Colin

The squeaky wheel gets the oil, or in this case, the whiny Thornton gets away with beheadings. Every game he shows me why he's a) a superbly talented player who should be considered as one of the league's best and B) why he's a classless prat who occasionally deserves a good swipe upside the head. Okay Dax was on his case at centre, but to take your opponents' helmet and yank it around - with the head still in it no less - is just plain dangerous. Thornton is going to have to watch his step. One day a coach is going to get fed up with him and his antics (typical high stick from him; he's never been able to control his lumber) and send out a good to just pummel him illegally. A game of momentum, swinging back and forth, and I'd say that in the end it came out pretty much even. Good plays on both sides (along with a few dopey plays) made for some good hockey to watch (and without 15 goals? how could it be) and some intense play between two teams that don't like each other. The habs 'waterbug' offense against the giant posts on the Brin defense at one end and at the other the brutish Bruin offense against the pipsqueak Montreal defense. Some serious periods of domination for respective sides when one team took advantage of the weakness of the other. In the end it came down to two goalies playing near or at the top or their games, and that's the way good hockey should be. This Raycroft kid is going to be one to watch; I like his positioning and his confidence. ~~ Notes: (performance) Theo: Excellent game, thought there were one or two times where his rebound control had me holding my head in anguish, but in a game where he makes the kinds of saves he did, I don't think I can hold that against him. A+ Bouillon: While he did play a good game and stayed within his means, more often than not he was out-muscled, particularly by that Thornton line, down low and that led to some very long shifts where he was scrambling. I still love the way he carries the puck and makes things happen, and tonight he did it intelligently, rather than holding on too long and making mistakes. B Rivet: He had an awful first shift, and it was on the tip of my tongue to phone the Bell Centre, get him and tell him to fake an injury. After that, though, he acquitted himself fairly well, though he too was dominated a few times down low because he failed to get control of the puck quickly enough to move it out. B Komisarek: I'm sure anyone who watched will have noticed that huge check he threw against the boards, and if that's any indication of what we're to expect, well I know it had me salivating. He played a good game other than that, still a little slow to make his decisions, but proactive in his many of his plays when he felt the confidence. It's coming much quicker now. B Markov: Except for that play late in the game where he decided to play the puck and not the man, he was right up there in terms of defensive play. As usual, his proactive play and wins of battles along the boards were superior in number and quality, and I'm pleased to see him playing a solid game again. B+ Quintal: Nothing special, but nothing bad either. He was behind a couple of times but really, it wasn't too much of a problem tonight. I thought he played particularly well after taking Thornton's stick to the eye when he came back, settled in, and just did the easy smart plays - and threw a little more body. B Souray: Took one stupid penalty, but other than that, played a strong game and a game where his physical presence on that back line was badly needed. He also made strong outlet passes and is really starting to play the more patient game, I've noticed him working into recently. A- Kilger: Shrug lived up to his name. When you're on the fourth line, you just have to make things happen. He didn't. D Langdon: Is that the first time since Nilan that a habs player has fought more than a couple of times without getting injured for the season? He went to the box and seemed okay, and I seem to recall him playing after that as well. B+ Perreault: Certainly used more often than the other fourth liners for specialty faceoff situations but was really poor in the defensive zone tonight. I found him leaving his man regularly. Offensively he had a chance or two, which is good because he's at least getting them, but didn't really do all that much overall. C+ Sundstrom: Oh dear. Invisible Man strikes again. I'd sing a theme song saying 'watch out' for Invisible Man, but really, his name says otherwise. C Dackell: Good strong game. I think he's really picked it up over the last few weeks and is playing not only strong defensively, but is also kicking in a physical element. He was getting under everyone's skin tonight and really should have drawn a few more penalties, but by that point the refs were either in catch-up mode, or it was late in the game when penalties don't matter anymore. (And what is that? More reffing garbage.) B+ Juneau: *sigh* I was really disappointed with his game tonight. Sure, he helped by stopping Thornton, and did a decent job there, but other than that he was really mistake prone. He had one shift early in the game where he was brilliant, hitting and creating and dominating, but after that.... C+ Audette: Okay everyone, let's all sing the Smurf theme song together. La-la-la-la-la-la la-la-la-la-laaaaaa! C- Zednik: He's just not playing well with Ribs. Had his stick lifted on the one real chance he had, and other than that took low percentage shots which resulted in a whole lot of habs fans (and players) rolling their eyes and shaking their heads. C+ Ribeiro: We need more second line players, because his line can't do anything on the PP at the moment. Ribs is beautiful at the dangle plays, but when he gets the puck by the side of the net with the goalie conveniently absent, he has this habit of waiting while the goalie gets back so he can once again show everyone on the planet that he can deke out said goalie and then roll his eyes when no one gets in position for his 'perfect' (not quite les gars sur RDS) pass. Oh, and where was that perfect pass at the end of the game? *sigh* He's playing okay, but I expect so much more from him. I find his decision making to be atrocious at times and, while he does move well with the puck, off it, particularly in his own zone, he looks like some poor lost waif. B Bulis: More quiet night than usual. He was still skating well, but the puck never seemed to get towards him much. That happens, from time to time, as any team sports athelete will tell you. B+ Ryder: He skated too long with the puck precisely once; the rest of the time he was passing wonderfully (totally underrated passer) and set up the goal really nicely. (That was a great five-man cycle.) His defense is still getting better and better and I love the fact that he doesn't ever give up. He's also getting stronger and stronger on the boards, and is still getting into brilliant position to make great plays. B+ Koivu: Looked much more like himself tonight, though on the broken play where the puck bounced off Bouillon's skate to Rolston, it was, ostensibly, his man. After a couple of games being somewhat off his normal pace, he was skating and moving the puck well tonight - I get the feeling his game is more affected by lousy ice than some others. B+ ~~ A tie against the big bad Bruins, and I think we'll take that and run, thank ya'll very much. They deserved the point, and against a team of that calibre, the result is perfectly satisfactory. I don't think there were many fans that went home unhappy after watching that game. Shame we didn't play like that in the previous two games, we would have beaten Florida and would have handled Tampa a lot more handily than we did. Nashville comes a-visiting on Thursday, and that's going to be a tough game. The Preds might not be the best team in hockey, but they work hard - harder than the Bruins, I'd warrant. As long as we give a concerted effort like we did tonight, though, I think we should come out satisfied with ourselves, and will probably takes some points to the bank. But play like we did in Florida and we'll totally deserve the loss that'll be inflicted upon us. A concerned fan.

