Columbus Blue Jackets used the Bob Gainey playbook to embarrass Canadiens on their general manager’s big night.
The visitors played tough, disciplined defensive hockey. Columbus managed just 22 shots on Carey Price, but three of them went in.
At the other end of the ice, Pascal Leclaire made 31 saves to record his nith shutout of the year.
The 25-year-old native of Repentigny was the game’s first star, but the sad truth was he was minimally tested.
Canadiens did not get bodies in front of Leclaire. Few shots were directed from the slot. Leclaire controlled what few rebounnds he allowed, and his defence – led by ageless Adam Foote – made sure Canadiens could not mount anything resembling sustained pressure.
The game was dreadfully boring. With a 2-0 lead 10 minutes in, Columbus spent the next 50 minutes frustrating the Canadiens.
Dump-ins didn’t work. The Blue Jackets pounced on them and quickly launched transition.
The Canadiens’ power play went 0-for-6, including a 5-on-3 for 1:10 in the second period.
As I ruefully write these words, Dave Stubbs is in the losing room, collecting clichés and rationalizations for audio that will be posted on the main site.
Loading ...
According to RDS, Steve Begin will be in the line-up tonight. ahe always provides a spark with his energy and grit.
I put this up:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Bob_Gainey_Tribute/
Not sure if it’ll have any legs but I thought I’d do it just out of respect for Gainey. Hopefully, the guy gets to read it at some point. Add your thoughts if you wish!
_____________________________________________________
Remember February 19th: The Comeback
Lafleur scored again…pretty good hands. Marcel Dionne is there…he is sooooo small.
_____________________________________________________
Remember February 19th: The Comeback
I’ve always attributed my own difficulties with the language of Molière to my New Brunswick birth. Been trying to wrap my tongue correctly for 54 years …
I’m reading that book at the moment. Probably the highest praise you can get from Dryden.
Point taken….The bye’s will do fine
I’ve always attributed my own difficulties with the language of Molière to my New Brunswick birth. Been trying to wrap my tongue correctly for 54 years …
Mike was just pointing out, since he’s there, that the group was struggling with pronouncing that part of the song…
take it easy there man!
Àre you saying `who cares` about what people from down-east think?
Who cares?
I consider myself a pretty athletic guy, and I have trouble with curling. I’ve tried it several times, had a blast, ended up on my ass more times than I care to admit, and hit the button maybe once in a couple hundred tries. Anyone who can do what these people do, at the elite level, is a bona fine athlete as far as I’m concerned.
PUHlease womens curling LOL it’s not even that I hate curling I just dont think of it as much of a sport and maybe not one at all. I guess maybe if one likes to watch lawn bowling, darts and poker……
I also think of how non-existent the crowds are at these events all the empty seats. I remember them having one of their “big” tourneys in Hamilton and the attendance was sparce or non existant.
“If I could be a forward, I would want to be Bob Gainey.”
-Ken Dryden, from “The Game”
’nuff said.
If it means getting back to solid, fundamental defense, I wouldn’t mind a 2-1, or 1-0 game.
The last couple of games, while exciting, have been a bit of a mess back there.
Let’s hope they can all channel Gainey’s aptitudes, and really put a lock-down on the Columbus attackers.
Conklin got a shot already in Edmonton and couldn’t carry the ball. I compare Conklin to Patrick Lalime.
I used to see Rejean Houle at the Carb (bar that was in alexis nihon plaza) all the time.
Just came back from a tour of the Bell center 30 minutes ago, lots of people buzzing around. We went into the Montreal alumni lounge, guess who walked in, Rejean Houle.
Tonight’s game is going to me amazing, I can’t wait.
thank God Steve’s in
I get a sore groin when he doesn’t play
Wouldn’t a guest book or something be a little more appropriate than a petition? Nice idea, just the wrong kind of forum IMO.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=230330&hubname=nhl
the hunt(er) is off.
Thanks for that, I signed it, good idea!!!
I like to refer to Feb.19th as the “Rockey of hockey”.
Big center, did somebody say big center? LMAO.
I don’t want to get too cocky for tonight’s game….hope the players don’t as well
Columbus with 65 points in the west will not lie down and let our boys cruise to victory as a gift for Bob.
Nothing would be sweeter for them if they can spoil the party in our house.
So I hope les Habs are done dreaming about the cup and the parade and get back to playing solid , 60 min of hockey.
Go Habs Go!
There’s a mouse in my wall (probably a leaf fan sent to spy on me) and I want to scare the fazoolis out of him tonight with many screams of “ET LE BUT”!!!!!!!!!!!!
You know what they say: it’s the thought that counts. ;-D
_____________________________________________________
Remember February 19th: The Comeback
I have a feeling that Yann Danis might be OUR Conklin: Life-long minor leaguer that we won’t bother giving a chance to but could very well be an excellent goalie.
I love Halak, huge fan and this could probably apply to him too, but the difference between our 2 is that we often hear ”Brink up Halak”….never ”Bring up Danis” Poor guy.
saku koivu conspiracy theory
maybe the refs let saku’s hooks go 95% of the time and select a good spot to let it break our backs. e.g. one goal leads, when we’re trying to make our comeback, etc. match fixing!
JT (and Mike for posting it),
I think the idea to donate $23 to the Gainey foundation is a wonderful gesture.
On the day of his jersey’s retirement, how better to honour him than to donate to a cause that honours his late wife and daughter.
Gainey has always given me the impression that, as much as he will feel pride for what he will be given tonight, he would feel that much more pride to know that he is giving. We can all help with that.
Thanks for the idea.
Conklin is awesome this year. I feel for Fleury when he comes back. Therrien must have went with the Québécois goalie strategy against us on Thursday, there is no way Sabourin should be starting over Conklin against one of the best teams in the East unless of some crazy Habs curse. A curse that is very, very real.
My favorite all-time player… In the words of Dick Irvin at the Forum closing: “Russian coach Viktor Tikhonov once said of him, as far as technique was concerned, he was the best player in the world.” Robert Michael Gainey.
It’s about damn time…
Yeah it was pretty sweet with the big glove hand
Did anybody see that HUGE save Conklin made on Mezaros just now? He pulled a Huet by making a bad play outside his net, came sliding into his crease, on the ground, Mezzy shoots and he just raises his arm to catch the puck. Beautiful. Ottawa sucks.
The last time Montreal won the cup, one of their top center’s had 98 minutes in penalties. Clearly the writing is on the wall.
How often does Rick Nash get to play on HNIC? I expect 3 from him tonight. If Souray was still around I would have said 5.
is CBC going to show Gainey’s speech and the ceremony?
http://canadiens.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=354412
Gainey in numbers.
likehoy – I would have thought that Hunter would get more than $2mil a year. Mind you it is for 5 years so there is some security there. That could be real chump change in the not too distant future. Habs could have offered more but probably not at 5 years. Steen just signed for two years at 1.7 mil a year. I wonder if it has a no trade clause:-)
The Original 24 Cups
Nothing wrong with curling…maybe you’re the joke? Or is it garbage?
Go Habs Go!!
Habsrule
Looks good on Emery to be scored on like that.
Well, I’m no curler, but it happens to be a pretty popular sport in parts of the country. So, you’re calling the sport of curling garbage and the people who watch it stupid? Hmmmm…
enjoying the high’s & enduring the lows of being a Habs fan
Well, it’s CBCs ‘House’ so they can. They’d better ‘Hurry Hard’. I’d ‘Skip’ it, ‘Mate’.
HURRY HARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
_____________________________________________________
Remember February 19th: The Comeback
cbc right now was to have ottawa pens game on but a curling match went to overtime haha curling what a joke people actually watch this garbage? wowWOW how stupid is that?
I can’t hear you over the roar of my own clapping
Better pace yourself…
_____________________________________________________
Remember February 19th: The Comeback
I’m already standing and applauding BG #23
Hey Mike,
If a french group was singing the anthem tonight, would you make a remark about how they were trying to wrap their Quebec tongues around ” We Stand On Guard For Thee “? Think about it.
Stéphane Richer is still plenty fast.
_____________________________________________________
Remember February 19th: The Comeback
Lafleur just scored. Crowd went wild. Looks like some of the vets are faster than Lats. ;-D
_____________________________________________________
Remember February 19th: The Comeback
You can watch online at canadiens.com
I listened to the excellent Team990 broadcast yesterday from the Hotel Nelligan in old Montreal. All the proceeds went to the Gainey Foundation and Bob’s speech was priceless. Wonder if anyone caught it? Brother Boone, do you B-E-L-I-E-V-E ?
Does anyone know if a channel is gonna broadcast the ceremony?
cuz i dont have RDS and cbc is too busy showing Ron Maclean
thx
Gui finally reunited (in a sense) with his old linemate Derek Brassard! If that doesn’t light a fire under his butt, I don’t know what will? Maybe an all expenses paid vacation in sunny Hamilton.
