Solid: Habs 3, Canuckleheads NOTHING!

Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, Alex Kovalev...Happy birthday to you~!

Punch! That! Shit!
- Thank god Halak was sharp tonight. Got 34 saves and plenty of help from his posts/side of the net/and Breezer for a well deserved first shutout of the year for him.
- While he didn't get any hat tricks, Kovy got a birthday assist, two penalties (though that 2nd one was uh....), drove Luongo absolutely crazy, and gave Jaro a big hug at the end.
- SuperPleky! Right outta the box and in the net. Boom! 1-0
- If you were upset the Habs looked like they were hanging back, they didn't have much choice considering the penalty-fest. (Though Canucks had more). But special teams kicked the flying V in the rear.
- Regardless of how open their teammates are, the Sedin twins will always play between each other.
- Markov pinch on the PP, BOOM! 2-0 He so sneaky.
- Been a looooooooooong time since I saw the boys supportive of their goalie, careful not to interfere, and willing to stand up for one another.
- Someone hooked Koivu on his line change and Stewart attacked! I love that kid.
- HOLY PATCHES he's a keeper.
- Koivu playing with the flu? You couldn't tell. Well deserved 3rd star and finally he lead the charge and the team followed.
- Not the homecoming Burrows was expecting I guess, but he did crosscheck Breezer in the mouth.
- Loved seeing Chipper break up the Sedin Cycle (tm).
- HOLY SHIT the Habs won 31 faceoffs and the Nucks only won 18! And even when they lost a few they still jumped to get the puck. Now...keep doing that.
- No Schneider Play (tm) tonight but still went 1-7. He did say if you can at least get one a game that it's all good. Luongo was more the difference on those.
- The building was LOUD! I was flipping to the Sens game during breaks, and even though they were winning their game...it was rather quiet. Sundin got booed and taunted, the Halak Chant went all out, the Ole song sung proudly.
- Pulled Luongo for the extra man even though they were on the PK, Fruit Punch gets the pass from Higgy. Boom! 3-0
- And with that one Halak put his hands together, looked up to the rafters, and said "thank god for that".
- First win against the Canuckleheads since uh...2000.

Conclusion: They may give us heart attacks but at least they put a solid 60 minutes. It was like the Detroit book and the game of patiences. Even shorthanded they were just waiting for the right time to pounce up on the offense. I like it when they play like this. Now do it more consistently and you won't be depressing or burning out your goalies.

And nothing like a little homestand to bring you out of your funk. The crowd! They love you! This is the team I saw play before the new year. Thank you for coming back.

Oh and before the game, Lang visited them and asked them to please make a deep run in the playoffs because he really wants to play.

Safe for now...
- Boston put the 6-1 beat down on Florida. Might have been different if Vokoun wasn't sick and Anderson wasn't staring at ice girls all day. Ryder was back from his broken face and got a goal and an assist. Nothing special.
- It's going to be a long season in Buffalo now that Miller is hurt with that high-ankle sprain... Giggy got the better of them 3-2.
- Ottawa did what I asked them to and beat Carolina 4-2. THANK YOU GOD!
- Philly made Theo look silly, 4-2.

Habs vs Sens: SHUTOUT!

So are you done panicking yet? Man the forums have been annoying these days...

Who would have thunk it that Chris Higgins, the man of many posts, would get the first hat trick this year. Actually Sergei almost came first, which was also pretty cool. But Master Higgins is back my friends! Double-whammy goes to Carey Price, shutting the door on the Sens for the 2nd straight game he faced them. The last one was 3-0 last season, this time it's 4-0. One more and there would have been free wings. Ah Dandy...if only that glove had not flicked so quickly eh? And after everyone blames him for everything, Gui! shoots a quicky from a won faceoff by Lang for the other goal. Gorges is still the love of my life, Rhino needs to stop throwing pucks over the glass. I know he means well, though! Triple whammy was Laraque patrolling, while mini-Cube fights Ruutu for elbowing Fruit Punch. I love these guys.

Besides the elbowing and backflip over Price, Jarkko Ruutu is still my favourite idiot. He even waved goodbye as he was thrown out.

Memo to Hartsburg: What's up with Sputza? Only time I noticed him was when he hooked Kovy right in front of the ref. I swear he's see-through... Perhaps he needs to yell again.

League-wide faceplants:
- As various members of the press continue vilifying Kostopoulos like he's some mad dog, the master of actual cheapshots from behind Ryan Hollweg thinks he should have gotten 10 games. Pot, meet kettle! Douche. Remember, Sergei has a good memory...
- Wilson is also full of hot air. Keep on jabbering. Any of the journalists dared to ask him about Mr. Hollweg? So by his suggestion the Leafs should be down to what 13 and 2? And how long will he hide his Hollweg for fear of what the children might think when he purposedly pounds an unsuspecting rooking into the glass from behind, as he does time and time again...
- Hey look, someone who's actually not sipping Leaf Juice in Leafs Nation! Oh surprise, the comments are full of bile.
- Penguins beat Red Wings 7-6 in OT. Um...last time I looked that was 5-2 Wings. Collapse much?
- Calgary beat those silly Toronto comeback kids 4-3 even with the flu and Phaneuf nearly lost an eye last game.
- Still waiting to see if the Stars can beat the Kings. It's tied at 2 now. You can do it, Marty!