montreal canadiens hockey - habs blog

Two Headed Monster

When the Canadiens are playing at the top of their game this year they are exciting to watch and hard to beat. Their 13-6-3 record makes them 8th best in the entire NHL.

What’s encouraging but also frustrating to see is the Canadiens are not playing to their potential and often times don’t play a complete game.

Beat the best team in the league on the road, lose to the worst team in the league at home. That’s the kind of polar opposite things Habs fans are getting used to seeing.

The Habs also seem to have problems winning back to back contests despite having a favorable schedule this year and having a fresh starting goalie available on any given night.

The loss to Chicago, Florida and now the Flyers were all back to back games, against inferior teams. Those six points would have given the Habs 35 and have them second only to the Sabres.

If Carbonneau can get the team firing on all cylinders, game in game out – the Canadiens have the potential to go somewhere.

What next?

The Panthers, whom you can’t write off as an easy win. The defending Champ Hurricanes and of course the Leafs.

Which team will show up?
Blades of Steel

The Canadiens are seeking their first win in their third meeting with the league leading Buffalo Sabres.

The Canadiens came very close to defeating the Sabres in the first game of the season before Buffalo exploded out of the gate and went on record setting winning streak.

The second meeting the Canadiens were thoroughly outplayed and could not keep pace with the Sabres.

The Habs are rolling right now. 4 wins in the last 5. Janne Niinimaa is out of the lineup and Cristobal Huet is playing the way we’ve grown accustomed to last year with consistent great performances.

Coincidence?

The debate of the Number 1 goaltender might soon get put to rest if Huet can silence the Buffalo snipers tonight. It would be his fifth consecutive win.

The Canadiens as a team have not once been able to string together three wins in a row. It will be a big step for the team if they can do it against the Sabres. In Buffalo.

Regardless of the outcome, the Sabres are the NHL’s most exciting team to watch. When the Canadiens play the way they can, they are pretty fun to watch too. Game on.

ShoutBox

Last Message 1 minute ago

rocky and 3 guests are online.

