Flying High. Habs win game 1 in dramatic fashion.

What a roller coaster! Last night the Habs won game 1 of their Eastern conference semi-final on a Tom Kostopoulos goal less than a minute into the first overtime period. The Flyers played well and held the lead for much of the game, though a late 3rd period penalty on the Flyers opened the door for Alex Kovalev to snipe the game tying goal with about 30 seconds left in regulation.

It turned out to be a pretty odd game with all sorts of crazy goals and bounces, though in the end Montreal somehow found a way to win. Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves though, as if it wasn't for a Flyers penalty with just over a minute to go in the game the Habs most likely would have lost the game 3-2.

Quick Hits:

This series should be ours for the taking. While Philly has more speed and talent than the Boston Bruins, they certainly don't play as physical a brand of hockey as the Bruins did against us. If the Flyers are going to continue let us use our speed and not rough up our star forwards, we should have a great chance in this series. I believe it all comes down to effort and determination as it often does when you have the superior team. I think the Habs have a better team from top to bottom, and if we are willing to give 100% every night then the Flyers shouldn't pose too much of a problem.

It's time to bench the Breezer. Poor Patrice Brisebois. Not only did he score Philadelphia's first goal for them, but he was also directly responsible for Philly's second goal. To be fair, I think Brisebois has been an asset to our team so far this postseason, but last night it looked like he needs a rest. Breezy has been playing too soft, and it looks like he still doubts himself too much out there. Against a team like the Flyers I think we might be better off with O'Byrne in the lineup instead of Brisebois. It's worth a shot.

Same goes for Dandenault. Sorry Dandy, but you just don't bring much to the table. I think Dandy has been in the lineup because of his experience and maybe he offers some leadership in the dressing room, but he hasn't been doing much for us on the ice. I like Dandenault, and would feel bad for him if he was a healthy scratch in the playoffs but at this point I really don't see the benefit of having him on the ice right now. I would consider giving his spot to Latendresse or Gregory Stewart for at least a game and see if it helps the team.

The breaks of the game. After the game was over I watched the highlights on TSN and Sportsnet and also managed to catch some of John Stevens' (Flyers head coach) post game press conference. Most of what I saw really pissed me off. The 'experts' on the pro Toronto sports networks (TSN/Sportsnet) only wanted to talk about how all the breaks and bounces went the Canadiens way. Flyers coach John Stevens had much of the same to say in his press conference. It was absolutely ridiculous! Did these people not watch the game? Did they not see Brisebois score the first goal for the Flyers? Did they miss Philly's second goal which was a real fluker that went off Joffrey Lupul's foot and trickled into the net? I felt that the Flyers got all the bounces and lucky goals, so all of this really confused me. Granted we were lucky to get a power-play with a minute left in the game, but it was on a completely legitimate call!

VICTORY! Habs win game 7 and advance to the second round.

Phew. The Canadiens finally put the wood to the Boston Bruins last night with a convincing 5-0 win at the Bell Centre, and Habs fever will live on for at least a couple more weeks. Every player in the lineup brought their A game, and Carey Price took care of the rest recording his second career playoff shutout in the win. Goal scorers for the Habs were Komisarek, Streit, A. Kostitsyn(x2), and Sergei Kostitysn.

In the end it was the Canadiens skill that shone through, much like it did all season long against these same Bruins. Some credit must be given to the B's and their coaches for the way they played this series because they really made it difficult for us, something not a lot of people saw coming. Going into last night's game I was convinced that some type of change in the game plan had to be made, and Guy Carbonneau came through putting Kovalev on a line with Koivu and Higgins while re-uniting the Kostitsyn brothers on the second line with Thomas Plekanec. Loved it.


Quick Hits

Price got it done. For a 20 year old rookie goaltender this guy is really something. When it mattered most he played his best and you cant ask for much more than that. Price was fantastic giving the Habs the chance to eventually take the lead and all the momentum. If the team is playing well, Price will be there to keep the puck out of the net.

