Eller Needs To Go So Galchenyuk Can…

By Eitan Calmy (@habsaddict)

Source: Elsa/Getty Images North America

ELLER NEEDS TO GO SO “GALCHENYUK CAN PLAY CENTRE”

Lars Eller is a third line centre. He will never be anything more than that. If the organization and Lars himself don’t make that clear to each other, Eller will be another one of those players that everyone will always wonder about. What if this? What if that?

Some will say that I’m being hard, but I’m not. He has had his chances. He’s going to be a very good shut down guy with some offensive upside. As long as Eller does not accept that role he will always be playing musical chairs, on the wrong line and with the wrong teammates. He has consistency issues. When expected to produce, it's as if he cracks under pressure. He fits the third-line centre role perfectly. When on his game, extremely reliable defensively and can surprise you with speed and strength which will create some offense. 

David Desharnais and Tomas Plekanec aren’t going anywhere as long as they have contracts. Desharnais has no trade value due in part to what I write below. Plekanec is one of the best two-way players in the game. He is a good second-line centre and in a perfect world probably the best third-line centre in the game. I would hesitate to move him.

Desharnais is untouchable. For some strange reason Montreal Canadiens management and coaching refuse to entertain the possibility of playing Max Pacioretty with anybody else. It is undeniable that they have chemistry. Desharnais is a very good playmaker. But if he’s that good, then why not try different line combinations? Why not test Plekanec with Pacioretty or Galchenyuk with Pacioretty?

To be very clear, if I thought that there was any chance the organization would even consider trading Desharnais, the title of this article would be: “Desharnais needs to go so... “

Why fix or toy with something that’s not broken? Because your number one centre is undersized, because your number one centre can’t play shorthanded. Because your number one centre can’t play in crucial defensive missions; whether it’s to preserve a lead or play against other teams top

lines. David Desharnais is and always will be a one-dimensional player. In my opinion, and please know that as a fan that bleeds Blue/White/Red, it hurts to say this, but “the Montreal Canadiens will not win a Stanley Cup as long as David Desharnais is the number one centre.”

It’s becoming more and more evident that Alex Galchenyuk is a special player. He has more natural skills than anybody on the current line-up. His passes are divine and his puck control is comparable to the elite players in the league. Michel Therrien has to let him express himself. The coach needs to, has to free Galchenyuk from Plekanec. He needs to let him spread his wings and fly. Galchenyuk is ready. Game after game he shows his creativity, his passion and skill. Other than Max Pacioretty’s scoring ability, Alex Galchenyuk is the next best thing, maybe better. With all due respect to Plekanec and Gallagher, they are simply not skilled enough to play with the future star. I’d even say that there’s probably no forward on this team that’s talented enough to play at Galchenyuk’s level or simply follow his lead. One of the only players that has been able to finish what he has started was PK Subban.  

If the Montreal Canadiens won’t move Desharnais from that top line, then they have to find a way to make a trade and add a "Power Forward" to the team that can play at the level that Galchenyuk is capable of. That being said I am not saying it’s easy because every single team in the league wants those big forwards that can’t score.

Montreal will have to make the right offer, they will probably have to overpay. I am not a GM but it’s obvious that it will at the very least cost one or two established guys from your line-up + either Jarred Tinordi or Nathan Beaulieu and probably a first-round draft pick. In order to get you have to give. Those of you that think it’s too much, well it’s never going to happen.  

I have complete confidence in Marc Bergevin and I strongly believe that we are in good hands for many years to come. The Montreal Canadiens have a 14-5-1 record. The team has had a great stretch as of late; however, just as Bergevin has done so far, you can always improve and I strongly believe that the big step forward will occur when Galchenyuk becomes that #1 centre.

1.       Who do you think should be moved in order for Galchenyuk to play centre?

2.       Does Michel Therrien have what it takes to bring Subban, Galchenyuk and others to the next level or just like in Pittsburgh, the Canadiens will have to bring somebody else to finish the job?

3.        Do you think Bergevin will pull the trigger on a blockbuster trade?

4.       Will the #Habs maintain their position for the rest of the season or is this just an illusion?

Eitan Calmy ( @habsaddict  )

I’m a fan just like all you other wackos out there. These are my opinions and if you do or don’t like them tweet me or comment on the post. I often comment on referees as I was an official for over 15 years. Hockey is more than just a sport, it’s a way of life!

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The Bipolar Habs Fan: PK Subban vs Marc Bergevin

by Eitan Calmy

Source: Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images North America

This first edition of the Bipolar Habs Fan will be about how I feel about how Marc Bergevin got himself into a little bit of a pickle with PK Subban’s new contract negotiations.

On May 5^th, 2012 Marc Bergevin replaces Pierre Gauthier as the new General Manager of the Montreal Canadiens. His first order of business is to hire his staff. His first real order of business relating to player personnel will be to re-sign PK Subban. This is where things get a little tricky.

Without getting into too many details, let’s be extremely clear about one thing. When Bergevin signed Subban to that bridge contract he should have known that PK would hit the jackpot with his next one.

Bergevin came in and had to play hard. It was after all his first major negotiation as a general manager. PK Subban’s talent was undeniable, but the organization had question marks about his attitude, they wanted to make sure he can be part of this team, they wanted to make sure that he was a good teammate. Bottom line is they wanted to tame him, on and off the ice. Absolutely ridiculous!

Guess what? That’s a load of dog feces! PK Subban was and is a game-changer, he always will be. He can win you games all by himself. So he makes mistakes. Every single superstar in the league is a high-risk player. The key is to surround these stars properly.

Some fans were outraged when Subban was holding out before he signed his bridge deal. “He’s so arrogant.” “He hasn’t proved anything.” “He has to respect the process like all the other players.”

Oh please, spare me with that old school dinosaur mentality. Signing him to a bridge deal was a huge mistake. It was actually more than a huge mistake, it was foolish and the Montreal Canadiens are going to pay for it now.

Mr. Bergevin, how exactly can you argue with Don Meehan? What can you say to Subban or his agent that will be in the organization’s favor?  

This is some of what Don Meehan has to say;

Source: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images N.A.

2012-2013 - 42 GP 11 G 27 A = 38 PTS

-Lead all NHL defensemen in the regular season.
-Won the Norris trophy for being the “BEST DEFENSEMAN IN THE NHL”

2013-2014 - 81 GP 10 G 43 A – 53 PTS (5^th in the NHL)
PK Subban gets picked to be on the Canadian Olympic team that won gold in Sochi. Although Subban wasn’t a big factor on the ice, several of his Canadian teammates have said that he was an incredible team-first type of guy. (If anybody had any doubts that all he cares about is winning, you’re all out of your mind.)

Marc Bergevin, you have nothing to counter with.

Sign Subban and sign him now!

Sign him for the maximum term and make the man happy. If the market says he’s worth $9.5 million, you don’t have a choice. Give Subban his money.

Oh yeah and give him the C. You, me and the entire Montreal Canadiens fan base knows he deserves the captaincy. He’s your best player (other than Carey Price of course), and he has as much heart as anybody in the league. He proved that he can handle the media and that he thrives under pressure.

