Paul Martin's Next Whiteboard Session

image courtesy of National Post. 

After Sunday's line brawl that saw the Habs lose 5-for-5 and the Sens players egging on the crowd, I guess there may have been some mis-communication as to which player should do which victory move.

The theme for Martin's next whiteboard session: "In the case of another line brawl, Neil will do the pro wrestler woop, Smith will do a couple laps around the ice like he just won the cup, and Cowen will do a posedown... Phillips, you keep smoldering with an ancient rage."

What a gong show.

Firing Martin Was The Stupidest Move Since Hiring Him

I was not a fan of the Jacques Martin hiring. After watching him coach Ottawa for so many years, I was not looking forward to his style of hockey for the Habs. It just wasn't my thing -- but I understood exactly why Gainey hired him.

One major problem that absolutely plagues the Canadiens is coaching stability. The team is to suseptible to emotional highs and lows, whims of fans and media to sway who they think should be in charge. It can infect the dressing room, obviously, where rookie coaches get chewed up and spat out like ice chips.

Martin was hired to put an end to all that. An experienced coach, bilingual, calm and level headed always, Martin ended all the absolute Bull Shit that is the Montreal Canadiens coaching drama. 4-years, love it or lump it, get over yourselves Montreal and watch the games. And with an experienced hockey guy, veteran talent would consider playing for the team.

This slump was bound to happen. After the excitement of a few years ago where Montreal got the the conference finals, the players were bound to find a slump. The big names on the team are comfortable in their contracts, and stuck in a rut. The team around them has changed from an experienced group to a younger group, and its safe to say the team is trying to figure things out. But with an experienced coach at the helm, this year might be a bomb, but the could all turn it around.

So who is at fault if not the coach? I am looking at you, New GM Pierre Gauthier!

He traded away, (or let them go) the experienced emotional players on his team, to be replaced with youngers, smaller skill. Moore, Halpern, Lapierre, these strong third liners that would make the other team work so the skill could get out there and score some goals. Instead you have a bunch of 'skilled' players who don't wear down the opponents, and can't punish -- so they are pretty much wasting everyone's time out there.

Gauthier has picked up players he thinks are good -- Cole, Kaberle, Campoli, without understanding if they fit with his current roster; the current character of the team. Slapping good players on a team that doesn't play their style isn't going to work. Then he replaced his grinders with some young talent (who I like to watch, but they are green). What did he expect, really?

And he let Kirk Muller go, who was a special teams master, it seems.

Martin would have figured it out and gotten this team to work. Maybe not this year, but get the draft picks and kick butt next year. Instead the stabalizing rudder is cut free, and the team is gonna be in another emotional storm of chaos, with no direction. The big name players will avoid this team like they were doing in the early 2000s, because who wants to play for a rookie coach in a market where the media will critisize everything down to your breakfast choices.

Stupid move. Gauthier should have been fired. Its clear he is as lost as Reajan Houle.

Price is the new Halak

Well, I really haven't had the energy to keep up my game tweets or blog notes. Luckily the community is large enough now there are plenty of others to fill these roles :)

I would like to congratulate Carey Price, and the team, on a great season so far. There was a lot of anxiety and speculation at the start of the season on how CP would perform; and he has really answered the call.  I knock him when he's struggling, so now I'll praise him that he is succeeding. Mr. Price has found that competitive edge to his game, and really stepped it up. He looks pretty good in that net, and his team is playing well around him.

41 save shutout against Philly? Em, nice work!

On another note, I would like to tip my hat to Bob Gainey as well. He really put together a solid team; a group of players that want to win, and feed the team mentality. When I look at the strategy employed by Brian Burke in TO, versus the moves made by Bob Gainey when he 'blew up the team,' well, I'm pretty thankful! Bob Gainey also stepped out of the way; if nothing more than to prevent himself from screwing up what he put together :) And Gauthier has to be credited as well, I'm sure it wasn't all #23.  Where Burke tried to make big impact moves to spark his team, the Canadiens set a foundation, and quietly built on it with gutsy players (and they seem to have a deeper resource pool from Hamilton than Burke has in TO). Oh well, its worked the last couple years.