Mike,
Just wondering about your being here only until April… is that part of the Boone Reverse Jinx???
enjoying the high’s & enduring the lows of being a Habs fan
Seeing the Leafs…
I think they flipped to the laffs to let the Habs and CLB warm up.
Latendresse sits… Fun!
Off topics. The league should start testing the composition of the hockey stick. Some of them can be bent so much, you can produce a very hard shot with it. Is there a standard on the flexibility of the stick?
True, but at the same time Koivu needs to be aware of what regerees are going to call and that they’re going to let go, just as Gainey would have had to do when he was playing.
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
Isn’t it ironic that the woman from Quebec spoke English and the woman from Ontario spoke French?”
François Gagnon
The he is proud to be Canadian also spoke volumes for me. He embraces being bilingual and loves Montreal.
Yep…and i guess that would also explain why he’s been out of hockey for the last 20 years !!! he must have not had the best references from Serge Savard
tks for the anwser. it pu things in perspective
Go HABS Go
I have express-vu.
On channel 206 it says it’s showing the Habs game.
Hopefully they’ll switch at 7:30.
THE HABS MUST MAKE PEACE WITH ROY TO APPEASE THE GHOSTS
they do have ratings on the sticks on average they are 95, they can get pretty loose though your right i think brett hull had one of the whippiest sticks probably around the 70′s compared to someone like chara would be over 120 and when its that stiff most normal ppl dont bend it when taking ashot
too much flex wont help you though, it would be like usuing a broken stick, your slap shot would go straight into the corner.
“I want the Canadiens to handle my retirement party.
The organization is REALLY good at this kind of thing.
Now the team has to cap a memorable evening.”
-Boone
You do realize, Mr. Boone, that any retirement party of yours would HAVE to include ALL contributing readers/posters of HIO..?
Oh, and the retiree ALWAYS buys the drinks!
“I want the Canadiens to handle my retirement party.
The organization is REALLY good at this kind of thing.
Now the team has to cap a memorable evening.”
-Boone
You do realize, Mr. Boone, that any retirement party of yours would HAVE to include ALL contributing readers/posters of HIO..?
Oh, and the retiree ALWAYS buys the drinks!
RDS going to play the anthem or not? Moot anyway since CBC showing Leafs.
No arguement here… It may be a case of “Old habits die-hard.” The rule changes affected a lot of vetrans some of which were driven out of the game. Who knows how this would have affected the Great Mr. Gainey if he experienced a change that disallowed a techneque he had played with all his life. Anyway being smaller player in high pressure intense situations maybe subconsciencly he reverts to a habit developed earlier that wasn’t corrected because it was allowed?
Thanks for the expert information.
off topics, in the hockey news part of the goalie special it says that cristobal huet didnt start playing hockey till he was 16! that seems a little crazy to me, to think i gave up my hopes of playing in the nhl before i was 16
I see this as Fedorov’s Habs audition.
http://habsloyalist.blogspot.com
Kostopoulos gets owned by more people than a coat at the Sally Ann.
^&%$%%$ THEM if there is.
I was thinking the same thing. Perhaps that’s what Bob was chatting about over at the Columbus bench during the ceremony.
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
Hopefully the backlash won’t be TOO bad. (A girl can dream, right?)
Pierre and Yvon on RDS even went so far as to admit it was pretty clear why Lats was sitting tonight and deservedly so — which I think is a first for them, especially Yvon. They love him.
Bob, keep the uniform on and put smolinski in the pressbox, we need someone who can win the draw.
IS IT ON CBC YET?
Shameful, isn’t it? They’re missing a historic moment.
That ovation was enormous. Just amazing!
Sorry for repeating myself, but if you don’t have RDS you can watch online as canadiens.com
It doesn’t help as I’m sure Canadiens.com does not provide closed captioning through the pc.
Gainy is on CBC
THANK YOU, even if it is on a delay
only to get (Speaking French) ……….
Why are some of the crowd booing Carbo? I just don’t get it.
I dont think those are boo’s. They sounds like “Guy! Guy! Guy!”
It’s “Guy! Guy! Guy!”, no?
2 hard working players are the superstars. Talk about sending a message.
Yeah, that’s what it is, I thought maybe they didn’t like his lines for tonight
Do you think Can they get Dick Irvin to come out of retirement for CBC’s Montreal games? At least for the playoffs?
I look at Jarvis and that is how I picture Koivu to age in about 15…
I don’t believe it, CBC is showing the ceremony.
Can anyone explain to me what was wrong with Jean perron… he never gets any props for the 86′ cup !!! i’m too young to remember that cup !!!
why was Perron fired the next year?
Why does Perron never gets the same respect has Jacques demers gets or Pat burn? (Burns never won the cup in montreal)
Tks for filling me in cos i don’t get it!!!
Go HABS Go
Charles Prevost-Linton is a healthy scratch tonight , i love it.
Ask yourself why the 1986 Cup-winning coach has been out of hockey for 20 years.
Well Demers and burns are often on CKAC 730… does not fly much higher then 110%… IMO
Go HABS Go
A great touch having Bob come out in full uniform and take a lap. I wonder if it was his idea to do so?
He still looks like he could throw one hell of a bodycheck!
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
Mr. Boone, I think it would be fare to say in Gainey’s time they were a little less lax when it came to the type of Penalties Koivu inflicts. Not a real apple to apples senario. If you look back prior to 2005 Koivu only with the exception of 2002-03 he usually kept his PIM around the 50′s range.
Is CBC in Quebec showing Habs or Leafs?
Perron was a rookie who lost the room halfway through the season. They barely made the playoffs after a disasterous late-season road trip. When they did squeak into the playoffs, Robinson and Gainey held a meeting to shake up the team full of kids and explain what it would take to win the Cup. The young players bought into it, they put aside their rookie/veteran divide and went out to win. Perron had nothing to do with it, and the general consensus among the older players at the time was that he was a decent guy, but a college coach without the chops to guide an NHL team.
http://habsloyalist.blogspot.com
Haha, I like Gagnon’s Westmount comment..
Hard to argue that any professional team puts on a better and classier ceremony than the Canadiens.
And those ovations…No wonder the ghosts stick around. How could you give those up?
Habs
Thx for the tip, Frank81! ‘Way down here, I still got a chance to see the ceremony. Merci bien!
Yeah. Higgins should have tossed it at the net looong before he did.
Is Lappy afraid of physical contact tonight?
PRICE keeping us in the game.
The power play stinks.Guys is that Harry Neil dong the CBC game color commentary…..that guy brought out to pasture and shot.
Excuse me but we wouldn’t be down 2-0 if Price had done his job.
The Habs need to keep trying to tip shots from the point. That’s what it will take to score tonight.
It’s not Leclaire, it’s the lack of odd-man chances or defensive zone breakdowns.
Keep trying to? One try would be nice.
Was the ref taking a nap?
It really looks like that Leclaire kid is going to get a SHUTOUT tonight. I’m sorry, did I just say that out loud?
Yeah, so did I. It’s worth a try. The written word didn’t work before.
habs start the third on the powerplay
Begin is doing his job.
Powerplay to start the 3rd, at least.
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
BINGO>>> We have a winner.
Did Lappy see the ice during the 2nd?
LMAO Foote played 19.36 so far. He’s not breathing hard.
Smokey played 10 seconds last game. He was breathing like he had just run the marathon….hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
I think we need to say it in French
Leclaire va poste sont 9eme jeux blanche
Shouldn’t the French goalie curse and the ceremony curse cancel each other out?
It didn’t work with Thibault or Sabourin before, don’t see why it would now?
We need to get back to puck control and smart hockey. Create traffic in front of the net.
It would if we banged a few bodies ….no zip whatsoever..Ya think players are worried … about a trade.
Change Cary’s last name to Pricenault,lol
Leclaire’s seeing everything….need the garbage goals to get something started
this is not how I imagined a tribute night to Bob would go
the boys should hang their heads
1 more period to redeem themselves
AH C’MON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
True, I think it only applies to our own goalies.
So. Did Carbo tear his team a new Bettman or what?
Why are their goaldies allways hot when they come to Montreal?Mabe is because they realize Roy played there .
we will come back and win with 4 goals…..
PASCAL LECLAIRE – SHUTOUT! antropov just scored for the laffs does this mean the ATL thrashers are in full deal out mode?
This and last game are going to convince Bob that we need a trade. Where is the chemistry Bob is talking about?
Watching the Satellite Hot Stove on CBC. Al Strachan is such a dufus. I had to serve him once for 5 hours and he was a very arrogant and smug man. Thank God we have reporters with the likes of Stubbs, Boone, Mio and Hickey here.
Not much to say about the game except that the ceremony for Bob Gainey was extremely classy and professional. Here’s hoping for a big third period.
Seems like the Habs always stink on these sweater-retirement nights.
The shot totals flatter everyone except Price: the Habs haven’t been dangerous, and Leclaire hasn’t had to be good. Price will be checking back into Hamilton for another “confidence booster” before too long … hopefully Huet stops his recent Racicot impression when Price leaves the 514 area code.