Senet1 : We can disagree without name calling, the fact that you do not care whether I talk to you or not think makes my point. You do not care how you respond that is what bothers me. I try to respect you opinion all I ask is respect in return regardless of whether you agree with me or not.
rocky : You all ignore the total reality that it was a good goal under the current rules and that mats started the insults. Whatever you think is an acceptable insult is ridiculous. Once the door is opened that is that.
rocky : Senet I could care less if I talk to you or not. if someone called you illiterate and was wrong in the first place I think you would feel differently. Mats was wrong in the first place about that goal and could not accept it. i defended myself the way I wanted to and I could not care less how you feel about it. Mats was and is wrong. If he did not want the abuse, then he should not have said I could not read.
Senet1 : Last time I am going to say it, Matts did not call you name or swear at you, he hurt your feelings about reading. You called him an idiot, retarded boy and a number of other things to me that is not aceptable behavour, if you clear up your mouth we can talk otherwise NOT.
rocky : Senet, everything is ok as long as its the right person slinging abuse in the way you deem acceptable. Pathetic.
Senet1 : Cole said it best when he said the goalie should trip the player while he does the spin. Not sure there is anything in the rules that says he cannot do that?
Senet1 : Avatar, I believe you are correct in that the player must continue to be in motion. Actually, Maltin almost came to a stop at the corner of the net before he made his spin. As price says it is a grey area but the puck at some point came to a stop. I watched Eller's penalty shot move and his spin was continuous but Maltin appears to have come to a stop then turned and back handed it in the net. It is an impossible shot to stop if the player possesses the skill to make the move.
Senet1 : Goalie I am with you, from now on I will not reply to any comments from anyone on this blog who has to sling mud, name call or swear to make their point. To me Rocky went over the line and therefore until he apogizes to the rest of us he is no longer part of this blog. One can only take so much of that stuff and then you give it back, I thought it was at least given back without any name calling or swearing etc.
rocky : The only person it seems who is granted the privilege of personal insults with no threat of reprisal is he who has the light shining from his ass.
rocky : Well, he deserves at least half of the credit for that. He started it with his "try reading" remark. Watch the replay. That puck NEVER stops moving for even a second. If someone cannot take mudslinging then they should not sling mud. That is a sylogysm.
Avatar37 : goalie - I agree, I've liked what I've seen from Blunden so far. Knee surgery always makes me nervous, I don't know how serious it was. TSN is listing him as out 4-6 weeks.
goalie : Bad news for Blunden who I was looking forward to seeing get more ice time as they year winds down. He's likely gone for the season. I wonder where this will put him in te Hab s plans for next year. I liked his grit - something we sadly missed for the past 5 years.
goalie : I will only be replying to comments that are written in a sensible way. If a peson wants to mud sling... I simply will not contribute to that 'discussion'.
Avatar37 : our team succeed and win the cup, and that makes us all part of the same family. I hope you have a great morning Rocky, I myself am off to work.
Avatar37 : that while slinging mud. I disagree with Mats frequently, especially when it comes to player evaluation, but I'd like to think we've always been able to be civil about it. I'm not passing judgment or taking sides in your argument with him, but for me there are plenty of Leaf and Bruin fans around who seem to revel in participating in name calling that I try and reserve that for them. Here, we're all Habs fans and while we disagree on things, we all want the same thing, and that's to see
Avatar37 : Rocky - Well, at one point Malkin actually had the puck stopped for a split second then moved it backwards while performing his spin-o-rama. I, as well, thought this wasn't allowed until I looked the rules up. Apparently the act of performing the spin-o-rama is considered forward progress even if the puck moves backwards, which I was unaware of. I'd like to think none of us are jackasses (at least to each other), after all, we're here to argue and debate back and forth and it's hard to do
rocky : The goal, the game, does not matter at all. It would have been better if we had lost.
rocky : I await your apology mind-head. Watch the damn replay Mats.
rocky : Mats is the jackass, avatar just so you know.
rocky : Look senet, he ALWAYS starts this shit with me and I will not lie down and take it. The puck never stopped moving and it was a good goal. When I pointed that out he started the persona;l attack. I finished him the same way I always have. He cannot take it when he is wrong, and guess what...he is wrong a lot.
rocky : Hey jackass, just looked at the replay. THJE PUCK NEVER STOPS MOVING> YOU ARE WRONG AGAIN!!!!
Avatar37 : Mats - The rule in the shootout is that the puck must remain in continuous motion towards the net. However, The spin-o-rama type move where the player completes a 360° turn as he approaches the goal, shall be permitted as this involves continuous motion.
Avatar37 : goalie - I had the same reaction to seeing Darche out on the ice during OT. The only thing I could think of is that everyone else was too tired and the coach had to play someone with fresh legs. The team had no jump in OT at all and looked like they were just playing to get to the shootout.
Senet1 : Most of us disagree once in a while but we try to show some respect, what you are saying is disrepectfull and beside if it wasn't for Matts we would nothave a blog to discuss the important things about the habs. I don't know you rocky but you sound like a te_enager or one that did not grow up.
rocky : Mats' better things to do list: 1. Get fitted for his new ball-gag. 2. Get reacquainted with his turtle neck sweaters, light beer, and thin gold chain collection.3. Protest the demise of the XFL with a letter campaign. 4. Plan his Joanie loves Chaichi marathon session. What a yutz.
rocky : Good night to you too Mats.
rocky : Mats bitch slapped again. What a glutton for punishment. I will never tire of handing you your ass.
rocky : I will keep coming on this blog FOREVER.
rocky : Ummm try reading yourself illiterate....no one said YOU disagreed moron. I disagreed with you, and you acted like the bitch you quite obviously are.
Senet1 : Me to
Mats Naslund : good night to the rest of you guys.
Mats Naslund : enjoy your piss fest rocky. everyone is tired of your garbage and i have better things to do than to read your dumb posts.
Senet1 : But Rocky that is all you do is disagree with people on this blog, I am not sure why you are here? Just to get your jollies I guess??
Mats Naslund : was I the one that disagreed? because I remember you chiming in after my comment.. again reading skills
rocky : I know you were talking about the goal idiot. So what? It still was a good goal and it still does not matter. You are just a bitch who cannot take anyone disagreeing with you on even the smallest minutiae.