Habs 4, Caps 1: No ribs for you

Ultimate poker face

What is this? This...thing called goal cushion? It was such a rarity in these recent years I don't think we know how to react to it.

It's like Markov and how everyone is remembering how he used to play. It's been THAT long. Coincidence this is coming as he's actually playing. That's the problem with this fan base: selective, short, and sometimes revisionist memory. It's already starting with regards to PK.

I was initially scared, then curious how HCMT2.0's Habs would play on the road against the Caps who haven't won a game yet. He claimed they will play their game and not give much of a crap how the Caps come out. You could understand after years of being promised things like "puck possession" and such that one would be wary of a coach's promises, Or too often the Habs would just be boring on the road. Pretty much everything the coach said was done.

Of course it helped the Caps continued to play like shit.

Somewhere Mickey Ribs is complaining about something
- Waaaahhhh.
- You could shoot Price with a poison dart and he wouldn't flinch. Actually you could probably toss a nuke in his lap and he'd knock it away to the side.
- Don't look now but I think Adam Oates' brow furrowed!
- Of course it took four (FOUR!) goals in the second period for that poker face to crack, slightly.
- Then again it could have just been the lighting.
- Markov! Pleky! Gionta! Gorges!(?)
- Incredible set up by Bourque on Gionta's goal. If this GOOD Bourque continues and BAD Bourque remains buried somewhere in the trunk of a car then no buyout for him!
- Can't say the same for Kaberle. The KaKa-Cube pairing was killing me, even when they were up 4-0. Dump him and give the money to PK.
- Only other problem in a rather perfect night was the faceoffs. Putrid. I think I only remember one win, and it was Ryan White. And they lost the puck right after anyway.
- I don't know about you but the Caps haven't been the same since they lost that playoff series to the Habs. They keep trying to change, but honestly, maybe they should just go back to their old selves. At least they were a better show...
- And stop fuxing with Ovechkin. Let him play!
- Cole takes some time to warm up, but DD still isn't good... Here's a suggestion: Put Galchy between Cole/Pacioretty and let Eller play between Prust/Gally. If it doesn't work, switch the two and see how that looks.
- Emelin was epic on the penalty kill.
- I think we have a winner! The better Swiss Mister is Diaz. Though to be fair he did play a long time in the Swiss League so he has that edge over Weber...

Ça roule...

The bottle-mic is Gallagher.

Gionta 3, Caps 2 (SO): Small captain, big heart

Don't you just want to grab him and huggle him?

Perhaps Ovechkin could learn a few things from Captain America. What I saw tonight from the Great 8 was an embarrassing, ridiculous childish display of pent-up frustration tipping to the point of stupidity. His attempts to draw penalties by slashing Halpern's stick only to break his own and scream at the ref who didn't fall for it? His facewashing exchange with PK where the official pulled only PK to the box considering the exchange ended in a pile by Price's feet. If his swan dive against the Rangers was bad, tonight he pulled out the whole gamut of tricks. Humour not lost on me, the 3 All-Star participants were heavily engaged in each other on the ice tonight, with PK in his face all night like Gorges usually is. I'm sure if Mcguire was doing the game, he'd be warning us about not poking the bear, yada yada yada. In all honesty everyone knows Ovie's going to cut to the middle pretty much every time.

It all came down to Price stopping him in the shootout and going nuts for the win. Dans ta face.

Regardless, Habs did us proud and earned these points after kicking off the dust from the ASG break. I was actually shocked to see they have a semi-winning record post-ASG break but for a while it looked bad. However, the Captain did what a captain should do: take control of the situation and prop up his team on his tiny little back instead of flailing at the officials, banging his stick on the boards, and bitching about not getting the puck when HE wanted to. Gionta knows how to handle a team and knows the team is all that matters. Price settled comfortably back into his crease. (Funny video of him coming late to practice 'cause his gear pulled a Corey Locke on him). The D played rather well even with the few Hamr brain farts. I thought Weber was fantastic and I wish people would stop saying he's pure trade bait. I also wish Wiz would get a dark stick because you can see the puck from the Space Station when he has it... And for some long stretches it was back-and-forth action my brother said resembled the ASG but with effort and defence.

And I know the Habs can't do this every game. I'm not stupid. But this game was Gionta's statement. He buzzed around the Caps all night, even with their extra long fat bladed sticks. Not sure if it's officially called a hat trick since the winning goal was a shootout goal, so we'll call it a Kovy Hat Trick. And if it were physically possible, I think Superman wears Brian Gionta pijamas.

I love Ben Cahoon. I love Brian Gionta. To me, these two are cut from the same amazing cloth.

Hover! Habs bromance!