SB Nation - Travis Moen

With Latendresse Set To Haunt, Habs Might As Well Have Trucked Him To Philly

Robert L — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:27:03 -0000

Maybe a better deal could have been had, maybe not. But so far the Guillaume Latendresse to Minnesota for Benoit Pouliot is looking like a real stiffer in the making.

Can Pouliot, who has rarely been seen at all so far in the team environment, not to mention game action because of injury, handle the Montreal pressure? He hasn't handled the more minimal pressure of being a high pick thus far, and with Latendresse panning out well with the Wild, can he meet any sort of expectations the Canadiens have in him?

This whole deal, with centennial festivities, has flown under the radar quite well for now, except perhaps for what Guillaume is now doing.

In five games, Latendresse has 2 goals and an assist, with a shootout game winner, equalling his Montreal stats totalled during 23 games.

You see, I've always strongly believed that there was something to Latendresse. Many have criticized him for a bunch of sins and shortcomings, but I've stuck to judging him whenever his role was defined and his linemates regular for a game or three.

And truly, that is when a player is best and most honestly assessed.

Look at Max Pacioretty as he blooms, having played most of the season with veterans Glen Metropolit and Travis Moen.

In Montreal, Lats was judged as being slow of foot, hesitant and lost, playing with fourth line compadres that shuffled for every game. Heck, how often was he given that chance to refind the sparks he'd developed last season with Maxim Lapierre?

Speculation was such that coach Martin and Latendresse did not see eye to eye on matters. After developing a young prospect for four seasons, it is owed to that player that his concerns and reasons for not being more productive be listened to. The player has been put through the ringer, where's the coaches patience?

So now, they get Pouliot, who may have similar issues, and are starting back at zero. With Latendresse, and four years of learning out the window, what's the use?

Could the Canadiens not have held on and gotten someone with more NHL experience for Guillaume's 232 games than Pouliot, whose only played 65 through four seasons.?

How about the Philadelphia Flyer's Claude Giroux, whose on a steady upward curve?

Latendresse would have fit in nicely with the Flyers, or would the John Leclair flashbacks have been too scary? Guillaume would have been their type of player, very much in the Tim Kerr mode.

The Flyers, who have been spinning their wheels of late, might have opted for such a shakeup rather than canning their coach.

Such a potential trade could have been sprinkled with a future consideration clause on both sides, based upon 2009 to 2011 production, with draft picks in the balance.

The Habs could also have gotten their mits on Daniel Briere as well, alleviating a million bucks a season over a five year term off the Flyers payroll in the process, by offering up Scott Gomez. I'm not a big Briere booster, but I see him as having more upside in a role with Montreal than Gomez at present.

The Canadiens, who have just parted with two top draft picks in recent weeks, would have looked better coming out of the deal than they do now.

Plenty Of Good Promise Shines Through Despite Loss To Capitals

Robert L — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 06:52:12 -0000

Some losses are bittersweet and harder to swallow than others, and the Canadiens dropping a shootout point to the Capitals doesn't qualify as one of them.

Yes, it was a bit trying to see the Habs drop the ball shorthanded in the final minute of the game, but the ubiquitous Washington Capitals are a team built to take advantage of such situations. Witness the similarity between the end of this game, and the contest between the teams in Washington a week prior. Both games featured carbon copy story lines, with Montreal falling behind before wrestling the lead from the better team. Both contests included wild finishes, and in this one, a Maxim Lapierre goalpost is all that kept it from being extended.

I've been a little slow in warming to this team full of new faces and I know I haven't been alone. Glimpses of a bigger picture, a better and clearer view of this new club and what it could be capable of have been few and far between.

Oddly, I grasped a vivid look at the potential of this club in this narrow loss, and it has me feeling somewhat surprised. It came with the crisp awakening of a slap in the face.

What happened, how it happened, had all to do with the way the team responded during two crucial points in the game.

The first came immediately after the Capitals scored a pair of goals 1:12 apart in the first period. The Habs had been busy running around, augering themselves into ice, when Jacques Martin likely heard me, you and a hundred thousand others scream "Call a friggin' time out!" After he did, it helped settle the team down. It wasn't a moment too soon, as this game seemed a Capital goal away from becoming a blowout.

Martin was on the ball, and clearly showed at that moment that he has his pulse on the mindset and fragility of this club.

Equally important in the turnaround, and if you were watching on RDS you heard Benoit Brunet hit a rare nail on the head, when he called a pair of Carey Price saves a potential turning point. Price was hardly at fault for the 2-0 deficit, and he showed his mettle as goalie by shutting the door when he did. The crowd responded a gave him a rousing hand, and the team responded by beginning to take the game away from Washington.

Those two responses spoke that we were in for a hockey game, despite being behind by two. It also spoke a volume or two for character the club is building.

Starting in the second period, the Canadiens were carrying the play, and they forced the Capitals into committing a few fouls. Montreal were in the midst of totally blowing a power play five minutes in, when Jaroslav Spacek rescued the situation, scoring to bring the game within one. It was then that the Canadiens put the pedal down and earned the evenings' point.

It was during these moments, from then until the end of the game, that I began seeing a bunch of eye openers, that put a big grin where it's supposed to be for the first time in a long while. I saw some beautiful things unfold.

One thing I often look at in the course of a game, is how defensemen are reacting to a goaltenders' work. I judge their faith in their stopper by how often I see their jersey numbers, logic being that if we are seeing 6, 44, 26, 47, 22 and 3 too often near the crease and its perimeter, it is because they are turned toward Price, more worried about his tasks than their own. If a goalie is solid, the D men are confident, and they should then be focused on what is coming at them instead. If this is happening, like it did for great stretches last night, not a lot of numbers will be seen in that space.

