Chicago Musings and In-Game Scribbles
October 30, 2009, by Homme De Sept-Iles
My English is as good as yours, I just write these in a stream-of-consciousness mode that I insist excuses me from small things like rules of grammar or general etiquette. Let’s call it conversational English, hopped up on beans. You know what kind of beans (no, Carl Mellesmoen, not the magic ones)
Montreal Canadiens (4-6) at Chicago Blackhawks (6-4)
Thursday, October 30, 2009
Game Eleven (score posted following scribbles)
Musings and In-Game Scribbles are a “live blogging” of the game that are compiled (typed, actually) during the game and edited and posted shortly after the game.
I’m back from an enjoyable and strange week in Montreal but with a cold (not the swine kind nor the HMV-5 kind) and a readiness to sharpen my writing game for November. Watching the Canadiens lose 6-1 to the Penguins on Wednesday night at the venerable Olde Orchard on de La Montagne with my cherished panel of Hab affiliates has me in the mood for Montreal magic.
Huet is starting for Chicago. We get a lot of static for a moment and I mistakenly assume it’s the sound of water spraying from the lively night-shot of the fountains outside the United Centre. Yes, that United Centre. The House Michael Built.
Price is in net tonight and my personal panel of affiliates is leaning further away. I hope it all works for the kid, though. Really.
First Period
Chicago is controlling as if it’s a power-play.
Finally with Lapierre and Cammalleri on the ice, Montreal moves it out and gets some brief control. Plekanec is on with them. He is playing circa 07-08 hockey, the year he was on a line with Kovalev for most of the season. The year each of the three got their best Montreal points totals. (Andrei Kostitsyn, Alexei Kovalev and Tomas Plekanec).
Price looks eager and quick. What has he been studying? We can’t rush time, can we? It’s all a Zen-ice koan for us lowly and crazed and impatient fans.
D’Agostini is slow on the back-check and then as the Canadiens take it out of the zone, he’s leveled. And it’s ugly. Almost as bad as Gorges last season on the glass. Brunet says it’s legal but the offending Hawk goes to the box. Andrew Ladd. And then he goes to the dressing room.
Discussions ensue. Five-minute major and a game misconduct is the decision and I agree.
It’s a nasty hit. A player could get killed like that. I don’t think I’m exaggerating. And I’m not a D’Agostini apologist.
Defensive lineup is shown and we have the same pairings as on Wednesday against Pittsburgh.
We start with a four-on-four.
Campbell is not challenging our deep skaters and this allows Cammalleri and Plekanec extra and unexpected room for movement. Cammalleri executes and counter-clockwise turn that takes him into the slot with the puck before the play moves elsewhere.
Now the Canadiens go to a three-minute power-play for Montreal. Kostitsyn is on with Gionta and Gomez to begin. Spacek and Hamrlik are on the blue line.
First segment results in one long shot from Hamrlik.
Chicago kills about a minute total.
With under two minutes in the advantage Metropolit, Plekanec and Cammalleri are the forwards. Bergeron joins them from the rear. Metropolit’s deliberate and quick stick-handling are a subtle but powerful addition to any Montreal incursion. His points total is reflecting that early this season.
Price is confident thus far. I wonder how he feels seeing his old goaltending partner Huet at the other end. Huet was, we have been told, supportive of Price throughout the younger goaltender’s first pro game experience.
Chicago is very effective in killing the remainder of the penalty and we hear sprinkled cheers from the Chicagoans. One of the iconic cities in North America if not the world.
Plekanec’ good start to the season gives the team a second-line player to rally around. We’re waiting for Kostitsyn to match Plekanec’ intensity. Sergei, Andrei’s younger brother remains in Hamilton, toiling for the Bulldogs and assumedly counting the days til he leaves the Montreal organization entirely.
I, for one, hope it works out. He can be a top-six forward, for sure.
Kostitsyn rubs out a Hawk on the side-boards. Chicago moves it onto Montreal ice. Canadiens take a delayed cross-check (Hal Gill) and the sixth Chicago skater gets the crowd in throat. A long shot sees both Gill and Price horizontal in the crease. No goal. And the whistle signals Chicago’s power-play unit.
We see a replay and the penalty is merited.
Initial faceoff results in a Montreal clear.
Gionta creates a shot on the short-hand but it skitters harmlessly.
Chicago finally sets up and we see the rugged Byfuglien on the right point. Interesting. The look doesn’t last long but I like it. Campbell now sets up on the right point.
