The Big Game

It is still early in the year, and really each and every game of the season is a must win, but tomorrow night's Buds vs. Habs tilt, is more important then the rest so far this season. The Leafs have been struggling all season, the Leaf Nation, the media, pretty much everyone who gives a damn about the Buds (exclude moi from the list), are screaming for whole scale changes in the TDot. A lose to the Habs tomorrow night maybe be the last straw, it may force the hand of the fine people of the MLSE to actually do something, in an attempt to right a sinking ship.

As far as what this means to my Habs, well things are not as dire in the MTL, yet, but a lose to the Buds always stings, and would be a 3rd lose in a row. It may not lead to panic, but it certainly will be a wake up call to the Hab's brass that things may be coming off the rails. The Buds always give the Habs trouble, they play Les Boys hard and seem to find a way (whether it be lucky bounce, or dominant physical play) to win.

I see this going one of two ways, the Habs either blow the Buds out, setting the ball rolling on the reconstruction of the Buds, or the Buds show up, like they always do against the Habs, and squeak out a victory, hence handing JFJ, Maurice et al. yet another temporary reprieve. It should be fun!

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Deja Vu?

I have once again been negligent to this poor old blog of mine. Let it be known that I still love my Habs, warts and all, but, life, maybe a touch of the writer's block, and hell perhaps a case of the what the hell is there to say, have prevented me from posting lately.

Lets get down too it then. is it just me, or do the Habs circa 2006-07, give off the same odor then that of the Habs 2005-06 team? Once again they explode quick out of the gate. They zoom all the way up to 4th in the Eastern Conference, then egad, and shite, guess what, the wheels start to fall off.

What does it all mean? How come? Lets start with the positives. The Habs have 3 of the best defensemen in the Eastern Conference right now. No one can blame Markov, Hamrlik, or Komisarek for their play thus far. The powerplay (which has disappeared the last 3-4 games) has not missed Souray one bit. The goaltending has been above average, no complaints there. Last year's whipping boy Alex Kovalev is playing his best hockey as a Hab. Kovalev's linemate Thomas Plekanec just keeps getting better and better, he has been the Hab's best forward many a night this season. Have I missed anything? Um, Higgins, well he has also had periods of brilliance, but to this point, I'd have to give him only a C+, he has to be great every night, he is that important.

Right, so now the bad news. As good as the Habs big 3 on defense have been, the bottom 3, or 4, Brisebois, Streit, Boullion, and Gorges have been really soft. I will reserve judgment on Gorges, he sees the least amount of playing time, and except for one brutal giveaway this year, he has been ok. Brisebois, what can I say, he might be my least favorite Habs player of all time. Why Bob Gainey brought this waste of space back I will never understand. Mark Streit, this kid was the best Hab during the pre-season, he was solid in the first ten games of the season, but he seems to be squeezing the stick now, he will be fine. Finally Bou Bou, oh poor Bou Bou, I know its not easy being a smurf, this guy is out of his league, there may be a spot for him on a TimBits Hockey squad.

Lets talk offense, or the lack of there in. This team, like last year's team, and well any Habs team for say the last ten to fifteen years can not put the puck in the net 5 on 5. It starts with the fact that the Habs 'sniper' Michael Ryder has been God awful all year. The '1st' line of Saku, Higgins, and Ryder have been non-existent for the last ten games, and well, how they go the Habs go. The Habs need some help up front, how that is going to happen, I have no clue. My only hope is that Gainey sees what I see, and finally makes this happen. Trade Huet, trade Ryder, dangle some picks, this team is in drastic need of scoring.

Thats it for now, seems I had a lot to get off my chest. Lets hope that the Habs can get their act together, it pains me to think that I am watching a rerun of last year. Yuck!

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