The Habs are a fun, fast team to watch.

Go Habs Go!

One down, 81 To Go

The loss to the Leafs was not entirely a surprise; the Habs are coming off a surprisingly successful playoff campaign, and the Leafs are really looking to do better than last year's embarrassment.

Carey Price didn't look bad, but Hal Gill did. But that's Ok, because so did Mike Komisarek ;)  The rest of the team failed to really impress, and although it was great to have hockey back on TV, the game wasn't really that exciting.

And that jam at the net just before regulation ended? Think Toskala or even Gustavson would have let that one in? I do. Giguere is already making a difference for the evil White-and-Blue this year.

Tonight the Habs visit the Penguins. It'll be nice to have Cammalleri back, but I gotta predict a Pens victory on this one. I'd say 4-1 Pens. The reason? Although the team really came together at the end of last season, it seems that they have since split apart a bit. There is a jump to their game that is missing, but you know the Penguins on home ice will be ready to Bring The Noise.

So, good luck Habs! Although its way to early in the season to worry about anything, remember that every game you lose now, is a must win in March.

Season Opener!

Go Habs Go!!! I hope the team has a good outing tonight: it's gonna be a tight game!

I'll be out drinkin and cheering!

The Woes of Carey Price

The season hasn't even started yet and the fans  (and some media) are turning on Carey Price faster than last week's fresh fish. Maybe he deserves it, maybe not (probably not) but one thing is certain; Carey Price brought it on himself.

And I don't say this because of the way Carey has played -- there has been enough press about that already -- I say this because Carey Price has shown, in the last couple years, that people can get to him.

You see, its no fun picking on a guy who doesn't care. Booing a guy like Halak isn't gonna get you anywhere, because he's not gonna react and he's not gonna care. But the fans know that if they boo Price, he is gonna react to them. Maybe he'll wave at you, or his game will change, who knows what will happen! But he will react...

And the opposing players know it now too. If Price lets in a bad goal or 2 because he's a bit nervous or whatever, then you've got him mentally beat for the rest of the game. Maybe he'll flip the puck at you, or start blaming his defense; in any case he'll change his game for the worse, and you can score at will.

The calm, cool, unshakeable kid is now more like a jello cake with a firecracker in the middle; one bad play and KAPOW! Everyone's covered in a green mess.

So now the entire hockey world knows the Carey Price is a vulnerable hothead, they'll crack him open like an egg every game.

And if Carey Price can't shake off a bad goal, a tough play, and (re)learn to keep his cool in bad weather, then this will be the last contract he ever signs.

Good luck Carey Price; no one on earth deserves the shit storm that is brewing in Montreal with your name on it.

Tampa Bay and Simon Gagne?

No surprise here, but I am a huge Simon Gagne fan. big left winger, takes lots of shots, tries hard every night, and was once described by Bob Clarke as one of the smartest players in the league.

So given that he is now playing with another big favourite of mine, Vinny Lecavellier, I cannot but start to wonder what could have been, if the Habs had made the right moves and been lucky enough to get these players.

I'd be so excited if my Montreal Canadiens could have Vinny and Simon playing for them! Amazing home grown talent lighting up the league with speed and skill, razzle and dazzle...

Or would it have been a nightmare? It seems very common for Quebec born players to return to Montreal and then under acheive. A couple games without a goal, heros are turned to goats in the press, the pressure gets to them, they stop having fun and 2 of my favourite hockey icons end up with misery and crushed careers. Montreal is a difficult town to play in, and an albatros to anyone with talent.

So maybe its best that my heros stay down in Florida; enjoy the sunshine and play their hockey stress free. Have a good year here and there, retire as 'quality hockey players'.

Besides, our current team seems to have the right mental state to play in the Mad Montreal Market; no point in cracking that egg prematurely.

I still can't help but wonder what could have been; I haven't had my favourite players play for my favourite team since 1993.

No More Halak Attacks...

So it is done: Jaroslav Halak is out of Montreal, after a solid Olympics, dragging the team into the playoffs, and carrying them to the Conference Finals.

