@CP31 100 years are better than 1

In this 6million-to-2 crudfest, live from Buffalo, NY, Carey Price was caught tweeting on the bench while suffering from some indigestion. It's the wings, I swear!

@CP31 Just scored some sweet wings before the game. Got sauce all over my blocker. The smell will bug me all night...
about 3 hours ago

@CP31 Well that was a sweet duel there!
about 3 hours ago

@CP31 Oh nevermind.
about 3 hours ago

@CP31 Oh fuck.
about 3 hours ago

@CP31 @Jaro41 don't make me go in there...
about 3 hours ago

@CP31 I know we were looking to rebound, but not REBOUNDS argh!
about 3 hours ago

@CP31 Oh hey Pleks, NOW you win a defensive zone faceoff with a minute left eh?
about 3 hours ago

@CP31 Bringing my ear plugs...
about 3 hours ago

@CP31 Well that wasn't too bad. Coach gave us some hot cocoa.
about 2 hours ago

@CP31 I see you Patches! Forecheck! Now oh, where's everyone else?
about 2 hours ago

@CP31 Pleky invented his own spin-o-rama: blown-tire-o-rama
about 2 hours ago

@CP31 Could use a Czech Sausage guys!
about 2 hours ago

@CP31 Ah fuck, don't put me in please... All I can think of is sweet bbq wings...
about 2 hours ago

@CP31 I'm giving @Jaro41 mental hugs.
about 2 hours ago

@CP31 Wonder what @walsha is thinking right now. Hmm...
about 2 hours ago

@CP31 Flying Bergeron! Was that shot number 3?
about 2 hours ago

@CP31 A Belarus Sausage! Finally!
about 2 hours ago

@CP31 Gomer's working on that comeback, Coach, I swear. Keep him with Serge.
about 2 hours ago

@CP31 Oh Lappy, that would have worked if this were Columbus...
about 2 hours ago

@CP31 I need more wings.
about 2 hours ago

@CP31 Why is there football on the jumbotron?
about 2 hours ago

@CP31 Team Czech will be concerned vs Team Miller...
about 2 hours ago

@CP31 For once you save the goal instead of putting it in our own net eh Gorgie
about 2 hours ago

@CP31 And now he scores! The bench = stunned
about 2 hours ago

@CP31 Sounds like a home game.
about 2 hours ago

@CP31 Team Miller appears upset
about 2 hours ago

@CP31 Cammy needs a hug. He just nevers scores on the road...
about 2 hours ago

@CP31 Now it really sounds like a home game... I'm so sorry @Jaro41...
about 2 hours ago

@CP31 Good thing Pleks is slippery. Kaleta was looking for another suspension.
about 2 hours ago

@CP31 FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! Faster Mara, Kill! Kill!
about 2 hours ago

@CP31 OK I give up.
about 2 hours ago

@CP31 I saved a wing for @Jaro41
about 2 hours ago

@CP31 #Habs don't suck for me tomorrow, I'm dressing for the occasion!
about 2 hours ago

@CP31 #Habs the Ghosts are watching. No pressure eh.
about 2 hours ago

@CP31 If this happens tomorrow, Boss Molson will come after us with the t-shirt cannon. #donotwant !
about 2 hours ago

Go and boil your bottoms, you sons of silly persons!

Well, instead of wasting 3 hours of my time with this apparent suckfest, I wasted 3 hours of my time listening to my neighbors get all confused about issues concerning things with our building and the contractor and how the money was used (though the bills are all on the table). In the end we all came to an agreement and the Council of Elders is in place. But my mood was already soured because my neighbor gave me the update on the score from his iPod "3-0 Toronto". Barf.

The part I did see, the end... I saw everyone not trying or not moving except for Pyatt, White, and Pacioretty. Sergei had a great shift that I saw there too, with like 3 Leafs in his face. The powerplay looked pretty good there. So like how did it not go in once? A bad case of shooting right at Joey Mac and/or shooting wide and/or shooting at skates and/or hitting the side of the net I guess? Dear Bob, get some people that can aim.

And a back-to-back game means nothing when Toronto is an hour away by plane. That's like complaining you have to go drive to Ottawa for lunch from here. At least it wasn't a 7-1 shellacking like last year...

Question: I was told The Monster had another heart attack during the game or something. I'm wondering who the hell checked this kid and cleared his medical? That's the second time this early part of the season! I'm having visions of Cherepanov here! If this kid drops dead during a game you will never hear the end of it.

Douchebag of the Day: What is that smell eminating from my radio? Oh! Right! It's Pierre McGuire talking from his ass again.

The Montreal Canadiens Officiating Game: Toronto Edition

Habs limped back onto the ice this morning for practice while the Leafs fired 38 blanks at Ryan Miller and still couldn't score on the Zen Master. Maybe they were afraid he'd insult their mothers? Either way, tomorrow will be a grand old time at the Bell Center, but I'll probably miss it because I get to go to the first meeting of our Condo council. Seriously, who decided to do this on a weekday? I'll get on the commitee to make sure they're on Sundays dammit! But I can probably guess what'll happen. Hooks! Hits! And Dives! But I'm sure the officials need some help. After all they seem to always miss the good ones. So here is the first Montreal Canadiens Officiating Game: Toronto Edition!

Call a penalty!
...2 minutes to Cammalleri for every lady that swoons after him as he skates by the camera.

...2 minutes to Mara for playing defence. Thou shalt not move people out of the crease in a semi-aggressive manner because you know it might frighten them.

...2 minutes to Pacioretty for playing the puck only to grab a front row seat on a perfect Triple Salchow over his stick.

...5 minutes to Chipchura for playing 5 minutes.

...2 minutes to Plekanec for crimes against faceoffs. Feel shame.

...10-minute misconduct to Sergei for attempting to punch Grabovski and a letter of warning from President Lukashenko plus a free trip to boot camp. If he actually punches him, give him a medal. Secretly.

...2, 10, and a toss to Moen for taking the puck and scoring a goal on his ass while being throw at the net by Komisarek. The toss is because Wilson objects to the fact his defenceman is a -3 by then.

...double minors to Pyatt and White for being actual successful hockey players that don't score goals but do everything else right.

...7-million minutes to Gomez until Gionta comes back.

...60 minutes to Hammer just because we want him to sit down and take a break.

...2 minutes to D'Agostini for the apostrophe on his jersey.

...5 and Major when Price gets run over and loses his mask. The 5 is for melting the ice and a major for being majorly cute.

...game misconduct to MAB for causing mass heart attacks across Habs Nation.

The 13th man

Pleky takes in the Grey Cup!

Last year, the 13th man was a horrible horrible monster towards the Canadiens in a time they needed them the most. The 13th man booed and ridiculed a team limping into the Playoffs on one leg, and were an overall despicable monster concerning half the players were in their final years in the CH. I was hurt to the point of nearly killing someone at the Bell Center during that 3rd game at what I witnessed. And when Price did his Patrick Roy imitation I was in tears at how horrible the 13th man continued their mean streak during the game, after the game, and the days after.

All week long I kept hearing how the 13th man will be the key to winning this game against the Beast of the East with the green invasion of Calgary. For a while it looked like the same old Als when it comes to the game that matters: chokers. And then Number 13 himself, Anthony Calvillo drives the Als back into the game. Finally, the 13th man dealt a devastating blow to the Saskatchewan Roughriders but it wasn't the same 13th man I was hearing about all week... Like the Bruins in 1979, it was a player causing a Too Many Men penalty in the most crucial hairline moment of the game. Because of that 13th man, Damon Duval gets to redo his field goal kick with the Als trailing 25-27. Only this time he succeeds and the Als grab the 2009 Grey Cup right from the Riders fingertips 28-27.

The cigars are out. The champagne is sprayed. Avon Cobourne gets the MVP, Ben Cahooooooooooon gets Most Outstanding Canadian (I love the little guy but mostly I just love yelling his name) and I get to see the giant Bryan Chiu hug his adorable and tiny little boy on tv (so cute!). Congratulations Alouettes! Grey Cup Champions 2009!

The Impacts are USL 2009 Champions. The Alouettes are 2009 Grey Cup Champions. Habs? There's still hope for you yet! Adopt the Als slogan and "Win the Day". If not, at least try! There's always a chance. Go Habs Go!

