Carbonneau Sets A Soft Tone

I don't get it! I don't understand why a coach who has just seen his club play its best game of the season two nights earlier frigs with the mentality of his team's fragile psyche by starting his backup goalie in what could have been considered a "gimme game''.

It was repeated over and again and nauseum that the Washington Capitals were missing four starting blueliners and three forwards from their regular roster.

It was a perfect opportunity for coach Carbonneau to infer that you should never take an opponant lightly, start Carey Price as usual, and go for the kill. Keep the flow of momentum building from a strong team win.

But no...what does he do, he lowers the entire guard of the team by playing Jaroslav Halak instead, thus informing the boys that this is in fact a night off. An easy one. Two points bagged at the puck drop.

If one chooses not to believe that players actually think this way, the proof was in the pudding served up tonight. Just look at the results speaking for themselves. In preparing for a game, knowing that the backup is playing, the easy game mindset creeps in slowly but surely. It is especially stupid for a coach to announce which goalie will play two or three games before.

In my thinking, if a coach wants all concerned to be on the attentive, it would be a good policy to simply not announce the starting goalie at all. Keep the players on their tip toes and make the decision just prior to the pre game warmup.

All of this has little to do with what goalie Halak is capable of. He's a decent puck stopper, nothing more and nothing less. But if one chooses to believe Halak is the future tender of the franchise, you are sadly mistaken and misinformed.

Price is the guy. The undisputed number one who should only ever sit when the Habs play non playoff bound teams outside their division. A smart coach lets the standings dictate when a goalie plays and not the schedule. Price should play all games against Northeast division rivals, and all playoff bound teams in the conference. Halak starts against the Atlanta's, Islanders, Panthers and Lightning and their ilk.






















The Capitals lineup includes the NHL's best player in Alexander Ovechkin - enough said!

Come playoff time, Price might face him in up to seven games, so it is crucial that he gets to oppose Ovechkin as often as possible. The Canadiens gain nothing in having Halak face the NHL's best sniper.

That's no brainer number one.

Goalies, it is often said, get on a roll after a strong performance. When they are hot - and Price has been in a zone - they should be played in between 7 and 9 games running. Sit Price when it shows he's tiring not before it.

Call that no brainer number two.

Carbonneau often rolls the double spins of the two games in two nights, and the backup has to play to remain fresh schpiel, but it's a crock of shit as far as I am concerned. Goalies - especially hot ones - can handle two games in two nights. If they cannot, goalie management won't camouflage the issue, no matter how creative the spin.

No brainer number three.

Now imagine the players on the Capitals knowing two days in advance that there are facing Halak instead of Price. What runs through their heads is akin to, "So this is what Montreal thinks of us, eh? We'll show them!" How would you react once you've felt you've been underestimated?

That's the fourth no brainer.

















Again, all this is only about the perception behind the reasoning of starting Halak, and not a knock against him. Had the entire Habs team shown up to play, he would have won the game.

As is often the case with Carbonneau and his coaching decisions, I am usually able to resolve myself by seeing some fairness in a counter argument, but this time, I got nothing. Because I have seen this happen time and again before, his decision to go with Halak bugged me since the moment it was announced. maybe you saw this mess of a concerted effort by the Canadiens coming as well.

What irritates me to an even larger ass rash, is that the coach as team psychologist, ought to have his pulse finely tuned to the temperment of the team. He's got to know how they'll react to things before they have that chance to react. Coaches get out of tune by sweeping such concerns under the carpet after a while. If a coach does it often enough, the team starts trusting the actions he speaks more than his warning words.

The message Carbonneau ought to have sent out should have been, "Price is playing. The Capitals are a strong club and we will need our best to be at their best to win this one."

What he did in essence, is the exact opposite.

The Canadiens have just passed the quarter mark of their 2008-09 season. So far the club has coasted to an acceptable record based on the skill on the team. Admittedly, they've pulled a few irons from the fire to get the record they own, but there are two prime issues that have dogged them since game one.

For starters, the players are not gelling as they have in the past. With the Detroit win, they finally displayed some cohesive team unity. Secondly, there seems to almost be an underlying theme of overconfidence when it comes to facing rivals that ought to be easy meat. The Canadiens approach these games like they are already won. It's a big mistake that even the best teams in the league are sometimes prone to.

As I pound this out on the keys, Carbonneau is likely claiming to a random microphone that he can't fathom why his club failed to show for the game. He might malign a certain lack of leadership from some factions.

My question begging an answer is, "aren't the coaches the most important of leaders?"

Carbonneau got exactly the game he ordered tonight.

Photos courtesy of the Montreal Gazette / Habs Inside Out

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Playoff Tuned Habs Ready To Roll Over Any First Round Opponant

If you were tuned into the RDS Sports 30 sports news after last night's game, you might have heard from commentator Reneaud Lavoie, that according to a well informed source within the Canadiens organization that all players currently on the sidelines nursing injuries will be ready to go come the first game of the playoffs.