Subban for president! Until he pisses me off and I write how we should trade him. #notgonnahappen.

You can follow me on twitter @habsaddict

*************** 

I'm a die hard Montréal Canadiens fan, but I can be objective and like all other HABS fans I'm bipolar when it comes to my team, so watch what you say!

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Roz's Rant: Cold Hard Bitch

I blog a lot about my family and hockey and I usually overlap the two on this blog because it amuses me to do so and it generally pisses them off or makes them laugh, and I like a laugh and/or revenge, as the situation warrants.

I am who I am and I don't like yams.

But every now and again I go on a rant, and such was the case last night on Twitter. After a Day From Hell, I read my timeline, got tired of the same old BS and went on a 30 point Twitter rant, only 29 of which were unpleasant.

I know I pissed off a lot of people because there was a fantastic amount of subtweeting going on after I ranted and left (in my defence it was midnight), and really I'm okay with that.

Other than spelling mistakes or to clarify I'm not going to edit these tweets except to say this about number 2, which seems to have generated the most subtweets: go ahead and love the sport and love the player all you want.

Sit in your room and bawl your eyes out for days (by your own admission since it leaked the Habs were trying to deal Gorges) and write him love letters and quit on the team. But the second you throw that shit out onto twitter you've chosen to make it public and willingly opened yourself up for a reaction, be it positive or negative.

I never said you didn't have the right to feel the way you do. But I am going to mock you for the four days of teenage crush angst drama and wailing you've spewed onto my timeline over somebody you've never even met and who doesn't know you exist. I'm a cold hard bitch.

I realize that I left a lot of shit out in the ether, so to speak, and I won't be pretending to retract any of it, so if you're here for an apology you might just want to go watch porn or something instead. I don't care. But you're not getting one.

WARNING: COARSE LANGUAGE, READER'S DISCRETION ADVISED.

30 Hockey and Habs Rage Tweets

1. MB (Marc Bergevin) does not need the fans advice. This includes those who think you know better than him due to advanced stats and popular fan blogs. Get over yourself or get an NHL gig.

2. If you "literally cry" when a player leaves how the fuck do you cope with actual reality? You're not his fucking wife or BFF. Get a grip. It is one thing to be upset. I didn't dig dealing Muller. But fucking crying over it and writing epic letters of undying love? LMFAO PLEASE

3. If you need a particular player on a team to support that team, you are a fan of the player and not the team. So just step off. Actually that last was probably still part 2 but what the fuck ever. I'm raging right now.

4. Gionta and Gorges do not suddenly make the Sabres Stanley Cup contenders. Are you FUCKING SERIOUS?

5. Hockey players are in it for the money. Sure it's nice to love a city & the fans & shit but they want their $. Saying otherwise is a lie.

6. The next lockout would be the last if the fans would actually wield their power & boycott the NHL for even 1 week for this shit. I didn't go to MTL for a year after that last one because it was a protest on my part. Went to Panama instead. Otherwise we're accessories.

7. I'd trade anybody & everybody for a 25th MTL Cup. I'd shave Youppi and kick his ass up and down St. Cat's. This includes PK and Price.

8. There are too many fucking hockey blog websites saying the same thing 10,001 different ways. I'm bored by 10,000 of them.

9. Trevor Timmins does a fine job & this is to that asshat Guy Smith on Habsaddict & his anonymous alter ego. Bitch let's see you do better.

10. Also, Guy/Anonymous unless you can replace a 39 goal scorer willy nilly you can just step right off dissing Max. Get thee to rehab idiot.

11. The next person that wants to define a "true hockey fan" or "true Habs fan" for me can save their tweet, unfollow & block. #fuckoff

12. I still can't stand Lars Eller. Probably never will. Ditto for DD, who at least earned my respect. Still waiting for Lars.

13. I think Pierre McGuire is probably the biggest idiot in hockey TV, rivalled only by Don Cherry. It's a close fucking race.

14. Lost in all of this is the fact that MTL has become attractive to UFAs again, which took a long time, and was part of MB's doing. If you recall (and I do) we were once in Toronto's position where paying anything & everything still couldn't get them to sign with MTL... ESPECIALLY the home grown talent. And who could blame them? But by all means hate on MB for dealing Gorges. Because that's all that counts.

15. MT was not my first choice for the coach, but since I'm not fucking MB guess what? IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT I THINK. #perspectivebitches

16. I'd rather be horsewhipped than see another player be signed for his name & language. I realize this may piss off RDS but I risk it. I can't remember the last time something galled me as much as Briere getting signed & handed the torch. He didn't earn it, okay? I'm fucking glad he's gone. Yes I pulled for him because he WAS WEARING THE SWEATER but I never liked the signing. And not because of his name and heritage but because he's overrated, washed up and expensive. So there you go.

17. I've seen it taken for granted that the #Habs will make the playoffs next year & I'd really like to see where that's written. And I don't mean twitter but I mean where it's written in the fucking NHL rule book or something. They are not guaranteed SHIT!

18. Just once, just ONCE, I'd like the TSN panel to say something nice about the Habs and fucking mean it. It's to the point I'd pay $. This goes double for CBC. I'd also sell my entire twitter follower group upriver to never have to suffer HNIC's pro-TO agenda ever again. It's not that I don't love you but with what I've gone through today you're pretty much all I have left any more.

19. Bettman is an affront to the sport & its fans. Is he a great businessman? Sure & the owners love him. But he's a joke that needs to end.

20. The reffing in the NHL is colossally stupid, in need of some accountability & a major overhaul... Yeah and this goes back to HNIC & the CBC & shit I suffer as a hockey fan. What I want to know is why is there no accountability of the reffing in the NHL? Is there a shortage of wannabe zebras that we can't risk offending the blind or biased ones we've got? And don't tell me they aren't either. I've watched Crosby stand on the ice, whining to the refs - meaning 6 men for Pittsburgh - while the Habs wanted a too many men call. He did it for half a minute. No call. But then you get idiots like McLean who think that French refs favour Montreal. I can tell McLean never watches a Habs game from this single fucking remark because it's usually the opposite. They call the Habs for every goddamned thing so as to not appear biased.

21. Why is there no freedom of speech in the NHL? If a coach says the reffing was shit he gets a fine. Canada & the US are free but not if you're an NHL coach with a pair of eyes and a brain. Then you get fines. Also fines are stupid because these people are RICH AS FUCK. WE ARE THE ONES who make them rich as fuck. Yet we can't hear what they really think and feel like they're humans frustrated by their bosses.

22. Why are there no consistent rules for infractions in the NHL? Why are there no lifetime bans for repeat douche offenders? It's all so fucking arbitrary and as a fan I think a lot of it is who is friends with Bettman and whoever is running the discipline. And that is a fucking joke because there is no discipline in the NHL, just confusion. I don't trust TPTB (The Powers that Be) in the NHL. Do you?