In that regard, I've gained great appreciation for the effort supplied by Spacek and Roman Hamrlik. They are like the coolant under the Canadiens hood. At key times, their poise removed panic, and their swift work translated into the forwards having that extra split second to assist them in their work.

The positional play of the blue liners in this one was pivotal. Washington has 23 shots on goal for this game, with the same numbers of shots being blocked. Of those 23 blocked attempts, 11 were credited to the Hamrlik / Spacek duo. The remaining four defensemen, got in the way of only four shots, with 2 each credited to Bergeron and Gorges.

The work of four kids really brought me up from the couch, starting with Max Pacioretty, who looks more and more comfortable as a solid NHL'er with each passing game. Pacioretty is doing all kinds of good things in recent weeks and in this game he was outmuscling opponents, holding his own in battles along the boards, logging the puck for precious seconds, making crisp passes to originate plays, cruising into the slot to take shots and heading to the net to obstruct and create havoc. What was so beautiful about it, was that it all seemed to come so naturally to him.

In truth, it has been about three or four games that little things Pacioretty has been doing are jumping off the screen. I attribute it to him being allowed to play and mature with regular linemates, and veteran ones in Glen Metropolit and Travis Moen. Pairing a kid with reliable vets has tons of merit, and it speaks volumes for how to properly develop a prospect. That said, those 25 games of tutoring on one regular line is something that Guillaume Latendresse rarely ever got and desperately needed, and hopefully it is something that would serve a player such as Sergei Kostitsyn particularly well.

In short, that's exactly the double edged sword that injuries provide. Opportunity for the kids is created, but the assignments need to be managed more thoughtfully.

In three games since being recalled, Sergei has shown why he was so missed. The younger Kostitsyn looks like his head is on straight, as he's alert and disciplined. When things were going bad for the kid, he had this gnawing tendency to sit still with a WTF expression on his face whenever something crapped on him. Since his callup, he's displayed none of those trademark lapses, and has gotten down to the business of sparking the team creatively. His fluid skating, swift passing ability, brisk vision and dogged traits have all been in evidence. Against Washington, there were several heads up examples of this, especially the alert puck robbery of one Capitals forward headed the other way that turned a play around for the Canadiens. He's looked good out there, and his timing could not have been better. Once the injuries on team settle down, Sergei should stick around.

Impressive have been rookies Tom Pyatt and Ryan White. While White assuredly has the most offensive upside of the two, Pyatt has been perhaps the bigger surprise. Blessed with a great skating stride, does this kid ever get in deep on the forecheck! His speed allows him a great economy of time in his chasedowns, and he's gaining a rep for catching slow acting defensemen off guard. It's happened several times that I see a Canadiens player pinning an opposing player behind their net, and lo and behold, every time I take note, it seems to be Pyatt on them like a radar. Where he fits in, in the grander scheme of things becomes an interesting notion. On the Habs' depth chart, my guess is that he has jumped ahead of Kyle Chipchura.

Ryan White has some pitbull in him. He wears a shit eatin' grin game face that looks to be a cross between Lyle Odelein and Alfred E. Neuman and seems always eager to sign up for dirty work. His defensive coverage is improving by the game, and seems to enjoy mucking it up along the boards to great extent. What's so far been untapped, is a playmaking ability and shot that is the reason why he was drafted by the team. What's keeping him on the big club is the instinctive ethic that he brings to every shift. You get the impression that the kid doesn't need to be told a hell of a lot to get a job done. Pyatt and White, nine games into their NHL trail, were the two most used Canadiens forwards on the Canadiens' penalty kill against the Capitals. On a team with a shortened bench and inexistant fourth line, that stat says tons of good things for those kids.

So yeah, it was a bit of bummer losing in the shootout when the team deserved something better, but as I see it, starting with some of the kids, little corners are being turned one at a time.

I've been a hard fan to excite most of this season. Hearing of Andrei Markov back skating this week surely perks up the hopefulness. Seeing the team deprived of so many key elements and still going down fighting is awful inspiring. I could perhaps even begin to be sold on the notion of a very solid club that may turn out to be stronger than the simple sum of its parts.

About Last Night....

Lions In Winter

Capitals vs Canadiens boxscore

Jaspers' Rink

Game 23 Preview: Jackets limp into Montreal to face the Habs

Mike MacLean — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:48:40 -0000

Boy do the Jackets need to bounce back. After getting thoroughly trounced in New York last night, they hopped on a plane for Montreal, where they will take on the Canadiens tonight. The Rangers were a team that struggled to score, and the Jackets managed to change that. The Habs are another team that struggles to score-lightning can't strike twice can it? I sure hope not. The Jackets absolutely need to win this one, if nothing more than to keep pace in the tough Central Division.

Mathieu Garon will get the start, returning to Montreal to face the team that drafted him. Expect Kris Russell to get the start tonight. Props to fellow twitterer (?) @seventyeight for this tweet she posted last night:

OKAY. When Russell plays: 10-4-2, 3.125 goals/game /// When he does not: 2-3-1, 5.8 goals/game. Quit making him your scapegoat.

The numbers don't lie- the team has played better with Russ in the lineup. I'd like to see him more often-his skills with the puck, while they haven't exactly led to him putting up major points, are a major boost. I don't want to see Commie out on the powerplay again tonight. I'm thinking Russ goes in for Methot, who looked just awful last night. To be fair though, the whole team looked like crap outside of Boller.

