Pre-season: Take 2

Pre-season games, in all their nervous jittery sloppiness can sometimes be fun. However this requires a visual aid. The 5-minute clips on RIS do nothing but provide a fleeting moment. May as well wait for the highlights, if there are any. Via radio, especially today's boring version, the game lacks a certain je ne sais quoi. I don't know how Derek Wills does it, but the man describes the game with so much energy and enthusiasm that I can pretty much close my eyes and picture the boys skating, checking, scoring, blocking, saving, fighting in my mind. It's edge of your seat fantastic. The Canadiens, however, don't have the luxury of having their games vocally describe this way. Instead we're stuck with the dull tones or Rick Moffat on CJAD800 AM. Thankfully Sergio Momesso has taken away the long drawn out "weeeeell" of Murray Wilson. Nevertheless, it's still dull. Dull dulcet tones. Like Barry Manilow singing you play-by-play "action".

I can't see what you're saying. Ergo, you're doing it wrong.

Tonight's Team B faced off with the BarelySens with better results from Wednesday's debauchery (for lack of better terms). Sounded like a different system was being tested. You know, the one that actually got them better results last year? The aggressive forechecking one? Or maybe it was because of the more aggressive players like Schultz and White doing what Conboy did in the first game (ie. hit anything that breathes). And Lars Eller will make you forget that goalie they sent to the Blues. Mike Fisher definitely won't forget Lars Eller...

I'm sure the Sens took note on the video reviews: don't turn over the puck in the slot with Andrei Kostitsyn looking at you. Speaking of Andrei, he's on the point on the powerplay. While I found him better suited for the front of the net for that, please please please make a note of this Coach! Looks like they were trying out Guy Boucher's powerplay system. (Psssst, Coach. Ben Maxwell, on the point, trust me *wink*).

Ian Schultz beat out Alex Henry on the "who fights first" bet, and took on Cody Bass. All Henry really got was a roughing penalty later. Ryan White took on some douche who tried to take off Pacioretty's head. Guess he missed the NHL video class?

And now it's retarded non-stop games continuing tomorrow in Ottawa with the BarelySens again, back home for the Wild on Sunday, and a Monday date with the Panthers (who my brother says should just keep their pre-season team as the regular season team).

Habs 4, Sens 1: Keep calling those penalties!

C'mon, we dare you. Keep calling those one-sided penalties, ref! Keep missing the other guys slashing and hacking and tripping and holding. C'mon, do it! You think we're scared of a little powerplay? BAM! Shoot 'em in the head. Habs don't care. Refs should know, their penalty killing senses are tingling.

It's a known fact, the Montreal Canadiens are more comfortable when shorthanded. And that includes the constant parade to the room for a quick patch up and back. After all, we're used to it by now.

And like the Flyers game the night before, Habs brought their control trap. Yea it looked bad on the shotclock but if you just looked at the numbers, you don't get the whole story. Barely half those shots were scoring chances for the Sens and when they were Jaro was waiting for it. I've always said it's not the quantity, it's the quality. And the better goaltender in the right uniform. But think about it, if your guys are just shooting for the sake of shooting and not actually shooting for the sake of scoring, I'd rather be outshot.

Elliott wishes he would get a hug...

