Montreal Canadiens versus Florida Panthers

Musings and In-Game Scribbles

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 (20-19-3) at Florida Panthers (16-17-7)

Thursday, December 31, 2009
Game Forty-Three (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.

Jaroslav Halak starts his sixth game of this seven-game road trip. Tomas Vokoun is the opposing goaltender.

And look out; Chris Lee is on the ice in stripes.

First Period

Plekanec’ line is on first. Plekanec loses another faceoff. He’s been struggling lately in that area.

Florida gets early control. The TV angle is very low and at a sharp angle. It’s harder to see what’s going on. It’s a closer view but we see fewer players in a given shot.

Brunet says he is surprised that Carey Price didn’t start. Brunet suggests that it’s perhaps a reward for Halak’s good work on this trip.

Gionta misses a puck. Spacek supports, collects the puck and gets it to Hamrlik who gets it out.

And it’s back in Montreal’s zone. Gomez is in front tracking the puck laterally.

Sergei Kostitsyn is injured. Lower body injury we are told.

This view reminds me of the low angle used in the Skydome for Argonaut games.

Stillman sends Gregory Campbell in for a shot from the edge. Halak stops it and holds it for a faceoff.

Pacioretty is sent in by Lapierre and shoots directly into Vokoun. Faceoff.

Campbell sends it in back-handed. Canadiens take it the other way. Lapierre sends it from the corner to the point. It goes back to Lapierre behind the net. Line change soon afterward.

Gill is paired with O’Byrne.

A puck is shoveled into the bench area by the Panthers. Faceoff is at centre ice. Plekanec is chased from the circle and Cammalleri has to take the faceoff.

Kostitsyn works deep. Kicks it to Cammalleri. To Gorges. Wide. Weiss retrieves it for Florida. Their exit is interrupted in neutral ice.

Gionta to Pouliot. Then Gomez and Pouliot work in the corner against two Florida players.

Canadiens are chased out of the zone. They regroup with Hamrlik sending the puck out.

Just under five minutes elapsed.

Florida takes it in offside.

D’Agostini and Moen are forechecking. Puck gets out and turnovers are the norm for this shift. Finally D’Agostini controls high to Vokoun’s left.

Long pass misses everyone and Lapierre carries it out for Montreal from behind Halak.

Bergeron is behind the Florida end-line and he loses his puck battle. Another Montreal rush follows. Lapierre drops it for Bergeron and a screened shot follows. Nope.

Cammalleri to Plekanec now. Three Habs are deep and forechecking. Kostitsyn is swindled in space and Florida defenceman Keith Ballard is coming out. He passes to Kamil Kreps. Kreps is in the Montreal zone. Longest Florida possession follows.

Stick is broken. Florida controls. Ballard is taken down near the blue line. Montreal fans in the crowd make themselves heard.

Andrei Kostitsyn is called for hooking. Iffy call. Ballard took a nice dive as he collided with the stick.

Moen intercepts a pass early. Follows it down.

Florida fires it in.

Gionta and Gomez create a near chance with forty seconds gone in the penalty.

Florida sets up. They move it around the perimeter. Shot. Halak makes a good save. And another seconds later. Markov clears.

Ballard carries it out. Keeps it. Short side. Shot. Scores. How did that go in? Shot of Andrei who looks a bit contrite leaving the box and is examining his stick very closely.

Shot went under the blocker. Brunet said Halak should have done better.

Florida 1, Montreal 0

Ten and a half minutes left in the period.

Kostitsyn skates down the right side with purpose.

Puck rounds the boards behind the net and a shot from the point follows. Vokoun holds it for the faceoff.

Go Russia.

Montreal wins the faceoff and Hamrlik takes a shot from about 35 feet away.

Spacek’s shot is blocked.

Spacek and Hamrlik combine to move it out. Missed pass results in a Florida possession. Garrison dumps it in. Montreal recovers; Markov.

More turnovers. Pace is lightly fluid and the hitting is sparse.

Cory Stillman is a shadow soldier looming all over the ice. A dangerous player.

O’Byrne to Gomez. Dumped in.

Gionta chases. Pouliot comes up with it. Pass to the high slot. O’Byrne gets it at the point. Passes to Gill. Shot. Scores. Lots of cheering and signs and fans. Gill punches gloves along the Montreal bench.

Gomez gets most of the credit in my book.

Rising slapper of medium speed. It’s Gill’s second of the season.

Montreal 1, Florida 1.

Leopold sends Horton in offside and the whistle signals a commercial.

Plekanec wins the faceoff. Goes to Spacek. To the left. Cleared into the Florida zone. Montreal loses the puck in the corner but not before Kostitsyn delivers a rugged blow. Hits don’t always equal possession.