15 seconds

In 15 seconds, a hard fought comeback by the Habs was given the old fuck you as a scramble in the front had an official call a jackass "highstick" penalty to give the Capitals every chance on a 6-on-4. One lost faceoff. One bad move on defence. One more instance of letting people walk up to Price. One more uncleared rebound.

When they sit in the room, they'll probably think about the empty net they couldn't hit. Or maybe the lackadaisy waltzes to the puck with the game on the line. When Price is the fastest skater in the backend to correct a small error where he shot the puck off the glass but instead hit a forechecking Capital who shot it on net as Price scrambled into perfect position to make an amazing save, you gotta look in the mirror and say could have, should have, would have.

The bottom line is you didn't.

Credit is given where credit is due. Yes, they were down 2-0 on 4 shots after the first period, but if you're looking at the numbers you're not watching the game. Picture yourself standing in a field, surrounded, and having bullets whiz by your ears. Put a mask on and paste a number 31 to your back and you'll know how Price was feeling during that opening frame. I don't know what Martin said to them in the room, or maybe Price punched another wall... but they came out in the second finally ready to play properly. Well, good enough anyway. Effort. The kids were amazing once again tonight. Pyatt and White, time to go shopping for more clothes. You're not going anywhere. Pacioretty has the jets on, nevermind his two penalties (they were weak calls). Sergei is proving daily that Jean Perron is a tool, and I don't think he was credited with an assist but his play set up the sequence for Pleky's goal.

Ryan White matched Price with the play of the game, by dropping down to block a shot on the PK with his body and the puck ended up stuck in his crotch.

Noted
- Moen has 6 goals now
- Rhino apparently can spin
- Price spent more time playing 3rd D than goal, including a trip to the blue line to get a lose puck no one else seemed to want.

OMG! GREY CUP! GREY CUP! GO ALS GO!!!!!!!!!!! Roll over those melonheads! WOOOOOO!

The Montreal Canadiens Eating Game: Grey Cup Washington Turkey Edition

I'm pretty sure there will be enough drinks going around that a drinking game is rather moot. Considering it's American Thanksgiving, a healthy dose of gluttony could do us all some good. Maybe.

Montreal Bulldogs play the Capitals tomorrow. Hors d'œuvres for a Grey Cup Weekend! GO ALS GO! BEAT THOSE MELONHEADS! Please? I smell it! I smell a Grey Cup! Obviously Ovechkin isn't suspended. Is it ironic that Kaleta will probably be suspended for his hit from behind on a Flyer today?

As heard on the radio: Jean Perron wants to tell off Bob Gainey because, after all that has happened this past season, Sergei Kostitsyn is now on the top line. Excuse me while I HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA at your idiotic pure woolian face. (May I present to you Alexander Semin, who was SUED by his team to get him to play). And to all those who thought Gainey did wrong by not getting anything back for all those UFAs that left...what the fuck did you want? Trade Koivu for picks? Kovy? Komisarek? Are you out of your mind? I'm really sick of hearing people crab about that.

Actually, I'd pay money to see Jean Perron man up and try to tell off Bob Gainey as Bob stares deeply into his soul.

Just like I'd pay money to see Cammy and Gorges fight. Hot~! But for now, here's the Montreal Canadiens Eating Game:

EAT!
...every time you see Ovechkin line up a hapless (helpless?) Habs who's busy digging or dumping a puck. Have a beer with your meal if it's Pacioretty.

...when you see Bruce Boudreau getting all puffy. Top it off with some pudding.

...as Benoit Brunet and Pierre Houde do their best Statler and Waldorf impressions en français. Then throw popcorn.

...for every mention of Latendresse, his ice time, or what he had for lunch. Grab a bag of marshmallows if they run a new highlight reel with his new colours on.

...a bag of chips for the 5 minutes of ice time Chipchura with get and become the victim of his linemates.

...soup! Because Sergei will set up a great play and someone else will screw it up. And it'll make you ill to hear people blame him for the outcome.

...happily as more good news about Markov is reported. Take another serving for Gionta updates.

...for every mention of Pleky's pending contract negotiations, have some cold turkey.

THE ONE AND ONLY!

Vodkov! He's alive! He's... He's... He's... SKATING!!! And he thinks he'll be back earlier than expected! (Like early January).

Unfortunately he also sounds like he's going to try to go to the Olympics... But, if he wants to get himself back into gameshape quicker, I guess that's as good a place as any to do it.

Habs 1, Pens 3: The Sleeping Bulldog

You know you're in trouble when even Pleky looks like he has nothing left in the tank and chugs down the ice.

About the only guy who looks like he's got a jet engine attached to his ass is Pacioretty. He was everyhwere tonight, offensive and defensive, using his long spaghetti legs to power his way around. But the Pens had their plan, and well Habs kept their heads up, rolled up the socks, and tried to match it with the gas running to an absolute low. If the game would have been tomorrow, the outcome would have been a bit more balanced. Habs were like Columbus last night, only the difference was a good goalie not giving up 5 goals against. (At 44th overall? Really Habs circa 1996? And he's got his name on the Cup because he relieved Fleury for Game 5. Talk about a sweet deal eh).

Valiant
- I think Price has faced more rubber in the past two weeks than he did all year last year. And a double back-to-back? I'm thinking a vacation was due, Jacques...but there wasn't much choice as Jaro doesn't really handle the Crosby-Malkin show too well. And Price was a victim of a sleeping whistle on the second "goal". (FUCK YOU REF!)
- The "high glove" thing is blown way out of proportion. Especially on curve balls.
- Pacioretty off a perfect drop pass by Sergei for his goal was fantastic. And that's 2 assists for Sergei!
- Though Sergei's "lower body injury" was very apparent in how he was skating. However he adjusted himself accordingly to move over to the back end off his line instead of dealing with the rushes unless he saw an opening that didn't require too much pressure on his feet. He was great on the PK though you could see the ankle affected his pivoting. Didn't look out of place at all with Cammy and Pleky. And picked up a new tool: ploughing through people to keep the puck alive and some pressure on.
- Hammer was like a zombie. I'm afraid he's gonna drop dead by Christmas...
- He may have been tired but Pleky's "fuck off" shrug on Crosby made me smile.
- Rupp's late cheap hit from behind on Patches better not have aggravated his shoulder. Doubt he'll even get suspended for it too. Didn't even get a penalty (FUCK YOU REF x2!). Newsflash! He was only dizzy! Praise the Lord!
- "How to Hit Someone" by Travis Moen should be a required reading for everyone. (You too Rupp. Jerk.) Ryan White appears to keep this book in his back pocket.
- Blah blah blah Crosby is the greatest. Whatever. Will he ever man up and play for the team he loves one day or will he stay forever in Steelers Town? Only the Salary Cap knows!
- Mmmmalkin seemed more asleep than the Habs. Saving himself for tomorrow I guess?
- Desharnais, who was brought over by limo because of the Thanskgiving weekend travel problems almost got a goal!
- Price's away jersey is looking like Gary Cheever's mask.
- Fleury has a tendency to make saves look better (harder?) than they are. I mean, really? Rhino pretty much took 2 years to aim for that glove. If that were Cammy, he would have owned your ass (or shot too high).
- BabyPyatt's face is a mess from yesterday's (missed) high stick! Poor BabyPyatt!
- With Andrei out after blocking that shot last night, Habs are up to 30 million off the payroll. Stunning.
- You know you're tired when: hockey sticks look like 2-by-4s

A 3-1 loss with this lineup in this situation against the Cup champions and 1st round draft presents? Yea, nothing to be ashamed of. They didn't give up, they competed, and the wide-eyed Bulldogs grinded it out to the best of their abilities while Price did his job in the back (games like these that his puck moving abilities really help). It's very telling when while heading for the room after the second period, they were dragging their sticks behind them and barely made it to the door. With a little less fatigue, it would have been a whole different game with the same effort. Definitely would have been better than the flu-fest last time! (Actually it was better).

Who knows if Ovechkin will play Saturday after his hit from behind on Kaleta. Then again, it was Kaleta...so maybe he'll get a medal. Then again, he was tossed. Oh who am I kidding, it's Ovechkin! He'll probably get fined again. Colin Campbell will probably just spin the wheel. And by wheel I mean the special one for superstars (the one with "suspension" that's about as thick as a line.

Habs 5, BJs 3: Let's Go Bulldogs!

Don't worry, little Sergei! He'll make you look awesome!

If you missed this game, you missed one hell of a rush. You also missed Exhibit A on Penalties Shall Not Be Assessed to Players in the Superstar Category regardless of their flying elbows. Oh wait. Chris Lee. No wonder.

