In This Very Moment I'm King

Apparently the stats (and the Gamemakers, if you think these playoffs were the Hunger Games) dictated that the Los Angeles Kings would win this Stanley Cup. I like the Kings, but I had no idea it would happen. If I did, I would have bought an old-school LA Kings fitted cap like the ones worn by gangsta teenagers I saw on the bus.

When I started watching hockey just a few short seasons ago, the Kings were a joke. I know this because at the time, I looked up their season stats on Wikipedia(!) and saw that they had won less than half of their games, and even I knew that that was bad. I joked that if I ever moved to LA, I would keep my allegiance to the Canadiens and just pretend to be a Kings fan by saying things like "Did you see the game last night? It's too bad, huh?" without actually having seen last night's Kings game. (At the time, I didn't know that not everyone in LA watches hockey.)

Then something weird happened. I went to a game at Staples Center, and (like a good guest) respected everything about the Kings, even the super-mean old guy who kept screaming "Choke, Habs, choke!" at nothing in particular. I think it was because I had such great seats. And because Drew Doughty had just won a gold medal. And because my friend was right about Anze Kopitar: it was hockey love at first sight. I couldn't stop staring at him, because there was something about the way he played that was just amazing. I guess I was a little pre-emptive in laughing at this team whose website included a guide to the basics of hockey, and sent me an email to warn me that the game might sell out and there would be a lot of people there. (Like, thanks, Staples Center, but I'm from Montreal, and we're used to that sort of thing.)

Then I maybe watched the Kings when I got the chance, because they were on Hockey Night In Canada or because they were playing the Flames. Or maybe, as Czechtacular says, it was the purple on their jerseys and the fact that Kopitar was from Slovenia, which I had seen from across the water in Italy (and it's probably the closest I've come to a European hockey player's hometown.) And then I somehow started caring. I got to see them play the Habs two seasons in a row and was disappointed that I couldn't magically be in LA this season for a third consecutive game. I grumbled every time they made a move that I disagreed with.

I still remember how disappointed I was when I found out the black-and-purple jerseys were being replaced by jerseys with no purple on them. I still remember having no idea why the Kings would give up so much for Dustin Penner. I still remember the exact wine I drank to console myself the day I found out that Simmonds and Schenn were traded for Mike Richards. I remember sticking my face in my hands when I found out that Jeff Carter was a King. And don't even get me started on what happened when I heard the name "Sutter." I was losing faith in the favourite West Coast team that I couldn't admit I had. I was half-heartedly happy when they snuck into the playoffs, because at least I had one of my top two teams to cheer for during what I expected to be a short playoff run. I watched as many Kings games as I could, expecting each one to take them closer to elimination. But they never got that close.

So I got a little superstitious. I started wearing black and purple (again, with the purple!) on gamedays. I accessorized to match, because of my bizarre luck with sports team coloured bracelets. I hadn't picked them to win the first round in my playoff pool, so I continued to choose the team playing against them. (I may have sacrificed the Phoenix Coyotes in the process.) I couldn't even let myself utter the words "Kings," "win," and "Cup" in the same sentence. During a busy period at work I did everything I could to leave on time for puck drop, which isn't as easy as it sounds, but I'd hurry home, breathless, like a fool in love, because what if something happens? And despite everything I've said, I really like the Kings, okay?

And then it happened. All of the build-up, and the hockey fights, and the spectacle turned into a Stanley Cup win. The underdog story with the happy ending that all the sportswriters and Sunday night movies wanted. Dustin Brown, the captain that I had grown to love, and that everyone suddenly fell for during the playoffs, won a Stanley Cup. So did Jonathan Quick, the goalie that I cheered through a 50-something save shutout against the Detroit frigging Red Wings, and would not shut up about for days afterward. So did Anze Kopitar, whose play is just so amazing to watch and I don't even know how to explain why. So did Drew Doughty, the reason why I started loving this team in the first place (other than purple and Slovenia.)

Oh, and so did some guys that I don't really care about, but who didn't turn out to be so bad after all.

This year's playoffs ended so much more favourably than last year's did. It feels good to win. It must feel even better for the people who've given their undivided attention to the Kings for much, much longer than I have.

Plus/Minus: Do the wave

I'm not quite sure what to say about a week in which Carey Price posts two shutouts but the Habs also lose to the Islanders. Life is full of surprises, I guess.

They see me trollin'...

PLUS
+ Erik Cole's trolling is hysterical.
+ Two shutouts, Carey. Unbelievable. I love my goalie so damn much.
+ Travis Moen. Goal. Again.
+ For the even rarer goals: A Plus to Paul Bissonnette for scoring his fifth career goal! And his mom was there! Probably the only time I won't be grossed out by a headline like "BizNasty scores with mom at game."
+ Drew Doughty's mustache.

+ Ironic that Glee's best episode of the season came after its worst. "Hot For Teacher" is easily one of my favourite musical numbers this season. And I don't usually do this, but I immediately downloaded the  Adele mashup.
+ I usually like my funny shows to be funny, but damn it if How I Met Your Mother isn't so damn good at the dramatic stuff.
+ The first two episodes of Once Upon A Time hadn't quite convinced me to love the show. But the third and fourth episodes most definitely have.

MINUS

He's a natural!

