Bishop Burns Habs

Ben Bishop stops 44 shots to steal win for Sens against Habs in shootout

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Craig Anderson? Who's that guy? Oh yeah, starting goalie for the Ottawa Senators. You know, best goalie so far in the league this season; went down with an ankle sprain last week. Yeah yeah.


Hey, he played a heck of a game, that Ben Bishop goalie person. AP

Ben Bishop? Who is that guy? Isn't he the Canadian candidate for the papacy?

Not even close.

Unfortunately for the Habs, they probably wished they faced Craig Anderson in Ottawa Monday night, and that the 6"7 Ben Bishop was the papal candidate, because he was the difference maker in stealing the two points for the Senators, stopping 44 shots in regulation and OT, then 3 of 4 shooters to win the shootout.

He was very good on this night, and also very lucky. Hey when you're good, you get the luck. The Habs hit five posts in total and Bishop made more than one save with the butt of his goal stick.

As a goalie myself, I love those saves. Not just when they go against the Habs. Sometimes that's just the way it goes.

But the eternal truth is, if the Habs play like this consistently, they're going to win a hell of a lot more games than they are going to lose. The team dictated the play and all four lines really had good chances.

Carey Price looked a bit uneasy from the beginning and unfortunately he whiffed on the Sens' only goal in regulation -- a low slapshot that normally the goalie would have sucked up in his sleep.

After big time saves on Brandon Prust and Tomas Plekanec, Ben Bishop finally let one by when Andrei Markov blasted one from the point on the power play with four seconds remaining in the second period. It was the Habs' 30th shot at that point. Ultimately they won on the shot clock 45-24 but the Sens won the shootout on a goal by Peter Regin.

In the end, it was a pretty entertaining game filled with sharp passing from the Canadiens and good plays. But the Sens' backstop was the better player on this night. And so was the butt of his stick. Nobody on the Habs tried to put it top shelf on the big goalie in the shootout -- they might want to practice that because a guy like that covers a lot of net along the ice.

Nevertheless the Habs still technically hold the top spot in the East with the point but the Bruins still have games in hand. Wednesday night they roll into LeafLand to face the Leafs and hopefully looking for revenge from that 6-0 drubbing of a few weeks ago.

Follow-moi sur le twitter: #habsfanleafland

Battle of the Backups

Budaj records first win of the year as Habs beat Flyers 4-1 in Montreal

NO EXCUSES

It's the Canadiens' slogan this year, emblazoned in large letters in the dressing room.

Habs continue their winning ways by beating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1 in Montreal. AP

The Flyers were coming off a loss in New Jersey last night while the Canadiens waited for them in Montreal, having won two straight in Florida.

NO EXCUSES not to win.

And they didn't disappoint. The Canadiens came out flying against the Flyers, taking the lead 1-0 on a goal by first star of the game Brendan Gallagher, who took a pass on the fly from Max Pacioretty and beat Flyers goalie Brian Boucher to the stick side.

Yes it was the battle of the backups, with Brian Boucher getting the nod while Peter Budaj took the crease for the Habs after it was announced that my man Carey Price was suffering from an intestinal flu.

Right away, twitter was ablaze, firebombing the Habs' chances with Budaj between the pipes. True the Habs backup was winless so far this year in two starts and more true, his career numbers against Philadelphia were pretty weak: 0-2-0 with a 4.5 GAA and .842 save percentage.

My view? Budaj was due. And he delivered when he had to.

But kudos to the Canadiens, they played a strong game in front of their netminder tonight keeping the Flyers to the perimeter. They made it 2-0 early in the second after Max Pacioretty drove the net then set up David Desharnais for the score.

Then the Habs got into penalty trouble and handed Philadelphia the momentum for the rest of the middle frame. Danny Briere got the Flyers on the board after his shot deflected off of Andrei Markov's skate past Budaj.

The third period so far this year has been a problem for the Habs so it was nice to see them come out and win the period adding goals by Plekanec and Bourque in an empty net. Final score 4-1 Habs and for now placing the Canadiens second in the conference with 19 points, one ahead of the Bruins but Boston has two games in hand.

The Canadiens faced a Flyers team that looked lost. Their best player, Claude Giroux, was nowhere to be found pretty much all night. Average goaltending and defense combined with injuries to Scott Hartnell and suddenly the Philadelphia Flyers are a pretty normal team. If this is any indication, they won't make the playoffs this year.

Unfortunately for Montreal the game didn't come without a price (ahem). Brendan Gallagher didn't finish the game as he fell awkwardly into the boards and Max Pacioretty also left the game after driving the net and apparently taking a skate in the ribs!? Let's hope both will be okay. Well we know Pacioretty is invincible, but Gallagher we'll have to see.

Other good points for the Habs on this night:

• Max Pacioretty seemed to have a lot more jump on the night and was driving the net -- as he needs to do to succeed; still goalless on the year, he finished the night with two assists;
• The Canadiens dominated the Flyers in the faceoff circle;
• The powerplay was powerless, but the penalty kill was perfect on the night.

Habs have a busy week, starting Monday against the suddenly hot Carolina Hurricanes.

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New book: Montreal Canadiens -- Stanley Cup Champions

Twitter has brought me into contact with a whole new world of Habs fans and so I wanted to give a stick tap to Habs Fan in New Brunswick Jocelyne LeBlanc, the author of the upcoming book Montreal Canadiens -- Stanley Cup Champions.

Jocelyne grew up cheering the Habs along with her father in Dieppe, New Brunswick. Her decision to write this book, celebrating the Habs' 24 Stanley Cups, is a tribute to her love of sports, hockey, the Canadiens and especially, her father who passed away in 2011.

I look forward to reading it when the book is ready, which she hopes will be this coming fall.

For now, you can check out the links below for more information:

English: http://www.indiegogo.com/montrealcanadiens

French: http://www.indiegogo.com/24CoupesStanley

Follow me on le twitter: #HabsFanLeafLand

Habs Tale of Two Cities

Canadiens drop 3 of 4 points in back to back games against Bruins and Sabres
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If I said Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller would give up four goals five straight games in a row, would you think I was crazy? Drunk? Just plain stupid?

(Well I am fighting a cold right now.)

But it's true. Yet still, the Canadiens unfortunately reminded us of the team we painfully watched last year Thursday night in Buffalo when they gave up a two goal lead in the third to lose in a shootout 5-4.

For their part, the Canadiens came back strong after a disappointing loss to arch rival Boston Bruins, falling 2-1 on Wednesday night in Montreal but let the Buffalo game slip away. Twitter-folk were screaming for Peter Budaj's head but the truth is, he had a solid outing and kept the Habs in the game in the second when they ran into penalty trouble.

