The Canadiens are within one of their record for consecutive home-ice losses … but at least the latest one wasn’t an embarrassment.
After Marc Denis, who had not won a game this season, made a brilliant leg save on Saku Koivu to complete his shootout shutout, there was stunned silence in the Bell Centre, rather than the raucous boos that have rained down on the team after recent losses.
Canadiens came back from a 2-1 third-period deficit and salvaged a point against Tampa Bay.
"We battled back," said Saku Koivu. "We’ve talked a lot about playing 60 minutes and not having letdowns. We can’t take a period off."
Like the second. If the stat sheet is to be believed, the Canadiens had 13 giveaways in the middle period, 22 after 40 minutes – to two for Tampa Bay. Lightning scored their second goal off a blooper reel giveaway by Ryan O’Byrne, who played two minutes of the thhird period and was benched for the OT.
The Canadiens didn’t quit. Tomas Plekaanec tied the game at 2 with four and a hlf minutes left, and the Canadiens had the best of the OT.
"We have to take the third period, memorize it and play like that for 60 minutes," said Alex Kovalev.
The coach thinks Canadiens "have to find a way to turn chances into goals."
Maybe Thursday in Philadelphia. And then, with that record for home-ice futility looming, Toronto is here on Saturday.
Loading ...
Here’s another one my friend:
http://www.habsinsideout.com/comment/reply/1622/46141
Showey47: I actually have been wondering if the opposite isn’t true. Maybe Saku was approached with a trade and that has him (and the whole team) down. I wouldn’t trade Koivu unless we were getting someone with at least as much leadership back. I don’t quite see that from Marleau.
good call too bouillon for a 3rd rounder…that’s 2 million we’re shaving off a dman who should be making half that (cuz he’s half the size of a regular NHLer)
I think if this trade did happen you would see bernier as his winger or huet used as trade bait to bring a winger in.
The more i think about it, the more i think that saku has quietly asked for a trade. Probably tired of carbo playing him with fourth liners and defencemen on his right wing. It may also explain his poor play as of late. But if i am gainey i make this trade happen, i would probably throw in bouillon just to free up a spot for gorges or obyrne
I see that happening… their backup has done absolutely crap in San Jose. If there is a package deal in place, one of our backups is definitly in there somewhere. I say Halak chances are…
Koivu-for-Marleau would be a huge, huge deal…. and a major shakeup for both teams, as it would be a captain-for-captain deal. Both are slumping right now, so it would have change-of-scenery undertones. I am very skeptical, but Bob McKenzie is hardly some Internet speculator so one must consider the possibility.
For Montreal it would be a big change in philosophy, or at least, a big expression of the new direction Gainey is taking this team (Chipchura, Latendresse, Pacioretty, etc.). Marleau may not be quite a game-breaker, but he is very skilled, and more importantly he is fast AND big… he would help with so many things that ail the Canadiens. So I think Montreal must do this deal if it is available, even though it will be a sad, sad day when Koivu is no longer the Habs’ captain. One one hand I feel Koivu deserves better… on the other, he may feel his odds are better in San Jose and may welcome the chance to go there and be reunited with his friend Craig Rivet, so this may not be so bad for him. Plus he has a NTC, so it’s not like he has to go if he doesn’t want to. But I feel that Montreal would be much the poorer for losing Koivu-the-person, even if they find an adequate replacement for Koivu-the-player.
Why does San Jose do this? One presumes they would look for a defenseman instead, where they are relatively thin (even with Rivet — who they have on their top pairing). One may indeed be packaged in the deal as an adjunct as Montreal has a surplus. But the one reason the Sharks would consider this would be if they are looking for a shakeup and an infusion of heart, as there are few players who can provide more of it than Koivu. And I have no doubt Koivu would be an excellent second-line center behind Thornton.
That said… Joe Thornton on the same team as Saku Koivu would be a weird, weird, WEIRD thing.
I made the same suggestion — Koivu and Ryder for Marleau and Bernier — last week:
http://www.habsinsideout.com/comment/reply/1557/45134
Cheechoo and Roenick are also on the injured reserve. That may or may not play into this proposed trade.
When did McKenzie say this? I’m searching his TSN blog and I see nothing. Was it on TV?
Where did you hear that rumour?
.
.
.
______________________________________________
“Vote Saku for All-Star… or little Timmy gets it!!!”
check that, imagine Jumbo Joe feeding Cheechoo and Ryder…those who were scared that Ryder would be a 40+ scorer for another team should be even more scared since he’s going to be playing with the league’s (arguably, but i don’t like sid the kid) best playmaker.
Rumours of Halak/Koivu for Marleau/Kaspar too…
Hope somethings happen… I hate to get excited for no reason…
_______________________________________
CH is for Chris Higgins
Of the possible trades that could occur to shake things up, this one seems one of the worst. There is better trade bait than Koivu, who is a good leader and needs consistent play from his teammates. Ryder, on the other hand, is good bait, and we are sitting on two NHL calibre goaltenders in Denis and Halak who could get thrown into the mix. I can see Ryder, a goalie and maybe Kostopolous attracting a couple of power forwards. Though not from SJ. I don’t like this deal at all.
Tampa sucks on the road. Tampa are a tired team who played last night and arrived late because of a delay. They missed their morning skate today. Richards is hurting. They have no defense or goaltending. The Habs OWE their fans a win. If the Habs lose tonight, it’s going to get really really hot in Montreal. I think Gainey and Wilson have been speaking on and off since the draft so there may be a nugget of truth there. But I think Montreal would have to sweeten the pot significantly over the above proposal.
I say do it, Marleau has more good years left in him than Koivu. Maybe he’s grown complacent in San Jose with Jumbo Joe being the central figure after Marleau was top dog for so many years. Koivu’s leadership could be lossed, but Marleau IS the captain of the Sharks, so I’m sure he’ll bring some leadership with him. And he’s a great skater.
Reminds me of when someone said that the Habs like to choose a team and make them their trading-partners for a while. Seems like that theory is true.
Bernier and Latendresse will give us 2 up and coming power-forwards, but from the looks of it, they’re probably at the same level in their development.
totally agree. screw the “find the best french canadian we can get” approach. he’ll suck under the pressure – who was the last talented french player who didn’t get booed out of town?
Marleau would be an unmitigated disaster. i completely agree with you, Bill.
Because kovy is not a defenceman, lol
Marleau is 5 years younger and has never been injury prone. Like it or not saku’s time as a hab is gonna come to an end either through a trade or when he is a ufa after next season. I would love to see saku retire a hab and hoist the cup for us but i don’t see either happening.
rds just showing the fact that kovy is averaging 4 minutes less per game as a hab than any other time in his career. Ask mike keenan if he thrives on lots of icetime
What potential? Marleau has played more games in the NHL than Koivu, and has fewer career points to show for it, by the way. He scored exactly three more points than Koivu last year, and he makes what, 2 million more per year than Koivu?
Count me out!
Unlike pond hockey, first goal wins!
hey Ian, enjoy your crown royal
my suggestion would be to score more goals than the other team for a change
Good evening hab fans and Tommy B sir, Well here we go again. Looks like TSN has the game tonight. Being an old fart watching this game alone with some Crown Royal and my feet to the fire, I’M READY, I hope to hell our club is. No sence in evaluating anything right now with this club, you never know what we might get tonight! Just hope we get an honest effort. If i could give them 1 tip it is GET THE PUCK OUT OF OUR END for a change.
GOING FOR A DRINK—-Post latter. Have fun!
You may not see the leadership (even though he is the captain) in marleau but marleau is also 5 years younger, bigger, stronger,faster than koivu. He would fit the role of big center that we need. Like i said in an earlier post i doubt saku is gonna be in this league in the next 2-3 years. Either way i doubt he is gonna resign if carbo is the coach
Whey would you want to trade a leader like Koivu??Blame the coach and his system which is NOT working.
La Presse is reporting that Carbo plans on giving Kovalev more ice time, but that the extra time wouldn’t be with Koivu. It would be nice to see Kovalev get 20minutes a game, but I’m left asking, why not some time witk Koivu??
La Presse is reporting that Carbo plans on giving Kovalev more ice time, but that the extra time wouldn’t be with Koivu. It would be nice to see Kovalev get 20minutes a game, but I’m left asking, why not some time witk Koivu??
At first glance this looks to be a no-brainer, but commiting 6.3m per year for Marleau is a bad idea for two reasons.
1) Marleau hasn’t looked very good since last years playoffs, thus making him a 6.3m gamble.
2) Paying him would make it near impossible to make a play for Vinnie after next year. Admittedly a trade for him is not possible, but nobody would complain if we paid 10m a year for him as a UFA.
Far from being a ‘Jump on it’ deal, it’s a tough call.