I am YAWNING. The Blue Jackets are so boring, and they don’t even have the excuse that their stifling defensive system produces results. Pound for pound, Hitchcock is the worst coach in the league!
The trade calls will be back in full swing tomorrow. Will Bob mortgage a piece of the future to compete this year? Or will he stay the course and hold true to his aim of being ready to compete by 2009? If they make a trade, can it be Higgins-Price for Jokinen-Vokoun? Stay tuned.
http://yearofthehab.blogspot.com
oOK everyone blast Pleky now. He did the same thing Koivu did 2-3 games ago
Ugh… could we miss any more open nets?
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
AHHHH!! How did he miss it?
We need to stop being so cute on the PP. Shoot more from all angles, fight for space in front of the net. Leclaire is not one of our goalies, he will stop all this easy crap.
Our passing has just plain sucked tonight.
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
Not to mention the goal tending
All those blind passes.
You know, the NHL, when they changed the icing rules. They stated that attempted passes would not be icing and would be waved off. There has been ZERO evidence of that this year.
What gives?
Like knitting contest boring…..and just no life with our guys.
This is what its like watching hockey everynight on the westcoast especially in Vancouver.
As Johnny Cash would say…”Now he’s talking ’bout burning, but I’m so cold. 12 more minutes to go.”
Price should just cough up another stinker, the team is doing nothing in front of him worth playing for.
WHAT THE #$%$#$
GAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE
GAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRBAGGGGGGEEEEEEEEEEE
No penalty there?
Nice slash, a penalty on every single night of the week, except saturday at the Bell centre.
Garbage officials in this league.
Koivu tripped and no call.
And the trap and the rope…aw they work just fine. 10 more minutes to go.
When do we play Boston or the Rangers again?
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
wheN WILL the refs call a penalty on the opposing team that is deserved again?
What an effort on Bob Gainey night! *yawn*
First hit by O’Byrne tonight. Too bad he waited until the 3rd period to do it.
But this is for real, so forget about me, got 8 more minutes to go.
Great idea on the Gainey Foundation JT. Nicely done.
I’d look good in the columbus net tonight with all these unscreened shots.
Oh wow, hammer gets away with a trip then throws the puck away for icing.
I welcome any move Gainey makes by tuesday. We need it and badly.
We should ban all jersey retirements / ceremonies.
Only off-season is allowed.
I think Koivu would be one exception to that rule.
With my feet on the trap and my head in the noose, got 5 more minutes to go.
HAHAHA Don’t do it J.T. I like reading your blog.
I want a trade!
Sing it, Johnny!
http://yearofthehab.blogspot.com
You will get your trade soon enough.
A couple guys have been playing hard but not enough. How many scrums have there been after the whistle tonight? How many times have we seen a habs and a jacket jawing at each other? None. Zero. Ziltch. We’re out there playing as if the jackets are our best buddies. Theres no hate, no passion. Boring ass hockey.
And it looks like Fedorov’s audition was short lived, I think he’s hurt.
Won’t somebody come and cut me loose with 4 more minutes to go.
Unless they pull another miracle out of their butts, carbo should be having a series bag skate tomorrow at practice. well nevermind about the comeback
I’m sorry, but seriously. Lappy needs some time in Hamilton. Bring Chipper up already.
wow I said that BEFORE the giveaway
I can see the mountains I can see the skies with 3 more minutes to go.
You’re absolutely right.
Think Nilan might be willing to lace them for the final 3 minutes?
Better get on the phone Bob.
Way to pass to the guy standing still, Hammer.
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
DEFINITIVELY we are not ready for a shot at the cup
good night folks, this one stinks.
HIS NAME IS MAXIM LAPIERRE
MAXIM LAPIERRE U CBC IDIOT.
Finally. Another sh*t goal and another breakdown by the D. We were completely dominated by the Jackets. I hang my head in shame and I feel bad that Gainey was “honored” by this complete joke of an effort.
That was another stoppable shot.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee…
I suppose that you didn’t have a problem with the crappy defensive play that preceded it?
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
Yep. Our goalies are rotten right now.
NEVER hang your head in shame…..I a WINNER just cheering for Canadiens.
I’m not forgiving their trespasses. Lappy was garbage tonight. All around.
I’m sure we can find a whip for Max too. And I wouldn’t call that a ‘defensive’ play exactly!
http://yearofthehab.blogspot.com
i certainly did. But it was just as bad the other night and I didn’t see anyone cut the goal tender any slack. It was all his fault. Remember Chuck!!
It was on “defensive” in theory. Actually, I found it quite offenseve!
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
At no time did I say that Price couldn’t have stopped that one. But crapping on either goalie for the crummy defensive play in front of them is pointless.
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
You didn’t feel like that when you were crapping on Huet The other night
He’res the final comment that I made about the goaltending the other night:
“Damn… neither goalie has played up to standards over the last couple of games. We need one of them to step up and take the bull by the horns and say, “This job is mine!”
Of course, it would also be great if our defense got back to making our goalie’s nights a whole lot easier.”
Exactly what was unfair about my statement?
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
HOW TRUE….
Thank -you for every thing Bob Gainey thru out the many years”except for the Riberio ,Hainsey,Smoke and NINAMAA moves, terrible !lol”
Ribeiro will be INVISIBLE in the playoffs. What a pain in the a** that guy was. Gainey did us a favour. Anyway, Habs will win tonight, and it will be based on good defense. What better tribute to Gainey than that?
Yeah, I’m concerned about the teams position in the standings and the lack of solid goaltending and so on and so forth. But… come on, if you can’t raise a great players sweater on a Saturday when you’re playing a weaker team in another conferance when the hell would you do it?
How can your teams position in standings come into play when the day of this special occasion is set months in advance? If the team was- at this time- out of a playoff spot would you cancel the night until they put themselves in a healthier position in the standings. Playing dress-up? Miscalculating their emotions? What the hell are they? A bunch of pimply-faced teenage girls? Niether Gainey nor Carbo nor anybody else in management let down the Montreal Canadiens last night. Twenty hockey players’ did. Pure and simple.
Oh, and congradulations Mr. Gainey, you have achieved your rightfull place amongst the great ones.
GO HABS.
1010:
You raise some good points.
I believe I hinted as to why the organization might have scheduled this ceremony (and yes it was months in advance) when they did.
And yes, it was a team effort last night (a very poor one.)
Standings don’t matter to retired players who are being honoured (or to the fans who can remain focussed on that one particular issue.) But standings do matter to G.M.’s. and when the hero/legend and G.M. are one in the same…? I just think it must have put Gainey in a difficult position.
Management is forced to take into account the emotions and mental state of their employees if they want to be successful– particularly in the high pressure world of professional sport. Again, Mr. Gainey seems to be placed in an uncomfortable situation.
Finally, no, it wasn’t the players whom I was calling out (to use your expression “pimply-faced teenage girls.”) but rather the fans.
I love that Gainey has joined the ranks of Montreal’s greatest high atop the rafters. But as a fan in 2008 I’m starting to wonder when the old glory days are going to come back. In fact (and I know this is bordering on sacrilege) I think I just might be sick the next time someone mentions how classy the organization is. I know it’s classy; every hab fan knows it’s classy. How about the next time the organization gets rave reviews it has something to do with how their helping their current team win?
Just a few thoughts. Thanks for your feedback.
I guess we’re all a little anxious[how's that for an understatement] for a return to their rightfull position in hockey. And yes, Beliveau, Gainey and the likes shouldn’t be the ones’ drawing the reviews all the time. I’ve got a lot of memories. Now I want my son to have some. Then he won’t have to listen to my stories anymore. He’ll have his own.
GO HABS.
Missed the game and the ceremony as I was sitting in a meeting that wouldn’t end. That being said, I wasn’t surprised by what I saw coming home. Personally, I think it has to do with adrenaline. Why is it that the guys come out flat every game there is a celebration?
I think if the guys only found out the afternoon of the celebration that it would go on that night, the adrenaline would kick in and they would likely destroy the other team. Problem is that the adrenaline starts pumping two days before the games and I’m guessing that the guys are physically wiped when the actual game starts. I absolutely think that the guys want to give it all for whoever is being celebrated but that the adrenaline has all been spent and they come out flat. Anyway, that’s my theory be it good or bad. I would love to see the overall record for all teams when playing on a day a past great of their own is being honored. I’m willing to bet that the Habs aren’t alone…
I read all the comments and if Komi and Markov played as bad as they did the last game I saw, there’s little need to look elsewhere. On ANY team, if your #1 D pairing sucks, you’ll be in trouble. That being said, do you really think that that pairing will keep mailing it in? Of course not.
A few observations: let’s not trade out entire farm team for three rentals that may not be enough anyway. Get one maybe and hope that it works. Our future still looks better than most other team’s.