Carbo shuffled the lines. Koivu and Kovalev on the same line?? Last night it proved to be just what the doctor ordered. Throw Chris Higgins in there and you have arguably our three best players on the same line which seems like a logical recipe for offensive production. The plan worked, and I thought it was a great move.

Captain Koivu knows where it's at. Did you see this guy out there the past two game? The man looks like he's on a mission and I couldn't be happier that he's back in the lineup. Koivu is a great competitor, and he knows how to get it done in the playoffs. If he didn't come back during this series, I'm not sure that we're heading in to the second round.

Welcome back Andrei. Andrei Kostitsyn had been invisible out there all series long, but he came to play in game 7. Maybe being on a line with his brother Sergei was the spark he needed to get going, but either way he finally had a great game.

Flyers or Rangers? The answer is simple, we want the Flyers. While the Flyers are a pretty tough team, the Rangers have the edge in experience and star power. You don't want to be facing guys like Jagr, Shanahan, Drury and Gomez right now.. LETS GO FLYERS.



GO HABS GO!!!

Trouble in Paradise.. Bruins force game 7.

There's trouble in paradise. The Habs just can't seem to get it done, leaving the B's with all the momentum going into Monday night's game 7 showdown. I'm not only pissed, but definitely a little worried too. After dropping the past 2 games in a disturbing fashion the team is really going to have to turn up the heat to have any hope of advancing to the second round. Will the Habs regroup and bring their best game Monday night? Or will the Bruins be laughing all the the way back to beantown.. It's anybody's guess at this point.

What you need to know:

It's not Price's fault. Through the first 4 games of this series Price was on fire and gave the team a chance to get the series over with early. We had it, then blew it. The problem right now is not between the pipes, it's the team playing in front of him. If things don't go our way on Monday, don't blame the goalie.

Our '#1' line of Kovy, Plekanec and Kostitsyn (A) has been invisible. This is an example of a line that simply isn't used to, or willing to make the physical sacrifice that's necessary in the playoffs. Credit the Bruins for making things very hard on this line and completely neutralizing them. Maybe Carbo should think about splitting them up for game 7 as they've really accomplished nothing in this series.

I'm sure you remember when the Canadiens as the #8 seed made a 3-1 series comeback to beat the then #1 seeded Bruins? Well unfortunately this series is looking eerily similar to that one, though this time around we're on the other end. Guess who was the Habs coach at that time.. it was none other than Claude Juilen the Bruins current head coach.

The Habs seem to have too many Euro-danglers and not enough North American grit. Maybe it will be different if the Habs make it to the second round, but the way Boston is playing us right now we simply don't look tough enough. The game plan needs to somehow be modified and maybe the Plekanec line should be broken up.

My apologies for all the negative thoughts in this post, but as big of a Habs optimist I am it's tough not to have a bad feeling going into this one. I believe the Habs can definitely win this game, but they're going to have to want it more than the Bruins do, which given the current situation is going to be very tough.

GO HABS GO!!

JESUS PRICE! Habs shutout the B's in game 4.

If you weren't a believer before, then you certainly are now. In another physical battle of a game with the feisty Bruins, it was the 20 year old phenom Carey Price that stole the show. Price looked unbeatable between the pipes last night while the Canadiens sent the Bruins to the brink of elimination with a gritty 1-0 win. The other hero for the Habs was Patrice Brisebois 'da breezer' who scored the games only goal on a power play in the second period. The Canadiens now take the 3-1 series lead back to the Bell Centre in Montreal as they get ready for game 5 on Thursday night.

I was a little worried going into game 4 due to the Habs inability to score goals this series, as well having to keep up with the reckless physical play of the Bruins. I think that this series has been a huge test and now stepping stone for the Canadiens as they learn what playoff hockey is all about. All that being said, it seems to me that the Habs-Bruins series is the most physical one going right now and if we can survive this series look out because I think the Habs can make a serious run. It's my hope that our second round opponent will be a little softer so that our speedsters and danglers can really get it going

Quick Hits:

Carey Price is legit. Make no mistake about it, Carey Price is the main reason why the Habs have a 3-1 series lead against the Bruins. Price has been making it look easy lately, and it is translating into a very confident hockey team playing in front of him. He's been outstanding so far and I wouldn't be surprised if he took the Habs on a magical run to the cup finals. Way to be Carey!