Plekanec benefits from an interruption to the sequence and takes it down for a drive. He fakes the shot, goes around the net and is relieved of the puck.
Chicago move back for one last segment. Pass from behind the net bounces off Marc-Andre Bergeron and into the Montreal net.
Chicago 1, Montreal 0.
Gionta line is on. Then it’s Lapierre with Cammalleri and Plekanec within ten seconds.
Metropolit comes in with a high and contested shot which Huet traps with his blocker and glove and holds for the faceoff. Houde accidentally says it’s Price making the save.
Metropolit, Moen and Pacioretty take to the ice for this faceoff with four and a half minutes left in the first.
My acetaminophen is kicking in and at that moment Kopecky takes a penalty. Slashing.
First pairing with AK46’s line.
AK has a miner’s intent. Look of coal and tong. Good to see.
Canadiens move it in and Gomez takes a penalty. Holding. Houde says the famous “Quelle mauvais penalite pour Gomez.” Some of us miss Pednault, yo.
Four on four. Sharp and Kane are the Chicago pairing. Cammalleri and Plekanec for Montreal. Campbell shows a nice spin move to get to the neutral zone but it all ends quickly and the Canadiens drive in with three players. Pass goes over to Hamrlik from Pacioretty. The defenceman bangs two on Huet but the goalie is well-positioned and smothers it in his usual manner. Sponge and towel.
Mini-fracas ensues after the whistle and the box fills up. Lapierre joins Gomez. Another Hawk enters the other box. We’re back to four-on-four.
Canadiens get some brief control. Then Kopecky gets back on the ice and the Hawks have fifteen seconds of fun.
Metropolit ends it by intercepting a slot pass and firing it the length of the ice.
Back to five-on-five.
First Intermission
Francois Gagnon’s haircut makes him look about six inches shorter. C’est etrange. He comments on the losses of players around the rest of the league. Lucic and Marc Savard are both out for 4-6 weeks each.
The point is, Montreal is not the only team without a star. Atlanta’s quality keeper Kari Lehtonen is gone for who knows how long and Kovalchuk is out for 3-5 weeks. Fair enough.
We still miss Markov.
He lists several others.
I’ve been injured with this cold for just over 48 hours myself. I’m using lozenges and optimism as my first down plays and mixing in some self-pitying and huge meals for second down rotation. So far, I’ve been able to view one movie and all of tonight’s game. So far.
We see Ovie’s 14th goal of the season. Powerful. Scores from the blue line. He could score from the red line, my lambs.
Second Period
Chicago 1, Montreal 0
Jacques Martin looks younger tonight. Grecian Formula younger is what my very-fireable inner child is opining.
Smooth ice. Pretty glace. Irritating penalty. It’s a delayed penalty against Montreal and Chicago has a fairly long period before the whistle goes. Cammalleri for hooking.
Faceoff to the right of Price (I almost typed Huet). High shot from Barker is trapped by Price. Price. It’s a good solid name. It’s hard to misunderstand or misinterpret. Has great linguistic integrity. Fricative.
Canadiens keep batting it out as Chicago is taking this power-play very casually.
Now Metropolit intercepts and takes it in for a brief but inspired one-on-two. He leaves the puck on the Hawk side-boards. And the penalty ends. Seconds later Price captures another high puck. Price.
Price.
I can’t think of many other famous sports Prices. Mitchell Price on the defensive line for both the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and later the Calgary Stampeders. Price. Price.
Does Prince McJunkins count? (Ottawa Rough Riders, 1983)
Price Waterhouse.
Pacioretty line features Chipchura and Kostitsyn. We see that Andrei has four points in twelve games. Oh boy. Not good.
Pace of the game slows each time Chicago carries the puck. It’s as if they’ve decided that running the ball for the rest of the game is the way to go. It ain’t.
Moen circles like an ice-hawk (Montreal version) waiting for the puck-pounce. Not yet.
Then a good shot from Chicago in the slot but Price looks smart on the play. He seems to have some good thinking behind his moves tonight.
Now a Montreal chance sees Huet shoved into the net. By a stick. He exaggerates it. Pratfall crab backward. He’s quite the ham. And cheese. Sorry.
No whistle.
Action goes the other way and Price makes another good save. Was in position. Didn’t go to his knees early. Controlled the rebound. Activated a commercial. Volkswagen owes Price.
Huet’s mask is cool. Flaming greens. It was Gomez’ stick which shoved Huet backward. We six or seven external fans in the stands. Three Nordique jerseys and three Monarchy jerseys. What will it be like if the Nords return? Dr. Rick tells me that it will mean Montreal will have to be more competitive with their drafting and with many other facets.