The Habs still possess the talent to break out of their funk at any time, so I am not going to use the low-scoring excuse here. The Jackets need to use their size and physicality advantage to dominate the boards and the down-low play. With Georges Laraque out of the lineup, this should be easy to do.

Fearless Prediction- I'm never going to predict a shutout again-that's a promise. I will however predict that Garon will have a strong game in his return to his home province.

Game Time: 7:00pm ET

Opponent's Blog: Habs Eyes On The Prize

Game Page: Blue Jackets vs Canadiens Coverage

TSN Preview: Blue Jackets vs Canadiens Preview

TV: FSN Ohio

Radio: WBNS-AM (1460); WWCD-FM (101.1)

More after the jump...

From the Columbus Dispatch:

The Blue Jackets were to arrive in Montreal early this morning after playing last night in New York. They are expected to start Mathieu Garon in goal and perhaps insert defenseman Kris Russell. The injury-riddled Canadiens are struggling to score. They entered yesterday's action ranked 27th in goals, averaging 2.30.

Jackets Links:

Columbus Blue Jackets / Columbus Blue Jackets Schedule

Columbus Blue Jackets Roster / Columbus Blue Jackets Stats

Here are the lineups for tonight's tilt:

Columbus Blue Jackets

Kristian Huselius	Antoine Vermette	Rick Nash
R.J. Umberger	Derick Brassard	Jakub Voracek
Jason Chimera	Samuel Pahlsson	Michael Blunden
Raffi Torres	Derek MacKenzie	Jared Boll

Fedor Tyutin	Anton Stralman
Rostislav Klesla	Jan Hejda
Kris Russell	Mike Commodore

Mathieu Garon

Steve Mason

EXTRA: Marc Methot, Tom Sestito

INJURED: Fredrik Modin, Andrew Murray, Derek Dorsett

Montreal Canadiens

Michael Cammalleri	Scott Gomez	Glen Metropolit
Andrei Kostitsyn	Tomas Plekanec	Max Pacioretty
Travis Moen	Maxim Lapierre	Benoit Pouliot
Kyle Chipchura	Tom Pyatt	Ryan White

Jaroslav Spacek	Roman Hamrlik
Josh Gorges	Paul Mara
Marc-Andre Bergeron	Jay Leach

Carey Price

Jaroslav Halak

Habs Surprise Capitals In A Wild One

Robert L — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:10:34 -0000

What a finish! What a frantic final few minutes! What a wild game!

I'm scrambling for adjectives, wondering where this effort came from, while my heart beats like the intro to "Hot For Teacher".

How to assess....

A statement game?

A turning point?

Not a moment too soon?

A horseshoe up their patoot?

How about just good old damn good news?

Whatever overused sports cliche you chose, this was one exciting to the end horn nailbiter, and anyway you slice it, it was a big game for the Habs.

I'm just thankful finally for something that makes me feel like writing, thinking and typing again.

But this was one inspirational game for a number reasons. It's been a while since I've said this.....where do I start?

Tomas Plekanec....on a so-so team, this guy is looking more and more like a team MVP. In on all three of the Habs' goals once again, Pleks is playing instinctive, tuned-in hockey, and looks like a seasoned veteran out there. he's quite possibly having a better year than in 2007-08. Sign the guy, damnit!

Carey Price....the Capitals excel at what Price is suspect at, which is playing great cross ice hockey. Washington makes a goalie work, using every inch of the rink to move pucks around. Price was alert as beanie and the Canadiens defense allowed him to remain composed. Carey is on the way to earning, make that re-earning, the superlatives set to come his way.

Jaroslav Spacek....the less I notice him, the better he's playing. Unspectacular, but very sound, Spacek does all the simple things right. Last night, with Alex Ovechkin as an assignment, Spacek was stellar in reducing his time and space. It doesn't hurt that his partner is the similarly talented Roman Hamrlik, and they form a mindset as much as they do a pairing. As both as used for big minutes against key players, it sure helps when the forwards lighten their workload by being defensively aware.

Jacques Martin.... a total guess on my part, but it looks to me like he came armed with a killer game plan and was able to sell it to his troops. The Capitals offense is fire, brimstone, and high risk. Contain them and play safe, and Washington will give you chances to beat them with their high risk / high reward style. Last night, Montreal jumped all over the Caps mistakes and profited to take a 3-1 lead late into the game. If the Habs weren't so snake bitten (Hello, Max P!) around the net, this one might have been over sooner.

Travis Moen....when he was signed last summer, the talk was about his limitations. A quarter way into the season and he's on pace for 20 goals. There's an upside on Moen, and who knew?

Plekanec again....he's leading the team in scoring, without the benefit of regular linemates. I keep thinking about that, and on that regard....

Andrei Kostitsyn and Max Pacioretty....looks like they are becoming accustomed to Pleks, as they seem to be learning what it takes to play alongside him. Kostitsyn did all kinds of good things in this game, and the majority of them came without the puck or fighting for possession of it. Max is using his size again, a key to his game, and is maintaining that while getting scoring chances. For both, it's an evolutionary process, but if the two use their bulk on Plekanec's flanks, this line could gel into something special.

Scott Gomez....left the game and didn't play the third period. I hate to say it, but I've gotten so used to not noticing him....ah, I'm in too good a mood to gripe!

