halak's 21-save relief appearance was the catalyst in the Canadiens 4-3 come-from-behind shootout win Sunday night in Anaheim to rake in six points on their four-game road trip.

Before the game, Halak will be presented with the Molson Cup segment for January/February. The netminder also won it for the December segment.

Paul Mara (upper body), Michael Cammalleri (MCL) and Marc-Andre Bergereon (knee) remain on the injury shelf. THe latter two did skate Tuesday morning before the team skate. Cammalleri could return as early as March 20th and on his Twitter feed figures one to two weeks.

Look for a lifestyle feature on Cammalleri by Elliotte Friedman on Hockey Night in Canada this Saturday.

Tampa snapped a five-game losing streak on Saturday night with a 6-2 win over the Atlanta Thrashers.

Steven Stamkos has been on for for the Bolts, riding a 16-game scoring streak in which he has racked up 15 goals and 14 assists. Stamkos leads Tampa with 40 goals and is on pace to pass 50.

"It's definitely reachable, the way things are going," said the Lightning center. "It's definitely in the back of my mind. It would be special."

"This streak that he's on shows he's mature," Lightning head coach Rick Tocchet said.

"He's not full of himself. His professionalism is something he's picked up a lot quicker than most 19- and 20-year-olds. He just does everything right. He's a pleasure to coach."

Stamkos may posses one of the hardest shots in the league, as two panes of Bell Centre glass can attest to at Tuesday's morning skate.

"I've never done anything like that before," Stamkos said. "I was working on the one-timer and missed the net and broke two pieces of glass."

While Stamkos, Vincent LeCavalier and Martin St. Louis are typically the go to guys on Tampa's offence, Steve Downie silently has a 10-game streak with 5 goals and 8 assists.

On the injury front, defenseman David Hale is out with a broken leg, Zenon Konopka has back spasms and LW Ryan Malone is out with a upper-body injury. St. Louis (78pts, 6 assists in last 3 games) was deemed questionable, but is expected to start after taking a therapy day on Monday.

Anterro Niittymaki will get the start in goal for Tampa Bay.

Lightning vs Canadiens coverage

Raw Charge

Insane Comback Against Ducks Places Habs On The Playoff Path

2010-03-08T05:16:17Z

More photos » Alex Gallardo - AP

13 days ago: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Roman Hamrlik, right, of Czech Republic, celebrates with center Tomas Plekanec (14), of the Czech Republic, after Plekanec scored the winning goal in a shootout during an NHL hockey game Sunday, March 7, 2010, in Anaheim, Calif. Montreal won 4-3. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

Browse more photos »

Fifteen regular season games to go folks, before the real season begins. Should the Canadiens keep finding ways to win like they did in Anaheim Sunday night, they wil be part of them.

Consider that the Habs were down by three after a period and needed a pair of goals in the final two minutes to tie. With Jaroslav Halak pulled for a sixth attacker and Andrei Markov picking his glove off the ice after being whacked on the wrist by Corey Perry, Bobby Ryan hits the post on the open net. The play turns up ice and who should score but Markov.

After five minutes of overtime, the game heads to a shootout. Anaheim has a one goal lead when Sniper Teemu Selanne shoots over the crossbar. Now all Ducks' goalie Jonas Hiller needs to do is stop Brian Gionta. Hiller makes the save, but loses sight of the puck which is trapped under his arm. He slides backwards over the goal line, and the puck drops into the net. The play is reviewed and the goal counts.

With the shootout tied, everyone in the world figured that Ducks coach Randy Carlyle would send out former Canadiens captain Saku Koivu, a shootout natural if there ever was one. But no, Carlyle deduces that the man for the situation is not Koivu, nor Ryan, but defenseman James Wisniewski, who has all of three goals this season.

What on God's earth was going through Carlyle's mind?

With the win, the Canadiens jump back into seventh place, one point up on the Boston Bruins who have three games in hand. By taking six of a possible eight points on the road trip, the Habs have placed destiny in their own hands going into the final sprint.

The Rangers, in ninth place with 67 points, cannot catch the Canadiens by winning their game in hand. The tenth place Thrashers would need to win two of three games in hand to equal Montreal, who would then still have more wins. This coming week, the Habs play the Lightning, Oilers and Bruins, and it present s a golden opportunity for them to create some cushion room down the stretch.

As it stands, Montreal has the least amount of games left to play at fifteen among teams fighting for playoff spots. Nine of those games are at home and six are on the road. Additionally, only five (Sabres twice, Senators, Flyers and Devils) of those fifteen games are against teams above them in the overall standings. The Canadiens final three games are against the Eastern Conference's bottom three clubs, the Hurricanes, Islanders and Maple Leafs.

Could they ask for better?

By all calculations, Montreal would need between 87 and 89 points to qualify for the post season, which means that should they win nine of fifteen they should make it in. All they essentially have to do is beat the teams they should.

