Thank you Bruins

The Habs have made the Bruins their bitch this year. The regular season sweep of the Bruins has netted the Habs a free and easy 16 points, which have gone a long way in propelling the Habs to first place in the Eastern Conference. As it stands right now it would be the Habs vs. Bruins in the first round of the playoffs, although that sounds like an enticing match up, I have grown rather tired of Habs vs. Bruin playoff match ups. I am going to have to hope the Bruins miss the playoffs, as nice as it would be for the Habs to have a free pass in the first round, it would be nice to see the Habs to match up against someone different for once in the playoffs. Go Habs, thanks Bruins.

Losing and Gaining

The madness that is the charity point for an overtime, or shootout lose, worked in the Habs favour last night. I am philosophically against the idea of rewarding a losing team with points, it tends to lead to boring hockey late in the third period if the game is tied, teams sit back and try and insure themselves' of at least the point. I want my team to play for the win at all times. The charity point has lead to NHL parity, which the NHL brass was striving for, it sees teams that should have no business competing for a playoff spot, for example, the Oilers, the Bruins, the Coyotes, and the Panthers, still in the playoff race. Great if you are a fan of those aforementioned teams, but not good if you are a fan of hockey played at a high level. I will take the point for a lose last night, it has propelled my guys into a tie at the top of the Eastern Conference, but I would love the NHL brain trust to rethink the whole thing. The playoffs are approaching, and I can't wait, no more playing for a point, no more skills competition shootout, its win or lose, and thats how I like it.

Plugging Along

Les Boys are still keeping pace, sure a win against an injury depleted Islanders team isn't much to write home about, but it was one of those trap games, that had the Habs not shown up might have sent them on a tailspin, not something you want to see with less than 10 games remaining in the regular season. Hat tip to Halak, who has seen very little ice time on the big team this year, but when he has been called upon, he has preformed admirably. I was pretty confident that Huet was going to be moved at the deadline (would have liked a warm body, and a pick, but what ya gonna do?), and it looks like Bob made the right decision. The future is now, Price and Halak look like they can carry the load. The playoffs are a different beast, it will be interesting to say the least to see how the kids react to the added pressure.

Hrrumpp

I am going to try and make an effort to update this blog more regularly. Its a good way to keep my skills fresh, and hell, the NHL season is getting down to the brass tacks, the playoffs are just around the corner.

I really haven't much to say about the Habs vs. Sens match up last night. I didn't watch it, I am superstitious, I have noticed lately that the Habs seem to perform better when I don't watch. All bollocks of course, I was busy doing other things last night (namely flirting with the ladies, a guy needs to play). I turned on RDS, it was late in the 3rd, Les Boys were down 3-0, seems I didn't miss all that much. It was a big game, to bad the boys were a no show, it happens, lets hope it is not the beginning of a trend. The Sens are a topsy-turvy squad, they are hot right now, give them a few games, they will deflate again. I mean really, how far can Gerber get them?

As for my guys, they need a few days off. I'd rest them, they are fresh from a Western road trip, and a fantastic 4-0 victory over the Devils. They were due for a let down game. Too bad it was versus the Sens. They will get them next time.

What a difference a couple of months makes

I have been away. Off to Europe I went, passport in hand, backpack on , well ya, the back. It was fantastic, I could tell stories, but this is a hockey blog, its the wrong medium. Ok, focus, when I left Canada in January, the Habs were floating around 5 or 6 place in the Eastern Conference, things looked eerily similar to years past. The Habs looked like they might play .500 hockey and squeak into the playoffs, or once again fall into their all to typical post-Christmas swoon and be on the outside looking in. It hasn't happened, the Habs have been one of the hottest teams in the NHL for the last couple of months, and after last night's 4-0 victory over the Devils they see themselves on top of the Eastern Conference. Who'd have thunk it? Not me, nope I am forever the pessimist, its innate for a Habs fan, it protects us from the inevitable soul crushing that is watching the Habs being brilliantly mediocre year in and year out.

Right so there are 11 regular season games remaining. I am positive that my boys will make it into the playoffs, as for winning the Conference, of that, I am not as confident...see there is the pessimism again. Right now there are 4 teams that are competing for the top spot. The Habs, the Devils, the Sens, and the Pens. The Habs, who are riding a hot Carey Price, and a rejuvenated Alex Kovalev, are going to have to shore up their defense, and pray for secondary scoring outside the top line. This may sound absurd, considering the way he has played all year, but I think the play of Michael Ryder, might be key to the Hab's success during the stretch. The Devils, what can you say about the Devils? Any team that has Marty between the pipes is going to be successful. The are a bore to watch, and a bitch to play, I think they will finish at the top of the Eastern Conference pile by game 82. The Sens, oh the enigma that is the Sens. When the Sens are on, they are deadly. They have the best top line in the NHL (when Alfie is healthy), but after that the Sens are vulnerable. The soap opera that is Ray Emery, and a defense that is very suspect, might just keep the Sens from the top spot. They are however, very streaky, it would not surprise me if they finish anywhere from 1st-5th. The Pens, even when Sid was out the Pens found a way to win. Malkin solidified his status as a legitimate NHL superstar. They made a splash at the deadline by adding Hossa. When the Pens get healthy the are going to be one off the most exciting teams in the league to watch. My fear with the Pens is their goaltending and defense, both are average at best. I don't think the Pens are quite ready to win the Conference. But with the amount of skill that is on that team, like the Sens anything is possible.

There you go, my first hockey blurb in months. I haven't been this excited about my Habs in years. There seems to be something special in the air, what with the parallels that can be made to Dryden, Roy, and Price, and the fact that the last time the Habs were in first place this late in the regular season was 1993, and well every Habs fan knows what happened that year. Oh but I am a pessimist, a pessimist damn it! Go Habs!