I remember when they traded Kirk Muller to the Isles for Turgeon (Schneider and Darby also went for Malakhov). That was a brutal trade, and so would this be. Trade Koivu never. Marleau is Somebody Else’s Problem. I don’t care about Ryder so much … though I hope everyone is prepared to watch him score about 60 goals playing with Thornton.
Saku forever!!
When your superior doesn’t know exactly what he’s doing, you can only go on for so long before you’re drained. Their energy is sapped by a dysfunctional system.
What he deserves is to be on a winning Canadiens team with a coach who has a good system. Any way to get Bowman back?
Inasmuch as their lacklustre attitude goes, the players are the problem. These are the same guys who were tearing up the league not too long ago, after all. But you’re right, if their heads aren’t in it, it stems from inconsistent coaching and feeling stifled by an all-too-rigourous defensive system.
That being said, I hope we can somehow pull a win out of our a$$ tonight.
Go Habs!
What does it matter? Saku or Marleau – neither will make an impact with Carbo’s system. The players are NOT the problem.
I just heard that Tampa’s plane was stuck on the tarmac for over two hours and they didn’t arrive at their hotel til 3AM lol. This should help the Habs from a fatigue standpoint but we still have to be ready to stop Vinnie. As far as the potential deal between San Jose, I say do the deal. I don’t think Saku has been happy this year but for all years he has played here and put up with the outrageously high expectations we place upon the team, he deserves to go to a contender.
Marleau wears the C over in San Jose…he must be doing something right
if we’re willing to trade saku…we might look into re-uniting him with his long lost buddy mark recchi…for marian hossa
…atlanta could be looking for a number 1 centre for kovalchuk…and marian hossa can rock our socks
to be honest, i don’t know if we can even field 2 competent lines at this point
Yea, let’s just put one D-man up front!
bench should be shortened to two lines.
For all you Carbo bashers, cmon he’s improved. I heard last year he tried to pull his goalie in a shootout. Thank you.
Hahahahaha! Did we win that one?
The Teacher, Chuck, Mr. Poisson, and the Fun Police..
The last 4 remaining habs fans….
all i’m saying is that when i’m part of the 21 273 loyal fans (and paying customers i might add) still going to cheer on their team, they better not show me this kind of effort. mr boone i thought you really captured the love that this city has for the team in one of your recent blogs, and it kills me to see the team like this. what i wouldn’t do to see the teams my dad got to see when he was my age…
Yesss!!!!
Why, we all know the post-game cliche drill by now?
The Habs just plain suck!
Their Captain can’t score so what does he do?
Take his usual bullshit pussy penalties.
I thought if Price could see it, he’d stop it.
Alas, I was wrong.
The fact the The Breezer is a member of this team speaks volumes.
Poor O’Byrne makes a mistake and you sit him? Please Carbo.
Carbo just opens the door. He doesn’t have a rats-ass-damn idea how
to coach a professional team. And, he has a crappy hairdo.
You have embraced fully “The Culture of Suck.”
Step One DENIAL: We’re really not as bad as it seems. (Trot out the usual cliched crap.)
Step Two RESIGNATION: Hey, the fans boo us every night, but we’re trying sooooo hard. There is just nothing we can doooooo. Boo, hoo, hoo.
Step Three ACCEPTANCE: Yes, we suck and there is nothing you can do about it. Hell fans, if Jean Believeau can’t motivate us, how do you think you can?
Sign Up Now: I’m working on my book, The Road to Leafdom. Just started Chapter 1: Where the Train Went Off the Track: The 1980 Draft. I’ll sign the first 50 copies. Should be a keeper given the quality of most sports books.
hm, to watch the third period… or not to watch the third period…
I would have put O’Byrne right back on the ice.
I would have too, but I have a decent haircut!
just wait 2 years guys
ah well i was gonna skip going to hockey and watch this but at least my line can score. Here’s to hoping for a miracle comeback boys. i’m off to hockey
I’m so not looking forward to the trash talk I’m going to hear on Sunday after the Canadiens get killed by the Leafs Saturday night.
dandy has more icetime than kovy after two. carbo is brutal.
That sucked for Koivu.
Sure you can’t make it to MTL? I’m down near NYC and I can’t get there in time.
He gets overshadowed by Lecavalier and St. Louis, but Brad Richards is a hell of a hockey player and he has to play with crap guys at even strength.
lets predict how much icetime our fourth line gets in the third. i say at least 3 minutes.
which one?
that is absolutely ridiculous. what the f is carbo doing?
haha…
Carbo playing Kovalev for 25minutes is working perfectly… oh wait, he’d actually have to play Kovalev for the rest of the period for that to happen.
well played haha
Why is Koivu watching everybody?
was going to say the one with streit on it, but i think he’s now on the third. pathetic. i like dandy…on the fourth line. we need goals, he almost took a slapshot to get the puck to koivu who was all alone in front of the net.
all of them…nobody will be playing for the other 11 minutes….
AHAHAHA a slapshot..must be why Koivu looks so dispirited…
probably just bored. clearly skating around aimlessly isn’t exciting enough so he decided to tune into the game
At this point I’d like to see the players all taking shots at Carbo through the media… He adapts slower than monkeys evolving into humans.
If Kovy’s out, we’re screwed.
Meanwhile:
http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20072008/GS020441.HTM
Mind you our awesome PK will win the day against the Flyers. Lupul poolies rejoice!
Heyyyy!
somebody dove to block a shot!
down by a goal and fourth line on.
Look on the bright side. Suck is an absolute concept. Once you suck, you suck. You can suck more than others, but that’s just quibbling.
I know I’m a lip reader…but is “come on” all carbo ever says?
again, which one?
You must be specific according to Mr. Poisson
This is painful to watch.
Well, Mr. Gainey
Choice, actually no, and not what you would like to do. I learned. And I am not certain that I made the right decisions. Ahh well kiddo, it is all all about the choices, and I have to make them everyday. This one will be tough. It is not about the scars, it is about the capacity to lead, he already has the scars… what do you want to do now?
Whatever you do, it has to happen soon. While you boys are hanging up your sweaters (ho, ho), the rest have no patience for anything…………..
if all he says is come on then how does he communicate the line changes? oh wait he draws those out of a hat… my bad…
50 something straight home games without a goal from dandy according to tsn!!!! why is he on the ice when we need a goal.
The usual bold thinkin’ from Carbo. Carbo, like Moe of the Three Stooges, knows hockey!
Because he’s on one of our 4th lines…
the one with a defensemen on it… wait, am i seeing double
Hahaha, the pointy hat Mr. Cournoyer12 was talking about?
He’s morphing into a living dead like creature before our eyes. I’m serious, I can see the strain. I feel for the guy.
i don’t remember being this frustrated in a long time. i think the last time was with vignault and his favorite player (darby) getting 20 minutes a game.
i also heard that 10 years ago in juniors he was a great goal-scorer. of course that makes him the go-to guy, doesn’t it?
Ya, he did say a couple of F*** me’s when the plexi-glass broke…tsk tsk..what about the children?
Because he was a real scoring talent in junior and the Habs are going to be the first to tap that potential 15 years later. Or else because this team is fugged.
Think this is bad? wait till after the next game.
guys have you all learned nothing? coach carbo told us that to be successful in the nhl today, you MUST roll 4 lines. so really maybe they’re all 1st lines.
if carbonneau said it, then it must be true!
Is Tampa still on the powerplay? It sure seems like it
brise-freaken-bois!!!!
Yayyyy, we cleared the puck…
Maybe that’s why koivu’s stick broke?
if we lose the next game, monsieur poisson, i believe you’ll agree that ca va etre laid en tabarnac!
Isn’t this the 82nd game already?
Lafleur was only half right. We have four fourth lines, but he didn’t say in which league, I’m thinking ECHL. What about you guys?
We have no emotion and no finish…we are just plain NOT GOOD!!!
Penny for your thoughts Bob Gainey?
$$$
Higgins isn’t underachieving by my measure, I think he’s right on target, but yeah, he is if you believe the dogma around here. A captain? Hardly.
I can’t wait for tonight’s, dare I say predictable, post-game mea culpa crap. Gentlemen, you’re boring the living shit out of us. And, I have a message to those who think Higgins will be captain of the Habs shortly. That’s just brilliant, replace one under-achieving forward with another as your leader. I would just put the “C” in a steamer chest until someone who could wear it with some dignity through some wierd twist of fate shows up on your doorstep.
After watching yet another loss here are my really late post-game comments (bout of insomnia tonight):
-was this actually a great effort? think about it: TB has the worst road record in the league and is behind Mtl. in the standings and we still can’t beat them on home ice!!!
-Kovy, Higgins, Pleks, Tom the Bomb, Komi played pretty hard tonight. If we are honest about the “good effort trophy” it would have to be given to those guys.
