Nothing Wrong With Kostopoulos Hit

I finally got around to watching the highlights from last night's debacle against the Maple Leafs. I wasn't too keen on seeing them after the game, the worst one the Canadiens have played in over a year.

Last night, I missed the first ten minutes of the game after arriving home from my daughter's tournament (she was game MVP) and I watched the first half of the game with the sound down and some company in the room. I hadn't seen the Tom Kostopoulos hit on Leafs defenseman Mike Van Ryn, but I had heard a bit about it, and that he'd been thrown from the game.

Late this afternoon I spoke with a Leafs fan friend that called it the most disgusted thing he's seen in years. He's calling Kostopoulos to get 20 games suspension for it. Unfortunately I couldn't give my opinion at the time.

After finding a You Tube clip of the hit, I had to watch it over and over to figure out what the fuss is about. The hit is perfectly legal. The result, anything but pretty.

Van Ryn unfortunately left himself wide open and vulnerable on the play. A player should always be alert and aware of his surroundings and never let up like he did. Stopping to cradle to puck when he knows he's being pursued is just plain dangerous.

There were several intelligent options for a defenseman to make on the play, and any of them should have included Van Ryn bracing himself to take a hit. It is a players perogative to protect themselves when skating to the boards to play the puck, and Van Ryn acted like there wasn't a soul around him.

As is often the case, the officials penalized the result instead of the act, as though it is Kostopoulos' fault that Van Ryn's a lame brain.

I showed my 13 year old daughter the clip of the hit. They teach boys her age in bantam how to give and receive bodychecks. She played three exhibition games last season against that age group. They weren't allowed to bodycheck against the girls team, but that didn't stop my girl from taunting them with a slam or two of her own.

When she saw what Van Ryn did, she was laughing. She couldn't understand what he was thinking when he stopped to pivot on the puck. Neither can I.

Kostopoulos is pretty much faultless in the whole incident. His hitting motion is completely legal, There is no attempt to isolate Van Ryn's head. What was most unfortunate, is that once a player throws himself into a hit, it's practically impossible to put on the brakes. It's akin to turning back once you've jumped from a plane. Kostopoulos can't exactly pull a shute once his momentum has been propelled in Van Ryan's direction.

I doubt that Kostopoulos will receiving anything more than a game for this. I don't even see a two minute penalty on the play.

While searching for the clip, I found this beauty from two weeks back when Milan Lucic of the Bruins hit Van Ryn, shattering the glass in the process. Van Ryn should be made aware that players will attempt to take him out of the play.

Let's hope that everything will be alright in his case, and that he makes a sound recovery and quick return to the ice.

Max Pacioretty On Everyone's Lips

The name of 19 year old Montreal Canadiens rookie Max Pacioretty will be pronounced often between today and the beginning of the Canadiens 100th regular season on October 10.

Pacioretty announced himself in a big way last night, scoring the game's opening goal early in the second period, and notching a second goal to knot the shootout session on the way to the Habs 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings.

The New Canaan, Connecticut native did so with a panache and style , and was named the game's first star for his effort.

Both Pacioretty goals came on backhands. If Wings legend Gordie Howe, a great empoyer of the back side shot, happened to be watching from Detroit, his thoughts likely echoed those of 21,000 plus fans at the Bell Centre in thinking that "this kid's got game!"

In post game interviews, Pacioretty showed both humility and glee in an assessment of his nights work.

First claiming that he felt he'd played no better than he had so in previous exhibitions, he explained his goals were the benefit of some good luck combined with his linemates solid work. He stated that he felt no particular additional nervousness when asked to be the games first shootout contestant.

In assessing his evening, the young budding star noted that he felt turnovers were still a concern that needing working on.

Being named the games first star capped a dream night coming out party of sorts for the kid, whose father learned of inclusion in the lineup at morning, and drove seven hours from Connecticut to take it in.

Pacioretty's quick rise in the scheme of Habs hopefuls presents the type of dilema every hockey GM wishes to have. The Canadiens, with a lineup practically set in stone, have little room for Pacioretty unless they clear space.

The easy solution would simply be to send the player to Hamilton while letting injuries open the door for him. The problem is that the youngster is ready to play and contribute now, in possibly bigger dividends than current spares the team will carry.















Fans and talkshows in Montreal will be lit with discussions of how Canadiens manager Bob Gainey will proceed on this. Expect names such as Mathieu Dandenault, Steve Begin, Tom Kostopoulos, and even 21 year old Guillaume Latendresse to heat up debates.

It is doubtfull that Gainey bails on Latendresse, a third year player whose upside is still to be determined. Those understanding Gainey's method of decision would be stunned to see him part with future assets in light of 10 looming free agents come the 2009-10 season.

In many eyes, the Pacioretty scenario reminds some of a similar excitement over the rushed assessment of Latendresse three seasons ago. The players attributes have common traits, but Latendresse graduated to a weaker club three seasons prior.


















Should there be an odd man out at forward, it could be Kostopoulos. Not as rugged as Begin, and with less tenure on the club than he or Dandenault, Kostopoulos still has an interesting enough upside to attract a suitor.

Anyone watching how Gainey operates, will see three possible scenarios for making room for Pacioretty.

The first would be the trading Kostopoulos. The second is sending Dandenault down to the minors. The third would involve Pacioretty's patience in Hamilton, while waiting for doors to open.

With respect to veteran Dandenault, Gainey would treat him very professionally and perhaps allow him a say into his own destiny. Gainey is that way with those who rumble not in hard times.


















With respect to veteran Dandenault, Gainey would treat him very professionally and perhaps allow him a say into his own destiny. Gainey is that way with those who rumble not in hard times.

The question will be put to Dandenault whether he wants to remain on the big club in a spare part capacity, play in Hamilton, or be put on waivers.

Dandenault will likely choose a role where he gets to play and be seen, as he is without a contract beyond this season. Gainey will let him address the option while painting a very realistic picture of what awaits him this season in Montreal.

Dandenault has been with the club several seasons, and has a Stanley Cup ring and experience to pass along.

Kostopoulos, for his worthiness and dedication is a consumate pro, but yets a bubble player on this rising club. He has some worth for Gainey in a transaction that Dandenault does not. As he has been with the club but one season, my gut tells me he's the odd man out.

Phil Carpenter, Peter McCabe, and Paul Darrow photos courtesy Montreal Gazette and habsinsideout.com



Amazing save by Carey Price

Habs Should Package Kids For Impact Player

The Canadiens 2008-09 training camp is at it's midway point, and other than a dismal first game showing against Boston, the team's performance has been excellent. Without once yet having iced a squad remotely reminiscent of last season's lineup, the Habs have fared well enough that one could envision them starting the season with either of the rookie laden groups they have dressed in the past three games.

I mean really, what are they to do with all of these kids coming through the woodwork?

It's a beauty of a problem to have if you happen to be Bob Gainey.

