Montreal Canadiens vs. New York Islanders

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 (12-11-7) host New York Islanders (9-12-6)

Tuesday, December 13th, 2011

Game Thirty-One (score posted following scribbles)

Missed it? Musings capture the game in writing. A written transcript typed during the game, posted and edited about thirty minutes afterward.  Based on the RDS French telecast of the Montreal Canadiens game, Musings take about 23 minutes to read. More detailed than an article, fresher than a looping highlight and good with morning coffee. Or late-night chocolate.  A unique way to re-experience the game.

click here to expand post (it looks prettier)

I find Reseau des Sports’ Mechant Mardi lead-up banal.  That, I’ve said.  But it’s also too homogenized.  Doesn’t represent everyone.  It’s a bit disappointing.

And.  Singing and shouting.  Doesn’t get me fired up.  Does it you?

Campoli is shown half-ready in the dressing room.  Campoli was reported a likely scratch for tonight.  Guess not.

Home struggles are highlighted using goals for and against.  The team has won twelve of thirty games (both home and away).  Unacceptable.

The older I get, the deeper my understanding of Ron Lancaster’s motto: Stats are for losers.

The big desk.  Carbonneau, Crete and the cactus.

Campoli will start, bumping Emelin, tonight.  Carbonneau notes that Emelin has recorded the most hits for a Montreal defenceman this season.  He has 79.  And that leads all Canadiens (fourth in the league).  Burly forward Erik Cole is second with 67 and the at-times rugged Travis Moen and resolute Josh Gorges follow with 48 and 41, respectively.

Now we suffer a Nickelback song with accompanying band and Canadien highlights.  They’re all positive highlights.  We must stay together.  Twelve wins in thirty outings.  Not worth a montage.  Not worth a highlight reel.

The process has been unbecoming, as well.

The Islanders specialize in overrated players.  But Al Montoya is in net and not the embarrassing Rick DiPietro.

Al Price for Montreal.  Ben Price?  Vick Price?

Ok.  Carey Price.

First Period

Eric Furlatt and Ghislain Hebert are the refs tonight.  Michel Cormier is a linesman.  The fourth dude is from Ottawa.  Houde makes note of all.

Moen takes a puck from Tavares on the hash.  Through the legs near-no-look pass is complete.  Looked dangerous.  But it worked.

Habs enter.  Offside.

Eller interfered with a defenceman.  Eller was speeding to get out of the zone to avoid the offside.  Banged into an opponent.

One minute gone.

These are the kinds of errors that cost a team games.

Islanders’ first segment ends with a Plekanec blast-out from the high circle from Price’s left.

Second segment ends on the other circle.

Forty-seven seconds and Price finds it behind his net.  Fires it.  Off a stick.  And out of play.

Good coverage on entry from Montreal with one man up high and three across below.

Nokelainen wins a faceoff and Cammalleri floats along beside him as the two try an entry.  It’s brief.

Fifteen seconds.  Around the Montreal net.

Gorges shoots it out of the zone.

Penalty ends.

Islanders’ Brian Rolston is over the blue and wrists it directly on Price.  Allows a line change.  Price froze it.

Tavares is the leading point-getter of the 2009 draft.  He leads the second-place fellow by a few points.  A few points.  Not what we would have expected.  I’m not a we.

Tavares was drafted in the first round.  Ok.  First, overall.  Yes.  Yes.  Yes, he was ballyhooed.  Wouldn’t the great John Tavares have had many more points than the next guy?  Not just a few?

Campoli is shown.  He’s on the right point across from Kaberle.  Draw is won, deep right.  Campoli sends it to the left side corner.

Cole passes to Kaberle, a short touch pass form the circle tops.

Montreal ice.

Kaberle struggles to move the puck out but recovers and relaunches the team from the other direction.

Subban with an entry on the right.  Pass to the right corner.  Plekanec can’t complete his slot pass.

Lines change as Subban retrieves the puck.

