Habs 2, Rangers 0: Billions

Habs continue their tradition of wrecking the Rangers' collective lives.

- Plekanec continues his tradition of scoring mucho points against the Rangers too.
- Oh that was pretty. If that was the only goal of the game, thank god it was that.
- As far as home openers go, I think  announcing the rosters and dropping the puck works best.
- Budaj on FAIYAAAAAA!
- The Rangers nearly did what Hamhuis did and Desharnais still can't get a fucking goal.
- I'm thinking at this rate, the better linemate for Louis Leblanc might actually be Tarnasky because Desharnais sucks ass.
- It's good that Pleky scored that fantastic goal because Galchenyuk's probably shouldn't have counted.
- However Mika Zibanejad approves!
- Seriously though. We never get these breaks. THIS FEELS WEIRD!
- Benoit Pouliot checks to the head enough he might get suspended one of these days.
- Though I'd say playing him is punishment enough...
- Gionta had a hat trick of penalties.
- Douglas "Crankshaft" Murray appears! If he tucks his arms and legs in and slides down the ice on his belly, he might make it back in time to break up the play.
- Solid hit though. Too bad it was a bit late.
- Where is Brad Richards?
- Keep chewing that gum, Vigneault.
- Billions in renovations and the end of period buzzer still sounds like it was taken from the local laundromat.
- That's a pretty scoreboard though.
- Rangers are so good at blocking shots, they block their own!

Money.

Good thing Habs won this one. This week is the week of back-to-backs, which includes travel and Western teams and plenty of different sea levels. Old North Stars tomorrow, new North Stars Friday, and I'm thinking Budaj gets the Avalanche next Saturday, being his old team and all.

Habs 3, Rangers 0: Bring out the brooms

Habs sweep the season series with the Rangers each by scoring 3 goals and only giving up 1. But what makes this win more sweet? The Bruins lost to the Flyers earlier in the day, widening that gap between them and the Habs by a bit.

Meanwhile this is the 2nd time in a row the Rangers fell 3-0. Same results in Ottawa just this past Thursday. Torts, no goals for you!

You know it's bad when...
- Sean Avery is advocating your imminent firing and calling you a clown. Hey he'll do you a solid and create a nice ad campaign over it.
- All the morons who frothed out loud that Budaj should start this game despite Price having a now running quadruple shutout streak on the Rangers at the Bell Centre: BACK IN YOUR CAVES.
- And despite the score, and the fact the Rangers suck, it's not like they didn't have grade A chances. Habs enjoy leaving the slot wide open for milk and cookies. May as well paint the ice with a "Come in we're OPEN" sign.
- Ryder opening the scoring, marking him down for the game winning goal. Last Ranger's game Cole had the game winner. Feels like the Universe is happy now.
- My brother: Ryder skating is what Hal Gill would be if he were a forward.
- Nathan Beaulieu paired with Frankie Bouillon gives you the Honey Boo Boo pair?
- First shift, gets a nice shot on goal too. He looks like Mike Green but less faily.
- There is truth to that notion that a player looks better and does better in the NHL than in the AHL. For one, players know what their doing and aren't usually paired with a spot-goon. There's more control and less garbage in the NHL too. (Which is also why Leblanc did better in the NHL with Eller/AK46 than what's going on in Hamilton on a line with a goon and a career ECHLer).
- Though the penalty kill ended perfect, one does not want to see Marian Gaborik cut in on a partial breakaway...
- But that's ok. Pleky and PK blew down the ice on a two-on-one for the 2nd goal. You will know this, and you will fear it!
- PK adds 3 more assists to his tally. Was a man possessed on the powerplay when Derpface Nash ran Price.
- My brother: Rangers are losing. Watch Nash attempt to injure someone because superstars don't get suspended. (He ran Price twice).
- The Tsawwassen Terror's 11th goal of the year was just so perfect. Never quit, aim high kids. And I'm talking top shelf.
- My brother: They're just backing up on that Ranger crossing over the blue line! Oh, it's just Richards. Never mind.
- Prust comes back from separating his shoulder, blocks a shot in the 3rd to help preserve the shutout. Walks it off.
- Emelin checked RDS off the air.
- PK did that Joel thingy on his 2nd star skate.