I'm taking part in the third annual Habs' Fans Summit tomorrow in Montreal, and I was dreading the Canadiens facing Detroit. I'm a little less worried after this effort. Might just be superstition on my part, being that both Guy Lafleur and Patrick Roy played their last games as Canadiens against the Red Wings, but I'm comforted by the fact that at least the Habs won't be looking much like themselves tomorrow, as they are set to unveil for the first time, the 1909-10 retro jerseys that look like a cross between the old Nordiques powder blues and a Conservative Party hockey jersey.

Okay, so maybe I should worry....

About Last Night....

Lions In Winter

Canadiens vs Capitals boxscore

Habs vs Former Habs at the Quarter Point

Robert L — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:00:24 -0000

I haven't taken a look at this since the 10 game mark (October 27), but it seems that the former Habs players are now gaining a slight edge on their current counterparts.

At the quarter season point, it is still too soon to draw much of a conclusion, especially considering how unstable the Canadiens' lineup is these days

Most of the players on both sides have kept up their early season pace going, with exceptions being Tanguay, Lang and Koivu, who have picked it up for the former Habs and Marc-Andre Bergeron, who now leads all Canadiens' D in scoring. Tailing off somewhat, are the Bruins' Michael Ryder and Steve Begin.

Most notable among these statistics may just be the save percentages - added to this list for the first time here. I chose to include them for obvious reasons, that being the Canadiens duos numbers as compared to the former netminders now tending goal for stronger clubs.

The Habs much maligned duo of Halak and Price take a beating a little too often, but as it appears here, they could just as well be the team's saving grace.

*Players below are ranking by points and not in comparison.

Jaroslav Halak 8-5-3-0 2.62-9.04 / Jose Theodore 13-5-3-4 3.24-8.83 (Capitals)

Carey Price 13-5-8-0 2.99-9.06 / Cristobal Huet 15-9-4-1 2.25-9.02 (Blackhawks)

Marc-Andre Bergeron 14-3-4-7 / 21-4-7-11 Mark Streit (Islanders)

Roman Hamrlik 20-4-2-6 / 19-0-8-8 Craig Rivet (Sabres)

Jaroslav Spacek 21-1-5-6 / 19-2-5-7 Francois Beauchemin (Maple Leafs)

Paul Mara 21-0-6-6 / 15-2-4-6 Ron Hainsey (Thrashers)

Josh Gorges 11-1-1-2 / 6-0-2-2 Sheldon Souray (Oilers)

Hal Gill 14-1-0-1 / 16-0-0-0 Mike Komisarek (Maple Leafs)

Totals - Defense　

Habs: Total GP: 101 / Goals: 10 /Assists: 18 / Points: 28

Former Habs: Total GP: 96 / Goals: 8 / Assists: 26 / Points: 34

Tomas Plekanec 21-4-15-19 / 20-6-10-16 Mike Ribeiro (Stars)

Mike Cammalleri 21-8-8-16 / 19-3-9-12 Mikhail Grabovski (Maple Leafs)

Brian Gionta 19-8-5-13 / 18-4-8-12 Alex Tanguay (Lightning)

Scott Gomez 21-2-9-11 / 20-5-6-11 Robert Lang (Coyotes)

Glen Metropolit 15-4-6-10 / 18-4-6-10 Alex Kovalev (Senators)

Travis Moen 21-4-3-7 / 20-2-7-9 Steve Begin (Bruins)

Andrei Kostitsyn 21-2-4-6 / 15-2-6-8 Saku Koivu (Ducks)

Maxim Lapierre 21-1-4-5 / 20-4-3-7 Michael Ryder (Bruins)

Max Pacioretty 21-2-2-4 / 20-2-5-7 Sergei Samsonov (Hurricanes)

Guillaume Latendresse 21-2-1-3 / 14-3-2-5 Arron Asham (Flyers)

Georges Laraque 8-0-1-1 / 20-2-3-5 Christopher Higgins (Rangers)

Matt D'Agostini 11-1-0-1 / 20-1-0-1 Tom Kostopoulos (Hurricanes)

Totals - Forwards　

Habs: Total GP: 221 / Goals: 38 /Assists: 58 / Points: 96

Former Habs: Total GP: 224 / Goals: 38 / Assists: 64 / Points: 102

Totals - Team

Habs: Total GP: 322 / Goals: 48 /Assists: 76 / Points: 124

Former Habs: Total GP: 320 / Goals: 46 / Assists: 90 / Points: 136

Incidentally, I'm not much of a video gamer when it comes to such things as NHL 2010 or EA Sports and stuff. (I used to joke that X-Box sounded like a former girlfriend!) A reader of this site has been looking into aligning the teams above against one another for a series of games. That sounded like an interesting offer, and I took him up on it. Once the results come forth, you'll read about it here.

Habs Solutions: The Jacques Martin Deck Shuffle

Robert L — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:12:33 -0000

Don't know if it was Benoit Brunet or Pieere Houde of RDS last night who mentioned that coach Jacques Martin has tried and done everything to get his team's offense going, but I'll take issue with that.

Yes Martin has juggled forward lines, but his changes are obvious and not often very creative. An opposing coach can see them coming a mile away.

Let's get some facts down:

Fact 1: In the majority of games, the Gomez, Gionta and Cammalleri line remains intact for the better part of those games, as do the line of Glen Metropolit, Travis Moen and Max Pacioretty. The line centered by Tomas Plekanec has been a spin the wheel affair and the team's fourth line has been a mixture of both promotions and demotions of late, a undefined gumbo of circumstance.

Fact 2: For steadiness, the most regular performers have been Gionta, the surprising Metropolit, and Plekanec, often the team's most dependable and consistent element.

