Canajun

Your optimism is admirable Cataclaw, but I we just flat out stunk tonight. If you think the Caps defense was porous, we were porous times 2. I don't want to start another "fire Carbo" rant but I get the distinct feeling the guys have just stopped responding to him. Our players are NOT as bad as we showed tonight... and they are playing like this with frightening regularity for a fair while now.

God we stank. How in the HELL did we win that game??? We're so PASSIVE... we give up our blue line so easily to the opposing team. The Capitals made us look like pee-wees for 55 out of 60 minutes. The CAPITALS!! Something is just NOT right. Our group of players is NOT as bad as we show on the ice.

he seems like a solid young bugger. Like someone said earlier, he has a low centre of gravity.. a little bit crouched over when he skates. He's solid.

Yep, I really like this Sergei kid. I don't know if he has as much raw "skill" as his older brother (or maybe he does), but I think he'll turn into the better NHL'er. He seems to have more "fire in his belly" than Andrei... that's the key.

This is very good that Sergei is called up. It will be good too for brother Andrei in 2 main ways: (1) Naturally, he'll be very happy that his little brother is there on the same team with him. Happy players are productive players. (2) Andrei will also certainly NOT want l'il brother to "show him up" in front of everyone, so this will light an additional fire under Andrei to demonstrate to everyone that he's top dog. Glad that the brothers aren't pencilled in to be on the same line too (at least not yet). Both of them are more playmakers than snipers and also, if they were together they'd be tempted to be too "cute" and start playing Belarussian pond hockey together.

Before we crap all over Huet for falling apart, I think he might have hurt himself midway through the 3rd period before the floodgates opened. I think it was a breakaway or a partial breakaway for the Preds and Huet did kind of a "splits" and was pushed back in the net somewhat. It very briefly showed his face just afterward and he looked to be grimacing. He might have pulled something.

No team that has had Bryan Smolinski in their lineup has ever won ANYTHING. He has got to go... free agent or not. The guy doesn't even try out there.

It's not goofy at all. He's given his heart and soul to this team and I'm sure he feels like he's just spinning his wheels. Don't you remember back during the off-season when he explicitly said he did not want to be part of another rebuilding program? The man is discouraged.

wow, Koivu on the 3rd line. That's a surprise. Poor ol' Koivu, age and injuries are catching up with him a little but you know what I think is a major factor in his malaise this year? He's fed up with losing and spinning his wheels. The man wants to win a Stanley Cup so bad with the Canadiens and he just feels things aren't getting any closer. It's like he's almost given up in disgust. I can understand how he feels.

I'd like to bring in a real #1 centre too who averages 1 point plus per game (we absolutely need one), but we wouldn't have to trade Plekanec nor Koivu to accommodate one. I'd just make Saku 2nd line centre and move Plekanec to the wing - I think he'd be okay with it and he's just as effective there. Plekanec is gonna be gold, I would not trade him.

Happy with the stolen win tonight, no doubt about it... but some big cracks are definitely showing themselves in our lineup: (1) After our "Big 3" on defense, it drops off pretty sharply. (2) I've always liked ol' Ryder, but he's really taking the steam out of our 1st line. (3) Our 3rd and 4th lines are seriously lacking any offensive "jam". Whadda we do? Well, first I'd try Latendresse up with Koivu and Higgins. It's worth a shot... can't be any worse than it is now. Ryder does hustle so he might generate some offense on the 3rd line. If that doesn't work, then we're looking at some trades and some Bulldogs callups. For example: (1) We need one more studley top-4 defenseman. A good solid all-around performer like a Derek Morris (how he used to be, although he seems to be decent this year). Someone with good size, a mean streak, and doesn't panic. Basically, another Hamrlik. Then we could put Brisebois down on the 3rd pairing with Streit.... I'd feel better about that. I always liked l'il Bouillon, but I think it's time for him to go. Keep Gorges and rotate him with Brisebois. Trade Ryder, Halak and whatever to obtain this #4 defenseman. (2) Get Lapierre back up here and put him on the 3rd. Smolinski I'm not crazy about, I think his skills have declined too much. Chipchura's good and has some offensive game, I wouldn't mind seeing him centering the 3rd line... even though he's a rookie. (3) Send Latendresse down to Hamilton for some seasoning. Whatever he had last year seems to be gone. (4) Wait and see how young Sergei K. does down in Hamilton. If he continues to rack up the points, I'd call him up and put him with Koivu and Higgins. Here's what I'd *like* to see towards the end of the season: S. Kostitsyn - Koivu - Higgins A. Kostitsyn - Plekanec - Kovalev (Plekanec is GOLD) Lapierre - Chipchura - Dandenault Kostopoulos - Smolinski - Begin Markov - Komisarek Hamrlik - Hamrlik #2 Brisebois - Streit Gorges

haha, woops!!

Tlusty the Tlown

GOOD that we lost. Maybe Carbonneau will learn a lesson (although I doubt it) about always sitting back and protecting 1 goal leads in the 2nd half of the game. It rarely works! Keep your friggin foot on the GAS! ESPECIALLY against a team like Ottawa. JESUS that makes me mad!!!!!

I could tell Huet was fighting the puck right off the bat in the first period... I knew he was in for a poor night. EVeryone has their off-nights.

I don't like Geaorge Strait either Shorthanded, I'm with you there. And I can't stand Nickelback (that's not even music), so I'm with you on that one too.

atta boy Carey... clear out that friggin headbangin heavy metal! Get that stereo goin with Dwight Yoakam, Steve Earle, Johnny Cash and Stompin Tom ....

No wonder he's on waivers... look at the friggin pucks in his net! :-) http://www.rds.ca/images/chroniques/239032_resize.jpg

OneSharpMarble... your're right. Carbonneau seems to be a condescending prick. He thinks he can do no wrong, and seems to have a hard time admitting that he *can* do any wrong. I know a lot of you guys think Carbonneau is a good/great coach, but I don't. He just keeps making stupid decision after stupid decision. Yeah, he was a good player, but I really don't think he knows what he's doing as a coach. I think he's just taking blind/illogical stabs at changing the lineup in HOPES that something will magically work... so he can then be praised as a GENIUS. Gimme a coach that will make sensible, well-calculated moves... and not alienate players by being an arsehole at the same time.

This is another poor/questionable decision by Carbo I think. Huet played excellent against the Panthers. It must be very very discouraging to have played a fine game only to be told you are sitting the next game. Where's the incentive (for Huet or anyone else) to play well and put forth a good effort if this is the way you get rewarded? Carbonneau's gonna wind up with all his players hating him if he doesn't smarten up.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=220752&hubname=

BTH - I'm sick already of Smolinski too..... :-(

how about just "Ice"

Yeah, I don't like '####' as a nickname at all for either of the Kostitsyn brothers. Together, I'm gonna call em KostCo

Thanks Fanpuck... they are are a little bit expensive, but there ain't much else out there. Thanks