Fifteen and thirty.

Leblanc is in the zone early and Montreal is offside.

Price is programmed and perfect so far.  Not a smidge out of position.

Weird puck bounce off the boards and Cole nearly pots one in the crease.  Islanders are called.  Hooking.  Streit.  Their captain and our former blue-line power-play expert.  Always in place of Markov.

Tomas Kaberle low.  Tomas Plekanec and Andrei Kostitsyn combine for a shot from three feet.  Montoya is low and has all the angle he needs.

Habs reset.

A pass from the right corner goes through two Habs at the blue.  Cole circling and searching.  Weber on the blue.  They work it around.  Pacioretty keeps it going to the right point.

And they set up Cole.  Desharnais with the pass and Montoya with the alert save.  Cole is always at the net.

Penalty ends with little else though the Canadiens control the puck throughout.  Much better effort in this first period as compared to the last time out against Islanders.

Montreal isn’t underestimating the new pluck this time.  Islanders won the last time, 4-3 after dominating Montreal in the first period.

Faceoff to Price’s right.  Isles win it.  To the left point.  And then out of play.

PA Parenteau finds Matt Moulson seconds after the succeeding faceoff.  From the blue.  Nokelainen sent the pass right to Parenteau in the high slot.  Moulson went from forehand to backhand crossing he crease and his moustache is not one for November.  It’s for la season.  And the Age of Aquarius.

Seventies goal.

Islanders 1, Canadiens 0

Very nice pass by Parenteau.

Expect a star from the RDS viewers.

Eleven.

Habs work it a bit harder.

Forecheck. Kostitsyn finds it.  Offwing.  Close.  Takes it and fires.  And a whoo!

Goal.

It’s his 200th point, says Houde.

Montreal 1, New York 1

Good response.  Good result.

Price stops Reasoner on the right side.

Ten minutes.

Puck is out.  Darche is chasing.  Mottau leaves it behind him.  Ole, Ole, Ole chant begins.

Both teams are working well and matching.

Streit’s pass along the left boards is interrupted by Subban.  To the mid-ice area.

Leblanc stops working once the puck escapes him and appears lost.  He resumes when the puck is back in Montreal blades.  The wood kind.

He leaves.

Cole is on.  Swoops in.  Is found. Fires.  Stopped.

Cole swoops a lot, eh?

Cole brakes on the right hash.  Campoli options in.  Nice timing.  Takes the pass and his second just misses.

Cole is in the Islander net.  Taken down legally by an Islander defenceman.  Jurcina.

Crowd boos.

Kostitsyn babooms a man under the Islander end line.

Forwards are getting back well.  Plekanec in the low slot.  Kostitsyn with a stick chop.  And Cammalleri watching.  Two out of three is better than one out of three.

Seven minutes.

Wallace to Reece.  Slapshot.  Wide right.

Darche is chasing deep.  Mottau with another drops pass.  Islanders are out on the right side but Wallace’s pass

Montreal entry.  Darche.  Shot.  And the goal.

Ugly goal.  Offwing.  Slapshot.  And beaten through the legs.  Should have had it.  Under the right arm, sorry.

Houde notes that Darche used la technique Cammalleri.  One knee on the ice.

Montreal 2, New York 1

Whatever works.  It’s been a long time for Darche.

Under six.

Gorges and Subban combine under the end line but the Islanders are in the grill.  And the puck stays along the boards.  Gorges ends it with a body on and a stick on the puck.

Islanders halt it in mid-ice.

Tavares with a smooth pause and pass for a one-timer that Price has some trouble with.

Okposo is back and forth with Gorges on his tail.  Okposo retains the puck but Gorges doesn’t leave an opening.  Dumps it along.  And then it’s out.

Very good first period from Montreal.  No let-up.

This Savard commercial. One of these times I’m going to unmute it.  He looks very Maybelline.  His face.  And he’s been directed to appear, move out, from behind some walls while talking.  Like the ING guy.  Walking while talking in commercials is one of the more amusing techniques used.  Where are these guys going?

