Flu Shots Are Free...

... yet you wouldn't think so given the problems Montreal has had with the bug. Carey Price is the latest victim, forcing Jaroslav Halak back into the starting role tonight on Long Island (his first game since a 5-2 loss to the Leafs on March 21). Mark Denis has been recalled from Hamilton to serve as the backup.

In other lineup news, Sergei Kostitsyn will also miss the game tonight after suffering an "upper-body" injury on Tuesday against Chicago. Roman Hamrlik is expected to play, but could always be a late scratch after being forced to leave the game against the Blackhawks in the second period by an odd collision that resulted in a cut to his face.

Game time tonight is 7 PM (TSN).

The changes continue

Pacriotetty down, Kostitsyn Jr. up. The big three on the first line. Can Kovalev-Koivu-Tanguay work? I would have preferred a flying Frenchmen line of Latendresse-Lapierre-Tanguay. I'm not one to put much stock in the French player debate, but I must admit, has anyone looked as desperate to win as these three the last few weeks? Perhaps Kostopolous, but that's about it. 

Can the big three come through? Can Lapierre repeat his performance from Saturday? Can Carey Price or Jaroslav Halak get through a first period period without giving up a goal?

We'll find out tomorrow. 

Streaking Habs Meet Surging Sharks

Big game tonight in Montreal, as the Canadiens (winners of their last 3) face off against San Jose (victories in 5 of their last 6) in what many people thought might be a Stanley Cup preview back at the start of the year. While the Sharks have managed to live up to those lofty expectations so far this season (not that regular season success is anything new to them), the Canadiens have taken a slightly rougher road through their first 62 games. After a prolonged Western slump the Habs seem to have things back in order though, and look to keep it going tonight against one of the top teams in the league.

Key to the recent success has been the resurgence of the once vaunted powerplay with the acquisition of Mathieu Schneider, who tallied two points on the PP last night including the game winner in OT. Jaroslav Halak has also become a stabilizing presence in goal, and Tomas Plekanec has been absolutely on fire with 9 points (6 goals) in the 5 games played since returning from his 2-game suspension. Alex
"L'Artiste" Kovalev has been equally hot of late, totaling 7 points in the three games back after his team-imposed exile.

With the deadline looming it will be interesting to see how management decides to go about tinkering with the roster, since the quality of play lately has been very solid. With Alex Tanguay and Guillaume Latendresse due to return before too much longer there will also be improvements available from within the team itself, although that hasn't stopped people from talking about the availability of Keith Tkachuk and Olli Jokinen to fill some needs up front. Needless to say it should be an eventful few days leading up to the March 4 deadline, and we'll do our best to keep you completely up to date on all of the important news.

Enjoy the game tonight everybody!

Three's a Streak

What a game. Halak looks fantastic. Koivu comes through with faceoff magic late. And L'Artiste with three points again. The Habs are back ladies and gentlemen.

Mathieu Schneider, again, looked great anchoring the power play. His booming shot has added a dimension the Canadiens were sorely missing. Mike Komisarek also had a very strong game, playing physical against a very tough Philadelphia team.

And lastly, new Hab Glen Metropolit looked great against his old team. Wearing #15, he played very strong on a line with Tom Kostopolous. Looks like another strong move by Gainey.

In Bob We Trust.

RUMOURS

From the Buffalo News, Tim Connolly to Columbus for Rostislav Klesla.

Also of note, Jacques Martin was scouting tonight's Canadiens-Flyers game.

Rumours today, game tonight

Halak starts tonight against the Flyers in Philadelphia. Time will tell if the reincarnation of Ken Dryden will again turn away dozens of shots, or if the Canadiens defence will break down. 7 pm EST start, on TSN in Canada. Should be a great game.

UPDATE: Habs grab Glen Metropolit off waivers. Ossi Vaananen grabbed by Vancouver.

