- Budaj will get the start tonight, as will Bourque in his first game as a Hab, apparently will play along side Plekanec and Gomez. Habs looking to get back into the win column, in other words, the usual.
- Campoli and Nokelainen are healthy scratches.
First Period:
- Here's a pretty good indicator of how the season has gone. There were tickets available for the game. $65 got you in the arena, which by Montreal standards, is unheard of. Consider it heard.
- Bourque a little partial breakaway along the wing, speed was impressive.
- Rangers really, really sloppy and disorganized in their own zone facing the rush, and Pacioretty deposits the puck over a sprawling Lundqvist, Habs take the early lead.
- Bourque playing his size, nailing Hagelin along the boards. These are your new Habs.
- Moen vs. Bikel in a tussle, Moen simply didn't have the reach to do much damage, but nonetheless, these are your new Habs.
- Canadiens' forwards distinctly more physical tonight. Rangers have taken a mini-thumping so far.
- Budaj pretty solid so far, he's benefited from having unobstructed views of most of the Rangers' tries so far.
- Habs really can't afford to take vacations in their zone against a team like the Rangers, this time Eller with a lazy check allowing Mitchell to easily backhand a juicy rebound in front of Budaj. Game tied.
- Rangers really cycle the puck nicely, very patient setting up their plays. Habs are vastly overmatched.
- Habs with a strong start out of the gate, but the Rangers slowly took control as the period progressed - they're just too deep to keep pace with. Trend is pointing all New York for the second period and beyond.
Second Period:
- Great start for the Habs, as a point shot by Cole is deflected in by Pacioretty. The whole series began because of Cole's using his body to create a turnover in the Rangers zone. Size working in Montreal's favor (that time). Habs lead again.
- Oh my goodness. If Scott Gomez can do more of that for the rest of the year, I won't make a peep about how much he's paid. Habs lead 3-1 courtesy some dazzling moves and a perfect setup by Gomez to Blunden.
- Borque having just an awful shift, totally lost on the ice, the Rangers had kept Habs pinned in their zone for more than 2 minutes, Gill with a desperation dive to clear the zone, but Habs can't change their line. Finally Budaj covers the puck. Rangers with amazing puck control.
- It's way to early to harp about this, but aside from his first shift, Bourque has been pretty invisible, which was/is big knock in Calgary.
- Habs making it look easy. Cole to Pacioretty with a perfect spin pass from the corner to streaking Desharnais all alone in front. Beautiful goal. Habs, and I'm rubbing my eyes to make sure I'm not dreaming, lead the Rangers 4-1.
- Desharnais/Pacioretty/Cole combination have 9 combined points so far tonight. Coach, just keep these guys together.
- Kostitsyn can't be in the dog house, can he? Just under 6 minutes played and 2nd period nearly over.
- Plekanec line against pinned in their own zone. Something clearly ain't right, and I'm looking over at Plek's wing.
- It's been nearly a calendar year since Gomez last scored a goal, and he came agonizingly close, all alone in front of Lindqvist.
- Pacioretty double-shifted with Gomez. Cunneyworth, I'd reckon, wants Scott to just score ...
- Budaj providing a very Carey Price-like performance (in a good way). Very square to the shots, excellent rebound control.
- Cunneyworth putting out Gomez/Darche/Blunden for defensive purposes to protect the lead heading for the third period, and they promptly surrender a breakaway to Prust who rings one off the post. Yeesh.
- An excellent period, everything just seemed to click, and the chances that have seemingly stayed out all season are going in tonight. How will this team respond for the final 20 holding a three goal lead?
Third Period:
- RDS put up the stat - Plekanec is an excellent 75% in the faceoff circle tonight.
- Habs come out storming in the third. Nice.
- Yikes. Darche taking a slap shot to the throat. He skated off immediately and went immediately to the dressing room in significant distress.
- First three minutes, ALL Habs swarming the Rangers zone.
- I sense the Rangers have the unfortunate luck in they played a team tonight hell-bent on winning. Habs fierce so far in this period.