I was expecting a goalie to leave Montreal, but I expected something 'interesting' in return. First, I thought Price would be the one to go. (See my last post.) Price looked tired and frustrated in Montreal, and I figured he was gonna ask for a trade. I suppose this could still happen.

But it was Halak. The Hero Halak. Traded. Ok -- not the end of the franchise, but after hearing rumours that Philly was offering Jeff Carter for one of our goalies... that San Jose was in the mix... Tampa Bay (Lecavellier? hahahaha) was in the mix... We ended up with a couple prospects -- a replacement for  Ryan McDonagh in Lars Eller, and a big forward in Ian Schultz. Prospects can be good trade acquisitions - but I have trouble trusting prospects taken by a team who just fired all its scouts!

Had we lost Halak to free agency, we would have gotten 3 draft picks in return. But Halak was probably due for a big salary upgrade, even if he went to arbitration; so no guarantee another team would have paid the draft-picks. Gauthier had to dump Halak for money reasons I suppose.

The problem is not losing Halak - I'm sad to see him go, but not shocked - the problem is what we got back in return. Having both Price and Halak was like having money to burn - wrap one of them up with even something else (like a Kostitsyn maybe) and there should have been an opportunity to really make this team better. Instead, we've just lost a good goalie who showed he can really steal games.

This trade feels like the kind of trades that were made in the late 90s ... talent for saving money ... not a good hockey decision. It seems like we just flushed a good player. No offence to our new prospects, but lets face it: they have a long way to go before they make it to The Show.

I like Carey Price; I hope he bounces back after last year. I also hope he wins his team's confidence back, and they'll play for him. Because if there is no chemistry between the guys on the ice and the guy in the net, then Gauthier is gonna have to dump some more players... and that will just be bad.

Price v. Leighton

I'm not sure if a lot of Habs fans noticed, but there were a lot of similarities between 'journeyman goalie turn hero' Michael Leighton and our very own Carey Price: Big goalie, calm and collected, lets in unlucky and untimely goals.

These 2 play a similar style in net: they rely on their size and positioning to be there to make the saves. They also rely on the defence to make life difficult for the shooters, so when the shots do show up there isn't much to shoot at. They both play their best in a calm, collected manner; not letting the pressure crack them (this is not so true of Carey Price lately, I'll admit.) And finally they both seem to let in the same type of goals; tip shots find holes, and then a moment of weakness on their part will send a puck to the back of the net.

So, who would you rather have: Stanley Cup Finalist Michael Leighton, who collected himself after letting in 3 goals to beat the Bruins in game 7, all but shutout the Canadiens, only to fall to the Blackhawks: or Price, who rode the bench to the conference finals, never impressing when he was on the ice (and uncharacteristically showing a lack of composure against Washington) ?

Well, I suppose the hope is that Price, being younger and showing great promise early on, can rebound to form. Leighton's performance should certainly give Price fans hope that given the right situation, Price can shine. Price isn't as dynamic as Luongo in net, for example, but on the right team should be able to provide the solid goaltending a team needs to win.

I am not sure this can happen in Montreal. Price seems to have been cracked in Montreal; rattled to his core. He is trying, for sure, but his calm confidence seems to have turned to detached apathy - he seems almost too removed from the game at times. And you can see it in everyone's body language when Price lets in a goal; he slumps, looks helplessly at his defence, who slump, who look to their coach, who shakes his head -- the crowd tearing up their tickets and heading for the exits. He doesn't get a lot of support out there, perhaps because he doesn't command it.

Anyhow, I liked the way Price played in 2008. I was sad to see him stumble in 2009. I'm disappointed he looks to be gone in 2010. But given Leighton's performance, I think Price, given the same room to make mistakes and support to succeed, will do well. Hopefully other GMs see the same thing, and Montreal won't lose him for a song.

I don't see a way back to success for Price in Montreal.

Phili Frustration

Its one thing to lose. Its another to get embarrassed.

In games 1 and 2, the Canadiens were embarrassed. Chased out of Philidelphia without a goal, mocked, beaten and left for dead, this Montreal Miracle team looked about as tough as a brown paper bag left out in the rain.

But they gave us their best in game 3. You could say Phili played poorly; I say the Canadiens played great! They dug deep and brought out the fire -- one last time it seems. By the end of game 3 you could tell the lads were running out of juice.

