Game Sixty-Seven: Habs v Flames

THE TALE OF THE TWO RANDYS

Happy Monday! Are we all still feeling bummed out over losing to the Leafs? Are we feeling manic that Toronto finally seems to have a knowledgeable, competent guy behind the bench ... while we have ... I don't know - what exactly do we have behind our bench?

Out of curiosity, I checked out the backgrounds of The Two Randys (insert silly BBC allusion here), they being of course, Carlyle and Cunneyworth. I found, much to my surprise, that both have lived almost the same lives and have traveled the same paths. Interesting!!

Both were born and raised in southern Ontario. Both played roughly 16 years in the NHL, both played roughly the same number of games (Carlyle 1,055, Cunneyworth 866), Cunneyworth scored more goals (189), but Carlyle, who was always more of a playmaker, had more points (647).

Coaching-wise, both took the prototypical process required to reach the NHL. Cunneyworth cut his coaching teeth mainly with Rochester as coach/assistant in the AHL for 8 years, while Carlyle spent 7 years as coach/assistant with the Manitoba Moose of the IHL/AHL. Carlyle got into coaching four years before Cunneyworth, which is logical given that Carlyle is four years older.

Carlyle's minor-league record as a head coach was 222-159 (.583 winning percentage) for the Moose, while Cunneyworth went 350-271-48 (.564%) for Rochester/Hamilton. Neither won a championship in the minors, or for that matter, had stellar playoff records. Of the 15 combined years coaching in the minors, Carlyle only saw the third round once in 2005 (and was soon offered the head coaching job with Anaheim), while Cunneyworth, similarly, only saw the third round once for Rochester in 2004.

So what does this tell us? It tells us that the two Randys are pretty similar guys, similar backgrounds, similar playing careers, similar coaching careers. Their paths of their lives have been extraordinary the same.

There was one big event where the lives of these two men took a sudden diversion. That was, of course, the Stanley Cup that Carlyle behind the bench with Anaheim. Today, he finds himself in the centre of the hockey universe with a tidy little contract that will take him through 2016. Cunneyworth, meanwhile ... finds his coaching career more or less in limbo, his future in doubt, playing out the string with a (very) losing record in a lost season, with no assurance of any employment beyond the spring.

I suppose the lesson here is even if the lives of two men are incredibly similar over the same period of time, the paths can suddenly and irreconcilably diverge in an instant. After coaching the Moose to a 44-26 season, Carlyle got his break with Anaheim just as that organization was peaking. 

Cunneyworth, who paid his coaching dues just as much as Carlyle, got his "break" by taking a promotion to the top job in Montreal squat in the middle of a lost season in a city more obsessed with the language, rather than the actual qualifications of who's standing behind the bench.

For that, Cunneyworth's story has become a bit of a career tragedy. He was brought into a chaotic situation to manage a deflated and dysfunctional roster, his team has looked terrible, and because of this, his reputation as an able guy has been greatly harmed - perhaps irreparably so.

It's likely that Cunneyworth won't retain his current position beyond this season. Perhaps he'll be able to find an opportunity with another NHL club. Perhaps he'll return to the minors. Maybe he'll just get out of coaching altogether - I hope he won't.

Ultimately, I hope that one day Cunneyworth is given a chance with a stable team to prove his coaching mettle. Carlyle has been given another chance in Toronto, I think Cunneyworth certainly deserves the same.


ANDREI MARKOV IS CLOSE UPDATE: Contact practice this morning! I'm thinking Edmonton on Thursday???! We'll see!!

PLAYERS COMING BACK TO HAUNT US UPDATE: Well at least we know it won't be Cammalleri. John Lu reports he's out for tomorrow night's game with an upper body injury.

Also ... Cunneyworth said this afternoon that Markov will be traveling with the team and will be participating in team practices with contact, but no return date is yet set. He indicated that the team intends on Andrei playing before the season's end. So perhaps my prediction (hope) for a return against Edmonton was a bit premature.

First Period:

- Little late to the action, but Flames go up 2-0 after Weber makes a sloppy pinch at his blue line, giving Iginla room to wheel (and he does) past Plekanec, sweeping around Price, and voila, they're on their way.

- Habs just ... awful. Sloppy, slow, undisciplined. Flames are simply eating them alive on both ends of the ice. Don't know who to praise for the Habs - no one is worthy.

- You know, Weber looked so promising at the start of the year - but his play the past two weeks has just been ... so ... terrible. Have no idea how or why he's tipped into an abyss.