- For some reason, I'm not able to put Mason Raymond as a write-in vote for the All Star Game. Can someone please fix this? Voting for MayRay is an annual tradition for me.
- Jonathan Toews and Carey Price didn't make the Sexiest Man Alive shortlist? WHY I NEVER. ...Oh, wait, this isn't that kind of blog. Still, I am offended.
- I'm kind of upset that the Hamilton Bulldogs didn't win at the Bell Centre on Friday, but I'm more upset that their next game in Montreal isn't against the Marlies. It's on my hockey wishlist!
- I talked about what a mess this whole Penn State situation was last week. And now we find out that former coach (and octogenarian) Joe Paterno has been diagnosed with cancer, and without even thinking about it, popular opinion dictates that he deserves it. I don't care who the patient is, a cancer diagnosis is NEVER good news. Finding joy in someone else's misfortune because he had it coming shouldn't be popular opinion. I'm not taking anyone's side here. I'm just stating what I think is right, and you're all welcome to disagree with me if you'd like to.

- Eddy Palchak retired before I started watching hockey, and now he won't be around to tell stories about all the amazing things that the Canadiens have done. His passing is an unfortunate reminder that eventually, the Habs' golden history will be so far behind us that all we'll be left with are memories. Let's keep those memories alive, and do everything to support our team and have incredible stories of our own. Rest in peace, Eddy.


Oh, and this week Sidney Crosby is back or something, I guess.

Plus/Minus: Without y'all, I can't buy my Phantom

So maybe this team is scrappier than I thought they were. It's kind of inspiring: people count them out, and we all keep wondering what's wrong and if things will get better or worse, and then the Habs win. I need to learn to stop counting them out.

PLUS

+ The above tweet from Paul Bissonnette, who's a good guy once you get past all the girls in yoga pants and whatnot. (But if you'd rather just go for laughs, read Ron Artest's tweets about how much he misses playing basketball.)
+ Teemu Selanne dressed up as Batman for Halloween! How awesome is that? (I heard rumblings that one of our Habs also dressed up as Batman, but unlike the Coyotes, the Habs' Halloween pictures remain a secret...)
+ For those days when work never ends, and you think you should go to bed early instead of watching the end of the game, but you change your mind and Josh Gorges scores the overtime game-winning goal.
+ Travis Moen, you are scoring goals this season. And the team appeciates that.
+ Max Pacioretty needs to go to the All-Star Game. (See Minus for more on the ASG.)
+ Ryan Miller called Milan Lucic a piece of... well, you know. And while I'm not sure that that's sportsmanlike or whatever, it's hella entertaining and I look forward to quoting that sound bite and seeing it on SportsCentre Top 10s for some time.

MINUS

I thought I could trust him

- Does Carey know that PK was triple-low-fiving another goalie?
- I'm sorry, but I still don't know what a Scrivens is. Someone please explain, and make fun of me if you must.
- Hey, Flyers and Bolts: you know that playing hockey involves MOVING AROUND, right?
- I thought players had to play a minimum number of games to be eligible for the All-Star ballot. But Sidney Crosby is on it. So, can we just write anyone in? A locked-out basketball player? An actor who played a hockey player in a movie? Sidney Crosby's dad? Batman? LMFAO? Or how about my cat? They've all played just as many games this season as Crosby has. I encourage you to vote for my cat.

- There is literally nothing I can say about this Penn State mess that hasn't been said already, and especially nothing that can make this situation better. I don't know why anyone didn't realize that covering up child molestation is not only unbelievably wrong, but even worse for the school's future than taking immediate action. I don't know what could have motivated so many people to want to cover this up. I don't know why Joe Paterno didn't realize that this scandal could end his career, and didn't try to show some sort of remorse or accountability by retiring before getting fired. But I do know one thing: it's made us as fans think about what we may not know is happening behind the scenes, and that maybe our loyalty to a sport isn't the most important thing there is in life.

Plus/Minus: More treats than tricks?

So I saw a little kid dressed up as Wolverine for Halloween, and for the first time in two weeks I didn't think to myself that if superheroes were real, the Habs could really use one, maybe on the third line or something.
Because holy crap, the losing streak is over. Maybe our appetites can go back to normal.

PLUS

Feels so good to see a triple low five again!

+ 3 They won! Three games!
1/2 of a + The new sets that RDS built for l'Antichambre and for panelists during away games are great. It looks like RDS actually spent money on them, and we know RDS has money. (But I took away half of this Plus because that money probably came from putting ads on the glass.)
+ Raphael Diaz jumping in front of the net and blocking a shot? Brilliant.
+ To whoever decided to end the disastrous run of Carey's pink pads. I don't think I can take credit for this, but if you think the Canadiens listened to me, I won't stop you. Carey himself told Dave Stubbs that the choice to put the pink away "came from higher up." No one seems to know exactly who he means... but you can leave your theories in the comments!

MINUS
- The Bruins fan in Boston on Thursday who repurposed this sign:

and changed the Canucks logo to a Habs one, obviously. Do these people not know that there's an H inside that C, and that sCHared isn't a word?
- They fired Perry Pearn? I know you can't start a fire without a spark, but no one in this city actually believes that Pearn was the problem.
- So, Raffi Torres dressed up as Jay-Z for Halloween and there was a picture of it on the Internet and things hit the fan. It was ugly. Some people didn't think it mattered, or immediately came to his defense, some journalists got on their high horse as if they were the only person who knows blackface is wrong, and some people jumped to the immediate conclusion that Torres is an atrocious human being. And somehow, no one came to the conclusion that he's a person who did an offensive (and probably misguided, considering he should have thought about pictures of him maybe being on the Internet) thing. One Halloween costume might not actually mean that he's a racist, just like how a person who says one smart thing is not, by default, an intelligent person. Can we please look at this as an isolated incident in his personal life, learn from it, and move on?