I don’t get trading for a D-Man. By next year, we may very well have too many of them and if we traded O prospects to get one this year, then we’ll be missing O next year. I would go with secondary scoring or a gritty 3rd liner because when Bégin isn’t there and playing hard, we have a hard time and Bégin ain’t getting younger. Maybe Chips is ready but maybe not.
I am not pro-Huet or pro-Price. I am pro-winning. Right now, Huet isn’t playing particularly well and Price is still perhaps too young. I absolutely don’t see what would be wrong in sending Price back to Hamilton for the rest of the year and bringing Halak up and trying him out before he runs away from us at the end of the year. I have visions of Vokoun when I see him.
At the beginning of the year, remember how everyone thought we would end up missing the playoffs and wanted to throw Gainey and Carbo under a bus. To say right now that Carbo is to blame is ridiculous. How do you explain the team coming back against Jersey and the Rangers if he has lost the room or the guys aren’t playing for him?
I like how everyone complains about Lats, one of the few guys who can actually come away from the boards with the puck. Then I read the comments about last night’s game and I see that we’re missing a big body to dig the puck out. I still think this guy will be very good and we will regret sending him away if we ever do. Chips was another guy who would consistently come off the boards with the puck and maybe we need to give him another audition. He was very very good early in the season – one of the few guys playing well when the season began – and if he came back and played that well, he would be very important for a playoff run.
I’m happy all the celebrations are done. Now they can focus on the playoffs. I say wait a few more games before calling for people’s heads. As someone said, every contender this year seems to go through very dry periods and this may be one of ours. Let’s not make big mistakes we’ll regret later.
Let’s not be the Laffs. Please.
_____________________________________________________
Remember February 19th: The Comeback
This Leclaire kid in nets does one thing that our goalies don’t do, that is set up well outside the crease for a shot by squidging forward immediately before his save. Watch the game film, and check out his positioning, you are not going to get your 25 foot to the right face off circle kovie special past this kid. The percentage of saves by reaction speed in the nhl to a 40 footer or less are slim to none. A goalies head space preceding a save is not ” ok, i’m ready to make the save, come on…. booom ” but ” I’m on the move toward the shooter to cut off as much angle as I can” heck of a difference…
Maxim Lapierre has got to be the worst player that I have ever seen in a hab’s jersey. Le grand slac, watch him when he goes into the corner, he will go in only with his stick, cause he is afraid that he will get his hair messed up. I would trade him for a bag of hockey sticks, and throw in some water bottles for good measure.
Win some, lose some, file it and forget it. Coach is likely to be putting the team through the grinder in practice today, though, and you have to wonder who, if anybody, saw their last game in a Habs jersey last night.
See you April 5th at the Bell Centre!
The morning after the night before…
I feel hung over and I don’t even drink! It doesn’t get any better after a restless night’s sleep. Last night’s display, on Bob Gainey night of all nights, was pretty awful. When they pushed we didn’t push back. I have the Rangers game still playing in my head and boy did we ever push back in the third. Maybe I’m not giving the Blue Jackets enough credit here.
They are an extremely well coached team, not too disciplined judging by the amount of penalties, and they get great goaltending. Nine shoutouts? Reminds me of Who-Wet in his first year when he took over from Jose and carried us on his back to the promised land.
Luckily we have two days off until the Trashers (sic) are in town and I hope we can right the good ship Carbonneau by then. We may have a few new faces in the lineup (hopefully) and from here on in it’s crunch time!
Hello everyone. My first post and a long one. I apologize for any inconvenience caused.
I think Bob Gainey is one of the Greatest players to ever lace up skates in the NHL, not just for the Habs. The Russians when asked to pick the best player in the league picked him. The NHL had to create an award to give him and his incredible style of play, the Frank Selke award. Highlight films prove that he played with heart and determination throughout his career and was often the leader on the ice for the Habs.
I’m glad he’s finally had his jersey retired and received the recognition a player of his standing deserves.
However, is anyone else concerned that with the Habs flirting with the Eastern Conference points lead (despite the sporadic play of their goalies and the lack of offensive production from any line other than Kovy-Pleks-Kostitsyn) and only two days and change away from the trade deadline our G.M was playing dress-up? Our Head Coach was also involved in the circus.
The team came out flat and didn’t do the legend of Mr. Gainey justice last night. Mr. Gainey is an excellent hockey mind, and I’m sure that he would have privately evaluated his team’s chances of being able to stay focussed for the game last night. Did he miscalculate the team’s ability to live up to the emotion filled night? If so, look for him to pull the trigger on that trade for an “impact player.”
Or was he aware that it would be more than likely that the team wouldn’t be able to pull it off. IF that’s the case then fire whoever the hell it was that made Bob Gainey the man and hockey legend square off against Bob Gainey the G.M. of a team very much in the playoff hunt. Or is the suffering of the team last night (and consequently the fans) more than offset by guaranteeing a sold-out Bell Centre against the Blue Jackets– a match-up that has nothing to offer casual fans looking to watch a hockey game,who, by the way, are exactly the type of people who make the difference between a reasonably full and totally sold-out game?
And who can argue with them? The game was boring. The match-up dull. It was all I could do to stay awake at times. Eventually I let my mind slip past the cute passing of a team that had everything but fire last night and started to hallucinate. Maybe this was all just a grand machiavellian scheme on Gainey’s part to introduce us to his new “Impact Player” Rick Nash– who would of course be accompanied on his trip to the glorious heights of a surging Montreal team by his teammate Mike Peca, the man who had so unmanned us in the faceoff circle all night.
The hallucination ended when the cold reality of contracts, negotiations, cap space and no trade clauses came leadenly down to roost again in the part of my brain that is responsible for creating antidotes to joy. One final cadaver-cold thought lingered as I watched Montreal and by extension the fans get shut-out. Perhaps I had been too hard on the folks running the festivities last night. Maybe they know something I don’t want to come to terms with. Maybe joy and nostalgia for the past are all we have left.
I sincerely hope not.
Man! Does Komi feel like playing some defense tonight?!
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
That is what you call Price giving up a bad goal.
Ottawa just scored with 4 seconds remaining in OT to come back from 3-0 to win 4-3!
Now if only we can get the OTT bus to crash on its way to the airport.
yeah they pulled that win out of their ass…..
hate that heartless team
Co Habs Go!!!!!!!
Why are you surprised? An Ottawa overtime win was the least favorable result for Montreal.
If you were in Vegas, you could make a small fortune betting on out-of-town games just by going by what’s worst for the Habs. It went that way this time of last year, too…
We aren’t going anywhere with goaltending like that.
A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject.
Sir Winston Churchill
Price was playing the shooter just as he should have been doing. How about instead you as why Komisarek left his man wide open to take the shot?
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
Price was pretty slow there.
Price did not look very sharp on that one
Price had to be superman to stop that one.
Neither did the defense
He only let up 2 goals.
Two realy bad ones. If this team had some real shooters besides Nash we would be down by more than two. Price did not play good tonight. take off the Rose coloured glasses.
At leas twe haven’t had to come back from being down by 5.
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
I tune in time just to hear that idiodic Senators play by play man growl his usual “SCORES!”
Well, Canadiens are the third-highest scoring team in the league while Columbus is the lowest. The PP is number one, while Columbus’ is twenty-third. Price will be looking to redeem himself after the Rangers’ game, and everyone will be wired for Gainey night. I hope our guys show their tribute to #23 by pounding the snot out of every white shirt they see and racking up the score early. Happy Gainey Day to all!
http://habsloyalist.blogspot.com
Price has developed this bad habit of diving to his right. You can’t stop any shot with this move.
Yes, but that shot should never have gone in. Price was sleeping on that one.
If they mail it in for Gainey, then you have to question their hearts.
Guy played with two busted shoulders and always gave his all, has lost a wife and a daughter and has rebuilt this team from the grave. Those two lines should be all that Carbo needs as a pre-game speech…
I guarantee you that mailing it in tonight will result in one heck of a practice tomorrow.
_____________________________________________________
Remember February 19th: The Comeback
%^#$^@$#
$%@^#^#$%^#$
#%^%^%%$^#$%^#$^ REFS
Refs, here we go again.
Looking forward to Bob Gainey Night and the game of course. Got plenty of tissues handy just in case it gets too emotional, which I’m sure it will. He is a tremendous human being who has suffered alot of heartache in the last year, not to mention a classy individual to boot. Enjoy your special night Bob Gainey and family, you deserve it! GO HABS GO!!!
The Habs have got to snap this string of crappy first periods.
Maybe instead of trading for a centre they should consider upgrading in goal?
http://yearofthehab.blogspot.com
Now that was weak Mr. Price
Wow Price coughs up another softie. Can we get any of our goalies to stop -anything-?
Anyways should have been a penalty for that crosscheck to Smo in front of the columbus net. Refs have been killing us the last 2 weeks.
That was terrible.
That one was worse.
Send in the clowns. My kingdom for consistent goaltending.
A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject.
Sir Winston Churchill
OK… now THAT one was weak.