So far in exhibition games, it is clear that if this were any other season in which the Canadiens weren't so set and stacked, a good four or five rookies and prospects would be termed as NHL ready.

Matt D' Agnostini looks as though he could be a 15 to 20 goal scorer on about 15 NHL clubs starting this season.

Max Pacioretty is both physically and mentally at a big league level despite only being 19 years of age.

The performances of defensemen P.K. Subban and Yannick Weber tell of great futures so far.

The potential of center Ben Maxwell has shown itself greatly, especially when his talents are combined with those of solid NHL'ers.

And they have only been the best of the best thus far.






















There are also players with last names like Desharnais, Beauregard, Carle, Desjardins, Trotter and Stewart who have made strong impressions in a short time.

All could one day be in the NHL.

The 11 players named here, are primarily just the sharper tip of the iceberg for the Canadiens, and the reality is that they cannot all fit into the club's future plans.

The problem for a smiling Gainey is that the inner competition amongst these one day Habs is that it will bring out the best in them. Open spots on the club currently are more rare than Beatles reunion rumours.

The downside is that many of these players will walk from the team in time, returning little in terms of value. They will be flipped for draft picks down the line at best.

An interesting solution might have presented itself in the sheer numbers of these cumulative talents, as individually their worth would tend to be less than their combined value as a whole.

The Canadiens should make some decisions, perhaps premature, and roll the dice, in order to acquire a player that could not only take them to a higher level, but keep them there for a good long haul.

I bring this up because I see a pair of clubs - Pittsburgh and Detroit - screening the Canadiens Stanley Cup visions.

To ask why, is to understand that the Habs have no players in the Ovechkin, Crosby, Malkin, Zetterberg, and Datsyuk class within their ranks.

Adding a player of that high calibre, would go a long way towards ensuring that the club maintains annual Stanley Cup aspirations.

Mind you, I think this current team is capable right this season, with its current configuration, to go all the way.

But I'm a Habs fan, and I can only think in terms of dynasties. One Cup, only brings a thirst for more, hence my long term view that gaining a markee player suits that need best.

As I see it, in the short or long term, the Canadiens will need a player of absolute character, force, and value. A player that might well define the team identity, beyond the current Koivu and Kovalev regime.

















I envision the idea of such a player as being capable of producing between 85 and 100 points annually for the next decade, or close to it. Someone to measure up against the likes of Ovechkin, Crosby, Malkin, Zetterberg, and Datsyuk.

The Canadiens can only gain such a player via three methods.

1 - Drafting a prospect in the top three spots over the next two seasons.

2 - Making a trade for such a high pick.

3 - Acquiring via the trade route, an already established player who could fill this need.

For option number 1 to happen, the Canadiens would need to be the Islanders, Maple Leafs, Thrashers or Kings. File that scenario under "Not Gonna Happen".

Option two is more likely, in that the Habs could package a group of a half dozen bodies of promise, and gain a lottery pick in the draft that could turn out to be more than the sum of it's parts.

The most immediate route is obviously the most salacious. Acquire a bona fide NHL star - rising or established.

Names - you want: Kovalchuk, Gaborik, Morrow, Kopitar, or Getzlaf. (There are others, but I digress!)

Placed in the Canadiens shoes, I would not part with Pacioretty, McDonough, Yemelin or Maxwell. Other prospects are negotiable.

The bait offered- an alluring bevy of Habs prospects with a pinch of current regulars tossed in.

























Here's the card I would play if I were Gainey:

2006 first round pick, defenseman David Fischer.

Jaroslav Halak.

The rights to Alexandre Perezhogin.

A choice between center Ryan White and winger Matt D' Agnostini.

A choice between Subban and Weber.

A choice between centers Lapierre and Chipchura.

A choice between Mathieu Dandeneault and Tom Kostopoulos.

The possible flip flop of draft choices in 2009 or 2010.

Depending on the trading partner, I'd want Gainey to consider adding an alternative, in the name of a roster player or second round pick.


You might ask why I would be willing to see the club part with so many assets to gain but one player.

My answer involves calculated risk, but I always see it in the sense that the club gaining the best player in a deal is usually the winner.

Of the options available above, if I were to be another clubs GM, I'd grab the following.

White as he is a centerman, over D' Agnostini, because he is a better skater and shows more two way responsability.

Subban over Weber, for reasons incurring grit, charisma, and nationality.

Lapierre over Chipachura in regards to experience, skating skills, and attitude.

Kostopoulos, for his age over Dandy, and his willingness to go to no end for team mates.

I'd also say "NO" to the flip of choices, or at best retain the option.

In the final tally, a deal for the likes of Kovalchuk, Gaborik, Morrow, Kopitar, or Getzlaf would boil down to Fischer, Halak, Perezhogin, White, Subban, Lapierre, and Kostopoulos.

All told, seven bodies for a franchise player.

Which trigger would you pull?

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This Is Where "Team Toughness" Gets Its Biggest Test

Earlier in the season, a question was brought up to Canadiens coach Guy Carbonneau, regarding the Habs lack of designated pugilist, someone who would set the opposition straight when games got out of hand.

Three players who filled the role to different extents last season, Aaron Downey, Garth Murray, and Sheldon Souray, were now gone, and the thinking was that the soft and small Canadiens would be pushed around more than ever before.

It must be stated that while the three players named were often willing to throw punches for team mates, none were highly effective in the role. Downey and Murray scared no one while contributing little in hockey terms, and Souray was so important in the team's grand scheme of things last season that he was well advised to choose his spots.

Carbonneau sidestepped the question with sound logic.

He made his point by stating that the Canadiens were a team who planned to roll four steady lines, and that adding a player whose role would be minimal did not fit into his plans.

Of course, had their been a 10 goal scorer available, who struck fear into opponents eyes, and had the ability to backcheck with regularity, the Canadiens would have jumped on him.

As is the case with any rare commodity in demand, players of the like simply aren't running the streets. Carbonneau wasn't about wish for the addition of a player whose contribution to the team would involved less than 10 minutes of ice time.

Smartly, and with little other choice, Carbonneau called for "team toughness' when the going got rough.





















Many onlookers felt it a naive choice of terms for Carbonneau to preach considering the elements of the Canadiens lineup, seen by many as being receivers rather than givers when it comes to wrath unleashed.

It is often misinterpreted, the distinction between toughness and having a player who can drop the gloves in each game. This Canadiens team, despite outside perceptions to the contrary, has fared exceptionally at policing themselves when they had to. Surprisingly, the Canadiens managed to take care of their own business when it came to the rough stuff with all the ease of a backhand swipe.

With no goon in sight, and few players to drop the gloves along the way, "Team Toughness" climbed the standings ladder all the way to a first place finish.

The question never came back to Carbonneau, and an opportunity for him to shout vindication on the issue has never presented itself.

Backtracking to when the question was originally posed, several queries pointed to a stage in the post season that the Canadiens actually find themselves in at the moment, wherein that team toughness will be put to the test.