Rumours today:

• Bob Gainey has told Mathieu Dandenault he will attempt to accomodate his trade request
• Boston is moving hard towards acquiring Chris Pronger: The Four Period and NESN
• Pittsburgh and Toronto are discussing a Tomas Kaberle trade
• Sean Avery will be on re-entry waivers come Monday: Sportsnet
• Niklas Backstrom "must be signed by Minnesota or he'll be dealt" - Pierre McGuire, TEAM 990
• "Canadiens should be after Keith Tkachuk" - Pierre McGuire

Goalie Competition and More

With the recent ascension of Jaroslav Halak into the starting role, you have to wonder how this will sit with Carey Price going forward. While he'll obviously downplay the situation in the media, and everyone always says that having two quality players in net pushing each other is a positive (it's worked well for Boston so far this year), you have to assume that being pushed to the side (even if only temporarily) after being handed the reigns to the team at the trade deadline last year is something of a wake up call for a young player. Whether this is another motivational factor like we saw with the Kovalev banishment or just a case of going with the hot hand at a critical time of the year is unclear, but it could certainly lead to some interesting discussions within the team if Halak keeps up his solid play from the last couple of games.

Part of me also has to wonder if Price has ever fully recovered from his injury earlier in the year, since he clearly rushed himself back in time to start the All Star game. His play since that return has been sub-standard to say the least, so it begs the question of whether there's still something lingering there that we'll only find out about at some later date.

On the topic of injuries, it's a bit disappointing to hear that Tanguay has suffered another minor setback and will be delayed in his return for a few more days, although that is tempered by the news that Robert Lang sounds like he will make a full recovery from his Achilles injury that some thought could end his career. Although it's unlikely that he'll suit up for the Canadiens again this year (or maybe ever given his pending UFA status), the fact that they're talking about a return to the NHL is still a very positive fact.

In non-Canadiens news, it will interesting to see how the hiring of John Tortorella in New York impacts the potential for a Sean Avery comeback. Tortorella didn't have a lot of great things to say about Avery during his brief stint as an NHL on TSN commentator, but whether those opinions carry over into the dressing room of your own struggling team remains to be seen.

Well Deserved Rest Day

The Canadiens are off today, and return to action Friday in Philadelphia against the Flyers. It is a reasonable bet that Jaroslv Halak will start again, after a dominating performance against a once hot Vancouver offence, led by Mats "The Sellout" Sundin. 

In injury news, Alex Tanguay may return Friday or Saturday, but it could be another week before he laces up for a game. Francis Bouillon appears gone 2-4 weeks with a leg injury. And there are now whispers that, if the Canadiens get to the second round, Robert Lang will be able to return from a severed achilles tendon.

Today's Rumours

• Bob McKenzie reported on the TEAM 990 this morning that Vincent Lecavalier "will not be traded this season."
• McKenzie also noted Chris Pronger "will very likely be traded, but at draft time and not in the next week."
• Alex Kovalev appears off the block, as per McKenzie and comments by Pierre Mcguire
• Rumours continue to persist that the Bruins are after either Pronger or Tomas Kaberle
• Devils send Clemmensen to the minors: TEAM 990

Habs Conquer Canucks

The Canadiens do the impossible, beating Roberto Luongo in Montreal, despite being drastically outshot by Vancouver. And a shutout nonetheless. Two words for you: Jaroslav Halak. If there wasn't a serious goaltending controversy in Montreal earlier today, there is now.  Kovalev with another assist and some great offensive plays, and Koivu with perhaps the play of the year getting the puck out of the zone, while on his stomach, after a 4 minute penalty kill, passing to Plekanec for the breakaway goal.

First win against Vancouver since 2000. Two wins in a row.

How Sweet It Is. 

Big rumour making the rounds tonight is an impending trade between the Avalanche and either Boston, Pittsburgh, or both. More on that here:

http://blogs.denverpost.com/avs/2009/02/24/arnie-a-scratch-hensick-still-in-doghouse-rumors-flying/

A Few Thoughts

I like the choice to go with Halak tonight. While conventional wisdom might suggest that you go with the "franchise" in Price, at this point in the year you need to go with the guy that gives the team the best chance to win and solidify playoff position. Right now, that's Halak.

It's nice to see that Tanguay is nearing his return. He was a solid contributor before the injury, and the team could certainly use his playmaking abilities down the stretch.