But in this moral victory the Habs said unto Chris Lee, "FUCK YOU!", and never surrendered. Taking advantage of a tired young team regardless of how much Jabba the Coach yelled at them all and threatened to take away the Xbox, giving us free wings! Sure Rick Nash could single-handedly destroy a team with his barehands...and Fucking Umberger just won't diiiiiie... Actually Nash almost pulled out his deke-the-whole-team-and-score move, except he was met with an old Hammer.

FUCK YEAH!
- That's MISTER Carey Price to you. Un-fucking-real. And while Steve Mason had the joy of sitting happily behind the Ken Hitchcock choke-you-to-death team to a Vezina last year, Price will happily collect player stars for brownie points. (Everyone loves brownies).
- The BJs have been an inconsistent young bunch. Wouldn't have mattered who was in nets for them tonight.
- I have no idea what number J.T Wyman is!!! (Oh! It's 48!)
- Too bad the Habs didn't call up Ryan Russell. There would have been a Russell Brothers drinking game!
- Clipping penalty? Right up there with the phantom trip on Sergei's penalty (two minutes for watching a player fall). I miss a good hip check and Gorges' was a great hip check.
- Two point night for: Pleky! Patches! MAB! (Shocking, yes!)
- Game of the year for MAB. He didn't scare me too much tonight. And a shot from the point blocked by Rick Nash of all people...he didn't fall on his ass and actually stick checked him! I think I may get a heart attack from the shock of it all!
- While we may not see them score on a powerplay, they seem to score right after the powerplay is done.
- Cammy on the powerplay: it's like he's directing airplanes.
- How to rejuvenate Lapierre? Remove the Tender Gui, pair him with Sergei. That goal was awesome. (And welcome back, Sergei!)
- Line: Sergei/Chipper/Wyman. Hey look, it's Hamilton!
- Rick Nash, woah. I want one.
- Even the crowd was rallying. I do believe this bunch of boys are truly an inspiring bunch.
- Nasty slash from Vermette to the tender fingers of Brother Andrei. No penalty of course! Thankfully he lived.
- I can watch White and Pyatt shut down a period all night. Though I wish White would stop icing the puck.
- I can't decided which Treant I like more: Hal Gill or Jay Leach. Leach is a little more mobile though. Gill has the recent bling, and is pretty damn good looking...
- Rhino clearing the crease, schooling how it's done. One shove = 50 feet fling.
- Benoit Brunet has turned into a fucking sarcastic git. As the Habs were grossly outshot and being overworked for the first 2.5 periods of the game, he jokingly put the blame on Price for not making the save off a Raffi Torres crease block with a rebound onto Vermette's stick and started to chuckle. And while I can be Sarcasmo, Queen of the Dry Sarcasm, I don't really share that humor, especially tonight when it seemed like "blocked by Price" was on audio loop.
- I swear someone called Pyatt "Latendresse"...
- When Stralman scores, Toronto drinks.
- Price tried tossing his stick over the glass. I think he was too tired to lift his arms. It bounced back at him so he just handed it over to a lady practically crawling over the glass. (Give him a break, he's face a double load each game).
- There's $26million off the salary right now.

Best part of the night: FUCKING UMBERGER didn't score a goal!

I started my day stuck in a dark metro for an hour. All this after being stuck behind a convoy of slow trucks. It's like everything was preventing me from going to work. I made it anyway. Benoit Pouliot had a taste of the Montreal traffic coming to the game for his medical/to watch. Welcome to the team, kid.

A double dose of drinks: trade you for some wine?

The other night I was over at my parent's house 'cause mom bought way too much meat and made beer stew for us all. While there I watched my brother play some NHL10, with his bizarro future Habs team. Apparently in 2011 or something like that Rick Nash and Cal Clutterbuck will be Montreal Canadiens, with Nash on a line with Cammy and Gio. I was in seventh heaven. We laughed as he destroyed the Maple Leafs in Round 1 of the playoffs, who had Lecavalier on their top line and Marty Turco in nets (who would probably prefer death to netminding for the Leafs).

Too bad Bob couldn't wrangle Clutterbuck out of the Wild for Guimauve instead of Pouliot! (Yea, this guy).

Funny how things work out though. If the Wild didn't pick before us, we would have this guy failing away and would not have Price. Now we have both. Here's hoping he can get his act together (once his hand heals).

And to all those who say Gui was mismanaged... Please. When he was on the team, he was too young for Hamilton, too old for junior, too big to pass up on a small team, and a local hero. While scoring at will is not uncommon in the Q, he failed to adapt to the NHL and follow the recommendations of his coach and his teammates. I mean, how hard is it to park your ass in front of the net after telling us about it every day? They were overly patient with him, and gave him every opportunity on every line, but he either couldn't keep up with the better skaters or ran off to the corners instead of Holmstroming the goalie. Even Marc Denis told him to go there! (He did it once, in preseason). He suffered from the Mike Ribeiro Syndrome of hyped up by the local press, worshiped by RDS, and could do no wrong in their eyes. Now that he's gone, he'll probably follow the same path as Ribeiro, unless he really is a complete idiot. Like Ribeiro, he won't have the local media protecting him anymore. If he wants to stay in the NHL he'll have to wake up.

What an exciting Monday! Guimauve gone, Pouliot nursing his tender hand before a trip back to the farm, Big Georges' suspended for 5 games, and the best two news pieces of the day: Sergei's back! And Price was given the second star of the week by the NHL for his job well done!

Now my only problem is deciding what to do with my Latendresse 84 shirt. Perhaps it'll go off to charity.

Habs have bigger problems over deciding what to do with a t-shirt though. It's another back-to-back game. Seriously. What the fuck is up with this schedule? Fucking Olympics! So I present to you a double dose of booze, the Montreal Canadiens Drinking Game: Columbus and Pittsburgh Edition!

DRINK!
...every time RDS angrily defends Guimauve, and call Gainey a dumbass (in polite TV terms) for trading his fat ass to the Wild where he will no doubt rip it up (maybe).

...for every Guimauve highlight reel played.

...every time you see Umberger. Then smash your glass and yell "FUCKING UMBERGER!!!"

...when they talk about the Olympics and how Mason is having one heck of a sophomore slump right now.

...when they talk about the Olympics and RDS makes the case for MAF to be the starter. Take another swig as he fucks up behind his net and almost assists on a goal in his own net.

...once for every "I don't know what Jacques Martin is thinking" moments, as MAB or the 4th line is caught on the ice at the same time as Rick Nash or Crosby/Malkin.

...if, after stinking up the joint in New York, the Blue Jackets come out looking like the fucking Stanley Cup Champions.

...as you spot Orpik lining up to destroy/injure anyone. Start crying if it's Pleky or Cammy. Cheer him on if it's MAB. (I joke! ...maybe).

...as Martin decides to use Price for Columbus and Halak for Pittsburgh. (Can he get it right? We'll find out tomorrow)!

...and wonder how the powerplay could be so poopy.

...and wonder why the Habs play so much better when shorthanded.

Habs 2, Red Wings 3 (SO): Or how to awake from a deep slumber and score two goals

First I would like to say how very, very ashamed I am of Georges Laraque. WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?! It's one thing to run into someone and accidentally take out the leg or a hip check goes awry as a player twists around to avoid a hit, but he put his leg and I'd say there was an intent to injure. We asked you to hit people, to be mean, but it's gotta be CLEAN. I've seen players shit their shorts when they see you coming for a check that never happens. Imagine if you actually did a few real, good checks? I could live with the high stick, even though it looked retardedly deliberate. But the knee shot was absolutely excessive and put the Habs in a 2-0 hole early. On back-to-back games, the last thing guys wanna do is kill penalties for 6 minutes early on. Then Mara took one that was borderline (clearing the crease invaders is a sin in the new NHL) and then Moen took a weak roughing penalty (please...just let them play idiots) and then Rhino slashed a stick (which was deserved). And while the Habs fought diligently on killing those off, it was bound to happen. But the only ones the Wings scored on were YOUR penalties, BGL. You are officially the Goat of the Game. Also consider yourself suspended.

Honestly Big Georges, no one is afraid of you anymore...