Remember the back cover of Love at First Sting?  The band walking towards the camera.  Snapshot.  Wait!

They’re walking!

What for.

Canadiens are winning the board(s) battles.  Here’s a point pass from the hash for Gill.  Looks.  Mid-wind-up slapper.  Into the right corner.

Nobody could get to the front.

Herman Rarebell.

Three and a half.

Kaberle chooses wisely and finds a free puck under the left circle and the Canadiens are out.

Timing.  Veteran defenceman are the most pleasurable players to watch.  They’re like middle linebackers (the smart ones); they always know where the puck is.  And have the best idea of where they’re going to go next.

Kaberle is better positioned than Spacek.  And that’s not accidental.

Diaz with a long ice-low shot.  Sticks cross and snaps.  But no tick or tac.

Long Islander presence.  Houde makes note.

They win the draw but are too slow to chase it down.

Montreal can’t make them pay.

One oh nine.

Plekanec on the left hash.  Kostitsyn gets it.  Finds Plekanec who’s moved to the high slot.

Cammalleri tries his level best to keep a puck alive at the left hash.  One moment.  Two.  But it’s out.

Cammalleri doesn’t have much to his game.  And his shooting is all wrong, as Michel Bergeron is wont to tell us.  Shoots off the wrong leg.  And so forth.

Darche has some words with an Islander as the siren goes.  They agree to disagree.

Islanders led on shots 7-6.

First Intermission
Montreal 2, New York 1

Yesterday’s news.  Crosby.  Concussion-like symptoms.  Collided with his own teammate.  Undetermined absence.  Carbonneau says we’ll see him again.  But he’s no doctor.  And he doesn’t have the scans.  He maintains a positive attitude regarding the injury.

Now Giroux’ injury is shown.  Giroux took a knee to the head.  His own teammate.  An accident.  Giroux was on the ice, on one knee.  His man tried to hop over him.

Brunet wastes our time with “there are accidents out there”.  Always the apologist.  Always looking for a chance to minimize the POV that dangerous thugs roam the ice.  So.  I will do the same from the other end.  Now won’t I.

What is Alain wearing?  Oh.  A blue dress shirt. The folds along the buttons appear like a scarf or tie.  Orville Wright.

Terry Murray’s firing is reviewed.  They replaced him with the fist-for-a-brain John Stevens.  Good luck with that.  Too bad.  Kings were on the verge of something good.  What a disastrous move.

Second Period
Montreal 2, New York 1

Eller is not as low as Tavares on the draw and the overrated Mississauga native wins this one.

Habs have it in short order.

One shot.  V rebound.  Another big shot.  No traffic and both saves are simple for Montoya.

Puck is out of play.

Some peanuts and processing guy is studying the game behind Martin.  Thin.  Near-Bowie looking.

The Blue Jean video.

Islanders give room in the neutral zone and take it over deep in their ice.

One entry.  Alone.  Covered.  And the Islander shot is stopped on Price’s right.

By Price.

I’ve forgotten Campoli’s game and I watch him wind up with a long shot from the right point.  He shoots left.

Matt Moulson’s moustache reminds me of Derek Sanderson and Joe Namath simultaneously.

Islanders win the draw to Price’s right.

One long shot.  Into legs.

Seventeen left.

Martin is too relaxed in the neutral zone and Darche takes it from him.

Who’s this ninety-one?  What a bad pass.

Oh.

Your buddy Tavares.

Entry on the left side resulted in a pass into a Montreal stick.  Direct.

Or directly, if you prefer.

Faceoff to Montoya’s right.

Islanders come up with it.   Streit behind his net.  Long pass just past the centre line is complete.  But it can’t be controlled and the Canadiens are back in.  Plekanec wins one puck battle.  Cammalleri supports and ensures the possession.  Gill with a wrister low from the left point. Nice choice.  It’s on net and the rebound is a dangerous one.  Islanders control it.

