Suffering Canadiens withdrawal? The Gazette has the answer with the ultimate fantasy experience as beat writer Pat Hickey and Gazette techie Eric Tobon employ EA Sports NHL 13 to produce The Season That Isn’t. Here’s how things might have looked in Tuesday night’s game between the Canadiens and Calgary Flames at the Bell Centre:
PAT HICKEY
The Gazette
An injury to Max Pacioretty has provided Rene Bourque with increased ice time and the veteran is making the most of the opportunity.
Bourque, who is playing on the top line with David Desharnais and Erik Cole, had a goal and an assist Tuesday night as the Canadiens blanked the Calgary Flames 3-0 at the Bell Centre.
“I know what Patch is going through because I missed training camp and the beginning of the season, but I’m happy that the coach has given me an opportunity to play more,” said Bourque, who underwent abdominal surgery in the off-season.
Desharnais scored the only goal the Canadiens would need when he buried the rebound after Miikka Kiprusoff made the save on Cole at 9:08 of the first period. Bourque, who came to Montreal in the trade that sent Michael Cammalleri to Calgary, had the second assist on the goal.
The Canadiens maintained that 1-0 lead until Bourque scored on a power play at 4:13 of the third period after Raitis Ivanans went off for holding.
“You have to give the credit for that goal to (Andrei Markov),” Bourque said. “I just found a spot to the side of Kipper and Marky put the put the puck right on the tape.“
Carey Price, who made 24 saves for his first shutout of the season, said he was relieved to see Bourque score.
“Our guys did a good job of limiting their chances and I don’t think I had to make any big saves, but when it’s 1-0 anything can happen,” Price said.
The Canadiens wasted a golden opportunity immediately after the Bourque goal when they enjoyed a 5-on-3 advantage for 1:37 but failed to get a shot on net. The Canadiens’ power play went 1-for-5 while the Flames were 0-for-2.
Tomas Plekanec added an insurance goal when he redirected P.K. Subban’s shot from the point at 15:06. It was the sixth goal of the season for Plekanec and that tied him for the team lead with Pacioretty, who is out with an upper-body injury.
The Canadiens will finish the week on the road with games Thursday in Winnipeg and Saturday in Colorado.
(Photo by Dave Sidaway/The Gazette)
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Dogs are in a bad way, all right. Going to see them against the Marlies on Saturday—with a couple of Leaf fans. Could be a long afternoon.
On another note, has anyone seen the Dallas Stars new colors? Blue, blanc et rouge. Gainey’s influence?
Don’t think they’ve settled on those colours—just the Morning News’s suggestion.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/dallas-stars/headlines/20121113-dallas-stars-will-get-new-uniforms-logo-should-they-go-red-white-and-blue.ece
That said, the idea is clearly inspired by the Texas flag, which makes some sense given the secessionist sentiment in the state these days..
So much for the ‘Dogs challenging for the Calder Cup this season.
Fire the Bald Guy behind the bench.
From the 7-8 Bulldogs games I’ve seen so far its much like the Habs. Good goalie, so-so defense other than Tinordi, no offense, no power play and again not much muscle and dominated physically at every level. The reason the commentators were talking about Beaulieu is that he’s been on the ice for 7 of the last 8 goals scored on the Bulldogs.
He’s a -7 the past 2 games. They’re just looking really bad out there. especially with the lose of Leblanc and now Geoffrion.
I thought Geoffrion had been their most consistent forward over the games I’ve seen. Tough loss. Leblanc also had done well in the 2-3 games viewed.
4 zip Rochester folks and that’s it for Mayer.
And with that it’s time to get on with the day. Talk to you guys later. If the comeback of of the year happens I’ll let ya know
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It could all start on this PP! haha
3-0 Rochester Americans. My French isn’t great but they’re getting on Beaulieu for some weak coverage in front of Mayer.
3-0 Rochester.
Make that 4-0, Mayer out.
Heard on the radio today that Dalton Thrower was injured in practice yesterday in an altercation with a teammate. Didn’t catch the name of the other player. Apparently there are problems in that dressing room. Duncan Siemens, a Colorado 1st Round draft pick who was the captain last year, does not wear a letter this year. I think I read somewhere that Darren Dietz is one of 3 alternating A’s.
Beaulieu and Tinordi are now being parred together. I like the looks of that.
Mayer just made a couple circus act saves to keep it 2-0 Americans.