So Torts? Were you entertained enough?

Habs 3, Rangers 0: Are you not entertained?

Is this not why you are here?

Awww Torts. You mad, bro? Or just upset your "supposed to win the Stanley Cup" team has the collective shooting accuracy of Chris Higgins?

And let's not kid here. The Rangers had the first period. They were pretty much in control, taking turnovers, blocking the Habs from coming up the ice at all to the point the Habs had 1 shot on net for most of the period. I mean Cube gave the Komisarek Special (saved by Price). Then I come back from walking Toaster, and it's 1-0 Habs. From there, looks like his team (save a few players of the lower-6 variety) packed up and played out the rest of the game with what looked like a "better luck next time" mentality.

Oh and he benched Marian Gaborik. Gold star, Torts. No goals for you!

Maybe Torts should ask new Als coach Dan Hawkins for advice.
- By the way, play Biron, play Lundqvist. Either way, Rangers kryptonite is the Bell Centre.
- I'm so happy Lars Eller has LINEMATES. Cole and Galchenyuk have given him something he didn't have since Andrei Kostitsyn was taken away.
- Sorry, if you think Pacioretty's hit on McDonagh is suspension worthy you're off your rocker. No, he didn't leave his feet. The blood was from McDonagh's visor. And what the fuck McDonagh DON'T TURN YOUR FUCKING BACK AFTER MAKING EYE CONTACT.
- Also Akim Aliu just did the same hit, but actually FLEW into Stoner in this Flames/Wild game and didn't even get a penalty (even though it should have been charging). Probably because Stoner is a big man who didn't turn stupidly.
- That said, Patches is a Hab. Shanabingban will probably bow to the Rangers and suspend him. (Even though the fucking Luke Schenn hit on Gallagher was way worse).
- Lucky for Luke Schenn, Gallagher was back. That first shot on net was thanks to his hard work.
- Carey Price finally knows what it's like to play for the Blues with the easiest shutout of his life.
- I prefer that second unit powerplay, thanks.
- Bronze that passing play. Keep the tapes for future references. Non-stop passes. Galchy, PK, Cube (?), Eller, with Cole standing around in the front. GOAL.
- Apparently Cole claims to get him going, he needs to be abused on the ice. Crosscheck him. Slap him around. Hit him into the boards. He wants it.
- Guess it worked. I don't remember him getting hit though.
- Galchenyuk has the ability to make something really good out of absolutely nothing.
- Lars Eller enjoys pissing off Torts.
- Torts should be happy. With a 5-on-3 at the end of the game, the Habs put out Ryan White, Colby "WHATPUCKWHERE" Armstrong and Travis Moen. And they almost scored.
- And with the game all but over, Girardi blocks a PK rocket right on the ankle. High probability that's broken.
- Guess we really know who's the worst of the two teams.

Weird factoid of the night: My Star Wars shirt is on a winning streak. Seriously.

May the Force be with you.

Habs 3, Rangers 1: No puck for you

I guess the Habs are a good team. I mean for one, they didn't shit the bed like they normally do at MSG on the tail end of a back-to-back game.

Naturally you could just watch the game on fast-forward for the best effect. I don't have that fancy PVR stuff so I get to watch it in real-time. Sure, it was no classic. But it was a win, with two points, while the Leaf lost, and the Habs are--as of now--first in the conference.

Call it a boring road game. A neutral clogger. Call it "bad" all you want. The game actually got Torts to construct a full sentence in his post-game press conference so it couldn't have been THAT terrible.

I can honestly say I find the Rangers kind of boring. All they do is shot block you to death... It's like Jacques Martin hockey with a team you know could actually pot a few goals but won't 'cause their coach told them to shot block forever. Besides, I thought they were supposed to win the Stanley Cup.