If only it were that easy!

Canadiens Hang On To Beat Kings

2010-03-07T08:37:41Z

What began in San Jose continued in Los Angeles to a certain extent. The Canadiens were up against a physical club ready to make them pay for every inch of ice. Win or lose, hard hitting, fast skating teams bring out the best in the Habs. With a playoff spot on the line, they should be welcoming such challenges, as it will season them perfectly for what is to come in the final 16 games, and hopefully beyond.

When suggesting that an equal mindset continued on to L.A., it should be noted that the Canadiens were in command of the Sharks contest two nights earlier, for large chunks of the game, carrying the lead until the dying minutes.

Against the Kings, a similar scenario looked to be playing out.

Early in the game, the Canadiens were so hungry in their puck pursuit, it looked as though they were gunning with a two man forecheck. That is hardly their usual approach. It's smart use of team speed if you ask me, and my preferred way of taking on a heady foe. On the road, a team must acclimate itself to a rival, as it is difficult to enforce one's system against a team that owns the last line change.

In other words, it's no time to be a fox in the den of lions.

On that note, the Habs would have been red meat in both games had they not scored the first goal, which they accomplished both times. Considering that the Canadiens are not only on the road, but in a western California swing, out of their time zone, after an Olympic layoff, and facing two of the top six teams in the NHL without their leading goal scorer, it should be underlined that this club's desire to win is unquestionable.

Scoring in the first minute of the game in L.A. is testament to that notion.

Now the similarities in both games played on until late in the Kings contest, and I wouldn't dare suggest that it was the Habs who made the difference. Just like the game before, they hung on for dear life as the game wound down. The Kings, after a certain time, were all over Montreal, just as the Sharks were two nights earlier. The Habs gave it all they had, but the difference maker might have been that the Kings just don't have the offensive thrust, potency and accuracy that the Sharks own.

After the Canadiens had made it a 3-1 game, seconds into the third, they laid back, and although it was said on RDS that the Kings went ten minutes without a shot, the Canadiens allowed their adversaries to tilt the rink their way.

It was inevitable then, given the Kings assets, that they would reduce the margin, which they did six minutes later. Michael Handzus duplicated Anze Kopitar's earlier goal, by muscling straight into the Canadiens crease practically unchallenged, before feeding off to Fredrik Modin, to make it 3-2.

Scary, that on both Kings goals, players were allowed to walk right in.

At this point in the game, don't you wish that Jacques Martin would call a timeout at the appropriate time one of these days?

Maybe you're like me, cause all I'm thinking here is "settle the troops, calm the nerves", but "no", good ol' placid Jacques lets it go, and I'm shittin' thinkin' that "lose this game, and the playoffs are toast."

When it was all said and done, maybe Martin understood that he was coaching against the equally easily unnerved Terry Murray, who yanked goalie Jonathan Quick without the benefit of Kings puck possession in the Habs' end. Quick sat on pine for all of 19 seconds before the Canadiens were lured like a magnet to the Kings' open net.

When it comes to playing with the lead against strongs clubs, how is it that the Habs can practice this? It just don't happen often enough.

Some thinkings thought by me during this game

I do not see a tiring Tomas Plekanec at all, as many do. What I see are teams league wide being more aware of what Plekanec can do, and hence paying more attention to him.

Plekanec is not a 30 goal scorer. Never will be. He's a puck mover and a playmaker, with an eye on his responsabilities at both ends. One way the league is learning to neutralize him is to take away his wingers. What we are seeing and realizing perhaps, is that the Kostitsyn brothers aren't as good at hitting open spaces with stride and speed, as Mike Cammalleri does.

One last thing on Plekanec. On his empty netter that sealed the win, he had every right to celebrate the goal jubilantly. He didn't. He simply pointed over to Sergei Kostitsyn, with who he worked a perfect give and go. No fist pump. No stick raised. Not a trace of ego. Just a player's player, a teammated and leader, showing respect.

More for Moore

Dominic Moore, still think that Gauthier paid too high a price for him with a second rounder? Ask again, after he resigns with Montreal and plays another season. This guy is good.

The umpteenth re-evaluation of the Gomez trade

I've long sat on the fence as far as the Gomez trade goes, and my butt don't take kindly to barbed wire. There are games when I like this Gainey deal more than others.

With Plekanec, Gomez gives the Habs two potential centers who can notch 40 assists. Add in that Christopher Higgins has been dispatched to Calgary, and that Tom Pyatt acquired in the same deal is making an NHL contribution, and the trade is all win/win for the Habs so far.

Now that Gomez salary is a whole other gumbo.

Benny worth every penny

Benoit Pouliot scored his 13th goal in 23 games with the Canadiens since being traded for Minnesota for Guillaume Latendresse. Pouliot has missed some games due to injury, but in my mathematics, his scoring ratio is on par with a 46 goal season.