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
Ya still want to trade Huet?
Great hustle by Lapierre!
H-U-E-T or H-A-L-A-K PLEASE!
I blame the refs for sure.
Can we lead a game for a change?
That was just a BRUTAL goal.
Looks like the NHL got that memo on the Habs starting every game 2-0 (It’s really 3-0 with the refs, but I digress.
Ok, pull Price.
His night is done.
Yup.
mmmm I am starting to believe we need Halak. Huet can’t play when Price is with the tema…and Price is not ready…so it seems…so lets call Halak. He deserves a shot.
For sure, he didn’t even get a whiff last time.
Let’s see what he’s got
Plekanek’s line has a -2 so far and don’t deserve it.
“Hainsey has turned into a player.” …
And to think that we lost him on waivers… Argh…
Mike, if things keep going like this, you might find yourself retiring sooner than you thought!
Eesh.
It’s Bettman! Whenever he’s there, they lose.
I think that Carey’s houseguests might have kept him up late again last night.
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
true….the first one was a nice shot from Nash in a very bad angle but the kid was out of position….the second was just brutal…
I think it’s the George Foreman grill…putting on some extra pounds
SUPER YAWN WITH THESE SHIT REFS
Honestly. He’s a hot hand right now, and Price and Huet simply haven’t been bringing it. If he sat last time he was up because it was “best for the team” then the same logic should dictate trying someone new in nets during this crucial part of the season would also be for the good of the team.
I’ve been saying that since the beginning of the year! Halak should have been picked to play this year, not Price. Gotta feel for the guy. You know how a lot of people said that the young kids is Hamilton were probably wondering what the f they did wrong when they see the likes of Dandy, Smokinsky and co playing? Well, Halak must be thinking the exact same thing.
the last time you were relaxed while the habs played? maybe a pre-season game?
Mike, your link to the Tremblay article actually links to the Gagnon article. Nice to see Tremblay getting off of his high horse to give kudos to Gainey. I’m sure he’ll be back to biotching about the organization tomorrow…
_____________________________________________________
Remember February 19th: The Comeback
He forgot to move with the puck. Quite evident to see.
he was way out of position.
It’s all over but the Shouting.
And so it begins…
And it’s too dern pretty for a man that don’t wanna die. 2 more minutes to go.
At least kovy is showing some hate out there
And now I’m swingin’ and here I go-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!
http://habsloyalist.blogspot.com
I just can’t but the “Quebec goalies play well in Montreal” aspect to this game.
The guy has (almost) 9 shutouts, in a single season – I’d call that a pattern.
This is his first against Montreal.
Too bad these teams weren’t wearing the opposition’s jerseys. Gainey would be proud.
The BJs played a perfect game. Hitch is definatly gonna be a part of the coaching staff in 2010.
Another O-zone penalty…sigh
quelle surprise
Leclaire. wasn’t the best player out there..it was the team that got that shutout for him.I don’t think he made one good save tonight.
Thats garbage. He made all the saves. The difference? Our defence sh!t the bed and Price was unable to pick them up. Thats been the running theme the last week or so.
Anyways we played with no passion, there was no fire in our players eyes, there was no hate for the opposition. We made it easy for them. This team is MUCH too soft.
Boo/complain all you want, that was legit penalty.
His stick was on the ice for freak’s sakes. Pursuing the PUCK.
What is Koivu doing????? Would a leader please stand up.
Blame Price if you like, and I agree his goals were weak, but he can’t win if they don’t score. Gainey’s right (as always). The team needs a game-breaker who won’t be denied.
A boringly sad display for Bob Gainey Night. Nothing more to say.
Perfect road game played by the blue jackets.
well what the f*&^% do you say after this game? The Gainey ceremony was awesome bloody great and then they come out and play like that. well what can you say.
What an embarassing effort on such a special night. Im ashamed of them right now. Theres no excuse for this.
That’s a couple in a row for them, having beat Ottawa too. I’ll give credit where credit is due. They’ve been playing very well lately, and the Habs simply didn’t come out and match their intensity.
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
Honestly I think that if we are able to take the pressure off of our goalies and defense with a game breaking player, everything will straighten itself out.
We probably need a big trade to shake things up. The team is completely listless lately.
I could throttle them on games like this, but they won’t win them all, on to the next one.
Missing the playoffs is not out of the question… this could be the slide.
The trap worked at putting the habs to sleep and to me their was no hate there.Pussy playing….I would say the trade coming up is a big issue for our team.
WE will NOT miss the playoffs.This teams will comeback.Gainey Willi pull the trigger on something Monday.
Halak is the closest thing to Roy I’ve seen since 1996.
http://habsloyalist.blogspot.com
First game I was able to watch in 3 weeks…..Cant wait till Tuesday.
INTERESTING
T.O. friend tells me Kaberle’s no-trade clause is wiped out if the Leafs don’t make the playoffs. Might facilitate his being moved prior to then.
He is exactly what we need.
The laffs must be a tight unit also cuz nobody would waive their no trade clause and look where it got them. Trades are a fact of life in hockey and if you can’t accept it take up curling where theres more security.
“Booed off the ice … as they ought to be.” and comments to the effect that in Gainey’s day the Habs never played like this are a bit strong. Just because the Habs are better than average this year doesn’t mean they aren’t subject to effects of league parity. I thought the plan was to win the cup in the 100th season. I watched Columbus dismantle Detroit the other day. Maybe they are a well coached team who played better than most of you thought they would. Along the same lines, the Senators won today so all in well in Ottawa but if you watched the game there were long stretches when you would have thought the Penguins were by far the best team in the east and that Paddock should be fired both for questioning Emery and not being able to motivate his team. As for our goaltending well… maybe Kjdavid can it.
The laffs are in a rebuilding stage and the whole system has to change and you have to let go players that will get you the most return like Sundin and Kaberle. The return for Blake , McCabe and Tucker would be minimal.
Explain why the only guy who has not proven that he is inconsistent (possibly because he has never played enough to do so) never plays. I’m afraid Price is losing his aura which will be increasingly difficult to get back with each subpar performance. I saw Roy play in his first year but I don’t recall the details. I honestly don’t remember whether fans (including those on his own team) ever had moments of doubt, which I think Carey’s teammates will soon get if they don’t have them already. Can anyone provide details regarding Roy’s rise to mythic status. Did the early years include road bumps? I’m asking because many fans hope that Price will provide the same things Roy did.
This is a big turn around for you as last week you were against any moves at all but i must say that Higgy is a mystery to me. I’m thinking now that Higgy would be a fine third line LW and this is the spot for him cuz he just doesn’t have the smarts or skill for the top six.
On a positive note, it’s not like we didn’t have outr chances tonight. Two missed open nets and a post. If anyone of those go in, it would have been a different game.
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
In Bob we trust.
I’m starting to wonder if the team isn’t “thinking” too much about the trade deadline. The lack of focus and concentration on their assignments is troubling. As Chris Higgins has said its a tight unit so all this talk about who is leaving may affect their performance. Its still a young team with a young nucleaus.
Agreed… everyone knows that games like this happen. If you score zero goals, your chance of winning is… zero. Though out biggest problem tonight, on the whole the team D wasn’t as bad as it has been over the last few games. Still needs to improve, though.
Let’s make up for it on Tuesday.
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
Oh…we wondered what would happen if the Plekanec line went quiet. Now we know. It’s been two weeks since the league caught on and focussed on them. It’s been two weeks since they’ve dominated a game.
Congratulations to the Columbus Blue Jackets. They played Gainey hockey, and they won. Hope our guys take a lesson from that.
Chris Higgins is doing nothing and I’m getting sick of it. Anyone else notice that every one of his goals are caused by other players. He either gets a beauty pass, or bangs in a rebound on the PP. He reminds me of Jason Blake out there. Sergei is the only one on that line that can hold the puck for more than 5 seconds. I would not be surprised at all if Higgins is the main asset going the other way in a trade within the next few days.
I can’t see why they’d trade Kaberle. He’s the best player on their team, he’s signed for a bargain, and he’s the type you build around. That’s like saying if the Habs sucked they should trade Markov. No…the idea of a trade is to improve on the guy you dump. The leafs can’t improve on Kaberle, so they should keep him and give him a supporting cast.
I read somewhere earlier in the week that some people thought that to be true, but it is not. That stipulation comes into play in a year or two, if I remember correctly.
If some team can still be convinced Higgins is ready to break out and will trade assets for him, I’m all for it. Higgins for Jokinen…DO IT, BOB!!!
http://habsloyalist.blogspot.com
Bang on, I’m sure you don’t watch the CBC show MVP, but I would think it’s pretty close to reality in the goings on in the NHL. Wondering who is going is a big concern for these guys, after all, now their like a family, I’m sure at this point in time, none of them wants to leave the Habs. Not a fun situation, things will get better after the trade deadline.
Agreed.
enjoying the high’s & enduring the lows of being a Habs fan
No argument there. But it is the Leafs we are talking about here.
