Jump to content

Game Thread | Minnesota vs. Canadiens | 11/22/06


Spider-Man NL

Recommended Posts

wild200.gifvrssign.gifmontreal200.gif










2006-07 Regular Season Record:


wild50.gif12-7-1 : 25 Points (3rd in the Western Conference)



montreal50.gif11-5-3 : 25 Points (6th in the Eastern Conference)











Projected goalies for this game are:



Minnesota

1638.gif# 35 Manny Fernandez (9-6-0), 2.66 GAA, .913 Save%




Montreal

2311.gif# 39 Cristobal Huet (6-2-2), 2.22 GAA, .931 Save%










Wild Roster
Link


Canadiens Roster
Link










13453.gifCanadienBall.jpg13454.gif

Latendresse - Koivu - Ryder
Samsonov - Plekanec - Kovalev
Perezhogin - Bonk - Johnson
Downey - Begin


13457.gif

Komisarek - Markov
Souray - Rivet
Dandenault - Streit
Bouillon


13455.gif
Cristobal Huet

















Soiree_photo_equipe_ang175.gif

4583_1.jpg

KoivuvsKoivu.jpg









This game can be seen 7:30pm eastern on:
l_RDS.gif









Cjad.jpg
Listen to the game live at 7:30 pm on CJAD 800 AM

OR

ckac.jpg
Listen to the game live (In French) at 7:30 pm on CKAC 730 AM
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 248
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/hockey...f25e&k=9210

Bouillon back in Habs plans

By PAT HICKEY

Francis Bouillon will be in the lineup tomorrow night when the Canadiens welcome the Minnesota Wild to the Bell Centre (7:30 p.m., RDS, CJAD Radio-800).

While Bouillon and Canadiens coach Guy Carbonneau said a

final decision hasn't been made on when the defenceman will make his long-awaited season debut, Bouillon has been cleared by the team's medical staff and he passed an important test yesterday.

"We did a lot of one-on-one drills and a lot of skating and the knee held up okay," said Bouillon, who has been out of action since he underwent surgery on his left knee in August.

The operation was described as a minor procedure to clean out some damaged cartilage, but Bouillon's recovery took longer than expected.

'There's still some pain, but the knee is strong and I'm able to push off without any problem," Bouillon said. "The important thing now is to work on getting into game shape."

Normally, a player who has been out of action for a long time would be sent to the minors for a conditioning stint, but Carbonneau had said a few days ago that Bouillon would rejoin the Canadiens as soon as he was ready to play.

Carbonneau will hedge his bets by dressing seven defencemen for the Minnesota game. Bouillon's return gives the Canadiens eight defencemen and veteran Janne Niinimaa will probably be the odd man out. He has been a healthy scratch since Mathieu Dandenault returned to the defence corps last week after missing a month with a torn hamstring.

When Dandenault returned to active duty last week in Tampa, he lined up as a forward for his first game. Carbonneau said that was an option for tomorrow night.

"We can do that or we can rotate the defence and rotate some guys on the forward lines,' said Carbonneau.

Dandenault, who didn't return to action Saturday after stopping a shot with his ankle in the third period, said he preferred playing defence, but that he would play anywhere, as long as it helped the team. He started his NHL career as a forward, but has played principally on defence.

Carbonneau said he didn't see any problem with having eight defencemen.

"You can't have too many defencemen,"said Carbonneau. "When we picked up Janne (Niinimaa), everyone wanted to know why we needed him, but then we had the injury (to Dandenault) and we were glad to have him."

But the return of Bouillon raises questions about Niinimaa's future with the Canadiens. He's the team's highest-paid defenceman at $2.508 million U.S., and that's a lot of money for someone who sits in the press box. And that's where he has been. Bouillon's return drops him another rung on the depth chart.

Mark Streit is also facing the prospect of less ice time.

"There's nothing I can do about that," said Streit, who has six assists and is even in the plus-minus figures. "I think I've played well. I want to be in the lineup. but if I'm not, I just have to work hard, stay in shape and wait for my next chance."

While the Canadiens have a surplus of defencemen, they have only 12 forwards on the roster after returning Andrei Kostitsyn to the Hamilton Bulldogs. He played on the second line with Alex Kovalev and Sergei Samsonov, but failed to collect a point in four games.

phickey@thegazette.canwest.com

© The Gazette (Montreal) 2006

5364_1.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/hockey...438&k=77987

Carbo gives nod to Huet

By PAT HICKEY

Canadiens head coach Guy Carbonneau stopped short of anointing Cristobal Huet his No. 1 goaltender.