Take the Two Points and Run It was a definite improvement over last nights contest in just about every respect, that much is for sure. To think, however, that we deserved to win by the score we managed, to think we would have beaten a team that wasn't in the same kind of funk the Lightning are in, to think we wouldn't have been demolished by a top team would be ludicrous. While our play was better than last night, it still left a lot to be desired. Rarely did we see more than two or three passes connected in a row and rarely did we see sustained and strong pressure from any line other than our checking line. I think I'm going to let out a few guffaws when I hear about how we need to get rid of Dackell, Sundstrom and Juneau tonight - by *far* our best players on the ice. One thing that we can take with us to Boston is this: almost everyone came out to play. Even if it wasn't their 'A' game, even if they could only manage a full effort rather than putting in that second effort, at least a majority of guys decided to show up and make the effort. In that vein, let me say that I admire Ribeiro's effort when he was so obviously hampered by the groin pull - though it would have been better for everyone involved had he made the correct decision to take the night off; but for this Julien is just as much to blame. Not that I'll ever complain about players going when they're hurt...lord knows I've done the same stupid things many-a-time. ~~ Notes: (performance) Theo: I guess we decided that, at least for the first part of the road trip, Theo was going to have to face some rubber, because he was peppered again tonight. He made the saves necessary, though, to keep us in the game - even though tonight's shot quality was far inferior to yesterday's. A Bouillon: Not the greatest performance and I'm starting to see where he's trying to do too much with the puck. Call it overconfidence not that he's 'made' the starting six, or call it bad decision making on his part, either way he's hurting the team when he doesn't dish it off to an open player before he gets crowded out and out-muscled. C- Rivet: Benched for the third, and I can hear the cheers from almost every habs fan out there. I was counting good and bad plays tonight carefully, and as I look at my notes, I see that he had more bad plays in the eleven minutes he played than most players had marks for the entire night. Our big orange Traffic Cone 52 is just not having a good time on this trip. F Quintal: Good effort coming back from a night he probably wants to forget. He ends up plus four for the game, and it was merited. Sure, he was behind on a few plays and sure, he's still slow with the puck and away from it, but tonight he used his head and positioned himself well to minimize those short-comings. B Souray: Big night on the scoresheet for the big man. He had a really solid game, not doing anything particularly spectacular, but not doing anything stupid either. This is the type of game I would expect from him regularly. Let's be honest, the points were a nice bonus, but it's his steady play that we really need night on night. A Komisarek: Perhaps coach Julien was waiting for a large lead to give Komi the chance to play in all situations? Or maybe Komi forced his hand by playing well? Perhaps it was the inability of Traffic Cone 52 to bring his skates tonight? I think a little of all three. Komi was solid. He was beaten to the inside once that I recall, and he has to cut that out completely, but wasn't beaten to the outside, punished his men regularly, and played a quiet game completely within his means. Perfect for the confidence. Also nice to see that Julien had him out on the PP and the PK - that's a *great* sign. Also great is seeing that shot on the PP: low and accurate. He may not have had any points tonight, but he's going to get a pile with a shot like that. B+ Markov: A much quieter game from our other leading defender, but he was careful with his game and didn't cause too many concerns out there. He's got a bit of a confidence problem which rears its ugly head whenever he loses a partner, but I think that should slowly get better with time. B Langdon: Okay, is it me, or is Andre Roy just a little child - throwing his pads at someone on the ice? Come on! Laughable. Good on Langdon to go over there and take a few shots, including that knockout one to the head. Put that little punk in his place. B- Kilger: I'm slowly working on nicknames for everyone, and I think Kilger's is going to be Shrug. That's the way I see him, a big *shrug*. He might show up for a shift or two, but usually is invisible. C- Perreault: Can't complain that much when you score two, but really, it was a matter of right place and right time for the first and an empty net for the second. I don't think he had a bad game, but neither do I think he stood out in any way. C+ Audette: Well, if you compare his skating with Dagenais', then it's no contest and he should be in the lineup 100% of the time. BUT, if you compare the rest of the game? Audette was a busy bee in the offensive zone, made a couple of better than average defensive helpers, but was more often than not just that #82 guy on the ice skating nicely but not really doing anything. Then again, his shots after Rivet's fight were nice to see, perhaps a little team spirit showing through from the guy who's not considered 'team' material. C+ Zednik: Shame for him that Bulis took his spot on the first line (though good for Bulis), and also a shame that Ribs was nigh on useless with that injury, because Zed was a complete non-entity. I didn't write less for anyone else. When his linemates aren't spectacular, I think we need him to step it up and be that way. C+ Ribeiro: As mentioned before, I appreciate his efforts in helping the club, but in the end they did more damage than anything else. He was abysmal in his own end because he couldn't manouver anymore, and did you see when Souray out-skated him - at double the speed? Brutal. D+ Bulis: Another strong game from Mr. Hustle. He's just all over the place and it really makes a huge difference on the PK - our once not-so-special special team. He wasn't as useful in the offensive zone, but I'm not sure it had anything to do with him, honestly. A- Ryder: On the one hand, he didn't get many chances, on the other hand he played about seven minutes less than usual and still had three shots, made a couple of pretty passes and managed to be strong in the offensive zone when