Yes, grab that calculator!

Everytime Pouliot scores a goal, his future bankers drool, because he ought to hit a handsome payday, if not this summer, then the one following. He'll be worth it.

This summer, if I am Pierre Gauthier, I offer him a five year, fifteen million dollar deal. Am I nuts, or is Benny crazy not to jump at it. Again, if I'm Pierre, I roll that dice.

Halak worth as many pennies as Rinne?

Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne has fashioned a 52-28-8 record since 2005-06, on what could be fairly termed, as defensive team. In a parallel time span, Jaroslav Halak has posted comparative numbers (47-31-4 since 2006-07) with the Canadiens.

Why I bring this up, is because Halak can take his contract offer to arbitration this summer. Rinne has recently signed a deal paying him $3.4M over the next two seasons.

Halak will argue, and likely win, that he is worth as much.

Carey Price's entry level contract also expires this summer, but he is one contract away from qualifying for arbitration.

If you believe that the Canadiens can continue on with two "goalies of the future" into next season, I sincerely hope the one you like, won't be the one you miss.

With both Plekanec and Pouliot due well deserved raises, and with a salary cap destined to shrink, one goalie is a definite goner.

A shame, really!

The Lapierre 4 game suspension and the continued pussification of hockey

Before you jump all over me on this, consider what is and isn't a hockey play.

A winger (Maxim Lapierre) is in pursuit of another winger (Scott Nichol), who is on a breakaway. The pursuant is by reknown, more fleet of foot and stride than the player being chased. The goaltender makes the save on the play, but the rebound redirects straight up into the air. The attacker (Nichol), unnacustomed as he is to breakaways, slows, and attempts to bat the descending puck at the right edge of the crease. The pursuant Lapierre, a step or more behind Nichol, makes an instinctive hockey play, by crosschecking Nichol from the area. Replays show that Nichol was already off balance by the time Lapierre gave him the stick shove. It is also apparent that Lapierre was in the final extensions of a crosschecking motion, when he made contact with an already off balance Nichol.

With an official in view of the entire play at the goal line, a penalty was not called on Lapierre.

Furthermore, a scrum ensued, without a San Jose soul going after Lapierre.

Meanwhile, Sharks players directed themselves towards Abdrei Markov

I say pussification because the NHL is so intent to cover their tails, they penalize and suspend based on the result, moreso than the actual play itself. Scott Nichol did his best Mike Ribeiro immitation after playing up the injury. Like Nichol entering the scrum, after looking like at stretcher case for a few seconds, then rising to be a scrum participant, didn't give the lark away from the get go.

It was a hockey play, nothing more, nothing less, in the heat of action and reaction, that deserved at best a two minute minor. Four games, is nothing more than the NHL disciplinarians trying to convince bleeding hearts that they are on their side.

Valiant Effort Falls Short, As Habs Lose 3-2 To Sharks

2010-03-05T06:48:12Z

The Canadiens started the game against the Sharks in ninth place in the Eastern Conference. That, after beating Boston Tuesday, to move into seventh with 66 point. On Thursday, wins by Atlanta and Boston, and an overtime loss by the Rangers created a cluster from seventh to tenth, with the Bruins at 67 points and the other three at 66.

The Canadiens will need to win 11 of 18 remaining games to give them 88 points, a likely mark to reach the post season. After the Sharks game, the Canadiens have 17 games remaining, including nine at home (Lightning, Oilers, Bruins, Senators, Panthers, Devils, Hurricanes, Sabres and Maple Leafs) and eight on the road ( Kings, Ducks, Rangers, Leafs, Sabres, Flyers, Islanders and Hurricanes).

The scenario made it imperative that the Canadiens come away with two points against San Jose, and they came prepared to battle with one of the league's best.

Notice that the Habs have started growing their playoff beards early?

The razor's edge might have been left behind, but the right edge, that of an ill mood, a bristling attitude and proud defiance was present aplenty.

It was personified in the play of goalie Carey Price and forwards Tomas Plekanec and Benoit Pouliot, who weren't about to be too impressed to be playing the elite Sharks.

It was the type of game one wishes the players were miked live, as the Canadiens were surely saying and doing things to get under the Sharks player's skins.

The Canadiens started off on the right note with a Brian Gionta goal at 10:20, and the teams played evenly in the first period, with San Jose outshooting Montreal by 15-11 margin.

A key point in the game came in the first minute of play, immediately after a power play lapse that allowed the Sharks Patrick Marleau to knot the game at one with a shorthanded goal. On the play, Habs defenseman Jaroslav Spacek took his sweet time pursuing a check along the boards, and his hesitance left the slot uncovered. Marleau's shot was deflected by a late-to-arrive Spacek, giving Price no chance on the play.

The game remained tied for all of 1:13, as a Scott Gomez pass redirected off a Sharks defender to restore the Canadiens lead.