What Carbonneau has preached to his players all season long has worked until now. It may or may not continue to work beyond Game 3.

The Canadiens players must continue to be willing to take hits, slashes, facewashes, and crosschecks to the head with selective retaliation. That is part of the mental toughness required in this type of battle.

The players must also continue to dish out the same in return with unleashed fervor and passion. They will not be backed down by the Flyers, even in their building, but this series will be about who wears down the other first.

Team mates will continue to stand up for each other when called on, but discipline will be important as officiating continues to be consistantly inconsistant with what is called from game to game, period to period.



















Tom Kostopoulos chose a fair time for his wires to cross in Game 2, when it could not cost the team much. Doing such a thing at an earlier time in the game could cause a major turning point on the road to a loss.

All Canadiens players, regardless of size must continue to drive hard to the net, dish out the big hits when it is feasible and smart, and proceed to the corners and boards where taking those hits often makes a play successful. They must be relentless in their pursuit of this kind of dedication.
The Kostitsyn's, Saku Koivu, Chris Higgins and Max Lapierre are all playing this way. Tomas Plekanec, Alex Kovalev, Mark Streit, and Mathieu Dandeneault are picking their spots and it has to stop. Some players need reminding that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, with and without the puck.

The Begin, Smolinski, and Kostopoulos trio are wrecking balls whose intensity never drops. They have been role models of fortitude and their success testifies for the unquenched committment in their game.

Saturday's loss to the Flyers sacrificed home ice in the series. The Canadiens need the win tonight to assure they can head back home no worse that tied at two game.

The players mentioned above who are choosing their spots and avoiding what is inevitable must understand that they are about to play two roads game. They must be prepared to do battle in the trenches they have so far been unwilling to venture into.

Tonight's game will come down how badly certain players want to win the Stanley Cup.

Habs For Breakfast - Crunch Time

Game 3 will be a pivotal one for the Canadiens, after having lost home ice advantage in the series against the Flyers. The Habs who have been good on the road this season, good enough for the league's third best road record, haven't fared as well in the playoffs.

In the 9 games played so far in two rounds, Montreal is 4-2 at home and 1-2 on the road.

Perhaps the Canadiens need a pair of road games to refocus their armour. While they may have created all kinds of scoring chances on Saturday, at times they tried too hard to razzle dazzle the Flyers, and it may have cost them the win and the momentum of the series.

A couple of games where the focus is to shoot first, crowd the net, and pounce on rebounds will do them good. The fancy dancing can come after Biron is off balance.

Tonight in Philadelphia, muscle will beat finesse. The Canadiens will need mental toughness as much as the physical kind to get through it and win.

War Of Words - Gazette

"One day after Philadelphia coach John Stevens complained of a cowardly act by a Montreal player, Canadiens coach Guy Carbonneau issued his own retort, suggesting the Flyers lack class. "They're one team that shouldn't talk. Over 82 games, they had the most suspensions in the league," Carbonneau said, following an optional practice in LaSalle yesterday morning." - Herb Zurkowsky

Kostopoulos accepts blame for sucker punch - Globe Sports

"If Montreal Canadiens head coach Guy Carbonneau was hoping to exploit a late-game incident in which Tom Kostopoulos sucker-punched Philadelphia Flyers defenceman Kimmo Timonen, the guilty party threw cold water on his coach's ploy. Carbonneau defended the late-game behaviour of Kostopoulos. The Canadiens' coach also accused the Flyers of taunting his players after they scored the game's final goal with 2 minutes 21 seconds remaining in Philadelphia's 4-2 win to tie the second-round best-of-seven series 1-1." - Tim Wharnsby

Habs Land In Philly - Gazette

"Listen for Flyers fans to tongue-tie themselves as they derisively chant "Kos-to-pou-los." That will be in recognition of the winger's emerging from Game 2 as a prime Philly target for his late-game dustups with Kimmo Timonen and Scott Upshall." - Dave Stubbs

Biron Savours Time At Home - Gazette

"We fed off the energy from the crowd in the first series against Washington when we came back here for Games 3 and 4, and we have to keep doing that," Biron said. "We did what we had to do in Montreal and now we have to take care of business here." Biron has been feeding off the energy of seeing action in the playoffs. He has been in the NHL for nine seasons but this is the first time he's seen playoff action.




















A Test Of Character - The H Does Not Stand For Habs

"It's one thing to know you lost because you didn't play hard enough or because you took a bunch of stupid penalties. But to know you completely outplayed the opposition, yet they're the ones laughing at you in your own building (cheap bastard Flyers), is very difficult to accept." - J.T.

Une question de sang-froid - RDS

"La rivalité avec les Flyers a atteint un autre échelon samedi soir quand Tom Kostopoulos a frappé sournoisement Kimmo Timonen après le quatrième but des visiteurs marqué par R.J. Umberger. Personne dans le camp du Tricolore ne s'attend à ce que Kostopoulos soit puni pour ce geste gratuit." - Luc Gelinas

Markov doit être meilleur - RDS

"Parmi les joueurs qui doivent produire davantage, je songe immédiatement à Andrei Markov. En ce moment, il devrait être le général à la ligne bleue pour le Canadien, mais il est incapable de jouer à son niveau de la saison régulière. Il effectue quelques bonnes présences, mais ce n’est pas suffisant. Il doit être meilleur pour donner des chances au Canadien d’aspirer aux grands honneurs." - Bob Hartley




















CH: Qui écopera ce soir? - La Presse

"Guy Carbonneau n'a pas encore décidé quels changements il entend apporter en vue du match de ce soir à Philadelphie mais chose certaine, il y en aura. À l'attaque, le trio formé par Maxim Lapierre, Mathieu Dandenault et Mark Streit apparaît le plus vulnérable. "Ils passent beaucoup trop de temps dans notre territoire", a indiqué l'entraîneur, hier." - Marc Antoine Godin

Laissons donc Brière se faire huer en paix - La Presse

"Avez-vous bien regardé les yeux de Martin Biron? Jamais vu quelqu'un avoir l'air de venir autant d'ailleurs. On dirait E.T. On dirait un monsieur d'une autre planète tellement son regard un peu space indispose. Et Daniel Brière, lui? L'avez-vous bien examiné, celui-là? Sérieux, il a l'air de tout sauf d'un joueur de hockey. Avec sa voix haut perchée, son physique de petit vicaire, vous lui mettez un béret sur la tête, un bréviaire entre les mains et voilà que se dresse devant vous le nouveau curé de la paroisse." - Michel Blanchard

"Il faut tirer souvent et lui gêner la vision" - Le Journal

"Mine de rien, les Flyers totalisent sept buts après deux matchs contre le gardien recrue. C'est quatre de plus que Price n'en avait accordé aux Bruins après le même nombre de rencontres." - Marc De Foy

"Deux matchs pour commencer à les haïr..." - Le Journal

"Francis Bouillon ne trouve pas que les deux premiers matchs de la série Canadien-Flyers aient donné lieu à du jeu très rude, mais ça pourrait changer dans la Ville de l'amour fraternel. "C'était pas mal plus dur contre les Bruins de Boston, une équipe qu'on détestait déjà avant d'amorcer les séries puisqu'on les avait affrontés huit fois durant la saison", a-t-il fait remarquer. - Pierre Durocher

Price a perdu le trophée Calder et 500 000 $ - Le Journal

"Il y a une énorme différence entre passer le premier mois de la campagne dans les ligues mineures et y être renvoyé en plein milieu d'une saison, ce qui laisse suggérer qu'on ne le jugeait pas apte à aider l'équipe à ce moment-là." - Bertrand Raymond

More from Habs Inside Out, RDS, La Presse, and Le Journal.
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Habs For Breakfast - April 26, 2008

A few notes about today's links.