he got there....AND still be solid defensively. He made the most of his time, that's for sure. B+ Koivu: Goal and an assist. Wasn't his night at all. He was frustrated with his own game, and the more observant of you out there would have noticed him being really angry with himself over a number of plays, most noticeably when he cursed so loud the play-by-play mike picked it up clearly (it was a lost faceoff in the defensive zone). That he got two points during a game where he clearly struggled is testament to his abilities, but really, offensively he wasn't good at all. On the defensive side, however, and particularly on the PK, he was solid. B- Juneau: *applause* And I'd love it if he could come to the list and give a sweet smile then stick out his tongue at the non-believers. That line totally controlled practically every time they hit the ice. Juneau was excellent. A Sundstrom: Brilliant. Anyone catch the fact that Scotty Bowman was impressed with him tonight? Great game from start to finish, his best as a habs. He was in corners, working the net, cycling intelligently, and best of all was playing stunning defence. A Dackell: Awsome. Anyone notice how he went to the net all the time? He created screens, and havok all night. He was great one-on-one (as usual) winning battles in all three zones regularly. He worked well with his linemates creating numerous chances. And he was the best habs tonight. A+ ~~ A game above .500 again and while it wasn't our best game, I think some satisfaction has to be taken from the fact that Julien took this team by the ear after yesterday's brutal performance and made them accountable, thus coaxing out a much better game tonight. As I said, it would never be enough to beat a team like the Bruins, but it's something we can build on when we go and meet them in Boston in the half-vacant Fleet Centre. This will be a significant test of this club, and should give us a good indication on where we stand in terms of coming back from less-than-great performances. And did anyone catch that commercial with Kovalchuk and Naslund chasing the puck everywhere? Brilliant, and two guys who are extremely talented as well - good faces to put on the NHL brand. A concerned Fan.

I will dispute vehemently with anyone who says that we played a good first period, despite the score. The fact of the matter is this: while the Panthers were unlucky to come out of the first that way, they were the better team all night. They were first to the puck, the passed accurately, and the received passes astutely. The Habs did none of those things tonight. Worst though, was the effort - the Habs were lucky to get a first effort on some plays where the Panthers had two and sometimes three efforts on a play. Pathetic. And this was a team we should have beaten. Now we have to go and play a *much* better team in the Bolts tomorrow night. Sure, there were some thing that can be taken from this game with a grain of salt, including the fact that had the officials had *any* clue whatsoever about what hooking, holding, and obstruction were, Montreal would have been on the powerplay for about 80 minutes. Sure, Theo played a solid game and really held a team that didn't deserve to even be in the rink in the game. And sure, Juneau came back and looked much better than he did when he left and led the best habs line all night. But I don't think Montreal was in Florida for a few moral victories. ~~ Notes: (performance) Theo: "Dear Theo, we're sorry we left you alone, but we thought you were missing rubber." A Bouillon: Tough to say this, but he was one of the better defenders. He still couldn't pass the puck to save his life tonight. C Rivet: Pack it up and go home. You know, the *real* pro athelete would have admitted to his coach that he was just not in the game and should either be benched so as not to hurt the team or used only in places where he wasn't going to cause problems. F Quintal: See Rivet. Downgrade the mark if necessary. F- Souray: "Dear Souray, we wanted to see how you'd do by yourself on defense tonight. Nice try." At least he was physical and brought something to the attack tonight. B Komisarek: Covered Souray's butt once, but there was still a goal against on the play - since he had to leave his own mand to take his partners. He's getting beaten a few too many times on one-on-ones, but I think that's part of the learning curve. At least he wasn't beated on effort, since he was one of the best Habs out there. He's doing a little better with speedster's out wide, and his footspeed is increasing, but there's still a way to go. Then again, he was the best we had on the right hand side. C+ Markov: Two assists does not a good game make. Too many bad outlet passes tonight. He was still decent down low and consistently tied up his man, but it seemed he was a half step out of it mentally. B- Audette: Is there anyone in the world who can explain why he replaced Ryder on the top line in the waning stages of the game? Ryder was demoted to line two and Dagenais was sent to polish the wood at the end of the bench. Ryder was best of the three, Dagenais second best, and Audette should have faked a shoulder injury. He had good jump skating-wise, just didn't do anything with it. C Perreault: Perhaps if we paint the defensive third a fluorescent orange he might be able to find it. No? I didn't think so either. Still, that mullet he's working on must raise his grade a little. Let's see, he played three quarters of a good period. Um... D+ Kilger: And whaddaya know, I give the guy who rarely puts in 60 minutes of effort the best mark on the line. He actually worked and threw the body tonight. I appreciated his efforts. B Dackell: Awsome game. Not only was he stellar defensively tying up his man time after time, but offensively his trio worked the puck wonderfully and were the only line to apply constant pressure in the offensive zone. A- Sundstrom: Two weeks ago I called him Invisible Man. Guess he was insulted, because in every game since, he's gotten better and better. I should start the name calling for everyone else tonight. Strong game in all three zones, but he was particularly effective on the attack - mostly because his line didn't have to defend much because they had the puck so long. B+ Juneau: Well, as much as most of us didn't want him back on that third line, I don't think there's anyone who can disagree (if you're honestly with yourself) that he came in and did a fine job. We missed Begin, for