My guy tells me it’s been mentioned a million times in T.o. over the last week.
Man, we NEED to bring up Halak. And Bob NEEDS to make some moves for an impact player. I honestly think we can part with Huet. I believe Halak is a superstar in the making, but he isn’t getting any chance to prove himself, even after nearly bailing us out last year only to be denied and huet blowing it against the laffs.
Halak and Danis for the cup run!!!
what an embarrassment!!!!
Bob shoulda kept his equipment on and played the full 60, he probably would have popped a goal or 2 which is more than I can say about his boys….
I guess this just reinforces that the team as is can’t hold their own,…. when they can barely mount any offense against teams like Columbus, how will they stack up against New jersey et al???
Even with their amazing comeback win a few games back, I was skeptical that they could go the distance without juggling the roster and improving it.
Tonight is just further proof that something needs to be done….do what you gotta do Bob… don’t think about hurting feelings….obviously no one cared about yours tonight
Admittedly, I missed the game and from the score and the comments, that may have been a good thing.
In any case, it seems from the stats that Smoke and Kosto aren’t playing well and should be up in the press box.
I think it’s time to go with more youth – Halak, Grabovski, Chipchura. BG should give consideration to trading Huet as part of a deal for Richards and Gratton. I’m very interested to see what our lineup looks like on Tuesday….
Go Habs Go!
Agreed. If he’s brought up and plays the rest of the games, the playoffs are a sure thing. If we stick with the 2 that we have….mmmm I’m not so sure.
Poor show for the home team. Beautifully executed game by the visitors “a la Gainey”.
BTW, I don’t think either goalie will be traded. The problem within the crease is that the guys behind the masks are fragile right now. When you’re shakey between the ears, pucks get between the posts! The D is not helping their confidence either. And, when your forwards don’t score, well ya don’t win!
The D corps has not been playing a hard checking game. They need to take command in their zone. Part of the problem comes when the opposition plays a hard hitting forecheck. The Jackets did just that and consequently the Habs became very sloppy. I think we’ve discussed that problem several times this season…
Higgins is just not making the grade, and his Captain/linemate was up to his O-zone penalty tricks again.
We saw brief moments where Kovy took charge and dazzled, but he can’t win a game by himself.
I don’t know what the faceoff stats were, but it didn’t look favorable.
Lastly, credit is due LeClair for a solid game. He made things look easy, mainly because his positioning was excellent. Is that 9 shutouts now?
Habs Overall grade: C-
Columbus grade: B+
enjoying the high’s & enduring the lows of being a Habs fan
Sorry, double post.
Oookaay, so why are you J.T. and not P.R., I don’t get it.
I agree. I think the trade deadline has been a big distraction for the team and Gainey didn’t help by announcing the Habs would attempt to be active and try to land an impact player before the deadline. I think everyone on the team is on pins and needles. Komi is playing pretty dreadfully as are Pleks and Higgins. Could it be that having his buddy Higgins mentioned in so many trade rumours has put Komi off his game? Maybe, but perhaps he’s nursing a nagging injury?
All I know is that the Habs have a very tough schedule ahead of them and there are no gimmes. They play all the teams they have trouble with several times before the end of the season including the Sens, Devils, Sabres and Laffs. Plus they take a short swing out west for some inter-conference games. We all know how poorly they fare against teams from the west.
Let’s hope the trade deadline passes and the upgraded Habs can regain their focus and get things back on track. Ending up between fifth and eighth seed wouldn’t be such a bad thing for this team anyway. They play a much better road game.
I do see the resemblance in style and positioning. But, not sure if Halak has the Roy aura and cocky confidence.
enjoying the high’s & enduring the lows of being a Habs fan
For the Montreal’s part they stunk the house out. For whatever reason the trap gives them the fits.I did not see any heart tonight…These trade situations has everyone gone a little crazy…All year long we have been hearing about Ryder and this among others and so on.No wonder this team is on edge.Playing a very tentative game.Don’t blame them…how would you feel if you were going to be replaced and divided from your work brothers.
Leclaire’s shutout reminds me what a joke some of the all-star selections were – he deserved to be an all-star this year.
The ceremony was classy, the game was a stinker. I thought Lapierre put in a really good game up until that horrible giveaway that led to the third Columbus goal.
After last Tuesday, I said I’d be fine if no one got moved by this Tuesday. Now, it seems clear that we need that impact player, and I’m not particularly choosy about who we give up…
In Bob I trust.
personally it would make me work that much harder. make gainey realize that he needs to keep me and it would be a mistake if he got rid of me… i dont see how they would sit back and be tentative.
Don’t put me in the Huet fan club – the first part of my post is meant to refer to Halak (I don’t care who got drafted in the 1st, 2nd or 7th round – just who is the best today). I haven’t started or joined any club for Price either. I keep hearing about how cool and calm he is. This is always pointed out as a virtue but I’m not sure that a little more aggression wouldn’t be good for his game. I’m not talking Billy Smith but maybe next time he skates to the corner after impersonating Aebischer he could break a stick to let us know it wasn’t intended.
Keep putting the pressure on Price and he will be destroyed.He is 20 years old.They are rushing him.He is losing his confidence and dropping down too soon( fighting the puck.He is no longer relaxed
He was confident and big 6 days ago vs Philly . . . it’s called inconsistency — he’s young. Perhaps he is being rushed, perhaps not. This is Columbus, a poor offensive team — at least before this period!
Man he just launched himself at him.
Stuck with Carbo? Thank God he’s there…
Amen!
The team is in trouble in goal. I’m worried. Neither of them can stop anything. And it’s not helping that the number one D-pair looks like they met on the street this afternoon for the first time, then decided, “What the hell, let’s play a little hockey.”
A STICK ON EVERY HABS PLAYERS BODY BUT NARY A CALL
THE REFS MUST BE TRYING TO PLEASE BUTTMAN
CAN anyone answer WHY players from Montreal area play so well against their HABS.
Absolutely disgraceful, frustrating, and painful to watch. Why doesn’t Carbo split the “pylon line” of Smoke, Tommy K. and the Begger and put one orange cone on each of his lines with the order that they are to do nothing else (whether they can or not is to be debated) but stand in front of the opposition goalies.
Screw first place, it’s still very possible to miss the playoffs at this point. It would be a ridiculous thing to mention, except that Huet and Price have both been so crappy in the past week that it’s hard not to be alarmed.
http://yearofthehab.blogspot.com
In the past few games, Komisarek is giving too much space to the opposing shooter. He is partially responsible for many goals.
I realize it’s somewhat “en vogue” to harp on Koivu’s penalties, but you’re kidding yourself if you think he went in there with the intention of tripping Foote.
I wonder if Gainey’s still in uniform?
Forget Gainey, call up Dryden
Ewww almost weak goal # 2
The ice is also very crappy tonight.
I want to put my soccer cleats on and step on Bettman’s face. Does that make me a bad person?
We are just way too soft. Teams that forecheck us hard completely dominate us.
They should have given Halak a chance way before the trade deadline. It would have given Gainey a better outlook on how solid the goaltending position really is and a possible trade may have been more easily achieved.
Local boy comes home and makes good . . .
It’s a good thing this theme isn’t getting old or anything.
The worst part of this is the Jackets are the lowest-scoring team in the league. Can you imagine if this were Ottawa or Detroit? Contender? Hmmmm…
Only because you forgot to step on his jewels.
But hey, nobody’s perfect!
What is with these Quebecois goalies in Montreal? It’s like Roy possesses them and laughs at us with each save
I know that Friankie’s no goal scorer, but aiming for the centre og the net just ain’t gonna cut it.
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
Why are they letting them set up in their zone? It looked like PP for farks sake!
Any chance we could pick up Pascal LeClair???
enjoying the high’s & enduring the lows of being a Habs fan
I was thinking the same thing.
Shot are 11-6 in favor of Mtl, and we’re down 2-0
Say whatever, this kind of goaltending isn’t going to take us anywhere.
I’m with anyone who suggests bringing Halak back.
Price looks like he lost his confidence again and needs to spend time with the bulldogs.
Outside some moments of Kovalevian brilliance, this team is looking dull and fragile, kinda like an old wooden nickel.
enjoying the high’s & enduring the lows of being a Habs fan
give halak a shot. price is terrible
They’re a team on a (playoff spot making) mission, and unlike our team who are also supposed to be on a mission, are playing like it.
I don’t know how much more motivation our boys need to play big. Your GM gets his number pulled to the rafters and you come out soft? It’s disappointing.
When it comes right down to it, we here out-hustled and out-checked the entire period. It’s time for these boys to wake up!