A lot of talk (here and elsewhere) has focused on what the Habs will/won't do at the much vaunted trade deadline. I for one think that the acquisition of Schneider was all we'll see from Bob Gainey this year. With only about $350k in free cap space, there isn't much room to maneuver unless somebody like a Hamrlik or Kovalev is moved. Additionally, with players like Tanguay and Latendresse slated to return before the end of the season, the team will actually be improved over it's current state without having to make any moves outside of their own roster. That seems like the smartest route to follow, leading into a more productive offseason when cap room is cleared rather than tearing everything down for a deadline day "quick-fix" that would be doomed to failure.

The McDonalds commercials featuring J.C. Petit are awesome. That guy can play, although the new Russian might be some serious competition...

Goodfellas

What a difference a day makes. Less than 24 hours after suffering through endless questions and allegations, the Canadiens came out with a solid team effort on the ice this afternoon in defeating the visiting Senators 5-3.

With the crowd firmly behind him the returning Alex Kovalev didn't disappoint, tallying 3 points and playing an excellent all-around game at both ends of the ice. The powerplay continued it's excellence following the addition of Mathieu Schneider, scoring 3 times and further proving that an effective shot from the point reminiscent of Sheldon Souray or Mark Streit has been sorely lacking for most of the year. As well, Jaroslav Halak was solid in goal, making a total of 44 stops with many of them coming at key points in the game.

The win should give the Habs some temporary relief from the media, as well as earning them 2 big points in the standings. Let's just hope that they can keep up this same sort of effort in their next game on Tuesday night when the Canucks come to town for a visit.

Just Another Day In Paradise...

To say that the circumstances surrounding the Canadiens today were "unusual" would be something of an understatement, as there were times when things seemed more reminiscent of a Jerry Springer episode than the day-to-day workings of an NHL franchise. While I won't belabour those discussions too much more here (adequate links have already been provided for your reading pleasure), I will raise the question of what exactly someone with mob connections could seek to gain with a reputed relationship to NHL players. In the immortal words of Homer Simpson:

"You mean the mob only did me a favor to get something in return?"

Given the uncertainty that still surrounds this whole situation there is much to be determined, so it will be interesting to see how things ultimately play out when everything is revealed.

Moving on to actual hockey matters, the Habs finally return home after their miserable road trip to face off with the Senators (who earlier today made a deal with the Islanders to acquire the services of Mike Comrie and Chris Campoli) in a Hockey Day in Canada matinee. Alex Kovalev returns to the lineup after his brief hiatus, and Jaroslav Halak is pegged for the start after a couple of pedestrian efforts from Carey Price (who seemed to struggle mightily with his rebound control last night). The team has clearly taken a beating both on and off the ice this week, and given the high expectations for the Centennial Season, it could very well be a cold reception from the home crowd if the team gets off to another slow start.

History has not been kind to the Canadiens in their Hockey Day forays, and in particular, the Sens have dealt them a couple of lopsided losses in recent years and look to rub further salt in the wounds tomorrow. With their playoff hopes fading faster by the day, the Canadiens need to find a way to rise above all of these recent controversies and come away with 2 points tomorrow to try and stop the bleeding (however temporary the relief might be).

What a crazy day...

Wow. Links to organized crime. Kovalev back in the fold. Halak back between the pipes. NHL investigations.

Quite the day in Habsland. As usual, we're trying to keep you up to date with news and commentary. Many media still say there is a lot more to come out, but let's be honest, this is Montreal: how could they keep anything jucier than this under wraps? So at this point, we here at The Drive for Twenty Five are looking forward to Hockey Day in Canada tomorrow, and the Canadiens annual thrashing at the hands of the Senators. Perhaps The Doc will touch on that later.

For now, we leave you with this: Bob Gainey held a press conference this afternoon to discuss the ongoing police investigation, and the return of Alexei Kovalev. 

Audio can be found on the HIO website, here:

http://habsinsideout.com/main/15923

Quite the 24 hours for the Canadiens.