Thomas "I'm on fire!" Vanek celebrates his game tying goal with 2 seconds left against the Habs Thursday night. Buffalo won in a shootout 5-4.

In the Bruins game the Habs roared out of the gate but an inability to capitalize and a hot goaltender in Tukka Rask did them in. That and the fact that Boston is a strong third period team and with a quick goal 14 seconds into the third, the Bruins stunned the Habs who came out flatfooted eventually leading to the winning goal a few minutes later.

So it goes sometimes. I don't mind the Habs losing like that -- sometimes that's just the way the puck bounces. And Tomas Plekanec finished the night minus two.

But as good players often do, Plekanec bounced back with two goals but unfortunately it wasn't enough.

But what I do mind is how the Canadiens lost the game to the Sabres.

What's worse is how Montreal took leads into the third period only to lose both games. That's also like last year. Ulp!

Ryan White re-entered the fray replacing Travis Moen against Buffalo and you have to wonder what is going on with this guy. Game after game, he's taking unnecessary penalties and putting this team in difficult situations. And with the Canadiens in full control 4-2 in the third period, the guy takes another pointless penalty, opening the door for the Sabres to get back into the game -- which they did when Vanek scored.

Ryan White is essentially playing his way off the team and straight into the press box. Two losses in a row sting and we can feel the pressure ratcheting up. And boy Therrien was pissed -- a very quiet, controlled pissed, mind you -- in his post-game scrum. He didn't call him out by name at first, but it was easy to know who he was talking about. Then right at the end he mentioned White and how it might not have been his best decision to put him in back in the lineup. Oof!

Twitter was ablaze with rants and raves when it was announced that Budaj would get the call over Price against the Sabres but the Habs are entering a tougher part of their schedule and Therrien needs to keep him fresh. This was as good an opportunity as any to get Budaj a start.

And what can you say about P.K. Subban? After sucking it up and taking his two-year "bridge" contract he's clicked right away with Andrei Markov and has put up points in each of his four games.

I was a bit surprised with Subban's reaction to his goal against Boston -- not that it was flamboyant or anything but it was a bit more energized than I had predicted earlier. Against the Sabres, Subban blasted a one-timer off a Markov pass past Miller on a five-on-three and kept his reaction muted.

There's a time and place for everything.

Next game against the Leafs back in Montreal. No need to panic, but is it fair to say it's a must-win for the Habs?

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Big thanks, or in hockey talk, stick tap to Anthony aka HabsHappy on twitter for the brand-spanking new masthead image which now sits at the top of this blog. The guy has some serious talent and he perfectly visualized my Habs Fan in LeafLand handle -- no easy feat. Still need to do some additional work on the design here but again, I can't thank him enough for donating his special skills and generosity. Check him out at www.arttocanvas.com

Follow-moi on le Twitter: @HabsFanLeafLand

THE NEW ALEX IN TOWN

GAME NUMERO 2: PK WHO? & GALCHENYUK POTS FIRST OF BEAUCOUP TO COME AS HABS DOWN PANTHERS

One game does not a season make. Err, or something like that.

Maybe it's only a 48 game season this year but it's going to be intense and concentrated. Teams are going to play multiple games in multiple nights. That means there will be hockey on the tube practically every night.

I like that.

First goal for Alex Galchenyuk, first point for Brendan Gallagher and first win for the second coming of head coach Michel Therrien. Habs beat Florida Panthers 4-1 in Montreal. AP

So the Habs who hadn't played since their loss to the Leafs on Saturday night were able to take advantage of a somewhat sluggish Florida Panthers team playing their third game in four nights, taking them down 4-1.

What a confidence boost for beleaguered dman Andrei Markov, scoring two power play goals -- the first on a two man advantage in the opening period giving the Habs a 2-0 lead after Tomas Plekanec opened the scoring less than four minutes in off a nice feed from Brian Gionta.

Markov and Diaz looked pretty darn good quarterbacking the power play, for this game at least.

What a confidence boost for the power play.
What a confidence boost for the players, for the franchise.
What a confidence boost for Markov's orthopaedic surgeon...

That's how you take the pressure off of GM Marc Bergevin in the Subban contract negotiations.

Subban 1 - Bergevin 1

Who will blink first?

Markov's second of the game restored the two goal cushion after penalties caught up to the Habs allowing the Panthers to cut the lead in half with a power play of their own. Actually this game was riddled with penalties but this time around the Canadiens won the special teams battle and that's how you win hockey games.That fact alone might just have saved the Canadiens a few million bucks with Subban.

That's the first time Markov has scored two goals in a game in four years!

"Hey Carey, just saying hi." Alex Kovalev floats through this one. Get used to it Florida. AP

No doubt there's lots of work to be done, but the Habs came out with a lot more intensity than on Saturday. So much so that Alex Kovalev seemed more interested in watching the game rather than actually playing in it.

We've seen that before. Well Florida fans, welcome to the enigma that is ALEXEI KOVALEV.

And who should score, one #27 to another but the new Alex in town -- ALEX GALCHENYUK. First of many for his NHL career in bleu-blanc-rouge.

Pretty much across the board to a player the team played with much more urgency and intensity. And Kaberle wasn't really noticeable and that's probably a good thing too. Hopefully the team can sustain this as they head out to play the Capitals in Washington.

Lars Eller was the one who took the brunt of the new culture that Therrien is trying to instill. You don't compete, you don't play. Ultimately he wasn't the only one that deserved the wrath of Therrien but with the victory tonight, hard to imagine the lineup will change against the Capitals.

It's going to be pretty interesting if the Canadiens can string a few more victories together and if Galchenyuk and Gallagher can put some more points up on the board. Very interesting.

Et la premiere etoile, da first star ALEX GALCHENYUK!!! Remember voted by the fans (not by me). But nevertheless!! Let the lovefest begin.

Enjoy it dude. And keep it up.

Follow moi on le twitter: @HabsFanLeafLand

RUT OR RUST?

GAME NUMERO 1: LEAFS SPOIL HABS HOME OPENER

It's a funny thing:

The Canadiens kicking the season off against the Leafs usually results in a loss -- last year they went down 2-0.

The Canadiens ending the season against the Leafs usually results in a win -- last year they won 4-1.

And so far this year is no different even with a condensed schedule; the Habs lost the home opener and will finish the season here in Toronto, probably with a win. Hopefully it means something.

It is universally accepted that the Habs' pregame ceremonies are the best in the business and last night was true to form.

Unfortunately for the Habs the results on the ice weren't that different either, putting in a lacklustre performance and falling to the Leafs 2-1. At least this time around they scored, though it took just over 54 minutes to get one.