- Good news. Darche back out there.
- Budaj hasn't had much to face in the period, but the main reason he enjoys a three goal cushion was all the solid saves he made in the first and second period. Very impressive tonight.
- Habs passing the puck with a lot of mustard and confidence tonight. Maybe the best they've done that all year.
- One big key to victory tonight (assuming it happens). No powerplays.
- Plekanec line *again* hemmed in their own zone. Weird.
- Budaj with a little flair makes a nice glove save off an Anisomov wrister.
- Aside from the Moen/Bikel tussle, just one minor penalty tonight. It's been pretty quiet (but still an enjoyable game).
- I can't tell you how much I enjoy these cruise-to-victory type games. We've really only had two or three all season.
- Not to take away from what's been a great night for the Habs, but you get the feeling the Rangers might have taken the Canadiens a bit too lightly, given how we've played lately, and with Budaj starting. They got owned tonight.
- Well you can't keep a good thing going forever. Rangers get an interference penalty and we get a powerplay.
- The unit tried their damnedest to feed Pacioretty for a hat trick.
- The boys made it look so easy tonight. If only they played like this in October, and November, and December, we'd be cruising to a playoff spot.
Showing posts with label Borque. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Borque. Show all posts
Sunday, 15 January 2012
Friday, 13 January 2012
Game Forty-Four: Sens v Habs
Let me off the crazy train, 'cause I think I'm going insane. Has this not been the weirdest year in recent memory for this hockey team and its fans? It certainly took a turn towards the surreal last night with Cammalleri's trade right in the middle of a hockey game (I cannot recall that ever happening in the history of this hockey club, or for that matter, in the history of the NHL - at least for a premier player).
Post-trade analysis on the air and around the internet is fairly mixed. From a Canadiens' perspective, those who approve (or tolerate) the deal like the size and toughness that Borque brings, and aren't particularly offended by the tradeoff in futures, while those from the cringe-community have voiced concern about how the trade went down (it clearly was rushed), the returns (which are questionable for someone of Cammalleri's pedigree) and whether the club traded one inconsistent winger for another even more inconsistent winger.
I was very unimpressed with Gauthier's post-trade comments where he said that the trade was definitely not rushed (which few of us bought, and has since emerged as a bald-faced lie as Calgary G.M. Jay Feaster said this morning that talks between he and Gauthier had broken off following Borque's recent 5-game suspension, but he got a call Wednesday night to go ahead with the deal), and had been in the works for a month (possibly true, but irrelevant).
The timing of the trade was inexcusable. The Habs were battling hard against an undermatched elite Bruins team, trailing by just one goal heading to the third - the one time when you want to have all offensive weapons at your disposal. But for whatever inexplicable reason, the deal was sealed mid-game, Cammalleri was yanked, and the team was down a pretty important forward for the final 20 minutes.
I know I write it too often, but there's never a dull moment in Habs Land. Well, could we have a little quiet - just for awhile? The drama on and off the ice is giving myself, and I'm sure many loyal team followers a bad case of sensory overload.
And are you ready for even more bad news? It's been announced that Gionta is done for the season with a muscle tear. I guess there's room for Scott Gomez after all.
So what's going to happen next? I don't think I want to know. Let me off the train.
GAME DAY UPDATE: Gomez will indeed start tonight.
First Period:
- Emelin is healthy scratch. Dunno. I don't call the shots, and I certainly don't try to figure out the rationale for these decisions.
- Gill paired with Campoli. Wonder which Sens line will be sent out when those two hit the ice?
- Gomez just about scored on his very first shift. How wild would that have been?
- Very, very quiet Bell Centre. A polite audience, but not particularly enthused.
- Habs put one in the net, but it's disallowed for goaltender interference, and Habs end up with no goal and a penalty to show for their efforts. Somewhat debatable call - Kostitsyn did interfere with Anderson's ability to cover the shot, but was Andre unable to move because the Senators defense was pushing him into the goal mouth? You could argue both sides.