Come game 4: still a do-or-die. It's a sleepy Saturday afternoon, the ice is soft and the puck is rolling. And the Canadiens needed to bring the fire -- but all they had left was smoke. A cautious start turned to the Flyer's favour as the Orange built momentum, and the Bleu Blanc Rouge burned out.

There was no reason to get frustrated after Giroux's goal. The Flyers were bound to score; but Subban's attempt at 'getting something going' was just simmered in wrong sauce, and no one was left to catch Leino (?!) whose's breakaway move was "be taller than the goalie, and fall on him." (seriously though, it was a good playoff style goal.) Subban had an aweful afternoon. But he's new; the veterans on and behind the bench should have been able to settle him down.

The Habs generated their pressure with 10 minutes left in the game; far too late against a shick brit house like the Flyers.

The keys to victory sound simple: get to the puck first, make them pay for every inch on defence. But it seems that the Habs burned up the last of their fumes on Thursday. It wasn't a bad game on Saturday, despite the score, but certainly nothing that is gonna make Philidephia think twice.

And now our brave soldiers have to go back to the Dungeon to be tied to a rack and torn limb from limb by crazed Flyers fans, frothing at the mouth. A tough way to go for a team that battled so well.

Here's hoping they find a reserve tank. Here's hoping there is some fight left in this warrior. Here's hoping we can get 1 more game at the Bell Centre, to properly thank these players for such a wonderful playoffs.

Go Habs Go!

Payback

Call it Payback, call it Serendipity, call it what you will, but now Habs fans know how Capitals and Penguins fans feel. You have all these high expectations for your team, and they come out flat as a crepe.

The Canadiens came out scared; scared to take a hit, scared to miss a pass, scared to lose. As a result they were tight as a rusty engine bolt on a 76 Chevy, and couldn't do anything right.  This wasn't the team that earned their place in the Eastern Finals, this was the team that scraped their way into the playoffs ... with a stick up their arse.

Leighton was never challenged. Everything was kept to the outside. Always second to the puck, or no puck support on the turnovers. And stupid retaliation penalties. A very frustrating game to watch, and no doubt play.

Philadelphia sat back, caused quick turnovers in their zone, and punished when they got their chances - just like Montreal did in the first 2 rounds. Except Leighton, looking like a slug in net, never had to bail out his team.

Martin was right to pull Halak - he had no help out there, no point in frustrating him. Price couldn't stop anything, but it sure is tough walking into a game like that.

So on to the next game! Too bad we dropped one, but there is still lots of hockey to play. And the score doesn't matter; only the W's do.

How do we beat them?

1. Play hockey. Don't be afraid of the puck, don't take cheap shots. You can't intimidate Phily with late hits or wayward slashes; so stop trying. Stop worrying about it and play the game.
2. Loosen up, but stay focused. Get the determination back to not let Phily have their game, or have their shots. Keep it simple, and take advantage when Phily finally cracks.
3. Get over it. Phily is gonna hit you. They are gonna crash the net. They are gonna play like a bunch of brick-shit-houses. Stop trying to out-cheap-shot them, focus on your game style that got you to the finals, and drive it home.
4. No Fear. These guys are not the Monster Under the Bed. They are just a hockey team. Stop buying into their marketing brochure. 

Go Habs Go.

One More Thing...

A yes, a couple days ago I did a writeup on The Challenges To Winning Round 3; and I forgot one major point.

If we do manage to win the Conference or the League Final, who will accept the cup from Bettman?

We have no Captain. Not to get too far ahead of ourselves here, but that has to be some kinda first. And it might be another reason my Hockey Fate to Frown upon our plucky squad of shot blockers

After a Game 7 Canadiens victory, Bettman asks who the Captain is... the response from the bench is a sheepesh look from the coaching staff -- "we don't have one..." at which point Bettman shrugs his shoulders and announces the Philidelphia Flyers the victor.

YIKES!



Go Habs Go.