Fact 3: The solution to whatever woes Andrei Kostitsyn is having will not be found in pairing him with Tom Pyatt or Kyle Chipchura at center.

So let's begin here:

How about breaking up the top line for a half game and letting Pleks play with Gionta and Cammalleri?

Hasn't been tried yet, what's there to lose?

Take Andrei on the left wing and put him on the right with Gomez, so his stick will be in the middle of the ice with the team's best passer. Put some meat on the right side, say Guillaume Latendresse, and order him to crash and bang and create hell at the lip of the crease.

Size, skill and shot, more primitively defined!

A line of like minded talents, for grit and grind. Lapierre, Metropolit and Moen. A third line with two natural centers and loads of face spit. I could like this.

Line four, an all kid line.

Cut the crap and call up Sergei Kostitsyn soon as his purgatory is over. He's the wild card that might make the Habs top six or bottom six forwards better.

On potential, who is the Canadiens best prospect for centering the fourth line at the moment?

Is it the limited Chipchura, who is hard working but in tally doesn't affect much?

Could it be Pyatt, with two games of NHL experience, all kinds of speed and will, but little upside?

Or maybe it is Ben Maxwell, the Bulldogs leading scorer last season, who has all the makings of a strong two way centerman.

I call Maxwell, with Sergei or Max Pacioretty, one on their off wing - a bona fide kid line with energizing ability. Max and Sergei are both talented enough to shuffle wing roles with other lines.

I think that all this could work, but the variable in it all is, can Gomez's ego deal with losing his speedy flaps. I'd chance it!

Bruins fall to Montreal in shootout 2-1

Stanley Cup of Chowder — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:08:22 -0000

More photos » by Charles Krupa - AP

about 1 month ago: Montreal Canadiens center Glen Metropolit (15) sets to tip in the first goal of the game as Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas (30) falls out of position during the first period of their NHL hockey game in Boston, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Browse more photos »

Patrice Bergeron scored with 51.7 seconds left in regulation to keep the Bruins from suffering three consecutive shutouts for the first time since 1929 and force overtime, but ultimately the Bruins would fall in the shootout.

Montreal appeared to score the game's opening goal 1:41 into the game when Glen Metropolit put the puck past Thomas, but the goal was quickly waved off due to Travis Moen's contact with Tim Thomas in the crease.

Metropolit got one for real with 2:28 left in the first period when Dennis Wideman and Matt Hunwick did their best keystone cops impression as Wideman skated backwards into Hunwick out near the blue line to create an odd man rush. Andrei Kostitsyn broke in, took the puck behind the net and found a wide open Glen Metropolit, who had an open net to work with.

The Bruins appeared to have tied it up with 2:25 left in the second period when Carey Price had trouble covering up the puck and Patrice Bergeron tapped the puck past the goal line, however the goal came off the pegs and was waved off after it was determined to have gone in through the side of the net and not between the goal posts.

Much like Glen Metropolit after his goal was disallowed, Patrice Bergeron got one that counted to tied it up with 51.7 seconds left in regulation when he put home a rebound to score the Bruins' first goal in nearly 3 games.

Despite some solid scoring opportunities in overtime, neither team could find the back of the net. Things got a little interesting after the final whistle when Daniel Paille shot well after the whistle and the Habs understandable took exception to it. A little bit a scrum ensued, but cooler heads prevailed.

Shootout

B's 1st Shot: Blake Wheeler's forehand snap shot is snagged by the glove of Carey Price.

Habs 1st Shot: Mike Cammalleri's curl and drag move and quick shot beats Thomas 1-0 Habs

B's 2nd Shot: Bergeron's shot sails wide on the stickside.

Habs 2nd Shot: Tim Thomas gets a piece of Scott Gomez's shot and tips it over the net.

B's 3rd Shot: Carey Price makes a sprawling save to deny Mark Recchi. Habs Win

Final - 11.5.2009	1	2	3	OT	SO	Total
Montreal Canadiens	1	0	0	0	1	2
Boston Bruins	0	0	1	0	0	1

Complete Coverage >

Notes:

- Bruins outshot the Canadiens 43-26

- B's outhit the Habs 35-23, including 6 hits by Vladimir Sobotka.

- There was a bit of a strange moment late in the third period when a fan threw a pair of glasses on to the ice. One of the linesman picked up the spectacles and put them in his pocket (perhaps a souvenir and a story to tell).

- Mikko Lehtonen played in his 2nd career NHL game after being called up from Providence yesterday.

- Marco Sturm and Patrice Bergeron both had 7 shots on goal.

- The Bruins were shutout on the power play again tonight (0 for 3).

- Bruin return to action on Saturday at home against the Buffalo Sabres.

Armchair Scout: Report On Condors @ Reign 10/31

Arthur from Anaheim Calling — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:49:51 -0000

ARTHUR:

I felt like a real scout last night, in that the drive was more interesting than the game and no one I went to see played very well. Despite crushing the Reign 8-3 in their last meeting, the Bakersfield Condors were shutout, 3-0, letting two pinballed shots get past Timo Pielmeier and surrendering an empty-netter with 0.7 seconds left.

A number of Ducks prospects are playing for the Condors this year, but after the jump I'm going to focus on Logan MacMillan (Ducks 1st Round Pick 2007), Shawn Weller (acquired by trade from Ottawa), Timo Pielmeier (acquired by trade from San Jose) and David McNab's NCAA free agent pet projects: Dan Sexton, Stu Bickel and MacGregor Sharp. I had also planned to talk about Maxime Macenauer, but he was not in the lineup on Halloween.