Luckily for me, I had a previous engagement and didn't end up wasting my time watching the game. But I did check in from time to time over Twitter, and when I read Arpon Basu's tweet that the Canadiens' best line was the White - Armstrong - Prust line, you know it's going to be a long night.

And so the season begins with a dud. As my friend said: "It's an embarrassment to lose at home to the Leafs to begin the season." Hard to argue with that. The team's troubles at home continue and hopefully this isn't a carry-over from last year. There were some highlights though:

1) After being out of position on the first Toronto goal, Carey Price played a strong game and gave his team a chance to win;
2) Brian Gionta ended his scoring drought and so avoided the "Gomez treatment" of websites counting down the anniversary of his last goal (December 2011);
3) Brandon Prust dropped the gloves, showed grit and won his fight;
4) Alex Galchenyuk didn't impact the scoring sheet, but he didn't look out of place either.

Unfortunately though, the Habs put themselves behind the eight ball right from the get go by taking senseless penalties, with the game winning goal coming on a bit of an odd one: Plekanec got two minutes after giving goalie Ben Scrivens a snow job. While I don't agree with the call, Plekanec should know better than to put himself in that situation.

And the Canadiens' powerplay looked powerless even if their only goal was scored with the man advantage. This team continues to have trouble scoring goals.

And then of course the chants rang out for P.K. Subban. But let's be clear about something: last year's powerplay was pathetic, and P.K. was there the entire time. He is just one part of a larger cog, and is not the saviour of this team. Haven't we learned that it's a major mistake to base a team strategy around one puck-carrying dman!? Btw Andrei Markov got clocked from behind but is okay. He ended up playing 24 minutes.

Losses early in the season will play to Subban's advantage for his contract negotiations.

Whatever happens, happens. But let's hope it happens soon.

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VANCOUVER: It was a rough night for many home teams around the league. But what about the Canucks? Couldn't have gone any worse for their goaltending situation. Schneider gave up five goals only to be replaced by Luongo, who's now starting their next game. Nice. Personally I think that team missed their chance and are trending downwards anyways, no matter who's in nets.

FLORIDA: Jonathan Huberdeau lived up to the hype and had an immediate impact helping the Panthers win last night. But lookee here, l'Artiste Alex Kovalev turned back the clock scoring once and assisting on two others. He even tried to get out of the way took a hit to make a play on Huberdeau's goal. He's now tied for the league lead in points!!! And Florida is in Montreal to play the Habs on Tuesday. Canna wait!

DALLAS: Jaromir Jagr also had a big night with two goals and an assist. What's with these old guys eh? Maybe it makes sense that these guys can benefit the most with the majority of players still in preseason mode. Let's be honest. Yesterday's games will not be labelled and shelved as classic NHL hockey, as predicted. The game will eventually catch up to them for sure. But for now, it's fun to watch guys like Jagr and Kovalev contribute.

Maybe Dominic Hasek really should make a come back?

@HabsFanLeafLand

GET YOUR POPCORN READY!!!

GAME NUMERO 1: HABS VS. LEAFS

Well it's finally arrived, the start of the 2012-2013 NHL season. Kings fans must be ecstatic -- they can at least raise their one and only Stanley Cup banner and get on with it. We know the media is jumping for joy -- they now get to do what they're paid to do.

For us poor sod fans, we don't get much except what we wanted all along. That is, the chance to root for our home teams and debate about it at work. Is that so much to ask for???

But what about those rumours of free NHL CentreIce for us fans? What about something concrete to make us feel better about having our one and only pleasure watching hockey being robbed from us??

You know what we got? An apology... an apology from the NHL in the form of a letter, which ran this week in various sports pages, thanking us fans, asking us for forgiveness, and mentioning that our local team will be running special promotions for us.

Sounds like Nixon's famous secret plan to end the Vietnam War.

Feh!!!

I'm not coming back because of anything other than the fact that I love hockey in all its forms and rooting for the Montreal Canadiens is who I am! I'm not going to let "them" take that away from me. I (we) already lost the Expos. And even if the Habs were "lost" last season, at least there was something to talk about, carnivalesque or otherwise.

And just so it's clear:

• I'm not spending any money on anything NHL-related this season;
• I'm not paying to see a single hockey game in person and if I do (should tickets should fall into my lap), I ain't spending a dime at the rink. I'll bring my own popcorn, thank you very much.

SO GET YOUR POPCORN READY!

Here we are: a 48 game season kicked off with the Habs vs. the Leafs in Montreal. And what can us fans expect? Who knows!? Probably a lot of injuries.

Already Carey Price has tweaked a groin and as a goalie, I'm a bit concerned. I played through a groin injury one season a few years back and what happens is that it gets better as you rest it, then you play and it gets re-aggravated.

"I'm sorry. There will be no free NHL CentreIce this, or any other, season. I still get my huge salary though."

Over and over and over. Until you say finally, "I can't play for a few weeks" to let it heal once and for all. And that was just playing twice a week. So let's say I hope that Price and the medical staff know what they're doing, because it can really affect his performance and without a Carey Price at top form, the Habs are toast this year.

But will that be such a bad thing? Should our hopes really be high for this year!?

There's so much up in the air with this team, but one thing is for certain: the atmosphere has changed for the better, the talent on the ice is bigger and stronger, and a lot of players have a lot to prove:

1. Andrei Markov: can he be the gamer we knew and loved? And keep those knees together?
2. P.K. Subban: can the team move on without him, if necessary? (see 1.)
3. Colby Armstrong: playing for the team he grew up loving, can he stay healthy and still play an effective, physical game?
4. Rene Bourque: can he shut the naysayers up and show he's got what it takes to perform in the pot of pea soup that is Montreal hockey?
5. Brian Gionta: can he lead this team once again with grit and perseverance, and stay healthy?
6. Michel Therrien: from the land of RDS, can he stay within himself and not let his emotions get the better of him?
7. Tomas Kaberle: fitter than he was last year, can he show that he still has it?
8. Tomas Plekanec and co: can the pivot play with the same wingers for more than 3 games this year so he can form some sort of chemistry with them?
9. Alex Galchenyuk: you made the team and that's great. But can you show us that you are ready for this stage full-time?

Scott Gomez of course would have been on this list too... speaking of which:
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LEAGUE UPDATES, ETC.
So now that Scott Gomez has been officially bought out by the Canadiens, the man is free to sign with another team and good for him. There's reportedly been a lot of interest, and he may end up back in New Jersey.

Veteran defenseman Wade Redden signed a one year deal with the St. Louis Blues. Wow talk about coming out of exile. He played for the Hartford Connecticut Whale in the AHL last year. He must be happy to at least show he still may have a few years left in the tank. Or it could be a disaster, but from the Blues' point of view, there's not much to lose.