How bout the Hammer! If you want to know what playoff hockey looks like, all you need to do is watch Roman Hamrlik out there. The Hammer logs a ton of ice time, shows no mercy and never makes mistakes. He had another big game last night and it's time Habs fans take notice just how great of a player he really is.

Bob Gainey is a genius. Letting Souray and Rivet go. Signing the Breezer, Kostopoulos and Smolinski. Drafting Price, Kostitsyn(x2), O'Byrne and Plekanec. Trading Huet at the deadline. Should I continue? Bob Gainey is the genius behind this roster and I believe that he really know what he's doing. Hats of to Bob Gainey for the resurgence of the Habs!

Game Hero's: Price, Hamrlik, Brisebois, Komisarek, Begin, Kostopoulos, Gorges.

Game Zero's: Plekanec, Kostitsyn(x2), Kovalev, Latendresse.

GO HABS GO!!!

Habs look to get back on track in game 4.

3 games are in the books in this Eastern conference quarterfinal match-up between the Bruins and Habs and tonight's game is a massive one. The Habs came flying out of the gate in game 1, survived with a win in game 2, and fell short in game 3. With the momentum slowly shifting to the Bruins side it will be interesting to see how the Canadiens respond in this pivotal game 4. Look for the Bruins to dress the same lineup they did in game 3, though the same may not be true for the Canadiens. Coach Carbo isn't revealing anything but don't be suprised if you see O'Byrne, Bouillon or maybe even Gregory Stewart out there tonight. My guess is that one of those guys will crack the lineup tonight and it will most likely be O'Byrne replacing Brisebois on the blue line. To his credit the breezer has been playing fairly well thus far but in this most physical of series' I think it would be a good move to get the big bodied O'Byrne in there.

What to look for tonight.

Look for the Canadiens big guns to step it up a notch. To this point in the series our best players haven't been our best players and everyone knows it. I think the top line of Kovy, Pleks and Kostitsyn are going to assert themselves offensively and have a big night.

Look for the fourth line to continue to rip it up. Throughout this series Kostopoulos, Smolinski and Begin have been on fire in every facet of the game and I don't think that will change. On paper they may look like a bunch of scrubs but on the ice they are a serious playoff line!

Look for the Habs deadly power play to get going. It's no secret that the PP has been lousy this series but I think that they're going to change up the strategy a little and get it going. The Bruins have been doing a great job of clogging up the middle and blocking our usual passing lanes, but I have enough faith in our coaching staff to believe that we're going to try some new things and put some pucks in the net.

What we need to do to win.

We need our small players to play big.

We need our stars to be our stars.

We need to match the physical play of the Bruins.

We need to get the first goal.

We need to score a power-play goal.

GO HABS GO!!!

Go Time!

The Habs begin their quest for the cup tonight at home against the Boston Bruins. The smart money here is on the Habs who dominated the regular season series 8-0. Be carefull though Habs fans, playoffs are a whole other ball game and anything can happen. My prediction for this series is Habs in 6, though I wouldn't be suprised if they knocked the B's off in 5.

What you need to know:

Mike Komisarek will be making his return to the lineup tonight, though apparently he's still not 100%. It will be interesting to see how he looks.

Saku Koivu will not be in the lineup as he's still recovering from a fractured foot.

Chris Higgins will be centering Ryder and Kostitsyn(S).

O'Byrne will not be in the lineup.



GO HABS GO!!

Division Champs!!!

The Habs are officially the champions of the Northeast Division. The Canadiens rolled into Ottawa last night and really never seemed to break a sweat as they blanked the struggling Senators 3-0. The goals were scored by Kovalev, Dandenault and Andrei Kostitsyn, while Carey Price looked razor sharp between the pipes picking up the shutout. This marks the first time in 16 years that the Habs have won their division, and hopes of a major playoff run are beginning to run high in the city that truly is hockey.