Bourque leading Habs over anyone. Now THAT’s a fantasy.
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Listen to the Smart Dog. He knows his poop!
Dang, 2-0 Americans. 3 on 2 where Dumont seemed to lose his man on the back check…
PP coming up for the Dogs though.
Eesh, not much doing on that PP.
Here are some NHL’r power ranking for those playing in Europe. Pleks comes in at number 2. He could arguably be number 1. Diaz also makes list.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl-lockout/2012/11/14/nhler_power_rankings_top_30_players_overseas_europe_malkin/
“I think I may have found a way for us to get Griffey and Bonds, and we really won’t have to give up much” -Costanza
WOW. Beaulieu and Roy just went at it and Beaulieu destroyed him by landing 7 or 8 monster shots! Didn’t know Beaulieu was that tough!! Beaulieu was tossing the jabs and then throwing the overhand right, impressive.
which Roy?
Frederic
Beaulieu has always been a tough boy in the QMJHL. Didn’t fight often, but when he did fight, he usually won, and he can really throw them.
Go Habs Go!
Check out Top Shelf Prospects, my Team by Team prospect reports
http://lastwordonsports.com/
Frederick, Pat’s son.
Good job on the live blogging Hobie, appreciated. Only fitting that you being todays guest blogger should get to give us a blow by blow update on that scrap. Today was meant to be for you bud!
LOL. I saw you guys went to a game in Hamilton a couple weeks ago. I’m heading to Toronto from Ottawa for the Dogs and Marlies game this Saturday, wondering if there will be any other fellow HIOers in attendance?
I am thinking of going to game Friday in Hamilton, but am already busy for Saturday. Otherwise I would join you bud, enjoy it!
I wanted to hit up Hamilton rather than Toronto but unfortunately it isn’t doable. I wanted to get in on those $3.00 beers!
Nice! The real deal! No Fantasy Fight! Good to hear Nate can handle his dukes.
Gallagher just had a good scrappy shift with a couple quality scoring chances….
1-0 Americans late 1st.
A joke you say?
http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121114/CITYANDREGION/121119633/1104
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Has there been any good Tilts that we should know about in these Fantasy games?
I heard it mentioned by Darren Rovell that Jose Reyes just lost about 3.3 to 3.6 million per year in income as a result of taxes in his move from Florida to Toronto. Kind of wonder how happy he will be in Jays land. I am not saying he won’t perform, but that is quite a kick in the nutsack.
I am sure he will be fine..his deal is big enough still and there will be a very comfortable atmosphere for him with many of the teams stars all from the Dominican (Bautista, Encarnancion and Reyes). The Jays are a very respected organziation in the Dominican and the fact that he is moving to a team on the upswing instead of the Marlins should make him happy from that standpoint but yeah I get what you are saying re the salary…can’t see an all star calibre player moving to a better team being upset for too long….he isn;t a fringe guy…he is a big dollar guy with enough money to but all of his family all the luxuries in life for many generations over..
Wow…long time no see, Rob! Good to see you posting again. I hope that all is going well despite the lack of NHL hockey.
Coaching my kids Peewee A team and my youngest started hockey this year (4 and half got bumped to the 6 year olds!)…playing on a couple of over 30 teams when I can make it…I have more hockey than ever right now!!! I have been reading but it is so hard to find anything new to talk about with no season so I just kind of check in every day to see what is going on. Glad to see the mainstays are all here and haven’t gone anywhere so that when the season does start the site will remain the best there is..
That seems too high. As Rovell was explaining it on TSN 1050 on my drive to work.
16 million next season.
10-12% difference in tax rate is only 1.6 million.
Plus its only 183/365 days for an MLB season, plus half those days are on the road, so he is taxed at the higher rate basically 1/4 of the year.
He seemed to be closer to 400,000-500,000 per season… not 3.6 per year.
Maybe 3.6 was the total over the entire contract?
Go Habs Go!
Check out Top Shelf Prospects, my Team by Team prospect reports
http://lastwordonsports.com/
I think his contract is backloaded and increases each year, perhaps an average? Just going by what I hear.
6 years, 106 million…. average is 17.6 million per year.
The 3.6 million has to be either the total loss in taxes.
Or his new tax total (without subtracting what he paid in Florida, no state tax, still subject to 36% federal US tax).
It can’t be the yearly difference between the two cities…. its far too high for that.
Go Habs Go!