First, however, I should point out that seeing a game at Citizens Business Bank Arena is not a bad experience. I came to see the visiting team shoot on a Saturday, so I paid $20 to sit two rows back from the glass (it's even cheaper Mon-Thu, but a little more expensive if you go through Ticketmaster). The seats are comfortable, parking is free and they even gave me a $5 gift certificate to The Yardhouse. The Condors will be in town again on December 16th & 27th, January 13th, and February 21st & 28th. I plan to go to at least one of those games and bring CK, our unofficial staff photographer, with me (I apologize for the photo above and those to follow-- they're mine). As most of these guys will go back to the AHL next year, it might be my last chance to see them in a minors uniform, that is, unless we get that San Diego AHL team.

Logan MacMillan (1st Round - 19th Overall - 2007 Draft. Pick acquired with 2nd Round - 42nd Overall - 2007 pick [Tangradi] from Minnesota in exchange for 1st Round - 16th Overall - 2007 pick. That pick was acquired with Gerald Coleman from Tampa Bay in exchange for Shane O'Brien and a 3rd Round 2007 pick)

Logan MacMillan has played consistently with Andrew Ianiero on the Condors. From their play and chemistry last night, I've gathered two things about MacMillan's progression. One, he plays well as the banger on a line. Two, we may never again see the playmaker/scorer that flanked Jakub Voracek in The Q.

He took shots when he was alone on the rush , but that was the limit of his offensive presence. When he had the puck, he wasn't trying to find anyone, and when he didn't have the puck, he wasn't trying to be found. He was great at separating players from the biscuit, dumping them as they tried to skate it behind the net or into the corners. He was extremely effective digging along the boards and keeping plays alive. But the offensive hockey sense, the ability to create an attack sequence, all seem to have disappeared.

He's a smart grinder, maybe the smartest we have in the cupboard, and a year in the ECHL should toughen him up. The Ducks' plans for him are unclear at this point, but his draft status should earn him a legitimate shot at the Bottom 6 before he's declared a bust.

MacGregor Sharp (NCAA free agent signing 2009)

Maybe I couldn't tell behind his NCAA cage, but I never knew MacGregor Sharp liked to jaw this much. Whether he was needling Reign players after the whistle or clarifying positioning with his linemates before puck drops, his mouth never stopped moving. No gloves were dropped on Halloween, but not for lack of Sharp's efforts.

He played most of the night on a line with fellow Ducks prospects Dan Sexton and Shawn Weller, the Bakersfield captain. The trio worked well, especially on the power play, where, despite poor shot selection, they were able to keep the puck deep for a minute and a half against Ontario. Sharp's contribution to that was tenacious puckhound play and some great awareness in front of the net. Unfortunately, his stick speed is a little slow, and that makes it hard to get to loose pucks, even though he always seems to know where they are. It also looks as if he hasn't worked on faceoffs in the ECHL, as he is still limited to that one tie-up-the-stick move.

He's got grit, but he's also dangerous around the net. I still look forward to him being a Chris Kunitz type of player (though a bit slower in the foot) with plenty of Top 6 upside

Timo Pielmeier (Acquired with Nick Bonino and a 4th Round 2011 pick from San Jose in exchange for Travis Moen and Kent Huskins)

As an athletic goaltender, Pielmeier likes to move and rely on his reflexes. That much was clear when a flurry by the Reign forced the netminder into a quick breakdancing display (Hasek Snow Angel into a Flare for those in the know). But he was victimized by his insistence on movement last night, beaten by two pinballed shots and outdueled in a steady performance by Mike Zacharias, a strong positional goaltender.

Pielmeier is tracking the puck well, despite being frenetic at times. He also played the puck well, both at even strength and on special teams. He wasn't tested extensively last night, but he came up solid on a handful of outnumbered bids by Ontario.

His reflexes are impressive, but he isn't the calmest of netminders. He may need to add a workmanlike attitude to his game before making the jump to the next level, but there are certainly advantages to staying just the way he is.

Dan Sexton (NCAA free agent signing 2009)

After it became clear that San Antonio had no intention of playing him, the Ducks sent Big Sexy to Bakersfield. He is now the speedster alongside Sharp and Weller, the Condors most productive line.

Sexton is fast in open ice. He created a shorthanded breakaway on a defender three strides ahead of him, only to reveal a fatal flaw at the end of the play: he can't stickhandle very well in fifth gear. Once he addresses that shortcoming, he'll be a deadly speedster. But even in a crowd, Sexton can use his feet. He will turn and burn in his own zone, or turn and burn to backcheck from the offensive zone.

And I'm happy to eat crow on his physical game. He takes a good push along the boards, and he gives a pretty good one back. He couples that with a forceful quickness, making him valuable on the cycle and forecheck. But make no mistake, the brains that caught David McNab's eyes are there as well. Sexton plays both ways on special teams, a sound defender shorthanded and a small quarterback from the half boards with the man advantage.

Of the players I saw last night, I have the most hope for Sexton. He's small, and the right hole in the Ducks roster might not open up for him next year, but I would be surprised if the Ducks didn't give him a good look.

Shawn Weller (Acquired from Ottawa in exchange for Jason Bailey) and Stu Bickel (NCAA free agent signing 2008)

I don't have much to report on Weller and Bickel. First, I should note that Weller is a captain and Bickel is an alternate captain. That honor goes beyond their AHL experience, as both are character players who communicate well with their teammates on the ice.