Sometimes you have to win boring.
- Hey! Third game in a row Habs were the better faceoff team. Clearly the Russian meteor had an effect world-wide.
- I mean CLEARLY the Habs waited for their chances and gave little to the Rangers, which is why the Habs got only 17 shots while they gave up 25.
- Because clearly the Rangers didn't take advantage of Cole and DD shitting the bed after a delayed penalty where everyone but Price stopped playing.
- I guess it's ok that Cole and DD made up for the shits by helping create Pacioretty's first real goal of the year. And I could hear the Official Pacioretty Cheering section under the empty din of MSG.
- WHO LIKES ICING?
- I prefer my icing on cupcakes.
- Yesterday, Pleky got Cam Ward in the head. Tonight PK rocketed Lundqvist.
- Later, Pleky and PK combined into a goalie.
- Galchellerusty combined for the best 3-on-1 practice drill. Galchy get the goal and Eller asploded into a giant ball of laughter.
- Combined with trademark Torts facepalm.
- The Rangers were losing. Cue Rangers powerplay. Thankfully their powerplay was still worse than ours.
- Diaz decided to show us that Swiss military training with his Swiss precision on the long shot empty netter.

Random picture of Diaz and a mutant pineapple.

Wondering what tonight's media excuse will be... The refs were a non-factor. The Rangers showed up. The road-weary Habs walked in and grabbed two points off their potato field-like ice. Price proved all those bad games at MSG were either pre-renovations or just the general HABS FUCKING SUCKED EVERY BACK-TO-BACK THERE. Either way, it may just be for tonight but the Habs are first in the East.

Stick it on the fridge.

Habs 4, Rags 0: The Devils you know

If only Scott Gomez could play like this more consistently than not, we'd all be totally cool with that. Maybe someone just has to hypnotize him that every team he's going out against is the Rangers?

It was Win One For Eddy night. Eddy... Eddy... Eddy...


Good day for Canadian teams (terrible day for my Blackhawks)
- Back to back shutouts for Carey Price, despite CBC's best efforts to seriously sabotage this by yelling SHUTOUT every five seconds in the third period. He only made 17 saves but if he doesn't get over fast enough to stop Gaborik sneaking in backdoor early in the first, this game is probably a little different. And the less pucks he's stopping means the more pucks he's moving. Could have gotten another assist but Pleky's shot was blocked.
- Habs blocked as many shots as he saved to match.
- Stop calling McDonagh "Brian Leetch" because he's not. Really.
- I love it when Pleky scores a powerplay goal but that just means he'll be stuck on the point more. Until Markov comes back, anyway.
- Kids were well prepared tonight again. And I'm so proud of Steady Freddy with how well he's playing. This is a guy who said that he really enjoys bus rides in the AHL because they're fun.
- Holding the Rangers to 10 shots for about 40 minutes, keeping players to the perimeter, getting in lanes, and keeping the puck on the other side of the rink does wonders eh?
- Diaz interview on HNIC. I half expect him to start yelling "Toblerone was 3D FIRST!"
- Been a while since we heard the ol' "Biiiiiroooooooon" jeer.
- Sure Gionta's first goal was hilariously weak, but he did break one of Biron's goalie pads.
- If you think you can outsmart the refs by waiting to touch an iced puck by allowing the penalty to expire, think again.
- Nokie doesn't appreciate you trying to kill him, Deveaux.
- Erik Cole laughs at your free-agency predictions. And what a great heads up pass by Weber.
- I love goals in stereo. Gionta's second goal broke their spirit. And that's the Gomez we want to see.

I don't care how many goals Gomez doesn't have. He was never a goal scorer so I'm not sure why people expect this. He is, however, shooting more. But his game is getting the puck, finding the open man, and making that quick pass. The onus really is on his linemates to put the puck in the net. So long as he's doing this, so long as he's skating and forechecking the way he was doing last night, we'll be happy. When he plays like crap and turns over the puck every drive, that's when I'm fed up with him.

Hey man, did you see Gaborik play tonight? Yea I didn't really either.

Gaborik sighs: "Do I really have to backcheck? There's four of them..."