There is a story in La Presse today about the relationship between Carey Price and his father Jerry. As it is not in english, I wanted to point out a little anecdote from it.

When Carey was playing midget, he was involved in a tournament where his team was so outmatched, they were given no chance of winning at all. The heavily favored team outshot Carey's team 65-15. Carey's team won 3-1. The other team had already ordered their rings!

Hockey's Greatest Legends is running down all the Stanley Cup winners starting with the Canadiens in 1930 and 1931. Check 'em out - it's a good history lesson.

Blogger Dennis Kane had an interesting idea - a dream actually - he wants to be the flag boy at the Bell Centre for one game.

Usually the Canadiens emply a couple of kids from local minor hockey and have them do a lap around the ice and Dennis wants in on it.

I can't blame him. What a thrill that would be!

I got a good mind to mimic his letter to the Canadiens organization.

How cool would that be? A pair of Habs hockey bloggers carrying the flag in honour of their favorite team.

I've had crazier things happen in my life!

I should write that letter!

Puck Stops Here - Globe Sports

"He bends a long finger up toward the line from John McCrae's In Flanders Fields that graces the Canadiens' dressing room wall ("To you from failing hands we throw the torch; be yours to hold it high ...") and runs it across faces once distributed across the country by Beehive Corn Syrup — the Rocket, the Pocket Rocket, Boom Boom Geoffrion, Plante — until he stops at one that it seems no 20-year-old aboriginal kid from the isolated northern B.C. community of Anahim Lake could possibly know. "There's George Hainsworth," he says." - Roy MacGregor

Brothers Providing Spark For Habs - Globe Sports

"Down 2-0 in the second period, the Kostitsyns enjoyed some dynamite shifts. Their stellar play resulted in a penalty shot for Andrei and a skillful rush from Sergei that his older sibling finished off, scoring Montreal's first goal en route to an important come-from-behind 4-3 victory in overtime in the second-round series opener against the Philadelphia Flyers." - Tim Wharnsby

Gritty Sparkplug - Gazette

"Things can change so quickly," Kostopoulos said when asked about his newfound celebrity. "Halfway through the year, a lot of fans probably weren't too happy with me. The way things are going, there are some fans behind me, but it goes so quick." - Pat Hickey

Flyers Refuse To Blame Bad Breaks For Game 1 Loss - Gazette

"But if Kovalev doesn't hit it, it probably goes in the net anyway. The rebound shouldn't have been there in the first place. It should have been smothered or in the corner instead of popping up in the air. I don't want to put the rebound up in the air for somebody to whack it in." - Martin Biron

'It's not about me,' Flyers' Brière says - Gazette

"Brière had three shots, including one late in the second period that temporarily eluded Carey Price before the goaltender fell on it in the crease. Brière also was removed from the faceoff circle three times, was minus-1 and looked more like the player held by the Canadiens to two assists in four regular-season games." - Herb Zurkowsky





















Habs Grinders Gain Carbonneau's Confidence By Producing - TSN

"The Habs checking line hasn't necessarily lit it up in the playoffs, but it's produced goals when the team needed them. Through the first three games of the Canadiens first round series against the Bruins, the line combined for eight points - with Kostopoulos scoring twice - while Montreal's big guns had trouble getting into playoff mode."

1930: Boston Chokes, Hainsworth Shuts The Door - Hockey's Greatest Legends

"Hainsworth was the key player of the post season. He led all performers with a brilliant 0.75 average and three shutouts in six games." - Joe Pelletier

1931: OT Hero Gardiner Can't Ground Flying Frenchmen - Hockey's Greatest Legends

"The year in 1931. The Montreal Canadiens are defending Stanley Cup champions are flying higher than ever. They are heavy favorites to repeat as title holders, facing the Chicago Black Hawks, who entered their first Stanley Cup finals." - Joe Pelletier

There's Still A Chance I Can Become A Montreal Canadien - Dennis Kane's Excellent Montreal Canadiens Blog

"This letter is regarding the two young kids at the beginning of the game who are dressed in Habs uniforms, carry flags, and skate around the Bell Centre ice. I would like to apply for this position.























Kostopoulos impressionne - RDS

"J’étais très excité après la victoire jeudi soir. Contre Boston, j’avais raté une belle chance en prolongation et j’y avais songé toute la nuit ", commente Kostopoulos. "Cette fois, j’ai obtenu deux chances marquer. Il est certain que je n’aurais pas dormi de la nuit si j’avais été incapable de compter." - Reneaud Lavoie

Le regard de papa Price sur son fils Carey - La Presse

"La chance n'a évidemment rien à voir là-dedans. Price s'est démarqué partout où il est passé. Chez les midgets, son équipe avait remporté contre toute attente le championnat provincial. «En finale, elle avait été dominée 65-15 dans les tirs au but, mais elle avait quand même gagné 3-1 contre l'autre équipe... qui avait déjà commandé des bagues de championnat», raconte papa Price." - Jean François Bégin

Carbo ne demande que d'être chanceux dans 16 matchs - La Presse

"On voudrait tous jouer des matchs parfaits, a-t-il repris. On n'a pas bien joué dans le premier match contre les Flyers, mais on a gagné. On a fait ce qui était nécessaire. On demeure une jeune équipe, je serai toujours inquiet." - Robert Laflamme























"Kostopoulos est sur une nuage": Carbonneau - Le Journal

"C'est le plus gros but de ma vie", a lancé un Kostopoulos tout sourire après avoir procuré une victoire de 4 à 3 au Canadien en prolongation jeudi soir. T.K., comme le sur nomment ses coéquipiers, a mangé son pain noir durant la saison. Il a souvent été laissé de côté par Guy Carbonneau." - Pierre Durocher

Des soldats venus d'ailleurs - Le Journal

"Don Cherry a repris une vieille rengaine à l'occasion de son segment télévisé, jeudi soir. Il a répété que le hockey appartient au Canada et que les meilleurs joueurs au monde sont canadiens. Quelqu'un pourrait-il nettoyer ses lunettes?" - Bertrand Raymond

Le temps de s'observer et s'ajuster - Le Journal

"Plutôt que de s'inquiéter, on devrait simplement saluer la victoire de jeudi obtenue de haute lutte. On a tendance à oublier que le hockey est un sport d'équipe et que les vedettes n'existent que pour traîner leurs coéquipiers dans leur sillon. C'est ce qu'a fait Alex Kovalev en marquant deux buts essentiels, dont l'un douteux évidemment mais combien important. Kovalev, dans sa version 2007-2008, joue un rôle majeur pour motiver ses jeunes coéquipiers." - Guy Lafleur

More from Habs Inside Out, RDS, La Presse, and Le Journal.
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Habs For Breakfast - A Wild Way To Start Things Off

Man is this series is going to live up to it's billing! Talk about drama and turning points.

