Soapbox: And now a word from our sponsors

When was the last time the Habs had almost a week of me-time between games? I think it was some time last season... All this means is I get to hear more bitching and whining, speculations, and idiocy! Yay!

Thankfully Montreal gets a radio station from Burlington, Vermont. Escapism, thy name is rock alternative.

Are you a douchebag or do you just play one on tv?
I'm not too sure I understand the logic behind game star selections by our local media anymore. Earlier this week in a 1-0 loss, Carey Price stopped 29 shots and kept his team in a game against the number 1 team in the division. Star selection was Pouliot for his -1 and forgetting to back check on the lone goal, Tyler Myers for being tall, and Miller naturally. In a similar turn, the slumping Panthers rolled into town to give Jaro a 1-0 shutout with the game star selection going to Pouliot again (with good reason, as he scored the only goal), Vokoun who kept his team in the game while flopping around, and Jaro of course. Does this logic seem a little flawed? In both games both the winning team's goalie and losing team's goalie face the same amount of shots (30 for the Sabres game, 38 for the Panthers game) yet they snubbed the losing goalie against a top team but give the losing goalie of a weaker team that second star? And by that brownie point logic for Myers, why not give Plekanec the #2 star for his yeoman work on the penalty kill?

Even Red Fisher was wondering what was up with that.

Are you a douchebag or do you just play one on the radio?
On the same subject of goaltending, I'm really tired of Team990's team of whiners bitching about Price's emotions. Sometimes he says he wishes the kid would show more emotion. Other times he says he's fed up every time he sees Price raise his hands after a goal. I don't know if he has ever noticed, but EVERY goalie in the NHL when they let in a goal they were screened on by their teammates raise their hands in a "if you're going to block me, block it, otherwise get out of my way" manner. Price is pretty reserved compared to most goalies really. Though we've seen him smash post even after he makes a save (it's a sign to his teammates to get their ass in gear after he's stopped the 5th breakaway on the night). It's the right kind of emotion. It's telling everyone that he's here to compete, what are you doing? Unfortunately, he tends to take it out on himself by punching a wall or snaping a goalie stick in two (which should strike fear into anyone, really, considering those are pretty solid sticks). Though everything is back to normal the day after. However, would you guys rather Price does like Vokoun or Turco and call out his teammates to the media? Let's face it, in that Washington game, ending the night with .930 save percentage behind a team that did fuck all against a weak goalie blowing a prime chance to take it to an over .500 team, Hal Gill was directly responsible for those two first goals. Bad luck off the skate is annoying, but backing up into your goalie's face is unacceptable. And since Jacques Martin doesn't seem to say anything during games except mutter cuss words under his breath for every penalty assessed, who else on the ice is going to tell them to wake up?

At least he has a pulse! Too bad the majority of you don't seem to realize how much he cares about playing and winning games, and are drooling about trading him and ruining everything.

And on the subject of radio, Joel Bouchard is one grim reaper to wake up to every morning when he calls in to CHOM (the only station my shitty clock radio picks up properly unless there's a shift in the wind). No wonder the Juniors are having a tough time this year? I'd be pretty depressed listening to this guy coach every day would probably ruin my confidence too. Well, coupled with his dull insight, this morning his thought on the Devils game was that the Habs should have won it and it was probably a point that evened out from a previous game Jaro or Price stole to no points. I don't know about you, Joel, but a previous stolen game where there were no points in the end, do not come back to you later rather they come back to haunt you. It's the old "should have could have" thing. The game against Calgary they should have won and could have won as the team play great that night but Jaro was letting everything in. Every game a defenceman has kicked a puck in their own net that ended up costing them big time in the end (Colorado, Chicago, Washington, etc). How about that game where Price faced 55 shots? Oh yea, that was a 2-0 loss. How about the Pens game Chris Lee stole away, or the Ottawa game Kerry Frasher put his hair on? How about the list of games the team didn't show up in where they looked content in letting their goalies just do everything? If one or more of those game had brought the Habs an extra point in each, they would be higher in the standings, Joel.

While I've got your attention...
...stop trying to trade everyone.

Keith Ballard is evil
He chopped his goalie in the head. He ran into his former goalie and injured him for a bit. He now injured Senators' Jesse Winchester (who ran into him, actually) adding more pain to their hurt. And we learned this weekend that his low hit on AK46 sent our Big Brother to surgery for knee ligaments. On the shelf for four to six weeks. Probably won't go to the Olympics. Team Belarus will only have one Kostitsyn now. And poor Andrei... it seems every time he heats up this season, someone hurts him. Though this would be a nice time to give Brock Trotter a little taste of the NHL, Bob. He's only the highest scorer in Hamilton, and came off a hat trick last night. Considering Pleky and Cammy have fallen into a funk without their Belamullet, it wouldn't hurt to try. Just saying.

We wish you could stay
I know they're off for four days and it's probably better for White to head back down, save some pocket change, and get some playing time...but can we please keep him up here? No one brings the energy like that rosy-cheeked forechecking cherub. That fourth line actually has some use, and he does more in 6 minutes than BGL does sucking air off the bench. Plus he kills penalties.

GAME!
This Thursday I'm going to see our Habs fend off the Dallas Stars! I'm hoping they don't come out flat after the four day layoff. I'm also hoping Turco and Price will play... And I don't wanna see Alex Auld. He doesn't have golden goalie pads.

I'm sick of seeing nothing but football on my TV. Go away, football!