-Carbo is a lame coach. His benching of the kid O’Byrne screamed of inexperience and injustice. Our newest D-man bobbled a rolling puck and the coach sits him for the rest of the game????? That could’ve happened to Markov or anyone else. It wasn’t an experience or bad decision mistake – it was a fluke and TB capitalized. That was a pure rookie call by Carbo!!!
-Breezer should spent more time eating $6 hotdogs in the box – way too many mistakes again tonight. He’s eating up valuable playing time that either Gorges or another D-man call-up could use at this level.
-observed all night the more and more obvious weaknesses of our rookie goalie. He cheated badly on the left side tonight which resulted in a goal, and his glove was slow which gave up the LeCav goal (incidentally he wasn’t screened on the shot). Thankfully this kid covers a lot of space and plays a near perfect butterfly making the bottom of the net near impenetrable. That said, Huet is most certainly the better goalie in Mtl.
-where were Kovy and Lats in the shootout???? I’m no Lats fan, but the boy can score in shootouts. My choices would have been Kost, Kovy, Lats. I think Marc Denis could have just lay across the crease and won!!!
-i have a familiar song in my head for Ryder: na na na na, na na na na, heeey goodbye…
-this game should have been a confidence booster over a team trying to find itself, but instead turned into a confirmation of how bad the Habs really are right now. Can they play better? I think so. But this is an average team at best without, as Mr. Beliveau so subtly suggested, a superstar to carry the team when it’s down. Also, I believe Carbo should be shipped off to Chibougamou to coach pee-wee in order to gain some valuable experience which just might salvage his future behind any pro-level bench!
Not much to smile at (single point in OT for losing is nothing to be proud of) so, expect worse results against Philly and Leafs later this week.
Totally agree with you about the benching of O’Byrne…that was stoopid. I mean BreezeBy makes 4-5 of these mistakes per game but still plays. If he sends O’Byrne to the press box for the next game, then Carbo has to go.
So am I. I bought a magazine.
price is playing better.
One thing that I have noticed about Carey Price is he really doesn’t make any “big” saves. It seems as if he doesn’t have excellent reflexes like many other goalies. I am watching the Edmonton highlights and see Garon making sprawling, leg splitting saves and I’m thinking to myself…Price wouldn’t have got to that. His recovery doesn’t seem to be the greatest. He is great with positioning and rebounds. But I think he relays on his positioning much more than reflexes. That is okay in major junior and the AHL when shooters hit you in the chest on every shot. But in the NHL, snipers pick off the top corners…and he has struggled making those saves. Just look at the highlights tonite..both goals beat him in the corners. I know he is only 20 and has loads of time to fix all of this…but it’s just something I have noticed during this losing streak. I must admit I was guilty, along with many others, of declaring this guy the future of goaltending in the NHL a little too early.
Not a goaltender, are you? You don’t want your goalie to have to make sprawling, highlight-reel saves… that just means that your goalie was out of position to begin with. You DO want you goaltender to rely more on his positioning; why do you think that Carey seems to get hit in the middle of the crest a lot?
If the opposing player is good enough to pick a corner from 15 feet out, I can live with that. After all, your guys should be able to do that to their goalie, too. It’s when your goalie gives up shots on rebounds that he should have smothered, or on weak, long or unscreended shots that worry me. That’s definitely not something that you can blame on Price.
.
.
.
______________________________________________
“Vote Saku for All-Star… or little Timmy gets it!!!”
they are our number one line.
I haven’t had a chance to read all of the comments, but did anynone notice how far out of position the referee was when he signaled “no goal” on Koivu’s shootout attempt? He was in behind the freakin’ net with his butt up against the end boards! Regardless of whether or not the puck actually crossed the goal line, there was NO WAY that he was in position to see if the puck had actually crossed the line; he was completely blocked out by the goalie’s leg pad.
In that circumstance, is there not a way for the goal/non goal to be reviewed?
.
.
.
______________________________________________
“Vote Saku for All-Star… or little Timmy gets it!!!”
See what happens when you shoot
$$$
We actually scored?
on Denis?
Wow, what a team we have now! Stanley Cup, here we come.
Thank you.
BFD. Don’t go getting Pryopism just yet!
The only line nobody could call a fourth line. And good work by Streit too.
alright..let’s at least get a point
wow, carbo, you’re fourth line is not on the ice following a goal. dare i say, in game adjustment
Never! in all my years of loving this game have i been so disapointed in the quality of entertainment. No further comment from me, i’ll just read about this goal that we scored and pretend it was great!
Oh.My.Gawd. We may get a point outta this stinker.
Man, we really miss singing OLE OLE OLE do we not?
kovalev double shifted.
which one again?
Wait wait… we’ve got energy? Crashing the net? Wow.
There’s the Kovalev double shift.
maybe he’ll have a 2.5 min shift?
And it got a goal and a near goal.
Play Kovy’s line every other shift for the rest of the game.
When I coach my pee wee team we say; ” Go to the net!”
Almost a goal because of it
$$$
Hmm, have the bounces started to go the other way?
funny thing what happens when best players are on the ice, they get a better feel of the game.
i dunno i keep seeing him on the fourth line…
Yeah, lol. Way to try to press the momentum.
No singing ’til we actually win!!!
Yuck..Denis is a Monsater…
double-yuck..
worst goalie in the league and he’s a monster..oh god, hang me now
dandy?
LOL I was just thinking that same thing. So desperate for cheering that we’ll ALLEZ ALLEZ for one point.
That is, if we even get that point…
fourth line. carbo knows how to kill momentum
I guess Tampa just got tired?
Wow Canadiens pressing and using their speed? What the hell is going on?
carbo, fourth line against the big three
Not to burst the bubbles of all the negative people in here but….
The TSN highlight pack they just played of Marc Denis work this game shows
that the Habs have had, by far, the better chances. Erase a bad goal and a bad luck givaway and this game is 2-0 for the Habs.
Lightning haven’t exactly dominated on chances. Territory maybe, but not breakways, 2-1′s etc…
Saved by the Bell!!!
YES! One point! It’s a moral victory
Komi-Vinny..I wouldn’t mind having him off the ice for 5!
total fluke. won’t happen again. sorry
Or Gainey could take over behind the bench himself, although I never like it when they do that- I prefer it when the GM does what he’s supposed to, which doesnt include coaching. But who could take over? Muller? Jarvis? Hartley was fired cos he couldnt coax wins out of a lineup that includes Kovalchuk. What chance would he have here?
I agree that Carbo seems to be on a different planet when it comes to strategy. But I think that comment is unfettered bullcrap, because I haven’t seen any sign of ‘forcing the play’. On the PK, win or lose, the Habs play boxed in deep and cede the point. It ties in to what the guys were saying on the puckcast, that Carbo will say anything at this stage to make the problem one of execution rather than fundamental strategy.
Extending back to that early game where he failed to call a time out in the dying seconds, he has shown an uncanny knack for not fessing up to bad decisions- or worse, inventing excuses for failure out of thin air. I wish he’d eff off with the press conferences and just focus on the damn games.
For anybody that feels Carbo is not part of the problem or is actually doing a goog job, this is from Pat Hickey’s story this morning…
The Canadiens have allowed eight power-play goals on 20 opportunities over the last five games, and Carbonneau said part of the problem stemmed from not taking an early lead.
“It’s always easier to defend on the penalty kill when you’re ahead than when you’re behind by one or two goals,” he said. “Sometimes, I’ll ask them to force the play because you might catch teams by surprise and score shorthanded.”
I couldn’t make this stuff up it is so absurd! Your team is trailing so you tell them to take chances on the PK!?!? Concentrate on killing the penalty first or you’ll be down by one more goal. Get them to play agressive and forecheck at 5-on-5 to generate scoring chances and draw penalties.
Also it is not for Bob Gainey to sit down and help Carbo get his tactics in order as somebody suggested. If Gainey needs to baby-sit his coach, he might as well do it himself or get a new coach.
Actually, let’s hope they keep Carbo so we can tank all the way and get a great draft pick. Of course they’ll prolly trade down from that pick to get the D-Man that Timmins REALLY wanted but that’s a different story.
But I’m really worried that Gainey will trade some promising young guys for a one-year rental just so we can get eliminated in the first round instead of missing the playoffs altogether.
This is from Spectors site, looks like there is talk between the GMs with a lot of guessing on who’s involved:
HABS-SHARKS TALKING TRADE?
HABS INSIDE OUT: Montreal Gazette sports columnist Mike Boone reports of rumours the Canadiens and San Jose Sharks might be talking trade. Boone cites TSN’s respected hockey commentator Bob McKenzie as suggesting Habs GM Bob Gainey is talking to Sharks GM Doug Wilson, kicking about a Saku Koivu and Michael Ryder for Patrick Marleau and Steve Bernier swap.