Game 1 was one of those games that just had it all, from swift shifts in the games pace to spectacular goals and controversial calls. Lots of very strange goals too.

Everyone is talking about the Kovalev bat in goal like it was a blown call - it wasn't from what I saw. This didn't get much mention, but the trajectory of the puck after Kovalev swung at it, went straight into the net as if along a flat line, parallel to the ice. Kind of hard to do if he were to have made contact above the cross bar,isn't it?

I've searched for clips of the goal to find the one aired briefly and showed it in slow motion but I could not find it. I'd just like to see it over again once more.

The Flyers third goal by Joffrey Lupul's goal bothered me a good bit, as it stood to be the game winner for much of the third period. It was reviewed as well and to me, you could see a clear motion with his leg when the puck hit. Lupul didn't kick it in. With his skate firmly planted in the ice, you could see a motion between his knee and ankle that pushes the puck toward the goal. In other words, he used his shin to direct it. It was obvious.

But, with calls like that, you win some and you lose some.

What strikes me really funny with all this is the perception that the Flyers let one get away and Montreal again were the lesser team on the ice. What a load!

The Habs never quit in this one. The Flyers for their part, scored only one goal with their sticks proper. If they are counting on breaks such as this to give them a pair of goals and keep them in each game, they are in for a short series.

And they are!

No Quit Habs Win In Overtime - Gazette

"T.K. continues to show the soft hands of a scorer - he's got three in his first-ever playoffs - and the hard body of a banger who's only too happy to play the physical game. "But as exciting as it is, we don't want to get ahead of ourselves," Kostopoulos added. He said he'd flip through the channels when he got home in the hope of seeing his winning goal. " - Dave Stubbs

Them's The Breaks: Carter, Richard - Gazette

"For the record, Jeff Carter uses a Bauer composite hockey stick. And, just so you know, he has no plans on changing brands. Carter, a Philadelphia centre, was beaten by Saku Koivu on a faceoff late in the third period last night. Almost immediately, Carter's stick broke, deeming him virtually moot on the play. Alex Kovalev jumped on the loose puck and beat goaltender Martin Biron with a laser high to the glove side. Only 28.6 seconds remained in regulation time and the score was now tied, 3-3." - Herb Zurkowsky

Canadiens OT Win Anything But Easy - Gazette

"The better team in the standings won this opener, but not the better team on the ice last night. A chap named Saku Koivu, who set up the tying goal that sent the game into overtime, rolled his eyes when he was asked about it in the team's gymnasium. "Too close," he muttered, "too close. But you know ... emotion plays a big part in this. You're coming off a tough series with Boston ... you're going through emotional highs and then it's gone. I know we've got to play better than we did tonight, but when that emotion falls off the table, it's pretty hard to get it back right away. I guess we had it at the end," he said. " - Red Fisher

Granny With Cancer Set For Game - Gazette

"Habs captain Saku Koivu, a cancer survivor, arranged for three tickets for Sousa's family after he heard about her wish. Saku's wife normally has two tickets reserved for herself and a guest, said Sousa's grandson, Bryan Frois. But Thursday the family found out Koivu had arranged for a third ticket to Game 2 of the semifinal playoff series against the Philadelphia Flyers."


















All The makings Of A Dream Series - Globe Sports

Whose dream is this, anyway? Pick a number. Start with the obvious, No. 31 in the Montreal goal, a 20-year-old rookie sensation from Vancouver who has the Zamboni resurface his veins between periods. Carey Price has taken the Montreal Canadiens into the second round in his pursuit of repeating what another untried youngster managed 37 years ago, when Ken Dryden came out of nowhere to steal a Stanley Cup." - Roy MacGregor

Habs Steal A Stunner - Globe Sports

"It was a weird game," said Kostopoulos, who, for the second series-opener in a row, played the role of hero. He had a goal and an assist in the first-round curtain-raiser against the Boston Bruins, and added his first career NHL playoff overtime goal last night." - Tim Wharnsby

Flyers Lose To Montreal in OT - Philadelphia Inquirer

"A lengthy review upheld the goal. The key language in Rule 80.4 on disallowed goals is "where the puck made contact with the stick." In this case, the contact was above the crossbar. The goal should not have counted." - Tim Panaccio

Canadiens Beat Flyers In Overtime To Take 1-0 Series Lead - TSN

''Hard work by my linemates created the turnover and Markov made a good play to get the puck on net,'' added Kostopoulos, who is in the playoffs for the first time in his six-year NHL career. ''Biron made a good save on the first shot and I was lucky to get the rebound.''

Flyers Lose To Montreal in OT - Philadelphia Inquirer

"A lengthy review upheld the goal. The key language in Rule 80.4 on disallowed goals is "where the puck made contact with the stick." In this case, the contact was above the crossbar. The goal should not have counted." - Tim Panaccio

Late Comeback Gives Habs Early Series Lead - Lions In Winter

"His situational awareness is something else. Alex scored PP and a SH goals tonight, both of which were such good, heads-up plays. He looked much more active tonight than he did for most of the Bruins series as he no longer had the big Zdeno Chara keeping a watch on him. He basically did what we needed him to do tonight - score exactly when we needed. He tied the game up twice with two very good goals proving that he always knows exactly where the puck, the net and the chances lie. Not many people would have scored the goals he did tonight; he is the main reason we are now not trailing this series by one." - Tobalev

You Want Drama In Your Life? Just Follow The Habs You'll Get Lots - Dennis Kane's Excellent Montreal Canadiens Blog

"Two games were played tonight. The one Bob Cole saw, which was Philadelphia all over Montreal most of the game. And the one the rest of us saw, which was a couple of posts hit by Montreal, a penalty shot, a shorthanded goal by Kovalev, a couple of comebacks, overtime, a dramatic goal by ultimate warrior Tom Kostopoulos, and a pretty tip-in by Patrice Brisebois, which was, unfortunately, into his own net." - Dennis Cole