23. There should be no more NTC contracts or clauses. They are POINTLESS. What a fucking joke. Why even bother?

24. I don't GAF who is the next Habs captain. There I've said it. IT DOESN'T MATTER. It's for the fans, and this fan doesn't care. Really. Why does it matter who the next Habs captain is? Is there some goddamned criteria required to stand there & spout clichés at the media? "We gave 110%. Credit to the other team. We came out flat. We need to regroup. We did some good things." *insert eye roll here* And that ties back to my earlier point about how the NHL does not allow its coaches and players to speak freely. It's the fucking Kremlin. Perhaps if the team captains were allowed to HAVE A FUCKING PERSONALITY OR UNCENSORED OPINION I'd care but they don't so I don't.

25. This sport leaves a lot to be desired for its fans. They can have fan night all they want & signings & shit but really they take us for granted and as a fan I get to resenting it. I watch UFA and the $$$ they get handed out like they're curing fucking cancer or something while the rest of us save up & budget to afford a single game (if we're lucky to even get tickets & good luck with that at times) and I really think the NHL as a whole really ought to try stopping with the Kremlin shit & be more engaged with its fans. This particularly includes the NHL social media team accounts and especially the players, who use this shit to endorse their products. I followed Mike Cammalleri for a year & all I saw was fucking Biosteel tweets. So I don't follow players any more. The rest barely tweet or are boring and insanely politically correct. When did twitter become so fucking PC for the NHL? It should be fun.

26. Hockey is too expensive and I don't mean just to go and watch a game. Rogers is going to fuck over the Habs fans out West and all I can say is welcome to my world. In the East unless you pay for a premium package your choices are Toronto. That's it. RDS cost me six bucks a month but I flat out fucking refuse to subscribe to TVA. They can just fuck right off. So I'm left with what? NHL Center Ice? That's not cheap. (Then) there's the actual kids playing the sport. Equipment and lessons and gas and hotels and who can afford it? It has gone from pond hockey to an elite sport. I speak just from watching the kids around my hometown this past winter. Some kids couldn't afford it. What is that shit? When I was a kid we put on some cheap ass figure skates and we didn't wear all this shit and we didn't get hurt & we had fun. Now? I need a second income if I want to help my 5 year old nephew play. So do his parents. It's ridiculous.

27. The concussion protocol room is not being adhered to. I really don't believe it. A player should not get to override medical protocols. I once ended up in the hospital after a car accident (it's on my blog) and I wanted to leave and I got vetoed by the medical staff. They were concerned I might have possible internal bleeding (I didn't) or a concussion (I did). They are trained to assess me better than I can myself, and while I get that the players want to get back out there etc. they should be overruled no matter what. And if a player has to miss a month due to a cheap goddamned hit to the head (intentional I mean) then the offender should miss the same # of games. I mean why does the offender get to continue targeting others? But again that goes back to the arbitrary discipline point earlier.

28. Ice girls are an affront to women, and in particular hockey fan women. And then there's the whole fucking puck bunny thing. #bitchplease Here's the difference between a female hockey fan and a puck bunny - because a lot of people don't seem to grasp this: I like hockey. I watch hockey. I watch all hockey, including women's hockey. Puck bunnies watch the men who play hockey. They watch who is single and try to meet them. They fangirl over their hair and shit. They obsess and "literally cry" and shit. Sure I like MB and I think he's attractive (I have eyes that work, thanks) and I like to chime in and have fun but really... #perspective. I don't actually GAF who he's sleeping with. I won't literally cry when he's gone. I don't watch every interview he's ever given. I won't write epic love letters to him. Right now he's in my orbit because he runs the team I love. I'm a hockey woman fan, not a puck bunny. And while I'm on this subject I once got interviewed on a radio show and was asked such enlightening questions as who my fave player was (Larry Robinson) and other "girly" questions. They didn't GAF what I actually thought about the team or the sport. I left feeling offended. I remember once a couple of puck bunnies got national airtime for being all fangirly and not discussing / contributing anything other than "oh he's so cute" and "he has the best hair" and shit like that. Is that really what hockey guys think of us gals who like this sport? I've got no time for that. That shit is offensive to me as a hockey fan and as a woman. I don't follow puck bunnies, ok? Just FYI.

29. These "hockey insiders" with the scoops and the trade spec... this shit is so old. Who the fuck do you think you are? Why do you have a single follower you twitter whoring idiot? Do people actually believe you? I'm going to start selling bridges to these people.

30. OK I'm done. If you're still reading  I thank you. I can't get to all my mentions right now. Welcome new followers. I didn't blog this shit because frankly I didn't know it was going to go to 30 points. I had maybe 5 before I got started and then got warmed up and all hell broke loose and came pouring out of me. This happens at time. You guys are warned. Peace out (or not). Your choice.

Disclaimer: not sure why comments aren't showing up. I disabled the spam verification blocker but the comments are set to post upon entry. I'm not screening / moderating. Apologies folks.

Originally published here.

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Habs Free Agency Frenzy : Failure or Success?

by Eitan Calmy

Marc Bergevin on fire? I would say so!

After reaching the conference finals in this year’s NHL playoffs, many expected that besides a few tweaks to the line-up Marc Bergevin wouldn’t do anything drastic. RFAs PK Subban and Lars Eller were a lock for extensions and then the general consensus was that unless you can replace Andrei Markov with anything nearly as good as he is, you had to bring him back. One of the bigger question marks was whether or not captain Brian Gionta would re-sign in Montreal.  

For the Montreal Canadiens the frenzy actually started on June 23^rd. After going through the list of available defensemean it became more and more evident that the Montreal Canadiens couldn’t and shouldn’t let Andrei Markov go. He played 81 games, scored 7 goals, had 36 assists, finished with a +12 rating, and was the most used player on the team with an average TOI of 25:14. He was actually the 9^th most used player in the NHL during the 2013-2014 regular season.

On June 23^rd Andrei Markov and the Montreal Canadiens agreed on a three-year deal worth $17.25 million. The AAV on the deal is exactly what it’s been since 2007. In order to stay with the one and only organization he’s played for in the NHL, Markov accepted to sign with a hometown rebate. When Markov signed his previous contracts, the salary cap was much lower. When the cap goes up so do the salaries, therefore if Andrei Markov would have hit the market he would have easily gotten the same term and at least $7 million AAV.

Verdict on the Markov deal: it’s a no brainer. Marc Bergevin did great!

July 1^st of every year is the day that owners of several NHL teams give general managers the keys to their vault. Players become free to offer their services to any team and in exchange teams give them the world. Yesterday was no exception. Next year or any other year won’t be any different!

Within minutes after team were officially allowed to sign players, the Montreal Canadiens make their first move of the day. They announce that they have signed Manny Malhotra.

Malhotra, 34, is 6’2’' and weighs 220 lbs, signed a one-year deal worth $850,000. Without going into too many details, the following stat alone should make Habs fans ecstatic. Manny was 59.8% in the faceoff circle in the 2013-2014, good for 2^nd in the NHL. The Montreal Canadiens haven’t had a real faceoff specialist since Guy Carbonneau. Malhotra’s experience and leadership will be an asset to a team that lost their captain Brian Gionta and assistant captain Josh Gorges in the same day.

Verdict on the Malhotra deal: low risk – great at faceoffs and plays on the PK. What more can you ask for from a 4^th liner with his salary?