Getting Into The Rink Against A Pitbull

Well we have quite the unlikely matchup; seeds 7 and 8 duking it out for a shot at the title. This seems more like a 'Consolation Final' than the real deal, but rest assured, its as real as that lump on the back of my neck. (small joke)

So we have 'The Homer Simpsons' vs. The Pitbulls. The team that takes it in the teeth until the opposition gets tired, then pushes them over, against the team that doesn't get tired. I have to give the advantage to Philly on this one -- which pains me so deeply, because the thought of Philly getting to the finals just makes me so sad.

I know most Habs fans wanted Boston to roll into town. Nostalgia and all that jazz; I mean, are the playoffs even really valid if Montreal doesn't play Boston? But considering 1993, most Habs fans probably wanted to see Toronto roll into town instead of Wayne Gretzky the Kings... and look how that turned out.

Well, let the fans do all the worrying so the team can play hockey. Another big angry mountain to climb, this time with more hidden dangers than obvious ones.  I'm glad we have such cool headed players as we do... because I'm freakin' out over here.

Go Habs Go.

Challenges For Round 3

The Montreal Canadiens have pulled off 2 major upsets. Now they will have another major challenge in round 3 -- keeping the momentum going. The following are some of the challenges Le Grand CH will face in the 3rd round...

1. Playing as a favourite to win. Without home ice advantage. Although the regular season still has the team sitting in 8th, they are definitely a favourite to win the third round. You don't knock off 1st place team in the east and the Stanley Cup champs and not come out as a favourite to win. Expectations are high, and Boston or Philly (the 3rd is about to start for that game as of this writing)  are gonna come in as underdogs, ready to upset "the miracle team".
2. Playing a team of similar style. The last 2 rounds they had to shut down lethal offences and finish their limited chances. Now they'll be playing a team that grinds their goals in; plays a similar style of stiffling defence first, and a quick dirty counter attack to punish. Will our Big D be able to maintain their focus? Will they be able to frustrate players who are used to not being relied upon to score? How does the defensive system change when there is no go-to goal scorer to bury? If the opposition sits on Cammileri and Gionta, do we have the depth to respond?
3. The Hockey Gods hate riots. Even since 1993, the Canadiens have not won a series after they riot. There were no shenanigans after the Washington win, and the Gods stuck around to help. After the garbage on Wednesday (and I know its not hockey fans) the Hockey Gods might once again look the other way...
4. Job done? I don't think anyone in Blue Blanc Rouge is currently feeling that their job is done... but maybe if they end up down 3-2 in games, hard fought frustrating grinding games... up against an equaly hot goalie as Halak... maybe these guys will quietly take pride in what they've done and go home? 

Ok, I doubt that last one. There is a lot of pride on this crazy Montreal squad, no way they'll quit. But the game has changed for them now -- if they start reading their own press and forget what got them where they are, then all will be for not.

A third round exit means you win nothing. And although I am extremely proud of this team and what they have so far accomplished, I would be sad if all their efforts ended without a reward. The Boys deserve it!

Go Habs Go. Stay Thirsty My Friends. 

Winning Game 7

Out-scoring the most lethal offense in the league.
More composure than the Stanley Cup champs.

Wow.

For the first 30 minutes, I have never seen Pittsburgh play worse hockey. The Canadiens played well; they were aggressive and certainly finished their chances. But Pittsburgh was completely weak on defence; bad passing, scared to shoot... they came out so flat, its incredible! I had Pittsburgh winning this series, and even this game... but I certainly did not count on Malkin, Gonchar and everyone else in Black to come out so slow and flat. In the second half, the Habs were tired ans spent, so... Queue Halak! Amazing saves!

A little story for you. I was worrying about this game all day -- completely convinced Pittsburgh would win, but I couldn't help but start thinking 'what if...'  Then at lunch, I paid for my $8 lunch with a $10, and got back a Montreal Canadiens Centennial loonie. This is only the second one I have ever seen in Toronto.

Its as if the fates were saying -- don't worry, you Twit, everything will be Ok....

So. We're 1/2 way there, and we have got to be the favourites to take the East, despite not ever having home ice advantage. The next series will be much different... and I hope our boys are up to it.

WOW!

Go Habs Go!