The remainder of the middle frame was a treat for those who like their hockey on the nasty side. Nine minor penalties do not begin to tell the tale. The Sharks may have heard that the Canadiens often turn soft when bullied, but on this night, the Habs responded and administered as good as they were given.

With the Sharks gaining the edge in play, Price took over, offering one of his most solid periods in a good while. He made several astounding saves, even stopping the Sharks Dan Boyle on a penalty shot.

The second was filled with all sorts of shenanigans. A Plekanec hip check gone astray raised the ire of Sharks players, who hunted him down the rest of the way.

The third period picked up somewhat where the second left off. A cross check from Maxim Lapierre to the back of Scott Nichol after a scoring chance maintained the on ice vinegar level. Dominic Moore, minutes later took a bite out of the Sharks crossbar that also went unpenalized.

The Canadiens mission to frustrate and annoy had kept them ahead up to this point. They had won puck battles and generally played with elbows extended, but almost like an unconfidence reflex, they began sitting back. The Sharks took the play to them, and the rink soon seemed to be tilted towards the Canadiens end.

You could almost sense what was coming next. Further bottled up in their own zone, the Canadiens were pinned in by the Sharks for the majority of the next 90 seconds. Ultimately, it lead to defenseman Roman Hamrlik taken an uneccessarily hooking call on Ryan Clowe. On the replay, the foul looks to be nothing but one of many, completely ignorable penalty along the boards in this game. Hamrlik did nothing more than clamp his stick over Clowe's in a battle for possession of the puck.

The man advantage was all San Jose needed to begin wrestling control of the game away from Montreal. On the ensuing powerplay, Dany Heatley redirected a point shot past Price to make the score 2-2.

Moments after the goal, Andrei and Sergei Kostitsyn, accompanied by Hamrlik, broke in three on one, with Sergei flubbing a chance to put Montreal back ahead, the pass coming from his brother off his skate.

One team's misfortune is another team's break, as it often goes. Shortly after the Canadiens glorious chance passed, the underrated Manny Malhotra put the Sharks up for good, beating Price to make it 3-2.

In the fading minutes, the Canadiens had their chances, as Glen Metropolit hit the post short side on Evgeni Nabokov.

With Price set to be pulled for an extra attacker, Andrei Markov was bltantly tripped in a play along the boards. After the similar and dubious Hamrlik call, imagine RDS's Benoit Brunet being a little more than beside himself at this non-call.

The game ended with a brief flurry around the San Jose net, with Pouliot getting a backhand chance away with mere ticks left on the clock.

The Canadiens will surely take something from the effort, althought it fell short. What they had needed to take was two badly needed points.

They might not want to shave those beards or raze that edge before hitting Los Angeles and Anaheim before the weekend is out.

Habs California trip will be no holiday

2010-03-05T00:25:56Z

Maxim Lapierre (l) will be looking to shut down Joe Thornton and the San Jose Sharks Thursday night. - AP Photo

View full size photo »

Here's hoping that the Montreal Canadiens (30-28-6) aren't paying attention to those celebrity-infused California tourism commercials, because the next three games in four days will be no vacation.

The Canadiens open up their three-game Golden State swing with a stop in San Jose tonight against the Western Conference leading Sharks (40-14-9). They will play a pair of back-to-back games over the weekend against the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks.

Last season, behind the goaltending of Jaroslav Halak, Montreal surprised the Sharks with a 3-2 home victory. This time around Carey Price will get the call in goal. Coach Jacques Martin is making no roster changes from Tuesday's lineup, with the exception of healthy scratch Matt D'Agostini who was traded late Tuesday night.

The Canadiens are a lifetime 4-5-2 in San Jose, with their last win coming in a 3-2 overtime win on November 23, 1999.

Game time is at 10:30 EST

The Sharks have lost their last two games, prompting coach Todd McLellan to break up the Olympic line of Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Dany Heatley. Devin Setoguchi, who had two goals in the Sharks last losing effort, moves up to the first line.

Projected lineups for San Jose:

Forwards

Heatley-Thornton-Setoguchi

Malhotra-Marleau-Pavelski

Clowe-Nichol-McGinn

Staubitz-Mitchell-Ortmeyer

Defense Pairings: Boyle-Wallin, Murray-Blake, Huskins-Leach

Goal: Nabokov

San Jose made no moves at the trade deadline, standing pat with the team and depth they have to carry them into the playoffs. They did make one move on Wednesday, sending C Dwight Helminen and D Jason Demersback to the minors.

Their lone injury is defenceman Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who is out with a knee injury.

There will also be a familiar face in the San Jose lineup for Habs fans in the form of defenceman Jay Leach. The journeyman rearguard played seven games for the Canadiens earlier this season, while the team was riddled with injuries, before going back on waivers. Leach has one assist with the Sharks in 20 games.