And our old friend Steve Begin has signed a league minimum one year deal with the Calgary Flames. Couldn't happen to a better guy. He never gave up, trained his arse off and came to camp ready.

Now what about Matthieu Darche? No contract as yet, but he's still with the team.

And then there's l'Artiste... AK27, way down in white-belt, white-shoes-land. ALEX KOVALEV MADE THE FLORIDA PANTHERS!!! The man is back, and not only that, he'll be in Montreal on Tuesday to play against the Habs. LOVE IT!!! Will he pull a Guy Lafleur and score a couple of goals? I hope so (Habs 6, Panthers 5).

Btw, I was following and tweeting about Kovalev all week without any fanfare, response or mention by any of the pro sports media. Then he gets a contract and it's news. You know, this twitter thing let me tell you, it's cool for instant info, but then you get hundreds of people tweeting the same thing and it's kind of boring.

TELL ME SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW!!

That's what I'm trying to do folks. Follow me: @HabsFanLeafLand

WHY THE RADIO SILENCE? PART 2

THOUGHTS on the LOCKOUT, HOW THE NEW DEAL AFFECTS PLAY ON THE ICE, THE SHORTENED SEASON, and what it all means.

So at least the hockey pundits on television are excited -- they have real hockey stuff to talk about. 

Like Alex Kovalev -- he was invited to the Florida Panthers camp!! Why not!?

Let's wish him well. The guy's 39 and hasn't played for over a year...

So the lockout is over, though not officially. The NHL Board of Governors are voting tomorrow but it should be a forgone conclusion. Andrei Markov decided to stay in Russia... for one more game. He's expected in Montreal on Thursday and training camps open this coming Sunday. Hey he needs all the ice time he can get.

The league officially announced a 48 game season today. Teams will play only within their conference and it breaks down like this:

5 games vs. two divisional opponents (10)
4 games vs. two divisional opponents (8)
3 games vs. ten conference opponents (30)

= 48

Giddy up.

So another reason the Stanley Cup final will be interesting this year is because in some ways it's akin to MLB's World Series where the competing teams never face each other in the regular season.

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Now everyone has been asking me if I'm happy hockey is back and if I will watch blah blah blah.

Of course I'm going to watch and follow it. I mean, I've been following hockey as long as I can remember. I'm not going to let all of these overpaid bums ruin something that I enjoy and care about. It would be like removing my right arm. Forget that. Not to sound like some cheezy Tim Horton's commercial, but it really is who I am!!@

And given I'm not even playing hockey because of my injury, man I need some hockey-love!!

If you're someone who has already committed to tickets, don't buy anything at the games! No beer, no  chien-chauds, no jerseys or foam fingers, nothing. Don't spend any money on this league. We the fans who get nothing out of this charade and this is the only way to give it to the man.



Good luck in la Florida Alex. Isn't that where retired folks go?

But what I won't be doing is going to the games. No hockey tickets, no merchandise, no nothing. I already have TSN and RDS, so that money is spent. And I'll try not to watch CBC's Hockey Night in Canada, just because I can't stand the ongoing bastardization of that once proud and true hockey telecast.


TSN ran a poll and two thirds of responders said the league won the lockout. Guess what? There's no winners here. Especially those good folks who make their living working in hockey like the concession people at the rinks etc. No doubt, the business structure of the NHL needed fixing to remain profitable, and that helps everyone involved. ESPECIALLY THE PLAYERS.

I have to admit, it was hard for me to feel any empathy for the players through this affair. I mean, here's a bunch of twenty and thirty year olds, playing a game that we pay to play, make millions of dollars of year, get the top shelf women, the best restaurant tables, dates with Paulina Gretzky -- the perks are endless. Hey, I've said all along, I'd start in nets for the Leafs for a 100K a year. What a deal?
But no doubt, some of the owners are a  bit sleazy, they make an even bigger pile of dough, and they're just as greedy as the players. 

So how does the deal affect the game we're going to watch this year? Well this year, it's a crapshoot as to who will win, and that could be fun. No real rule changes to report. But one thing the league is implementing is a change in the draft lottery. Now teams can't tank the rest of the season to improve their chances for the top pick because all 14 teams who miss the playoffs will have a shot. Makes the lottery that much more exciting too.

You can read about the specifics about the new CBA and all that stuff, but one thing I'm happy about is the fact that it's a 10 year deal with an opt-out at 8. At least we won't have to go through this in another 5 years and one thing is for certain: Gary Bettman will no longer be the commissioner when that time comes. Now I don't have the same kind of hate for him that other have, but the fact is he's been commissioner for 20 years now, and I can't see it lasting longer then the next few years. This deal is his swan song. 

Of course king windbag Donald S. Cherry had to flap his yap and say we wouldn't have hockey at all this season if it wasn't for Bettman. Whatever... you'll be off television next year when the CBC loses Hockey Night in Canada.

And hopefully this is the last time we'll ever see Donald Fehr... because when he shows up it means the fans get the shaft.

PART 3: HOW the HABS will SHAPE UP

It was quite the summer... and fall... and winter...

WHY THE RADIO SILENCE?
PART 1

Yes the summer was off to a great start.

The Kings were the deserved Stanley Cup champs, proving that any team in the big dance at season's end has a chance if they get on a roll. Clutch scoring throughout the lineup combined with great goaltending is usually a recipe for success.

Oh man and when the Caps beat the Bruins in OT to win that series -- man that was good.
Finally the long nightmare was over.

Teams made some big-time signings, the biggest fish being Rick Nash who was nabbed by the Rangers. Zach Parise and Ryan Suter both signed with Minnesota. Guillaume Latendresse signed with the Sens. He'll be an impact player there, for sure. Uh huh.

On the Habs front, much news. We know Bergevin came in as GM then hired Michel Therrien for his second go-round as Habs head coach. Although I have to say I'm not a huge Therrien fan, he is much more experienced this time around and he did take the Pens to the finals. So let's hope for the best.

Then shortly thereafter the draft came along and the Habs picked Alex Galchenyuk as the third pick overall. Big, gifted scorer whom everyone says that if he was healthy, he would've gone number one instead of Yakupov. Well we'll see. But he looks promising for sure and hopefully this one pans out. The last thing we need is another Doug Wickenheiser.

Therrien already has an improved team to work with. Price was signed, Darche was not. Brandon Prust was signed, Brad Staubitz -- not. What about Campoli!? You're out. Francis "the bulldog" Bouillon? You're back baby!! Add Colby Armstrong who has much to prove and you have a team with a lot more sandpaper.

And then there's Andrei "keep away from my knees" Markov, who made his return thankfully at the end of the season -- but who can honestly say that was the "real" Markov!?