CKAC RADIO: reports the possible deal could be Koivu and Ryder for Marleau or for Bernier and Joe Pavelski.
FANATIQUE.CA: also reports on this possible trade and that Koivu, Ryder, Francis Bouillon and Jaroslav Halak and Bernier and Kyle McLaren are being bandied about.
Spector’s Note: Hat tip to Jean-Phillipe Parent and “Richard” for the links. This rumour has popped up quite quickly in the mix, but I still have strong doubts as to the validity, no offence to McKenzie. The Habs could use a shakeup, and if Koivu is asking to be dealt it could be possible, but Koivu has been very loyal to the Habs and the city of Montreal for a long time, and Gainey stated last summer his intent was to build around Koivu. Second, Marleau’s new two-year, $12.6 million contract with a “no-trade” clause kicks in next summer, which is a lot of money to gamble on a player who’s struggling this season, leading to some whispers that he’s a spent force. Bernier and Pavelski have been struggling out of the media spotlight in San Jose, so I don’t see them improving in a fishbowl existance that is the life of a Canadien. Third, deals like this rarely leak out in public, so approach this one with caution. If Bob McKenzie wasn’t reporting this, I wouldn’t put any stock into it, but he is connected, reliable and respected, so if he’s suggesting the two teams are talking trade, I wouldn’t dismiss it outright. As for involving those aforementioned players, we’ll have to wait and see.
I wonder how Marleau would feel about playing with a defenceman as his winger? Personally I would like to keep Saku because as mentioned he IS the Montreal Canadiens and he has done so much for the community.
Wow they are quoting Mike Boones pretty quick. When Boones talks people listen. I’m impressed. Thank you.
I like what I hear. They want to double shift Kovalev. He will play with Koivu also. I hope it is true.
Maybe that’s exactly what we need… for one of the players to really show leadership and stand up. Then again Kovy argued the system was no good and look how people bashed him afterwards.
I agree that Marleau and Carbonneau may not get along that well. He’s probably not as passive as Koivu and less likely to put up with Carbonneau’s constant shuffling of lines and strategy of shooting from weird angles…
I could see gainey having to sweeten the pot a little more to make this deal happen. Maybe sending gorges back to san jose? But i would rather keep him and send bouillon. But for now it is just a rumour.
The RDS Kovy feature was loads of fun
Ian, hearing you say that! You’re the most positive guy on here. I can feel the pain in your words.
Right now Montreal’s confidence is nil, they are tentative and hesitant, they give the puck away, they can’t handle bouncing pucks or pucks that aren’t flat on the ice.
For a team in that state, they’re going to need a lot of breaks for that to happen… but seriously, this is Montreal, so here’s what happens:
On the same sequence Montreal saw a linesman block a clearing attempt and practically give the puck to a Bolt for a breakway chance, then see the refs ignore a blatant holding-the-stick infraction on Lecavalier then penalize Plekanec for lifting the stick.
Tampa holds the puck for 90 seconds on the power play and when Koivu gets a clear chance to clear it and maybe even make a pass, his stick breaks and the Bolts recover.
I’m not going to absolve Montreal after this giveaway-fest, but it’s clear they’re not going to get out of this one on their own. They need either some luck or a shakeup.
Could someone please ask the idiots in red sweaters to shoot the puck during shootouts? This “f” deek thing doesn’t fool anybody. Anyone notice what Richards did with the thing….buried it!
Trade everybody !
Carbo was thoroughly out coached again. Line match ups were bad, strategy was bad.
Playing lines 4 and 4a so much was bad. Benching Obyrne confidence shattering.
Carbo must be fired asap. The team has quit on him and I dont blame them.
Cmon Bob, do the right thing. Fire Carbo.
it’s called a “shootout” not a “deekout”.
It’s time for a changing of the guard. From the coaching staff down. I love Koivu but we’ve drawn from his well for too long and he doesn’t want to give anymore, he’ll be happy somewhere else and he deserves it.
Waiting for the Carbo press conference on RIS… Why? I don’t know, I guess so I can listen to him rail off the same feeble excuses as always.
When you are benched for any mistake big or small you play tentative. That describes the team right now.
Who to blame?????
Carbo of course. He has destroyed the confidence of the young players and the veterans have quit on him because he’s a jerk.
Carbo must go.
carbo can’t coach skilled players. carbo would bench gretzky in his prime for turnovers and lack of defensive effort.
Wow, I would have fully expected Kovalev to be angry or something about not shooting in the shoutout. but he said nothing… what’s happened to him? I almost wish he did!
wonder if he will indirectly call out his captain, put down his rookie goalie, and complain about the distractions of playing home games.
yeah, just look at richards…fly in and shoot = goal. As a goalie I know its easier to cover the bottom on the ice on a deke
6 at home and counting…I am glad all the games are sold out and I will not be able to go see one. The prices to pay right now to see a losing team that can’t finish…RIDICULOUS. I am not one to start bashing them, but I have had enough, this is embarassing, TOR is winning, DET and OTT keep winning, BOS is winning, WTF why can’t they win, at home even.
HABS YOU SUCK
HABS YOU SUCK
HABS YOU SUCK
Goodnight HABS fans, I would try and dream about the ’86 series, but they would probably still lose…
Ouch… but points for accuracy.
watch Higgins or saku and they look like snake charmers.
look what happened once the crowd were behind the habs. they started producing more scoring chances. It really is a psychological advantage when youre being oleyed instead of booed.
Carbo is asked in the press conference why he didn’t use Kovalev… His answer: “I was waiting to use him in the fourth round.” You’ve got to be f***ing kidding me.
Red Fisher grills Carbo about the giveaway stats after the second period; he tells Carbo they were 22 for Montreal, to 2 for Tampa. Fisher wants to know what he thinks of that. Carbo suggests it’s a mistake; he is not impressed.
Sad times yeats, sad times. I’m one of the most positive guy’s, always seeing the positive out of every game. Growing from every give away and mistake, getting better each game.
What the hell are we wasting our time watching this crap for. All the kings horses and all the kings men,could never put this broken egg together again!
what channel is that on?
Totally agree. Right now, end discussion. Doesn’t mean it is anything like his fault, but this is nae the Dallas and we dinny play footba’ heer…………
all day tomorrow i’ll have to listen to pathetic leaf fans tell me how they predicted another collapse by the habs. have to hear the same crap, “too small”, “can’t score five on five”…i just don’t think carbo gets the best of these players. i honestly believe a change of coach and you would see koivu, ryder and kovy take off.
don’t have ris here in northern ontario, thanks for the updates on the PC
I don’t know if he can coach skilled players or not. I hope someday he gets a chance to try.
I’m in Ottawa, anybody know if we get RIS at all?
I’ll take the point! Sure looked like we weren’t going to get one for a hell of a long time. Would’ve been nice to see a win, but goals are scarce for the Habs. Basically it comes down to that brutal Andre Roy goal. Tough luck for O’Byrne and the Habs. Still, coming back to tie it has to give the Habs a lift. I’ll be looking for a better game on Thursday.
When is Huet back? I thought Price played okay, handled his rebounds really nicely, followed the puck well. All the shots that beat him were lasers … but also all high-corner shots. Did Pierre already publish his book? I’d like to see Huet against the Flyers, Price against the Leafs.
I feel your pain, I will have to listen a DET fan say “see I told you, Tampa loses against the Leafs, they beat MTL”
How does this happen, like come on I have already said it but…6 losses at home…is Price really the man, or is there a problem with goaltending? or is it veteran players who cannot finish?
I doubt anyone can figure this out, but I say lets lay off Carbo for a while, I don’t think it is him, I think MTl has found their groove, and it is called…………………………………………………………………………………..LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSING!
Price is playing like crap. We can’t score. This is the worst as I’ve seen this team be since I’ve watched these guys from 1979 till now. They should give refunds to the people that pay to watch this crap. I have desjardin club tickets for Gainey’s retirement night Feb 23rd…..willing to give these away to whoever emails me first, mcloutier1@cogeco.ca
Somebody stick a mike in Kovy’s face and ask him about the coach’s decision. Beware of fireworks.
If the Habs lose on Saturday will people start agreeing with me that the vet corps needs to be blown up and that they will not get any better without a big, strong, skilled #1 centre ie. suck and go for Steve Stamkos in the draft? Time for more patience and a little more rebuilding.
I will go to help boo the HABS
Im going to have to get a name maybe. I’m in Belleville On. But i was involved in minor hockey in Riverview for many years, had a fox and mink ranch in Salisbury.
You’re right Bill. It didn’t look like they’d get anything and they did scrap for that point. What sucks is that they had to. I don’t know if that’s going to be enough of a lift but it’s better than nothing I guess. Huet vs Flyers, Price vs Leafs, sigh, sure why not. Got a feeling there’s going to be a big change between now and then.