- Habs really one one decent scoring chance, and they actually score on it at the very end of the period on the powerplay with Plekanec slipping in a rebound. Still the game totally lopsided, Flames outshooting the Habs 18-9. Eeek.

Second Period:

- Really, the Flames ought to destroy us tonight, they're still within striking distance of a playoff spot. And this is in a city starved for post-season play.

- Habs actually looking a bit more organized first five minutes of the period. Still unable to work the puck into an open spot for a quality chance, nonetheless there is semblance of coherence that was completely void over the first 20 minutes.

- Mini break here as Flames' Bouwmeester flips the puck over the glass under pressure from Bourque. See? Good things happen when you use the body.

- Pretty uneventful man advantage. Usual assortment of good passes, but no high quality shots.

- Wow. What a weird game this is turning out to be. Pactioretty with a gift goal from a harmless shot near the boards that somehow Kiprusoff muffs up. Game tied.

- How did Bourque manage to miss that totally wide open net? How many times has he done that since joining the Habs? I've lost count.

- Just can't compete. Blown coverage all over the place, defense and forwards, and Giordano blasts one past Price from 35 feet. I'm not sure how you can teach the basics to NHL players such as "cover your man", but that Flames goal, the basics were all but forgotten. 3-2 Calgary.

- Eller takes a bad penalty. Again.

- Oh wow. Did Iginla ever make Gorges look bad. Brilliant goal, but Gorges simply turned inside out. Price failing to cover the post properly didn't help much. Now 4-2.

- This might be Gorges worst game of the year.

- Better period than the first, but still Habs being outclassed. Price struggling, and his teammates, especially the forwards, are having great difficulty with positioning (perhaps indicative of the younger guys getting a chance). Flames are going to win this easily.

Third Period:

- So how come none of our guys ever seem to haunt their old teams? Bourque has had a couple of chances, but he's been mostly invisible. Meh.

- Oh Carey. Oh Carey ...

- The play by Price probably sums up how everybody on the Habs roster feels right now.

- Eller , try try, and try again, you never know what'll happen. Another weak one surrendered by Kiprusoff. Habs on life support, but still a chance. Sutter calls for time.

- Yup. This is a crazy game. Mad scramble in front of Kiprusoff, and the puck deflects off Desharnais' skate (I think?) and in. Reviewing the play now.

- This will count. Puck went in off Kibrusoff's stick. And it's 5-4. Pacrioretty with *another* goal. He's going to break 30 this year easily.

- The Flames will never live this down if they blow this game. A chance to nearly climb back to 8th now being given away. Will they hang on?

- Campoli with a great rush around and behind the Flames net, and a pass back to the line to ... no one.

- Habs have only won one game this year trailing after two periods. I can't fathom them coming back from three down with less than 10 minutes left in the 3rd.

- Is Price hurt? He made a very awkward save and appeared to twist his left leg awkwardly.

- Iginla looking fierce for the hat trick.

- Price really slow to get up after making a save on a 2-on-1 Flames break. Really slow.

- Three minutes left. Habs will need to push the peddle right now.

- Kaberle ... Just. Keep. It. In. The. Zone.

- Don't quite understand putting Campoli out there with Price pulled.

- Tanguay with a mistake icing.

- Wow. Did Cunneyworth actually use a time out? Miracles never cease!

- Nice try, but as usual, not quite enough. Still nice to see some life in the last half of the period. Something to build on for Thursday, perhaps?

Game Sixty-Six: Leafs v Habs

So let's get this straight: Brian Burke fired Ron Wilson because of the way he and the Leafs were being taunted by their fans during their recent loss to Florida? Really!? That's all that's required - a few jeers from the mob? Wow.

Obviously Habs fans are far too passive. While Randy Cunneyworth plays out the string awaiting his inevitable dismissal at season's end, the Leafs took matters into hand and got a pretty experienced guy behind their bench who's actually won a championship. WHY can't we do the same - like ... ever? Why couldn't we have hired Carlyle instead?

Instead, we'll repeat the same pattern, bringing in an unqualified francophone ex-player, who'll either have a ridiculous temperament, or a general lack of coaching experience. And he'll be terrible. And the team will suffer.

Guys. Hire the best available candidate, regardless of their ability to speak french?

Bah. Who am I kidding. It's not gonna happen.

Tonight: with Gomez and Diaz out with injuries, the kids will get their chance to shine against the tailspinning Leafs.

Let's drive the final nail into Toronto, boys. Let's salvage some measure of satisfaction out of a lost season.