Smiling "Mike" Therrien, new head coach of the Montreal Canadiens. Let's hope the smiling continues.

He looked like he was playing shinny out there, and he should be thankful there is a note of compassion with players in this league, who stayed away from him like he was Wayne Gretzky circa 1982, where if you breathed on him you got a face full of Dave Semenko.

This could be the biggest ? for the Habs this shortened-season. Will Andrei Markov return to his pre-injury form and be the man for the powerplay? Big question... soon to be answered, thankfully. The man has been playing in the KHL so at least he's game shape.

Captain Brian Gionta looks to put last year's injury-riddled debacle behind him and have a bounce back year. He definitely has it in him. He's a battler.

Then there's P.K. Subban. Man this guy has been everywhere during the lockout. I'm almost sick of seeing him. Now's the time to shut that big yapper and play. And play well my friend. The Habs will sign him probably over the next few days.

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And what about me? I was taking a nice writing-free hockey vacation, enjoying the summer and playing lots of sports which included hockey, softball and golf mostly, when just before the Canada Day weekend -- I PARTIALLY TORE AN ACHILLES TENDON!!!

Yes, go on and say it. "Ooohhh." Man if I had a buck for all the times I heard "Ooohh" over the last six months, I could maybe afford to go see a Leafs game. Not that I'm going to any games this year, nor should you...

But here's what happened: playing softball, I hit a clutch two-out single to drive in a run. The next batter hit a solid single into short right field and I exploded off of first base, took two strides then suddenly BAM! The first sensation was the feeling of getting hit in the leg, like the ball hit me. But then I saw the ball in right field. I've read the sensation is akin to getting shot. Now, I don't know what that's like, but you should know this: the sound was audible. Then the next sensation was as if I stepped into a pothole. Just nothing down there.

This is what happens when a forty-year-old man still tries to play sports like he's twenty.

HabsFan in Leafland with Mr. Teddy recouping from the torn achilles. Good thing this dog doesn't know how to mix drinks...yet!

Still, I somehow "legged" it out and got myself down to second base, safely, before dropping to the ground.

Before I was carried off the field, I already had the diagnosis -- my teammate had the same thing happen a few years back. "Torn achilles, see?" He pointed to a 4 inch scar at the back of his ankle. "Get the surgery." "How long?" I asked. "Well, maybe 4 months."

Waahh!

I couldn't drive, I couldn't walk, I couldn't do much except for sit. So I sat. I ate, I drank, I self-medicated, I watched a lot of movies and worked from home. I cursed my house, which has wayyyyy too many stairs. AND THIS WAS ONLY A PARTIAL TEAR. Luckily for me, I supposedly had one of the good tears. Yeah, whatever. I HAD TO SIT DOWN TO TAKE A SHOWER!! That freaking shower chair was a symbol for my predicament, for sure. Hard cast for four weeks, walking cast for another four. Physio for months. Fear of not walking properly and being known as the gimp hereafter. Even my girlfriend at the time laughed at me -- which I didn't appreciate very much, she's a goner. Worse, maybe never playing golf and hockey again, my two passions. Softball!? Stupid game, probably never going to play it again. Just not worth it.  And here I was thinking I would write, write, write. But I became very demoralized and unmotivated to do much of anything to be honest.

I LOST MY MOJO.

And then this stupid lockout happened and so I figured, I'll just write this blog again when it ends. I took the fall/winter off from sports, did my physio, worked hard to get better and now I think I'm about 90%. Ready to start working out and getting back to where I was at when I was standing on first base back in June.

And today the lockout is over. So here I am. Who would've thought it would have taken so long!? Well, sort of predictable when you get two stubborn, egotistical SOBs like Gary Bettman and Donald Fehr facing off against each other. As Lindy Ruff so aptly said last season with what I will continue to use whenever and wherever it's appropriate: "It's A JOKE!!"

One word of wisdom from my injury: drinking while on crutches might sound like a good idea, but it's really not...

Anyhow, it's good to be back. Wish it was to a million dollar salary like those players but whatever... so long as the beer's cold, right?

PART 2: THOUGHTS on the LOCKOUT, HOW THE NEW DEAL AFFECTS PLAY ON THE ICE, THE SHORTENED SEASON, and what it all means.

Markov, Draft and Laffs

So the Habs as a team have decided they do have pride, they do care, they do want to win. And it actually looks like they're having fun again. Better late than never I guess.

How else do you describe 7 points out of a possible 8 when the season is gone gone gone... I mean lost!?

I'm so happy to see Pacioretty get to the 30 goal mark and Erik Cole now with 27 and closing in fast.

It seems lately they're the only ones that score, along with Desharnais and Subban.

I'm a bit concerned though. Now the Canadiens have 67 points and are tied with Carolina and Long Island, but only remain last in the Eastern Conference because those two teams have a game in hand which they use tonight. It looks like our best chance to pick up Grigorenko over the summer is to finish 3rd last but this might be tough now, with the team playing for pride and now even the lowly Maple Leafs, on a death spiral unmatched by any other team in the league this year, are only 1 point up on the Habs.

Oh yeah? Speaking of Cole's goal in last night's 3-2 SO win over the Senators, he officially takes the cake for one of the funnier moments for the Canadiens this year by high-fiving the referee after scoring:



Sigh. What can't this guy do??? He scores, makes us laugh. His 27 goals this year tops his 26 scored last year for the Hurricanes. Great job Erik!

---------------------------------------------
It was like a dream this past Saturday night. I'm on my couch, game glow from tv washing my face in the dark. I turn to my dog to see him licking himself when I first hear it: "Markov over to Subban..."

Wait a sec! This can't be real. I must be dreaming. I turn back to the tv: "Markov makes a terrific outlet pass to Eller, he's in all alone!!!"

I swear, I felt like crying. I've done enough of that lately with the death of Gary and all, but this was a great moment. It was like looking into the past. It didn't seem real. But it was. And boy did it ever feel good to see that no-look, one-time touch pass from Markov right into Subban's wheelhouse for a goal on the powerplay. Markov jumped into P.K.'s arms. Good for him.

Andrei Markov makes his return to action in his first game since November 2010 against the Vancouver Canucks this Saturday. The Habs won 4-1. Pic: Rich Lam/Getty Images.

I wish you all the best Andrei. Stay well. Your skill and poise makes me wonder what the year might have looked like had you come back in November as originally advertised. I'm sure Jacques Martin is thinking the same thing right now.

Markov's return brings to mind another key figure absent from the ice: Brian Gionta. Oh yeah, remember him?