Yes, including captain Koivu, broken foot bone and all.

That would mean that Koivu, Komisarek, Bouillon and Ryder are all ready to go by the middle of next week.

Now that's freaking awesome news.

I'm sure we will hear more about it in the coming days, but it seems that an assessment on the captain's foot has determined that Koivu can play on it.


















As a mentioned earlier this morning in the Breakfast post, the elements are in place for the Canadiens to go deep this season.

I listed goaltending, team harmony and faith, and lineup depth as the reasons why I believe the Canadiens can achieve the final four, the conference final to be precise.

I did fail to mention health. Perhaps because the Canadiens have played like such a focused group since Mike Komisarek has gone down, winning six of their last seven, I totally failed to worry about health as a concern.

When these players return, it will make the team all the more stronger.

I like what I see in this group of players. There is a self confidence about them that is reassuring.
Carey Price is making Bob Gainey look brilliant, this despite Cristobal Huet's heroic play with the Washington Capitals. Price is in a zone, playing the like focused goaltender that the reputation that preceeded him foretold.


















Watching him and the Habs go, I sense a familiar story rewritting itself. There are the omnipresent Dryden and Roy comparisons that proliferate any talk of Price. Some say it is getting ahead of ourselves when we indulge in that kind thinking, and those wise voices are correct, as nothing is ever won in advance.

Then again, Dryden and Roy were not on first place teams when they won Cups in their rookie seasons.

Price is the backstopper of a division winning team, one that could well be a regular season conference champion by the end of the weekend.

Maybe we as fans are finally coming to the realization that this group is alot sounder that we give them credit for at times.

It is an extremely well built and thought out team, run by a coach and GM who don't give away what is inside their minds.

This morning, when I was driving my kids off to school and my wife to work, I was listening to the call in show on radio CKAC. Today's question had to do with which opponant would listeners most like to see the Canadiens face off against in the first round.

I was tuned in for a good 30 minutes, and not once did I hear somone speak my opinion.

I don't care who they meet in the first round! Habs will take it, game over - next!

Callers were choosing between the Bruins, Flyers, Capitals and Senators and listing why they favored one or feared another.

Reasons for either were quite split up.

The Capitals would present an exciting opposition, one said, with the always explosive Ovechkin ( Oven Chicken in Russian ) and Cristobal Huet.

Yeah that would be fun! The Capitals are not that deep - Habs in five and fun while it lasted.















One caller said he feared the Bruins, and the next caller said bring 'em on.

The opinion was that Boston were bigger and more physical than the Habs, and that wasn't a good thing.

Okay, well when was the last time they beat the Canadiens?

The show's host thought the same, and the caller named Zdeno Chara as a player that could wreak havoc on the Habs.

Guess he missed a pair of highlight reel goals by Kovalev a few weeks back where Chara looked about as mobile as a fire hydrant on them.

The Habs have keyed their games against the Bruins by overworking Chara, whereas other teams avoid him. They keep him busy, know the flaws in his game and expose them. They did it with success when the big defenseman was in Ottawa, and learned something they have applied to him since he farted off the Beantown.

Gimme Chara and the Bruins. Bring out your brooms!















The Flyers and their neanderthal brand of hockey?

One caller wished for it, just for the sake of making Daniel Briere eat his words!

Briere, if you recall and I'm sure you do, said he chose the Flyers over the Habs when he signed as a free agent because he felt they were a better team.

The show's host was licking his lips at this possible confrontation, just because he'd want to question Briere on that quote after all was said and done.

And the Flyers against the Habs would be done in no more than 5 games.

Why? Simply because they play dumber than dumb. They have a thug coach and mentality that steers their game plan away from the skilled elements of their lineup. They have but one way to win, and it hasn't had any success against the Habs. Plus they have siv goaltending.




















Ottawa? Oh would I cherish that!

Now that the Canadiens have learned a poised method of handling them, I do not fear them like I once would have. Neither do the Canadiens either. This Senators team has become so dysfunctional, that it wouldn't surprise me to hear that they are about to hire Anthony Robbins to give their team psyche a boost.

Being that I live an hour away from both Montreal and Ottawa, this is the matchup I would prefer in order to win some bucks and settle scores. It would also provide the Canadiens with more confidence than a win over the others teams. It would give them an edge, mentaly, I think.

Bring it on!























One first round opponant that would have concerned me if the teams could have met, is the New York Rangers, who cannot finish lower than sixth.

The Blueshirts are extremely well coached, have many offensive weapons despite what seems to appears to be a shortcoming production wise, have one of the best, if not unheralded goalies in the league, and have been well versed in playing shutdown hockey for most of the season. They have playoff experience spread across the lineup. Plus they have the ultimate shitster in Sean Avery.

They are not unlike the New Jersey Devils, where a defensive mode of thinking reigns supreme.

I don't put a lot of stock in the fact that the Habs had their come from behind win of the century against the Rangers. That would be more ammo for the Rangers state of mind in a playoff meeting than it would be a confidence thing for Montreal.