First Period:

- With the Habs having a losing season, game tickets are plentiful. Lots of Leafs fans in the crowd tonight.

- Spirited start, plenty of hitting, pace is pretty fast. Not bad for two of the East's bottom-feeding teams.

- Gustavsson looking very shaky handling the puck behind his net.

- And with the Leafs netminder caught out of position, Cole buries his 23rd of the year, and reacts with unusual emotion.

- Leafs zone coverage pretty chaotic right now.

- Wow. Not sure if Staibitz has much of a future with the big club, but his fights alone are nearly worth the price of admission. Big tilt there with Brown (split decision).

- Lots of emotion out there tonight. Two frustrated teams in lost seasons taking it out on each other. Great fun to watch.

- End to end action. Can't believe they can sustain this pace for 60 minutes.

- I totally dig the mask Price is wearing tonight - easily the best of his collection.

- Geoffrion making the team play attempting to feed the puck from behind the Leafs' cage to Eller who was tied up by both Toronto defenders. It wasn't the correct play. He could have easily carried the puck in front for a high percentage chance. These are the plays where you hope they learn, and improve.

- Very good first - quite intense, lots of emotion, likely due to the great atmosphere in the Bell Centre. Can't wait for the next 40 minutes.

Second Period:

- Carey Price can't afford to take naps with the faceoff directly to his left. Campoli also in la-la land. Matt Frattin says thank you. Game tied.

- Phil Kessel tests Price to see if Carey is awake with a quick snapper glove said. Price is indeed, alert.

- Gustavsson really seems to like converting the routine into an adventure. No wonder Burke's hair is so white.

- Habs offense grinding to a halt in the 2nd. Betcha the Leafs end up with a lead headed to the 3rd.

- Bourque plays the puck in the neutral zone with his head down, and pays the price.

- Cunneyworth sent out his most defensively challenged line and defense at the same time. Playing with fire.

- With the kids out there, even though it's Toronto, Habs forwards are pretty overmatched. Don't see this ending well.

- Good pressure by Pacioretty draws a trip, and Habs get a chance here on the man advantage, recently ranked as low as 30th, now at 26th against the NHL's 29th ranked PK.

- Wayyyyyyy too much passing. Leafs are giving it away, and we're not taking.

- Gustavsson got lucky laying flat on his back he failed to cover the puck, but Bourque couldn't flip it over and in.

- Superb looking leg save by Gustavsson on a rocket from Subban. Shot probably would have gone wide.

- Leblanc with an insanely stupid and totally unnecessary hold at the Toronto line with only seconds left in the period. Terrible.

- Toronto was the much better team in the 2nd, slightly better team through 40. It's up for grabs, but Toronto needs this game much more badly than the Habs, so expect them to come out storming in the 3rd.

Third Period:

- Routine kill there, thankfully.

- Unusually juicy rebound surrendered by Price from a routine shot.

- All Leafs so far in the 3rd. Here we go (again).

- Nearly at the 6 minute mark, Pacioretty got the Habs their first shot on goal.

- Dave Jackson with a questionable goaltending interference call on Pacioretty.

- Leafs blue line really struggles with what should be routine passing and puck control. It's killing their powerplay opportunities.

- Shots are 32-19 Leafs. Are we gonna steal this?

- The answer is, by the way, almost certainly no unless we can actually generate scoring chances against Gustavsson (we haven't had one this period).

- Weber takes a unwise icing, Habs should call for time.

- They don't, we make a terrible line change trying to get everyone off, and the Leafs take the lead as Grabovski ends his 11 game scoring drought. That one started with Weber, and ended with Cunneyworth.

- We really are the team that cures all that ails the opposition, no? Leafs have won only three times this year trailing after the first (about to make that four), and Grabovski scores his first in a month.

- Komisarek rubs out Campoli along the boards (ought have been called interference). Campoli got his revenge 10 seconds later with a devastating (and legal) open ice hit on Komisarek.

- Subban came within a foot of sending Grabovski back to last Tuesday. If full contact had been made I'm pretty sure he'd still be down.

- Habs still playing like this game is tied. No real sense of urgency.

- Plekanec line turning up the heat. Gustavsson makes a great save off a rebound.

- Cole a silly slash to end any hopes. Leafs were the better team, so the win is deserved.

- Dead carp thrown on the ice. Symbolic sentiment about this year's team in Montreal.

- Why not. Shoddy play by Weber, Grabovski one more. Little salt in the wound. Now it's off to Alberta.