You have to be lucky to be good and good to be lucky. The Montreal Canadiens are good – yet they sure ain`t lucky !
After showing the Canucks and the NHL that they are a force to be reckoned with , the Habs went into Boston to face one of the best teams so far this season. Not only were the Bruins playing sound fundamental hockey – they also boasted a very stingy defense led by goaltender Tim Thomas. Thursday night , Memorial day in the U.S , Thomas did not play yet the Habs would have won no matter who was defending the nets for the home town Bruins. The Boston faithful will definitely remember that in Canada , the 11th of November is Remembrance Day.
P. K Subban opened the scoring at 5 : 19 of the first period. It was Subban `s first NHL goal as last season `s play – offs tallies do not count. In a wide open period where more shots were fired by both teams than a Mel Gibson phone conversation – the twenty minute session ended in a 1 – 1 draw after Chara scored at 15 : 49. The two teams were evenly matched with the Habs holding a slight edge in quality chances. The Bruins launched 13 shots Price `s way yet most came far away enough that Price handled them with ease. Rask faced 16 Canadiens `shots and was the busier of the two net minders as the Habs crwoded the net more often than the Boston team did.
Things got chippy in the second as both teams awoke to the fact that they belonged to a bitter rivalry. Fourteen minutes in minors were handed out by Referee `s Morton and Peel – three to the Habs and four to the home squad. It was Chara`s interference penalty at 19 : 52 that proved to be the poison as the weapon of choice in the Bruins `eventual demise. With Chara `s head peering from the penalty box – Habs `captain Brian Gionta lifted a nifty wrist shot past Rusk just : 29 seconds in to the third which sent Gionta and his partners in crime ; Plekanec and Kostisyn into a celebration reserved for champions. That goal seemed to let the air out of the Bruins ` black and gold balloonand the team appeared genuinely surprised by the play of their opponents. The Habs contained one more suprise for the Bruins and it was possibly the biggest surprise of the season for not only Boston – it was the biggest surprise for the Habs, their fans and the entire National Hockey League.
Scott Gomez scored a goal ! Scott Gomez scored a goal ! Scott Gomez scored a goal ! Scott Gomez scored a goal ! Scott Gomez scored a goal !Did I mention that Scott Gomez scored a goal ? After netting one goal in the previous 14 games , number 11 scored a `ping pong `goal making everyone except for his Mom stand in either shock or horror. Gomez took a Kostisyn rebound and banked it off of the crossbar and Rask`s back to net his second of the season. Former Hab Ryan O `Byrne was traded just before the game and apparently fainted upon hearing the news. Newly acquired Michael Bournival took a video and sent it to O`Byrne.
The Habs went into defensive mode for the remaining 9 : 30. It is easier to do these days as Carey Price is making former Hab Jaroslav Halk wish he was back in Montreal to witness Price`s antics. Price halted 34 of the Bruins`shots and earned his ninth win of the season, lowering his GAA to ..220.
Habs – `Canes
"The night is callingI have to goThe wolf is hungryHe runs to showHe’s licking his lipsHe’s ready to winOn the hunt tonightFor love at first stingHere I am, rock you like a hurricaneHere I am, rock you like a hurricaneThe Scorpions"
Saturday Night the Canadiens fans held their breath as the Habs got ready to face their post original six rival – the Carolina Hurricanes. It appears that no matter how well the Habs are playing , if they face a team that is either struggling or not that good , the Canadiens turn up flatter than a prepubescent girl. For the first ten minutes of the beginning of this game , the nature of the beast appeared to be primed as the Habs left Price alone to block 15 Hurricane shots. Coach Martin must have sent an email to the boys in the second half of the inaugrual period as the home team settled in and were awarded by Plekanec`s and Cammalleri`s goals. The Habs headed to the dressing room leading 2 – 0 and by all accounts , a rout was on the menu for the Habs`second course. Someone forgot to inform the Chef . Either that or the head cook was working for Carolina and he added way too much trans fat to the Habs`dinner . The Canadiens came out slower than a replay played by an angry coach.
Babchuck scored a powerplay goal and former Hab Kostopolous cut his fan club , ( Montreal Chapter) , in half in the first twelve minutes and suddenly the score was tied at two. Carolina`s winds were growing stronger. The crowd collectively looked around for `Toto `. The way things were headed, perhaps Kansas would have been a better place to be. Price was showing more courage than the Scarecrow and the Tinman combined. Luckily for the Habs – the team made the proper decision in naming Gionta captain as the `C `man continued to rise above his early season malaise. Brian netted his 4th of the season and this was the beginning of the end for the Hurricanes. The Habs batted down the hatches and concocted an offensive explosion to counter the `Canes
continuing weakend winds.
Maxime Lapierre , the Chesire Cat , took an `air ball `from P. K Subban and skated his heart out to gain a few precious strides on Carolina defenceman , Babchuk. After corralling the puck and capturing goalie Cam Ward off balance , Lapierre then fooled even himself with a `Savardian Spinerama`. It was the type of goal that elevates teammates and crowds while deflating the opposition. Carolina sulked, the Habs rode the wave of an `Òle – Ole ` chant and minutes later Benoit Pouliot scored his 5th and the Habs who were perilously close to losing another game against a struggling team , were up 5 – 2 heading into the third period.
Um – Good News and Bad News
Which do you want first ? Markov is gone for three months, you do the math. Carey Price made a save that will be on everyone`s top ten list at the end of the season. Barring Don Cherry`s defection to a visor wearing country that is. Markov went into the corner with just over five minutes remaining with Carolina forward Eric Staal. Staal and the puck came out, Markov and his previously operated knee stayed put with Andrei writhing in agony on the ice. According to former Hab , P.J Stock , Markov`s launching of his glove into the atmosphere is a sign that a player is hurt bad. Bad enough to rid oneself of a glove, the one thing that keeps a distance between reality and an act to grab the injury with a fleshy hand.
Kostisyn and Darche added two more goals for the Habs as they finished with a 7 – 2 rout of the visitors to ease the pain of Markov`s injury.
The Habs won without Markov – now they will have to do it once more. With a little luck – of course.
Philadelphia is in town tomorrow – puck hits the ice at 7 : 30
"Published on 11/15/2010 at 3:07 PM EDTLast updated on 11/15/2010 at 3:07 PM EDT"