-------------------------------------

The Laffs. Death spiral. What was I singing last year!? "Freefalling" by Tom Petty? Yeah, that's right. The Maple Leafs, no playoffs for you. But you know what really makes me laugh!? It's the way the team has been covered all season by the local press. "The Leafs" have turned the corner." "The Leafs are on their way to the playoffs." "The Leafs need to rest Reimer for the playoffs" blah blah blah.

What a joke!

How can it be that I was the only one to see how that Maple Leafs team led by Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul were seriously overachieving for the first half of the season!? That the team's good start was only going to make their fall that much greater by season's end. I mean, the team was scoring as if it were going out of style. Did you really think Kessel was going to score 70 goals? It's one thing to win games by 6-5 or 5-4 scores like they were earlier in the season, but the thing that was completely overlooked by Leafs Nation was that they had to shore up the defense otherwise, they were doomed. And now, they're doomed.

And that's exactly it. The Leafs were doomed because secondary scoring has been streaky, Kessel and Lupul came back down to earth, and the goaltending didn't change. That is, whoever is in nets is letting in 3 goals plus per game. Not gonna cut it.

And I blame now former coach Ron Wilson 100% for mismanaging the goaltenders. All along they were like "If it wasn't for Gustavsson, we'd be out of it." But then he goes and starts Reimer, the eager yet technically-flawed "real deal" goaltender who -- let's face it -- is having a terrible season. What message does that send to Gustavsson?

True Reimer had that concussion which certainly could account for his play upon returning to action. But look at Ryan Miller. After fighting his own concussion issues he's now playing lights-out hockey. But Reimer has been over-valued. He's not that good. His technique is flawed. He's often out of position. He swims around his crease. He plays too far back. He crouches too low.

He needs help. And now they've fried Gustavsson who for sure has let in more than his share of stinkers this year. But I know goaltending is a tough mental position and when your coach praises you then starts the other guy, tough to play your best. At least Randy Carlysle recognized this and played Gustavsson for the last five games or so. Even if he did lose all but one, that one being against the Habs.

Got to wonder about Burke's decisions as GM for this team. Signs Colby Armstrong -- hurt more than he's played. Signed Matthew Lombardi -- disappointment. Signed Connolly -- disappointment. Signed Reimer to a big contract in the offseason after putting up decent numbers last year when no pressure was on him -- major disappointment. And of course -- and there are others -- trades away the team's 1st round draft pick in 2010 to the Bruins for Phil Kessel. That pick became Tyler Seguin, who is making a name for himself around the league, has tremendous speed, great hands, good head on his shoulders, and best of all, is a Leafs-killer. Phil Kessel? Sure, 30 plus goals. But 20 of those were scored before the end of December... and now Damien Cox is writing that now's a good time to trade him. Yah!? If only they can find a dance partner. Good luck with that.

So check out this great video parody, if Hitler were a Leafs fan!! I gotta start doing some things like this. Next year folks, get ready for HabsFan in Leafland taking it to the next level this summer.

Groundhog Day Habs Style

Yesterday was Groundhog Day. How fitting was that given the Canadiens did what they seem to be good at doing this year, over and over... and over? That is of course, losing a game where on 2 separate occasions they were up by 2 goals.


Punxsutawney Phil. This cute and well fed little critter saw his shadow yesterday. We saw the Habs's season go straight to the devil based on another repeat performance.

When will this stop? Certainly not this year. Yes, it's all about next year folks. I'm fine with it too. Sure I wanted to be bold and brash and be the first to predict a cup for our Canadiens this year, but hey, I'm not perfect. I'm the most American-Canadian you'll find. I sometimes shoot then ask questions. I like bourbon. And I don't like the winter...

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow when he crawled out of his burrow yesterday. Isn't he cuddly? He certainly looks well fed. Anyhow that means six more weeks of winter!!! Which might be a good thing for the Habs, they need all the help they can get because their summers are fast approaching.

But as I've written previously, a top-five pick is terrific news, especially since this team isn't that far off. Yes, I really believe that. Hey, just because things don't seem to be working doesn't mean it's blow-up time. A car can be in perfect working order but if a tire is flat it won't go anywhere.

So that's that. On the bright side, Louis Leblanc was called up last night and had a good game. All in all it was a bit of a strange one though. Bourque's shot hit Desharnais off his head for the first goal. Puck stopped right on the line for Price on a Kovalchuk backhand in the first period and somehow stayed out. Elias hit Blunden from behind and got fined today $2500. Blunden will probably be out awhile. P.K. Subban just drilled and I mean pasted Larsson and sent him back to his childhood. Price let in a total stinker that even I could've saved. Then the refs decided they had enough and didn't want to go to OT, so they ignored a blatant hooking call when Cole tried to clear the puck out of his zone which led to Parise's game winner.

Well at least Ryan White and Travis Moen are about ready to come back to action. Don't expect Markov to play this year.

Ho hum, c'est la vie. And that's the season folks. So now... who should we pick in the 2012 draft with our top 5 pick? More on that to come.

NEXT GAME MARKS ONE FULL YEAR SINCE SCOTT GOMEZ SCORED A GOAL!!! Absolutely terrible and unacceptable...HE'S THE TEAM'S HIGHEST PAID PLAYER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Enjoy It!!

Montreal, Quebec. Was that your 2012 Canadiens or the 1977 flying Frenchmen??
A resounding 7-2 victory over the NHL-tops Detroit Red Wings does the Habs body good.

This really was a classic Original Six matchup. The Habs clobbered the Wings just like dem old times!

Bourque opened the scoring with a good ol' dirty goal, driving the net hard while the rejuvenated but still goal-less Scotty Gomez showed some speed and fed the puck into the crease before bouncing off of Bourque's leg.

Alexei Emelin congratulated by his teammates after scoring his first NHL goal against the Detroit Red Wings. Habs won the game 7-2.

And just in case you weren't paying attention, because you know I am:

Rene Bourque:
5 GP; 2 G; 1 A; +1; 5 PIM (for fighting)

Michael Cammalleri
5 GP; 1 G; 0 A; -4; 4 PIM

So who got the player in that recent deal, Mr. PuckDaddy???

Desharnais scored two nice goals while Cole and Pacioretty each had one for the line that just keeps on clicking. Tommy Plekanec got one, and Alexei Emelin scored his first in the NHL. Well deserved Alexei. Both Lars Eller and Andrei Kostitsyn also had strong outings.


Desharnais and Pacioretty have serious chemistry together -- something they've put on display since playing together in Hamilton.

Habs now enter the All-Star break on a high and feeling a bit better about themselves, 8 points out of the last playoff spot in the East. At least we can have something to talk about other than P.K. Subban. 3-0-2 in their last five games is good with the clock ticking this team needs all the points it can get.

