Hockey "bye" week, take 2

Hamster Pleky is bored.

A goal, an assist, 5 shots on net, and a plus 2. Who dat? If I told you it's Andrew Conboy would you believe me?

The Bulldogs have only played 3 games this season and Conboy already has 2 goals and an assist and a strangely quiet penalty sheet with only a 2 for unsportsmanlike conduct. (No idea what he did, but I doubt he's taunting teams with golf swings already). The 6'4" 200lb winger is off to a pretty good start. In preseason, Randy & Randy set him up on a line with Engqvist and Avtsin (who's known as the puppy dog 'cause he's the youngest on the team). At first I thought it was to give Avtsin some protection and for Engqvist to help on the defensive side. Seems they're doing way more together than just working the system. Derek Wills finds Conboy reminds him of Oilers' Zach Stortini who played for the Bulldogs when they shared AHL affiliation with the Habs. Unfortunately he can't fight like Stortini, but I can see the similarities in the way he battles, how he's a workhorse, and how he drives the net hard.

I just gotta say, the line of Conboy-Engqvist-Avtsin is so fucking weird on paper yet apparently absolute affective! In tonight's 5-2 destruction of the Rochester Americans, their line contributed to 2 goals (5 points). Avtsin picked up his first AHL goal off a centering pass from Engqvist after Conboy dug it out of the corner. Conboy's goal was his reward for picking the puck out of a huge crowd in front of the net where he flipped a backhand past Markstrom.

Yannick Weber has also started off well and registered multi-point games in all 3 played. Maybe it was the system Boucher brought in last year, but he struggled hard at times. Doesn't seem to be the case this year. He's back to accurately shooting missiles from the blue line with quickness and accuracy and makes me believe if the Habs powerplay continues it's struggles, Streit 2.0 will get the call. (I also believe that Weber's presence will make PK twice as good as he is as those two have this little thing that's been going on since their junior days). Weber opened the scoring tonight on the powerplay and closed the scoring for the Bulldogs, both using his devastating shot. I think he might have broken a record (previous held by Andre Benoit).

Another who struggled with Boucher's system at the start was Ben Maxwell, who switched his numbers around to be #19, now that Brock Trotter vacated the number on his way to Latvia. Randy & Randy got him playing with White and Pacioretty. Spent the summer building his strength seems to be paying off, and after a pretty good camp, he's got 3 goals and 2 assists in the 3 games played and was the scoring leader on the team before Weber blasted ahead.

The unfortunate part about tonight's game was the City of Hamilton. For a place that wants an NHL team so badly, they sure don't give much of a damn about what they already have. A whooping 1669 showed up for a rival, and I swear most of the were Rochester fans. Cheap, pro hockey? Move the Dogs here so I can get season tickets.

Videos to save you from crappy holiday TV programing, Part 2

Well I just finished watching The Next Doctor. And now I've nothing else to watch until the World Juniors.

Calling for backup

My mom came with me to this game, as one of the free tickets I got from the Victory Pack. I can tell you, when Andrei got knocked out, it was absolutely frightening. And since the refs did fuck all, the team took care of the trash. Especially Sergei (who will end this season punching someone, but the refs keep getting in his way), Laraque shadowed all night, Sauer was too chicken to take him on so settled for smaller TK, Komisaurus roared, and the rest made their statements by burning the red light. This was also where Price and Gorges swapped helmets.

Probably better than the preseason one. Definitely better than the one on Doan. I mean, he's got many in the bank this year (that save on the Wild, that glove save on Chara's rocket, etc) but this one is extra special 'cause whiny little Brierererere totally thought he scored. Owned, Carey Price style.

Halak has pretty awful rebound control but that glove hand is quite flashy. I think I laughed a good long while at the player swinging on the crossbar.

Videos to save you from crappy holiday TV programing, Part 1

Yes, because if I see that old stop-motion Rudolf the Red Nosed Raindeer thing one more time I'm going to HURL. Actually I don't think I've ever seen any Hanukkah films for this time of year. Maybe because it would be too violent or something. Hardship overcome? Bah humbug! All I've ever seen is that bloody Ten Commandments film every fucking year for Passover (which I'm absolutely sick of by now). The only thing I really look forward to watching on TV (well, download) is the Doctor Who Christmas Special, which I need to start downloading soon. But until then, I thought I'd fill my page with things I liked from this year so far, courtesy of Nos Glorieux.

Shootouts
It's no secret that I hate how shootouts decide a game's final outcome. They're exciting, yes, but I'd be just as satisfied seeing two teams battle two types of overtime (4-on-4, 3-on-3) until something happens or not. Habs took their games to 8 shootouts, and it seemed like there was one every game when they were struggling. (Which, near the end, I was convinced Price just maybe gave up on winning the shootouts to teach the other guys a lesson, and maybe they got the hint since we haven't seen one since then).

Now I was at the preseason Florida shootout, and that was great stuff. But this preseason game was just electric. Yes, all of you should know, you will not be disappointed by a Habs game in preseason! So I recomend tickets as they might be easier to get than regular season games. This of course was the mirror goals by Pacioretty and Lang. Oh and note to TSN commentators, Habs fans boo every opposing player in a shootout because we try to psyche them out, not because we hate them...