By any chance is this Riverview N.B.
Yes it is
It’s a chicken and egg thing.
We’ve missed two points once again today
It’s the same old thing as yesterday
There’s a black biscuit caught in Price’s net top
There’s a captain who’s bad penalties won’t stop
I have stood here before hoping in vain
With the other team turning circles ’round my brain
I guess I’m always hoping that we’ll resume our reign
But it seems Carbo’s destiny is to be the king of pain
There’s a puck trapped on the tip of Higgins stick
(That`s my soul up there)
Deep down we all know that he won’t do dick
(That`s my soul up there)
Maybe Christ will intervene and their goalie will slip
(That`s my soul up there)
But, no it’s trapped in their kicker’s mitt
(That`s my soul up there)
I have stood here before hoping in vain
With the other team’s forwards circling ’round my brain
I guess I’m always hoping that we’ll resume our reign
But it seems Carbo’s destiny is to be the king of pain
There’s a Habs’ forward trapped against the half wall
(That`s my soul up there)
There’s his linemate, but he’s only 5’10″ tall
(That`s my soul up there)
There’s the Breezer splayed out on the blue line
(That`s my soul up there)
This team’s roster is a freakin’ crime
(That`s my soul up there)
I have stood here before hoping in vain
With the other team’s forwards circling ’round my brain
I guess I’m always hoping that we’ll resume our reign
But it seems Carbo’s destiny is to be the king of pain
There’s a man behind the bench who hasn’t got a clue
And yet game in and out the fans must rue
There’s the players sleeping on a golden bed
There’s the fans choking on a crust of bread
King of pain
There’s no tricks left in Carbo’s pack
There’s a vulture above hunching its back
We’ve missed two points once again today
It’s the same old thing as yesterday
I have stood here before hoping in vain
With the other team’s forwards circling ’round my brain
I guess I’m always hoping that we’ll resume our reign
But it seems Carbo’s destiny is to be the king of pain
King of pain
Carbo will always be king of pain
Carbo will always be king of pain
After reading everyone’s doom-and-gloom comments, I’m going to be a bit positive. The Habs made a lot of mistakes, but they played with more intensity than I’ve seen for a while. The game wasn’t embarrassing to watch, like Saturday’s disaster. This is the very first time this season that we’ve come back after being down at the end of a period. For a team whose confidence has been shattered over the last few weeks, maybe that achievement alone will have a positive effect. Possibly if Carbonneau had made better choices of the shootout skaters (Kovalev rather than Plekanec) we would have won. Also, Marc Denis probably played his best game ever; like other Quebec-born goaltenders, he seems to raise his game a notch against the Habs.
Most of the team looked as though they were trying, which has not often been the case lately. Even Koivu, though his expression is glum these days and he sometimes seems indifferent, was excellent on faceoffs. Dandenault looked great, not at all out of place on the first line. And Plekanec’s goal was a beauty, the result of hard work and second effort.
Small world, was your farm on the Riverview side of the river?
Carbonneau said that he would use Kovalev for 20 minutes per game. Tonight he played 18:10, & that included 1:56 on the PP in overtime. Plus he played in OT at even strength. Thus, he had less than 16 minutes in regulation.
Listened to the game at work tonight, it sounded like a better effort. I think they should have a practice where they have to score over the sprawling goalie. It’s unreal how many open nets and top shelfs these guys miss.
Quite a poet Yeats. i wonder if we should start watching figure skating, at least they put there heart and soul into it.
No ,First place on the other side of the village on Salisbury rd.
Not to mention the skimpy skirts. This team is done Ian. We have a very bad hairdo, not to be confused of course with Carbo’s. It’s time to get a crew cut and start from scratch. Barring an act of God, these guys won’t get a whiff of the playoffs, let alone the Cup.
One of my sons played for the riverview canadians before we moved to ont. he played here in the OHL. What is your name?
but good job today, good confidance booster. great effort, but still was not the best. overal positive game.
WOW did we ever go into the tank in a hurry. I am not sure where the cancer is , but they better find it in a hurry before Gellett sells all there skates!
FOR THE LOVE OF G-D. PLEASE!!!
Michael Ryder – Saku Koivu – Alex Kovalev
Andrei Kostitsyn – Tomas Plekanec – Christopher Higgins
Guillaume Latendresse – Kyle Chipchura – Mathieu Dandenault
Mark Streit (if we can’t have anyone else) – Maxim Lapierre – Tom Kostopoulos
Andrei Markov – Mike Komisarek
Roman Hamrlik – Ryan O’Byrne
Francis Bouillon – Patrice Brisebois (Georges)
I couldn’t beleive Lappierre and Kostopolis were on for a d-zone face off in OT against Lecavallier and St. Louis! Then Pierre McGuire saying it was a good coaching job by Carbo to talk to them before the face-off…He had last change and put them out against 2 of the top 10 players in the league!
And benching O’Byrne is brutal! Breezer and Boullion had more give aways than O’Byrne and were VERY lucky a couple of theirs didn’t end up behind Price.
oh btw, did anyone else noticed we got most of our chances by frechecking, and forcing the other team to mess up, also our goals were by crashing to the net rather then trying to out hustle on the boards. another thing is, why did we sstop passing the puck to our d or skating around and going to the point when we are in the opponents zone?
We have developed a style where we just shot at the net on on the boards as quickly as possible and hope for a lucky bounce, rather then setting up and making the better play. we are playing a scared game and hoping for the bounces rather then making thm. this maybe attributed to our confidance. hopefully we will learn from our mistakes.
The Canadiens are within one of their record for consecutive home-ice losses … but at least the latest one wasn’t an embarrassment.
(Is anyone with fuctioning senses surprised?)
After Marc Denis, who had not won a game this season, made a brilliant leg save on Saku Koivu to complete his shootout shutout, there was stunned silence in the Bell Centre, rather than the raucous boos that have rained down on the team after recent losses.
(Resignation has set in. The final and fatal step “acceptance” is next.)
Canadiens came back from a 2-1 third-period deficit and salvaged a point against Tampa Bay.
(Woo, woo. I’m working on my Stanley Cup parade float as I type.)
“We battled back,” said Saku Koivu. “We’ve talked a lot about playing 60 minutes and not having letdowns. We can’t take a period off.”
(Yea, you didn’t score and as I posted earlier too your usual candy-ass penalty this evening which resulted in a goal. You can’t give another guy in the room “the look” when that’s the best you can muster.)
Like the second. If the stat sheet is to be believed, the Canadiens had 13 giveaways in the middle period, 22 after 40 minutes – to two for Tampa Bay. Lightning scored their second goal off a blooper reel giveaway by Ryan O’Byrne, who played two minutes of the thhird period and was benched for the OT.
(Another coaching milestone for Carbo. O’Byrne clearly loses his footing and you bench the guy. The Breezer can make multiple mistakes, but he rarely misses a shift. And, you wonder why this jackass has lost the room. The only thing his is eqipped to do behind the bench is merely open and close the door between shifts. If I were O’Byrne, I would have filed Carbo under “I” for incompetant.)
The Canadiens didn’t quit. Tomas Plekaanec tied the game at 2 with four and a half minutes left, and the Canadiens had the best of the OT.
(The people on the Titanic didn’t quit either, but were eventually overcome by hypothremia. Close only matters in horseshoes and hand grenades.)
“We have to take the third period, memorize it and play like that for 60 minutes,” said Alex Kovalev.
(Why should tonight be any different from any other? Do you guys really believe that your fans are mentally impaired?)
The coach thinks Canadiens “have to find a way to turn chances into goals.”
(I personally think it’s high time the Canadiens took some time and actually tried to find a real coach. That is, someone with experience and a track record of success at some level of the game. Mites is OK.)
Maybe Thursday in Philadelphia. And then, with that record for home-ice futility looming, Toronto is here on Saturday.
(Don’t bogart that joint my man. That’s some pretty good shit you have gotten your hands on. Quick, get the bong!)
Yeah stopping 29 of 31 shots including 13 in the third is a pretty crappy game.
There is truely something terribly wrong with this team. I have to confess, however, that I don’t have a clue as to how to solve it.
Our next opponent, the Flyers, scored 8 goals today and had 4 fighting majors.
I’m almost beginning to feel that the Habs are intentionally languishing for another two years until Koivu and Kovalev’s contracts expire.
I hope we make a significant change in the roster (yes, trade Koivu) to shake things up. Koivu may have lost some of his fire — he hasn’t scored in 10 games and has only 4 assists in that span. As Mr Beliveau said, your leaders (not the youngsters) are supposed to get you out of a jam.
The Black Death comes to mind as well. Can’t wait for The Enlightment behind the bench, but it’s probably a long way off.