Two wins in a row is nice. Ten would be better.

Your Habs need to get on a roll. A serious roll, if they want to make the playoffs. It's still not impossible. Nobody is giving up... yet.

Et tu, Markov?

PS: Love Mike Babcock and love his loyalty and allegiance to McGill University -- my alma mater too. Always sports the McGill club tie when he coaches against the Habs. Now wouldn't he look good wearing that behind the Habs bench someday!? What would it take to get the man to coach the Canadiens????

500 Hockey = No Playoffs

The Habs picked up a big two points yesterday afternoon in Los Angeles with a 2-1 win over the Kings.

That's good.

Louis Leblanc picked up his first point in the NHL on a sweet play with Kostitsyn and Eller, and now has more points than Aaron Palushaj -- who was sent back to Hamilton today.

That was really good.

The Habs ended their western swing with 3 out of a possible 6 points.

That's not good enough.


The team averted a total disaster by winning yesterday but threw away valuable points in San Jose the previous game. The late 3rd period tying goal by the Sharks was certainly one Carey Price would like back. But we're not going to play the blame game today. All we can hope is the Habs keep working hard and try to get better, because right now -- as I mentioned above -- it's not good enough.

Louis Leblanc and Andrei Kostitsyn fight for the puck in Los Angeles yesterday afternoon. The Habs beat the Kings 2-1, salvaging 3 out of 6 points on their western swing. Photo: Harry How/Getty.

Let's look at yesterday's game. Mike Richards was out and probably helped Montreal's cause as the team came out flat and was lucky to take a 1-0 lead to the 1st intermission on Tomas Plekanec's powerplay goal. Finally the team broke through on the powerplay which has practically flatlined.


Price made a terrific reaction save after a really weird bounce off the glass almost found its way to the back of the net.

Andrei Kostitsyn had a great game and made a great play on Plekanec's goal by taking the hit in front of the net and somehow passing it back to Plekanec at the same time. Then he converted for the winning goal on a terrific play started by Louis Leblanc and finished by Kostitsyn after a nifty give-and-go with Lars Eller.


Obviously, it's easy to already see that Louis Leblanc is an upgrade to Palushaj so it's no surprise he's staying with the team for at least the short-term. The Habs need goal production and hopefully he can help out with his strong work ethic.


Keeping with Leblanc, his parents were able to see him play in Anaheim because of the extreme generosity of Erik Cole. What a class guy... Leblanc's parents had trouble finding last minute flights, and Cole stepped in to make sure it happened. A great example how this guy is a total leader and class act for the team off of the ice.


With the win, the team at least could head home on the 5 hour flight with a lot of positive energy and reload for a must win against Columbus. Max Pacioretty will be back after completing his 3 game suspension for his hit on Kris Letang last Saturday.


And, the update on Mr. Andrei Markov as provided by Mr. Pierre Gauthier is that Mr. Markov is out at least another 3 weeks because he needs to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his surgically repaired knee. Hoo boy...

Start Weak Finish Strong?

Start weak finish strong? A metaphor for the Canadiens' 2011-2012 season?
Perhaps.

But it was exactly just that with last night's 4-3 shootout win in Carolina over the struggling Hurricanes.

Carey Price and his team started slow, fell behind early 2-0 but fought back to tie the game on two separate occasions to eventually win in a shootout.

A few positives from this game:
a) Nice to see the team come back from behind to win, especially in the third period;
b) The team finally won a shootout on Brian Gionta's goal (even if he was -3 on the night);
c) The team won a game when Carey Price didn't have his A-game;
d) Lars Eller scored a short-handed goal in the 2nd period which gave the team some momentum;
e) Scott Gomez injured!?

Travis Moen tips the puck past Cam Ward last night in Raleigh. Canadiens won the game 4-3 in a shootout.

Yes Gomez did not finish the game with a supposed lower-body injury...good or bad my friends!?

Minus Brian Gionta, who really misses the guy? He hasn't been an impact player at all for the Habs, and frankly takes up valuable playing time away from guys like Eller who was slowly coming into his own when Gomez was out previously.

One game out of 15 in Gomez's case is not good enough. We know that. Jacques Martin knows that. Pierre Gauthier must certainly know that. So why is he playing so much??

For the last few seasons the Habs have kind of limped into the playoffs. I wouldn't mind them getting on a roll late in the season for a change. Maybe this will be the year. After passing the quarter mark, the team is out of a playoff position, but only a few points back. So lots can happen.

And what are the positives thus far?

The emergence of Max Pacioretty as a Johnny Leclair type power-forward for the Canadiens.
The acquisition of Erik Cole, who has finally given the team power and speed on the wing and a net presence.
The ever-present, consistent play of Tomas Plekanec, our best all-around player and one of the NHL's most underrated players.
Josh Gorges regaining his previous form after a tough start -- proving he's the real deal and playing himself into a nice contract starting next season.
Travis Moen scoring more goals in 21 games than all of last season, with 7? Now that's a bonus. He must really want to stay with the Habs for next season.
The young defence play of Yannick Weber, Raphael Diaz and to a lesser extent Alexei Emelin, showing they can play and be effective on the backend in this league. Now you can add Frederic St. Denis to the mix.

And finally ...

Andrei Markov skating with the team... and set to make his return. Soooooon, we hope.

Phew.

There's plenty of room for improvement, including more consistency from Price; more production from Gionta and Cammelari; more production from the powerplay; and more consistency from Subban.

Tough game in Philly on Friday afternoon. Habs need to put together a winning streak to keep pace with the other teams in their division, especially if the Toronto Kesseleafs keep fluking off wins...

An Open Letter to Pierre Gauthier

Mnsr Pierre Gauthier
General Manager
Montreal Canadiens Hockey Club
Bell Centre
Montreal, QC

Dear Mr. Gauthier,

First off let me say that I do not envy you. Your job is very difficult. Especially when there are millions of people who think they could do it better than you. It's easy for me to sit back, crack open a cold one and shout at the television screen and pretend that I know what I'm talking about. It's easy for me to think that I would have made all the right moves for the Canadiens in the offseason.

Although I must say, I have been watching and playing hockey for almost 30 years and I do feel I know a think or two about the game, especially where the Montreal Canadiens are concerned.

It's also easy for me to think that immediate action needs to be taken to put to a halt this epic and record slide for our team to start the 2011-2012 season. A season, I will inform you, in which I boldly predicted the Montreal Canadiens would win the Stanley Cup.

And while I'm still not throwing in the towel on that seemingly foolhardy prediction, I do think that you need to face up to reality and get with the program -- which is to start making the very tough decisions. Okay, start making more tough decisions.