Solid effort by the Bulldogs boys though. Tommy Pyatt? Best deal in that trade! No worries to have him out on a 5-on-3 defending high in the slot. Won faceoffs. Won races. Won battles. Same for Ryan White. Heroic in the shot blocking, playing the hardhat style Lapierre and Guimauve are not. I don't hold my breath when they're out in the dying minutes of a game that's tied 2-2 (unlike Bergeron).

Another solid outing by Pleky, winged tonight by Cammy and AK46. Pleky may be a "little girl" but he never gives up, and never surrenders. But as a lady, I dare say, those qualities stem from his feminine side? After all, never get between a lady and what she wants. Kostitsyn has used his usual amount of games to wake up, so this isn't a surprise for me. Glad to see him do his patented coast-to-coast tonight. And the perfect compliment: Mike Cammalleri. Seriously, man. Marry me?

Our first loser point of the season
- Price was stellar once again. Shots were 16-3 in the first, 23-11 in the second, and at the end of the 3rd 32-17 all for Detroit. Still didn't get a star, but he's a star to us! All those saves through Cleary's and Holmstrom's asses. He gave them every chance to win the game, and when Cammy got two goals, he did his job to keep them in the hunt. Though the red pads totally clashed with the blue vintage... Guess the brown pads weren't ready. Or he's saving them for the birthday game.
- Pleky's fly was down when on a faceoff. Ref gave him some help. Pleky laughs!
- If we didn't have Cammy stealing my heart, Moen would be the love of my life. I'm so happy to see him play considering there was worry he was listed as a game-time decision for blocking a shot yesterday.
- The old D were impressive tonight. They really stepped up big lately. Though Hammer looked absolutely spent in the 2nd, and Spacek was sleep walking when Price gave him a pass to get out of the zone. Get some good rest tomorrow!
- Gorges was absolutely fantastic on Zetterberg. Played him in perfect position, and then slammed him into the boards.
- The not good: Guimauve. Had maybe 5 minutes of play and did nothing with it. I'm thinking he's just waiting to be traded and frankly I wouldn't cry over it.
- I repeat: WHAT THE FUCK IS BERGERON DOING OUT THERE WITH 2 MINUTES LEFT! How many freak outs and turnovers does this man need to do before Martin starts managing him better? He makes me MISS Breezer!
- Lapierre had this maddening look in his eyes. I thought he would come out flying. He did OK, but generally I was disappointed...AND he put the puck over the glass late in the 3rd. C'mon Lapierre! Dumont and Lefebvre are totally going to take your spot sooner than later.
- It's one thing about calling penalties, it's another when it ultimately costs the game. Cammy was clearly tripped by Datsyuk in OT and there was no call. It wasn't like no one saw it either. Who scores in the shootout? Datsyuk. If the ref had called the blatant penalty, he wouldn't have been there, there may have been a chance to win the shootout or even finish it in OT.
- The loss of Gomez was very visible tonight. Say what you will of his no points or goals lately but he creates things. They only call 2 players for assists, but he's one of few guys who can get the puck down the ice by just grabbing it and ploughing through everyone. Most of the second period we couldn't get past the red line because he was missing.
- My hamster Pleky woke up when the Habs did.

I'm very proud of how the boys did in these tough back to back games. While Team990 went all doom and gloom and proclaimed we wouldn't see a win for a week, they showed a great deal of character and worked through everything that was thrown at them. Even changed the record a bit of what happens when scored on first. They deserved the point they picked up tonight. Up next is Rick Nash and Fucking Umberger, and another back to back with the Pens right after. But first, a well earned day off!

Habs 3, Caps 2: Wowza

Hey hey, ok! This was a little more convincing. Just a little. Mostly because Ovechkin was very neutralized tonight by a job well done. Sure they still managed to scare the shit out of us all, especially when in the defensive zone...which seemed like every shift. But SuperPleky took the bull by the horns and drove the mother fucker down.

Also it's a rare regulation win. One that was almost blown thanks to everyone's inability to clear the zone even after winning a faceoff. And Lapierre just had to take a penalty with a minute left. A 6 on 4? Carey Price goes "bring it". For most of the game he was pretty much playing defence most of the time anyway. But the way they played in the dying minutes clinging to a 1-goal lead... Well, it's something the Leafs were lacking as they imploded right in front of Carolina's eye. Seriously. Fault the Habs for every missed chance and every crappy play, but come crunch time, these guys seriously get the hard hats on and roll up the sleeves.

I wants my hugs!

Fuck yeah!
- Travis Moen has 5 goals already.
- Cammy saved the PP from being PoopPoop, and saved the game.
- Of all the people out with injury, why can't Bergeron be out indefinitely with like a severe hangnail or twisted eyelash?
- We welcome Rhino back. WE REALLY WELCOME HIM BACK. Solid.
- Laraque too. Though he looked like he was standing on one-leg in that "fight", he was pretty strong blocking shots and being a wall.
- AK46 was looking very AK27 tonight. And I mean that as a compliment, because he looked like the GOOD Kovy.
- Gomez left early. I'm seriously freaking out yo. Why do you hate us, God?
- Happy birthday Patches! Two missed chances and a hit by Ovechkin. And a high-five to the kid in the Caps jersey looking for a high-five after the first. He's just loving it.
- Well, he wasn't loving the missed open net. Smashed his stick on the door when he left the ice.
- Pleky Pleky I love you~! Another multi-point night.
- Tommy Pyatt is a solid player.
- Everyone had like a back-to-back game tonight. Habs won. Caps lost, play the Leafs tomorrow. Red Wings tomorrow for us, lost to the Panthers in OT... And Osgood was in nets so will it be Jaro vs Jimmy?
- The coaches were freaking out on the bench during the 6-on-4. I have no idea why. I am curious!
- And Price with his swagger. Caps threw everything including the bench. With the coach on it. Not points for Ovie tonight!

Tomorrow we bring out the VERY FIRST Montreal Canadiens sweater. Against the Red Wings? Pretty appropriate, considering the flying tire was the logo of the first Montreal team to win a Stanley Cup! (Montreal AAA Winged Wheelers)

The Montreal Canadiens Drinking Game: Washington Edition

That man is a Habs fan. Piss him off at your own peril.

The date: Friday, November 19th, 2009.

The place: District of Columbia.

The doomsdayers have entered their bunkers with their canned goods and bottles of water. But that's ok. Hopefully if/when the world ends and they've somehow passed on for no reason, we'll be able to find their hideaways and take their canned peaches while taking a break from walking the road.

Rhino is in. Supposedly.

Carle was sent down.

Stewart was sent down for conditioning because he sat on his ass for over a month.

Price is stoked.

We're still crying over Gionta.

And because bunkers are for wusses, here's the latest Montreal Canadiens Drinking Game: Washington Edition!

Drink!
...whenever they mention Varlamov for the Calder.

...whenever Gorges crashes into Price. Hold your breath first to make sure they both come out of the collision uninjured.

...while Laraque chugs down the ice. Drink happily if he actually scores a goal or assists on one.

...as Benoit Brunet laughs at Andrei Kostitsyn. Then smash your glass.

...if Ovechkin scores some rediculous goal that shouldn't have been allowed because he either tripped, interfered, or held whoever was trying to stop him. Drink furiously when they replay it on Sports Center during their top 10.

...whenever MAB is on the ice the same time as Ovechkin. And start crying.

...for every powerplay opportunity that goes nowhere.

...drink some extra smooth brew for Pricey if they're hanging him out to dry again.

...as Gionta is injured, don't stop drinking.

...every time Spacek and/or Hammer winces.

...when Francois Gagnon is on during intermission to blot out his opinions mistaken for facts.

...every time Pleky is desperately trying to win the game for the team with no wingers.

...if the shot clock is grossly in favour of the Capitals by the first 10 minutes.

...take a swig for every angry face Martin puts on. There may be many!

Out indefinitely...

We knew he was playing injured for a bit. I mean, it was obvious. But we admired the little man's strength to kick it old school and continue playing. Now he just needs to heal. Future-maybe-captain Brian Gionta has a broken foot and is out indefinitely.

If you're Ovechkin this could be day by day, then week by week, then month by month, only to return sooner than later.

If you're Kovalchuk, it's about two weeks.

If you're David Desharnais, it's about a month.

If you're the Montreal Canadiens, it's FUCK!SHIT!GODDAMIT!GIVE US A FUCKING BREAK!

Now Gomez has to make do without his significant other for more games...

Meanwhile Carey Price was placed carefully into a protective bubble with orders to only release him for practice or games. Or bathroom breaks.