sure, but less than Brisebois tonight. B+ Zednik: He scored a goal-scorer's goal when he went to the net on the first, and it was great to see him do that. Of course, I guess he decided that it was to be his contribution for the night, because he immediately left for Tampa and gave his sweater to some dude in Section 15, Row 12. C+ Dagenais: Tonight he really fit in. When the bulk of the Habs went to sleep as Florida started hitting, Dagenais came out to play and actually carried himself well throughout the affair. He was the best on his line and really didn't deserve the demotion late. B+ Ribeiro: Oh, I could just hear the wails of delight from all his supporters as he made that play for the first goal - though no doubt it was spectacular. Unfortunately, I have a feeling they let it rose-colour their glasses for the rest of the game when Ribs failed to do much else. I've noticed that if the play is in his own zone, he's utter crap, but when the Habs, and particularly he, has the puck, he looks good. Problem with that is when the Habs rarely have the puck. C Bulis: Well, he was working hard, but it was one of those games where nothing went right for him. The puck was bouncing over his stick (did anyone tell the Florida guys that this was supposed to be a hockey game and not a basketball game 'cause that puck was a-bouncin') like there was no tommorrow, and his decisions were just not what we've gotten used to with him. B Ryder: He impresses me more by the game, and thank heavens Julien benched him, because, you know, late in the game when you're down by two, it's always good to have your most offensive players filling water bottles. Okay, he held on to the puck too long and it resulted in a goal, but when he's creating more than everyone else... B Koivu: I don't think he was expecting to play a team that worked, because a number of his passes would have been brilliant against, say, the Rag$ who don't know what work is. Tonight, though, they were picked off regularly. Again, with Sax, it wasn't a matter that he wasn't working hard, because I think he was working as hard as ever, it was his mind that was perhaps slightly out of synch with the rest of himself. B ~~ Pretty sad. Half effort in the first and none for the rest of the game. It's going to be a serious uphill climb to reverse that horrid effort tomorrow night. Somehow they have to come back, forget all about this, and work for 60 minutes, and that's always tough when bad habits come into the play. Tampa, while not having the best of times recently, is a much better team than is Florida, and if the Bolts see the game tape, it's pretty easy to determine that the game plan will be hit, hit, hit, work, work, work. Coming to the peninsula this weekend, I would have expected to see three out of four points considering who we were playing - that would have given me cause to call it a successful weekend. Now, we'll be lucky to get two. A concerned fan.

S'funny. I was thinking Savard the whole time and Houle came to my fingers. Am I obsessed with Houle? WHat's wrong with me? Thanks for the edit and holy cow I need pennicillin!

Hard luck for the Habs who deserved to pull one out tonight. They played with intensity, heart, and intelligence, but when you're playing against a team like Philly, you have to understand that, as with all good teams, they somehow seem to find ways to win. Despite the loss, you can call this a really positive game in almost all respects except one: losing at the end like that can be a real momentum killer, and if the Habs take it to heart, it could be a serious problem for the next game or two. And really, if you look at it closely, the only reason we lost is because we made a few errors, and not because we didn't play well or with intensity. Early in the season, or indeed in most of the last six or seven, you couldn't have said that about the Canadiens. If they lost, it was because they stunk. It's hard to look at any player tonight and say they were a real problem. Sure, some had shifts where they had trouble, but I think, all in all, as fans we have to come away satisfied that we're really playing as a *team*. ~~ Notes: (performance) Garon: He made some stunning stops, most notably on the breakaway, and showed why Hackett says he has the best legs in hockey. He also really whiffed the second goal on a weak shot from beyond the circles. I think he was upset at the third goal, but he had no need to be, since it was a deflection from barely ten feet in front of him. I feel, after watching him tonight, that his game has improved even from the last time we saw him. He was well-positioned and moved much better than he used to. Kudos for working hard in the interim. B+ Bouillon: A good game where, against a much bigger Philly team, he wasn't out-muscled more than a couple of times. His size may only be listed at about 5'8, but he plays more like 6'2, and if everyone played a half foot bigger than they were, we'd be a dominant club size-wise. B Rivet: He was doing so well for the larger part of the game, and anyone who really paid attention would have noted that his improvement over earlier this season is astronomical. It's such a shame that on that third goal he let his man meander in front of the net for an easy tip. I feel bad for him in one respect, and that's that fans will really get on his back for any little mistake he makes. B Brisebois: He only made one really bonehead play from his own zone, but it didn't cost us and he played his mistake well. Other than that, he was solid in both ends and is really gaining confidence in playing that simple game. He's added in a few other improvements, and is starting to look not just like a good reliable defender (worth $1.5), but a reliable defender who can also move the puck effectively, and can even defend proactively - he's chosing his spots much better now (worth $2.5). With any luck, he might end up being worth close to $3 by the end of the year, and we won't feel so bad. B+ Markov: A couple of stumbles, but it still amazes me how proactive he is in defending. And while he may not play the body like bigger guys, when a Roenick-type comes to the crease, Markov ties up that stick far better than anyone in Montreal. B+ Komisarek: I remember Markov's first season, his first few games, and you could just see the little things he did, even though it was rough back then, that would put him above most other defenders. I see the same things in Komi. It's still raw, but it's