On another note, today being October 31st means that tomorrow is November 1st, officially marking the start of Movember, when men will grow mustaches and raise money for prostate cancer research. And yes, just like last year, there will be hockey players taking part. (You may remember last year's NHL Movember post, which was so much fun to write. You may also remember Carey Price posting hourly shutouts every day last Movember, even when he was off the ice, because his mustache was that magic.) My All Habs teammate Bailey and I are collaborating on this Tumblr page about hockey mustaches. Check back throughout the month, and if you can, you should donate to the cause.

Dreams Do Come True... In Minnesota!

It looks like I already have tons of material for next week's Plus Minus. Maybe I posted this week's too early. I'm riding high after this win against the Minnesota Wild.

This was the game where everything happened. Lots of souvenir pucks are going to be kept by players.

Travis Moen goal? Check.

Tom Pyatt goal? Check.

Shutout? Penalty shot? Check.

Hat trick? Check.

Gordie Howe hat trick? Check.

Chicken wings? Check.

More goals by the Habs than any other game this season? Check.

It's no secret that I love Ryan White. I have for two years now, and it's entirely because of the way he plays this game. Now, without a doubt, every Montreal Canadiens fan on the planet loves the guy. He showed energy even before he scored. Which he did. His first NHL goal. That, already, was overwhelming. Then he fought. The first period ended with the probability of a Gordie Howe hat trick. In case you didn't know, I had never seen one happen. (But I really, really wanted to!) I thought White would be likely to get one at some point in his career, but I didn't expect it to happen tonight.

Ryan White makes dreams come true.

photo credit: Michael Cammalleri

And that in itself may be enough to make fans dance and cheer and shout, but did I mention that White's assist came from a goal by PK Subban, which was one of three? PK Subban got a hat trick. I REPEAT: PK SUBBAN GOT A HAT TRICK. Even though it was an away game, hats flew onto the ice. (Including Carey Price's.) Everyone should be in awe of this guy. It's his first season in the NHL and he already plays like THIS. Incredible. Did I mention it's the first hat trick scored by a Hab since Mike Cammalleri's in the Centennial game, and the first EVER by a Canadiens rookie defenceman? That's a hell of an accomplishment.

Habs win. Game ends 8-1. Three stars are PK, White, and Auld. No, I would never have expected it.

Yes, I would love it if every game could be like this. Do I have to go back to my regularly scheduled life now? Because I really don't want to.

What a game. (Plus/Minus in disguise.)

It's a Plus/Minus, a "happy new year," and a "what I did on vacation" all rolled into one. That's just how I do.
I'd like to thank Czechtacular again for writing Plus/Minus last week. You all didn't even have a chance to miss me!

PLUS

+ The Outback Bowl was my first live football game ever. Ever. What a game. I've never seen so much team merchandise in my life. There were literally three people in all of Raymond James Stadium who were not dressed for the occasion. Everyone else was decked out in team colours, a sea of navy-and-white and blue-and-orange split right down the middle. I've never seen such intense fan loyalty to a coach. I've never seen marching bands like that. I want every sport to have marching bands.

+ I had to play catch-up and watch the Winter Classic on DVR. What a game. Playing in primetime, under the lights, was amazing. It looked so dramatic. It proved that sports aren't about individual players, but rather teams. I can see a Penguins-Capitals rivalry stemming from this, rather than the team's captains having fought it out for a Rookie of the Year title five years ago. And Dan Bylsma's old-school fedora and stadium jacket will probably stand as my favourite coach outfit of the year... or maybe the decade. Go ahead, Jacques Martin, try to outdress him.

+ Cédrick Desjardins almost had a shutout in his second NHL game, and I got to witness it. He was great. What a game. My favourite part of it was booing the New York Rangers. (My second-favourite part was seeing how Guy Boucher coaches his team. Czechtacular can attest to what he did in the Q. We've all seen the results of his one season in the AHL. He's still got that fire as an NHL coach. The Bolts have incredible work ethic and discipline.)

+ I also went to my first-ever basketball game, and a great team effort buoyed the Orlando Magic to a win over the Golden State Warriors (yeah, I didn't know they existed either). What a game. I know Montreal will never be an NBA city, but I kind of wish it were. I like live sporting events in general, but I enjoyed live basketball so much more than I thought I would!

I made the same face at the exact same time

+ How about that eleventh-hour comeback against the Bruins on Saturday? I say it again: What a game. I can't remember the last time I screamed so loud. (Then the Jets won their playoff game, literally at the last second. It took so much out of me that I didn't even make it to the end of the LA Kings game or Saturday Night Live.)

+ Um, so it turns out that we really like James Wisniewski. I left for five days, and he was a superstar by the time my plane landed in Montreal. My confusion didn't last long: the guy's a great addition to the team, and he seems to love being a Canadien.
+ Jack Johnson is going to be a Los Angeles King forever! I don't usually play armchair GM but locking him down mid-season was a good idea.