Go Greek Lightning - Four Habs Fans

"Turtleplek fires a shot on Biron while penalty killing, which is deflected up. Kovy, following the play, swipes it out of the air and the refs call a goal. Replays show Montreal fans inconclusive results, which I'm pretty sure at least some Flyers fans felt was a high stick (good thing they don't riot over these types of things in Philly). Well, too bad - the Habs have suffered from enough bad replay calls (I still can't let that early-season game against the Pens go), so it's nice to catch a break." - Panger76

"Difficile d'entrer dans leur zone" - RDS

"C'était un premier match, on ne savait pas trop à quoi s'attendre de leur part. Ils ont très bien joué. Il n'y avait pas beaucoup d'espace sur la glace. Ils ont tenté de me déconcentrer en me frappant pendant tout le match. On va devoir apporter des ajustements à notre jeu afin d'être meilleurs." - Alex Kovalev

La série sera courte - RDS

"La brigade défensive des Flyers est plutôt vieillissante. Les Derian Hatcher et Jason Smith sont des grands guerriers mais leurs meilleurs jours comme joueurs sont derrière eux. Outre Braydon Coburn et Kimmo Timonen, la ligne bleue des Flyers est relativement lente. Le Canadien devra l'exploiter avec sa vitesse.' - Bob Hartley

Kovalev, comme un chef - La Presse

"Son entraîneur l'a employé durant neuf minutes en troisième période et il a terminé le match avec plus de temps de jeu que n'importe lequel de ses coéquipiers (23:10). "Il était bien reposé, ça faisait deux jours qu'il ne pratiquait pas!" a lancé Guy Carbonneau en boutade. - Marc Antoine Godin

Quelle victoire bizarre du Canadien - La Presse

"D’entrée de jeu, Carbo jette dans la mêlée son trio de gros travailleurs : Smolinski, Begin et Kostopoulos. Les Flyers tentent de dégager leur territoire mais Markov s’interpose et lance en direction de Biron. Qui bloque mais accorde un retour. Kostopoulos s’empare de la rondelle et lance à nouveau. Biron bloque et accorde un autre retour. Kostopoulos récidive et loge cette fois la rondelle derrière le gardien des Flyers après seulement 48 secondes de jeu.Ouf !" - Michel Blanchard

"Kostopoulos va s'en rappeler": Guy Carbonneau - Le Journal

"Il est le genre de joueur qui ne reçoit pas souvent des accolades parce qu'il joue dans l'ombre, mais Tom travaille fort à chaque rencontre, a souligné Carbo. Il bloque plusieurs tirs et il joue très bien en infériorité numérique." - Pierre Durocher

"On a trouvé une façon de gagner": Alex Kovalev - Le Journal

"Saku y est allé d'un deuxième effort pour remporter la mise en jeu devant Carter, a expliqué l'attaquant russe. Sur le coup, je croyais que Saku venait de perdre la rondelle. Personne ne savait trop où elle était jusqu'à ce qu'elle se retrouve sur mon bâton." - Pierre Durocher

More from Habs Inside Out, RDS, La Presse, and Le Journal


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Was Habs KO Win Over Flyers A Ghostly Voodoo Thing?

I like the insinuation the letters K and O have - Knock Out - as in knockout punch!

What follows here, is just some simple fun with letters, numbers, and coincidence, which may or may not mean a whole lot in the grand scheme of things. I guess that is for readers to decide.

Here's a little segueway into why things that weird me out are captivating my attention lately.

Truthfully, I don't put a whole lot of stock or faith into such things as karma and luck. Things happen by coincidence and I figure that's it and that's all when it comes to those weirdities. Like 15 years ago when I found a rusted horseshoe and nailed it to my shed door and won big money in different forms for three straight days.

Coincidence.

Like my father in law asking me to pick him up after he has dropped his car off at a garage just two days ago for only the third time since I married his daughter 16 years ago, and along the way getting a traffic violation ticket each time.

Coincidence.

Like yesterday, when I rose from the throne thinking about a friend I hadn't seen in months and walking downstairs only to see him walking up the front steps to my house.

Coincidence.

Faith healers are money grabbers. Fortune tellers are transparent flakes. Snake oil is the sister of greed is the mother of invention is the root of all evil.

In short, I don't buy anything I cannot logically understand. But like many people, I allow the questions regarding coincidence to captivate me once in a while.














Now back to last night's game.

The Canadiens have six players whose surnames begin with K and O, Komisarek, Kovalev, Koivu, Kostopoulos, and the Kostitsyn brothers.

The KO's dominanted the entirety of the scoresheet in the win over the Flyers from start to finish.

So I get to thinking...

After the Flyers were up 2 zip, the Habs Andrei KO misses on a penalty shot, but redeems himself by scoring the Canadiens first goal, assisted by Sergei KO.

Sergei KO then takes a penalty, followed by Mike KO, and while he was in the box, Alex KO tied the game, assisted by Tomas Plekanec, whose name doesn't start with, but whose full name includes, the letters K and O.

With a little less than 2 minutes to go in the second period, Mike KO visits the sin bin once more, and the Flyers scored the go ahead goal early in the third at the 19 second mark.

Alex KO tied the game up with 29 seconds left, assisted by Saku KO.

Meanwhile, I'm noticing all of these KO's while checking NHL.com between periods for goals and assists because I'm in a hockey pool (which also includes the letters K and O), and I see that there is still one KO to go.

So me thinks that "wouldn't it be cool if, in overtime...."

BIngo!

Tommy KO!















I always have fun with things like this but it's usually to do with numbers.

Things like the KO brothers, Sergei and Andrei scoring the first two goals of the Bruins series 2:02 into game 1, and the bookending the series by each scoring in the final 2:02 of game 7.

That's kinda deja voodoo weird when you thing about it!

It gets stranger!

The goal scorers for the Canadiens in game 1 against Boston were Sergei KO, Andrei KO, Tommy KO, and Bryan SmOlinsKi. Three other types of KO's figured in on the assists, and Mike KO had 2 penalties in that game as well, with the other going to Andrei MarKOv.

In game 7 against the Bruins, other than the KO brothers scoring - 2 for Andrei KO, 1 for Sergei KO - things got started with a rare goal by Mike KO.

I'm not sure if there is a word for the coincidence of letters turning up timely and appropriately - maybe it's synchroalphabeticism or something - but it can't be any weirder than all that numerology stuff.






















Last night, the Canadiens scored their first two goals at the 9 and 16 minute marks of the the second period. Not exactly on :00 minute mark, but I digress.

9 and 16 are the numbers belonging to the great Richard brothers, hung high in the rafters of the Bell Centre. So you could believe that a theme has presented itself - scoring goals in the number minute's of retired jersey numbers.

The Flyers scored their third period go ahead goal, that should never have counted to start with, at the 19 second mark. Now 19 is Larry Robinson's number, which of course hangs alongside the Richards numbers up by that hallowed ceiling under which the Flyers are about to be doomed.

Larry Robinson scored his first career playoff goal, and I believe only overtime goal against the Flyers in 1973.

Late in the 3rd period, with Carey Price, who wears number 31, sitting on the bench, the Canadiens even the score.

