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That's from last year in a Canucks-Flames game. Dion Phaneuf dropped the gloves to fight Jarkko Ruutu, but Ruutu just tripped him with his stick and calmly skated to the bench. Hilarious!

I hate the Selke. I don't like it because it's given to a good defensive forward who also scores 30 or 40 points, and completely ignores guys who are just as good defensively as said 30 or 40 point scorer but don't contribute as much offensively. It's why a guy like John Madden is in contention every year for the Selke but his linemate Jay Pandolfo doesn't have a prayer, even though Pandolfo is arguably a better defensive player than Madden. Higgins has just as much of a chance as anyone, I guess. There haven't been too many guys to win it in their second year in the league, but if Higgins keeps potting the shothanded goals then why not?

Does anybody else despise the Hurricanes? I do... they're probably my least favourite NHL team at the moment (yes, more than the Leafs and Bruins, and it's totally because of 2002 and last year). I have a grudge against Williams for obvious reasons. I've always detested Erik Cole ever since 2002 when he dispected Carbo. Kevyn and Craig Adams are bums, two of the worst divers in the NHL. I've never rooted harder for a goalie to fail than I am for Cam Ward. I could go on and on...

I believe it has already come out on DVD. I'm pretty sure I saw a commercial for it a few weeks ago...

I've been to Paradiso, but to see DJs as opposed to live bands. I saw Maximo Park at the Melkweg, I absolutely loved it there. Not sure why, but I had an absolute blast, it was one of the best concert atmospheres I've ever been in.

What venue is Kasabian playing at? I saw a few concerts in Amsterdam, so I'm just curious...

Higgins is a smart Yale boy, I'm sure he'll have French down in two weeks.

I never had any use for Hallowe'en, with the brief exception of when I lived in Montreal and there were KILLER Hallowe'en parties. Not sure why... but I didn't like Hallowe'en even when I was seven years old.

That's pretty much me in a nutshell. Other than the group of guys I literally grew up with, all the rest of my friends are females. I resented that for a while, but have come to terms with it and am now quite happy with my role in the human social structure. As long as you're of the opinion that women are more than just an instrument to procreate with, then it's a really, really cool position to be in (IMO).

But that IS funny!

Higgins would seem to be the odds-on favourite.

TSN is reporting that Komisarek left the game late in the third period with an injury. http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=182530&hubname= Here's the exact quote: "late in the third period, Montreal defenceman Mike Komisarek left with a sore right shoulder. The team will know more about his condition on Wednesday." Anybody remember seeing him hurt himself. This has pretty much ruined my night, I'm going to have nightmares of Patrick Traverse...

Just an aside, but Todd Simpson might be the worst captain in the history of the NHL. He was a #6 defenceman, nothing more.

We criticize Kovalev because he has the talent to be the best player on the Habs... but isn't the best player on the Habs. I don't want to turn this into a Kovalev bash-fest, especially not after the past two games. But over the past 30 or 40 games, the best player on the Habs has been one Christopher Higgins. I'd give Niinimaa a break, at least after tonight. He was -2, but more out of fluke than out anything else... he had his best game in quite a while tonight. Niinimaa was a decent offensive player 5 years ago, but then he stopped being able to hit the net from the point, so the Oilers took him off their PP. Since then, he's been pretty much a stay-at-home type.

Aebischer has been very good/excellent in every single game so far this year... I'm assuming that Huet will get the next game or two, and if he doesn't paly as he did against Boston (or at least Boston), the Aebischer will get an extended run. That being said... I'm not worrying about any goalie intrigues. I honestly believe we have two of the top 20 guys in the league, I'm 100% comfortable with either one. However it plays out is OK witn me.

Reggie Lemelin was a pretty good goalie in Calgary too.

Good effort tonight. MUCH better on D.

I'd call that "Ken Dryden syndrome" instead - Dryden used to get 10 shots a game, 9 of which were high-quality (only a slight exaggeration). Where are you getting those stats koZed? Is it a website? I'd love to take a look...

I highly doubt that Borat is meant to be anti-semitic, considering that Sascha Baron Cohen is himself Jewish... he's actually quite devout and I think I read somewhere that he was involved in Zionist organizations at Cambridge. I find it far more likely that Borat is meant to satirize other people's anti-semitism. Also, it warrants mentioning that Borat is a British creation that is being exported to the United States... it's certainly not American comedy. Not sure if I'm going to see the movie... hopefully the entire movie isn't just the same gag ("Kazakhstan is funny because its backwards, HA HA HA") for two hours.

If this was a Leafs board, someone would have argued that Mike Palmateer was better than the lot of them.

Van Basten haw shown that he'll pick guys who play domestically, for smaller teams. Not too long ago he was chooing practically half of the AZ Alkmaar team.

How about Rogie Vachon with the 1970s Kings. He (with a lot of help from Marcel Dionne) carried those teams. Shout out to the early 80s version of Mike Liut. He was briefly the most dominant goalie in the league on St. Louis teams that look merely OK on paper.

That's really interesting. I guess that would make one team go on the attack more from the beginning, because a tie isn't good enough for them.

Fair enough. I was hoping the Habs D in general would be jumping into the rush more this year. And it looked like Dandeneault was starting to do that before he went down. Now though? I'd prefer to err on the side of caution and have our D stay at home... we bad enough defensively at it is without guys being caught up ice.

No... but looking at pictures of it makes me want to!