MINUS

- Have I already mentioned that I'm too sad to talk about Josh Gorges?
- Steven Stamkos didn't score a goal for me on New Year's Day. And he hasn't scored since. He's goalless in 2011, which might actually be worse news than the fact that the entire city of Tampa is sold out of Stamkos T-shirts.
- Carrie Underwood says she'll never come back to Montreal after her car was broken into when she came here. So many things wrong with that: Cars get broken into everywhere. Her husband comes here sometimes for work, and it's the closest awesome metropolis that Ottawa has. Everyone was all whiny and said they didn't want her in Montreal anyway if she said something like that. Meanwhile, I can't help but wonder when was she in town and why didn't I know about this? Carrie Underwood kicks ass, you guys. I mean, uh, whatever, who cares, Taylor Swift is so much better.
- Mike Cammalleri might be sick. That's not cool, you guys. Here's hoping he comes back rarin' to go.

- Tom Kostopoulos, shouldn't you know better by now than to hit a dude out of nowhere? No? Okay, that's what I thought. We still love you, though. Don't ever change. (Except, like, try not to break a dude's jaw next time.)
- Thoughts and prayers to the family of NHL and AHL player Tom Cavanagh, whose death was tragic and unexpected.

Did I miss something? I probably did. The first ten days of 2011 have been pretty eventful.

Plus/Minus got busy this week

Today is the 86th anniversary of the Forum's opening. Plus, four hockey games and a Grey Cup win, all in the same week. It's a little overwhelming!

from Als Inside/Out, who probably really like ending their season with a Grey Cup win, so let's hope that mojo moves on to H I/O

PLUS
+ The Alouettes won the Grey Cup!!! More congratulations are in order to Jamel Richardson on being named MVP.
+ Thank you, Carey Price, for your awesomeness. I love it when things go well: Carey's playing well, he has a great attitude, the team has a pretty decent record, and the fans are happy with him.
+ The Kings fans I met at the game on Wednesday were among the best hockey fans I have ever met. Don't get offended, blogger friends. You're the other best hockey fans I have ever met.
+ Congratulations on your first goal as a Hab, Lars Eller! Now if you can stop getting penalties, life would be peachy.
+ Brian Gionta had a three-point night on Saturday. It's the kind of game that makes you love your captain even more.

What did poor Jonathan Bernier ever do to you?

MINUS
- Best wishes for a clean bill of health to Anthony Calvillo, who announced he'll need surgery on his thyroid. His team might need him but his family needs him even more, so I really hope it's not serious.
- Anyone who boos their own team. How many times do I have to say this? Boo jerks who play for other teams. Or save your boos for something really awful, like if a Hab kicks a kitten.
- Dear Habs: please don't make it so easy for Atlanta to beat you.
- Have we seen Yannick Weber since the Flyers game on Monday? Will he ever be used properly? I know I shouldn't complain about coaching when the team is doing well, but he's a solid defensive prospect and will be of use to this team if he has the right experience. I want to see him with a good defensive linemate he can learn from, playing in games that aren't supposed to be huge nonstop fights.


Big day today outside of Habs games, but neither of us were able to take part in it. czechtacular is en route to Ottawa to see the Oilers play the Sens before they - and she - hit the Bell Centre on Wednesday. (Yes, between this and my LA Kings love, we're both aware that we're really bad at being Flames fans.) I had a previous engagement but I hope that at least one of you readers gave blood today. Or, you know, anytime would be good. I would have loved to attend the funeral mass for Pat Burns (presided by Cardinal Turcotte) but I'll say another prayer for him and hope that his passion continues to influence NHL players and coaches for a very long time.

Reigned in

After last night's (fantastic) game, I feel pretty safe making a confession:

I think I like the LA Kings.
Maybe they like me back, I don't know.

fightin' over me?

The Kings may not have played a great game yesterday, and while I'm pretty sure it's not just because they wanted to make the Habs look good in front of me... you never know. Regardless of their recent mini-slump, they look pretty good. Or at least, they did, sort of. I was happy just to be at the game, despite my seats in the Molson Ex Zone (I tried to get tickets to next week's Sharks game, but it appeared to be sold out so I "settled" for the Kings. It was probably my subconscious telling me I'm a closet Kings fan). The last time I saw the Kings, I easily found tickets in the 8th row of Staples Center. The last time I saw the Habs, my fabulous friend Cathie scored seats at the back of the reds. And here I was, trying to watch the game from way up high, surrounded by a more rambunctious (read: irritating) crowd than I'd seen in the reds.

Part of the reason why the Kings lost this game is because rookie goaltender Jonathan Bernier is still finding himself in the NHL. He wasn't stellar, but he showed promise. I was really impressed by a glove save he made about halfway through the second period. I'll have to watch Canadiens express when I get home later to have a closer look at all of the Kings and their style of play, but a few of their stars shined bright.
Drew Doughty was solid. I will neither confirm nor deny reports that I turned to my sister and asked "Can we keep him?" As if he were a puppy or something. Juvenile, I know, but... can we keep him?
Anze Kopitar didn't get a point last night, but he looks so good on the ice. (No, not like that.) Every now and then there'll be a player on an opposing team that I just can't stop watching, because they're so good. Kopitar is that guy. I can't quite describe it. He's just so good.

On the Canadiens side of things... how can I not talk about Lars Eller? He's really starting to take shape now that he's found the right linemates and is getting some much-needed ice time. (Not that much, but nine minutes is better than four.) I think he still needs time to reach his full potential, and I'm still not sure if he'll be the franchise-saving superstar that some people think he is, but he's proven that he can be an asset to his team. So happy he finally got that goal! Now if only Tom Pyatt can score his first of the season...