It will also be an exciting evening for Sharks center Torrey Mitchell, who grew up in Montreal. The third-year forward shared his experiences of growing up a Canadiens fan with the San Jose Mercury-News.

Mitchell said he usually went to a couple games a year at the Montreal Forum growing up and remembered one time when his family filled the four seats between the two benches right on the ice. He was maybe 10 at the time and got chastised by a security guard for reaching up to give Patrick Roy a pat on the back as he skated onto the ice at one point.
Mitchell also recalled being there for a morning skate when Saku Koivu was injured and sitting in the stands. Nervously, he approached Koivu and came away with an autograph.

Halak unhappy?: According to a tweet from the La Presse's Marc Antoine Godin: "Jaro Halak is almost back to square one after Vancouver & trade deadline. You can tell he's not too happy. http://bit.ly/aJGtep (in French)"

Just be careful how you read this, as Halak refers to his last NHL performance against the Philadelphia as not feeling like a number one goalie. His reference to still not feeling like a number one is a result of his disappointment in Slovakia's finish at the Olympics.

Canadiens vs Sharks coverage

Canadiens vs Sharks preview

Fear The Fin

The Juice on Newest Habs' Prospect Aaron Palushaj

2010-03-04T20:02:23Z

Late Tuesday evening when news broke that the Canadiens had traded forward Matt D' Agostini to St. Louis for prospect Aaron Palushaj, the first thing that likely went through every fan's mind was - "Who?"

By now we've all learned that Palushaj was drafted (second-round pick, 44th overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft) the same season as Max Pacioretty, who he played with the following year at the U of Michigan. He played in the AHL this season with the Blues affiliate Peoria Rivermen and is by all means an offensive forward with untapped talent, a bit on the small side.

He is said to have had an impressive training camp with the Blues this past September, a foot laceration in October and a high ankle sprain last month have slowed his progress this season. In 44 games for the Rivermen, Palushaj has a deceiving 5 goals and 17 assists, not including scoring five shootout goals in eight chances. in 2009, Palushaj played on Team USA for the U-20 World Junior Championship in 2009.

"To be honest, I don’t know why they dealt me, but it means another team wanted me so that’s a good thing. D’Agostini is a good NHL player, so it’s an honor to be traded for him. Hopefully, I can get to Hamilton and help that team keep winning, and eventually earn a chance with Montreal."

"I had ups and downs, had a few injuries, but I was coming along," Palushaj said. "It’s tough to judge where I was at, but I can’t do any more than give my best effort every game.

"I’m not disappointed with this trade. I’m looking at it as a new opportunity for me, and I wish the Rivermen and Blues the best."

For more on Palushaj, check out these links from Bluenote Zone (off season interview),Michigan Daily, Canoe, Hockey Future and others.

In an interview on Wednesday, Canadiens GM Pierre Gauthier admitted that the Canadiens have had their eyes on Palushaj for quite some time.

"He's a young player who played at the University of Michigan at the same time as max Pacioretty. He's a good offensive player, very strong from the blue line in. He works hard in the corners, comes up with the puck and has good hands around the net."

"Our scouts, particularly the amateur scouts in our organization had seen him play before the draft and thereafter at the University of Michigan. As well, our pro scouts had noticed him this season. There was a great of of support in the organization in going after this player."

Dave Eminian from the Peoria Journal Star spoke to Palushaj yesterday.

"Absolutely, I was surprised by this (trade)," said Palushaj late Tuesday. "I’m a young guy, watching other guys get traded, never thought I’d be one of them at this stage of my career.

Goodbye Dagger

2010-03-03T08:23:58Z

It looks like another former Habs prospect is on the move.

TSN has announced that Matt D'Agostini was traded to the St. Louis Blues for prospect Aaron Palushaj. After the jump, there's a short breakdown on the deal.

It seems unlikely that Pierre Gauthier will attempt anything major before the deadline, but it's apparent he felt he'd seen enough of Matt D'Agostini. Matty started out as a promising winger, but never seemed to develop a consistent scoring touch with the big club. Given the number of veteran wingers, and his declining value as a prospect in light of the play by Ryan White, Tom Pyatt, David Desharnais and Brock Trotter, there was simply little role for D'Agostini to fill beyond that of a skilled farmhand.

In return, we'll be getting a younger prospect in Aaron Palushaj. Though he was a prolific scorer in college and the USHL, he seems to be having some trouble adjusting to the AHL. Through 44 games this year, he`s netted five goals and 17 assists, though to be fair, its on a bad Peoria team. A change of scenery could be beneficial.

Newly minted Hab Aaron Palushaj, while playing for Michigan:

via farm4.static.flickr.com

All in all, a minor deal, though with an upside from the Habs perspective. Palushaj could benefit tremendously, going from a last-place team to the first place Hamilton Bulldogs. Reviewing his bio at hockeysfuture.com, he seems to be a player with a solid overall game, a nose for the net, and a willingness to drive to the corners. Hopefully he'll thrive with the other young forwards already mentioned.