Habs 3, Whalercanes 2 (Epic SO): Take this puck and shove it up your ass!

I came home for the best part.

After stuffing my face silly with copious amounts of sushi (SUSHI PIZZA: FOOD OF THE GODS!) my friends and I left Kanda all you can eat sushi and passed a truck that had TV screens around it (yea, my friend was so impressed he took a picture!) and I saw the score: 1st period Habs 1 Car 0. I went WOO! And then it switched to the 2nd period, Habs 1 Car 2. I went FUCK!

And as we stood chatting in the metro for what seemed a good half hour while train after train came and went, I couldn't help but think "Please, score. Please, score. I don't want to come home and hear that Price was hung out to dry again. I don't want to see the guys in another bag skate. I don't want to hear about another crappy outing. Just score more than one fucking goal!!!"

So I finally made my way to my car, parked behind the Burger King at Namur Metro, turned on CJAD with hesitation and heard...the score hadn't changed. I did hear Price making key save after key save, and Manny Legace using his fat to frustrate my already frustrated Habs. (Oh Carolina...just call up a kid if Leighton is injured now). Then I heard the only goal was caused by Super Pleky and the squire Master Maximilian Pacioretty converted. That made me slightly happier as I defrosted my car. Of course with like 5 minutes left someone had to take a penalty. Of course it was the Habs! But never mind because they almost scored shorthanded and then Andrei Kostitsyn just walked around the net and threw the puck in the gerenal direction and it walked through Fatty Legacy. Tied! Woo! Murray Wilson was ecstatic. I needed to use the washroom...

And then OT! This is the part I got to see. The only part that mattered. I saw Price beating people up in front of his net like he did long ago and it made me smile. I saw effort on the penalty kill after an accidental high stick made Spacek's life miserable. (Seriously, the man was a wreck while in the box. I just wanted to hug him). Kick save, pad save, glove save, dive, cleared. Shootout.

Carolina has a Ruutu and Jussi Fucking Jokinen. You do not want to go to a shootout with these guys... However Price was a cocky bastard and just scared the puck away. Perfect. And as the Habs tried to go five-hole on Fatty Legace with weak shots, when Lapierre stepped up I yelled "SHOOT TOP CORNER!" and he did, HUZZAH! Save of the year by Price to end it. Off the tip of his toe and on the fucking line. I swear the puck raspberried the Whalercanes. Then Price shot the fucker down the ice. And there was much rejoicing.

Max: "Hey TK, want to go for a beer later?" Tom: "Sure thing, Max. Can I get some bagels too?" Oh the formalities.

GAME!
- Price is the Master, and you will OBEY.
- And he was wearing the cowboys again!
- Pleky for president!
- L'Antichambre still says Lapierre saved the game. Maybe he did, but it was all Carey Price yo.
- I heard Andrei got mean and nasty like Sergei does. Then I saw it in the highlights. Sergei, never knew you came back!
- Sergei Samsonov looks like an elf. Brind'Amour is still fugly.
- Eric Cole may be the ruiner of our lives, but without hif BFF Eric Staal, he's pretty harmless.
- That shootout was EPIC. And long legs for the win.
- Guimauve is still pretty useless, and I refuse to wear his shirt until he HITS SOMEONE more than once. Twice even. Four time? OK, but I'd like him to do it for more than one game. Not asking you to be Guy Lafleur...Just be like Dustin Byfuglien or whatever.
- I was wondering if TK would fight anyone.
- The bench in the shootout was great. Everyone was on the edge of their seat. And when it was up to Price to end it, they were practically in each other's arms, all waiting to see what'll happen. Reminded me of 1993...
- Gionta come baaaaaaaaaaack ;o;

Put those points in the bank. Who cares if we beat the worst team around. Fatty Legace almost stole the game by being wide... I'm still calling this season "1993"!

Soapbox: 9-11! Calling all twats!

So the hallmarked 20 games hath passed and the torches are lit. It's getting a little pitchforky by old yonder Bell Center. The natives are restless and the media has gone batshit insane. Well, more than usual. The lackluster effort in Nashville didn't help. How does one explain it all? Well, how about some True or False!

--------------------

Statement: The Habs have no prospects that are any good and the future is teh suck because all our forwards are checkers.

FALSE!
Before running off the Jacques Cartier Bridge (after climbing the suicide fence) with a sign pinned to your shoes that says you just can't take anymore and can't take anything coming, do yourself a favour and go watch a Bulldogs game or two. Then take a gander at the prospects in the pipe who are plying their trade in various schools across the USA. Guy Boucher is doing a fine job teaching these young greenhorns the finer points of pro-hockey while yelling his head off at the shitty AHL refs. Never under estimate the mighty mite of Brrrrock Trotter. PK Subban leapfrogged Yannick Weber, I'm very serious about that. And one of these days Andrew Conboy will storm onto the ice in bleu-blanc-rouge, a giant. I knew Vincent Lecavalier in high school and watched him play for the school team, but I'm confident to say Louis Leblanc shows more promise now than what he showed us then. Also can you not say this young scorer wasn't born to play in the Saint Flanelle?

They say hindsight is 20/20.

And I don't care who was picked after Andrei Kostitsyn. Who's to say those players would be the same they are today? And stop talking about Kopitar. Carey Price was the need and the right choice.

Statement: Mob mentality works in riots, also in newspapers!

TRUE!
All the "Fire Gainey! Fire Timmins! Fire the anthem singer!" are getting a bit rediculous. In a city that never allows a team to accept the high draft pick without pure luck (Carey Price) and where it's all some rediculous rhetoric of "Stanley Cup or Nothing!" which was pretty valid when there were 6 teams running about for the year, it's time to wake up and smell the parity of the new bollocks NHL. Yes, the one where hockey dead zones get all the naturally good players and where the hockey hot zones have to fight over the scraps they hope develop into good players. (See above). If it's not Sergei vs Coach Martin, it's the Halak vs Price, or Guimauve getting endless RDS praise while Andrei gets laughed at when he's checked into the boards. Anyone wonder why Sergei is banished to Hamiltonia while Gui gets the sleepy sleepy wakey wakey get your ass to the rink and play treatement? But what does Price have to do to get any respect from the twat Jack Todd? (And a couple of the Gazette writers actually, you know, the crabby ones). Snarky, even after 53 saves in a solo effort. You know, I'm cool with fans being all "the Mighty Halak, he's so abused by this team" 'cause they're fans, they're allowed to be marginally idiotic (or fully) regardless how annoying it is... But a guy in print in a local newspaper talking about the local team and constantly spews nothing but bile in their general direction? Yup, my dad knows him. He's an ass in person.

Yes, Jack Todd was wondering why Price was even playing in Phoenix, let alone Nashville. I could just stand on a building and say "Hey Todd, FUCK YOU~!" but that would disturb my good neighbors.

I don't read the French rags, but I know what they say. It's not much different, only laced with more Chez Nous.

Before you think about running the current stock of players, prospects, and staff out of town, think of the alternative. You could get Pierre McSplooge as a GM. (Vomit. Gag). Or Serge Savard will come in and trade Price for Owen Nolen and send Markov out like he did Chelios, because you know he'll never play for very long!

Statement: Injuries, to key players, can dent a season. Deal with it.

True!
Take away your number 1 defenceman, a promising young giant defenceman looking to rebound and was, remove the sparkplug hardworking journeyman for a few games, allow many others play with their injuries (hey it's up to them), and then finally lose your number 1 forward that stunts the line to merely Mexican Squid...sprinkle in a forward masquerading as a defenceman who causes more goals against than goals for, add bangers who won't bang and scorers who won't score... Yes, it will be tough. Yes, other teams have significant injuries. Yes this fucking marathon Olympic season is a recipe for disaster. All we can do is hope they work through it. Coach Martin, the ball is in your court.

--------------------

Batten down the hatches. The Whalercanes are in town, hot off their shootout win because Jussi Jokinen is the shootout king. But if you, my Habs, make Leighton look like the second coming of the Goalie God, then LET'S GO TAYLOR HALL. Manny Legace is no better! All I ask is I come home from a delicious sushi dinner (mmm...sushi pizza...I'll have 4 please) to a better effort than Nashville, OK?

@PekkaRinne I should have brought my iPod

So is there a record now for a goalie tying two records in one night? Well, technically 3...

- Carey Price made 23 saves in the first period alone, tying him with Dryden, Vachon, uh Racicot, and the other #31 Hackett.