I'd see that matchup going six or seven games, in the crystal ball for round two. They will beat whoever they face to start with, including the Devils.























Carolina facing the Canadiens is a complicated mathematical option. If they win their next game, they take the Southeast Conference. Barring that, they would still be tops if Washington fails to beat Tampa in their final game. If the Hurricanes lose to Florida in their final game and Washington wins theirs, they'd need both Philadelphia and Boston to go pointless in their last two respective games each to make the playoffs. The complications increase should Carolina only tie their last opponant. It is possible, thought unlikely they would lose to Florida and slip to seventh or eighth place.

I'd rather not think of the Hurricanes and Canadiens meeting for a third time. There's an odd voodoo kind of thing which makes turning points jump out of the blue when these teams have met. Things like bench minors from Kerry Fraser and unpenalized sticks to the captains eye.

Beyond those possible opponants first round matchups, I see the Canadiens stretching their post season all the way to a conference final battle with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and possibly more.

The Habs and Penguins match up well. Montreal has depth that Pittsburgh do not, and they have top line offense that the Canadiens can counter. It would be a long series.




For now, it's "come on Sunday night", when we'll know exactly where everybody sits.

As for who I hope they play, still, I don't care!

Happiness and fullfillment from a hockey team will do that for you!
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Sell It And they Will Come - Crosby Versus Ovechkin

On Monday, December 11th, the Versus television network will broadcast the Sidney Crosby vs Alexander Ovechkin game. That is how this Penguins - Capitals matchup is being billed. Make that hyped! The RDS and NHL networks will also telecast the special event.

It may have been circus tent guru P.T. Barnum, or any number of freakshow barkers selling snake oil to unsuspecting suckers, who first coined the phrase, "Sell It And They Will Come!". Apparently the NHL is heeding the advice by playing up this first contest featuring the leagues two biggest stars.

As Muhammad Ali and pitcher Dizzy Dean once remarked, "It ain't bragging if you can back it up!"

Both Crosby and Ovechkin know a thing or two about backing it up. Both have been hyped. Both rarely disappoint.




















The two sophomore studs were the perfect tonic as the new NHL launched itself from the lockout season in hell in 2005-06. In the most exciting Calder Trophy race I'd ever seen, Sid the Kid, and Alexander the GR8, battled it out all year long via countless highlight reel performances. In the end the Capitals winger edged Crosby out for the award, although the jury will remain out debating which star is better for likely the next ten years.

What could possibly be better for the game?

Maybe having them appear in western conference cities more often than every three years wouldn't hurt!



























Leading up to tomorrows showcase, NHL.com is pulling out all the stops to whet the appetite of hockey fans everywhere. The top billing the game is receiving often involves the pitting of each players stats against the other. There has been much talk lately, as both players recently played their 100th career games, comparing their stats against the greatest stars in the history of the game.

Here's how they stack up so far:

Most goals in their 1st 100 games:

Teemu Selanne - 84
Maurice Richard - 80
Mike Bossy - 76
Dino Ciccarelli - 69
Eric Lindros - 67
Pavel Bure - 64
Joe Nieuwendyk - 64
ALEXANDE OVECHKIN - 64
Wayne Gretzky - 61
Mario Lemieux - 60
Dale Hawerchuk - 58
SIDNEY CROSBY - 49
Steve Yzerman - 48

Most points in the 1st 100 games:


Most points in the 1st 100 games:
Wayne Gretzky - 173
Teemu Selanne - 152
Mario Lemieux - 147
SIDNEY CROSBY - 132
Dale Hawerchuk - 130
ALEXANDER OVECHKIN - 128
Eric Lindros - 128
Peter Forsberg - 124
Steve Yzerman - 115


























As you can see, both Crosby and Ovechkin are in lofty company - well on their way to becoming some of the game's all time greats. To think they will only get better is mind boggling!

The two players, known for their creativity on the ice admitted for the first time that theses games get their adrenaline pumping moreso than other games.

"I think it's always a little bit more motivating", said Crosby, "You know from my side I think that it's built up so much that, in a way you want to respond and make sure you have a good game. At the end of the night the win is most important. That's the way I look at it. There's no doubt there seems to be more emotion and intenssity when we playeach other."

Ovechkin, who leads the Capitals in goals and points, concurs.

"Sidney is right, it's important for us, for our team to win the game. Of course, Sidney and me want to score goals and have some points, but it's important for us to win the game".

Last season they met four times with the Penguins winning three of those. Crosby racked up 3 goals and 6 assists in the contests while Ovechkin countered with 3 goals and 3 assists.

Despite playing different games, Crosby being the playmaking center and Ovechkin a sharp shooting winger, they will continue to draw comparisons for the remainders of their careers. Much like Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, the debate may extend well after their respective careers are over.

For more extensive coverage on the game and it's two stars, head over to NHL.com and click on any of the dozen feature and video links to the story.