Habs 4, Leafs 3 OT: Carey Price vs. The World

For a week now I've been battling a bug that wasn't quite the flu, wasn't quite a cold, and a mixture of allergies because I live next to a field of ragweed. So instead of partying with the Tweeps, I went home and snuggled under my lovely soft throw and readied myself for some Leaf hate. About thirty minutes later they finally dropped the puck.

Can someone tell me why and how the lower bowl was half empty in the so-called center of the hockey universe on opening night?!

-----------------------

It took maybe 50 seconds for the Leafs to put a shot on goal via a 90-foot floater. Meanwhile Komisarek was already high sticking Gomez. Van Massenhover gives Burke's team the pity vote and eats his whistle.

About 5 minutes in and Laraque reminds Colton Orr he should have stayed in New York. Whatever, Bouillon used to beat up Colton Orr for us. Soon after, Rosehill got bored and desided to fight with Moen. Komisarek high sticks Andrei Kostitsyn, who didn't really care much about it then 'cause he was still asleep. Habs fans aren't surprised. Van Massenoven is high on Nyquil. Of course Komisarek starts thinking he's an offensive defenseman, but gets post. Price stops it all.

If you wanted to know the story of the game, it's Komisarek's penalties. Not the ones he didn't get, though. If Van Massenhoover actually called him for everything he'd just be in the box for 60 minutes. Finally after not getting caught the first time, Komisarek is called on a 4-minute high stick while trying to make Gomer uglier. It takes 1 second for Gionta to score. Leafsland gets quieter, if that were possible considering there's no one here.

The fun is negated when Hal Gill left his blinker on while beind the net. Grabs to Poni, the girly line. We leave the first tied at 1 after Komisarek slashes Markov who gives him a "whatever dude" look, and then cross checks Patches after the whistle. BGL whispers sweet nothing in his ear (here's a hint George, PUNCH HIM). Price haters have boarded the bandwagon.

RDS keeps trying to fan the flames by reminding us all it's only the first game of a new team and delivers the credit where it's due to Big Red in the crease. Oh and the Bruins getting massacred by the Caps.


Second starts a bit like the first. Toronto's fourth line giving some fits, Habs players not used to Price playing the puck and give it away, Komisarek tries to kill Gionta who takes the shot and bounces back up. Big Red saves the world. But if you thought Hal Gill was slow, nothing is slower than watching BGL on a breakaway. Worked too! Metro works behind the net, Moen cashes in. Toskala's save percentage drops below 700. Meanwhile Van Massendouche allows everything but Dagger's weak little hook. You know how dangerous those can be. But Gill gets lost in his legs and Mara gets lost in his beard. A weaksauce 5-on-3 and Stajan tips in behind Price. Cammy and Gomez pass around in the wrong direction and Komisarek elbows AK46 in the head who responds with a tap on the feet. Yawn. Somewhere Moen railroaded Grabovski and all of Montreal cheered.

Second period ends with 30 shots on Big Red Gum. Business as usual when in Hog Town. If not for Price being Price it would be 6-2 by now. Senator Demers tells us Komisarek is the Komisaurus pre-Lucic. Too bad they only play Boston for the first time this year December 5th, unless Pronger gets him first.

Third period gets odd. On one hand Habs fans except a comeback. On the other hand Leafs fans expect a comeback. Spacek dives to save a 3-on-1 from happening, earns brownie points. Gionta gets post. Komisarek throws Moen into Toskala who blockers him in the face. Not much of a fight when your guy is a little dazed from two hits but we know Komisarek picks his battles. Van Massenjerk give an extra two to Moen and Stajan can't miss standing in front of the net while Price gets tangled in Markov. All of Montreal stops breathing when Markov hobbles off the ice.

An injury to Markov is a dark cloud of worry. However, now we have Spacek to fail in the corners but lead the rush a lot better than Hammer.

The Leafs have tossed 40 shots at Price who yawns.

Gionta wants another goal and causes all kinds of havoc with his buddy Gomez. AK46 fell asleep on a wide open net. Sergei would have burried that. Just saying. But the winds of change blow as Komisarek aims to break the record for penalties in one game, and Metro tips in a shot from Gorges. Somewhere Guy Carboneau smiled.

Leafs ice the puck for the remaining minute of play and we hit overtime. Leafs are aiming for a shootout. Cammy has other ideas. With the entire bench on the edge of their seats, the world explodes when JOSH GORGES converts to a power forward and bashes the rebound.

No need to sacrifice sticks this year.