- Carey Price gets tied with the record for most shots faced in one period (24) with Dryden and Vachon.

- Carey Price ties the record for most saves in one game (53) with Wayne Thomas. Would have beaten it but the last shot was recinded 'cause it was after a whistle.

He also has at least one shot on goal.

Meanwhile Pekka Rinne took a nap, had dinner #2, did his laundry and probably walked his dogs if he had any. Shakiest shutout of his life maybe.

Spacek was playing despite his injuries. He was apparently kicked in Phoenix! And he was apparently cut on the leg from that kick! Apparently it sounds worse than it is.

Hammer was wearing an A tonight.

Guimauve was supposed to be in the pressbox. Just our luck Gionta was suddenly injured, struck down by the wrath of God or something because God hates us. Gomez really is lost without him...

Other than that, it was poop. Well, no, it was the Carey Price show. I heard he practices juggling during the summer. Tonight he was putting on a circus act. Coach said he was the only one competing tonight. My theory is the Vancouver game fucked up his numbers so much that this is the plan to fix them... But it would be nice to SCORE. And some defence that doesn't have the awesome mobility of pylons.

The Canadiens are now 9-11 on the season, which is a very appropriate pair of numbers!

Oh hey Bulldogs won. And yes, like Gomez and Gionta, Glumac needs Desharnais to score goals.

Habs 4, Yotes 2: Hava Nagila!

Tonight was our work dinner, celebrating the final checkmark on our latest Tetris game. Went went to Troika! Delicious Russian restaurant. Unfortunately we missed happy hour, so no vodka. And no, Markov wasn't there. I had the wild boar cooked "Russian style". Oh. my. god. My stomach... Good thing I took the longish way back to the metro 'cause wow I was full.

I got home when the first period was ending. My hamster, Pleky, gave me a scare because he was fast asleep in a ball under his fluffy igloo. He's usually up in the wheel or gnawing on the cage around that time. He was kind of worrying me so I lulled him awake and then the horror! One eye was all crusted close. I freaked and took him out to clean it, and when he went back in the cage he was still all lethargic. He couldn't be sick! And he went back into his hole while I gave him some celery to nibble.

False alarm though. He probably just tired himself out while I was gone.

Which was more than what I could say for this game. Boring!

I don't think I've ever seen a game where it's 10-11 shots by the END of the 2nd period. Is this why the Coyotes can't attract spectators? The place was so quiet the ref didn't even need to use his mic to call penalties.

Quietest most nerve-wracking night of Price's life
- And by quiet, I meant crowd wise... Mustering 3 shots in the first with 7 against is not going to cut it boys.
- Price is the king of bad luck weird goals. First he gets skewered in the neck by Mara (right between the chin guard and his neck protector) leaving the net wide open for good ol' Robert Lang. Then Biznasty kicks in a shot that was going wide. YES, HE KICKED IT. GOAL REVIEW IS TEH SUCK!
- Congratulations on Biznasty: your first NHL goal shouldn't have been allowed but whatever. And for that he got the first star? Bunch of homers...
- How frightening is our defence? Well, I'm terrified whenever another team is in our zone and Price is flipping pucks back and forth between that team and himself for a good minute or two.
- Only Yotes fans at this game were the refs.
- Hey look, we has a powerplay! And Cammy scores on the road!
- I picked a good name for my hamster. Plekanec was everywhere.
- Not only does Gorges keep running Price over, but someone punch fucking Upshall already?
- I love Glen Metropolit.
- Mara should do us all a favour and slash Benoit Brunet in the neck. What a douche.
- Family night! Price and his cousin, the Pyatt brothers.
- Leach has been a very good pickup. Chipchura, this might be your future, unfortunately...
- But Leach vs Biznasty? Not exactly what I was hoping to see...
- Spacek now fully injured. Shoot me now.
- MAB should really be a forward. Maybe Carbo was on to something?
- What the fuck is wrong with Lapierre?!
- Before Cammy set up Gio for the empty netter, I was so terrified with 6 Coyotes on the ice.
- First time Price (3-0) leaves Phoenix without Doan scoring on him. Meanwhile, Mueller is still trying... (See: shootout vs Team USA)
- Holy regulation win #2 on the year! First win vs the West!
- Price and Cammy at the end was the cutest thing I've seen all year. Minus my hamster.

Dear Team990,
if you insist on just looking at numbers without actually looking at their play, please stop thinking about Curtis Sanford. Good lord is he really not very good. And he keeps putting his defencemen in bad positions. I can say Marc Denis had amazing AHL netminding numbers but there was no way in hell he was going to play in the NHL (and when he did for 1 period, PING went the first shot). Also I believe that Hamilton newspaperman's "scouting report" on Sergei was absolute biased bollocks. Floater? If you consider reading the play and computing a plan "floating" then maybe. He scores timely goals or sets them up, he backchecks better than his brother, and with Guy Boucher encouraging him he's doing fine thank you very much.

Habs big fat nothing, Flames 1: Twits get shutout

And at home too! Oh the huge manatee!

RDS then had an epiphany midway through the 3rd: that the goalies have a razor thin margin of error. Wow! Just realized this now? What? Tired of blaming Price? (Who's only victories came via him basically stealing the game for them).

Though they did play better defensively tonight, blocking shots and taking care of them, the PK was spot on too but was missing those short handed chances. Even if I think Gorges, Spacek, and Hammer are playing way too many minutes and just getting beaten up day in and day out... Gorges looked so tired when he took that tripping penalty. Oh and the new guy from the Devils did a fine, simple job. I think we'll get some good minutes and work from him.

But good lord our offense is a bloody mess. No structure and no actual cohesive pressure. Nothing could really get set up or organized, and if they did, same old story: sticks in skates, passes behind, flubbed shots, missed shots, shooting wide or getting blocked.

Whatever.

Oh and after the game, Cammy was the mouthpiece of the evening. Holy crap does this man talk! Even CTV's local game weasle was like "this man just screams 'Captain'". Yea, they're still obssessed with that.

Yup.
- I'm thinking a healthy dose of Andrew Conboy could do some good for this team. He's huge, he's fast, he's mean, and he goes to the net. And he's got a song! We've got a great big CONBOY rocking through the night!
- And while your at it, CALL UP SERGEI FFS!!!
- Jokinen's moustache was frightening. On par with Don VanMoustached.
- Urge. To destroy. Benoit Brunet. Rising!
- So by looking like a mutation of the Minnesota Wild and the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Habs fail to score and run around a lot.
- I actually love these jerseys. But the boys looked wierd out there tonight. And White looked like a little boy in his. Some silly trivia on the sweaters.
- Jaro's glove was bouncy tonight.
- Phaneuf appears to have lost his eyebrows.
- At least Pleky bounces when he gets hit. If that were Tanguay, he'd have broken his aura.
- Yes, we're awesome when it's 4-on-4 hockey time. So can we get those larger rinks now?
- Apparently it's National Hit Tomas Plekanec Month.
- Kipper was yawning while making those saves.
- Damn you invisible shield over the other goal!

I'm disappointed that the NHL has decided to keep the Brodeur Rule. What a bunch of idiots...

Revenge! Bulldogs win!

Your screen is puny. Is funny to me!

Nothing is more awesome than going into the building of the team that beat you "at home" and winning. And it was made way more awesome by the fact that Sergei was the one who scored the only goal. Blown cover, and bam, he snuck right into the slot for a perfect one-timer.

Things I noticed:
- No Koharski, better game.
- PK is awesome, and so is the penalty kill. But seriously, this kid could go for the Battle of the Blades when he's retired.
- Cedrick has a giant fucking horseshoe. And I mean GIANT.
- Sergei is doing great, chatting with his teammates, still intense, always in position, Boucher gave him a good pat on the back before the 3rd period started, and when he got the 3rd star he happily gave his stick to a young lad who promptly ran off happily with it.
- Every break, the team is always huddled around Boucher for some plan.
- Conboy is huge! And was also being targeted for some reason...
- No fights tonight. Guess they tired themselves out Friday.
- The arena was kind of empty. Like around 4000 people. (15 000 at the Bell Center on Friday). So quiet I could hear Boucher yelling.
- Good number of Habs fans and a Bulldogs Fan Club, who came by bus from Hamilton. They were in Montreal on Friday too.
- Fucking arena is in the middle of fucking nowhere. Stupid Ottawa!