Habs 2, Rags NADA: Cold as ice

There's something very satisfying in seeing playoff hockey in the afternoon on a Saturday, the first of back-to-back Super Bowl weekend games where:
- The Habs beat the refs.
- The Habs beat the Rags.
- The Habs beat their demons.
- The Habs stick up for each other, and most importantly their goalie.
- The Habs have finally learned how to incorporate Price's puckhandling into their play.
- Andrei Kostitsyn avenged the vicious hit he received against the Coyotes by hitting the brother of the guy who nearly killed him.
- After hanging around as an extra, Picard takes the flu-ridden Wiz's spot and picks up an assist, fights Avery (coward), and only screwed up once.
- Weber shows he's a mighty fine defenceman with bite.
- After getting a vicious elbow to the head and his knee taken out, Spacek played mighty fine.
- PK shows the footwork he picked up from playing with Gill.
- Andrei Kostitsyn could have scored 5 goals.
- Prust should have been sucker punched harder last time.
- Callahan can also rot.
- Gomez scores a goal that wasn't a fluke.
- The Habs finally score on an empty net.
- The Habs win and I don't think they won a single faceoff. Even lost the ones they won.
- Price gets a well deserved shutout. Calm, cool, Priceberg.

What's that smell? Smells like Boston, 2 points ahead. But first, the Devils. Bring some pizza to distract Marty Brodeur.

Habs 3, Rags 2: I am Kostitsyn, hear me roar

Didn't know Ron Hextall played for the Rangers. But I digress.

I think I need to talk about Andrei Kostitsyn...

People say he doesn't care, or doesn't show that he cares. This is so wrong you have no idea. You know why you don't see it? Because you're not looking. All you hear is the misguided hate by the media poured onto the airwaves at this guy by bitter local media types who are pissed he was drafted instead of whatever local dude that may or may not have turned out as well as they have. Say something enough and people will start believing it. You watch, but your vision is clouded by the "facts" drummed into your head. You don't see a guy trying hard. You don't see him hitting and backchecking even though his game is 100% offense. Kostitsyn isn't here to play defence, and if Jacques Martin wants a team built entirely with Tom Kostopouloses well he's not going to get many wins... In a game not long ago, Andrei was parked at the net, ready for a tip in and the puck skipped over his stick into the corner missing a wide open cage. On the replay you can clearly see Andrei glower towards the puck, swearing as he tries to quickly retrieve it. He's frustrated big time that the pucks aren't going in. Simple sneaky plays of him pouncing on rebounds are just going wide. Missing instead of scoring. And for a guy who just wants to score goals, it's really pissing him off. (Ironic that if JMart wanted a Kostitsyn with a complete two-way game, he should have given Sergei more credit).

Tonight's game winning goal was vintage Kostitsyn. And I only hope it's one of many more to come now that he's THE designated shooter on a line with two guys who will do everything they can to make room for him. And maybe people can stop trying to trade him to Columbus for Jacub Voracek.

My nerdiness exposed

Absorption and magnification?! Just what are you insinuating?

So my hopes in seeing a coureur de bois type hero with a magic canoe and exploding poutine ultimately becomes the bastard child of Iron Man, Cobra Commander, and Deadpool. The artist in me loathes these generic cookie-cutter heroes and their stolen awkward poses don't make it any better...

Either way, there is only one Guardian for the Canadiens and his name is Carey Price.

Habs 2, Rangers 1: The Plan

I wonder if anyone in New York really remembers Alex Auld?

Anyway, Habs played a needlepoint paced patient game. I guess you call those "textbook road games". Probably a good idea since they're right now waiting to leave New York while a powerful Nor'easter dumps more snow on their heads. Gotta conserve the energy for the Penguins.

Quickies
- Stunndqvist gave us a gift in that Pouliot goal, and pretty much kicked in Spacek's goal but how many times have you seen a dominant shift like that lead to a goal or Pouliot actually shoot the puck instead of "dump and change"?
- Couldn't ask for anything more from Auld. Seriously, people, give this guy some credit already. He didn't steal anything, but when your backup is in nets the rest of the team has to lockdown. They did, and he's a perfectly capable backup. (Wouldn't bet the season on him, obviously).
- On binary day 31, Carey Price was announced to the All-Star Game roster.
- Poor Ryan McDonagh had to wipe the McGuire spittle off his helmet every shift.
- I discovered Canadien Express is the best way to watch Jacques Martin hockey. Too bad it's on an hour or so later. (Good for me coming home at 9:30).