Steve Bernier – two goals tonight
Saku Koivu – none in ten games
Michael Ryder – none in eleven games
The two that went in were kinda crappy!
let’s both save ourselves a lot of typing and agree to disagree again, ok
or we can both just reread our last attempt to sway the other.
you have a good night, yeats
Come on, you and I know you would have had that first one.
I wish I could go and have a good night after this one.
All the best!
Playing the scared game to avoid getting nailed to the bench.
Let’s put the theory to the test — Lombardi and Tanguay for Koivu and Ryder. Now we have to see how Lombardi and Tanguay perform at their next game.
i know, the players have are too scared to play hockey, they are just trying to get rid of the puck right away so they can’t be blamed for a mistake.
Yeah, it’s really sad to watch. One player after another gets benched for mistakes, berated in the media and then plays so tight they’re paralyzed. Promising young O’Byrne was the victim of that tonight.
RDS has made mention of Koivu and Ryder for Marleau tonight.
Hey Chuck,
I think our second line has actually been our first line for quite some time. If this trade happens then the second line can take their rightful spot…number one.
In my opinion, Koivu has not looked interested all year. I think he may have approached Gainey and asked to be moved. I stated the other day, somewhere, that these two gentlemen may have had an unwritten agreement over the summer that if Saku decides he wants to move on, Gainey will accomodate him. To say Koivu has had enough of Guy Carbonneau, would be the easy way out answer. Look at what he has to endure with the French stuff. You know he must talk to his old friend Craig (Rivet), and it would not surprise me if this indeed did happen. Koivu has perhaps just had enough of Montreal, period.
Sure, the first line has needed a shake-up from about game 2 of the season… but is trading two-thirds of it the answer?
.
.
.
______________________________________________
“Vote Saku for All-Star… or little Timmy gets it!!!”
i guess really its more like one-third considering ryder doesn’t play on it anymore. Besides he is ufa this summer and will not re-sign here. We do address the issue of size.
Boone
spector reports is as
Ryder and Koivu for Marleau
or
Koivu and Ryder for Bernier and Pavelski
do you have an idea which is correct?
I thank you in advance for your response
Nice try by Pleky!
I really hope denis doesn’t pull a thibault and pull off a hall of fame performance here like most franco-goalies tend to do when they come back here
Same single forechecker BS with everyone waiting at the blie line, brutal.
I’m starting to really like this Kostitsyn kid.
He is going to be great in 2-3 years. His development reminds me of the Sedin’s development. Slow first 2-3 seasons and then BANG!
_______________________________________
CH is for Chris Higgins
And a nice try by Higgy – by chance.
In Higgins defence, that puck didn’t settle… I think.
You couldn’t play with youself with his hands!
Kostopoulos may have just saved us a point!! Nice backcheck
Now let’s put some polish on this turd.
No. Lipstick on a pig!
$$$
I agree, he can fly and he’s got great hands. And he can turn on a dime.
We have to hope they will be patient with him. Always leave him on the top two lines.
_______________________________________
CH is for Chris Higgins
I think all he lacks is confidence that he can dominate at this level. He has shown some flashes of possible greateness
a pittsburg steeler guarantee: kosto and lapierre see the ice in the o.t
Wow, Lapierre gets brutally interfered with going into the Tampa zone and like every other time the Lightning have done something worth a penalty. Silence from the Refs.
Getting pretty bored of the same ol’ one sided calls.
Just now?
They should hold on to the puck a little bit longer. Both Pleks and Higgins would have had Denis beat if they waited a split-second longer.
Wow, TSN has just showed 7 goalies used by Tampa since Khabibulin… they could really use a Huet, or a Halak…
Nice hit sequence there before Breeze gave it up and Carey had to make a quick save.
Thank you post…
An unlikely duo: Dandenault and Markov in O-Zone.
Dandy liked his promotion… he’s playing fan-friggin-tastic (for a dman).
doesn’t that sound familiar, i wish gorges would get a legit shot with this team
Put a laurel wreath on his head and Carbo looks like an extra in the movie Gladiator!
or should I say forward turned dman turned forward?
I wouldn’t mind seeing Torres in a Habs uniform. The guys throws insane hits and takes a lot of shots.
With Marleau and Bernier’s performances this season, I’m not sure I like this one. I’d have to agree with Spector’s note. Can we expect these guys to do a whole lot better in the pressure cooker that is Montreal? And, are we certain that it wouldn’t be more in our interest to hold off and wait to see if we could make a go at Lecavalier – someone who can definately make a difference on this team.
Check this out:
http://www2.sportsnet.ca/video/latest/20071210_Lecavalier_ready_for_Habs_
What do you think fellas?
Here we go again! Boy the only thing looking good is the crown royal so far!!!!!
You just haven’t had enough to drink yet!
wait a minute… are we… BACKCHECKING? nooo, I do not believe…
Are you drinking?
doubt it but loved hearing it anyways. thanks for the link.
I may have… had… a case… or two…
questionable call
marleau/koivu trade rumor would be a total disaster. marleau has no more offensive history on a team with more talent and he’ll wilt here. please don’t do it. . . it’s the coach!
I wish. Never liked Kypreos…
To be fair, if Koivu were a stock, I’d short the shit out of him. Too much effort for far too little return.
why do we watch these games? i’m sitting here praying for a lucky goal and a cheap win against a team struggling on the road. it’s not exciting. why do we watch?
And, you didn’t invite me? I’m pissed!!!
Dandenault is the best player up to now. He is all over the ice.
that’s fine, but marleau isn’t a value stock, either.
thank you for pointing that out. that was the last reason i needed to kick the chair and hang myself. goodbye, cruel world.
Hey Mike,
Scarily, Scarily, Scarily, Scarily
He’s on the other team
tra la
I wouldn’t want to imagine the amount of alcohol that would be consumed…
I agree, the entire line is being very physical.
On the plus side, we are still tied after one! Get excited.
that should earn him a demotion then. Guess he’ll be in the pressbox by next game.
That’s exactly what I was going to say! Dandy is the best Hab. I’m a little worried so far. We’ve got to score the first goal. If we can’t beat a one line hockey team with no goaltending on home ice then surely we are in more trouble than we imagined.
The Original 24 Cups
Gotta love that kind of talk….
That’s what I was thinking….
it COULD be worse!
Oh, for all interested in the Vinny-to-Mtl love story, TSN’s hockey panel will be discussing it after the break.
Kovalev played 5:46 in the 1st. I thought RDS reported that Carbonneau planned on playing him over 20 minutes for the game.
When did Boone make that suggestion??? I can’t find it anywhere
Why dont they put a DEFENSIVE line against the Lecavalier line??? Like whatever line tom the bomb is on. Sheesh.
- Alex Leduc, listening on CJAD from Berlin, New Hampshire. Hillary Clinton for President!
Oh Dave Hodge, you are such a kidder… ha ha ha…
Let’s be bold. If my memory serves me correctly, you are
Brazilian?
As one of our poster’s avatars would say “look up…waaaay up” hey it’s gone. Maybe he got shy? He was just posting a rumour he heard and Spector ran with it. Welcome to the internet.
Been watching this one with my son, who is four. I let him watch the first period, he always conks out when the talking heads come on during intermission. Anyway, we sat through the pre-game stuff, McGuire running down the list of who is struggling on the Habs, then the phone rings, my buddy calling to talk about the Koivu-Marleau rumour. So I launch into my Koivu defense, Saku this, Saku that … and my son is tugging on my arm, so I say “hold on” to my buddy, and “what is it?” to my kid, who has continued to listen to the pre-game and informs me, “Saku only has one … one gold in his last seven … seventeen games.”
That’s what I get for exposing him to Pierre “The Book” McGuire! Out of the mouths of babes.
Anyway, that was a decent settle-down period for the Habs. They killed a couple of penalties and had a couple of chances. Getting through a period without a disaster has to be a confidence builder, maybe it’ll lead to something good.
Saku made three nice set-ups, sadly none went in. He’s been strong on the boards. Brisebois saved Bouillon’s a** on a bad clear, have to give credit there. Denis looks beatable, let’s hope Kovalev, Higgins, and Koivu get to him early.
Referees still are not out friends! They seem reluctant to make calls in the Habs favour. Maybe Guy should stop yelling at them and send them some Christmas cards to patch things up?
Go Habs Go!
Could be worse! You could live one town away from her and Bill.