there. The proactive defending, the brilliant whip passes that create chances immediately. The tough defending and smart positioning. It's not consistent yet, but sooner rather than later he's going to be pushing up the ladder. B Souray: Finally he doesn't have to do all the dirty work. Great pairing with Komi - I certainly wouldn't want to be a forward against them! Souray played another strong game, physically dominating and very good positionally. I see him in a transition period, actually. I'm noticing how he seems to see the game at a slower speed now, he reacts faster than others, he moves more efficiently and with a good patience instead of rushing things... He's making a few mistakes as he transitions, but I think that, sometime after the holiday season, or maybe even as late as the beginning of next year, he's going to surprise some people by being a real leader on defense - for any team, and not just the Habs. A- Kilger: One shift on, one shift off. If there's anyone I really want to see traded, it's him, and that bothers me, since those on shifts are something to behold. C Langdon: If he didn't take those absolutely stupid penalties, he'd be brilliant. Tonight he was rock solid all over the ice, but managed to take a kneeing penalty, or some such nonsense. B Perreault: Tough for a player like him to take fourth line time, however I think he did admirably well with it. I'm really impressed at how hard he's worked over the last few games. Despite those who say he doesn't have NHL-calibre skills, he does - and in spades - his only two real problems have been work ethic and softness. B+ Dackell: To all those of you who think he needs to go, phtphtpht. He's a wonderful guy that I love to see on the ice. Sure, every now and then he makes a mistake, and sure he's not the toughest guy on the planet, but really, are there many in *hockey* that can hold on to the puck by themselves in the offensive zone for as long as he can? Against a much bigger Flyer squad, he was still able to make a dozen great plays - all on his own. A- Sundstrom: Fill in the blanks: Begin is to Sundstrom as oxygen is to _____. If you said life, you're correct. Since being put with Begin on that third line, Sunny's confidence has soared. He's even starting to make those second efforts that weren't in his game as recently as three or four games ago. B+ Begin: Okay, defensively he's not quite as good as Juneau, but man does he make up for that with sheer exuberance and hitting power. Honestly, I wouldn't break this threesome up right now. Begin has given something to that third line that's great to see. In fact, they even have scoring chances every game, and I think you can put that down to Begin's feistyness causing turnovers constantly. A- Dagenais: First, brilliant goal, no doubt about it. Second, he knows how to play with Ribby for absolute sure. Third, with Zed on his other wing, his skating weakness is significantly diminished. Fourth, he'll never be a legitimate 2nd liner, and the jury is still out on whether or not he can keep it up this year, but until one of our youth matures into the spot, I'm happy to see him there for now - *IF* he continues working hard. B+ Zednik: I honestly would have though he'd have been PO'd to be on that line with a couple of players way below his talent level, but he met the challenge and adapted quickly to Ribby's game. He added more physicality as well and that really *really* helped out the Ribs line. A- Ribeiro: The first half of the game was so bad for Ribs I just wanted to see him benched. Then suddenly he made a heads-up play to retrieve a puck and throw it to Z and we score. All of a sudden, Ribs is all there and in the game - the Ribby we need to see out there if he's going to take that second line. If he can continue to play like that, and not a shade less intense, then I'll be happy to have him there until such time as a real second line centre comes along, but the minute he coasts and stops moving... Oh, and is he really a centre? I mean come on! He doesn't even take his own draws anymore! B Bulis: After all the good things I said about him playing defence recently, he goes and blows that first Philly goal by leaving his man alone. *sigh* On the other hand, does he ever play well with Sax and Ryder. There are times when I think he's a better offensive player than Z...right up until you compare shots. Then again, with Bulis on that line, the puck stays in the opposition end far longer than it did with Z. B+ Ryder: Love this kid. Lemme say that again, *love* this kid. Not only is he working hard, but I think he's working *harder* than he was at the beginning of the year. He's constantly creating in the offensive zone, constantly making things happen, and constantly improving. What more can you ask of a rookie? He shoots like someone we haven't seen since (and I hesitate to say this) John LeClair. If he keeps this improvement up... A- Koivu: Remember that year where Sax led the league in scoring before his injury? Yeah, that's him again on the ice. He answered Gainey's call for more from his best players. He looks completely dominant at times, and most of the rest he still looks like a top player on the ice. A ~~ I think it's becoming more and more evident that Gainey's evaluation period is over and Julien is starting to make consistent line combos that play together for more than a period or two. The team is starting to gel in terms of units, but also in terms of complete team play. Once again we saw strong team spirit in defending fellow players, and it's this, more than anything else, which tells me Gainey has had more than just a word or two in the dressing room. In retrospect, I now have to tip my hat to Julien for all those moves that I didn't understand before. It seems they were all done with a strong purpose in mind and has benefitted the team in the long run - that which is most necessary. I'll be the first to admit I was unnerved and annoyed at some of the moves, but I'm pleased I was wrong with those ideas. I guess I still have a lot to learn, particularly when it comes to coaching. Down to Manhatten to play the Rag$, a team that suddenly looks like they want to play hockey rather than shinny on a pond. This is going to be a tough game, make no mistake, so we'll have to play a smart road game - stick to the system, capitalize on mistakes, yadda yadda. It'll be interesting to see if Komi gets to stay in, or if Quintal retakes his place. A concerned fan.