The Senators gave up on Weller after he stalled in his progression to an offensively and defensively skilled power forward. After seeing him last night, I can tell you that that's a journey he'll likely never finish. There are plenty of raw skills there: a strong stride, the ability to protect the puck with his body and mauling play along the boards. Hopefully he can build some confidence playing with Sexton and Sharp, but any hopes of him ascending to the NHL as a Swiss Army Knife power forward should be abandoned now; he's more like a pocket sledgehammer.

Bickel has changed his game, it seems. I didn't see much of the body banging Stu that I remembered; I was instead greeted by a defender focused on making the small plays correctly. He's a nimble skater, but he now attempts to make plays that only a slightly quicker man could execute. I'm not sure if he can ever get his body to consistently produce what his mind is asking for, but if he can, he may make a splash at camp next year.

Empty Consolation In Habs' Squeaky Win

Robert L — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 10:03:34 -0000

For some probably inane reason, the crevices of the cynical side of my brain wants to search out an old Blue Rodeo lyric to equate the state of the Habs these days, in light of last night's win over Toronto.

A win that felt very much like a loss, for reasons I can't quite get under my thumb.

This post feels like the beginning of a self - therapy session.

Why Blue Rodeo and why now?

I think I own maybe a dozen Blue Rodeo CD's (and I can ever be heard hollering after "Dark Angel" on the live disc!) and their cynical (especially Greg Keelor tunes) and self deprecating lyrics have always had a grip on me. They connect hockey wise with me since I found out what fans of the game they are. They've played Cornwall a good half dozen times and on at least three ocassions I've sought them out after shows for signings and chatter. A great buncha guys!

In the mid '90's I saw them at the Forum opening for John Mellencamp and turned their five song 45 minute set into one long Greatful Dead - like jam, extending "Diamond Mine", "Side Of The Road", "Five Days In May", "Bad Timing" and "Hasn't Hit Me Yet" into the longest stretch of self indulgent soloing you'll ever see. It was my last visit at the Forum, and Jim Cuddy sang and played wearing a Habs home white jersey. Keelor, a Leafs fan, spent the night tugging on the "CH".

A few years later, once my oldest starting playing hockey, I was at the old barn in town and a ragtag bunch were playing a pickup game in front of me as my daughter dressed for her travel team practice. It was Cuddy and the road crew hitting the ice before playing in town that night, and I later learned that the icetime during winter dates was some kind of an occasional contractual obligation for booking dates in certain towns. Like what the hell else are they gonna do for entertainment in Cornwall?

So in that roundabout manner, Blue Rodeo enters my head hockey wise, at this precarious time, when the Canadiens need the added luxury of a shootout to beat a despicably disorganized Leafs time on a Saturday Night, wearing those ridiculous jailbird jerseys from a season none of us ever saw.

I watched the third period of the game from a bar, a couple of casual, but know-it-all hockey fans seated next to me in front of the screen. It's late in the game and I'm sensing the Habs collapse upcoming. One of the two who doesn't seem to know shit about hockey, predicts the Leaf comeback just as it unfolds. Moments before, he was trying to give me a hockey history lesson, telling me that when the Canadiens first started out years ago as a team called the Hochelaga Habitants.

Trust me, I couldn't invent this stuff!

The shootout begins, and he asks, "Who's in nets for Toronto?"

Johnny Bower, he is told.

As I noted the other day, it feels like the Habs are on a never ending ferris wheel ride. Last night, at that moment in the bar, it felt like I was stranded at the top of that wheel while passengers were unloaded, my iron gut giving way to sickness. I was the guy in Keelor's "What Am I Doing Here", a paean to being caught up the useless desolation of bummed out surroundings.　

"On this useless night,
With you so far away,
I stand in front of this ferris wheel,
And I wonder what am I doing here"

A poster at the site yesterday, going by the pseudonym of "Patience Is A Virtue", took a respectable bite out of me, suggesting that my normal state of optimism had run afoul and it had disappointed him of late.

I know.

He saw good things on this team. I'm squinting!

"There are nights full of anger,
Words that are thrown,
Tempers that are shattered and thin,
But the moments of magic,
Are just too short,
They're over before they begin

I wanna go
I know I can't stay
But I don't want to run
Feeling this way
Til I am myself again."

I cannot put myself in a frame of mind to be generous with positivism. Adjectives feel like a stretch. A big fear as a writer - becoming phony!

I want to see a game where the team can elevate its play for sixty solid minutes, consistently. Domination is not necessariliy neccessary (?), but it would be nice to see the Habs control a game start to finish. These guys, and I know they are trying their best, are uncapable.

They need OT to win against patsies and get pummelled against teams with resilience.

If I were to put it any other way, I'd be deluding myself.

"She sees the world through rose coloured glasses
Painted skies and graceful romances
I see a world that's tired and scared
Of living on the edge too long
Where does she get off telling me
That love could save us all, save us all.

And it's day after day
I keep hanging around can you tell me why
Night after night, yeah I know I should leave
But there's something in those eyes
That keeps me hanging on, I'm hypnotized
It breaks my heart and I don't know why."

Yup, it kills me to see my team this way.

I despise shootouts because they are phony wins and I took no satisfaction at all in last night's result whatsoever. Had the Habs lost, at least I could have been furious.

Again, I don't want to be this way. This space is a bummer to read and I can sympathize with readers like "Patience" because in this light, shit, I wouldn't want to read me either.