Recap of TSN’s Dave Hodge on “highly speculative” trade rumor about Lecavalier to Habs
a. Lecavalier has no trading block, unlike the other two
b. Problem is the salary cap is now too much for the Richards, St. Louis, Lecavalier trio that worked before that
c. It would cost them, Hodge guesses, Higgins, Komisarek, top prospect, First Round draft pick, a goalie
d. Canadiens would get first line center and face of franchise, the former of which you can’t win without
e. The Canadiens don’t need it as much as T.B., but they should want it more, it’s “irresistible” (though he said that the rumor is crazy)
we had no powerplays and is rarely on the penalty kill
Boullion and Brisebois deserve each other…
that’s a nice neighborhood, yeats. i used to live in westchester county – larchmont.
Typical TSN analysists…a few are brilliant, most are totally ridiculous.
Doug, you have an incredible memory, I just listened to it, and I don’t remember half the details.
it was quite forgettable. . . GOAL!!!
I sense a OT loss unfortunately
Ryder just needs to shoot more….
Helps if you’ve got ice time…
nice line
Thanks! I’m in a mood.
haha yeats… wrong thread though buddy.
i was right!!!!
pierre mcguire on having those guys against lecavalier and st. louis “that’s a good active coaching job by guy carbonneau letting his guys know where to go.”
wait a second… why are they out there in the first place!?!?
True that Naila..
helps if you earn your ice time
Nice x-check to the back of Koivu.
No call. Ho hum
That was not a cross check, can’t you see it was a dive. Even Mr. Poisson will tell you that.
Stop bitching about the calls, they suck!
Ahahahaha, McGuire just applauded Carbo’s use of the 4th line with 4 mins to go..He didn’t tell us which one tho…
How appropriate would it be if Ryder or Koivu scored the game-winner? Or if Breezer coughed up the game-loser?
?Huh, that wasn’t a trip either..It was a dive…these refs blind or what?
Our D-zone turnovers are brutal!!! Can’t stand seeing it consistently
Finally a call!
WHERE IS KOVY?
This could be interesting. And OMG! Timeout by Carbo?
If Ryder is on the ice and Kovalev is on the bench to start this PP…
Finally called one!
flying away home
Breezer’s back..did you expect anything else? Seriously?
Even if we get the two points. we shouldn’t celebrate!
don’t even say it…
listen man i don’t know about you but i’m celebrating everythin i can get right now…
but you’re absolutely right nothing to boast about tonight
Exactly. I’m just happy about getting 1 point!
but wait… if we leave these guys out there couldn’t they get tired for 2 nights from now? i think we should put our 4B line up
I’ll take it too but while acknowledging that we still suck.
Would I?
Price + Higgins + Komi + 1st Round for Vincent L.
I would do this right now, but I would be also trying to finesse Carey P. for some other asset(s). Alternatively, you have to pay for what you want. Lecav isn’t available, but maybe our boy sweetens the pot.
And I think all of the above are all replaceable very soon. And do even not think about 2009. If 4 + a few adjustments, it is still 2010, but we could qualify it as end of fiscal 2009….
Right now? Ryder for your old running shoes and I’ll pick up his salary.
The good news is, Price is good at shootouts.
The bad news is, I have a bad feeling about Price in tonight’s shootout.
They just plain suck. With time running out up a man in OT, they couldn’t get it to the net? They suck!
I think Coach Guy should let him take a shot. Thank you.
brad richards can flat out play hockey. vinny is the man, but that richards isn’t too bad at all either
what happenened? I went to study for 20 minutes and I come back and it’s all draw! how were we?
don’t say that!
You know, if we were a run-of-the-mill NHL team, I might be able to watch this crap. But, pinch me, they’re supposed to be the Habs. Hellooooooo
Pleks really has to change his shootout move
what move?
There he goes, Saku the dancing ice queen. Just go to the net man. Fast. Richards bore right down.
You’d think that Koivu would learn from Kosty’s move…
Hmm, that was close
That backhand shot he always does
Why is our most gifted goal scorer NOT on the shootout?
And so it continues…
As I was saying the other night, even Richards is tougher then anyone on our team. Lame leg and all and hes the best player on both sides of the ice.
Koivu is about the only guy on our team with any sort of skill I would consider “tough”.
Embarassing.
that’s plain crazy, mr. houle.
Another night in the Kingdom of Suck, I really hate these surprise endings don’t you?
Well another loss…..Doesn’t look good.
who, dandenault? i have no idea…
well, I can’t say… because apparently we’re not blaming carbo anymore.
So tell me. Who are we better than? In the NHL I mean. This will get worse before it gets better. This isn’t a slump. It’s institutional. Wait till the Leafs smack us around again then maybe everybody will get it.
odd choices for the shootout, i thought. no experience. i would have had kovalev. pleks is no good at those.
I’m trying to wake up but this nightmare just won’t end!
i’ve never understood shoot out mentality. when there’s a breakaway in the game, (granted they don’t have the luxury of time) the players tend to just skate hard and fast and shoot top shelf, five hole, whatever and seem to score a lot. then in shoot outs, they try all this fancy stuff that rarely works. maybe i’m crazy, but i think it would help to just skate and don’t think about what you’re doing, like bobby orr
surpise? Have you been watching… at all?
you watch the guys that score,they go to the net fast. Those goals don’t make the highlight reels but that is what works.
I repeat my prediction: first goal wins!
Broken bat home run!!!
i start a new prediction, first time habs have a four goal lead we win. . . as long as it’s with less than 10 minutes left in the third.
komisarek saved a goal,there.
wow did you guys see the minutes that Ricards, StLouis and LeCavalier racked up in one period!
EEEEEEEXXXCELLENT!
Best line on the team Kostitsyn-Plekanc…KOVY!
The goalie was following the stick rather than the blade. ROFLMAO!!!
Bad shootout lineup by Carbo. At this point I just want the first overall pick at this year’s draft. Its simply depressing. Seems like there’s only a handfull of us who keep blogging here as most have abandoned ship until things turn around.
I like.
Well there you have it. Our best players let us down all night and then Koivu seals our fate. Please no Carbo posts, our best five players let us down tonight. Koivu, Higgins, Kovalev, Komisarek, and Markov owe Dandy an apology.
The Original 24 Cups
Carbo SUCKS. Thank you.
how many open nets do they have to miss…great friggin start to December HABS.
carbo does suck. kosto and lapierre on the ice in ot against richards and lecavalier. kots gets one shift in o.t and draws a penalty. no kovy on shootout. fourth line on twice in last 1:30. at least tampa rides their horses. we straddle our horses with sporadic icetime coupled with defensemen as wingers. then we complain they don’t score or our skilled guys let us down. carbo let us down by his ridiculous lines.
44-0? I’ll take that!
yeah maybe carbo’s sit back on the lead system might work them
Nice… the Habs lose to a tired team playing its 3rd game in four nights.A team that was lit up by the MAPLE LEAFS LAST NIGHT!!!
Someone has to examine Carbo’s head as well… No Kovalev in the shootout?????
This team makes me friggin’ sick. Something has got to give.
Let’s start with firing CARBO. Thank you.
Let’s start with firing CARBO. Thank you.
nice goal boys kovy gets his 13th
This team is so bad its depressing
“not losing is the new winning”. I’m gonna be borrowing that one. Kovalev must have had one of Shelly’s old sticks.
Kovy!!!!
It is going to be hard to watch them on Thursday vs PHI. The slump continues…How can anyone enjoy this anymore. I like a cloes game, but come on, Tampa played last night and from what I hear, did not have an early sleep in Montreal. Wow the HABS suck!!!!
For a minute there I thought we could blame the refs in the shootout, in true Habs fan fashion.
How can Brisebois leave the puck like that?
Brisebois doesn’t look so good tonight…again
hey Mike
how long does a player need to be on the IR in order to get his salary off the books?
Gee were good!, we through a blade first, then the puck trickels in, What a play!! NHL CLASS
Damn. Had to happen, I guess!
AND TOP CORNER IT GOES
Nice trip Saku…damn
Fans cheering Lecavalier on that goal…I would too if I was there…
What happened to vinny’s face?
I was going to say something witty, but got disgusted!
Looks like Tom Savini got ahold of him.
Well, we can’t be spotting them three power-plays for every one we get. The PK is still not good. I’m not faulting Price for getting beat while screened on a power-play by the best scorer in the NHL, either. I’m mean, but not that mean.
That’s insulting. Very much scattered cheers, thankfully.
Why isn’t the kid in the picture suiting up tonight Gilles? Damn, we need him!
i would really miss koivu were he to leave.
Did you see Lacavaliers face? Half of it is yellowish purple. has he been in a scrap lately? Or a car accident?
Wow, Habs got away with one there!
fans booing ryder when he has the puck, you have to know his days are numbered
At least they don’t have to boo too often.
lol, thats true
prob is as UFA he’s not going to command much. i’d stick with the guy before i gave him away. i’m shocked that the slump has gone on this far, but he really doesn’t look good.
why is price playing so deep in the net? quite different than he looked at beginning of season.
