Habs 1, Lames 4 - Usual stinky home opener

This could be our Habs right now.

The Intro
- Fairly standard. Players come out to their names, everyone cheers. What were people expecting? Players propelling down from the rafters?

The First Period
- The Good: AK46 scores off a Patches "I TOTALLY MEANT TO MISS FOR THE REBOUND OFF THE BACKBOARDS" shot barely 2 minutes in the game. Patches also adds Kostopoulos to his "I hit ex-Habs real hard" list.
- The Bad: A bullshit penalty on Darche screws everything up. Then the Captain takes 2 in a row and it's all downhill from there.
- The Ugly: Wow guys, stand around stationary some more. I don't think you could help any less. Also see turnovers, you're causing them, and they're scoring uncontested from them.

The Second Period
- The Good: Lars Eller's first game back from shoulder surgery and he's the only one with a hint of care that played last year. Also the shoulder is good according to some hits.
- The Bad: While Calgary finally gets called for penalties, Habs give up 2 shorthanded chances.
- The Ugly: Price makes a save off the collarbone that stings him, he has to scramble to take care of 2 more saves, a third goes in and...his teammates didn't move a muscle to help.

The Third Period
- The Good: That 2nd wave powerplay unit with the Swiss Misters on the blueline, DD, AK46 and I don't remember who else was the better unit.
- The Bad: Almost scoring isn't scoring.
- The Ugly: Team just wanted out of this game. Price was just hoping they would leave him the fuck alone. Way to rally and help him get that 100th win boys!

Conclusion: Blarg.
Brownie Points: Eller!
Sad Panda: Game lacked some serious Cammy, who looked so sad. And no that tie didn't hide your sadness enough.
New Goal Song? WHAT IS IT?!
Babies? Hal Gill's wife had a boy last night so give the man a break. Also congrats!
Ouch: Ryan White had successful sport hernia surgery (tabernacle). Markov was in Florida seeing Doctor McKnee.
WTF of the Night: RDS seems ready to trade Cole back to Carolina. After 3 games.
Panic at HI/O: The usual angry troll stuff.
Silver Lining: No one got hurt, unless you count their pride.

Total: Stinkiest of their usual stinky-since-lockout home openers. Probably because it was against the Calgary Lames, of whom they're always stinky against. Also their GM threatened their jobs. After two games. Probably to cover his ass when he should have bit the bullet and tanked that fucker to various high draft picks last season when he had the chance instead of laughing at Edmonton. Also fuck you Tanguay. You never played like that when you were here, backchecking and stuff, and I'm talking before Artyukhin used you for a dishrag. Fuck off back to your stupid team.

Habs 5, Flames 4 (OT): Crisis averted

I'm not sure if this is for the Habs or the Flames right now...

Lars Eller had a great game tonight. Perhaps his wife heard Tony Marinaro's daily snide and finally alerted him on the subject? Or perhaps the young man was finally at peace on a stable, offensive line with the team's best two-way centerman (and perfect role model for the Great Dane) and a somewhat healthy Mike Cammalleri. Eller opened the scoring for the Habs tonight, using his long stick to snap in the small rebound while falling to the side around Kipper. It was fantastic to see, and would be my play of the day if I were in charge of such things. He also showed us tremendous defensive awareness, screaming back to break up a play by the Flames. I feel like I'm watching a giant, budding Tomas Plekanec.

PK Subban and Andrei Kostitsyn had their own great games tonight. Building off the new energy he's receiving by Halpern's side and showing his fairly exemplary and underrated defensive awareness, the AK46 sprung to life and was one of the few forwards pushing hard on the Flames. In the end he was rewarded with a wicked goal that most claim Kipper would love to have back, but give him credit for shooting it! Benoit Brunet was saying how he was sure he would just dump it in and change. (Brunet was rather ornery tonight, even before the collapse). PK Subban was the best defenceman on the ice. As unfortunate Gorges' injury is, it forced the team to put PK back with an ol' faithful like Hal Gill where he's able to stabilize his play, ending the night with the game winning goal, an assist, +1, and lead ALL defencemen in ice time which included a shared lead in shorthanded time with his buddy Gill. They're destined for buddy cop movie or two.