Check out Top Shelf Prospects, my Team by Team prospect reports
http://lastwordonsports.com/
Getting ready to watch very strange 10:00 A.M. start for the Hamilton Bulldogs and Rochester Americans on TVA.
Damn, I should have called Mike Boone and volunteered to do the live blog for the game, you guys would have loved it!
Yeah those AHL teams and their crazy “kids day” or “school day” games.
Go Habs Go!
Check out Top Shelf Prospects, my Team by Team prospect reports
http://lastwordonsports.com/
Have a beer for us Hobie!! Enjoy
Enjoy Hobbie. Please give us a post game report when you get a chance.
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How many “fantasy” games have the Habs played so far this season and more importantly, has Gomez scored yet?
Any update on Markov after his KHL injury? I know it was the ribs but is he back playing?
also did you know his full name is Andrei Viktorovich Markov?
ahahahahahha check this at 0:53
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQsznxtVHv0
Last I heard he KHL was on their break. Not sure if Markov came back to Canada during this break.
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From Stubbs’ twitter:
Andrei Markov will not play tonight vs Dinamo. Injury but not knee.” #Habs
- Honestly yours
Twitter: @de_benny
More ominous news early this AM. My Habs mug cracked at the handle, sending the body of it to the floor whereupon it shattered like my dream of NHL hockey for Christmas.
In the meantime, Don Fehr has taken up singing:
http://calsnhllockout2012songparodies.weebly.com/
Fehr singing? I almost upchucked at that thought.
Nice work Cal.
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Good work as usual Cal, still waiting for the Psy Gangnam Style NHL version!
I guess I should keep up with the times, eh?
Gangnam style it is!
I think all of us Expos fans can understand the frustration Marlin fans are going through right now in South Florida.
Jeff (spits on ground) Loria has completely broken the promise he made to officials and fans in Miami after they paid for most of his new baseball stadium. For an idea of how the reaction is in Miami to this trade, here is an article from a Florida newspaper.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-marlins/fl-dave-hyde-commentary-1114-20121113,0,4348183.column
Wonder how that whole “build and pay for a stadium so I can make more money” thing is going now?
Taxpayers got fleeced. Of course maybe not as I learned yesterday that once you spend money it no longer is yours. So I guess using that logic it wasn’t taxpayers at all who got fleeced it was Loria. Hmmm?
Good morning friends by the way.
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LOL!!! Don’t let that fool get to ya, he would probably argue that the sky is actually green…
Takes all kinds.
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Go Habs Go!
just thought I’d jump in here to congratulate the Jays front office for this great trade. Jays GM is a Montreal native, Lower Canada College graduate, and he’s received some unwarranted criticism from Jays followers of late.
the Jays ownership has stepped up to the plate, and AA found them the blockbuster deal worth paying for.
let’s give credit where credit is due.
Told Burly this morning that if Reyes can keep his legs healthy you Jay fans will love him. I like this deal too Ed. Gives the Yanks and Sox additional division competition.
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Ed, I have been very critical of A.A. as I felt until now he has had the role of a Yes man in that organization. I don’t doubt he has an eye for talent, but prior to yesterday all I had seen from him was trades/drafts for the future and a GM who didn’t have the experience to walk into Mgmt. hallowed offices and demand money in order to build a team.
I believe the debacle of last season, combined with the embarrassing finish with Escobar and his eye black had a huge effect on the Ownership/mgmt etc of the Jays.
I am very very happy to see A.A. given the power to add payroll. This move appears to be a good move, with 1 workhorse pitcher, another pitcher who may have finally rounded the corner from injury bug and a true leadoff hitter who solidifies the middle infield.
I had pretty much given up all hope with the Jays, but am glad to see one of the wealthiest teams in baseball finally spend more money than the Royals and the Pirates.
Cheers!
This trade is fantastic…in the long run the Marlins get two really good prospects but there are so many pluses to this deal. As you noted the work horse vet who can also help mentor a leaderless rotation ( I think Romero got overwhelmed being the go to guy and the suppsoed vet leader). Josh Johnson has a ton of potential and all season long was said to be on the radar of both Boston and the Yanks. Reyes is the legit leadoff guy the team has needed for so long…or you could have him hit in the 2 hole and have Davis and the other speedster they acquired platoon at the top or Lawrie (options!)and have two speedster reminiscent of the White/Alomar days. Reyes is a big time player and table setter….with Encarnancion and Bautista healthy and the table set like that? who knows what can happen……realistically Lawrie will probably be at the top of the order instead of Davis/Bonifacio in which case they bat 9th and after on time through act as another leadoff. You have Arencibia and his bat with Buck also meaning the team can play Buck on days off for JP and have him bat in the DH spot…..this deal is just too good to be true on paper.