Shortly after shocking the NHL and the whole Montreal Canadiens fan base with the Josh Gorges to Buffalo trade (see article written by Darrin Harmsworth on habsaddict.com), Habs announced that they signed UFA defenseman Tom Gilbert.

Gilbert, 31, is 6’2’' and weighs 206 lbs, signed a two-year deal worth $5.8 million with an AAV of $2.9 million. He is a right-handed offensive defenseman that makes a very good first pass. For all you analytics experts and I'm not one of them, apparently Gilbert’s CORSI rating is fantastic and that’s why Montreal Canadiens fans will appreciate him.

Verdict on the Gilbert deal: He’s pretty much a bigger Josh Gorges. I hope he has the same determination, but realistically this allows for Tinordi and Beaulieu to jump in, and for Emelin to play on his natural side.

Jiri Sekac. Who? Well let’s be honest here, even most insiders had to go look this guy up. Jiri is a 22-year-old right winger who shoots left. Original sources had him at 6’0'', 174-lb, but today reports are showing that he’s actually 6’2’' weighing in at 195 lbs. He is from the Czech Republic and was a rookie in the KHL this past season. As many as 15 other teams were trying to get Sekac under contract. Marc Bergevin caught most of us off guard with this one. According to TSN, Sekac should be able to play on Montreal Canadiens' top nine.

Jeremy Gregoire drafted 176^th overall in the 6^th round of the 2013 NHL entry draft by the Montreal Canadiens signed his first professional contract. It’s a three-year entry level deal.

Joey Mcdonald was signed by the Habs to a one-year, two-way deal to add some depth after losing Devan Dubnyk to free agency and not submitting a qualifying offer to Peter Delmas.

Also Mike Weaver has agreed to a one-year deal with the Canadiens. After the fantastic job that he did for the team since being acquired at the trade deadline of the last NHL regular season, it was evident that the Montreal Canadiens would bring him back as a 6^th/7^th defenseman.

Let’s recap the changes that occurred within the last 72 hours

OUT

Brian Gionta - Forward – 5’7’' 173 lbs

Josh Gorges – Defenseman – 6’1’' 200 lbs

Daniel Briere – Forward – 5’10’' 181 lbs

Ryan White – Forward – 6’0’' 200 lbs

IN

Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau – forward – 6’0’' 193 lbs

Tom Gilbert – defenseman – 6’2’' 206 lbs

Manny Malhotra – Forward – 6’2’' 220 lbs

Jiri Sekac – forward – 6’2’' 195 lbs

So bottom line, the Montreal Canadiens got bigger, stronger, faster, younger for less money, less term and less risk. They now have three right-handed defenseman. Emelin will be able to play on his natural left side. Beaulieu and Tinordi will both get a fair crack at integrating the line-up every single night. Briere was an extra centre that didn’t fit in the team’s depth chart. The return on Daniel Briere was a right winger that’s younger, makes the same salary and has an extra year on his contract.

I don’t think I could find anything negative to say about Bergevin even if I tried to right now. He’s showing that he’s not afraid to right a wrong. He’s definitely starting to put his team together now.

Was July 1^st a failure or a success for the Montreal Canadiens? I strongly believe that Marc Bergevin is doing a phenomenal job and the past few days were a great success!

I have some questions:

Is Marc Bergevin going continue his search for a top-six winger via trade?

Is PK Subban ready to be the next captain?

If Subban isn’t the guy, who is?

I think Alex Galchenyuk should absolutely start playing his natural Centre position. Do you?

In my opinion  Bergevin should trade Plekanec in a package for an established top 6 winger. Do you agree?

You can follow me on Twitter @habsaddict

I am a father of 4, I played, I was an on ice official and I now coach minor hockey. I’m  definitely not an expert but my views and opinions are right. I’m never wrong. Deal with it! Enjoy this beautiful game. The best game!

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Surprise, Surprise...

Russia loses to Finland in Quarterfinals
Picture from the New York Times

Semi-final match-ups: 

Finland vs. Sweden

Canada vs. USA

Okay. But... where's Russia? Oh, right. They've managed to legitimatise the label "Russian Deception" or "Russian Catastrophe", or whatever defines a Russian bomb at the Sochi Olympics (and not from terrorists). Men's hockey gold was really the only medal that mattered the most to the host nation...and they blew it. Olympics after Olympics, the Russians are known to be a team that doesn't play like a team, and that was evident during the quarterfinals yesterday. The Finns, despite missing key players like Mikko Koivu and Valtteri Filppula, demonstrated character and unity that the Russians could never match. I extend my condolences to all Russians on this disappointing day in Olympic hockey. As a Canadian supporter, a Canada-Russia final would have been EPIC. Until next time... if the NHL allows its players to go to South Korea in 2018. But that's a conversation for another time...

Moving on, I completely underestimated the Latvian hockey team. I was convinced that Canada would face-off with Switzerland. Logically speaking, the Swiss had a better team on paper, but what matters is the team on the ice, and Latvia brought it. That was the case today, as well. They are not the most skilled hockey team, but they played the body and committed to it, especially in the first period. However, the rest of the game could be titled "The Kristers Gudlevskis Show" (it has a certain ring to it, no?), as the Tampa Bay Lightning prospect stopped 55 of 57 shots fired at him, giving Shea Weber and the Canadian hockey team their second goal only on the 54th shot. 

Latvian Netminder Gudlevskis
(AP / Mark Humphrey)

Anyone watching the game could see how tired Gudlevskis was midway through the game, lying down, face to the ice, holding onto the small breaks in between plays. All in all, kudos to Latvia and Gudlevskis on making it all the way to the quarters, and making a game out of a match-up that could have been a complete thrashing from their Canadian opponents.

Speaking of which, who here is kind of (really) worried about the lack of offensive output displayed by our Canadian team? In fact, it's not much of a question. On paper, this should be the team scoring the most goals, but they have produced 13 thus far, 7 of which were from defensemen. Captain Crosby has changed lines as many times as the host of the Oscars, and there seems to be some chemistry  between him, Kunitz, and Bergeron. Heading into the semis against a hot American team, the Canadians need to start producing offensively if they want to beat a team that wants redemption from Vancouver. That being said, I know that it's not about a lack of effort or talent. With 57 shots on goal, many of which were quality scoring chances, team Canada didn't give up and panic. 

As a Montreal Canadiens fan, I don't think Subban will be in the line-up when we face the Americans. But he does offer that offensive flair and spunk that this team desperately needs. He is a risk taker, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. Carey Price made the saves he needed to make yesterday, stopping 15 of 16 shots. Pundits will probably pick on him for that lone goal, talk about his technique, or how shaky he may have seemed throughout the game. Listen, even if his shoulders should have been held higher, it was still a breakaway that shouldn't have happened. Moreover, the fact that he was able to keep his concentration while his counterpart was being bombarded with pucks, is something that should not be overlooked. The real problem here, as previously discussed, is our lack of offensive production. However, with the effort the boys put into today's game, they are bound to grow from this experience. Hopefully, they will be able to perform up to their potential on paper, Friday at noon.