As for Matty, its disappointing to see him leave town like this. At one time, he seemed to be the energetic young winger who could add a spark to the team. However, he never seemed to find a good role with the Habs: not gritty enough to be a checker, but not consistent enough to play on the top lines. This season has been one to forget. He seemed to be getting increasingly frustrated, and his window of opportunity in Montreal was closing daily. All the best to him in St. Louis.

One final bit, which I'd like to open up for debate: what does this constant exodus speak of our development program? Is it working, and some players just haven't found a good fit? Or does there need to be some serious rethinking of player development and drafting?

A pic of Dagger, back in happier times:

via images.tsn.ca

Habs Fans and Pierre Gauthier - No Time To Get Caught Up In The Trade Deadline Day Delusion

2010-03-03T06:58:44Z

And so, we are at that always anticipated time of year when the easily deluded or the blissfully hopeful sit around TV sets, near to radios or spend anxious minutes texting buddies from work, all to find out the precious details of deals going down on NHL Trade Deadline Day.

This is where the seconds guessers, the Monday morning quarterbacks and the eternally speculative get to rip their individual team GM's over what they did and didn't do without factually knowing what was tried and attempted.

Call it a know-it-all's exercise in hyperbole, as the day often reaches ridiculous intentional exaggeration. Cue Pierre Maguire to Bob McKenzie....

"Bob, I have it on good authority, with three confirmed sources stating that the Bluejackets are dangling Grant Clitsome and a seventh rounder to Tampa Bay for Luca Cunti."

"It's almost a done deal, Pierre. Darren Dreger has been all over this potential deal all morning. He'll have a report shortly, as soon as it finalized. I spoke to one pro scout several days ago, and Clitsome was almost moved to the Wild before they resigned Marek Zidlicky."

Yup, you'll get lots of that today, right up until three o'clock.

If you're looking for a reality check on the Canadiens present day trade scenario, skip and scroll to the bottom of this post.

I remember in 2002 at the trade deadline, being at work, and making innmerable trips into co-worker Peter Clouthier's office for trade updates. Pete was, and is a Bruins fan, played on a team with Ray Sheppard growing up, and at the time, coached my daughter's hockey team. Pete knew his stuff, and was the only guy in the plant that I knew for sure would be logged into TSN all day, on trade deadline day.

About twenty to three that day, I was about 30 feet from his office door when he motioned to me.

"Habs picked up a useful player, for them", Pete said.

I looked at the screen. "Canadiens claim forward Bill Lindsay off waivers from Florida Panthers."

The worst part - I liked Lindsay and was excited. Pete laughed. I laughed when they beat the Bruins a month later.

Almost two years to the day, same workplace, same dude's comp, same scenario, same last laugh.

"Canadiens acquire forward Jim Dowd from Minnesota Wild for 4th round pick in 2004."

Egads! I liked that deal then too! The Habs in the post season made the Bruins their bitches once more. Who knew?

The NHL Trade Deadline?

Hype to the max.

So this is where teams win Stanley Cups, right?

Well, sometimes....with one in sixteen odds, and immeasurable shit luck!

Dozens of brilliant moves - believe it - are made on this day, but only one team's name gets scrawled into the mug each year. We forget everything else.

In hindsight, it is a lot more like: "This is where any of 29 teams mortage their futures for a longshot chance at winning a Stanley Cup."

But that in short is Trade Deadline Day. It's where the lottery ticket buyer meets the swampland real estate salesmen. Buyer beware!

We can all admit, us hockey fans are kids in candy store on deadline day, epecially post 2005 CBA, wherein more deals are made at this time than all season taken together. There will be two dozen trade made in the next few hours, and most of them will excite despite their certain future triviality.

There's an old cliche, and ain't bullshit. "Some of the best trades are the ones they didn't make."

First time I heard that one, my witty was, "Well, you don't know until you don't make them!"

Now, a new GM like Pierre Gauthier for the Habs?

I'm not dreaming of what deals he'll yank out of his rabbit's hat. I'm fearing the ones he may make.

Or, should that be, a fear of the ones he doesn't make?

Sadly, I will miss out this year's trade deadline phenomenon. I'll be listening to reports from a car radio, envisioning all the pandemonium.

Pierre Gauthier, in his first apperance as Habs GM on Trade Deadline Day, is practically destined to stink and find disfavor should he not pull off the absolute trade heist of the millenium.

Think about it.

He's damned if he budges and damned if he don't in Montreal.

Want an example, a scoop of such ridiculousness? Lend an ear to any Montreal radio talk show about now, or find some half wit message board, and you will read somewhere, that Gauthier totally blew it when:

a) he didn't acquire Alexei Ponikarovsky, dirt cheap

b) he did not land tough guy Antun Voros, off waivers

c) he failed to properly assess the Habs need for Nick Boynton

d) we could have had Jordan Leopold, Olli Jokinen, Andy Sutton, etc for a song, and any other perceived retread that makes the Habs contenders.