Not only does this deal seem to touch on the main needs the team had last year…they gave up Escobar who although a steady everyday player always seemed to be in a sour mood and to me eptiomized what appeared to happen last year to the mood of the Jays. Buck is another clubhouse leader…jsut a fantastic day to be a Blue Jay fan and this could go a long way to another buig signing as TO once again becomes a legit playoff contender and may help attract another big name if the organization so chooses….great deal….and could in the long run proof good for Marlins too who are clearly rebuilding but WOW…..best Jay trade since the one that transformed the organization into champs.
I am sure that Jack Todd will have something to say about Loria next Monday morning in the Gazette. I have never met Loria but my opinion of him could not be lower. I can never understand how he can get away with this crap.
And in surprising news, Bettmans old Boss David Stern isnt impressed with Donald Fehr and how he is dealing with NHL negotiations. From ESPN below
A year after a lockout that delayed the start of the season to Dec. 25, Stern was critical of hockey union head Donald Fehr for his side’s negotiating stance in the current NHL lockout. Fehr said that sports with salary caps are more prone to lockouts because of their labor structure.
Stern disagreed and said the 50-50 sharing arrangement agreed to by the NFL and NBA, and proposed by NHL owners, was fair.
“They have no choice but to stand and protect such business model as will be left when the negotiations finish,” he said.
If that doesn’t convince Fehr to move, um…never mind.
I want so much for Bourque to hit 20 goals for that trade to not be a disaster.
If Holland pans out, he could produce quite a bit.
If either Bourque or Holland scores 20 is my gage to forget about Cammy, Holland of course has a bit longer window to achieve this.
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Go Habs Go!
Habworld writers picking sides;
http://www.habsworld.net/article.php?id=2940
HIO posters of course face the same dilemma.
Kudos to the Gazette team for attempting to maintain and present an impartial viewpoint.
We need our press to “be objective” instead of having “an objective”. And as with all things, there are times for exceptions.
So Bourque was he wearing #27 or #17 as he said he was going to change his uniform number to 17 for the upcoming season……
Jays addressing some issues with pitching…not a bad trade:
http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=409433
“Keep your stick on the Ice”
Habs will regret trading Mike Cammalleri.
Nah. If you believe that then by extension you must believe we would have improved Montreal’s record, meaning odds are we wouldn’t be talking about Alex Galchenyuk today.
I like him as a player a lot, but no one should be regreting that trade.
They already regret letting Ryder go ….
Cammy not so much!
….I think not
“Keep your stick on the Ice”
Anybody know who the Habs took with that Calgary pick?
No one yet, that pick is in the next draft.
with that trade it gives us 4 top 60 picks in a deep draft year and a solid prospect in Holland. Former teammates of “me, myself and Mike” have said he’s locker room poison.
Listening to Mississauga coach…is there a player you would pay to see in the OHL…Galchenyuk in Sarnia.
Right now RDS is showing the first game ever between the Habs and the Nordiques from 1979
Oh, an original 12 match up? I might tune in!
Coaching the Nordiques is a young Jacques Demers in a nice(!) brown 3-piece suit…
And Boom Boom coaching Habs.
“Original 21″ you mean.
As this is a fantasy scenario,perhaps when Michel Therrien is fired, new Habs coach will be hired based on abilities ONLY, regardless of cultural background or languages spoken.
So Pleks is tied with Patches for goal scoring. Wonder who is leading the team in scoring? PK seems to be scoring but how many points? And how is Markov doing?
Questions and questions.
The CBA explained for Dummies…pick me, pick me!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX5D6sKCkOU&feature=youtu.be
Remember when some complained about the lack of new threads “sigh”
Cool so his injury was misdiagnosed and he is fine!
Oh yah, maybe first.
I want a recount.
Okay
1.
Yup Burly was still first.
Go Habs Go!
Check out Top Shelf Prospects, my Team by Team prospect reports
http://lastwordonsports.com/
I suspect “hanging chad ballots” came into play.
How bout a G-Love 4 goal game and then a fight with Chara and a win”TKO” for the Peruvian hockey leper …now that’s fantasy!