Jaro's agent is a forum troll
On what was probably a very lovely day for the Habs today, what with the fan fun practice and all... I was sure some media idiot would bring it up. Thankfully Jaro let the word out that he had only just heard of the situation and would not comment. Jaro's a good guy, a team guy, a runnerup to last year's Unsung Hero award, and neither he nor Price select when they play and have enough to deal with. Frankly the "stats" Walsh brought up were only a half-truth: one just needed to actually watch the games to understand why in the face of this stat, Price was awarded the Molson Cup for October and the NHLPA player of the day after Thursday's game. He also wasn't the reason why they were ousted from the playoffs last season, though everyone wanted to make him the scapegoat on it. I won't go further on this, as Dave Stubbs wrote up an excellent piece on the matter. However, if I were Jaro, I'd fire his ass asap for not only nudge winking his way in a matter he has no business in, but the unprofessionalism makes Jaro look bad... Of course the other trolls and haters just buzzed about with glee on this. Douchebags. All of ye.

Skates!
What is it with skates and cutting players this year? Poor Cam Ward... As if he and the Hurricanes didn't have enough problems right now.

Is it #RefFail weekend?

Did Terry Koharski stay to officiate the Habs/Bolts game? Not saying they were the reason for a 3-1 loss, but they sure played a part in this crap.

And frankly after coming out and matching the Bruins, they decided to just mail the fucker tonight. Must be a "Hey, Price is awesome, we can go back to being lame again" thing. Forget the shot clock. When you're offense consists of frantic and franetic pressure that's so disorganized even the camera has no idea where you are, you're just firing blanks while unable to connect on a pass to save your life. And the Lightning defence actually deserves more credit than RDS was giving them. Sticks on sticks, neutralizing passes, blocking shots, being annoying... Defence I'd love the Habs to do, but that's just a dream.

And the Chez Nous boys? Lapierre 6:22 ice time, Latendresse 5:28, BENCHED IN THE 3RD! Martin has been way too patient with them. If this team is going to go somewhere, they need to wake the fuck up and contribute. I'm not even talking about scoring, I'm saying HIT SOMEONE! Where's the intensity? See Malone there? How he parks his ass in Carey's face? That's what Coach Martin wants you to do, Guimauve.

At least we got a powerplay goal (Gio again with his perfect batting average), but it was looking horrendous for a while. Then Gorges grabbed the puck away from Carey and it went in on a collision. We've seen that before...and it's annoying.

RDS' Tanguay/Lecav/St-Louis love-in made me ill. Oh guess who left with an injury? Man of glass, Tanguay! And CBC calling out Andrei Kostitsyn for that messed up icing call that wasn't even icing (no one touched the puck, he won his battle, then got wiped out...but they made him the evil one for the pileup afterwards).

Whatever. My new pet hamster, Pleky, was more enthusiastic and entertaining than tonight's suckfest. Though I'm paranoid he's going to break out of his cage as he seems to enjoy gnawing on the bars by the wheel even though he's got plenty of yummy things to chew on. He also enjoys running ON TOP of the wheel instead of running in it.

And yes, I did name his after Tomas Plekanec. There's a reason for this!

Pleky doesn't know why he's got a Guimauve and a not-very-mad-Max on his line, so he cleans his feet.

Pleky wonders what this cage thing is and how it can be cut apart.

Pleky is glad Vincent Lecav can't spear him here! But he'd love to gnaw his legs off.

Pleky on a break away!

Damn you Sliippermaki!

Koharski Jr, get a doughnut!

It must run in the family... A brother's bond. Ruining our lives, one bad call at a time.

Case in point he found a way to screw the Bulldogs after they started a hard game on actual ice (different from the slush at Copps Coliseum...ahem Mr. Billionaire?) and only managed to finally get one late while on a powerplay courtesy of one PK Subban for his first real pro-goal. And with 5 seconds left with Sanford on the bench, I don't remember who it was but they gloved the puck down and managed to push it in over the line but FUCKING KOHARSKI JR SAID NO GOAL! AHL apparently doesn't have play review? Bet he would have allowed that under-the-frame goal in Boston last night. Captain Darche was absolutely livid. The game ended with Sergei furioiusly whipping the puck at the glass.

Hopefully Sunday will be our revenge as the Bulldogs roll into Ottawa for a game on Sens ice.

The juicy bits:
- Seriously guys? Booing the Bulldogs now? Stay classy, Montreal.
- I had the great joy of sitting next to a wannabe Jacques Demers. I was very close to killing him. He would not shut up the whole fucking game... *grinds teeth*
- PK Subban will be a Hab sooner than later. And he just feeeeds off the crowd. He also will be the first one to try and turn the tide. He plays with a cocky attitude and wears his heart on his sleeve.
- Sergei is not an AHLer. He needs better linemates too.
- My one question for Guy Boucher is why is Subban not your main point shot? Sergei too? Just wondering... Oh and that one man on the line was the Pens' powerplay, and it wasn't good.
- Loved watching Boucher coach. He's always doing something. Every break, the team is huddled in.
- All you guys who suggested to bring Sanford up because of his "numbers"? Uh DO NOT WANT! He makes Jaro look like a Brodeur. And every time he plays the puck, he puts his defenceman in a terribly dangerous position. He's pretty much Marc Denis.
- I really didn't notice Johansson, which was kind of odd.
- Neilson and Conboy were big, tough, and mean. They're also pretty good around the net! And Conboy is fucking huge!
- Last time Weber scored two of the 3 goals. Tonight? He was having all kinds of problems...
- Bruiser was absolutely mental.
- First regulation loss for the Dogs, all because of Koharski.

Holy Mother of God 2, Hated Bear Tribe of the East 1 (SO): Danger, man possessed

As Price walked away towards the bench to ready himself for OT, I saw the black cloud return. But it wasn't the same "why me" black cloud that we've seen after every game he plays standing on his head yet still loses. It was the black cloud that formed over his head from the smoke of the fire in his eyes, baby! And as he went into the shootout, gloving down a Blake Wheeler shot and throwing it away like he was saying "take this puck and shove it up your ass, motherfucker", there was no doubt it was going to be a win.

Bergeron misses.

Price makes Recchi's shot dissapear like magic.

WIN!

Who's up for a magic trick?

And 42 saves, protecting a 1 goal lead for 59.5 minutes against a desperate Bruins team that RDS kept reminding us haven't scored in 8.9 periodes of hockey, he once again grabbed the first star and made Team990's morning show sound like a bunch of fucktards.

WOO MOTHERFUCKER WOO!
- Bergeron (not Patrice) will be the death of me.
- Tommy Pyatt! Ryan White! Both fit right in with Big Brother Andrei. Finally, he got some linemates that could keep up and be defensive just in case he fucks up.
- Oddly enough Glen Metropolit was on the ice with him instead to convert on his work for the only goal. Must have been between a line change.
- And Pricey wasn't the only one possessed out there, Andrei was everywhere.
- Finally, finally, finally the guys were playing well around Carey. Still managed to get squirrely near the end though...
- POWERPLAY SUCKS YO! BERGERON YOU'RE NOT HELPING!
- Seriously, waive the man, call up Weber. He was better defensively, has the same shot, costs about the same, and could use the "baptism by fire" method we've been giving to Price and Patches (who's playing like a beast these days...how about that whole shift with the helmet off? Scared me when he willingly took a hit on the glass though).
- Carle was a bit better tonight but what the hell was he doing out there on OT juggling at the blue line, Martin?! Are you trying to kill us?!
- Again MAB on the PK? Martin officially nuked the fridge.
- Gomez on the PK though: DO WANT!
- Please don't be hurt, Spacek. Please don't be hurt.
- Guimauve was meh tonight for the most part. Didn't even see much of his epic board battles.
- Lapierre BLAH BLAH BLAH, hey he wasn't going to fight and waste 5 minutes of his time.
- Please win faceoffs. You owe Price a shutout because of faceoff suck.
- Bruins have swine flu. STAY AWAY! (Ok just Krejci).
- Paul Mara had an epiphany, erased Tuesday's fuck ups. Thank ye Lord!
- Hal Gill is slow, yea, but have you ever watched Chara skate...? Also what happened to him shooting from the point? I thought he fixed his shoulder.
- Chara vs Gio: was waiting for this since he came to town. And it was hilarious!
- As the Bs got frustrated, we saw more of the 4th line. Which was frankly probably the better Bruins line for the most part. Though the pushy shovey between Gorges and Begin ended in giggles.
- Please don't get smoked by Blake Wheeler of all people, Gorges my dear. Jesus Price saves! And gets a head pat by White.
- Only in the IIHF can someone score a goal by passing it through the side of the net guys. Deal with it.
- Intentional offside my ass.
- Hilarity of the night: Someone threw glasses on the ice at the ref. Hey isn't that a penalty? :D
- Bob, please give Pleky a contract extension for Christmas?
- One of Price's best games of his young career, coincidentally landing on win #50.
- Habs mood: COCKY! Price's swagger is infectious. That shootout was short and epic. Fuck the Bruins.