I know it was tough letting Mr. Roman Hamrlik go this offseason. I know it was tough signing Mr. Andrei Markov to a 3 year contract when he's barely played for the past two seasons and still has no definite timetable as to his return. You have a difficult job with many tough decisions. And you make them.

That's why it's so important for you to make another one now and relieve head coach Mr. Jacques Martin from his current duties.

Mr. Martin is a professional coach. A winning NHL coach. A good guy who speaks French and is respected by many people. Unfortunately it is becoming very clear that he does not have the respect of his players -- the players that you assembled -- to put forward our best chance to winning a championship this season.

Mr. Gauthier, I call on you to begin the process of replacing Mr. Martin as head coach of the Montreal Canadiens. No matter what the press and media say, there are some very viable options out there. I have already come forward to present Marc Crawford -- former NHL coach and former Stanley Cup winning coach as a potential candidate. There is also Ken Hitchcock, who although has not had much success of late as a head coach, is a professional and dedicated man who could bring a new structure to this team. And he worked for Bob Gainey in the past, winning Dallas' only championship.

There are others, too.

I truly believe the pieces you have assembled for this year's edition of the Montreal Canadiens are strong and although we have a few injuries, if healthy, this is the best team Montreal has iced since our last championship in '93. I know I'm not the only one to think this.

But your team is not playing up to its full potential and I think I know why. They no longer buy into Mr. Martin's system and they are not playing the kind of system that would help them to prosper and excel. Namely, a system that would allow them to maximize their full potentials.

Mr. Gauthier, it hurts me to see my beloved Montreal Canadiens in such a state. It hurts me to listen to people kick the Habs while it's down, especially in Toronto. And it hurts me to see such great and proud players struggle for answers. They know this cannot continue. I hope you do too.

I eagerly look forward to your decision and quick attention to this matter.

Yours very truly,

Ari Grief
Habs Fan in LeafLand

PS: Can I have an autographed Carey Price rook gamer jersey? Thanks in advance. HFLL

DESPERATION!!

DESPERATION!!! And I don't mean Habs Nation should be desperate. I'm talking about the way the Canadiens need to play to be successful.

Carey Price makes the save against the Avalanche's Milan Hejduk last night at the Bell Centre. Montreal lost the game in a shootout 6-5.

Off to a slow start last night and down 1-0 early on, the Canadiens ramped up their energies and began playing with desperation. And it started to show results.

For stretches last night, the Habs put a lot of pressure on Colorado and generated many scoring opportunities. There was desperation to their play and they were able to come back and take leads in various stages of the game, the last coming off of a two goal in 20 seconds spurt in the 3rd period to only give up the tying goal late while killing a penalty by Diaz.

So this is -- as they say -- a work in progress. There were a lot of encouraging signs for the team though. Cole, Gomez and Gionta ended their 0-fers. The Desharnais - Pacioretty - Kostitsyn line was great last night -- Pacioretty showed not only a scorer's touch but playmaking abilities as well on that sweet feed on Desharnais' goal -- which by the way was created only by the hustle and insanely good backhand pass of Andrei Kostitsyn.

Plekanec was... Plekanec. Too bad he hit the post in the shootout but dem's the breaks.

Price had an off night. He knows it and he'll be better. There's no doubt about that. But the defense does look a bit soft. Gill and Subban both had rough nights, Subban having his pocket picked in centre ice by Paul Stastny who then came in alone to slide the puck between Price's pads for Colorado's 4th goal of the game.

This team needs to play hungry, desperate hockey for 60 minutes until their defensive-end coverage finds its identity. It's also obvious for the time being that for the team to win, Price has to be practically lights-out game after game -- and he wasn't last night.

We're getting there. Last year we didn't start hard out of the gates either. And there's more optimistic news. Reports say that Andrei Markov will begin skating with the team next week. Let's hope he's not that far off from making his return. Not that we shouldn't put all our hopes onto his shoulders, but let's face it -- the Habs are a much, much better team with him in the lineup.

Next game is at home against the Buffalo Sabres -- the first real test of the season.

Still a Work in Progress

Last night's game at the Bell Centre against the Tampa Bay Lightning was the closest thing so far to a regular season game in terms of lineup and flow and the one positive we can take away from last night's 4-0 loss is that it still is a preseason game and counts for nothing.

Scott Gomez watches as Tampa Bay goaltender Dwayne Roloson lunges for puck in Montreal last night. Photo: AP

Missed assignments, lack of finishing and a couple of other bounces leave the Habs looking for answers as we near the start of the season. I mean when you have a two-man power play for practically a full 2 minutes and fail to score, you know there's still work to do.

Peter Budaj got the start and was shaky right from the onset; probably the most astute and entertaining moment of the game came when RDS' colour man Marc Denis, standing next to Carey Price in between the two benches, commented that "... here's something you won't see very often this year -- Carey Price sitting next to me." True dat.

To his defense Budaj was screened on Stamkos' second goal in the first period by David Desharnais, who's probably still wondering why he was standing in front of his own goal on that play, but Budaj was as loose as a Vegas slot machine. Soft rebounds, swiss-cheese holey, bad execution. He'll take his spot next to Denis and probably won't look back from there. The Habs should have been down 3-0 if it weren't for a quick whistle on a Vincent Lecavallier slapper that dribbled through Budaj to roll into the net. On the other side Dwayne Roloson -- the only player left in the NHL born in the Sixties, was sucking those up with ease like a Dyson on dirt.

I guess there were a couple of positives from this game:

1) The Canadiens did have some good scoring chances, but just didn't bury them. That'll come;
2) Chris Campoli played in his first game as a Hab, and was solid;
3) Josh Gorges fell awkwardly on his repaired knee in the third period, but got up without issue.

Meanwhile Andrei Markov meets with his doctors today to find out where he's at. He's skating, just not with the team as yet. Get well Andrei, we need you.

Now the team heads to Quebec City to play the same Tampa squad to finish out the preseason. The Habs are 1-6 in the season that counts for nothing. It all begins in earnest in Toronto October 6.

ON ANOTHER NOTE:

MLB is heading towards its postseason and it is now apparent -- to me at least -- that the pendulum is starting to swing the other way for Boston sports teams. The Red Sox's epic collapse gives me hope that all the bad karma from the Bruins last year is slowly beginning to even out this year. Finger-pointing in Boston abounds and now reports indicate that former Expo Terry Francona is going to be fired as Red Sox head coach.

And to top if off, the Atlanta Braves (the team of the 90's -- phooey) also completed an epic collapse of their own, losing the wild card on the last game of the season to the St. Louis Cardinals.

I don't really hate the Red Sox like I do the Bruins, but dem Braves -- dem bums got what they deserved!!

When's that new stadium being built in Montreal, btw? :)