About twelve and a half minutes left in the second.
Kane zips and clips, Hither and tag. Zap. Zig. Quick, quick. Impressive. Right into the slot. Undressed someone so badly that I saw Gaston Gingras (Spacek fell like sand-weeble) for a moment. No shot. And mildly shocking, no penalty. Those kinds of moves usually result in a take-down.
Canadiens are turning it on now. Best pressure of the night. Bergeron is down there too. Kostitsyn, Gionta, Gomez and Mara, too. Hawks are standing around. Then they ice. They will be tired. Houde asks aloud if Quenneville will use his timeout. Doesn’t seem like it.
Quenneville does call it. Panama blares in the background. Van Halen is every city’s band.
Versteeg demons in from the left. Has a guy with him but goes backhand and lifts it. Doesn’t work. Versteeg does nothing to prevent sliding into Price. Yes, he was knocked down but.
Gill gets called for tripping on the play. Very quickly off the faceoff the puck moves across and bang. It’s in. From behind the net a pass from to Cam Barker who blasts it in. One-timer.
Hawk audio people play one of the worst songs in rock history to celebrate.
Chicago 2, Montreal 0.
Chicago comes in on a two-on-one with a trailer. Madden slows down. Passes across, deflected by a skate, third guy gets a shot; Price makes a great save. Great save. And further banging of the puck occurs. No goal. Price.
Eight and a half minutes. Chicago gets some control and gets a shot from the blue-line. Moen’s line is on and they are all deep. Pacioretty and Metropolit are with him. Brunet says the Canadiens defencemen are just watching the Black Hawks. He adds that they are showing too much respect for Chicago.
Price makes a near-save on which he looks impressive (puck went wide) and then a real save that was almost as impressive. Stops the play. He has played well and hasn’t had the drop-off in confidence that has been happening of late when he gives up one or two. But he was not at fault for either goal.
Moen on the ice will mean conviction. But some of the other Habs are fading. Houde remarks on it, as well. Five minutes left in the second. Two-goal lead.
Action goes for about a minute and suddenly Spacek shoots and Cammalleri pots the rebound from the side. Easy.
Chicago 2, Montreal 1.
Montreal is skating better as a group all of the sudden. Strand’s Theorem.
Shot by Gomez is deflected off a post by Kostitsyn.
I find myself wondering if Red Fisher likes Scotch. Or would it be wine.
Price is playing very well. Small saves. Big saves. Calm. The projected Price.
Another pass into the skates. This one from Gionta to Kostitsyn. You’re right, DB.
Faceoff with just over thirty seconds in the period. Puck moves from the neutral zone to Chicago territory. Out it goes. And the Canadiens bring it back. Moen. Keeps working. Keeps working. And then the man is on the canvas. Sudden puck from the side. How did it go in? Who cares. Travis Moen’s work results in a goal with less than three seconds left.
My favourite goal of the season so far. Ugly. But timely. Yeah, all goals are timely but the ones that come with two seconds on the clock are particularly Big Ben.
Montreal 2, Chicago 2.
Second Intermission
I got my NHL media guide in the mail and I’m curious how a digital media guide differs from a print version. With the pounds of football media guides I have ruining my cheap Staples bookshelves, I find this DVD incursion to be an optimistic proposition. I don’t think the CFL has gone to digital media guides yet. At least the 2008 ones weren’t. It looks as if I’ll be needing the 2009 ones after all, so I’ll find out.
Joel Bouchard is giving us some digital thoughts of his own. The colour on his screen is better than on mine. Now how could that be possible? How.
The yellow stripe along the bottom of the boards looks more bright.
Bouchard shows us the importance of getting the pass out to the right guy. Demers says women love his analysis. And Demers also looks very impressed. Bouchard does catch a lot. Far more than this old (former) exile.
We get a Mike Cammalleri interview just prior to the period. Cammalleri talks about motivation openly and hints that not all the Habs were focused enough. One gets the impression that he voices elaborate versions of these thoughts in the dressing room.
Third Period
Chicago 2, Montreal 2
Some tumble and search as about four different players fall in a twelve-second stretch. Then the puck is frozen by Huet and the Canadiens lose the faceoff.
Bergeron with a bad decision gives the puck away behind the net. Chicago gets an extended control as a result. Bergeron makes up for it by working it out (barely) but his hustle is evident. He makes mistakes but he is conscientious and attempts to make up for them.