Plekanec gives the puck away near the blue line after capturing it nicely.

Metropolit does superb work taking the puck away from an attacker in the Montreal corner to the right of Halak.

Vokoun takes a sip of water after the whistle.

Gill stumbles and falls while giving the puck away. Montreal recovers. Gionta centres it. Percentage spikes. Nothing. Another shot. Pouliot. Directly from the slot. Half-slap shot. Must have been right on the goalie.

Faceoff.

Pacioretty and Lapierre combine to keep the puck in Florida territory. Plekanec dumps it in and is held up easily at the blue line.

Florida captures the puck for a short-lived possession. Their dump-ins are failing for the most part. Unless that was a line change.

Spacek to Cammalleri about eight seconds later leaving the Montreal zone.

Andrei Kostitsyn gets the puck to Plekanec who blasts one right on Vokoun from the right circle. Shooting drills next week?

Bad beer commercial. The good beers just don’t get the spotlight. This one starts with “R”. No, not Rainier. Whatever happened to that boar piss anyway?

Muller says Bonne Annee in French. Gomez did earlier. Commercial messages in green and red. Satan watches. I mean Santa.

Gorges is in deep. Drop pass. Shot.

Hamrlik shoots. Houde’s tone rises high. Stopped. Then a breakaway. Nathan Horton. Deke. Beautiful finish. Not a great stickhandler but enough chops to put that one in. I know you’re reading, Steve.

Florida 2, Montreal 1.

Four and a half minutes left in the first period.

D’Agostini chases it down. Moen is providing support.

Florida uses an unorthodox pass to their own slot to move it out. Bergeron is pressing deep. Pacioretty is on the other side and pressing paper to glass. Good check.

Florida goes in offside. Three and a half minutes.

Plekanec loses the faceoff to Weiss.

Leopold has it and passes it to Ballard. Florida turns it over soon afterward; another failed dump-in.

Montreal moves in. Cammalleri and Plekanec combine for a pass and shoot. Plekanec from the circle. Waited. Shot. Stopped and held for the faceoff.

Again, right on the goalie. Or so it seemed.

Pouliot gives the puck away on the Montreal boards. Florida keeps it in. Both teams are playing tired. Montreal is anyway. They are slow. And getting slower.

Moen and Metropolit can’t keep it in. But on the point, Hamrlik keeps the action going.

Shift gets long. They flee for the bench at the first opportunity. Bergeron is in again. Shooting from the off-wing.

Bergeron must be playing wing tonight.

Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers. Take me to the summit. Show me the cliff wall. Let me sail like Sanjay off the edge. Well, maybe not Sanjay. It was a suspicious crash.

Period drains away. In a non-compelling way.

Montreal has the shot advantage 15-10

First Intermission

Florida 2, Montreal 1

Jacques says that he is aware of the Ovechkins and the Malkins but that Plekanec should also be considered at the end of the year as the player most valuable to his team.

Luc Gelinas pronounces Hal Gill’s name “Hall Gill”. They interview the tall defenceman prior to the second. Or rather, that’s when they show it to us.

Second Period

Florida 2, Montreal 1

Gionta line starts. Pouliot gets an early shot but it’s wide and high. Wild shot. [Walton]

Watching experts trying to create a goal. Again I wish I could see the entire rink surface at all times.

Florida does not have many creators. It’s up to Montreal to lead the way in this game

However, Florida hits the post. Dominic Moore. Halak was beaten. Hasek was left off the Czech team list even though he is still active in some foreign league. I’m not surprised. Just thought about Hasek for a moment there. Halak is going to be Slovakia’s starter.

McCabe goes for tripping. Is that really tripping? He shoved Metropolit down. Looked legal to me.

Metropolit, Plekanec and Cammalleri are the first wave with Markov and Bergeron on the blue line.

Montreal is pushed out early. They regroup and enter. Puck finds its way to Markov. From Metropolit. Markov sends it to Cammalleri quickly. One-timer. In. Cammalleri.

Montreal 2, Florida 2.

I can’t decide whether I want a period after that score phrase or not. Me needs a copy-proofer and an editor. Me misses that.

Reinprecht is shooting dangerously. Montreal survives thirteen seconds of Florida control.

Brunet is growing on me. What exactly is Yvon Pednault doing these days? We should interview him.

Pacioretty. Up for Plekanec. They keep it. Plekanec mostly. Small guy keepin’ it.

Shot. Another shot. Vokoun is getting in trouble. Montreal stays with it. Markov moves up. Shot. Rebound. Goal. Plekanec.