Doing something on deadline day is often about how little is done, and Gauthier cannot win either way. He will be ripped, second guessed, carved up, insulted and qualified in diminishing terms whether he acts to move or stand.

And all this vitriol because.....ah yes, the Habs have to win the Cup!

Like that date with destiny has been cleared on a schedule!

Personally, I highly doubt that Gauthier goes for a master brush stroke this time out. I think that whatever moves he makes are to sustain a team that has fringe playoff hopes

That would be sensible, and in Montreal, it will cause the usual uproar and frenzy.

Gauthier's best moves will be best judged years from now, and my guess is that much of what is done today will be regard to what needs to fixed for 2010-11.

Such might mean being a reluctant seller when wanting to be a buyer, but get real folks. The Habs are not poised to win the Stanley Cup this spring.

And if Gauthier is not already looking past that, he is failing us all.

UPDATE 1: Canadiens trade F Matt Dagostini to St Louis for F Aaron Palushaj.

Inventory Check: Pillars on Defense

2010-03-02T20:43:22Z

More photos » Graham Hughes - AP

Nice line matching, Jacques. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Graham Hughes)

Browse more photos »

In this feature, we’ll examine Montreal’s strengths and weaknesses as a roster going forward. In one sense, this can be viewed as what exactly former General Manager Bob Gainey left behind for his successor, Pierre Gauthier. In a more immediate sense, it examines what Gauthier might do at the NHL trading deadline. This article will focus on Montreal’s defensemen.

In stark contrast to the group of centres and wingers, Montreal’s defensemen have size, limited mobility, and are generally an older group. Perhaps that is why "pillars" is a fitting description. Not surprisingly, the team’s younger legs have stepped up this year, and a youth movement seems imminent. But how can a youth movement be set in motion? Six of the team’s top seven defensemen are signed through this off-season.

Go long, guys! You know it's going to be the Hail Mary! via www.mikelynaugh.com

Name	Cap Hit	FA	L/R	GP	G	A	P	PIM	P/-	TOI/G	SPCT	ESP	PPP	CORSI	QCOMP
Andrei Markov	$5,750,000	2011	L	26	3	15	18	12	1	24:22	5.8%	7	11	4.9	0.153
Roman Hamrlik	$5,500,000	2011	L	56	6	19	25	46	-5	23:39	7.3%	15	9	4.1	0.075
Jaroslav Spacek	$3,833,333	2012	L	58	3	16	19	44	6	22:03	3.8%	13	5	3.3	0.067
Josh Gorges	$1,100,000	2011	L	63	3	5	8	37	3	21:16	7.3%	6	2	-4.8	0.034
Paul Mara	$1,600,000	2010	L	42	0	8	8	48	-16	18:43	0.0%	4	4	-9.4	-0.079
Hal Gill	$2,250,000	2011	L	49	2	5	7	55	-6	18:34	5.7%	7	0	-8.6	-0.043
Ryan O'Byrne	$941,667	2011	R	36	0	2	2	57	-6	15:21	0.0%	2	0	-1.5	-0.035
Marc-André Bergeron	$750,000	2010	L	51	10	18	28	14	-11	14:45	10.3%	8	20	3.6	-0.092
P.K. Subban	$875,000	2012	R	2	0	2	2	2	1	20:06	0.0%	1	1	30.5	-0.236
Mathieu Carle	$850,000	2010	R	3	0	0	0	4	1	14:28	0.0%	0	0	9.8	-0.199
Yannick Weber	$875,000	2011	R	5	0	0	0	4	-5	13:52	0.0%	0	0	7.8	-0.006
Shawn Belle	$600,000	2010	L	2	0	0	0	0	-2	10:38	0.0%	0	0	-26.0	-0.258

Despite looking like he was still labouring from the injury that caused him to miss the last two games before the Olympics, Andrei Markov survived the Olympics and will again be asked to lead the Habs into the postseason. Markov is an all-world talent, producing a lot of points (mainly on the power play) while facing the opposition’s top forwards night in, night out. His importance to the team is such that fans are already fretting about the possibility he does not resign with the team in the summer of 2011. Markov, who will be 33 at that point and has played his entire career in Montreal, seems like a likely candidate to skate on Montreal’s top defensive pair for a few more years into the future.

And how exactly does this help cover my bald spot? via habsinsideout.com

Two veterans who may not have as long as Markov are Roman Hamrlik and Jaroslav Spacek. Both come with substantial contracts, and both are on the wrong side of 35, but both have shown the ability to play quality minutes in a supporting role, even taking on added responsibility this year when Andrei Markov went down. The case to trade one of them is simple: to clear cap room to keep the team’s younger forwards and goaltenders in a Habs jersey. That being said, with the team’s immediate goal to make the playoffs, it seems highly doubtful either of them would be moved while they play such a lead role for this current team.