- Plekanec yet another shorthanded breakaway, yet another stop by opposition goalie.
- Senators PK this season has been nearly as bad as the Habs PP.
- Weber *again* unable to maintain simple puck position at the line. Is quickly removed from the PP for Subban.
- Sens get called again just as their penalty expires, which would normally be a bad thing, but not against tonight's opponent.
- And Weber with a careless high stick that draws 4 minutes. Meanwhile, Emelin sits in the press box above the ice and watches [shrugs].
- Pretty listless, low temp period, both team's power plays were largely ineffective, one of those games where you hate forking out $150 for a seat. Not much entertainment value.
Second Period:
- Habs nice puck possession and passing on their first PP of the frame, Gomez, dare I say, looking involved and really pushing hard in front of Anderson.
- Would it be sacrilegious if I said that Gomez is probably our best playing forward tonight?
- Much like its game against the Blues, Canadiens really struggling to get shoots on goal. Lot of blocks and missed attempts tonight.
- Fans starting to boo, I suppose it's the powerplay they're venting over, or maybe that they'll never get their money back from having to endure this yawner.
- Anderson save of the game on Kostitsyn, who's also put out a decent effort for the Habs.
- Seven minutes left in the second. Total game shots for Alfredsson, Spezza and Michalek: Zero.
- It's somewhat heartening to see someone else's powerplay that looks worse than ours.
- Outplaying and outshooting the opposition. But the story remains the same - Habs unable to bury their chances or even hold a lead.
- Habs zone coverage really has been strong tonight, maybe there's method to the seven defense madness, but on the flipside, the offense has not able to generate much rhythm.
- Sens' Daugavins just blew a 65 footer past Price, but nailed the crossbar. It was a rocket, but no way anyone should be scoring that far out in this League.
- Phantom tripping call on Pacioretty.
- Habs controlled the second, but didn't dominate. They really should be in the lead, but as we've seen all year, the forwards were unable to score in the clutch.
Third Period:
- Plekanec 15:27 of time through 40 minutes, only Subban has more.
- And Plekanec scores ... heaven for fend, short handed on a breakaway?? The sheer volume dictated that it had to happen eventually. 1-0 Habs.
- Habs holding a lead for the first time in seven days, or four games.
- Note to Habs forwards with wide open shots - Anderson simply cannot be beat on his glove hand.
- Weber with some nice hustle to prevent a Sens breakaway.
- Habs now sitting on this lead a bit, and the Sens are generating some quality chances.
- And just like that, Gonchar's shot from the line is deflected past Price by Turris for only his second of the season. Game tied.
- After all they've been through this year, did the Habs really think they could hold a 1-0 lead for 16 minutes? How many times must this lesson be taught?
- Sens offense dictating play now. Their second goal is seemingly inevitable.
- I really ought just keep it to myself. The moment I posted how well Gomez was playing, he's since gone invisible.
- Habs doing a lot of running around in their own zone, Price doing his best to keep them in this, but it's not looking good.
- Anderson has, very quietly, played brilliantly tonight, just now stealing one from Pacioretty courtesy a perfect setup by Cole.
- Habs outhitting, out-chancing, out-blocking, winning more face-offs, outshooting, but not outscoring. A loss tonight would be exceptionally frustrating.
- Oh dear. Plekanec with a very ill-timed high stick, quite accidental but definitely careless, and it draws four minutes. Now thee PK must save the game.
- Spezza with a bomb from the line, another deflection past Price (pretty sure it was). Sens score than second goal, take the lead. And it's a tomb in the Bell Centre.
- Wow. They come through. Campoli with the shot from the line, and finally, finally, somebody is there to bury the rebound chance. This time it's Pacioretty. With 39 second left. Game tied.
- Ho boy. You can't make this stuff up. Gorges, totally unforced, for some reason, shoots the puck from his zone over the glass and into the 15th row, and the Habs will go into OT one man short.
Overtime:
- Normally Gorges would be out there trying to kill this penalty. It's Plekanec, Subban and Gill who will have to do it.