Alex KO from Saku KO.

Time of the goal - 19:31! Robinson's number and Carey Price's number.

Seconds left in the game? 29, Ken Dryden's number.

Last two numbers hung to the rafters prior to current GM Bob Gainey's 23. Robinson's and Dryden's.

And some say the ghosts haven't moved from the Forum to the Bell!

Tommy KO's OT goal came at a brisk 48 seconds into overtime.

Now who just happened to wear that jersey number in this game. Well, none other than the Flyers Daniel Briere, who shunned the Habs off season free agent offer to him because he felt Philly were a stronger team.

Flyers score 19 seconds into the 3rd, Habs evenit with 29 ticks to go. Add 19 and 29!

What is it they sometimes say payback is?

Now I have mentioned Dryden and Price's jersey numbers in all this weirdness, but not Patrick Roy's.

Price has been compared to both these Hall Of Fame netminders, an almost unfair burden considering the expectations heaped upon him.

Carey Price could have been handed any goalie type number, such as 30 or 35, but he accepted the 31 he was handed at first training camp two seasons ago.

The odd thing is, if you add the numbers of Dryden, Roy, and Price ( 29+33+31 ) the sum equals the last year, 93, that the Canadiens won the Stanley Cup.

That's enough weird for me in one day.
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Habs For Breakfast - April 15, 2008

Plekanec Looks For Goals, Grit - Gazette

"Plekanec enjoyed the best season of his NHL career, scoring 29 goals and adding 40 assists. But he tailed off toward the end of the campaign, scoring twice and assisting on four in his final dozen games. Since netting a pair in Buffalo on March 28, he's gone seven games without a goal." - Dave Stubbs

Steely Price Keeps His Cool - Gazette

"Price hadn't yet seen it, but he joked about Sean Avery's already famous mating dance Sunday with New Jersey's Martin Brodeur, waving his stick and hands in the goalie's face as a bizarre distraction during a Rangers power play. Yesterday, the NHL announced that any repeat performance would earn a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. "It's almost an unwritten rule - you don't stand in front of someone and go like this," he said, laughing as he waved his palm back and forth a half-inch from a reporter's face." - Dave Stubbs

Power Outage - Gazette

"During the regular season, the Canadiens led the NHL with a success rate of 24.2 per cent and they were even better against the Bruins, scoring 10 times in 34 chances for a 29.4-per-cent clip. The difference? It seems to be more a matter of what the Bruins are doing right than what the Canadiens are doing wrong." - Pat Hickey

Look For O' Byrne To Play Tonight - Gazette

"You know that old cliché about a change being as good as a rest? Well, the Canadiens might get a taste of both as they prepare for Game 4 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series tonight against the Boston Bruins." - Pat Hickey

Montreal The City Of Brotherly Amour - Star

Real Hockey And A New Spiritual Leader Of The Moment! - Woodshed

North Of 60 - Montreal Canadiens.com

"Did someone say overtime? If so, no one is more familiar with the extra frames than Canadiens defenseman Patrice Brisebois. Sunday night’s contest marked the 31st time that the 37-year-old blue-liner was a part of a game that needed more than 60 minutes to decide a winner. Despite the 2-1 loss to the Bruins, Brisebois holds a pretty remarkable record when extra hockey is required in the postseason, with his team emerging as the winner on 20 occasions to this day." - Heather Engel

Greatest Pests Of All Time? Avery Has A Long Way To Go - Greatest Hockey Legends

"Sean Avery is a very good pest, and a very good player. He can score goals. He is a devastating hitter. He will back up his actions, at times, with his fists. In short, he is a very effective player. He probably is the best pest in the game today. But in recent days I've heard and seen a few sources anoint him as the best pest of all time. That's when I say perhaps these people need a little history lesson." - Joe Pelletier

No, No, Not Streit - Lions In Winter

"There's an elephant in the room. And, all people can talk about is Mark Streit. After listening to the Habs Inside/Out Puckcast and reading this from François Gagnon, I am amazed about the Streit backlash. Even if you're one of those reporters who relies entirely on stats to remember what happened two games ago, it would be hard work making a case that Streit has been the worst player on the Canadiens. If you have been watching the games intently like 95% of the population of Montreal, then, in my opinion, the case would be even harder to make." - Topham

Montreal's Biggest Game Of The Year Is Tuesday Night - Dennis Kane's Excellent Montreal Canadiens Blog

"I’m sure Guy Carbonneau and his coaches are working hard to overcome Boston’s recent adjustments, which have seen the Bruins bottle up Montreal’s attack, and Alex Kovalev especially. For me, it all boils down to the power play. Get that back on track and the series will end quickly." - Dennis Kane























En series, le talent ne sufit pas - RDS

"En séries éliminatoires, la recette est la même pour toutes les équipes qui doivent réunir cinq ingrédients pour espérer gagner. Il faut de l'intensité, un travail d'équipe, du caractère, de la discipline et du talent. Je vous dirais que le talent vient au dernier rang en importance dans la liste des ingrédients et au niveau du talent, les Bruins ne peuvent pas rivaliser avec le Canadien. Au cours des deux derniers matchs par contre, les Bruins ont démontré beaucoup d'intensité, un grand travail d'équipe ainsi que de la discipline avec les résultats que l'on connaît." - Bob Hartley

Des jouers n'ont pas relevéle defi - RDS

"Les deux premiers trios du Canadien doivent offrir du meilleur hockey. Le trio de Tomas Plekanec, Alex Kovalev et Andrei Kostitsyn n’est pas à la hauteur en ce moment. Ce trio doit augmenter sa vitesse et jouer avec davantage d’intensité." - Jacques Demers

Plekanec: "Je joue comme une fillette!" -La Presse

Attendu par les journalistes comme il est attendu par ses couvreurs des Bruins de Boston depuis le début des séries éliminatoires, Tomas Plekanec savait qu'il serait montré du doigt pour la piètre qualité de son jeu. - François Gagnon

Streit jouera oû on lui demandera - La Presse

"Limité à une passe en trois matchs, il a été incapable de mener convenablement l'attaque massive du Tricolore, qui n'a marqué qu'un but en 18 occasions pour une efficacité de 5,6%. À des lieux de l'efficacité de 24,2% qui a permis à la meilleure attaque massive de la LNH de marquer 90 buts en saison régulière." - FRançois Gagnon

Des changements à prévoir - Le Journal

"Carbonneau a bon espoir que ses hommes retrouvent leurs moyens dans le quatrième match qui sera disputé ce soir. "On a livré 82 rencontres en saison régulière et on a bien réagi toute l'année après une défaite", a-t-il aussi rappelé. - Marc De Foy

Une aide inattendue - le Journal

Si le Canadien est parvenu à résister à l'agressivité des Bruins jusqu'ici, il le doit en bonne partie à l'énergie générée par son quatrième trio. Trois joueurs plutôt mésestimés en saison régulière s'affichent actuellement comme les vedettes obscures de la série. - Bertrand Raymond

Quand Price chate Cash.... - Le Journal

"Je tente de jouer sa chanson intitulée Hurt, mais je peux jouer seulement les trois premiers accords pour le moment." Cette pièce est un remake de Ninth Inch Nails dans lequel Cash évoque les regrets qu'il a éprouvés par rapport à sa vie familiale et conjugale. - Marc de Foy

More from Habs Inside Out, RDS, La Presse and Le Journal
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Habs For Breakfast, With A Side Order Of Foul Tasting Bear

Looks like the Bruins aren't willing to play the pushovers everyone assumed they would be. I don't have much to add beyond what I wrote here Saturday night, after it looked like the Habs stole a game. They almost stole one again on Sunday....or we're they robbed?