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
he needs to spend “time” as in another 2 years maybe. he’s my age and its too much pressure look at what happened to fleury
bring up halak
Don’t get your hopes up with this team…not this year. They suffer from the Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde syndrome. Who is going to show next period? We are a one line/one defensive pairing team boys. There is no depth on defense. Someone commented that Hammie the hamster’s return would rejuvenate the D. Yeah right! The guy should join 71 in the box on the ceiling. He’s useless. I thought Carbo was preaching getting back to defense. I didn’t see any defense out there. And you want to see good goalie techniques…check out Leclaire. He’s in position every time. He’s up, he’s down, and he’s moving. Boullion had no chance on his shot because Leclaire was already there. BG should trade for all the top names on the table. We need some help. I give us a round the way we’re playing…one round and that depends on who or what shows up.
Can everyone remember this period next time they want to post about how we should get a rent-a-player?
Habs were totally dominated on the forecheck. Neutral zone looks as clogged as Red Fisher’s plumbing. Nash is a scoring machine! LeClair is playing smart, although not really tested.
enjoying the high’s & enduring the lows of being a Habs fan
Price and Koivu are rentals?
So maybe we should send Huet and Price to the Bulldogs and call up Halak and Denis?
I’m beginning to think that comeback really drained these guys somehow
Halyk isn’t the answer. Price is down way to early and way to much. When he came back to the big league he was standing much more than now. We need to start hitting and hustling or this is going to be another one of those long laments.
Don’t forget to add that no goalie has ever given up a goal by being hit in the crest.
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
Excellent point Timo…no one in front of Leclaire. We never seem to have anyone in front of the goalie, ever.
I think lost in the jubilation, and “fun practice”, was the fact that they were down 5-0 at home in the first place. The Pens game didn’t start much better either.
They are most certainly vulnerable.
Only their heads.
Basically, we’re more than a rental away.
I think he means that we are not one player away from the Cup!
You keep attributing any problem the team has – even a goalie’s inability to stop a beach ball – to Carbonneau. Can that really be his fault?
http://yearofthehab.blogspot.com
One thing that stood out tonight that Gainey would notice was how easily we were out muscled on the wall and that’s not a good sign if we make the playoffs.
Just came back from the game. What a stinkeroo! Heck, if ya can’t win one for the gipper who can you win for?
Just wondering how or if this will affect Bob’s thought process going into the trading day. The team was sorely lacking and outplayed tonight and I sure hope we can turn this hometown malaise around. We see to be VERY weak to start the game and no comeback gas in the tank tonight. Time for a road trip?
Ironically our opponent Tuesday may also be our dance partner. Hossssssaaaaa!!!
Well, at least the night wasn’t a total write off…had a wonderful meal at la Brasserie Brunoise across from the Bell Centre (great steak frites!)
The Dawgs lost 2 to 1 to Houston as Greg Stewart had the lone goal. Jaro Halak stopped 35 of 37 for the loss and was the 2nd star.
Nah, now’s the time to add that “impact player” and obviously it won’t be for a rental. Adding a scoring name next to Koivu gives you 2 LEGITIMATE scoring lines and that’s should get us deep in the playoffs; the deeper you go the more experience for the young guns. Let’s not mention the confidence it would bring to this team. It would make them realize that they are part of the elite instead of a bunch of over-performing rookies. That should take their game to a whole different level and sky’s the limit.
Next year’s trades should be tweakers, final piece rentals that’ll bring you to the finals. UFAs and RFAs await at the end of the next season so this roster’s gotta make a run for it next year. If we’re able to land that player NOW, we’re comfortably on schedule.
Now as to who they might acquire boils down in my opinion to Jokinen and Hossa, mayyybe Richards. Sundin rumour is a smokescreen. The problem lies with what Gainey is willing to part with. Prospects and picks are fine. In terms of respectable assets we have Ryder, Streit and Obyrne, 2 UFAs and a rookie (Gainey ain’t moving Higgins). Would Wadell bite since he said he wants players that will help him immediately?
Well, word is he’s let 3 teams negotiate with Hossa’s agent for an extension where the latter wouldn’t mind going. Good hunch they’re Boston, SJ, Mtl ; non rentals. Boston seems to have the best package as of now, whether they can actually afford him is another story. Florida wants cheap players young prospects, and we got galore. Of course SJ are gunning for him too. We probably have a better bundle but they’re in a different conference.
I think we and SJ are the best buyers for Joki and Hossa (Boston if they manage to get a discount for Marian’s best-man Chara) and call me crazy and a dreamer but I think we’ll get at least one of the two. Hossa’s a better fit but Joki will give the Finnish connection. Call me crazy but I think we’ll get at least one (I’m crazy). In any case, we rent a top 4 Def, clear the clutter that is our 7 player-4rth line and we should be fully loaded by next years playoffs. Ooof…..is it tuesday yet?
Thats why we should look at shopping Huet, perhaps to TAMPA, for a decent return! I’d take Boyle, Prospal, Richards in a heartbeat, probably won’t get Lecavalier.
As well the Gainey should really bring Halak up (kid deserves a chance, and I really feel he may be the next big thing – perhaps it isn’t Price just yet), along with Chipchura/Grabovski. We should healthy scratch Smolinksi/Brisebois/Dandenault for the rest of the season
win or lose everyone’s chanting for a trade…I for one think we should sit tight. This year doesn’t seem like the year. Huet is not a legitimate out and out starter…Price isn’t ready. Our offence has been the best we’ve seen in years but is still questionable…and our defence is missing 1 more good part. Here’s what I think.
Price will be better next year, development.
Our offence will be better next year:Plekanec and the Kostitsyns will get better, higgins will be out of his funk, koivu and kovalev another year of solid 60-70 point contributions, latendresse is continually developing (do not forget he’s 20 and he’s accomplished more than most 20 year olds…)…Grabs, Pacioretty, White, Maxwell, D’agostini all waiting in the wings to step in.
Our defence will be better, we have a boat load of them, from yemelin to subban, to mcdonagh…
Chipper can give it another go as a shut-down forward.
UFAs available aren’t much, but Hossa could be available still, and an off-season move for Jokinen is not out of question considering we’ll have a better assessment of who to keep and who to cut loose.
Overall next year is looking better already, so why make a rental move that probably won’t help us? I say Gainey lets this team give it a shot, gain some valuable experience, and set the tools for next year.
Side note, every passing day I feel Huet will be overpaid by the lightning during the UFA season…they’re in DIRE need for a goalie, plenty of cap space…Richards, St-louis, Lecav, Boyle, Prospal all in trade talks…and Huet may be tired of the Montreal scrutiny and he doesn’t want to pay the Price to play…maybe we should at least unload Huet to tampa to try to get something in return.
I think we would of destroyed the jackets with Riberio still a Hab and a couple of big tough forwards “Gratten ,etc..” Allso time to BRING UP HALAK!!!
Bob might as well continue with a plan to bolster the roster for a cup run this year. The way the league is now it is totally unpredictable. With the exception of a few dogs (Leafs, Kings, Oilers, Lightening), almost all of the teams have had stretches of play when they look like contenders followed by periods of futility. The Habs are no exception. Tonight, Vancouver is schooling Detroit. Who would have thought that Detroit would look suspect in almost every aspect of the game? The way its going Rebeiro may be the best bet for the Conn Smythe.
11 shots, but how many bona fide scoring chances?
I don’t think Leclaire was sweating much.
Price has to go back to Hamilton-he sucks….Why are the Habs so nonchalant about these teams below them. They are being beaten to every puck even in their own end.
Is Gainey looking for a goalie??? I hope a Quebecois goalie is available…..
I think Columbus got the Habs’ memo: play smart defensively to honor Mr. Gainey!
enjoying the high’s & enduring the lows of being a Habs fan
Would you want Theo back?
or perhaps Thibeaux
Well does anyone still think that we should ride Price for the rest of the season and into the play-offs?
Are you suggesting that Huet would be any better right now?
The main problem isn’t the goalies. We’re playing crummy team D… THAT’S the problem. If you’ve ever seen an All-Star game you’ll know what to expect from even world-class goaltenders when the team in front of them doesn’t play responsible defence.
Tighten up the team D, and the goalies will be fine.
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
montreal needs alot to be a contender, like how about another season…this team is way way too young. Halak is one of the best goalies in the AHL, price is playing bad, huet is playing bad…i don’t get it, what is it the habs organization has against halak?
If we start now I think we can clone Roy and have it ready in time for the playoffs!
Not even the renowned cloners of Kamino could produce a clonetrooper that quickly. And our situation is less necessary, unless Mr. Gainey intends to start a galactic civil war.
See you April 5th at the Bell Centre!
Lots of negativity here, people. The period wasn’t that 1-sided… Really, a couple of stoppable pucks got by Price, otherwise this should be a 0-0 game (woudln’t it be nice to get out of the 1st not trailing?). Let’s not forget the brilliance of the home and home vs Philly last weekend.
We’re still OK, just gotta get the defensive game back under control.
he had no chance on the first, price did the right thing to challenge the shooter, nash walked right past kovy and komi and had an open net. Its up to the other dman to take away the pass or the guy coming to the net The second one price should of had without a doubt.