One game over .500, a streak of five games undefeated, and more and more players playing with intensity for the entire 60 minutes. Looks like the coach and GM are finally getting through to some of these guys. Also looks like they're finally starting to gel with the new system. And while there are, of course, still areas the team needs plenty of help with, at the very least, when the best players are playing their best, this team can compete on every night and can steal a few when they might not even deserve it. It was brought up during the second intermission: what will Juneau do now? I think it's painfully obvious to most habs fans that Begin has stepped in and has done a wonderful job on the third line. The problem is, no matter the whining from certain corners, Juneau still does a solid job, and even better, he can teach the younger players how to be improve. While I wouldn't want to see Begin relagated from a position he's obviously growing comfortable with, neither would I like to see Juneau sitting out for some amount of time when he brings so much to the table. Fourth line? Perhaps that's the answer. And congratulations to King Zed who had his first child tonight. I didn't catch the young Zednik's name, but I believe the baby was six pounds and twelve ounces. ~~ Notes: (performance) Theodore: No doubt he's looking like his Vezina self lately. While the one goal he let in was from 60 feet, there was a partial screen and it was a pass across the point that had him moving. I don't think you can ask too many goaltenders to even get close on a play like that one. A+ Bouillon: Much better game tonight since he left the personal vendettas on Carolina ice. He was strong on the puck and made some wise decisions. I still love the way he moves the puck and have no idea why some complain when he's on the point on the power play. Sure, he made a bad pass last game, but in reality, you want your best puck moving defenders on the point, and would you all really like to go back to seeing Quintal there? B+ Rivet: Another good game. I'm really pleased the last couple and feel he might be turning a corner. Perhaps a little talking aside and talking to to convince him to play a more simple game and relax more out there, rather than panicking the puck away constantly? If he keeps this up, we might actually all become happy with the defensive corps. Okay, that's wishful thinking. B+ Quintal: I really like this guy. But he was *way* behind everything last night, and poor Souray probably felt like he was pulling yeoman's duty playing for two. His fight at the end of the game, in my opinion, just looked like a frustration thing; knowing full well his game is on the serious slide at the moment. Shame for him that he might be getting a forced benching from the league after carrying on too long. D Souray: For a while, I was thinking that he was looking more patient out there and was making even smarter plays than usual - wondering if he was starting to take the next evolution in his game. Then I realized, when he took that penalty, that he was just being *too* lax. He had his pocket picked and had to really attack the guy to try and get it back. On the other hand, he really did play a strong game other than one or two overly lax plays. B+ Brisebois: As Pedneault said (and I agree???), Brisebois made a couple of errors tonight that we haven't seen in a long period of time. The best part about saying that, is that it was only two really bad errors, and for the rest of the game, he looked pretty solid again. B Markov: I only wish that more people could appreciate the little things he does. I'm not saying he's perfect, but I am saying that when he rounds out his game in a couple of years, he's going to be something special to watch. He still has so much potential, and for a habs fan, being able to say that is special. B+ Langdon: If he could avoid the idiot penalties, we'd be great. Having said that, he was a hard-nosed hard worker tonight, and I like what he brings to the table. I just wish it was him fighting a little more often. B+ Kilger: One shift great, one shift invisible. I guess I can sum up my comments for him this game with a large *shrug*. C Komisarek: Boy, when he lays on the body, people fly. Shame we couldn't have seen him on the back end rather than Quintal, but I will give Julien the benefit of the doubt at this point. C+ Dackell: The man everyone loves to hate was one of the best Habs on the ice tonight, particularly in the offensive zone. His line was dominant, and he was stellar. His goal was the result of not a second effort, but a third, and really, when you get that, how can you complain in the least? A Sundstrom: He started his first couple of shifts a little slowly, but ended up playing a much better game after that. Invisible Man must have taken the night off. I still think he could be a little more aggressive, particularly on the boards, and could give more second efforts, but I think I'll settle with being happy with his game tonight. (Is he totally suited to the Western game, or what?) B Begin: Wow. He was absolutely flying tonight, and if I had to give a Man of the Match award, he'd get it, no questions asked. He was hitting, creating, marking, and generally being a do-it-all man all night, and you just have to love his constant effort. Personally, I think he's starting to rub off on those around him, and that's just more brilliant. A+ Dagenais: He made a couple of nice plays and was certainly not invisible, but for a second line player, I'd expect a little more. Now, he is the 'size' on that line and he wasn't shying away from using it, but he's just so much slower... It's the AHL speed he plays at that costs him. C+ Perreault: Well, I guess we can say he can't play two really inspired games in a row, sadly. He was okay tonight, certainly decent in the offensive zone, but didn't throw any hits and didn't really give that second effort necessary all night. B- Ribeiro: I get so much heat for what I say about him, but really, aside from a couple of fairly good razzle moves, he doesn't provide much at all right now. His line was by far the worst of the three that played consistently tonight, and, while he was less a permieter player than last night, he was still largely ineffectual. I don't mind him, and I still see potential, but he's nowhere near Koivu's league in any way, shape or form and for those who say he's the best habs, I can only wonder what you're seeing. If there's one trade I'd like to see made, it's him because, on any other team, he'd be basically invisible and then Montreal fans would truly see how good he is. Plus, with him gone, we wouldn't have to listen to the French media slobber everytime he touched the puck - I mean really, when I have to take a kleenex to the TV speakers when Pedneault talks about him, it's a little much. B- Bulis: Well, he sure had a strong game in Zed's place. He may not have the scoring touch, but play-wise, he didn't look out of place at all - quite the contrary, I thought he fit in really well and helped create a lot. I just wish one or two more would go in for him so he could really pick up that confidence. A Ryder: How many years has it been since we had a *real* solid forward prospect? Saku? He's getting better, and that's saying something. He had multiple chances and was working hard every shift. He's even getting better defensively in leaps and bounds and winning the board battle far more often. I notice that line doesn't get bottled up very much at all like it did a couple of weeks back. Now, I know he was told to shoot more, but he's gone too far the other way, but I think Koivu had a tete-a-tete with him. A Koivu: I think that, with the exception of one or two shifts only, Koivu's line had a serious scoring opportunity every time they hit the ice. They probably should have had about four goals tonight. He is so far and away the best skater on this team it's amazing and when his game starts to really go, like it is now that he's in game form after that injury, he's impressive to watch. Sure, he gives pucks away occasionally, but he's the first to move his butt to cover for a mistake. And blocking shots now as well? Gimme a Homer mmmmmmmmm. Anyone else notice him helping out Ryder on the bench tonight? A ~~ Just what we needed, three out of four from the 'Canes, and that pushes us over the .500 mark. Putting aside all differences of opinion, I think as habs fans we should all be pleased that things are starting to look up a little more. And how about this fact to think about: two games in two nights and you can arguably say that the Habs were the tougher team. Shocking, eh? Finally, there's some real team spirit out there, and that's something we haven't seen in years and years. Player after player sticks up for one another, and I think it's starting to roll over into individual games. More and more players are being consistent on the ice and delivering better games. Of course, this is short-term, but with a few more solid games, perhaps we can honestly start saying this team is a solid foundation for our future. On to the Flyers, or rather, they're coming to Montreal, and that's going to be a hard game. We've got to stick to the system and play patient hockey if we're to win that one. But if Theo comes with his 'A' game and Saku continues to fly out there, I see no reason why we shouldn't give even the powerful Flyers a tough game.