Falling and turning.

Montreal 3, Florida 2

That’s what it looks like without the period.

Moore has it behind Halak. A pass to the slot a bit later. Also from Moore.

Puck is moved out.

Tired puck battle on the boards. Moen and Metropolit are teaming. Nice work but they eventually lose it.

Florida clear is intercepted by O’Byrne at the red line.

Defensive pair changes. Spacek and Hamrlik are on. Bergeron is on as a winger with Lapierre. They fly in.

Shot. Save. Vokoun holds it.

Just under thirteen minutes left in the second period.

Weiss intercepts the puck and then loses it between the Montreal circles.

Gomez carries it in. He’s always looking for the pass. Turnover. Florida two on two. But they have an angle and an opening. Montreal is slow in getting back as they were changing but Gomez’ intercepted pass was the main problem. Ugh.

Shot was stopped but not with ease.

Fight.

Ballard versus Lapierre. Lapierre gets in trouble early but gets angry and takes the last half of the fight.

Brunet is happy about it. Says it’s good for the team spirit. I think Lapierre was standing up for someone.

Someone dropped the gloves for me. I was feeling beleaguered. Merci, Chong. Sensitive people shouldn’t be aggressive. I’ll never learn.

Gionta and Pouliot combine for a nice steal and dump-in with a pass.

Vokoun nearly pays the price for a Florida turnover.

Just under nine minutes left.

D’Agostini line is on. Metropolit and Moen with him.

What about Ben Maxwell?

Collision between D’Agostini and Pouliot results in a three-on-two and Florida scores. Brunet says he doesn’t like the work of O’Byrne on the last sequence

O’Byrne shouldn’t have backed up for so long, says Brunet. He adds that O’Byrne’s work resulted in a screening of Halak.

Florida 3, Montreal 3.

Zednik is in some other foreign league now.

Plekanec’ rush is repelled. Then he is interfered with and it goes uncalled. Houde informs us that the referee who missed it was Lee. Brunet and Houde chuckle. So do I. Just had to mention it, eh Pierre? Hilarious.

Moen is tapping it ahead for himself. Into the corner. O’Byrne is pinching. Wrong choice. Another three-on-two. O’Byrne gets back to help neutralize it. No real rush and certainly no shot.

Decade of dignity. Bob Gainey brought back the pride. He had a big job in front of him when he started and it’s taken a long time just to get the culture right. Now let’s see what happens. The cap really slows things down for teams that want to improve. Just my opinion.

Just over four minutes.

Halak is not as confident tonight.

Gomez is behind the net and creating. Danger, danger. Nearly puts the puck in off a Florida leg a la Wayne.

Wayne Harris? Wayne Gacy? L’il Wayne?

Puck goes out of play following some warm commercials. Why not have mushy commercials year-round? Can you imagine how the subway ride would be different? Happier drivers too.

Good day ma’am. Why does the “d” have to disappear?

Puck goes out of play again.

I think Alex Kovalev misses Montreal. I think it is affecting his outlook and his play. It’s sad. Let’s bring him back. Maybe he’ll give us an artist discount.

The action is beer-league slow now. Except Gionta. Oil streak slick on a southern chalk surface.

Tripping.

Gionta.

[Expletive deleted]

Two minutes and eighteen seconds in the period.

McCabe to Seidenberg.

Shot. Nothing. Cleared.

Florida resets. Another blue line shot. Wide. Pouliot clears this time.

Third entry. Stillman works down along the boards to Halak’s left.

Montreal gets lucky on a stick. Could have been called a trip. It was accidental.

Twenty-five seconds.

Plekanec spends some of Florida’s time.

Gionta leaves the box. Houde gets loud. Gionta shoots. Hard. Vokoun stops it. Someone should both weigh and measure Tomas Vokoun’s glove. It’s a red sombrero.

Shots are 13 each. For a total of 28 to 23 for Montreal.

Blue and orange can work. It works for the Knicks. It ain’t working for the Panthers. Questionable shades. (Tint is when you add white)

Second Intermission

Florida 3, Montreal 3

We get some end-of-the-year thoughts from the RDS crew. And an interview of Patrice Cormier of the Canadian junior team. He is the captain and he is Francophone. Doesn’t dismiss any of the concepts.

Third Period

Montreal 3, Florida 3

Nathan Horton gets a delay of game penalty. It’s not clear what it was for or when it was called.

Montreal goes to a power-play. And seconds later a puck goes over the glass and Montreal will have a two-man advantage.

We are informed that Andrei Kostitsyn is done for the night.

Gionta and Cammalleri are on the first wave with Plekanec. Bergeron and Markov on the blue line.