PS: did anyone see Syd's post-game interview? I feel bad for him. Obviously upset at the loss, he really came off as a sore loser. I clicked over to another channel to watch the whole thing and he certainly composed himself later on... but dang! Complaining about the refereeing? Critisism about the Habs "gameplan" and Halak's play? Never heard that from a player before, especially a Captain.  But then I don't think its fair to jam a mic in a guy's face after a game, so you can toss the whole thing.

To Win...

There is an old recipe to winning playoff series...

1. Your stars have to win one for you
2. Your grinders have to grind one out for you
3. Your goalie has to steal one
4. You gotta get lucky

I'd say, after Game 4, that Pittsburgh had gotten 1&2 covered. They won game one by goals from their 3rd line, while Crosby and Malkin were held off the score sheet. Game 3 Pittsburgh and Montreal played a very similar style, rushing defence, and Malkin was the difference.

Montreal, on the other hand, had 3&4 covered. In game 2 Halak played an amazing game to get the victory (note that the defence has to be a big part of a goalies steal.) Then game 4 the Habs got 2 lucky goals for the win... So they got that covered.

Game 5 - well, I thought Fleury finally stepped up and made some outstanding saves to earn the victory. So Pittsburgh has all the requirements to win the series.

Montreal, on the other hand, has run out of tricks. They need a game where Cammelari and Gionta et al. get out there and score their goals, same as in Game 2. And they need Moore and Moen and Laps to have a stellar game and steal one from Pittsburgh. in both these scenarios the rest of the team has to playing as hard as they have been to date.

Pittsburgh just has to play their game, and maybe get lucky to win. But if the Canadiens don't find some offence, if they don't bury that puck, then all things being even Pittsburgh will win.

Oh well, never know what's gonna happen. The Canadiens haven't won if I haven't been watching, I missed the game on Saturday for a wedding and won't see the game Monday because of my own hockey game -- so I am expecting the worst but hoping for the best!

Go Habs Go! Go Bell Centre Go! If Monday is our last game, let's make it a game no one will soon forget!! 

Justice

There is no questioning the Ref's were playing for Pittsburgh tonight. Sometimes Canadiens fans can get a blinded; its part of the 'passion' that goes with the team. Sometimes the crowd freaks out over nothing, and sometimes the crowd freaks out over a missed call, but the refs are playing loose; so fairs fair.

Tonight was not that. There was a missed tripping/interference call on Subban for the first goal, and a couple non-calls on the Kunitz goal. I saw it, the Bell Centre saw it, the announcers saw it, the dog outside saw it. And its really frustrating to be an under-dog and not get a fair game from the refs.

In the 3rd things changed a bit, the Habs got a few make up calls and the Refs stopped calling all the Pen's dives... and the hockey Gods did the rest.

Did the Habs get lucky? You bet. The first goal was lucky. The winning goal was definitely lucky. But the Pens couldn't beat the Habs fairly, so the only legitimate goal won the game!

So: series back on! I still think Pens are the better team -- if they beat us clean, so be it. But the Habs are giving them a hell of a go, and let's hope we get at least 2 more great games!!

Go Habs Go!!

Two Can Play At That Game

Well, everyone was wondering how Pittsburgh would respond to Montreal's stifling tactics... would they come out screaming? Score 100 goals? Would Malkin and Crosby continue to play frustrated and stand out of the way?

No -- Pittsburgh answered the call in the best way possible. They decided to play the same game: tight, stifling Defence, hard in the corners and in front of the net, and wait to get a Power-Play to finally score a goal, forcing the other team to open up.

They had the patience to say: Hell, we'll go to overtime 0-0 with 15 shots a side if need be; we are the better team, and can beat you at any game you want to play.

And so now the tactics get a little more interesting. Do Martin and Muller stick to their game plan, realising they managed to frustrate the Pens for 40 mins before Malkin's goal? The "fight" with Gionta woke Malkin up, but who knows how long that will last. Or is it now up to the Canadiens coaching staff to come up with a different game plan?

I'm not sure the Habs can develop another game plan -- they have to stick with the one they have (trap-n-pray?) and hope next time the posts are a little more accommodating.  I suspect the Habs will be able to win 1 more game; but now that Pittsburgh has got the confidence in their game-plan, I see them taking the series without much difficulty.