W00T!
- Pumpkin pie is yummy.
- Big Red Gum is hot!
- Gionta tapes his whole stick.
- Habs outhit the Truculent Leafs 47-22
- Happy Birthday Coach Martin!
- MARKOOOOOOOOOOOV ;o; Apparently cut by Price's skate.
- Komisarek is dead to me. Boo him loudly my friends.

Constructive feedback: Habs 1, Pens 3

Well, it was a game neither team needed to win, but you still have to go out and do it or else you start forming bad habits. In the Habs case, they've always had those habits. But this morning Dandenault said they'll try things tonight and receive feedback from the coaches. If I were the coach, I'd be throwing a telephone book of material down from the press box on your heads right now.

Here's my abridged version:
- Price vs the Pens for 60 minutes is not a good game plan but he had the hardest side of the night (41 shots, 17 in the first two) compared to Fleury who just had to deal with simple shots of pucks heading towards his chest (30, with only 17 in the last period but neither had any mustard on them). The most difficult Fleury had were off his own screw ups...
- Bonus is your goalie is set. Holy Jesus Price, Carey. Too bad the rest of your team couldn't get their act together for you. Talk about wasted effort. The crowd rallied to his cause, but the team couldn't, which is sad.
- The headline on the Habs page is "Habs Can't Solve Penguins". It's easy, really. When they have the puck, choke them like they do to you. It creates turnovers and then you need to be going the other way. Clog the neutral zone, and don't let them walk right in on your goalie let alone the blue line. Being stationnary pylons is no way to play the Penguins.
- Defense, defense, defense... Komo, do not shoot the puck back to Hammer if he's in a bad situation while the other side is open and clear with a forward waiting for the puck. Gorges, you played well but that last goal was entirely on you. Instead of standing there looking at the Letang decide where he's going to throw it for an hour, HIT HIM! And when you guys roll the puck gently to the other side, you might want to get it before someone storms in and takes control... Also don't let guys like Malkin go unmolested in front of the net. And when you're on the powerplay, two guys at the blue line and STAY there. And when you send it in, look before you pop one off a body so close to you that it creates a 2-on-0 the other way. Finally Schneider, you're too old to be playing a quadruple shift. I know you're enthusiastic, but please, just don't do it when it's important.
- Penalty kill was good though, but you still give too much room. Be more aggressive please.
- Light fluffy shots won't do it. Even I could have stopped those. Though not much else you can do when the Pens play 4 goalies.
- Work on tip-ins. I can't listen to any more "tips it wide"
- Faceoffs back to suck. And I don't mean just winning them, I mean attacking the puck once you win it, or if you lose it, go after it. It's funny how everyone rags on Chipper's faceoff percentage, but if we're not winning them anyway, what's the big deal? At least he attacks the puck if he loses it.
- When you're ahead of Kovy going for the breakout and you're still in your zone, don't drop pass it to a surprised Kovy who just gave you the puck, KEEP GOING.
- More hitting please. Especially blue line hitting. When the rookie Weber is the only one doing this, I have to shake my head. And he's 5'11"! Stocky, yes, but he's smaller than you other guys!
- If TK has hands of clay, Laraque has hands of poo. Never mind the first attempt he had he was being bear hugged, but missing those other two chances are just...
- Move your feet. It does wonders.
- Komisarek, practice skating backwards. If I see you fall on your ass one more time... This is why PK Subban is so important a prospect, because NO ONE skates better or faster backwards than him.

- Refs have no part in your feedback, but I will say they were absolute shit tonight. There was rumblings that maybe it was revenge for Bob's criticism of how they handled the Boston game. Though it doesn't matter since the Pens powerplay has been a "yeoke" for a while now.

- I order you all to sit in the pool at the training center for an hour tomorrow.

Conclusion: Hunker down boys, you're playing Boston on Thursday. (Supposedly). While they may forecheck hard, they're a little slower on the back end. Kind of like how you guys are! However they do get over emotional... Bend over to pick up your stick you just dropped and they'll attack you. Sneeze on them, and they'll punch you. All in all, it's a love-hate relationship eh? It's a rite of spring to have a Bruins/Habs playoff series. I told you, JOINED AT THE HIP!

There's word Markov will be back in time for Game 1, though. If it's true, THANK FUCKING GOD. I don't know about Bouillon though. Groin/Abdominal tear? That's what sidelined Brierererere for almost the entire season...

Pens also play the Flyers. (Maybe). Another set of rivals joined at the hip...

There will be blood.