I'd much rather be debating the notion of why Carey Price, after a decently good showing in Chicago that kept his team in the game, is sitting on the bench and stuff like Marc - Andre Bergeron, despite being a defensive minefiled, not being on the first PP unit.

I've tried psyching myself up, noting yesterday that a Halloween trick or treat game held allure. Of course the usual Twilight Zone crap, how predictable, played itself out again.

Maybe I'm all crappers cause it takes goals from unlikely sources such Latendresse, Hamrlik, Metropolit and Hal Gill (for chrisakes!) to knot the Leafs.

I'm seeing all the good little things, improvements in players like Kyle Chipchura, Max Pacioretty, the contribution of Glen Metropolit, Travis Moen being a thorn, some glimmers from Guillaume, Plekanec's dependability and the stuttered sparks from the Scott Gomez line.

I'm seeing all of it, but I'm seeing all of it not add up to very much.

I cannot profess, at this time, to seeing very much light of day.

Feeling this way, really stinks.

Habs Road Woes Continue In Chicago

Robert L — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 05:57:57 -0000

I forget the name of that Steve Martin movie in which the grandmother makes a brilliant life analogy with a distinction between ferris wheels and rollercoasters, but it came to mind watching the Canadiens as they fell behind 2-0 in the second period against Chicago.

Ferris wheels simply go round and round. The Canadiens spin their wheels.

Rollercoasters aren't as predictable, but all the thrills are associated with not knowing what's around the corner. These Habs seem afraid of the dark.

Montreal's four game win streak of a week ago was enjoyable while it lasted and it showed some positive flashes at times, mostly against weak opponents, the Rangers notwithstanding. However, there is little to rejoice over in retrospect, as narrowly beating the Islanders and Thrashers is never a boast to beat one's chest over.

The other two of the four wins are in no impressive context either.

The 5-1 win over Long Island showed that the Habs can put the boot to a tired and weakened foe playing twice in 48 hours, the 5-4 win over the Rangers served notice that the Canadiens aren't a team to fall asleep against at home.

On the road, where good teams win hockey games, it is a whole other trial for the Canadiens.

Evidence of a trend can be found in three particular games, namely the losses in Vancouver, Pittsbugh and Chicago. In all three, the Canadiens were consistently outworked and outmuscled in the trenches. While players such Brian Gionta, Tomas Plekanec and Josh Gorges spare no effort game in and game out, the Habs simply don't have enough warriors of the skilled variety to take down elite clubs.

Gritty forwards such as Travis Moen and Glen Metropolit can bring it all they want every game, but how often is it going to be a difference maker against the deeper teams. Against the Penguins, this line runs up against Jordan Staal's line, against the Bruins they'll face Patrice Bergeron, in Washington they see Brendan Morrison or Brooks Laich and in Buffalo it's Paul Gaustad.

What's most concerning in road games is how easily the neutral zone seems to disappear for Scott Gomez. In Montreal, where Martin can get the matchups more often than not, Gomez' puck time is greatly increased, but it's not the case on the road, where a covered Gomez equates a neutralized Gionta and Mike Cammalleri.

Further worrisome for top line forwards on the road comes with the puck possession issues as Cammalleri, and Kostitsyn in his place last night, are not strong on loose pucks. Gionta is more the battler of the three, and would seem more effective with Plekanec, but if he is consistently removed from Gomez' side, there isn't much spike left to Habs top line.

A close examination of road games shows that the Canadiens have yet to dominate and win away from home. In two wins against Toronto and Buffalo - both in OT - they were greatly outplayed both times, hung on because Carey Price was stellar, and pounced on opportunity in four on four overtime. That scenario, with Price holding his own, almost played out again in Chicago, until Price allowed one he should have had late in the third.

The Canadiens best road showing remains the loss in Edmonton, where two teams who enjoy a freewheeling style went head to head. Nikolai Khabibulin was the difference that night, just as Price was in the first two games.

The Canadiens in Chicago weren't terrible by any means, but I've touched on the notion that their best might often not be good enough before. How would this game have played out at 2-0 had Jonathan Toews been in the lineup? Before Cammalleri's goal, it looked as though another Vancouver or Pittsburgh style rout was a goal away.

Montreal, in Martin's system, showed it is capable of playing shutdown hockey to some extent, but it goes against the nature of some of the team's instinct. Can it be consistently expected that talented players - I'll name only Kostitsyn and Cammalleri - continuously, shift after suffocating shift, sacrifice their games to fit the system?

The project of turning Maxim Lapierre into a gritty right winger for Plekanec hasn't been a rousing success. He's been merely operative in the first few games there, and I'm convinced that he and Metropolit are better third and fourth pivots than Metro and Kyle Chipchura are slotted down one. To me, Kyle as Metro's wingman is more sensible that Max as Plek's sidekick.

Until Andrei Markov returns and makes everyone he's on the ice with better, what hope is there for the Habs on the road against the tougher teams?

If we're left to expecting Carey Price to be otherworldly away from home to get wins, it's quite a strain. It seems he has to be near perfect to give the team a chance, and that's not a heck of alot to build on. Price, a pair of weaks goals and all, was all the Habs had going for them last night.

Despite all the allure of potential offensive weaponry, the mix just doesn't seem to allow it to unload. This team should be thrilled to remain in the hunt for eighth place even after Markov returns. Until it is proven otherwise, these retooled Canadiens are a two goal, up and down, .500 hockey club at best.

Enjoy the ferris wheel!

About Last Night...

Lions In Winter

Canadiens vs Blackhawks recap

Canadiens vs Blackhawks boxscore

Second City Hockey