Oh, and because of the win tonight, our Bruins friend Sarah Connors gets to wear the barberpole! And the wager is to raise money for Hockey Fights Cancer.

The Montreal Canadiens Drinking Game: Boston Edition

Habs play Boston tomorrow. Oddly enough Boston and Montreal are like two peas in a pod this year. Injuries up the wazoo, almost the same record in the win/loses column. Only difference is the Booins were shutout two games in a row. But you know what they say about our Habs! When you're in a slump or need a win, Habs are happy to help. And while they might have focused on defence today in practice, unless the D has an epiphany, I'm not very optimistic. Though defensive minded Rrrrryan White was called up (yay, Chipper's got a linemate) along with the hard working two-way center/wingman Tommy Pyatt.

But I never thought I'd say this... I MISS HAL GILL!

So to alleviate the pain, I propose the Montreal Canadiens Drinking Game: Boston Edition!

Drink!
...every time Guimauve tries a wrap around and fails.

...as Andrei Kostitsyn (if he's playing) attempts a play, loses the puck, and gives up.

...for every "miraculous" save Tim Thomas (if he's playing, Rask > Thomas) makes by just throwing his body in the general direction and prays he made a save. Take another one if the announcer makes it better than it actually was.

...one for every second it takes for Hammer to finally release the puck on a shot. Take an extra swig if it's a backdoor play on an empty net and ends up going wide. Watch those seconds tick away...

...every time MAB is on the ice. Drink furiously.

...if Jaro's in goal, drink every time he leaves his net.

...bonus drink for every goal post he gets.

...if Price is in nets, drink every time MAB positions himself in front of the net.

...drink furiously if he's being hung out to dry again.

...vomit when MAB fails to shoot from the blue line and falls over causing a breakaway.

...if we win a faceoff but lose the puck right after.

...if Gionta really is injured, keep drinking for weeks.

...if someone mentions the "Bob called Chelios" rumor during the game while the D is sucking goats.

...if there's a Steve Begin love-fest.

...keep drinking over all the Bergeron/Savard/Coach Julien love-in from RDS. Don't stop when they show their nightly Guimauve highlight reel of nothing.

Poop 4, Crap 5: Get vaccinated

Only the Habs can make a Kovalchuk-less Thrashers look like Stanley Cup contenders. And if the D weren't snorting coke on the bench between shifts maybe, just maybe, THAT SAME FUCKING LONE THRASHERS JUST WALKING IN FOR A FREE GOAL WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED FOUR TIMES!

Puke
- RDS wonderstats of the night: Jaro and Price have the same save percentage except for the fact that Jaro has more goals against. This stat is brought to you by our shit crap defence.
- Games like this are why Price got the Molson Cup for this month. Only good goalie in the NHL who has no team to help him, shoulders all the garbage, keeps his head up and soldiers on. Vokoun would have called them all out by now. Oh wait, he did. (And it helped for one game, then the Panthers went back to sucking).
- Welcome to the NHL Mathieu Carle. Now don't catch whatever Bergeron has. Oh, nevermind.
- Bergeron, you're fired.
- Price doesn't trust his defence. I don't trust his defence. Why am I scared shitless whenever Peverley walks over the blue line?
- Don't think too hard on taking a shot on net, Pavelec will save it. We're the Men Who Stare at Pucks.
- And when the puck looks like it's fluttering like a butterfly... Yea, you're not convincing me you're trying to score here.
- Price probably aged 20 years during this game.
- The Habs played like the Thrashers from two weeks ago...while the Thrashers played like the Habs from two weeks ago.
- Stop me if you've heard this one before: Little on the side of the net gets a goal off his skate whilst unaccosted, Kubina standing by the side of the net for what seemed like five hours simply slides it in on the powerplay, Colby Douchebag dances right in while everyone is mesmerized by Afinogenov and scores...
- Don't even get me started on all the other point blank range goals he saved, including the one off his head.
- And then he got overwhelmed. Thrashers were just swarming around his net, while the Habs were being lovely pylons. Every time they were in the zone it was a scoring opportunity. Completely opposite to the very protected Pavelec.
- Only one he was at fault on was that bizarro knuckleball one from the blue line. Then again, Cammy made no effort to even try to block it despite standing with the guy for a minute. What was that about playing better in front of Price, Cammy?
- Wow to the Pleky goal.
- Can someone not named Pacioretty hit someone?
- Lapierre was playing? Could have fooled me.
- People with the name Plekanec, Gionta, and Cammalleri may have a drink. The rest of you get tap water. Goalie gets two drinks.
- Power play goes where?
- Of all the shots on net, Price's from 190 feet away actually made it more and looked more dangerous than whatever they were shooting from the blue line.
- Andrei, I'm not convinced you're angry enough.
- Lightly tapping a puck towards the boards does not clear the zone.
- Benoit Brunet needs a slap across the head with a large, heavy, preferably metallic mallet.
- If Martin plays Jaro in Boston Thursday, he better put Price on the first line.

If I were coach, I'd force them to wear this tomorrow.

Question 1: Are the players playing scared because Martin goes on his swearing tirades in practice, or are they all just secretly injured like Gill was for 3 weeks?

Question 2: Nothing is going for Andrei, even when he's hit and revenge hits, has the puck, and shoots on net. So what do you do now?

Question 3: Is it possible to have brain damage and not realize it?

For Remembrance Day, he'll stop pucks

I take my Remembrance Day very seriously. I wear my poppy way past the month of November. If I manage to not lose it, I'll wear it the entire year until it's time to get a new one. I come from a family that was decimated by war...and to me, wearing the poppy is the least I can do to remember the brave soldiers that fought during that terrible time to liberate Europe, and brought what was left of my family hope and a future as they came over to Canada to rebuild their lives.

On the back of Price's mask was always the yellow ribbon to show his support for our troops. I don't know what his story is, or if he wears it just because he generally wants to show them his support (which more people need to do) but it was always something I admired in the kid. It's no secret the current war in Afghanistan is not very popular among the general population. So far Canada has lost well over a 130 soldiers, and for a nation like ours, that's akin to a thousand. Some say it's a lost cause. I, however, disagree but I won't get into that. To see our young goalie proudly supporting them on a very public platform makes me happy. This year, he commissioned a special mask that he will wear on Remembrance Day. I'm guessing he'll be wearing it for the home game against Calgary, as the Habs aren't playing on the 11th (they're travelling to Phoenix instead). But he's only going to wear it once. Right after, he's going to auction it off for the Wounded Warriors Fund of Canada.

For a kid who gets run through the ringer by the media for being what he is (a small town kid adjusting to a bright big city), the small stories like these barely get reported. At 22, as he matures into his star status before our eyes, it's nice to see that he hasn't forgotten the values his parents raised him with. As a fan, I'm very proud of our boy. It's a lovely mask too!

Octoberfest: Where are we now?

We are Markovless and an exact .500 team.

We are pretty hopeless on the road and praying this changes soon. Thankfully November has 7 home games. Unfortunately there are two very shitty back-to-back scenarios against the worst possible teams you could back-to-back with (BJs/Pens, Caps/Red Wings). There's also a small trip out West to Phoenix and Nashville...

We are sitting 3rd in the Northeast, 7th in the East, 16th in the League standing right above the Flyers.

Travis Moen has 4 goals and 3 assists and is even. Glen Metropolit has 2 goals and 6 assists, missed 5 games and is +1. Kovy only has 4 goals and 1 assist and is a -5 in less games. Never mind the Giant Mexican Squid line of doom.

Every one of our defencemen, except Spacek and Gorges are a minus.

And as November rolls in, we ask:

1. Will the real Andrei Kostitsyn stand up, or is he just incapable of playing this kind of hockey?

2. Will these guys finally score some goals to give Price some wins? He's looking very lonely out there...

3. Will Hal Gill kill my soul?

4. Will I ever change the layout of this page?