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Habs' Parros Suffers Concussion, Fighters Understand Role

Response to last nights on ice incident involving Montreal's George Parros. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/globe-on-hockey/players-agree-parros-incident-was-ugly-but-fighting-important-part-of-game/article14653776/

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Canada beats Russia 4-1 in New Year's Eve Battle

The much anticipated New Year’s Eve battle between rivals Canada and Russia surely didn’t disappoint. Despite the 4-1 score, this game couldn’t have been closer. Both teams came out hunting for the win right from the opening whistle, but it was Canada who drew first blood with a goal at the 14:03 mark by Dougie Hamilton. Mark Schiefele added to the Canadian lead only a few minutes later off a pass from Jonathan Huberdeau. Refusing to let the game get away from them, the sell-out Russian crowd only got louder, and would be rewarded with a goal from Nikita Kucherov late in the period to cut the Canada lead in half.

Neither team’s intensity died down in a second period that was defined by fast play and hard hitting. Both teams had plenty of chances, but it was Canada who managed to score on a beautiful wrap around goal by Jonathan Drouin early in the second period to bring the lead back to 2. A flurry of Canadian shots were sent towards Andrei Makarov, who played brilliantly throughout the game, stopping 44 of 47 shots, to keep the Russians alive.

Desperate for a comeback, the Russians put the pedal to the metal in the third period, using their quickness to create many near opportunities in front of the Canadian goal. Unfortunately for them, Malcolm Subban came ready to play for the second night in a row, and refused to be beaten. With just under 2 minutes left, Makarov was pulled to give Russia the extra skater. Canada however, took advantage with an empty net goal by Huberdeau, that took the hope out of the home crowd. With a 4-1 lead, Subban flexed his muscles again, saving a late-awarded penalty shot, that would have at least provided a silver lining for the home Russian team.

The much deserved win gives Canada a bye into the semi-finals, while Russia now have to play on Wednesday against a gritty Switzerland team. 

Writer’s Notes: I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention how unbelievable the Russian fans have been throughout the tournament thus far. Not only in supporting their own team, but in accommodating us Canadian fans as well. Even after defeat, their fans were lined up to shake our hands and take pictures with us donned in our Canadian paraphernalia. Despite some other deserving teams, judging from last night’s game, nothing would be better here in Ufa than a Canada-Russia rematch in the finals.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Rob Myerson is a Quebec trained secondary education teacher. After a year in Montreal, teaching at Beurling Academy, he moved to London, England where he currently resides and works. His previous sports writing experience comes from writing for Bishop's University's school newspaper, "The Campus".

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Team Canada Sneaks by Americans 2-1

A very pro-Canada crowd was on hand in Ufa to witness a Canadian win over the rival Americans. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Ryan Strome scored early to give Canada the only firepower it would need in a 2-1 victory.

In a game that lacked consistent momentum for either side, it was the goaltenders who stood out for both teams. Malcolm Subban made 36 saves for Canada, while John Gibson made 30 in a losing cause.

After Canada's first period goals, both teams played very timid and lacked the usual intensity of a typical Canada-U.S game. The Americans changed that at the 11 minute mark of the third period with a Jacob Trouba goal, that would cut the Canadian lead down to one.

The American momentum disappeared however, thanks to untimely third period penalties that would include two game misconducts, one of which going to captain Jake McCabe for a hit to the head. The Canadians, disorderly on their man-up advantages, weren't able to capitalise on a five-on-three opportunity.

Back at full strength and smelling blood, the U.S put the pressure on the Canadians late in the third. With just under two-minutes left, a boarding call to the tournament's leading scorer Nugent-Hopkins, gave the Americans a late power play. Phil Housley then opted to pull Gibson, giving the States a 6-4 man advantage. After many close-calls and near scoring chances, Subban and Canada's willing shot-blockers managed to hold on for the win.

The win over Team USA moves Canada into first place in the "Group B" standings, but only for now. In order to earn the first round by, Canada is going to have to play a lot better tomorrow against a hot Russian team, who is coming off of a 7-0 win against Germany, and has a home crowd ready to add fuel to the fire.

______________________________________________________________________________



Rob Myerson is a Quebec trained secondary education teacher. After a year in Montreal, teaching at Beurling Academy, he moved to London, England where he currently resides and works. His previous sports writing experience comes from writing for Bishop's University's school newspaper, "The Campus".

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Simulated NHL Seasons, Mathieu Darche, Blake Geoffrion, More

Good AM!

For those of you who view this morning column regularly enough, you probably have noticed that I have never linked to Hockey Inside/Out or ESPN's simulated hockey seasons.

Why?

Because I really don't care.

I don't check the simulated scores. I don't read articles about the topic. Personally, I have a hard time understanding why there would even be interest in these virtual campaigns.

What about you?

Habs and Hockey News

- While being interviewed on l'Antichambre, Mathieu Darche claims he still believes in a December 1st start to the NHL season.

- Also over at RDS, Bertrand Raymond has a slightly soapy piece on Blake Geoffrion, his family and his recent injury. 

- The writer's at HabsWorld pick sides in the NHL-NHLPA debate.

- Goaltender Scott Darling, who has played two games with the Wheeling Nailers this season, has been given a professional tryout with the Hamilton Bulldogs.

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Revisiting the NHL Rules of Old: Forwards, Defensemen and More

Good afternoon puck addicts.

I think it's safe to say at this point that we're all tired of discussing players who are wearing suits in lieu of jerseys.

Researching the history hockey when the game in its current state comes with a few sad feelings of longing for something you've never experienced.

But as a fan, what can you do but think progressively?

That being said, feel free to let this retrospective on NHL rules rules of old remind or inform you of a time when the game was a game.

After part one focusing on goaltenders, we will look at how old regulations impacted forwards, defensemen and other aspects of the game.

Rest assured, this article will not contain the words 'owner', 'billion' or 'million'.

Attackers and Rearguards

In the midst of player salary negotiations, it's worth noting that in the very young stages of pro hockey, the National Hockey Association — the precursor to the NHL — had a seventh position on the ice.

It was a fourth forward called the 'rover', which was positionally the shortstop of hockey; behind and to the side of the centerman. It was in 1911 that the league adopted the more symmetrical six-man game that we see today.

The reason for the change? The league likely cited a want for more punch and less wrestle. Two fewer men equals more movement in the game.

After all, it was just one year prior to this that they implemented the change from one intermission to two. Two periods at half an hour each was a game that surely saw more fatigue and less action.

In fact, during my research it seemed to be that nearly every rule change since the turn of the century was a direct attempt to increase offense and action. The league's ideas were working and by the mid-twenties goalscoring more than doubled and was climbing still.

Some Just Don't Work

A rule is thought of, approved and implemented by more than just one fool with a hunch, and there's usually a coherent reason for its implementation.

However, this has not always been the case.

For a comically long time — until the 1927-28 season — an attacker with the puck, in any zone but the offensive one, couldn't make a forward pass. He was to bring the puck into the offensive zone himself before passing and beginning a play.

Incidentally, it was in the same year that they started assessing a penalty to a player who picks up the puck and carries it.