But, after the soft-spoken Frenchman turned aside 39 of 40 shots in the Canadiens' 3-1 win over the Atlanta Thrashers Saturday night, Carbonneau said: "I can tell you that he's starting again against Minny."

That would be the Minnesota Wild, who are at the Bell Centre Wednesday night. Huet's start will be his sixth consecutive appearance in goal, although he started only four of those games.

Huet is starting a) because he is playing very well and B) because David Aebischer isn't.

In his last two starts, Aebischer has been yanked before the puck was dropped to begin the third period.

In some circles, Huet was regarded as a question mark coming into the season. While he deposed Jose Theodore as the No. 1 goaltender and spearheaded the Canadiens' drive to the playoffs last season, Huet's critics pointed to the fact that, for a 31-year-old goaltender, his NHL

resume was thin. While he led the NHL in save percentage last season, he has played in only 89 games over three seasons and is one game over .500 at 32-31-15.

The critics might have been smirking when Huet got off to a slow start this season, but he approaches the one-quarter mark in the schedule as one of the league's elite netminders. He ranks eighth in goals-against average at 2.22 and has climbed to third in save percentage at .931. He trails Ottawa's Ray Emery (.933) and Islanders' backup Mike Dunham (.932).

Carbonneau said there's no secret to the goalie's turnaround.

"It's part physical and it's part mental," Carbonneau said. "If you look at the way he's playing, you can see that he's square to the puck on most shots. He's been working hard (with goaltending coach Rollie Melanson) and you can see the results.

"And when a goalie is playing well like he is, then his confidence is high."

Huet might have had his first shutout of the season, if not for a fluke goal by Glen Metropolit early in the third period. The Atlanta player took the puck off Mathieu Dandenault in the corner and fired what appeared to be a harmless shot. It became difficult to handle after it hit Sheldon Souray in front and bounced into the net.

When the subject of whether he was No.1 came up, Huet addressed the question with the modest, low-key approach that has been his trademark.

"Everyone wants to play and David and I go out there and play the best we can," Huet said. "But we're part of the team and the guys in front of me are doing a good job."

Yes and no. The Canadiens

allowed far too many shots and are giving up nearly 34 a game on the season. At the same time, the defencemen did an outstanding job of clearing the puck when Huet left a rebound.

"I didn't see too many second shots," he said.

The Canadiens enjoyed a day off yesterday and return to practice at the Bell Centre this morning. One possible cause for concern might be the health of Dandenault, who was used sparingly in the third period Saturday. He was playing his third game since missing a month with a torn hamstring.

phickey@thegazette.canwest.com

© The Gazette (Montreal) 2006

172233-65496.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think its good to still have Abby. He makes Huet play better. They like eachother but they still compete. Abby played (except the last 2) good, so Huet needed to be better (remember he didnt start to solid this season)

Just ride the goalie who's hot at the moment. I know for sure Abby will be back!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

well so far..as of late the habs goals are on the PP and minnesota seem to be good on the PK...and they are also good on the PP...they are going to look for a win after a poor defeat against the Sens...look sharp habs!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hope Saku gives Mikko a sweaty glove up his face for getting drafted the pick before us.

Crush this team. Let Souray slap their PK down.

May Huet's saves be monsters. (stolen from WPT's "may all your pots be monsters")

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hope Saku gives Mikko a sweaty glove up his face for getting drafted the pick before us.

hey we got komisarek that year!! he's one the 1st pair of D while mikko is on the 3rd line !!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It'll be interesting to see how we do against a team that also excells on special teams. Gotta create something 5 on 5, take less penalties, cut down on the shots allowed - and, and of course WELCOME BACK FRANKIE (if he indeed plays tonite).

4:1 Habs

Koivu, Kovalev, Latendresse and Markov for CH, younger Koivu for Wild.

GO HABS GO!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the only freaking evening shift of the month is tonight so I had to sell my ticket. If I wasn't so broke, I would've called "sick" and go to the game.

oh well. I'll still see the full game after work since i'll be taping it

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




×
×
  • Create New...