Besides the bad goal tending our D looks like the worst in the league right now and that doesn’t help the goal tenders
Why would you ask me that? wrong post zamboni
enjoying the high’s & enduring the lows of being a Habs fan
sorry, replied to the wrong post, meant to reply to Guy21, (next post)
What we got here an old fashioned showdown: who can play worse?
enjoying the high’s & enduring the lows of being a Habs fan
Gainey did pick these players, right.
Komisarek could have played it better, true, but did you see how late PRice was to react to the pass? That was a stoppable puck, plain and simple.
If that had been Huet you would be the first one whinning that it was a softie
I whole-heartedly agree. It’s been a team effort to get us down by two goals.
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
Thats soo true, and comical too.
Lots of hockey left people
We will come back.A lot of the shots Leclaire faced tonight my grandmother would have stopped. If you see the puck every time it’s not all that difficult.Price was caught out a few times…more like (left out to dry by his teammates).
If the Habs don’t start playing better it’s going to get really ugly against the Sabres, Devils and then during that west coast trip.
You all forgot to add that Gillet should just sell the team and move it to Houston.
Blah, blah, blah…we suck, boo hoo hoo.
You folks do know that Leclaire is the league leader in shutouts
did you see the second goal?
CLANG!
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
Are you saying Leclaire will get a SHUTOUT tonight?
He also got most of them in the early part of the season.
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
nice shift by begin line.
That wasn’t selling anything Boone. The D’s stick was ON THE BODY.
Hamrlik has improve his shots.
They’re showing signs of life. Just need that first one.
Shades of Jan. 19th vs Sabourin and Pals
That’s it keep pressing and get some bodies in front of the net
Plekanec has to improve his faceoff technique.
Apparently, we are witnessing – sadly – the Habs being outcoached.
There are complaints about the team’s “energy,” about dump ins not working, about poor goaltending. In reality, we are seeing a less talented team defeat us.
Here’s hoping that Carbs can perform some on-ice surgery.
peca is destroying us in the faceoff circle
FINALLY THE PROPER CALL
ok, maybe it’s a makeup call
5 on 3 ok guys lets make this count
That wasn’t a penalty!
Scoring pureezu
Nobody in front of the net.
koivu, one time the damn puck
Aiyayayeee
2P 11:17:
5-on-3 for 1:10 If they don’t score, they don’t win
YESSS A REVERSE JINX!!
#3 in the league in goals scored… What a bunch of lame duck shooters!
I really want Oli Jokinen. It is what we are missing…Please Bob…
We need another defenceman
Agreed, we looked small tonight. They stood us up and frustrated our smaller players. A few times I though I saw Russ Courtnal flying around to no avail. Maybe Latendresse should have played (in front of the Columbus net)? After sitting around, Ryder looks well rested and quite motivated at times. It may be easier to pick up the players we need because Detroit will have to focus on defenseman.
Cournoyer alert!
Cournoyer alert!
What?
Shooting yes…how about passing skills…jeez..
I can’t wait for the revised schedule. It’s such a shame we don’t get to see Columbus more often.
The team that Gainey built,YIKES!!!!
Hit the net!!!
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
i can’t believe im missing this ceremony and game!
hopefully Habs I/O will put up the audio of Gainey’s speech…
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
They’re so exciting!!!! And there is such electricity in the building. I mean the great Habs-Blue Jackets rivalry.
Well hopeful Carbo tears them a new Bettman for giving this performance on Gainey night.
They aren’t playing poorly, just not effectively.
Leclaire is seeing everything.
If we can’t get the 1st spot, I would like to play Pittsburgh than New Jersy in the playoff.
Umm, Koivu was the holdeee there ref. Holding the stick by Mr. Foote.
Doesn’t mean you stop skating though.
Not this time teach, that was the correct call.
Terrible call. If you’re going to call Koivu, call the other clown who was doing the same sh*t.
Never said I was surprised. Just made a comment. And that`s a FACT!
On the bright side, sixth place is really the ideal spot to finish in this conference, and this will help our cause.
On the not so bright side, our goaltending might slide us right past sixth.
That Columbus chump held Koivu’s stick.
http://yearofthehab.blogspot.com
2P 6:36:
Another O-zone hook by … well, you know.
boone are you at the Bell or what?
Is the ice angle not good?
I’ve been advocating that Boone get his glasses checked he hasn’t been able to see anything worth a damn lately.
He was being sarcastic…
WRONG! replay confirmed the fact.
watch the replay
I’ve got to agree with you, Teach. And it looks like Koivu’s reputation for getting his stick up is preceding him; guys are taking advantage of it.
.
.
.
______________________________________
“All bow down before the Komisaurus Rex!”
Ok. Replay watched and its still the wrong call. Wierd.
You are agreeing with the fact that foote was the holder there right Vipah? i’m just confused because we are agreeing so often tonight haha
Yeah, I would have given them both a penalty. -shrug-
Agreed. Call the game the way it should be called is all we’re asking.
Why would have given both?
it means that you agree that Koivu should be penalized.
And he fell, because he couldn’t pull out his stick from under the falling player.
Penalty was still his.
Teach, I mostly agree with you on the refs, they suck, but I don’t think they made the wrong call there.
The stick was being held. Its not complicated.
Well both because according to the NHL a stick on the body is a penalty
according to the NHL closing your hand on an opposing player’s stick is also a penalty. (Mr. Foote did that)
Ok, let’s agree to disagree on this one.
I watched the replay again, as Foote was falling down, he pressed his right arm against his body, and Koivu’s stick had some resistance getting out of the day.
I wouldn’t call that holding a stick, both his hands were free, specially when you take into account that we has just tripped and falling down.
if anything it was a smart play by Foote.
Wasn;t that music from the Verve? Bittersweet Symphoney I believe?
This game is like a nightmarish re-run
Where is Bobs night on TV???????
It’s on RDS and it is not closed captioned
I’m hugely disappointed in RDS.
CBC would rather have there sport broadcasters interviewing each other than put on the Bell Center Gainey night.
Haha never misses a chance to put on the ol’ Boone Jinx!
How about the CBC? RDS is French language television
Last I checked it wasn’t on CBC
I don’t get RDS, I’m pisst
Exactly my point… Don’t get mad at RDS for not putting English Subtitles. CBC should have this on their programming right now.
I’m getting mad at RDS for not putting up French subtitles. They also suck additionally for putting “Langue Etranger” when English is spoken. Pathetic on all accounts.
Wow, so many empty seats. Disrespectful.
This is awesome
eyes welling up…
Maybe it ain’t the hot dogs he’s been stocking up on lately? Is it another word for Beer?
Heh perhaps.
Oh stop, my sides are aching. You guys are SO FUNNY!!!
Ok..now I’m laughing.
Sarcastic about what? I thought he was being sarcastic in that..Well we don’t need to tell you that Koivu got the penalty. Nothing about if it was the correct call or not.
LOL, don’t give up your day job Mike! It should be a great night at the Bell Centre. I’ve always been a big fan of Ron Hainsey. Waivers are a biotch!
Savy was playing in the old timers game? I was talking to him last week and he didn’t tell me that, i’m gonna razz him next time i see him at pick up hockey.
OL;EEEEE OLEEEEE OLEEE OLEEE OLEE OLEEEEE
I could not realistically see them “dial up a stinker.” given whose number it is that’s being honoured. That said, Moore, Cornouyer, Savard, Dryden, and Robinson, were not really honoured by the players the nights they went up to join the Pantheon. I hope Gainey’s given the respect he deserves by his guys.
We can realistically expect the Jackets to bring in a big performance since Hitchcock will have them bring it all night. Hainsey has something to prove to this organization, Brassard and Leclaire will be playing in front of their people, and Columbus is in a fight for its first playoff appearance.
I’m expecting Montreal to be bringing the body on this one, since they need to show some semblance of defense after being rung up for 10 the last two games. Price was yanked, and if he’s starting then he’ll be looking to capitalize on Huet’s funk, also his billet family will be watching so hopefully he’ll give them a nice fond memory of their visit to the City of Saints.
I’ve been waiting for this night all season, and I’m going to be having high expectations for Les Glorieux to send a message to the league and show they have killer instinct, not to mention honoring Mr.Gainey. In tonight’s matchup; we are the better team, were in our backyard and were honouring the man who’s rebuilt the franchise.
Merry Gainey Day
WOW!! Even Hitch was smiling. I’m all choked up.
I’m not worried about tonight, I smell a win. The team is playing much better and their confidence level has improved tremendously since November when Robinson’s sweater was retired.
After last Tuesday against the Rangers, they can beat ANY team when they set their minds to it. THey have a lot of heart and they won’t disappoint Bob.
or a Yeat..I’m not sure.
The ceremony was beautiful. And I donated $23.23 to the Gainey Foundation.
Exactly, ribeiro also lead his team in points last season but come playoff time he was mostly used on the powerplay and saw very little 5 on 5 play because he would be invisible. He is going to be the center of attention from opposing teams again this playoff season so expect the same kind of result.