Houde talks about meeting former Chicago Bear Mike Ditka at his restaurant. Shook his hand. Might have been talking about someone else meeting the former Cowboy tight end. Michael Jordan, Mike Ditka, Barack Obama and Stan Mikita. Doesn’t quite meld.
Canadiens go on the penalty-kill. And they end the penalty with little drama. No shots by Chicago.
Gomez line is working hard. Kostitsyn gets a pass difficult to control from Gomez. He panics around with his stick, all juice and vigour but loses it. Being on a line with someone like Gomez will be good for AK46. Gionta and Cammalleri will also have a good effect on the older brother. But someone needs to learn Russian.
Price is one of the best players for Montreal tonight. Another solid save to keep things in hand.
Just over thirteen minutes in the period.
Gomez fans on a shot and Kostitsyn is a bit mannequin on the play as he watches the puck dribble toward and past him.
Chicago moves down and get a good scoring chance but Price slides over quickly to end it. A good save. Difference-maker.
Montreal follows with a three-on-two blown by an offside.
Pierre Houde says “Tres bonne nuit de travail pour Carey Price ce soir” and we are told he has stopped 28 shots.
Huet makes a mistake behind the net and Pacioretty gets the puck out front. Nobody there to convert. Metropolit was too far. Opportunistic. Pacioretty looks and sounds like a frizzled bird of prey.
Seabrook blasts a bouncer from the point and Price finds and stops it. Repels it right.
Hamrlik-Spacek pass fails and results in a prolonged Chicago presence. Finally Lapierre and Cammalleri get it out. But Huet fires it up for a Chicago entry and the puck goes tennis. Multiple possessions by both teams. Not many shots but the intensity level is rising. Now Chipchura and Latendresse are on with Pacioretty and they create two quality scoring chances.
Same line remains for the faceoff and they are fierce. Finally Chicago intercepts a pass and the line gives way to Cammalleri, Lapierre and Plekanec.
Chicago gets a break. Crowd shows great interest for the first time. Refs confer. Delay of game. Cammalleri’s puck loft went up and over at the wrong spot. Delay of game.
Chicago power-play with about eight and a half minutes in the period. Montreal begin the PK with a three-on-one. Metropolit elects to shoot and shoots high and hard. Deflects off the goalie’s upper self.
Chicago struggles to set up.
Gomez and Gionta are the PK pair. Kane beats Gionta one-on-one just inside the blue line, what skating ability. Moments later Dave Bolland is called for interfering with Gomez.
Four-on-four for just over thirty seconds. And then Montreal will have a 90-second advantage. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a Markov goal or vapor-assist.
Gomez with Gionta and AK46 for the first segment of the power-play.
Chicago exit and get a good shot which is stopped by Price. Sharp angle.
Montreal has done nothing with the advantage so far and with 14 seconds left get a chance. Plekanec with Cammalleri. But the good work along the boards by Plekanec doesn’t result in a shot. Penalty ends but the two keep working well. Especially Tomas.
Just over four minutes left. Kane goes down the right side. Pass to Sharp. Great adjustment to shoot it. Goal. Great goal. Reminiscent of many of their late-game goals in the playoffs this spring. A team that can score at any time.
Chicago 3, Montreal 2.
Montreal, on the other hand, is no longer a team that can score at any time.
Gomez is on with Pacioretty and Gionta. No long possession.
Cammalleri with Lapierre and Plekanec. This line can’t contain it in Chicago territory either.
Kostitsyn is under water again. Gives it away passing from the neutral zone back to the Montreal blue line. No disaster ensues.
Just over a minute. Montreal needs something. They get an icing break. Price heads to the bench and Martin unfolds his sheet and gets the pen out. Head down and blue suit all the while.
Muller is barking “side, side” during the short huddle. Price gets on the bench to stay.
Montreal loses the faceoff.
They go back to get it. Now Plekanec loses his stick. Broken, I think. Bergeron takes things into his own hands and drives in about as deeply as Gingras used to when he got of the same mind. He’s down by the side of Huet just past the end line but no pass goes out.
Stoppage in play results in a faceoff to the right of Huet. Montreal loses the faceoff. Chicago clears it out.
Montreal can only win by sneaking pucks here and there and in close games where underdog tricks lull overdog hubris. Tonight’s game was an opportunity to steal a win but Chicago’s speed overwhelmed the team.
Etcetera.
End of period.
Chicago Blackhawks 3
Montreal Canadiens 2
HDS Stars: Patrick Kane, Travis Moen, Carey Price
RDS Stars: Patrick Kane, Carey Price, Kris Versteeg
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