Josh Gorges, meanwhile, has continued to grow under Jacques Martin’s tutelage. He provides over 21 minutes of quality defensive hockey, somehow managing to stay healthy despite always taking hits to make plays, blocking shots and trying to keep opposing forwards out of the goal crease. His play is in sharp contrast to Paul Mara, a veteran who was brought in to stabilize the bottom pairing and potentially contribute on the power play. Mara, who was thankfully only signed to a one year deal, will be hard pressed to crack a fully healthy Montreal lineup down the stretch.

Look Zach, I was returning that purse to your mom, I swear! via nimg.sulekha.com

Hal Gill and Ryan O’Byrne play very different games, despite being of similar size. Gill is an oddity: a PK specialist who has been known to struggle 5 on 5. He uses his 6’7" frame more for his long reach than physical play, although he can still outmuscle players along the boards. O’Byrne has performed reasonably well, especially recently when paired with Andrei Markov. He is the team’s top physical defenseman, and could find a niche role on the team going forward.

Marc-André Bergeron was an emergency signing who dominated the power play in Markov’s absence, but has been limited to playing forward for the most part once the regular d-men got healthy. While his PP production has been valuable, his 5 on 5 play has been awful, be it as a forward or defenseman.

Subban: "I'd rather wear the CH on my chest." via cdn.nhl.com

AHL Stats	Cap Hit	FA	L/R	GP	G	A	P	PIM	P/-	ESG	PPG
P.K. Subban	$875,000	2012	R	55	11	29	40	66	31	3	7
Mathieu Carle	$850,000	2010	R	31	5	10	15	26	4	4	1
Yannick Weber	$875,000	2011	R	45	2	21	23	44	11	1	1
Shawn Belle	$600,000	2010	L	52	3	11	14	51	11	3	0
André Benoit	$500,000	2010	L	56	5	21	26	51	11	1	3
Alex Henry	$500,000	2010	L	46	0	8	8	90	11	0	0
Marc-André Bergeron	$750,000	2010	L	3	0	6	6	0	6	0	0

There’s a lot of reason to be excited about P.K. Subban’s potential, and fans got a taste of that when he was called up in an emergency situation for the final two games before the Olympics. He would be the Canadiens’ primary rushing defenseman right now, as even Andrei Markov prefers to pass off the puck before leaving his own defensive zone. His strong presence on the PP would also help alleviate for the loss of Bergeron to unrestricted free agency. If Hamrlik or Spacek are traded, Subban will certainly be the beneficiary next season.

Subban is not alone, however. Mathieu Carle seems likely to crack the Canadiens’ roster next season, though season ending shoulder surgery may set him back. He was Hamilton’s top defenseman before the injury, and he didn’t look out of his depth at the NHL level in his brief time there. Yannick Weber has had an interesting sophomore season, as he has been asked to refine his defensive game. His offensive numbers seem to have suffered as a result, and he will likely spend another season in Hamilton hoping to put it all together.

When Yannick Weber retires from hockey, he plans on becoming a world famous botanist. via www.tsr.ch

What is interesting about Montreal’s D corps is not just their age, but the fact that 7 of the team’s 8 NHL d-men shoot left-handed. The team’s top three prospects at D, however, all shoot right-handed and seem ready to step in almost immediately. Clearly, the Habs have the makings of a good defensive unit, but have to move some bodies out of the way and suffer through some growing pains to accomplish this.

An interesting bargaining chip for Pierre Gauthier lies in the amateur ranks. David Fischer, the team’s 2006 first rounder, has underperformed at the NCAA level and has provided little incentive to being signed by the Canadiens. As a result, he can be treated as being a 50^th overall draft pick, or a mid-second rounder. The Canadiens would get that pick in compensation if they did not sign him this summer, so despite the Dominic Moore trade, the Canadiens are still in possession of a 2011 2^nd rounder.

Centres of Attention

Earning Their Wings

Poll

Which of the team's veteran defensemen is most likely to get traded?

Roman Hamrlik

229 votes

Jaroslav Spacek

153 votes

Hal Gill

118 votes

500 votes | Poll has closed

Thrashers Add Chelios

2010-03-02T20:01:21Z

Thrashers Add Chelios

It couldn't be that Atlanta Thrashers GM Don Waddell reads SB Nation, could it?

Only yesterday on these pages, Francis Bouchard had an interesting flashback to the time when Chelios joined the Habs straight out of the 1984 Olympics. Now Chelios, an all-time fave here, has signed to play with Atlanta at 48 years old. The NHL's Everyready Bunny joined the Habs back in '84 with a whole lot of fanfare. To take a look back at the "Coming of Chris", click here.