Habs 3, Rags 1: Go fish

Apparently there was a game on tonight.

Apparently someone forgot to tell the Rangers, though.

What do you think about that, Torts?

Yea, thought so.

Hear that? That was the sound of the many Rangers fans calling for Sather's (and probably Torts') head. Shall we knit?

So, what was good about this?
- Kept the Rangers to 11 shots for 2 periods. Really thought they ended with 11 shots, actually. Either way I don't think they cracked 20.
- The goalie doesn't need to stand on his head for once. (Actually hasn't needed to do so since that Sharks game). The defense blocks whatever doesn't miss.
- Sergei Kostitsyn WITH ANOTHER GOAL, JACQUES! You can put him on the powerplay anytime now!
- Metro has 16 goals.
- Dubinsky? Callahan? Drury? Chief? McCloud!
- Pleky is indestructible and stabbed Del Zotto in the heart by making him look silly for the empty netter.
- Anyone see Gaborik?
- Avery is still a jerk.
- Habs now nestled semi-comfy in 6th place and totally sneaking up on the Sens (who lost again).
- GIVE GAINEY CREDIT YOU SILLY HABS FANS.

Habs 6, Rags 0: Zaba Daba Do

As seen on twitter (from yesterday): @Voros34 Me and SeanAveryDotCom in Montreal hitting the "Montreal Pool Hall" for a hotdog and poutine.

As seen on the ice, Voros going for Markov late in the 3rd meets our big, mean manchild Rhino who introduces him to his fists. See Georges? That's how you do it.

Wow, the Rangers really sucked tonight. Here I was looking for a good hard smackdown, and I got it, but it's kind of disappointing when the team you want the Habs to seriously smackdown don't even show any fight in them... I honestly don't know how the Rags got over 30 shots though. Someone trigger happy on the shot clock?

Credit bigtime to the Habs once again showing us their mysterious ability to play strong as a team and seriously shut down Gaborik, but even he seriously lacked that goalscoring bite he always seems to have. Actually other than a few missed nets for the Rags I think their best shot in two periods came from Higgy, who shot it wide anyway (same ol' Higgy).

The Gong Show started early with Avery being Avery, complaining all the way to the box. By the 3rd period, Torts was sitting there with this face of absolute disbelief. We didn't get a tirade after the game though, but his press conference was still kind of funny. (Better questions than Cassie Campbell's STUPID MORON UNPROFESSIONAL question... Seriously lady? Trying to cause trouble? Way to put Jaro in an uncomfortable position there). Serious ownage, thy name is Michael Cammalleri! (His dad was there cheering tonight). I wonder how much Matt Zaba was sweating as he watched Stunndqvist get pulled...

BennyPoo, we love you. Lapierre with a greasy goal. Gomez makes his old teams cry. Holy SuperPleky what an awesome goal. BIG night for Cammy and Spacek. Darche got another assist! Sergei came back and traded missed chances with Patches but also smashed someone on the boards in a typical Sergei-smashy fasion (though his foot problem was pretty evident all game).

It's nice when the other team doesn't bother to defend for once.

A full team effort, a full 60 minutes of effort, two nights in a row? Able to match two different systems consistently and not panic with the puck. Able to shut down the only scorers on two teams (minus that Parise cherry picking breakaway). Able to excel to almost perfection with special teams (though that lackadaisical routine on the powerplay drives my brother up the wall). Can they continue this? I think I've asked this before.

Dammit Habs, stop teasing us.

I love you, man!

"The Rangers were shut out for the second straight game and for the fourth time in seven contests." Ouchie?

Habs 5, Rags 4: A love letter to Mike Cammalleri

Oh Cammalleri, how do I love thee. Let me count the ways!
I love thee for every shift and shot and when you take flight
Even when the game is feeling out of sight
I love thy ability and finess,
Even though thou art smaller than Latendresse
I would gladly throw my hat
And pray to the holy ink of thoust contract
I love thee freely, as the strides thoust take;
I love thee purely, as the goalies thoust brake.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's ruse.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
By the Holy Forum Ghosts of the Sainte Flanelle,
I love thee with the breath, smiles, tears, of all my life!
And, thank Bob, five more years,
Five more years, I shall but love thee better.