Had the Pens lost tonight, playing the style they did, there may have been a sliver of hope. But Pittsburgh adjusted where Washington could not; and the Habs might not have any other tricks to counter with.

But this is why we watch the Playoffs! Let's see what Thursday brings!

and, of course, Go Habs Go.

Now That's... Hockey?

The Canadiens continue to impress/frustrate in these playoffs. I'm getting phone calls at home from friends calling to 'congratulate' me on the win (like I had anything to do with it...) and talking about how they are starting to get on the Habs bandwagon. These are guys who are excited for the underdog, like watching the super-stars get frustrated, and are enjoying the excitement of watching Les Boys hang on by their fingernails for unlikely victories.

Then I am getting angry emails and and text messages from (ex?) friends (just kidding) who enjoyed watching Washington get ousted, but are now frustrated that the Gong Show that is Le Bleu Blanc Rouge is getting away with this against another big-time contender. They wanted to see the best teams compete, not some wet blanket "fromage" their way forward.

I gotta admit, these games are exciting for a Habs fan to watch! I'm enjoying the tension, the effort from my underdogs, the great performances by guys like Cammi and Gill and Gorges and Sabban and the others who are making this all work... but I am also fully aware that what I am watching is not exactly great hockey as they say. I mean, in Sunday's win, I started cheering every time the Habs cleared the blue line -- because it seems that's all they wanted to do.

I also have no illusions. The Canadiens have not gotten out of the second round in 17 years. Pittsburgh is the NHL's golden child, and the refs will not put up with these shenanigans much more. Habs will just start getting penalties called against them until the Pens win. This is why I hate the Penguins so damn much -- but it doesn't matter. Pittsburgh has to much talent and too many expectations from the League head office to fail. And besides, this style of game is really hard on the goalies and defence... how long can they last?

But until that happens, I yell a big GO HABS GO! And am pulling for them all the way... play hard, stay mean, and make Pittsburgh pay for every inch lads! Your fans are behind you!!

And besides, the playoffs aren't official until Boston and Montreal have a series... right?

Lest go les boys!! 

1 Game Left, 1 Point Needed

All the Montreal Canadiens had to secure their spot in the Playoffs was get 1 win (2 pts) in their last 3 games; games against basement dwelling teams. 3 games against opponents who have nothing to play for except pride. 3 teams who would come out hard to try and play spoiler, but would fold like a house of cards if they were put down early.

So far they have only gotten 1 of their points; in a pathetic shootout loss to the Islanders.

Instead of coming out smoldering for redemption last night, they once again come out like scared little rabbits, and once again Cam Ward and Eric Staal (and Chad LaRose) slapped around the Habs like they are a midget hockey team. Carolina made the Habs look stupid last night.

One game left, against the Maple Leafs. We know this story; Maple Leafs out of the playoffs control the destiny of the Canadiens playoff hopes. And the Leafs usually come out the better.

History has these 2 teams deadlocked, with some ridiculous number of their 7 games a season ending up tied. If history plays out, then the Canadiens will get their 1 point and get into the playoffs. Otherwise, they had better hope that Rangers / Philly don't get 3 points each in their home-and-home.

The Canadiens are playing like a frightened cub-scout troup ... "squeezing the stick" as they say. Gomez is playing like a Grade 'A' arsehole, with terrible panicked passing plays that usually end up in breaks for the other team. Cammi can't find his shot, ... oh what's the point: except for a few bright spots the entire team is stinking it up. Showing us why they are in the spot they are in; all year struggling for a spot in the playoffs.

I don't even want to see these jokers in the playoffs - same as last year. What's the point? Why suffer the embarrassment of having a first round exit against a team who is going to take the playoffs seriously? Habs aren't gonna take it seriously. It will be like watching a contender fight a clown in big poke-a-dot pantaloons.

Saturday should be fun. I hope Carey Price gets the start, just because I like watching the kid play. And since the chances of Rangers/Philly each getting 3 points is slim, I hope Carey gets the win and gets a shot in the playoffs; maybe he'll finally take things seriously and we can get an interesting post season.

Man, it is going to be a long 4 years with this current team configuration.