Far more perplexing was an extension of the rule that awarded a penalty shot for being tripped and thus prevented a clear shot on goal. You got the shot alright, but it had to be taken from within a ten foot circle, located almost 40 feet from the net.

Makes sense, right? Don't worry, the silliness was adequately evened out. The netminders weren't allowed to advance more than one foot from the goal-line during the shot.

How long did it last? The rule was implemented in the 1934-35 season and lasted until 1941, where the player was permitted to skate in for the shot. It clearly couldn't last, but that's still six solid seasons of awkward shots that likely never went in.

Some Could Still Work

After many decades since its first application, the rule against kicking the puck into the net is still largely debatable.

Prior to the 1929-30 season you could kick, punch, slap, or headbutt that puck into the net, so long as it went in. You put the puck in the net; you score.

I personally subscribe to the idea of allowing the puck to be kicked in, as long as it's on the ice. As Brian Burke would agree, we are very much in the butterfly era of goaltending. I can't see any disadvantages from their perspective. Once the puck reaches the slot and the crease, today's netminders are constantly tracking the puck down low.

Is there really a difference? Where do you guys stand on this?

Another one that I liked, which is more of a fun aspect of the game rather than a rule, was in the late twenties where the home team would start the game by choosing which goal to defend.

This was in a time where the ice was certainly more crude, more likened to a back-yard rink, which is something that would've impacted one's choice in sides more than it would today.

Teams today are a lot more serious about their advantages and disadvantages, as there's truly more at stake than there used to be, so this is something that would only create problems.

Up Jumped the Devil

I'll leave you with a few fun facts that in some ways marked the beginning of true consumer-based hockey, and is fitting with the league's current state.

The rinks were first painted white in the 1949-50 season. Prior to this, it was simply ice on concrete. As you can imagine, the puck was likely a lot harder to track.

Two seasons later marked the first time a home team was to wear basic white sweaters and the visitors basic coloured.

These rules were not really aimed to the players. After, they knew each other well enough and could see the puck fine. Rather, these rules were designed for the spectators, and more specifically,  the television audience.

From Wikipedia:

In the fall of 1951, Conn Smythe watched special television feeds of Maple Leaf games in an attempt to determine whether it would be a suitable medium for broadcasting hockey games.

The rest truly is history.


---
Amos is freelance writer and columnist who writes for HabsAddict.com. Follow Amos on Twitter and Facebook

(Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images North America)

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Revisiting The NHL Rules Of Old: Goaltending

Beginning this Tuesday, the NHL will be digging through some video of hooking, holding and interference penalties that were administered last season.

The goal for Colin Campbell — Director of Hockey Operations — as well as some select general managers and coaches is to try and determine a standard on the implementation of interference penalties.

As the "think tank"— as Campbell calls it —gets set to tighten up ship, I thought I'd take a brief trip back to some interesting rules of old.

In considering our penalties and the tweaking of them, would we do well to take a page from the history books?

Goaltending

In regards to netminding, the very first change to the original rules was in the 1917-18 season. Originally, a penalty would be called on the goalie for dropping to the ice to make a save at any time. It wasn't until that season that they were permitted to do so.

Could you imagine? Carey Price would be giving Steve Ott a serious run for his money in the PIMs department.

Concern of a decrease in action and goal scoring goes as far back as the early twenties. One of the first examples of this was in 1921, where goalies were finally allowed to pass the puck up to a player, but only as far as his own blueline.

This may or may not have coincided with defense becoming the lazy man's first choice of position in beer leagues.

A more direct approach came with the first limit set for a goalie's pad width. Starting in the 1925-26 season, twelve inches was as thick as you could have them, and it was further reduced to ten inches in 1927.

The nineteen-thirties saw some familiar first incarnations of rules we see today, including penalties for doing the Sean Avery and obstructing a goalie's vision or movement.

What's more interesting though are the strange ones, which included things like the goaltender cannot advance more than one foot from his goal-line when a shot is taken (1934-35) or each team must have only one goaltender playing at one time (1931-32).

And rightly so! Imagine two Dominik Haseks flopping all over the place? It'd be absolute mayhem.

That's using the old noodle, fellas. The NHL: always a step ahead of everyone's tricks.

As for the 'one foot from the goal-line' rule, I'd like to imagine that goalkeepers were doing all kinds of outrageous things to stop attackers from even getting shots off in the first place.

Though I suspect it was mostly frequent rushing and challenging of the shooter that lead to the rule.

More chances, more breakaways, more shots, more goals, more fans, more money.

Perhaps the most interesting item I came across in regards to goalies was that they used to serve their own penalties. So, if Price delays the game, Peter Budaj gets thrown in nets for a penalty kill— this of course being when teams were eventually required to dress two goalies, which wasn't always the case.

How interesting would that make games, especially in the playoffs ?

As goalies were penalized a lot more often then, the back-up would see more action, and on a game-by-game basis.

Oh, but there's one tiny catch...

As a rule implemented in 1939 states, if you were the back-up, you were only allowed to use a goaltender's gloves and a stick. That's it.

Food for thought!

Next up, the Attackers and Rearguards portion of our trip back in time.
---
Amos is freelance writer and columnist who covers prospects for HabsAddict.com. You can follow him on Twitter and Facebook or email him at alegault@gmail.com

(Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images North America)

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Habs/Sens post game, Gomez, Skinner suspended, Crosby's return, Leafs and more

Morning Habs addicts!

Hope you're enjoying your weekend more than the Habs are. Yes, they've been playing better of late, much to the chagrin of fans wanting them to draft high. But they still tend more to the losing side than anything else.

I know fans are probably blaming their favorite ref since Kerry Fraser (Chris Lee) this morning, but, as Coach Cunneyworth pointed out, the Habs were architects of their own demise against the Sens.

The good news? At least Boston is no longer is first overall in the Northeast!

Habs News

HabsAddict - The Magical Fourth Season: Myth or Reality?

HabsAddict - Habs by the Numbers: Why is Scott Gomez Still Playing? Part deux ...

HabsAddict - Dissecting the Montreal Canadiens: Early March 2012 Edition

Hockey Inside/Out - No rest for weary Canadiens

RDS - Les Sens arrachent deux points au CH

Hockey News

TSN - HURRICANES F SKINNER SUSPENDED TWO GAMES FOR KICKING OPPONENT

TSN - 2.2 MILLION CANADIANS TUNE IN TO CROSBY'S RETURN ON TSN2

TSN - SIEGEL: LEAFS' REIMER STEALS PAGE FROM RED-HOT BRYZGALOV

THN - Campbell: Major junior veterans should get shot at pro hockey

(Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images North America)

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The Franchise Weekend Morning Show's Sunday Shinny - September 11, 2011

On this episode of the Sunday Shinny, with The Franchise celebrating two years on The Team 990, the gang discussed the following:
-Should Sidney Crosby’s press conference have been postponed following the tragic KHL plane crash?
-Habs’ rookie camp is under way. Which rookie can crack the line-up and which Hab can potentially see time in Hamilton?
-Should fighting be banned in the NHL? Is IT the cause of concussions in the NHL?

Click play below to listen in (listing time 51:26):

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Bruins win, Caps await Tampa, Foundation Player Awards, Rumours and more...