If you think my reasons for contemplating the Kings as my #2 backup team are a little thin, let me end with this: I think I'm done with the Molson Ex Zone. I may not have loved the Staples Center, because it was too quiet and the fans were way too negative about anything that was not the Los Angeles Kings, but that's about as far as it went. They did not boo their own players. They didn't get in everyone's way on the concourses outside the arena (maybe because there's so much more space). They didn't block aisles when others tried to pass them. What did I see last night? Habs fans taunting Kings fans (of which I saw a few). Did the Kings fans get angry? Not really, they played along a little and were polite the rest of the time.
There were some pretty loud boos for Scott Gomez when the starting lineup was announced. I've been disappointed with him for a while, but I'd never boo a Canadiens player unless he disrespected his team directly (there are worse things than having a terrible season, you know). Then Scott Gomez scored and his name was met with cheers. From the same people who booed him. Heck, even the dim-witted couple sitting behind me couldn't make up their mind about half the roster. (Actual exchange: "Cammalleri's got the puck! He's gonna score!" "What happened? That idiot!") And then there was the completely useless Bernier-booing that started about 30 minutes in. Why boo someone you have no reason to boo?

I had the pleasure of sitting near two Kings fans, a father and son, in town from Los Angeles. They were by far the best fans sitting in my section. They were fun, but they weren't loud or obnoxious. In the last two or three seasons (basically the whole time I've known anything about hockey) they've been to over 20 road games to see their Kings. They went to Ottawa before coming to Montreal, and I think the father went to Buffalo and Boston as well. They haven't missed a single home game this season to date. (The son told me this, of course, after I raved about that dynamite game against the Stars, which he obviously attended.) In fact, they've barely missed any games at all.

They found the Molson Ex Zone a little bizarre, and who can blame them? It's the section billed as "the fan section", but is it really? People pay less attention to the game in Molson Ex. The random beer girls (who my LA friends compared to ice girls, UGH) are pretty useless when you think about it: they're just there for eye candy (when there's an NHL HOCKEY GAME going on) and to get the crowd pumped up (which shouldn't be necessary, we're the loudest fans in the league). How about Molson stops wasting their money on hoochies and second-rate rock bands and gives it directly to the Canadiens? I think I speak for all fans when I say I'd rather have lower ticket prices than a "fan zone." The entire Bell Centre is supposed to be a fan zone. That's why every game is sold out.
I spent the entire third period talking to the son (I forgot to thank him for giving up Jeff Halpern) and now I miss Los Angeles. We talked about the team, the city, and its sports fans. Sure, not all Kings fans are as classy as he and his dad were yesterday, but they don't boo their own team.

Oh well. At least hockey fans here don't stab each other like football and baseball fans do in California.

Plus/Minus: Second verse, same as the first

The Canadiens have played their first home game. It's officially too late for your pre-opener Bell Centre shopping trip. (I had to make my trip all by myself for the first time ever this year. I was indecisive and trying to stick to a budget. It wasn't my finest hour.)
It was a pretty good week for the team. Most of them, that is. I can't necessarily say the same for people who do not play for the Montreal Canadiens.


PLUS

+ This is a very general plus: winning. 5 out of a potential 6 points is not too shabby.
+ Is this the resurgence of Andrei Kostitsyn? Or does he have a sense of humour, and wanted to take advantage of the "Frère Andrei" puns?
+ Carey Price. I happened to see someone I know over the weekend who is a huge (and I mean huge) Price-hater. He didn't have anything to say about the goalie. Thank you so much for shutting him up, Carey. It means more to me than I can say.
+ The Carey Price-PK Subban postgame celebration. Someone on Youtube dubbed it a "triple low 5" which makes sense. I like it.
+ It was a very simple introduction, nothing really out of the ordinary for Montreal, but I really liked the home opener ceremony. It may not have been as regal as the LA Kings' home opener ceremony, for instance, but the Bell Centre treats every game like it's a big deal.
+ Good to hear that former Habs, Glen Metropolit and Matt D'Agostini, are putting up points for their new teams.


MINUS

FAIL

- The Lightning beat the Canadiens during their home opener, but get pummeled by the Panthers? The PANTHERS, really? Why couldn't Dan Ellis have been in net on Wednesday night?
- The Buffalo Sabres really pulled out all the stops for their 40th anniversary! And their fans were excited beyond belief!
- The men on RDS commenting on the relative lameness of the Sabres' anniversary celebration. Those of us at home, who are not on camera, can say whatever we want. If you're on TV, it might be nice to show just an ounce of professionalism.
- 3 The Canadiens organization told us they had three big announcements, but none of them are really that great.
First, fans can vote for the game's three stars, which is a nice initiative, but incredibly flawed.
Second, they launch a smartphone app, which is supposed to be news, even though pretty much anyone who's anyone already has an app on the market. Not to mention that it's not compatible with many smartphones - Android is the world's top-selling smartphone operating system, and yet the app is only compatible with two Android phones. TWO. Neither of which is the phone that both Czechtacular and I are using. But whatever, you get all the news (and more!) by following Dave Stubbs and All Habs on Twitter.
Third, a Bell exclusive Canadiens reality show. A few years ago, I might have thought this was a good idea. But I know better now. Nearly everyone in Montreal will recognize their favourite Canadien if they see him on the street or out shopping. We live in one of the biggest NHL cities. A reality show seems superfluous. If this show had never been filmed, I'd be okay with that. (I might watch it, but I probably won't enjoy it.)