Eh. Who said poems had to stay in a rhyme...

W00T!
- Yes, that's more like it. The fight, the no-quitting, the patience... Sloppy at times, but when things settle down and regain controle, we have the sense and feeling you guys can beat anyone.
- Higgy is having a tough time in New York but at least he wasn't booed! Fans booed Avery instead.
- Rangers have the Cop Line: Callahan, Dubinsky, Higgins. Too bad O'Sullivan is an Oiler.
- Gomez > Gaborik. That is all.
- Guimauve is always out of position giving Chipper a tougher time.
- The Bergeron Bomb would be a fourth liner if Carbo were coach. Thankfully Mara seems ready to compensate for his defensive liabilities.
- Barn burner! Sure it got sloppy towards the third, but it was a damn entertaining at least.
- Is it just me or does King Henrik always look shaky when he plays the Habs...? He looked very surprised on most of the shots, and with the exception of one game last season (the Markov-less one) seems to always give up at least 5 goals. Interesting!
- And those illegal shoulder pads don't help you either.
- Yup, my brother and I closed our eyes and prayed when Jaro went to play the puck. It's not really his strength...

Bulldogs 6, Rags 3

Wait, oh. There are still some Habs left standing! You know, considering the 1A line is entirely on the shelf, our star goalie is nursing a mysterious lower body injury that he played with while in Florida, and a bus load of kids (though I don't really consider Chipper a kid) are holding the fort... somehow the Canadiens are 23-10-6 with 52 points and now second in the division (or fourth in the East). And it's good to stay there because I'm SICK OF SEEING BOSTON IN THE PLAYOFFS! ARGH! Really, I want to see someone else for a change... Actually if the playoffs started tomorrow, we'd be playing the Rangers. Dunno what to make of that though as I'm seriously starting to think King Henrik Lundqvist really hates playing us.

First period in a snowstorm
I nearly spun my car into a snowbank as The King passed the puck to Pacioretty who then passed the puck to Kovy parked in front of a rather empty net. Thanks, King! Kovy says, "Good pass".

Meanwhile some douche crosschecks Markov behind Halak and some Rag scores. No penalty, but whatever. I say whatever because Hammer cranks it at The King from the center line who pops the puck right at Gui! for a super shot over his shoulder. It's 2-1 and the Rags had the better chances but Halak's got a golden glove. Well, it's better than his rebound control.

The MSG siren sounds like my dryer buzzer and the place has about as much ambience as my late-grandmother's front hall in that old Cote St-Luc highrise appartment of her's. The Rangers chant is rather lame too. Kovy also says the ice is like skating on a potato field.

Second period, Callahan scores but no one seems to really care. The 3rd and 4th line are up to their old tricks. Sergei does a nice open ice hit without his hip. Patches also dumps a Rag into the Habs bench. Andrei, however, fans on a puck that would have been a goal. The second chance he gets his stick explodes.

Penalties finally get called. None for the Habs yet. Yes Lang was HOOKED, the stick was up his fucking armpit. Yes Gomez holds the stick right in front of the ref. Quit looking so bewildered, Renney... Habs finally get two powerplay goals. January's quota is now filled.

Habs get called near the end of the game. First a roughing between Cube and some other guy twice his height. Lang tiptoes around a Staal into the O-zone and roofs one on The King. Game ends with a 6-on-3 for the Rags after they pull that log in nets, still nothing. Some Rag thinks he scores but it was his stick that hit Halak's bottle not the puck. Lang then plucks it from the pileup on his goalie and gets himself a hat that fits on his mass of hair.

That's the 4th hat trick for the Habs. Fuck you, Mats. I like the hairy Czech better. And he DROVE here the day after he got traded. Now that's what I call enthusiasm.

Also Lang totally jumped Kovy on the team points because of that. First Hab to reach 30. (Kovy's on 29).