Hey at least it looked like it hurt… Inside and outside. Poor Burner!
bouillon and brisebois on the ice at the same time yikes, and tampa scores as obyrne looks bad
and there is the result of it. . . as well as going down far too early.
he’s just not solid right now; not saying it was all his fault there but he’s not a difference maker either.
This team doesn’t score nearly enough to be giving goals away
if habs give up another one they’re done. no confidence and is such disarray.
when you can’t trade the whole team. . . fire the coach.
it’s mostly his fault, in my opinion. we need new blood now.
i’m done for a bit. . . too painful.
Damn that would have been a nice goal for Gui. I need a frigging ray of sunshine cause i’m not seeing it.
This is ridiculous. We can blame Carbo all we want, but Carbo isn’t the one in the ice losing all 1 on 1 battles against the boards…
The players have been giving an all round poor effort in the second.
You know it’s bad when you’re losing against the team with the worst road record.
Well, M. Poisson, they are not playing too badly. Much better, it must be said. Good hustle. They must score soon.
Thank you Mr. Bill ( ;
McGuire, god damn his soul, was cutting O’Byrne some slack on that last goal, said it was bad luck. I dont know, tough play, but he’s still better than Brisebois.
FINALLY, a hit to be proud of
He’s a rookie, a bad bounce and a mistake..It’s his second one…as opposed to Breezer’s 100000th
I’m with Mike Boones on St. Louis. He’s like a goddamned black fly. You can’t defend him.
rookie, bad bounce, mistake = fair assessment. Now someone do the math for Coach Guy before he conveniently embarrasses him.
Coach Guy may not be far enough removed from his playing days to deal with a team like this. For a solid player like him to watch these mistakes being made over and over must be tough.
Carbo didn’t given him another shift for the rest of the period. Another young player he will melt the confidence of.
It was Doug Jarvis’ call.
What was?
Either way they shouldn’t punish players for a “bad luck” play. The Breezer keeps getting ice time despite all of his turn-overs.
K didn’t skate towards the net with any sort of conviction or power. His legs just said… no lo so. I’m sorry, there is something very, very wrong with our team…. and it isn’t talent. We have this, more than we realize.
I wonder if the guys have a limbo bet or something with some of the shyte teams out there a la Phoenix, Edmonton or the Kuwaiti National Ice Hockey team to see HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?
Carbonneau probably has one or two more games.What would a trade do right now.Still have an ineffective coach.
NIGHTMARE!!!!
Could you imagine if the Bolts had last night off and were rested and charged up? Wonder how they’d play tonight if they hadn’t arrived in their Mtl hotel at 3 am this morning?
Let’s face it, we have no talent and no heart! Need 23 heart transplants!
Sorry, going to watch my Pistons….until June!
Feel sorry for Boone, Stubbs, Red, Hickey and Mio who are required to cover this team.
Sadness!
they miss the hold on koivu then they call that b.s., unbelievable
Just like a puck that was GOING to clear the zone being blocked by the linesman, nothing’s going our way these days. If that had scored..it should have been called back.
Mike Boone: It seems like this season, you don’t blog nearly as many details as you did last season. Is there a particular reason for that?
Depression maybe?
hard to type when you’re heavily drinking away your sorrows while watching the team you grew up loving and will forever love suck like this!
carbo’s philosophy: lets play the fourth line more so we don’t go down by two.
It seems that every time we make a mistake its in our net
Does anyone think they might be cursed in the sense that whenever they commit to paying attention to the game, the Habs start doing bad?
I mean, here I am studying for a final I have tomorrow, reading here on and off to keep track of the game and I see we’re winning 1-0. So I think to myself, maybe I should take a little break and watch the second period. I get to the TV, it’s 1-1. You start thinking… “Hmm maybe I just should have stayed back at my desk…”
Then I sit there watching, seems like a fun game to watch, pretty fast paced and exciting. Merely a few minutes pass and down goes O’Byrne and in goes the puck.
I can’t help but think that I’m cursed, or maybe we’re all cursed?!
I love the Habs but right now, I love Lecavalier way more…haha
Don’t bother making any negative posts concerning Carbo’s coaching – Montreal’s core players are killing us. Koivu is the worst player on the ice. Higgins and Komisarek aren’t much better. Higgins and Ryder can’t shoot worth a dime. Habs are really struggling to keep up.
The Original 24 Cups
Kovalev has played 11:16 after 2 periods. Carbonneau must have been joking when he said he would play him for 20 minutes per game.
Yeah, its pretty sad when your best player gets the same amount of ice time in two periods as the best players on the other team get in one.
This rolling four lines crap is a great idea if you have four lines worth playing. The Habs don’t.
This team is going from bad to worse. I cannot understand why we can’t make a pass or get the puck out of our own end. Why? From what I’m seeing on the ice tonight the players have to take most of the responsibility. Not the coach although he has to bear some of it. We are just going through the motions here. DISGUSTING!!
and yet carbo wonders why we can’t score?
exactly
They can come back. At some point, the slump ends. It starts to roll for you. Let it be now.
Do you believe in Santa too? (Im just kidding dude. unfortunately I have to add that these days)
I love Koivu and everything he’s given to the city of Montreal and the battles he’s fought are legendary. If he rejoined his best bud Rivet in San Jose, he’d be amazing. Playing behind Joe Thornton would open up lots of space for him and his production would go way up. I’m sure that Ryder would turn things up a notch as well.
The Habs robbed San Jose last year, in my opinion, because Josh Gorges is a solid (and cheap) defenseman and Max Pacioretty looks very impressive. However, I’m not sure if they’d be winning this deal.
Marleau has good size and speed and can score lots of goals. I don’t know why but he’s been brutal this season. I think he could be very effective in a Montreal uniform, but he may not handle the pressure that well. Tough to say.
Bernier would be welcomed right away by the fans and he plays a very tough physical game. I’ve even seen him drop the gloves a few times this year. He has outstanding size and is still projected to be a good goal scorer. Might be an interesting move.
I was wondering how long it would take to see the Koivu-to-San Jose rumours get started. I’m sure he’d love to be reunited with his buddy Rivs.
As much as I love Saku, I’d take the Marleau-Bernier combo. They’re bigger, and younger. And the C would look great on Higgy’s jersey…
Man, any one but Saku
As much as I know you have to give something to get something I’ll hate to see him go. Classy guy in a tough situation.
I hope there is some truth to this story… Puhhhleasseee, I hope it happens, we need some action!
I love Koivu, but to receive big you have to give big.
_______________________________________
CH is for Chris Higgins
Dear Mike: Wrong-with-a-capital-Wrong — the ugliest jersies in professional sports are among the seveal worn by the Vancouver Canucks.
Sheesh.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=228778&cc=5901
take a look at these clashing bright orange/baby blue kits…then re-organize your opinion.
I recall a similar trade, albeit in a … different and unfavorable (for us) context: Niinima for Ribeiro?
13pts in 28 games at 6 millions is a good reason why your GM wants to trade you…especially when the team is loosing..
and the lousy playoffs you had…
Bernier is a Latendresse. Big , can’t skate. 8pts in 28 games.
_______________________________________
CH is for Chris Higgins
I agree. On the face of it, Doug Wilson is nuts to make this deal. But I’m sure Rivet, who has become a team leader in San Jose, ceaselessly talks up the qualities that his good friend Saku would bring to the Sharks. They are Cup contenders and may see Koivu as the missing piece (until Detroit gets Sundin and Forsberg.) I like Bernier for his upside. Both he and Marleau would add size, but the latter has coach-killer written all over him. Marleau and Carbo: a marriage made … south of heaven?
As much as i love saku for enduring everything he has in his career, between the injuries and the bullshit he has had to put up with with the french media, i would welcome this trade. I had said in a post last week that saku may be quietly asking for a trade because he wants to compete for the cup now. I don’t think the habs are in that position yet and i do think with saku’s long injury history is finally catching up to him and will probably only play 2 or 3 more years in this league.
He is a ufa after next season and if we were still in the same boat next season he probably would not be interested in resigning and the same may go for kovalev who is also a ufa after next season.
I understand what you are saying, but their are times when a desparation save is needed, regardless of how “in position” the goalie was. I just think he relies on positioning a little too much. Don’t get me wrong, I would much prefer a good sound positional goalie like Price over a flopping Aebiesher. But sometimes goalies don’t have time to completely be in position and must rely on reflexes. I’m just worried that he “drops down” in position and then hopes it hits him a little too much. I am obviously not a goalie, so feel free to cretique my theory. With that being said, I still feel Price has the ability to be a great goalie.
The only way San Jose makes a trade like this, is as a salary dump. To get out from under Marleau’s new contract. It would be great if it happened.
Those are disgusting.
They look like a team of anti-depressants.
Exactly! He even had last change!
Awful
$$$