Vancouver Bringdown

A 4-2 loss proves that the Habs have not broken out of their funk. Saku Koivu plays like a possessed man, but it's not enough as the team yet again lets down Jaroslav Halak. The one bright spot? Carey Price came in late in relief to play in front of his family and friends and looked good. However, that's really stretching it for a bright spot. 

A few days off may help now, but what this team really needs is a shake-up. Whether it's a trade or a new coach (see Penguins, Pittsburgh) Bob Gainey really needs to figure out how to right this ship. Or this has Titanic written all over it.

Rumours abound...

Rumours tonight that Halak, he of the great game in Colorado two nights ago, could be headed to.....Colorado! They wanted him earlier in the year, and they still do now. Sounds like a defenceman coming the other way. Brett Clark maybe, former Habs  draft pick and flame-out. A good move for Les Canadiens? Probably not good enough to turn around the teams fortunes at this point. More at the following link near the bottom:

http://blogs.denverpost.com/avs/2009/02/15/so-i-go-to-a-dartmouth-hockey-game-and-this-is-the-first-thing-i-see/

Game Day - Vancouver

The latest West-Coast swing draws to a close tonight when the Canadiens visit Vancouver to take on the Canucks. After a couple of lacklustre performances in Calgary and Edmonton (to put it mildly), the Habs barely managed to squeak out a win on Friday in Colorado to run their record on the trip to 1-2-0. Can they keep it going tonight, or will the combined strength of Luongo and Team Sweden (Canadian branch) be enough to send the Habs to their third loss against a Western Canadian franchise within the week? Only time will tell.

Jaroslav Halak gets a well-deserved second straight start after his heroics in Colorado, and hopefully the team decides to give him some defensive support for more than 15 minutes or so as a secondary reward. It also would not be surprising to see Kyle Chipchura draw in on the third or fourth line in place of the largely ineffective Georges Laraque to try and get even a bit more out of the offence. When your role players (Brisebois, Boullion, Kostopoulos, Dandenault and Lapierre) have recently become the most consistent scoring threat on your team, things will continue to be done to get the "big lines" going and that seems like as good a place as any to start.

Wishing the Streak to Two

Habs go for their second in a row tonight. Kostopolous appears slated for first line duty again with Koivu and Kovalev. Halak brings his 46 save performance the other night into Van City, hoping that this time his team doesn't go to sleep for the last two periods. Mathieu Dandenault goes for a three game point streak, which would be his season-high. Vancouver remains hot, as Sundin has finally awoken from his hibernation and finally looks interested in playing.

Other Habs tidbits this AM, rumours still that Gainey would love to pry Havlat from Chicago (Ottawa Sun), Bouwmeester is likely to be dealt (Toronto Sun), and the Coyotes are indeed shopping Jokinen, Morris, et al (ESPN). Any of these guys would help lessen the loss of Robert Lang and give a push to a team playing like an '84 Chevy Corvair.

And lastly, Kyle Chipchura has joined the team after being called up. He practiced the other night and took the skate but did not play. I liked the look of his last year. Doc, does he get in on the fourth line party, or is Laraque just so good that we have to keep playing him?

You know things aren't going great when...

...a major media outlet in Montreal is calling for Les Canadiens to sign Yanic "No Panic" Perreault. Now, I loved Perreault, and maybe he could help, but the guy hasn't been in the NHL for a year, and it would take him a while to get going (see Sundin, Mats). 

http://www.corussports.com/hockey/pourquoi_pas_yanic_perreault-c-20090214-1416043.html

Other rumours today: Habs are hot-to-trot for Olli Jokinen and Derek Morris (TSN), Frantisek Kaberle is going on re-entry waivers and could be the key to a team luring Tomas Kaberle into waiving his no trade clause (CBC), and apparently the Avalanche have made big winger Ian Laperriere available (CBC). Wow, would he look good on a line with Begin and Laraque. That would be one mean combination.

And Halak is officially pegged as the starter tomorrow by Guy Carbonneau. When asked what he thought of his performance against Colorado, Guy was quoted as saying "Halak it like that." Ok, he didn't really say that, but I had to write it.