There's no Canadiens game until Wednesday Thursday. What on earth will I talk about on Tuesday night's Game Points?
No, fate, that was not a challenge.

Habs win!

I've got to keep this short, so... The Canadiens got their mojo back and beat the Philadelphia Flyers 5-1. There was an appropriate amount of roughing, and ~czechtacular is probably very proud of her Czechs right now. Flyers got what was coming to them. Tom Pyatt got that game-winning goal he missed out on a few weeks back, and was named third star of the game, in good company with other stars Dominic Moore and Roman Hamrlik. And the game was worth watching.

Okay, that's all (for me, for now) folks! Good night and have a pleasant tomorrow.

HABS WIN!

I watched the whole game. I watched the postgame interviews. I watched the recaps and the fans flooding the streets to celebrate (and let me tell you that I've never seen that many people, ever, on Ste. Catherine and Crescent, not even during Grand Prix weekend... so racecar drivers can now know for sure that they take a backseat to hockey in this town). The Canadiens have won another Game 7, this time against the Pittsburgh Penguins and their captain, the other best player in the NHL. (Or so they say.)

And they won. I'm having trouble believing that this is actually true. Yes, me, one of the most positive Habs fans on the planet.

The Canadiens will play the first game of the Eastern Conference Final (!!!!) on Sunday. Get ready to hear from us a lot from now until then... It might take me a while to actually believe this is happening.

Summary of Game 6

On behalf of this professional photographer whose lens is probably wicked awesome, I apologize for the half-lack of Cammyface

I ate more of those lucky cupcakes. They worked.

Invincible

I can't decide whether to jump up and down or catch my breath

What is this feeling? This not knowing what to say, not believing my eyes as every sports station replays the highlights of a game I watched intently, not understanding as the other team hang their heads and apologize to their fans... having to repeat to myself, "Habs won. Second round of the playoffs."

It's unreal. It's almost like being in love.

I'm trying not to get too carried away, because bracing myself for whatever happened is part of what's making me so happy right now. The Capitals were an excellent opponent (most of the time... I'm having some trouble wrapping my head around Alexander Semin's complete lack of scoring). I worried until the very last second that my Habs would be defeated. It's not that I don't have faith in my team, but I felt I had to prepare myself for disappointment should it occur. No disappointment, though, only joy.

I'm going to try and keep my feet on the ground while my head is in the clouds, dreaming that Montreal will kick every ass in its path on its way to Cup #25. I'm not going to deify our players or trash-talk the Capitals. But I want to give our Habs their due.

Jaro is beyond words. He's always been solid and reliable, and lately has arguably been the best thing about this team, but that only begins to describe the last game. Farmers everywhere will have to thank him for what I'm assuming is a skyrocketing increase in chocolate milk sales.

Our defence is general was awesome. Gill did what he needed to do - haters can hate, but I think last night they had no choice but to cheer for him. Subban is going to be missed in Hamilton, but I'm glad he's been a part of this and doesn't seem fazed by the challenge of the NHL playoffs. Hamrlik played smart - Angry Sal is probably eating his hat.

The We Speak French line of Moore, Lapierre, and Pouliot would have had a great game even without scoring the game-winning goal. By the way, Dominic Moore, your "who's dis guy" status has been permanently removed.

This was a series in which our big-ticket players and our supporting acts carried the load equally (you know, whatever wasn't automatically picked up by life-saving goaltending).

On to the Penguins. We've got an insider - I'd call Hal Gill our "spy," but at his size, I just can't picture him being very stealthy.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to rewatch those highlights a few more times and pinch myself.

Yes. Really.

Habs beat the Capitals. Bring on the Penguins.

I can't believe it either. I'm a little too giddy to blog, but after the entire team played such a fantastic game and WON the series, I think the accomplishment speaks for itself. At least until we're able to collect ourselves.

I'm going to quote "I'm On A Boat" here, because I just can't help it: Shut the fuck up. This shit is REAL:

2010 EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS
SERIES I		#4 vs. #8	Network
Friday, April 30		at Pittsburgh, 7:00 p.m.	CBC, RDS, VERSUS
Sunday, May 2		at Pittsburgh, 2:00 p.m.	NBC, CBC, RDS
Tuesday, May 4		at Montreal, 7:00 p.m.	CBC, RDS, VERSUS
Thursday, May 6		at Montreal, 7:00 p.m.	CBC, RDS, VERSUS
*Saturday, May 8		at Pittsburgh, 7:00 p.m.	CBC, RDS, VERSUS
*Monday, May 10		at Montreal, 7:00 p.m.	CBC, RDS, VERSUS
*Wednesday, May 12		at Pittsburgh, TBD	CBC, RDS, VERSUS

Washington. Wednesday. See you there.

(Note: I will not be at that game, but the Habs will.)

The Stanley Cupcakes worked. Game 6 was brilliant and I'm bouncing off the walls. Too much sugar will do that to you. Years from now, we'll look back at this year as The Postseason Where Czechtacular And Rookie Got Fat. I'm so hyper right now that I'm picturing myself eating cupcakes for weeks to come, letting the pounds and calories accumulate as our team gets closer and closer to Cup #25.

I definitely need to ingest less sugar during games.