I'm not going to harp on the meltdown because it's blue monday, the most depressing day of the year. We already know the story. It was like the 3rd period on Saturday. And I can't really fault Auld either because it was just a disaster in the defensive zone (also known as Hamr and Spacek and a flu-bugged Wisniewski which also kind of killed the powerplay). Auld is our Michael Leighton in that he's large enough to get in the way of a save (couple of posts) but the guys have to lock down and clear the rebounds (also known as standard play when the backup is in nets). They didn't after Kipper was pulled, and Flames capitalized. Change our own goalie to calm the back end, and went for the OT win.

He made four huge saves in relief, but Price picked up his League leading 23rd win. (Hey, he picked up many Ls in relief of Jaro for the past 2 years). He's only one behind his rookie season record right now with about the same save percentage/GAA. The youngest of the League leaders. Should have left his Heritage tuque on over his mask.

Prior to the game, Cammy proclaimed that he believes this team is sneaky good and believes despite not playing their best and with not much expected of them that they're optimistic to have a good second half because they feel they can squeak out these wins. They may not be pretty, they may have you reaching for the Advil, but a win is a win is a win no matter which way you put it.

SNOW! Habs 4, Flames1

We can't stop here, this is bat country!

A rare appearance by the Calgary Flames?! Oh yes. But they brought a snowstorm with them. So while the Bell Center looked empty for half the game, the place was sold out by people stuck in traffic thanks to our city being retarded with their snow removal. What's a matter... the contract not start yet? I couldn't even get into my driveway. In fact, I listened to half the first period and the beginning half of the 2nd while inching my way home in the snow/sleet/traffic, passing many a stalled or spun-out car or truck. And people were complaining about the snowtire law... Bunch of wankers. You'd think people would know how to handle winter by now? We only get it every year.

Oh the points!
- The very hairy Czech, Robert Lang, must have heard whispers of an unhairy Swede and responded with a 3 point night that included two very needed and proven goals.
- Shoot da puck, score da goal!
- Kovy's one-handed pass behind the net produces more than just a show. He's so sneaky.
- D'Agostini going nani nani fufu as he blocks a shot and dekes the hell out of Kipper for another unassisted goal in his pocket. Well, looks like he'll be the victim for this years rookie dinner.
- SERGEI IS BACK and looking as pissed off as ever. He was great, especially on the PK.
- Tanguay assisting on those flying pucks and just itching to give his old coach a wave.
- Refs are blind. Very blind.
- Why can't Markov do the same slapshot on the powerplay? But all the thanks should go to Kovy for screening Kipper.
- So Markov makes a play to stop Phaneuf who inadvertedly falls over him by turning to get around him and makes it look like kneeing and the Flames try to beat up on Markov. He eventually comes out of the pile with his sweater around his hands and his armor over his head. Back on the bench, Sergei was laughing at him.
- Iginla trying to bait Breezer into a fight at the end and got nothing but a ribbing from the Habs bench. No respect for your elders!
- The look on Price's face as one injured player after another walked by him was that of "OH MY GOD".
- Dandy broke him arm yet finished his shift, without a stick and parked in position in front of Halak to make a defensive play.
- The last thing Higgins needs is a shoulder injury dammit!
- Flames got plenty of good chances and despite the constant flailing in front of Jaro, the rest of the Habs managed to beat them off the puck.
- Ooooo giveaways!
- Sorry, Flames, but this isn't the Rangers.
- Price messing around with Halak after the win.
- Hey wow, we play these guys again in February.

Conclusion: more games like this and the armchair GMs could maybe STFU. And the guy still hasn't come to clean my driveway...

Mini-Soapbox
Who cares about the All-Star Game. It's a place for the players to just relax and have some fun! But I don't get it when people vote for injured players, especially those who have been injured since the beginning of the season. So...I don't get it. I stopped voting for Brendan Morrow the day he went down and concentrated on some Oilers player to go with my Mikko Koivu. At least write in someone that's playing!