Halak faced about 38 shots. Warming up for Toronto tomorrow who usually launch a good 40 something. Anyway, he looked better than those last two efforts so I'm really happy for the guy.

And how about Patches? He loses his stick because a Rag stomps on it, but continues his fight along the boards for the puck with his feet! Dear Bob, can we keep him? Please?

Conclusion: A nice team effort tonight. Anyone notice Lundqvist and Breezer look kind of similar?

Habs 6 Rags 2, free wings the 2nd night in a row, and I can finally go back to the forums without being overly annoyed!

When the Canadiens show up, they show up. Finally, for the first time this season all 4 lines were scoring and everyone was doing their job. Case in point, the 2nd Rangers goal was a result of someone unable to catch their man. But you're allowed a mistake or two when you play the way they did tonight.

Happy 99th Birthday
- Original 6 salut to the Rangers and the ghosts must have been happy to hear the old Forum singer back. Hope they bring him back for future games, like the playoffs and such. His voice is just AMAZING and I do miss the old version of our anthem.
- Love the old sweaters and LOVE LOVE LOVE Price's retro-styled gear. Also noticed he's wearing the Team Roper helmet. Wonder what happened to his Garth Brooks one...
- People will say the Rags played to a shootout last night against the Penguinos. People will say they were tired. I honestly didn't see anything different from when I caught earlier Rangers games, really... The "we were tired" excuse was supposed to be Boston's reaction that one night when they KOed Les Habitants 6-1.
- 3 goals in the first, 1 in the second, two in the third and Tom Renney looked like he wanted to throw up.
- Habs trap system is great. It's almost like an offensive game of chess. They push and push and patiently wait and then explode.
- This was maybe the least amount of shots Price faced in his life? Held the Rags to only 19 SOG and they could only score on a screen powerplay deflection and a textbook rush after someone failed to cover their man while coming back late after a fall. Other than that, he was always in position, even catching a backhander from Breezer.
- The fourth line continues to burn true to the fact that all four lines are offensive threats as much as they are defensive one. Laraque got 2 points on assists! Lapierre a goal and assist! Begin a goal and assist!
- Lundqvist totally didn't know what happened when Tanguay scored. Neither did the rest of his team.
- Tom Kostopoulos is flashing the moves the more he plays with Super Pleky and Tanguay.
- AK46 flying in and landing on his backside for the opening goal is textbook Kovalev.
- Gordie Howe Hat Trick for Fruit Punch!
- Powerplay would have worked on a goalie that wasn't Lundqvist. He was doing all he could for his team but they just weren't interested.
- Kovalev is a presence no matter what he's doing, but people have to realize he's trying more to set up his linemates with chances and it worked well enough tonight.
- Dandy's fine back on defense. He was, afterall, a defenseman. Breezer is just terrible lately on the powerplay though as he can barely hold the blue line and can barely skate after the puck that slips by him... But I'm not as worried with these guys as I am when Rhino's out there.
- I do believe D'Agostini is staying. Another goal, and an assist.
- I'm missing Sergei! Hopefully seeing these few good games will inspire him to join the attack.
- Lang's 900th game, Hammers 1,100th game.
- Captain Koivu versus Captain Gomez. Gomez whacked Koivu in the head at the faceoff, and Koivu ran after him basically saying to man-up instead of continuing with his cheapshots. Koivu with the takedown and they both go off for roughing. Lapierre was already in the box and went on yapping at Gomez next door who went on immitating him. Then Koivu told Lapierre to drop it and he did. When the Captain speaks, everyone listens!
- Coach Komo now 3-0!
- Habs victory glomp on Price was like a playoff win. I love these guys!

Conclusion: This has been a full sixty minutes!

Bulldogs!
Well the Dogs have lost their 3rd straight since Dag came up to play, but it isn't like they're struggling. A 5-4 loss to the Milwaukee Admirals is just a hard fought battle that could have gone either way. Captain Chipper and Patches got 2 assists, Mike Glumac got two goals, Ryan Russel with another goal, and Dan Jancevski got his first goal of the season (and another in the books for assists). Maxwell, Desharnais, and Stewart got assists as well.