News

Hockey Inside/Out - The B’s keep buzzing
http://www.hockeyinsideout.com/news/the-bs-keep-buzzing

TSN - CANUCKS AND PREDATORS EXPECT STINGY DEFENCE TO CONTINUE
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=364418

LIGHTNING HAVE NO ROOM FOR COMPLACENCY AGAINST CAPITALS
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=364419

BROWN NOMINATED ONCE AGAIN FOR NHL FOUNDATION PLAYER AWARD
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=364387

ESPN.com - Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin are finalists
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=6465647

Weekend wrap: Sidney Crosby's return, Ryan Miller's injury, Chris Drury's future
http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/7503/weekend-wrap-sidney-crosbys-return-ryan-millers-injury-chris-drurys-future

THN.com - NHL Playoff Recap: Goaltending continues to be difference in Bruins-Flyers series
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/40151-NHL-Playoff-Recap-Goaltending-continues-to-be-difference-in-BruinsFlyers-series.html

Campbell: Trap-happy Lightning killing excitement of NHL playoffs
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/40140-Campbell-Traphappy-Lightning-killing-excitement-of-NHL-playoffs.html

Spector's Hockey - NHL Free Agent News – May 2, 2011
http://spectorshockey.net/wordpress/?p=4097

(Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images North America)

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The Cup in Montreal, Habs 2011, Ryan Kessler, Brad Marchand, Rumours and more...

News

Hockey Inside/Out - How about those Bruins?
http://www.hockeyinsideout.com/news/how-about-those-bruins

Lord Stanley pays a visit to Montreal
http://www.hockeyinsideout.com/news/lord-stanley-pays-a-visit-to-montreal

RDS - La contribution des joueurs du Canadien
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/319031.html

Cowhide and Rubber - 2010-2011 Habs: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
http://www.cowhideandrubber.com/2010-2011-habs-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly

TSN - MCKENZIE: KESLER IS KEY TO THE CANUCKS' SUCCESS
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=364362

FRASER: A LOOK AT A SLASHING CALL ON BRAD MARCHAND
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=364245

PREDS' TOOTOO APPRECIATES HAVING CHANCE TO COMPETE FOR CUP
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=364195

Wayne Gretzky's card nets $94,163
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=6461748

NHL Playoff Recap: Sharks puck control too much for Red Wings; Capitals must find offense against Lightning
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/40132-NHL-Playoff-Recap-Sharks-puck-control-too-much-for-Red-Wings-Capitals-must-find-offense-against-Lightning.html

Spector's Hockey - Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 1st, 2011
http://spectorshockey.net/wordpress/?p=3969

(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images North America)

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Muller to Dallas? NHL playoffs roundup, Pavelski, Canucks, Hart and more...

News

RDS - Kirk Muller serait l'homme des Stars
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/319019.html

TSN - 'LITTLE JOE' PAVELSKI COMES UP BIG AGAIN FOR SHARKS IN OPENER
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=364220

MCKENZIE: CASE OF THE MISSING NHL LINESMAN
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=364091

PREDATORS WIN IN DOUBLE OVERTIME TO EVEN SERIES WITH CANUCKS
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=364254

PENGUINS' CROSBY ADMITS TO EXPERIENCING CONCUSSION SETBACK
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=364064

FRASER: WHY PLAYERS GET TOSSED OUT OF THE FACEOFF CIRCLE
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=364101

NHL Playoff Recap: Bruins take advantage of poor Flyers defense; Predators beat Canucks in double overtime goalie duel
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/40119-NHL-Playoff-Recap-Bruins-take-advantage-of-poor-Flyers-defense-Predators-beat-Canucks-in-double-overtime-goalie-duel.html

Alain Vigneault among finalists
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=6449563

NHL names Hart Trophy finalists
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=6443093

(Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images North America)

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Habs offseason, Gomez, Post-mortem, NHL playoffs and more...

Habs news

Hockey Inside/Out - The plan (for now)
http://www.hockeyinsideout.com/news/the-plan-for-now

Post-mortems on Canadiens
http://www.hockeyinsideout.com/news/post-mortems-on-canadiens

Gomez cops to bad season
http://www.hockeyinsideout.com/news/gomez-cops-to-bad-season

RDS - CH : des joueurs ont l'équipe à coeur
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/318913.html

Scott Gomez : « J'ai été horrible »
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/318900.html

L'avenir du CH s'annonce prometteur
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/318889.html

Eller et Darche sous le bistouri?
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/318920.html

CH : brigade défensive à reconstruire
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/318908.html


News
TSN - CULLEN: UNLIKELY HEROES FOR TAMPA BAY AND SAN JOSE
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=364142

OFF-SEASON GAME PLAN: COLORADO AVALANCHE
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=364061

NHL ON TSN QUIZ: FIRST-ROUND THOUGHTS AND HART TROPHY PICKS
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=364092

Habsworld.net - Predictions: Conference Semifinals
http://www.habsworld.net/article.php?id=2475

NHL Playoff Recap: Penalties, power plays give Lightning win; Sharks victorious in OT
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/40114-NHL-Playoff-Recap-Penalties-power-plays-give-Lightning-win-Sharks-victorious-in-OT.html

Kennedy: Predators coach Barry Trotz no longer overrated
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/40102-Kennedy-Predators-coach-Barry-Trotz-no-longer-overrated.html

Tom Thompson: Comparing the 2011 Canucks to the 1989 Stanley Cup champion Flames
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/40066-Tom-Thompson-Comparing-the-2011-Canucks-to-the-1989-Stanley-Cup-champion-Flames.html

NHL names Hart Trophy finalists
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=6443093

(Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images North America)

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Canadiens-Bruins: Boston Caps Overtime Comeback, Ties Series at Two

by Kamal Panesar

Momentum is an interesting thing in the world of professional sports. When you don't have it you want it, and when you have it you guard it. But sometimes, and perhaps far too often, when a team has it they can take it for granted.

That is when momentum can become dangerous.

After the Montreal Canadiens skated out to a 2-0 lead in their first round playoff series against the Boston Bruins, they had all the momentum in the world. But that picture has changed significantly in the last four days.

Boston won Game 3 in Montreal and the teams faced off last night for their biggest match of the season. A pivotal Game 4 in Montreal where the Habs would jump out to 1-0, 3-1 and 4-3 leads before ultimately losing 5-4 in overtime.

The win clearly swings momentum to the Bruins, with the series returning to Boston for Game 5 on Saturday night. But this game, in a lot of ways, was a microcosm of the series so far.

Final score: Bruins 5 - Habs 4 (OT)

Habs scorers: Brent Sopel (1), Mike Cammalleri (2), Andrei Kostitsyn (2), P.K. Subban (1)
Bruins scorers: Michael Ryder (1, 2), Andrew Ference (1), Patrice Bergeron (2), Chris Kelly (2)

Three stars: 1. Michael Ryder, 2. Michael Cammalleri, 3. P.K. Subban

Game Notes

60 minutes anyone?

Through four games, neither team has been able to put in a full 60-minute effort.