- Subban blows a clearance by shooting into the Habs bench. He's down on one knee almost certainly thinking "why the heck did I just do that?"
- Habs survive, thanks in large part to the great work by Plekanec, Subban and Gill.
- Would it also be sacrilege to also point out that Campoli has been pretty good tonight?
- The dreaded shutout. How I've not missed watching you. But here we go.
- Both Anderson and Price have not been stellar in the shootout this season, but Price's work is decidedly worse. Just 8 saves on 17 shots.
- Kaberle?? Huh? Yeah, me either.
- Habs tries in shootout have been pretty dismal. Still trying to figure out the choice of Kaberle.
- Alfredsson wins it. And yeah ... one more time. Kaberle??
- It's been pointed out to me that Kaberle was 5 for 12 in career shootout attempts, but still, that's not the guy you pick among your first 3 in a shootout. Meh.
Post-trade analysis on the air and around the internet is fairly mixed. From a Canadiens' perspective, those who approve (or tolerate) the deal like the size and toughness that Borque brings, and aren't particularly offended by the tradeoff in futures, while those from the cringe-community have voiced concern about how the trade went down (it clearly was rushed), the returns (which are questionable for someone of Cammalleri's pedigree) and whether the club traded one inconsistent winger for another even more inconsistent winger.
I was very unimpressed with Gauthier's post-trade comments where he said that the trade was definitely not rushed (which few of us bought, and has since emerged as a bald-faced lie as Calgary G.M. Jay Feaster said this morning that talks between he and Gauthier had broken off following Borque's recent 5-game suspension, but he got a call Wednesday night to go ahead with the deal), and had been in the works for a month (possibly true, but irrelevant).
The timing of the trade was inexcusable. The Habs were battling hard against an undermatched elite Bruins team, trailing by just one goal heading to the third - the one time when you want to have all offensive weapons at your disposal. But for whatever inexplicable reason, the deal was sealed mid-game, Cammalleri was yanked, and the team was down a pretty important forward for the final 20 minutes.
I know I write it too often, but there's never a dull moment in Habs Land. Well, could we have a little quiet - just for awhile? The drama on and off the ice is giving myself, and I'm sure many loyal team followers a bad case of sensory overload.
And are you ready for even more bad news? It's been announced that Gionta is done for the season with a muscle tear. I guess there's room for Scott Gomez after all.
So what's going to happen next? I don't think I want to know. Let me off the train.
GAME DAY UPDATE: Gomez will indeed start tonight.
First Period:
- Emelin is healthy scratch. Dunno. I don't call the shots, and I certainly don't try to figure out the rationale for these decisions.
- Gill paired with Campoli. Wonder which Sens line will be sent out when those two hit the ice?
- Gomez just about scored on his very first shift. How wild would that have been?
- Very, very quiet Bell Centre. A polite audience, but not particularly enthused.
- Habs put one in the net, but it's disallowed for goaltender interference, and Habs end up with no goal and a penalty to show for their efforts. Somewhat debatable call - Kostitsyn did interfere with Anderson's ability to cover the shot, but was Andre unable to move because the Senators defense was pushing him into the goal mouth? You could argue both sides.
- Plekanec yet another shorthanded breakaway, yet another stop by opposition goalie.
- Senators PK this season has been nearly as bad as the Habs PP.
- Weber *again* unable to maintain simple puck position at the line. Is quickly removed from the PP for Subban.
- Sens get called again just as their penalty expires, which would normally be a bad thing, but not against tonight's opponent.
- And Weber with a careless high stick that draws 4 minutes. Meanwhile, Emelin sits in the press box above the ice and watches [shrugs].
- Pretty listless, low temp period, both team's power plays were largely ineffective, one of those games where you hate forking out $150 for a seat. Not much entertainment value.
Second Period:
- Habs nice puck possession and passing on their first PP of the frame, Gomez, dare I say, looking involved and really pushing hard in front of Anderson.
- Would it be sacrilegious if I said that Gomez is probably our best playing forward tonight?