I guess it would depend on one's point of view.

The Canadiens have to start burrying those scoring chances, because they are diminishing.

The Bruins have managed to implement their trap game with much challenge from the Canadiens speed, and Tim Thomas is playing better with each game. We have ourselves a playoff series folks.

Like the picture above suggests....get out those hard hats boys!

Bruins Strike Back - Gazette

"I came on for the extra skater," Savard said. "Schaefer made a great play for us. He's had a tough go this year but he worked through it. He draws the penalty on the rush and then he set me up. I was yelling at the top of my lungs but I knew he saw me." - Pat Hickey

Habs Better Listen To Wake Up Call - Gazette

"Maybe the Canadiens got the wrong idea about this series during the first two minutes Thursday night, when Sergei and Andrei Kostitsyn pulled off a pair of goals on the first shifts of their first playoff stint, a feat that will never be equalled. Easy? Posh. These Canadiens were going to brush les Broons aside like so many teddy bears." - Jack Todd

Savard Gives Bruins New Life - Globe Sports

"The Canadiens were headed toward the Bruins' end and when it appeared that Steve Begin was about to drift a shot on Boston goaltender Tim Thomas, the Montreal defencemen headed for a line change. But the puck was turned over and the Canadiens were caught. In the attempt to cover up and get into position, Montreal centre Bryan Smolinski was called for a penalty on Schaefer, but the call was delayed because the latter kept the puck alive.'' - Tom Wharnsby

Bruins Climb Back Into Series By Beating Habs In OT - TSN

"It's no secret, we don't have a lot of dancers over here," Savard said, sporting a Bruins hard hat awarded to the team's hardest-working player of the night. "We have to play one way, we're a lunch-bucket team and we proved that tonight. We have to take the body hard and make it hard on their defence going back and create chances off of that. That's what we did."

Habs Fan A Season Ticket Holder For 55 Years - NHL.com

"From the Canadiens string of five straight cups between 1956 and 1960, to the terrifying image of a motionless Lou Fontinato after he crashed head-first into the Forum boards, Larocque has witnessed history time and again for one of the most storied franchises in North American sports."





















Habs Finally Fall To Bruins - Lions In Winter

"The best play I saw tonight by the Habs was the result of a typical Brisebois miscue in which he pinched at the absolute wrong time allowing a 2-on-1 to happen. Breeze-by lived up to his name when a penalty to David Krejci was just ending and he decided to go fishing in the offensive zone. The pass from Kostitsyn went awry and it meant an opportunity opened up for Boston. With so little time left in the game at the time (9 minutes) a goal would have certainly ended it. Price, however, once again bailed out his 'defenceman' and made an incredible save when the Bruin decided to shoot. This play kept us in the game much longer than we actually deserved." - Tobalev

Make Way For Mo - The H Does Not Stand For Habs

"The momentum Boston gained from that game...finally seeing their workmanlike, desperate hockey triumph over their regular-season masters...can't be disregarded. They're on a high and they're ready to come out with just as much enthusiasm in game four, only now they have a measure of confidence." - J.T.

Time To Regroup And Get The Power Play Back On Track - Dennis Kane's Excellent Montreal Canadiens Blog

"During the regular season, Montreal’s power play looked like Sophia Loren - beautiful, lovely, graceful, nice to watch. But in this playoff round against the Bruins, Montreal’s power play resembles a drunken Brittany Spears. Kovalev’s overtime goal in game two was a power play goal, but that’s it. The only one in three games."
















"C'était du hockey de séries": Komisarek - La Presse

"On avait l'occasion de les placer dans une situation difficile. On n'a pas réussi même si on s'est bien battu à chacune de nos présences. Ce fut un match âprement disputé", a ajouté le robuste défenseur qui a distribué huit mises en échec.

Des centaines de partisans à Boston - La Presse

"Les joueurs du Canadien ne seront pas entièrement dépaysés lors de leur séjour à Boston. Des dizaines, voire des centaines de partisans de l'équipe ont fait le trajet Montréal-Boston afin d'assister à l'un des deux matchs présentés au TD Banknorth Garden"

Carbo: "On savait bien qu'ils finiraient par nous battre" - La Presse

"Carbo a expliqué que le surnombre qui a mené au but gagnant de Marc Savard était le résultat d'une malchance. Le changement de défenseurs s'est effectué à un moment inopportun et, d'une certaine façon, ça a forcé Bryan Smolinski à commettre une infraction." - Marc Antoine Godin

Partisane du Canadien, elle a ses billets de saison depuis 55 ans - La Presse

"Le femme de petite taille, dont les jambes dépassent à peine de son chandail du Canadien trop grand pour elle, détient des billets de saison depuis 1952. En 55 ans, elle n'a raté qu'une poignée de matchs.'' - Andy Blatchford

Canadien en trois… il faudra recompter! - La Presse

Finalement ma bande de petits comiques, le Canadien ne battra pas les Bruins en trois matchs. Et vous savez quoi? Il ne les battra pas en quatre non plus. Même que s’il dispute d’autres matchs à l’image de celui de dimanche, la série sera pas mal plus longue que les plus pessimistes l’avaient prédit, sans compter que le spectre d’une élimination en première ronde pourrait se pointer le bout du nez. Bon! On ne paniquera pas tout de suite. - François Gagnon

Bégin : "Il faut patiner si on veut gagner" - Le Journal

"Les meilleurs joueurs du Canadien dans cette défaite contre les Bruins ont été fidèles à eux-mêmes du début à la fin de la soirée. Seuls Bryan Smolinki, Steve Bégin, Maxim Lapierre, Mike Komisarek et Carey Price se sont pointés dans le vestiaire après le match." - Marc De Foy

Lapierre: "Les Bruins jouent avec plus de confiance" - Le Journal

"On ne s'attendait pas à gagner la série en quatre matchs, a commenté Maxim Lapierre, l'un des meilleurs attaquants du Canadien. Les deux équipes ont bien joué et la victoire aurait pu aller d'un bord comme de l'autre en prolongation. À vrai dire, les deux équipes méritaient la victoire." - Pierre Durocher

More from La Presse, RDS, and Le Journal
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