As such, the ball of momentum has been passed back and forth between the two teams as they trade chances, mistakes and wins.

Last night was no different with Montreal playing their best, most dominant 20-minutes of the season in the first period. The problem was that while Montreal outshot Boston 15-8, they went to the dressing room with a measly 1-0 lead.

That just isn't good enough.

By the time Andrei Kostitsyn scored the Canadiens third of the game—his second of the playoffs—Montreal was outshooting Boston 29-12. After that goal, however, the Canadiens managed only one more shot in the period with the shot count 30-22 after two and the score tied at three.

Where's the defense?

For two teams that pride themselves on a defense-first mentality they both left much to be desired.

Boston's defensive unit hasn't looked particularly good at any point during this series, while the Canadiens' have oscillated between being really good and really bad.

Last night was no different as Montreal used their speed to overwhelm Boston's defense for a good half of the game. After that, it was the Bruins turn to make the Canadiens' D look like house-leaguers.

With both teams abandoning their usual defensive schemes, the game became wide open and resembled the Bruins 8-6 defeat of the Habs a few months ago. Both goalies were left to their own devices as the teams in front of them showed horrible gap control, missed assignment and failed to clear players from in front of their nets.

The result was a back-and-forth goal-scoring bonanza of sorts, where no lead was safe and the goalies too often were made to look bad. Really exciting for the fans but the type of game the coaches hate!

Something tells me we won't soon be seeing a repeat of last night's game any time soon.

A word on goaltending

Let's be honest here, both teams seem to have the opposing goaltender figured out. During the third period intermission last night, CBC showed the shooting tendencies of both teams and it was clear they knew how to score.

Montreal continues to shoot low, hard shots from an angle that force Tim Thomas to kick out huge rebounds. The hope is for a Canadiens player to then pot these rebounds into the empty net. That worked well over the first two games but Montreal missed too many of those chances last night.

For Boston, they are going high glove side and they beat Carey Price a few times like that last night. Both Michael Ryder and Andrew Ference's goals went top shelf, glove side on Price.

Shades of the Flyers a few years ago?

As nervous and unstable as Thomas has looked for much of the series, he has outplayed Price over the last two games and that's been the difference. Last night, despite his flopping around on the ice, Thomas made several key saves that kept the Bruins in the game.

The best example was just before the overtime winning goal, where Thomas came way out of the blue paint to stop a point-blank scoring chance. Shortly after the save the puck went up the other way and the Bruins scored the winner.

As I said before the series started, if Montreal is going to win Price has to be the best goalie on the ice. He was in Games 1 and 2, but has not hit the mark in 3 and 4.

The Habs' forwards

Michael Cammalleri and David Desharnais were two of the best Habs skaters last night.

Cammalleri in particular, who did not have a great regular season, is showing once again that he is a true playoff performer. Quietly he has taken the scoring lead with seven points (2G, 5A) in four games, and is the clear offensive leader for Montreal.

As for Desharnais, he was quick, combative and causing problems for Boston all night. One shift, in particular, epitomized the kind of night he had when he went into the corner with Zdeno Chara, and came out with the puck. On another 1-on-1 battle, Desharnais actually pinned Chara along the boards until a teammate could pick up the puck.

Talk about David and Goliath!

This guy seems to be feeding off the energy of veteran players, like Brian Gionta, and flanked by Tom Pyatt and Ryan White formed an excellent trio for Montreal. All three are solid defensively, and with White hitting everything that moves and Desharnais and Pyatt using their speed, they caused a lot of havoc for the Bruins' defenders.

The Bergeron line

If players like Zdeno Chara and Milan Lucic aren't leading the charge for Boston as expected, the line of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and Mark Recchi has picked up the slack. Marchand, without a doubt, had been the Bruins best forward all series.

He is fast, gritty, a huge pain in the butt and a legitimate offensive threat. Last night, along with linemates Bergeron and Recchi, this line went to work in the second when all hope seemed lost for Boston.

After Andrei Kostitsyn made it 3-1 7:47 into the second, Bruins' coach Claude Julien called a timeout. The extra time seemed to calm the Bruins, allowing them to refocus and go after Montreal.

A strange shot from the point by Ference made it 3-2 at 9:59 in the second, handing the momentum over to Boston. Then, at 17:04, Marchand picked up a Dennis Seidenberg rebound and passed it under Price to Bergeron, who fired it into the gaping net.

3-3.

Montreal only managed one shot on goal after the Bruins timeout with Bergeron and Marchand leading the offensive charge. It's amazing to think the Bruins have been having success off of the backs of their second, and not their first line. So far, the Habs have no answer for the Bergeron line, proof positive by Brian Gionta and Scott Gomez both finishing the night at minus-3 while trying to shut them down.

The winning goal

If there is one thing we have seen through four games, it's that these two teams are very evenly matched. As such, the margin between winning and losing is minuscule. So it's no real surprise then that the game went to overtime last night.

As with the rest of this series, last night's game was decided by a mistake and opportunistic scoring.

Less than two minutes into overtime Travis Moen had the puck on the left boards and needed to dump it into the corner for a line change. But for some reason, he tried to pass it across to Gomez on the other side of the ice instead.

The problem is that he was the only one who knew he was going to do that.

As such, Brian Gionta and P.K. Subban were already headed to the bench for a change. So when the puck was turned over and the play headed back up the ice, Jaroslav Spacek was the only Canadien back to defend the subsequent 3-on-1.

With Montreal scrambling to get back, Michael Ryder—who scored two on the night—was left all alone in front to put the puck past a sprawling Price for the winner.

The winning goal was scored on a comedy of errors by Montreal in a game they could have, and probably should have won.

What's next?

Ladies and gentleman, we have a new series. A best-of-three shootout with Boston again holding home-ice advantage and the expectation of victory.

While the momentum has clearly shifted to the Bruins I don't expect them to win four straight against Montreal. Boston has yet to play well in their own building and the pressure, once again, is squarely on their shoulders.

I originally thought that Boston would win this series in six, but I now see this one going the distance instead. I can see the Bs winning Game 5, Montreal taking Game 6 and the whole thing being decided in a winner-takes-all Game 7 in Beantown.

While many are saying that the loss last night means the series is over for Montreal, I don't buy it. If the Habs have shown one thing this year it's a tremendous resilience. These guys can bounce back from anything, do not have a fragile mental makeup and have a veteran core who has been there before.

They'll shake off the back-to-back losses and bring a solid effort in Boston.

Despite this being a 2-2 series, I would say that Montreal has dominated larger stretches of play than the Bruins. The difference has been opportunistic scoring from Boston and key saves from Thomas.

Its now Montreal's turn to play that same card.

Game 5 is set for Saturday in Boston and what a game it should be!

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Kamal is a freelance Habs writer, Senior Writer/Editor-in-Chief of HabsAddict.com, Montreal Canadiens Blogger on Hockeybuzz.com and Habs writer on TheFranchise.ca. Kamal is also a weekly contributor to the Sunday Shinny on The Team 990 (AM 990) every Sunday from 8 - 9 AM. Listen live at http://www.team990.com/

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(Photo by Phillip MacCallum/Getty Images North America)

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