Bergeron loses the puck. They have to regroup.

Montreal controls and passes well. They are patient.

Finally a shot. Bergeron. Scores. Loud, sad ting. Long shot from the middle of the blue line. It’s his tenth of the season. And I’m not sad.

Montreal 4, Florida 3

Both penalties are over. Seventeen and a half minutes left in the game.

Moen watches McCabe behind the Florida net.

Plekanec comes in on a two-on-one. With Pacioretty. Fakes the shot. Fools em all. Open net. Pacioretty is so awkward. Like a too-tall buzzard. Hits the outside of the net.

Next incursion is dangerous, too. Crossing moves from Gomez and Gionta. Interlaced elegance. Shot from Gomez.

Pouliot bangs home the rebound.

Montreal 5, Florida 3

Just over fifteen minutes left.

Halak makes a save. Lapierre exits with a winger. Two-on-two. Not much room given. Sharp-angle shot. Stopped. Held.

O’Byrne sends Reinprecht sliding to the boards.

Shot from nowhere. Dvorak. He was allowed to move right out of the corner. Chose a top corner. Short side. In. What. What.

Montreal 5, Florida 4

Leopold goes for a high stick.

Montreal’s number one-ranked power-play goes to work.

Markov sends a goal. Intercepted. Metropolit was waiting.

Another interception. Gomez.

Forty seconds. Only Spacek is on the point. Spacek’s shot is blocked. I remember him being a lot better in Buffalo.

Careless high sticks, shots blocked all the time and often out of position. What in the desert.

Just over eleven minutes.

Weiss is in. Box of four white jerseys around him. Gets a shot anyway.

Now a Panther falls. Cammalleri enters with Plekanec. Beautiful hesitation from Cammalleri and Plekanec can’t even get a stick on it.

Another breakout. Cammalleri again. Two on two. Smothered. Gomez and Gionta are in now. Swerve and scissor. Shot isn’t glinting.

Go Habs Go chant starts here in Southern America.

Markov shows some Cadillac. Florida follows with some dragster of their own.

Halak has to retain the puck after a high glove save.

McCabe shoots from the point. Deflection. Close.

Gomez the other way. Gomez works down low and sends a pass to Pouliot in the crease. Pouliot fans on it.

Moen tries to find Lapierre in the crease. Intercepted.

Pacioretty enters with Moen. Pacioretty holds the puck longer than usual. Takes it from the right circle up to the blue line and lobs it back into the corner. He needs to do more of this kind of stuff. The team needs the creatives to increase the time of possession.

Markov gets called for tripping. Brunet says it was a very dangerous play by Markov. Brunet says it’s a no-no. Markov slid like a guy stealing second and took down Keith Ballard.

Halak is slow tonight. He doesn’t have that sense of urgency. Something’s off. The rubber band isn’t tight.

Moen and Plekanec are working well. Moen is a bit sluggish, himself. Just over four minutes left.

This road trip might have seen a few late nights.

Big rebound. Halak can’t get across. Not really.

Shot isn’t forthcoming. Fortunate.

Just over three minutes. Cammalleri and Plekanec enter with Pacioretty in support. Pacioretty is hammered against the boards. Falls awkwardly on his stick. Watches the play continue around him. He’s ok.

Two and a half minutes.

Florida is pressing now. Montreal is playing as if they are out of oxygen and in trouble. Psychological. Put eight minutes on the clock and the flow would look different.

Montreal ices it. One minute and forty-eight seconds left.

Gomez wins the faceoff. Gorges clears it out.

Pouliot is working to make a difference and it keeps the Panthers out.

One minute and fifteen seconds left. Vokoun leaves his net. I feel fear. Montreal ices. Martin calls a timeout. Houde calls it.

Flurry and kafuffle. Gionta gets it out.

Last segment. Twenty seconds. Florida is set up. But they can’t get the passes they want. Cammalleri works at the blue line. He gets big help from Pacioretty.

Seconds drain. Game ends. Muller shakes Martin’s hand and Martin says thank-you. Martin’s last team was Florida where he served as GM.

Montreal 5
Florida 4

HDS Stars: Scott Gomez, Tomas Vokoun, Tomas Plekanec
RDS Stars: Andrei Markov, Tomas Plekanec, Scott Gomez

Alain Crete, Joel Bouchard and Jacques Demers wish the viewers Happy New Year and Demers adds that those watching who abuse children and women should change their philosophy; their children love them more than they realise. He seems to tear up briefly in saying this and I’m reminded that he is a sensitive and aware man. He endured his own hardships growing up. He has always been very positive and supportive with his players and now with his crewmates on RDS.