Quick Hits:

Carey Price was outstanding. Last night Carey Price made me a believer. I've always thought that this guy is going to be an unbelievable goaltender in the NHL, but after last nights performance I am now confident going into the playoffs with him as our number one guy. Price has a history of winning and playing his best when the stakes are high. Have no fear Habs fans, Price is here.

Props to Mathieu Dandenault. Dandenault has been the odd man out over the last couple of months watching most of the games from the press box. It must be tough for a veteran guy like Dandy who has a Stanley Cup ring to his name to consistently be a healthy scratch for a team that is having a lot of success. All that being said, I was extremely impressed with him last night. He scored a nice goal, works his *ss off, and hit everything in sight. I really enjoyed watching him out there and was very happy when he scored a key goal in the second period. This is an example of a guy who is committed to his team whether he is in the lineup or not. Way to be Dandy!

Keep Smolinski off the power-play! I think Guy Carbonneau has been doing a fantastic job this season, though in the last few games I've seen Smolinski out there on the odd power-play and a couple of 5 on 3's. In case nobody has noticed, Smolinski has no offensive skills and certainly doesn't belong on the ice in man advantage situations. Maybe Carbo has been rewarding him for his solid defensive play of late, but I really hope we don't see that again. Sorry smokes, but you shouldn't be on the PP.

Game Hero's: Price, Gorges, Hamrlik, Dandenault, Kostitsyn x2, Kovalev, Higgins, Lapierre.
Game Zero's: Ryder, Brisebois.

GO HABS GO!!!

3 games to go..

The Montreal Canadiens roll into Ottawa tonight for a 7:30 tilt against the struggling Senators with the division title on the line. As you probably know the Canadiens have already clinched their playoff spot, though they only need to pick up one point in their final three games to clinch the northeast division. It's pretty unbelievable that the Habs are in this position given the fact that they started the season with fairly low expectations. What's even more unbelievable is that the Senators have squandered the massive lead they built up over the entire Eastern conference and at this point they could even miss the playoffs. Quite a fall from grace considering that the Sens came flying out of the gate posting a ridiculous record which lead everyone to assume they would be the cup favorite come this time of year. The Habs are not without their own set of issues right now either. There are plenty of questions marks heading into the playoffs, namely injuries to Saku Koivu(foot), Mike Komisarek(hip), Mark Streit(foot), and Guillaume Latendresse(neck). While the other big question mark is whether or not Carey Price is ready to rise to occasion and play like a champ in nets. I don't care what our regular season stats look like, all I know is that for the Canadiens to have success in the playoffs Carey Price will have to play like a beast.

Quick Hits:

Do the Habs have enough size to compete in the playoffs? A lot of people don't realize that the entire game changes in the playoffs. What worries me is that the Habs are mainly a speed and skill team with very few physical players. Typically, teams like this do very well during the regular season though often fail to live up to expectations in the playoffs. We're lucky that we're in the Eastern conference where there is less hard-nosed physical play, though guys like Komisarek, Bouillon, Lapierre and Begin are all going to have to play like warriors.

How about Josh Gorges! This guy impresses me more every game. Gorges deserves a ton of credit for they way he has stepped up this season and he only continues to get better. Without Gorges, we would be stuck putting the Breezer in the lineup! Nobody wants that... ha

O Bryan, where art thou? In any given season there's always a player or two that really piss me off. For much of this season it was a dead heat between Ryder and Latendresse, both of whom have significantly inproved their game in recent months. Brian Smolinski on the other hand is killing me right now. The guy looks old, and unwilling to get his hands dirty. Smolinski has been the king of the copp out. The only time he will ever go for the puck is when nobody else is around. The rest of the time he spends giving half asked efforts all over the ice and never wins a one on one battle. If he wanted to retire while still playing he should have gone to L.A. or Nashville. My apologies for the negativity at this time of year, but he's been playing like a real Woman for too long now. Pick it up Smokes!

GO HABS GO!