Nonetheless, a fantastic win. Jaroslav Halak has etched his name into the record books with 53 saves, being alternately solid and mind-blowingly good tonight. Mike Cammalleri scored two fantastic goals, and proved just how good he is overall. Josh Gorges left it all on the ice tonight - I'd be surprised if he had any energy left to drive out of the Bell Centre. Hal Gill stepped it up and proved he could be as much of an asset to his team on the ice as he is off it. Maxim Lapierre played a tremendous game, diving penalties and all. (Seriously? "Diving" is a penalty? What is this, soccer?) "Suddenly Subban" did extremely well in his first NHL playoff game. I'm quite sure the Bulldogs will be able to manage without him.

I was hoping the Canadiens would play well in this series, but I never expected this. They've been amazing. Anything beyond this would be icing on the cake.

Yes, I chose a cake analogy on purpose.

The greatest gift of all: Habs win Game 5!!!

Last year we thought about this (a little bit), but now it's confirmed: Pleks > Semin

I'm not going to lie. I danced a little after the Habs kept the Caps from scoring on any of their hundred power plays and won the game, without needing overtime to do so.

To be honest, there's one major reason why I wanted the Habs to win. Yes, they've had a pretty good season and they've been playing well enough to stick around just a little bit longer, and they're my favourite team, but I had an even better reason: today was my birthday. Really, it was!

I couldn't handle my team getting knocked out of the playoffs on my birthday. Last year, they were eliminated the day before my birthday. The year before that, Philly destroyed the Habs the day after my party. (Yes, hangover + major loss = no fun at all.) It would be just my luck to see my team out of the playoffs on the actual day of my birthday.

BUT THEY WON! And the team was quite solid overall... we saw some of the best we've seen lately out of Lapierre, Gill, and Moen, to name a few, and that's what I was really hoping to see.

All in all, a great Habs-Caps game and an Olympic celebration in downtown Montreal, it was a pretty good birthday.

Yes, don't worry, I took pictures at the parade. You'll see them.

Game Won

(You'll have to pardon my publishing this a day after the fact, but in the immortal words of Liz Lemon, "My internet is weird.")

It's too bad they don't also make shirts that say "Tomas Jagr"

I think Habs fans from the Verizon Center to Montreal, all the way across the country and the ocean, are echoing Tomas Plekanec's two-handed fist pump.

This is not last year's team. They know they're in eighth place and it'll be a long way to the top if they wanna rock and roll, but clearly they're up for the challenge. Plekanec's overblown comments about José Theodore are proof of that, in a way. Our Habs were confident. Our coach was confident. (Words I wasn't expecting to type so soon after the end of season we just saw.) It's exactly that, confidence, that's going to get us through this series. The Capitals have the satisfaction of knowing they're the best team in the league. Alexander Ovechkin is generally fearless. Throughout the season we've seen him score goals and deliver hits (and just generally be Ovechkin) without thinking twice about it.

I think the team did what it had to do. Game 1 = won.

By the way, I think the nickname "Mean Mike Green" might stick around. He's become a pesky sort of defenceman. But at least he didn't bust anyone's head open tonight.

As for the rest of the playoffs:
Ottawa was really hungry in the first game of Pens v Sens, so an upset win wasn't entirely surprising. Or maybe Mike Fisher's teammates really want him to have the Stanley Cup at his wedding this summer. They can put the cupcakes in it! ("Stanley Cupcakes." You saw it here first. Unless you googled it like I just did.)
Colorado beat San Jose? Whaaaaaaaaaaaaa? I fell asleep halfway through a then-scoreless game 1, and will probably miss all of tonight's West Coast action because of crazy early work tomorrow.
The Flyers beat the Devils... and they *are* playing against Brodeur. Whoa.
On Wednesday, Concordia hosted a free screening of Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Plus, that night's Scrubs rerun featured Dr. Cox's love of the Red Wings. I figured the Coyotes just wouldn't have the juju to win a game on that particular night, but they did. Phoenix rising!
Much ado about punching when the Bruins played the Sabres... is anyone surprised?
Thanks to the Green Men, Vancouver beat Los Angeles. Go Green Men!

Habs win! (Yes. They do.)

Regular season is winding down, and I know this because people are winning things.

Allow me to stop you before you say "not games, ha ha."

After the news that ~czechtacular's favourite person, Guy Boucher, (I'm not exaggerating... if he's not her favourite person then he's definitely in the top 10) was named the best coach in the AHL, the Habs' two end-of-season awards were... um... awarded.

The 2009-10 cumulative Molson Cup was awarded to Jaroslav Halak... not much of a surprise there, he played consistently well throughout the season, was named a star of the game quite often, and only missed the games where he didn't start. He won by a pretty big margin too - 63 points to runner-up Carey Price's 48. Tomas Plekanec came in third in the standings with 43 points, and if you're surprised not to read any other names here, they were probably injured at some point this season.

This year's Jacques Beauchamp trophy (apparently now the Jacques Beauchamp-Molson trophy, I guess it got married or something), awarded by the media to the team's "dark horse" went to Josh Gorges. Or in formal terms, the member of the Canadiens who played a dominant role during the regular season, without earning any particular honor. But that sounds a little condescending. Personally, I'd have given it to him last year (that's what she said?) when it was awarded to Maxim Lapierre. Don't get me wrong, Max was fantastic last season, but he got the positive attention he deserved. So maybe this was like Scorsese's Oscar for The Departed... because honestly, if anyone doesn't know by now that Gorges is a good hockey player and an important part of this team, then they're an idiot. When I was in California, rewatching the Habs-Kings game on TV, the commentators noted that as a younger player in San Jose, he didn't really have a specific role on the team, nor was he secure on the roster. Then, he was traded to Montreal right around the time I started watching a little bit of hockey (and thus decided to keep an eye on the new guy that everyone hated for replacing Craig Rivet), and now, just as the LA guys said, he's an important part of our defense. Plus, he nearly got his head cracked open and still played the next game.