- Much like its game against the Blues, Canadiens really struggling to get shoots on goal. Lot of blocks and missed attempts tonight.
- Fans starting to boo, I suppose it's the powerplay they're venting over, or maybe that they'll never get their money back from having to endure this yawner.
- Anderson save of the game on Kostitsyn, who's also put out a decent effort for the Habs.
- Seven minutes left in the second. Total game shots for Alfredsson, Spezza and Michalek: Zero.
- It's somewhat heartening to see someone else's powerplay that looks worse than ours.
- Outplaying and outshooting the opposition. But the story remains the same - Habs unable to bury their chances or even hold a lead.
- Habs zone coverage really has been strong tonight, maybe there's method to the seven defense madness, but on the flipside, the offense has not able to generate much rhythm.
- Sens' Daugavins just blew a 65 footer past Price, but nailed the crossbar. It was a rocket, but no way anyone should be scoring that far out in this League.
- Phantom tripping call on Pacioretty.
- Habs controlled the second, but didn't dominate. They really should be in the lead, but as we've seen all year, the forwards were unable to score in the clutch.
Third Period:
- Plekanec 15:27 of time through 40 minutes, only Subban has more.
- And Plekanec scores ... heaven for fend, short handed on a breakaway?? The sheer volume dictated that it had to happen eventually. 1-0 Habs.
- Habs holding a lead for the first time in seven days, or four games.
- Note to Habs forwards with wide open shots - Anderson simply cannot be beat on his glove hand.
- Weber with some nice hustle to prevent a Sens breakaway.
- Habs now sitting on this lead a bit, and the Sens are generating some quality chances.
- And just like that, Gonchar's shot from the line is deflected past Price by Turris for only his second of the season. Game tied.
- After all they've been through this year, did the Habs really think they could hold a 1-0 lead for 16 minutes? How many times must this lesson be taught?
- Sens offense dictating play now. Their second goal is seemingly inevitable.
- I really ought just keep it to myself. The moment I posted how well Gomez was playing, he's since gone invisible.
- Habs doing a lot of running around in their own zone, Price doing his best to keep them in this, but it's not looking good.
- Anderson has, very quietly, played brilliantly tonight, just now stealing one from Pacioretty courtesy a perfect setup by Cole.
- Habs outhitting, out-chancing, out-blocking, winning more face-offs, outshooting, but not outscoring. A loss tonight would be exceptionally frustrating.
- Oh dear. Plekanec with a very ill-timed high stick, quite accidental but definitely careless, and it draws four minutes. Now thee PK must save the game.
- Spezza with a bomb from the line, another deflection past Price (pretty sure it was). Sens score than second goal, take the lead. And it's a tomb in the Bell Centre.
- Wow. They come through. Campoli with the shot from the line, and finally, finally, somebody is there to bury the rebound chance. This time it's Pacioretty. With 39 second left. Game tied.
- Ho boy. You can't make this stuff up. Gorges, totally unforced, for some reason, shoots the puck from his zone over the glass and into the 15th row, and the Habs will go into OT one man short.
Overtime:
- Normally Gorges would be out there trying to kill this penalty. It's Plekanec, Subban and Gill who will have to do it.
- Subban blows a clearance by shooting into the Habs bench. He's down on one knee almost certainly thinking "why the heck did I just do that?"
- Habs survive, thanks in large part to the great work by Plekanec, Subban and Gill.
- Would it also be sacrilege to also point out that Campoli has been pretty good tonight?
- The dreaded shutout. How I've not missed watching you. But here we go.
- Both Anderson and Price have not been stellar in the shootout this season, but Price's work is decidedly worse. Just 8 saves on 17 shots.
- Kaberle?? Huh? Yeah, me either.
- Habs tries in shootout have been pretty dismal. Still trying to figure out the choice of Kaberle.
- Alfredsson wins it. And yeah ... one more time. Kaberle??
- It's been pointed out to me that Kaberle was 5 for 12 in career shootout attempts, but still, that's not the guy you pick among your first 3 in a shootout. Meh.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)