Habs 3, Panthers 2: Bank shot!

There's a diagram of the game winning goal by Captain America.

Habs and Panthers both ended their previous night in a similar fashion: a shootout. Only the Habs won theirs while the Panther's lost theirs. And now both games in a back-to-back situation were a comeback grind. Stick to the plan, good things should happen.

I suck at pool.
- Finally someone decided to win the Molson Cup other than Price, and it's Mr. Underrated Tomas Plekanec!
- Hey Tieman? Eat your words on AK46.
- No really, stop bitching about Andrei and stop trying to find ways to trade him for the impossible or useless.
- Text intercepted between Ellerby and Price: "Why is everyone hitting me? :("
- Text intercepted between Price and Ellerby: ":D"
- Actually Ellerby's hit on Andrei really woke him up because he was being lulled to sleep by the hypno-Panthers.
- Alex Auld should stop playing the puck.
- Habs need more goals like Halpern's. Perfect move to tip that sucker in.
- Yea the Panthers take plenty of silly penalties. But the PP is in predictable mode.
- Hamr's skate broke. For a guy that doesn't pivot, I don't know how this happened.
- Quote of the night: "Et Veber dit OUF!" (Other than that one gaff which he worked hard to correct, Weber had a solid night).
- With a lead and 2 minutes left, please don't send out the Hamr-Wiz pair...
- Things you've gotten used to hearing to the point where it doesn't actually surprised you: "Higgins! ...Shoots it wide!"
- Things you've grudgingly gotten used to: Gomez's stupid penalties.
- Things we learned from Twitter: According to RDS, Subban's the 1st rookie Habs defenceman to reach 20 points in 10 years. Last guy to do it was Andrei Markov.
- Panthers are a quiet, frustrating, hard-working team but they're meaningless in their existence.
- Where can I get that tuque Carey was wearing?

Mr. Underrated is your first star of the night.

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, Panthers 2 (OT): Happy WizNewYear

If you squint you can maybe make out Wisniewski smacking in a rebound in OT (his second of the game) to give the Habs their 2nd win on this disastrous roadtrip. RDS was so shocked that they lost the feed. Happy New Year to you too.

Should Auld's acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should Auld's acquaintance be forgot,
And Auld lang sigh!

For Auld lang syne, my dear,
For Auld lang syne.
We'll take the Cup o' hockey yet,
For Auld lang syne.

Team Canada probably would have been better off using Auld tonight as well.

(Note: I'll get to Lapierre later...)

Habs 3, Islanders 1: Alex the Bard

Having truly earned a night of rest,
My young friend Carey doth sit.
To Long Island they put me to the test
Where a rematch script was writ.

What's this? A powerplay goal!
By Plekanec, worth every penny.
For when that sneaky little man is on a roll
Goals! He will get many.

'Twas quiet in my end in the first,
Somewhat frantic in the second, and smooth in the third.
A 5-on-3 kill to quench our thirst,
Victory would be ours! Pouliot! Moen! The cheers were heard!

My first game as a Hab! First star, and a game puck!
So take that "No Habs No" campaign and shove it, you schmuck.

Magically, problem gets solved

Just like that. It's magic! Alex Auld is our new number 2 and he knows it. No, he LOVES it. And you know what? I LOVE IT TOO! No more bitter agent trolling in the background about how his client's teammate can't get a win because no one really bothers to score a goal or even try. No more hovering around like a little gnat buzzing "play me or trade me" in your ears. As much as Ellis would have been a nice friendly fit, he would have probably been no different from Jaro in that "I think I'm good enough to be a number 1 so why do I have to watch you play even though you do the same when I play and don't bother anyone but yeah" way.

Habs had him at "hello" and that's good enough for me.

Yea I know he's not exactly an amazing goalie. I remember the Habs pumping at least 6 past him when he played with the Bruins. I remember Higgy scoring a hat trick on him (and then never scoring ever again) when he was with the Sens. I remember him finally being that elusive serviceable backup Turco hasn't had since they traded Mike Smith to Tampa Bay. But he's not going to make waves, he not going to impose himself on anyone, they want him to be there for Price and he wants to be there to help. Team first. The same motto Price adopted when he knew he wasn't going to play, so instead made it extra difficult for his teammates in practice just so it'll be easier for them by game time.

This is the type of character they needed to fit in that role, and I'm all for it. So save your snide comments, your ass backwards retorts (looking at you, Pat Hickey), and take it for the opportunity it is. The Habs have an obligation to make things work with Price (you may not understand why but I don't know of any NHL team that would allow their highest most prized prospect sit on the backburner), and having someone who's been through pretty much everything all his career is better than any Dan Ellis. Plus he's as big as our goalie boy. Hey Leighton found his way to a Cup final because he sat in the general area and let his big frame stop the puck. It works. The rest hinges on what the 18 other players on the ice plan to do with the puck.

Of course this is all moot if someone snatches the kid away from us... Send Price an offer sheet and I will hunt you down.

What's in a number?
Nothing. It's just a number. Did Kirk Muller get upset when Saku took his 11? Not a chance. Did the fans? I don't remember. Captain Kirk was and is a much loved player to this city, probably more so than our dear Saku. Despite the length of Saku's tenure and everything he did for this city, the situation was almost volatile in his last year here. You know the ones. The barnyard droogs in the dark corners of the Bell Center booing him as he lead the charge and no one followed. The barbs in the papers complaining about yet another injury. The mouthbreathers calling the radio stations. The media constantly upset that he spoke not the French.


They held off allowing the numbers of both Saku and Kovy for the year out of respect for two great and special members of the team. Neither number will be retired, ever. It's time to move on. So if wearing his boyhood number 11 is important to Gomez, then by all means take it. The former first rounder, Calder trophy winner, two-time Stanley Cup holder never had the opportunity to cloak himself in the double-ones in his NHL career thus far. I think he's old enough to have earned it. It's a pride thing. He loves the sweater he's wearing now, but to have his number on it is like icing on the cake. Remember, hockey players are strange people.

Air turned into Dustin Boyd!
Sergei Kostitsyn being traded wasn't a complete waste of our time as we now have a younger, cheaper, faster version of Metro/Moore in Boyd! And you won't have to run after him to get him to work either. Just the type of guy Chocula loves.

Wanna see something funny?

Colby Armstrong
age: 27
6'2" 195lb
GP: 79 G: 15 A:14 Pts: 29
+/-: +6
PIM: 61
Hits: 74
Blocked Shots: 29
Power play points: 2A
Fighting Majors: 2
Salary: $3,000,000

Dustin Boyd
age: 23
6'0" 192lb
GP: 78 G: 11 A: 13 Pts: 24
+/-: +6
PIM: 19
Hits: 81
Blocks: 43
Power play points: 2A
Fighting Majors: 1
Salary: $650,000

I'm guessing Toronto valued Army's two extra inches to warrant 3 million dollars.