I salut you Kelly Hrudey as the voice of reason. He, of course, understands what it's like. As a goalie, there is nothing more disheartening than to look up and see that unfold in front of you, and the emotion and weight it puts on your shoulders is a burden few can truly bear. Even though I play meaningless shinny ball hockey I fall victim of the "why me" nights when I see the guys unable to do anything while I'm getting scored on more times than not. (I personally live for the moments when I get to rob someone. I like poke checking. It's great fun, but it's not fun being scored on). Right now, no one understands what the kid is going through except for his backup, Halak, and his goalie coach, Rollie. Right now it's up to Rollie to help him through this. Right now, I'd suggest he makes everyone else play nets in practice while Price and Halak flip pucks at them until they see what it's like.
I also believe I was looking at a different game, when the CBC play-by-play commentators kept saying Price was deep in his net when he was STANDING on the fucking red line.
Another salut to Komisaurus for looking like he wanted to absolutely punch the guy interviewing him after the first period when he was asked what's up with Price. Though he didn't, and took the diplomatic route. If that were Gilmour, he might have said something else regardless of it being live...
As for the game, the Habs played like shit. Understandable, maybe, since they played yesterday and were facing a Leafs team recently chewed up and spit out by their GM. But when the Habs play like shit and Price is struggling to the point of tears, it's not going to end well. I also salut the young buck for actually facing the press in the locker room even though I thought he was about to bust out crying. Can he steal games for the team? Yes, he could. First period shots were largely in favor of the Leafs to about a game's worth by the second period when the Canadiens only managed 2. And the only ones helping him are the only ones showing up: Koivu, Sergei, Patches, and Lapierre, Hammer and Rhino for defence. That's two veterans and four kids.
It would also help to win crucial faceoffs in your home zone with only a minute left. I'm just saying, you know. Goalies can't win faceoffs.
I think my only highlight of the night was seeing Lapierre's entire line in the penalty box. It was kind of funny.
D'Agostini took over Lang's spot on the powerplay with his right-handed shot. Kostopoulos made a diving goal. Markov broke the 40 point barrier, now leading the team. But 5-on-5, the loss of Lang is really showing, as it is in the faceoffs that Pleky isn't winning. His loss to a freak injury is hurting this team more than people think.
Oddly enough, Price's percentage hasn't really changed from last year and the Habs are still 4th. But people gotta start scoring or they won't stay there for long.
I saw worse today, actually
- Talk about a team playing like shit, just watched the Blackhawks get absolutely owned by the Canucks. Leaving Huet out to the birds in the first period where he gave up 3 goals, and then Khabibulin to give up 4. When your best chance is during a shorthanded breakaway and no one is capable of connecting a pass or actually shooting to the net, I seriously wouldn't put that loss on the goalies.
- Another team who played yesterday called the Buffalo Sabres lost in a shootout to Ottawa, though Ottawa blew a 2-0 lead. Miller got absolutely owned on the shootout by Sharkko Ruutu. Same move he tried on Price.
- I thought Fernandez was injured? Doesn't matter, Pooh Bears lost after blowing their own lead to the Flyers.
- Ducks beat Flames 2-1. Will they be angry on Monday, or will the Habs be angrier?
- Detroit beat the Oilers 8-3. Hope that's the same Oilers Habs meet on Wednesday... They could use a barnburner. My brother wonders how Drouin-Deslauriers' name fits on his sweater.
- All these weird new rules of not allowing defensemen to play some actual defense like battles in front of the net or calling borderline interference is really skewing scores. Games with 4 or more goals appear to be the norm and shootouts seem on the rise this year... The new NHL is weird.
2 comments:
I've got to slightly disagree with you, in that I think Price WAS playing too deep in his net. At least on one of those goals (I'm trying to repress the specific memory) he should not have had his skates touching anything but white ice.
Otherwise, excellent article! Hugs!
I wasn't talking about that one. That was the only one (the one that came from the middle and just missed his glove). They said it later near the end when he was on the red line each time they said it.
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