I'm not sure when the NHL is going to figure out the reffing situation, but the sooner the better, because tonight's game just plain got out of hand. It's hard to understand what the refs were watching at times as they missed cross-checks, blatant tackles and even someone swiping Markov's stick in OT. I'm not saying they were all against Montreal, not by a long shot, but it's getting to the point where not having refs and going by the honour system might actually make for a better game. The game itself was...all over the place. There wasn't any flow, not a lot of good play, and a lot of silly mistakes from both teams. Unlike last game, there were a few Habs who forgot to make the trip to Carolina, and that's a shame because, despite the 'Canes working harder than Montreal, the Habs had the larger talent base, and probably should have won that game had everyone shown up. Montreal just didn't take advantage of the areas it should have, and instead lost control of tempers and spent half the night sitting in the box. Oh, and thank goodness the PK is finally working well. It was excellent tonight; hustle was unbelievable at times and I really think we've got a fine set of guys who can do a stand up job there. ~~ Notes: (performance) Theo: The Vezina Theo arrived in Carolina ready to retake his mantle, and boy was he good. That was the best I've seen him play in two years by a long shot. He was making stops that nobody had any right to make and I have to say that his play out of the net with the puck has come to the point where I don''t feel like screaming at him and whacking my head. A+ Bouillon: One of those games where he's super-feisty, and it really is too much for him. He ends up over-pursuing the puck, over-pursuing the player, and generally getting totally off his game. I think he spent more time looking for revenge tonight than he did playing hockey. SHame, because he's really earned his spot over Hainsey with strong play, and if he's not careful, games like this will have him on the outside looking in. C- Rivet: You know, I didn't notice him much, and that can't be anything but a good thing. When a defender like that is hardly noticeable, it means they're probably playing a good game. He kept his plays simple, was hard on the puck and feisty on the opposition. Keep that up and he'll be in everyone's good graces far sooner than later. B+ Quintal: Er...can someone tell him he missed the game in Carolina and that there was another guy wearing his shirt on the ice? I mean, he was *that* bad tonight. He was chasing the play all over the ice and ended up leaving poor Souray to fend for himself so often I was beginning to think ol' Sheldon was going to give *him* a two-hander rather than the opposition. D Souray: Did a fine job being two defenders at once. Tough to be extra useful on nights like that, however I think he stepped up and performed admirable well and showed us a game that he hasn't played in a couple of weeks. I like when he gets angry and *intelligently* step up, instead of backing in to the defensive zone, to administer a heavy hit along the blueline. A- Markov: He had a tough, tough night. I thought he fought the puck all night and didn't get himself going until about midway in the third. He could barely corral the puck, and even when he had it, he had a tough time putting out a good pass. It just wasn't his night at all, and it's a shame, because he looked focussed out there. C Brisebois: Who is this guy, anyhow? I mean, is this the same defender that caused us all fits in recent memory? He's really settled down this year to play some solid defence. He's pinching intelligently as well, and that's really helping a rather anemic attack. B+ Langdon: His penalty was of the 'Duh' variety; and I don't think we saw him again after that. I'm getting a little concerned lately that, in all these tougher games, he's not the one dropping the gloves and instead leaves little Bouillon etc to do that job. C+ Kilger: Well, he wasn't awful, but neither was he stellar out there. He finished some checks and made some plays. That doesn't cut it for a guy who has the abilities to bring a lot more to the game. C+ Sundstrom: His PK work was excellent... Other than that, I guess you'd have to say (cue the music) DUM DUM DUM DUM Invisible Man! Donning his robes of white he blends with the ice and skates around the rink making wind and whispering sweet nothings to the opposition! Stay tuned tomorrow night for another episode of...Invisible Man!!! And here's your invisible 'A'. C (all based on the PK) Dackell: Another typical Dackell game, and that's something that any coach loves to have, a guy who's so consistent that every game you know what you're going to get. He was even better defensively than normal tonight, though, as he did a good job angling his man to the boards on numerous occasions. B+ Begin: While I hate to say it, "Juneau who?" Begin has played two fine games at a most crucial spot in the roster. Now, I know when Juneau gets back he'll take over, but in the interim, it's neat to see Begin there skating his buns off and hitting everyone. He's great to have in games like tonight as well, where half the team hides and he give opposition players hits for them. B+ Bulis: Stellar. He's really coming into his own defensively and he's making more and more great plays back there. I'd honestly be tempted to move him to that centre position and give him that checking line. A+ Dagenais: Well, he shoots, anyhow. I can't say that I'm impressed with his play at all, though he's applying the body more than I was led to believe he could do. But I see him as another who's a decent holdover, but when we actually get talent, he's much better suited to the AHL. C Perreault: He was really working hard tonight and even laid the body on a couple of times. I've been really impressed with his game the last few as his intensity has been far higher than much of what we're used to. Put him back at centre. B+ Ribeiro: I absolutely refuse to write down what I had written on my sheet when he scored that goal. Far from useful, he was totally invisible the whole night as he was shoved to the perimeter like so much navel lint. Sure, he's out leading point getter, but do you want to know why? Koivu was injured and someone had to take the first line and when you get that much ice time with decent linemates, you have to get something. I'd warrant (though I haven't checked the numbers) that many of his points are PP points as well. Really, I'm not sure where he fits on this team because the way he's playing right now, he's not good enough to be a second