There will be blood! Habs 5, Islanders 4

I bleed! And I score! And these funny guys in Blue-Orange looked scared...

Say what you will about an ugly game like this, or about how a team that only shows up in the 3rd doesn't merit 2 points. The bottom line is they rallied back, and they won it and the other guys weren't able to contain it. And give the Islanders some credit here. They knew exactly who they were facing, and they knew they had to make it a good one because they're currently coming off a 6 game losing streak. The Curse of the Ex-Habs Franco Goalie was nothing more than Danis trying to get himself an actual job by hoping he could come out the hero, especially considering DP is absolutely on the IR. They forechecked hard, they trapped (ya, that was weird seeing the Islanders play the trap), they did things they probably never really did before, and they capitalized on yet another slew of scrappy penalties. But Streit should know his former team... When the Canadiens have their backs to the wall, the come out fighting. And this time Price was not going to be the deciding factor, especially after facing a game's worth of shots by the end of the second period. He was, however, the one to hold the final lead intact. Of course the million dollar question is: What did Carbo say after the 2nd? According to Plekanec,"Yeah, you don't want to hear that." Zing!

Look! Onto the wet ice! It's a bird? No a plane? No! It's Super Pleky!

And though it wasn't as magical as The Comeback against the Rangers, it was close. The Islanders were playing better than the Rangers anyway. But Kovalev, who drew first before the Islanders went firing on all cylinders and stuffed in the final one, seems to have a knack for destroying New York teams. Plekanec combined with his line to assist and receive, and finally his hard work paid off with two goals in two minutes. Higgins, of course, a stone's throw from his home, tied the game and corrected his first period error that deflected Streit's shot behind Price. The third period bonanza had the Islanders completely stunned as they finally faced the real Montreal Canadiens.

They got character, these guys. But just as things are flying they're saddled with another week off before heading into Columbus, where that annoying git RJ Umberger is playing now. Though I'm more concerned with Rick Nash...

Another interesting thing was the crowd. Throughout the game, all I could hear is GO HABS GO chants and the Ole song. And as the Canadiens scored, a sea of red or white jerseys jumped to their feet. With only around fourteen thousand in attendence, that's got to hurt the home team. I almost made the trip myself, actually. Maybe in the 2nd half of the season.

Wonder what Price and Kovy were looking at right at the start of the 2nd? The ice. It's was absolutely wet. Almost like they passed the zamboni just a second before. You'd think arenas in the NHL could at least get the ice to settle before a period starts? Guys should have brought their swiming trunks...

Seeking other forms of interests:
- Of course the Leafs were playing the Rangers tonight. And of course the Leafs have their own 3rd Period Bonanza and scored 5 goals for a win that gave Tom Renney bad memories of one February last season and to which HNIC got all in a tizzy while planning the parade and building their shrine to Luke Schenn. I'd like to remind you that the Leafs were only down 2-0, and assuming you've got the drive to do so, it's not that hard to rally back from. Especially since the Rags were using their backup, Stephen Valiquette.
- And if you think the Habs are bad for relying on their goaltending day in and day out, what about the Flames? I stuck around to watch the Kings/Flames game. The Kings are a young team with not much going for them. However they were dominating the Flames on the faceoffs, they were outshooting them, they were holding them in their zone and doing a well enough job defensively. And HNIC can hold the holy candle to Schenn all they want. Frankly Drew Doughty is a far more incredible player for a kid of his age and straight from junior saddled with an otherwise weak team. In fact you wouldn't know he was just drafted and thrown into the NHL from the way he's playing. But without Kipper in nets, the Flames would have been the absolutely Lames. And the Kings did manage to tie up the game as well, only to lose by one goal and not able to capitalize with an extra attacker in the dying moments. Like the Islanders game, the Flames should not have had Kipper stand on his head against the Kings, but he had to in order to keep their winning streak alive...
- Buffalo 5-0 against the Caps. Yup, that's Theo's 5-hole all right.
- Marty Turco, I'm really afraid for you... The Bruins beat the Stars 5-1, and the Stars only goal comes from Sean Fucking Avery.
- MARTIN BRODEUR GOT FUCKING INJURED! I told you, The Roy Curse. Devils did win though, and oddly enough the win went to Brodeur...? He left 6 minutes into the 2nd period after his usual sprawling save with a "bruised" elbow. Um...it's gotta be more than that. Hey! Look! Kevin Weekes is still alive! Oh my god!
- Semin says Crosby is nothing special, and then the Penguinos stomp the Blues 6-3. Oddly enough, Mason was in nets for the Blues. I thought he was still injured?
- Cam Ward lets in a few real stinkers (like, they were absolutely bad goals) and the Oilers finally win a game.