This one is special because it was my first regular season Canadiens game ever. And ho boy was it rowdy in the rafters where I sit! Of course we all remember how the opening night wouldn't have gone to a shootout if not for the broken boards, but c'est la vie!

This one in Ottawa was pretty entertaining. Even Brunet mentioned his distaste for shootous. But that bizarre move by Tango, Markov doing his usual, Spezza showing how he only seems to score when no one else is on the ice...and of course that SICK glove save on Ruutu by Price. (Believe it or not, Ruutu is actually pretty good at shootouts, but I think that's mostly because goalies figure it's because Ruutu is shooting that they end up getting a surprise).

A week off is lovely, but two weeks is even better...

I start my Christmas holiday early this year, since EA gave us all a company wide gift of an extra holiday off (the 24th) attached to our normal week off. And since I've got a good few days left in my vacation bank, as I only really take them in small bursts, I decided to stack on Monday and Tuesday. So that gives me TWO weeks. TWO! Which gives me plenty of time to paint my new apartment, argue with my father, and avoid the shopping centers at all times past the lunch hour. I don't like Christmas time...

But this is the week the Habs also have off, again. Which isn't a complaint, actually. The injured can heal right, the boys can see their families, and we avoid the evil December 23rd game that always ends badly. The only hockey on TV right now is the Penguinos vs the Buffaslugs (which is currently tied at 2). Maybe I'll go see what's up later. Not much else to watch, except the Border which I have missed most of this season so I'll just download them later.

To cure the boredom, how about some Habs goofing around?

Oh ya, the awesome "Get to know your Canadiens" thingy has "what was your favourite toy when you were a kid" for the recent question. Dandy is officially cool for saying Transformers.

The Bulldogs left for their Christmas break on a high by beating the snot out of the Hartford Wolf Pack (Baby Rangers) 6-2. Desjardins has been on a tear since replacing Denis as he went on callup duty, and facing nearly 40 or more shots every time. BEAUTIFUL Pacioretty move on Desharnais goal. Do yourself a favour and go see the highlight on the AHL page. (And he assisted on both of Desharnais' goals, which happened in a row). Anderson, Henry, Trotter and "Wayne Gretzky" (according to Jancevski) Lehoux got the other goals.

Soon! Soon the World Junior Championships will roll! Habs are represented in three countries with Kristo (the Count) and McD for the USA, Torp for Sweden unless he gets too many penalties for steamrolling players like that awesome hit he did on Pietrangelo in the exhibition match, and of course the burgeoning Bobby Orr PK Subban for the home team. Picard and Tokarski in nets is a nice set of goalies. Good luck, kids!

Write if you're bored...

This week has been rather long and tiresome and Friday has finally arrived. Wednesday was interesting though. Not too many of us showed up for hockey, so we had 3-on-3 until 2 more showed to alternate. My feet keep cramping though even after taking the time to warm up and stretch. (Same problem as when I snowboard). I'll try using my other shoes next week and see if that works any better. After, on my way to the metro, I discovered Wednesday night is apparently Cat Night in St-Henri. The streets were full of cats! I tried making friends with some but it didn't work too well. Maybe my giant bag and stick looked scary...

On the Habs front:
Carey Price was still down with the flu, so Rollie called in Montreal Stars/Team Canada golden goalie, Kim St. Pierre to help out in practice. She's currently the envie of every girl in town who wanted to play hockey with the Habs but well couldn't, myself included. Nice of them to let her play. Doubt she'll get the call Saturday vs the Ducks though. Stars play that night anyway.

And because of the flu, Halak will most likely start that game. Higgins also looks to be ready. At least he hopes so. The poor guy seems so frustrated with his situation and the trade talk garbage, but can't do anything about it because he hasn't been allowed to play yet. I just want to say if you think Higgins, Halak, a Kostitsyn, McD and draft pick are going to Minny for Gaborik, then there's something wrong with you...

Good news on the grapevine though: Andrei Kostitsyn might be back on practice ice tomorrow. He won't play Saturday though, but this is a good sign. The Kostitsyn are tough little buggers. (Well, ok, actually Andrei isn't so little).

Meanwhile, as the dollar dives and an angry online divorcee kills her virtual husband...
- Yea, the Flyers seem doomed no matter who is in nets. A 6-7 loss to the Sharks in a shootout while Nabby's game save percentage is in the .700s and JR gets the winner on his former team.
- Leafs beat the Bruins 4-2. And Lucic checked Van Ryn so hard the glass broke and injured 4 fans.
- Leafs lost to the Ducks just before that in a shootout where Wilson thought it would help Tosky's crappy play at shootouts by putting in Cujo. BUZZER: WRONG!
- Jarome gets a hat trick! Flames beat the Preds 5-3 after being down 2 goals by following the Habs method of play: 3rd period bonanza!
- Tellqvist reminds Gretzky he's still there, Yotes beat the Caps late 2-1. Theodore?
- Backup Anderson turned away 41 bloody shots and makes the Senators drool for an actual goalie, Florida beats them 3-1 which sounds exactly like Monday's game. Hartsburg continues to yell at his team.
- Mickey Ribs wakes up, preys on the weak, gets 5 points. Stars beat the Islanders 5-3 after being shutout 5-0 in New Jersey just before. Marty needs to pull himself together...