line centre and you can't use him on the first line because he's as hard as a marshmallow. D+ (the plus is for that goal) Ryder: Despite being held off the scoresheet, I felt he played a solid game. He was moving the puck well, he was getting off lots of shots, and he worked the boards well. Furthermore, he keeps moving in that offensive zone, and that makes him harder to cover. Finally, he's learning defence - at a much faster pace than most rookies. B+ Zednik: Can we take a stick to his head before every game? Maybe board him in warmup? He's awsome when he's mad. See him flying around there after that almost fight? He was incredible to the point of me thinking that if he could continue playing like that, he could be considere a really legitimate 1st line player league-wide. Oh, and lucky for that Markov fella that he didn't get his hands free on that fight; hospital smell bothers many people. A- Koivu: Sometimes I wish he'd get more PK time because he's excellent when he plays it. On the 5v3, he was brilliant back there. And while his line didn't get points (he was matched against one of the better shut-down guys in hockey in Brind'Amour) I felt he played just about as well as he did against T-Bay. He was all over the place and it was only a really good defence that stopped the puck from going in a few times. I can't wait to see the game in Montreal when Julien will have the last change. A ~~ We were lucky to come out of this one with a point with the way some guys played. Then again, when your best players play their best, usually good things happen, and tonight Theo kept us in the game for a good PP goal to tie it. Better still, we take home a point and have the chance to get the three out of four that we should really be hoping for in this home-and-home. The key now is to come out flying, get the first goal, then take the game to the 'Canes and come away with those points. Anything less than a win should be considered a minor disaster. And I have a new mantra because otherwise I'll be on the couch. "I did not see those cheerleaders. I did not see those cheerleaders. I did *NOT* see those cheerleaders." See hun? I'm a good boy. A concerned fan.

While all those things previously mentioned are probably are strong factors, I have to believe that the main factor Breezer's game is better is because of coaching. Somewhere along the line someone told him that in order to succeed in this league, he has to stop doing things that are beyond his abilities and start playing within his means. Do the simple things and only try the complicated in the offensive zone. If you watch his game, he's become a seriously low-risk player. His passes are, in general, simple ones only of only a few feet, instead of the monster variety that he used to attempt in years gone past. Also gone are the cross-ice, behind the back from behind the net across the crease passes that started the booing in the first place. Instead, he makes tape to tape passes or, if there's trouble, chips the puck up off the glass - something he almost never did. While coach Green probably has something to do with it, I would guess that Julien stepped in for a meeting with the other two and outlined what he wanted to see from Breezer. Early in the season he was benched for stretches when he fell back into the old habits and it's only in the last ten or so games where he's really come into his own. Full props to the coaching staff for bringing Breezer around. Certainly, he deserves credit himself for working hard to become a better player, but without the direction from above, there's no reason to believe he would have changed his game at all this year.

Tucker isn't necessarily such a bad idea. Worrying about him taking stupid penalties and becoming Sideshow Bob is needless worrying, as far as I can see. While he acts in such a way in Toronto, remember that he's playing under Pat Quinn who is captain of all those who whine. Gainey wouldn't allow any of that crap for a moment. On ther other hand, I just can't see the Habs picking up Tucker at this point. The idea isn't specifically to help this years' edition of the team make the playoffs, but more to gather the necessary components for the kids to grow with starting after the CBA and after many of the present contracts come due. What role could Tucker fill in the near future? He could play on the wing on the second line, something he's been somewhat successful with in Toronto. The question here is how close some of the kids are to making the jump. Of course you can't fill your lineup with kids, but the issue remains that if you put in Tucker - someone you expect to be there for at least a couple of years, is he going to take that spot from a rookie that needs the time in the NHL. The third line is probably more suitable, and since a team should like to have experience on their checking line, it might be more interesting to have him there. I'm not sure I'd like him centreing the line, but I think he'd be fine on the wing. I'm sure having Bulis in between Tucker and Hossa might interest more than a few fans. It gives Hossa a nice place to develop and makes that line a more intense line than we currently have now. I'd say Tucker is the prototypical 4th liner, but unfortunately his salary is disproportionate to that reality. I just couldn't see Gainey spending that much on someone who's going to play approximately 10 minutes a game - particularly on a developping team. As for Montreal and Toronto not being trading partners, well it's a legitimate concern. But in today's climate in the NHL, I have a feeling that if a team really *really* wants to get rid of a player and covets someone else, this is the year to make those changes since, with the impending CBA, everything might be thrown into the wind. ACF.

Sheesh JL, how many boards do I have to try and keep up with you on! As for the Habs sitting back, I was a little annoyed as well. When a power play turns into an exercise in just keeping the puck safely out of your own end rather than a concerted attempt to score, I feel the team is playing at an intensity less than what it takes to be successful. There's nothing worse than changing your intensity during a game. In fact, I think it was a good thing in this game that LeCavalier scored, because they all went back to working hard again - and I hope they look at the game tapes, remember the feelings, and then go out and duplicate that effort again. I don't mind playing concervatively, but it has to be with the same intensity, and I felt for a few minutes there we looked scared, rather than eager to win. Just my thoughts... ACF