Runner-up was the very deserving Glen Metropolit, who works hard and is an all-around good guy. He skated today! Injury be damned.

(By the way, at press time that Canadiens.com article said Gorges was last year's Masterton nominee for this team, when in fact it was Patrice Brisebois. I know that, and they forgot? Do they need an extra pair of eyes over there? Because I'm not that busy right now.)

Plus/Minus tries new things

Happy Easter Monday, everyone. (Yes, chocolate is probably on sale, and no, I won't be offended if you want to read this later and run out to buy some right now.)
This week, as usual, was full of ups and downs, complaints and cheers, and is ripe for the plus-minus treatment, but I thought I'd try switching it up a little instead of lumping all the Pluses and Minuses together. (I guess this is my week of trying everything, what with my last post being one of the angriest things I've written on this blog to date).

A PLUS goes out to Jaroslav Halak, posting shutouts on two consecutive days and being named the NHL's first star of the week...
but a MINUS to everyone who's still acting like he doesn't get star treatment. The city loves him! And for good reason! Hello? What newspapers are these people reading? (Or writing for?)

A PLUS goes out to Dave Stubbs for saying what Jacques Martin should have said and supporting Carey Price, both online and in print, after a good game where he got booed...
but a MINUS to the geniuses who booed their own player in the first place, because they're clearly going to the Bell Centre for all the wrong reasons, and then sending negative comments to Mr. Stubbs, who is clearly not a chimp, a douchebag, or a poser, but I can think of some people in the cheap seats who are.

A PLUS to some great goals by Plekanec, Pyatt, Bergeron, Fancy New O'Byrne, and Sergei Kostitsyn...
BUT I kind of wish there could have been more. At least the team scored more than they let in? Yay?

A PLUS to the Bulldogs for having a kickass season and roaring into the playoffs, and to the PK Subban  for making it to the AHL's All-Rookie team...
but a MINUS to everyone who's ready to call him up, make him Habs captain and all this business. These are the same people who point out the flaws in our player development and who've screamed for blood when a younger player disappoints, and I'm a little worried they might just be perpetuating the cycle. We've got a great young defenceman who's talented enough and getting better by the minute and just generally likeable, but calling him up too early could lead to the same old story. Let's not count our PK's before they hatch, and see what happens in the months before next season starts. You know, since this season isn't even over yet.

A PLUS to the Olympic medallists who were honoured this week at the Bell Centre. It's nice to see them now that they're done their World Championships.
It would have been nice to see them get some free swag or maybe a handshake from an assistant captain, but a warm Bell Centre welcome is pretty good too, considering how prone to booing some fans are. I mean come on, some of them only won ONE gold medal. If that's not enough to make a drunken idiot start booing, then I really don't know what is.


I've got to let my poor laptop cool down a little (send any cooling pads to: hab-it-her-way.blogspot.com) but... last week of the regular season. I know you're excited. I am too.

Pictures yoinked (mostly) from Habs Inside/Out and Canadiens.com

Original Six, Original Hunger: Game Preview 3-16-10

(Hmm. Taken by yours truly last week)

Concistency, certainly win streaks, are difficult to come by when you're these two teams. There's almost a giddiness you can attach to the feeling when you're in one, in addition to the obvious need to keep it going for the sake of post-season action. The Habs haven't lost since San Jose 5 games ago and the Rangers are in search of a third straight addition to the W column.

The Habs are instilling confidence in their fans in their push for the playoffs (it seems the more I try to be a cynic, the more it works in their favour, so there's a new approach. How about this sentence now:) However, Tomas Plekanec despite his practicing this morning remains doubtful for tonight's game.

Our starting goaltender for the evening, Jaroslav Halak, maintains one thing : “It’s a team game.” AKA no matter who is or isn't playing, let's have at it, shall we? It's brought us good things so far.

"I am a Ranger" sounds a bit too much like "Nous sommes Canadiens," I realized upon my visit to MSG

• King Henrik Lundqvist is King against the Canadiens, apparently. Interesting fact pulled from Yahoo!Sports: "[he] went 6-1-0 with a 1.86 GAA and a shutout in his last seven home starts versus Montreal." Uh. Those are some numbers.


• Sean Avery, wouldn't you know it, is +10 in 13 games against Montreal. When he's on the ice, you know stuff happens.


• Marian Gaborik, Olli Jokinen, Vaclav Prospal (and all that jazz), you know, the petulent goal scorers that seem to wait for me to be watching a game before lighting up the lamp and celebrating in the most annoying fashion.


• Brandon Dubinsky too, with his 8 points in 11 games against the Habs.


• Another Brandon (Prust, you knew it was coming) is reaching all-time highs in ice time and not fighting so much. "So what?" you say. There's a reason Calgary's repatriated him every chance they got (and it wouldn't surprise me if they tried again after this season). In addition to his team toughness (and the Rangers already have a lot of that, I didn't mention Jody Shelley yet but there he is) he's got undervalued hockey smarts.