PLAYOFF SPOT GET!
- The only problem is that Jaro doesn't play the puck like Price. Some say that's a good thing, but it's one of the reasons why the Habs got stuck on the defensive a lot as Price usually grabs a lightly dumped puck before it goes behind his net and throws it to a forward waiting to catch the other team on a change.
- After letting Jaro down in Buffalo, the team rallied to not hang him out to dry tonight. Now that's unity.
- Did they forget Spezza in California?
- I wonder how many times Kovy looked longingly over at the Habs bench... I also bet there's a spy camera in that billboard right in front of the Bell Center.
- Speaking of Kovy, I'm not convinced Ottawa knows how to really use him.
- NEWSFLASH: MAB doesn't scare me very much anymore. Hey if the Habs could teach Kovy to play defensively and put him on the PK, they can teach MAB! I mean, they even got AK46 to backcheck!
- Smooth. Too Many Sens for like 20 seconds and they got a shot on net. Allow me to slow clap on that one. But hey, Andrei gets to score on the finally ensuing powerplay so woo! That was 2-for-3? Sounds good to me.
- Can people stop trying to trade Jaro? Can we please keep two capable young goalies? What's so wrong with that? And before you say Sanford, I'll just say "Sanford sucks".
- There was like 10 forwards and 5 defencemen left on the bench at one point during the game. Didn't miss a beat.
- Pacioretty gave Sharkko Ruutu a taste of his own medicine, and there was much rejoicing.
- Wondering what Laraque was doing out there tonight? Keeping an eye on Ruutu and Carkner. Mission accomplished.
- I can see why SLC gets angry at Kuba. He makes MAB look awesome.
- Goal #17 for the love of my life.
- Metro and Moen, also the loves of my life. Ah hell, I love them all! And BabyPyatt was the Chipchura we were always hoping for...
- Seeing Jaro pat Jaro on the back as he was slumped over behind the net was touching and cute. Not cute seeing the puck crank off his knee though. Not cute seeing Sergei and Cammy carry him to the bench...
- Alfie says Habs got the bounces. I dunno about you, Alfie, but those goals were tape-to-tape passes or off rebounds. Well, except for MAB's double-deflected goal (assisted by Winchester and Volchenkov's perfect backhander).
- Why did RDS keep showing that kid stuff his face with greasy pizza?
- Hal Gill staring down on Nick Foligno = hilarious.
- Ottawa media sucks at picking the game stars. Fisher? For the second star? Pleky picks up an assist on 3 goals, works like a man possessed on the PK and even-strength, rolls up the socks and gets dirty, 3 shots, over 20 minutes of icetime and he doesn't even get an honorable mention? Homers!
- Quote of the night: "That's how much of a playmaker Gomez is, even with an empty net he had to try to make the pass first"

Still 3-0 in the new century. Without Markov. Shocking, I know! But a little bit of grit and some second effort, and voila, the system is working.

Steak and a movie, Habs lose, Kovy gets adoration

Bet he'd score a goal, while locked in prison, and you'd never know it.

I have no idea what happened and only saw a few minutes of what looked like end to end early action. A lot of skating, a lot of almost goals bouncing off some magic force field at the goal line, a post hit, a lot of not burying any chances, a powerplay that almost gave up a shortie but Pricey scared the guy to shoot wide... But I had finished my delicious Portuguese steak and that's enough meat for me for a month. And seriously guys? You can and should be able to win games while giving up 2-3 goals... Right now it's Price playing goal and D, and if he could go a little further up the ice I bet he'd score a fucking goal!!! And if you're thinking of blamming him, shut the front door. (And if you're missing Huet, I laugh at your face). To win games he would have to have CONSECUTIVE FUCKING SHUTOUTS!!! All of which are absolutely impossible! (Unless you get him large Luongo equipment). Cammalleri scored though.

Habs kind of remind me of the Wild. Goaltending that's capable to win games, no goals being scored, lots of scrambling... Rinse. Repeat.

Actually this is all getting eerily similar to: the Montreal Impact. I swear I thought they would never win a game ever this season. This afternoon they just lifted the USL Cup. This is why you don't give up. Fans at the Bell Center? If you want to sit there and boo? Shut the fuck up and give me your ticket you ungrateful jackasses.

After dinner, we all went to see Law Abiding Citizen. Jamie Foxx got owned. My evening was great because of that. Haha, sucker.

Qui d'autre?

Truly his finest moment.

Brothers and sisters we are gathered here today to mourn the moving on of Alexei "Alex" Vyacheslavovich Kovalev, also known as AK27, as he signed a two-year deal at five-million each with the Ottawa Senators. The enigmatic Russian star has turned a page in his book after a difficult year in which he was still the highest scoring point leader of the Canadiens. His followers, who paid hommage to him on Sunday, July 5th 2009, may take solace in knowing he's only an hour away and will hopefully still be able to invent scandals via the Russian press. As stated earlier this year, Habs Nation did him a great service in voting diligently for his entry into the All Star Game where he was named captain and provided us with a glimpse of what may happen when you fail to defend against him. He also won MVP for that night. With that, fans can rest assured that they have sufficiently honoured the Maestro. Now he moves on, matching Jason Spezza in skill and laziness, bickering with captain Alfredsson, and hopefully kicking Dany Heatley's ass (if he's still around).

He is remembered for embracing our fine city and for capturing our attention with his mesmerizing ability and skill, for driving us up the wall and back down, and for backing up captain Saku Koivu when he fell to injury as stand-in captain. His work with the public, charities, children, on Les Boys, and just generally spontaneously flying to some remote town to visit fans will never be forgotten.

He leaves behind a few Russian prospects who were hoping to learn from the Artist himself, and has hopefully inspired the two Kostitsyn brothers to pick up the slack in his passing while on the second powerplay unit.

You will be missed, Kovy. Be gentle on Price and Jaro during shootouts. May god have mercy on our penalty killers.