Lines change.

Some Steve Staios talk.  He’s 38 and played a long time with Edmonton Oilers.  Earlier they showed a nice shot block in the slot on a Subban entry.  Staios is in his 17th season and wears the A for alternate.

Rolston, a shot.  Just over the blue and got most of it.  Nobody in the immediate area.  Price can’t see it.  It’s under his left pad.  We look for the trickle.  And it stays there.  Faceoff to his right.

Nokelainen wins the draw against Tavares.

It’s out.

Eller with a man and a second.  Over the blue.  Lofted shot.  Nokelainen slides into the net.  It’s off the moorings.  He’s ok.  And PA Parenteau is called for tripping.

The great PA Parenteau.  I wonder if he’s listed in that top 100 Quebec hockey player magazine.  They should have done top 1000.  Then they could have listed everyone they wanted.  Who comes up with this stuff?

What a stupid penalty.  Tripped Nokelainen in the low slot as Eller shot the puck.  Nokelainen.  Such an offensive threat.  I must eliminate him.  Was he hoping the strong Franco lineup amongst the officials would help him?  Maybe they’d overlook it?

If Ezra Levant doesn’t have to be nice, neither do I.  If Bertrand Raymond doesn’t have to be nice, neither do I.  And so on.

Unfairness shouldn’t be monopolized by the unfair.

Montreal power-play is illing.  In that old-school way.  It’s sick.  Diseased.  Feverish.  Bed-ridden.

Price gives a puck to Tavares.  Don’t give that guy a chance.  Habs get lucky.  But are called.  Delay of game.  Gill lofted it out of the zone.

I don’t think that was his intent.  A wince of hockey emotion from the towering defenceman as he sits in the box.  Then he fiddles with the tape on the end of his stick.

Montreal kills the penalty with little effort.

We go to fives.  Both teams are running out of gas and resolve.  And a mistake.  Islanders are called for too many men on the ice.

And another Montreal power-play.

They jam on the left.  Montoya is splayed, the left leg low and the puck stays out.  What a terrible non-call against Pittsburgh.

There was a day when Montreal used to draw more penalties than they took.  It wasn’t that long ago.

Montreal shows good control. Kaberle on the diamond point.  One man on the blue.  Kaberle sets up Subban.  One-timer.  What great work and much more convincing than last time out.

Isles clear.

Campoli and Weber on the blue now.  Interesting.  Cammalleri misses a swiping rebound.  Twelve in the penalty.  Six and sixteen.

Long puck.  Weak effort from Cammalleri on the forecheck.  Reaches low and tries to poke his stick in there.  Nearly works.  But he’s out of the play and now he’s off the ice.

Just stay off.  Can’t Martin scratch guys?

Such egos.  Such babies.  Who cares.  Scratch them.  And expect Gauthier to back you up.

Gomez.  Cammalleri.

Eller weaves and trick-pucks his way to Montoya.  How did that stay out.

What’s a captain for.

Montoya is in pain and holding his head in the back of the net.  On his back.  A trainer comes out to talk to him. Montoya has his mask off and has a Moulson moustache of his own.

He’s up and talking.  Seems alert.  And not expressing pain.

Where’s Saku.

Small crowd gathered behind the net and two Habs were there quickly.  Pacioretty was one of them.

To be sorted out after the break, says Houde.

Own your actions.  And inaction(s).

Randy Ladouceur is interviewed and says little of interest.

Kaberle in Montreal red.  Very odd.  He’s shown on the bench.

Parenteau shoved Leblanc after the play.  Like a bully.  And Leblanc was surprised.

What did Leblanc do, anyway?

Parenteau looks the petulant spoiled child in the penalty box.

Montreal is also penalized.  Possibly Leblanc.

Four on four.

Desharnais drives to the crease after cruising innocently under the end line.  Nearly works.  Stoppage.

Nilsson holds the puck too long, gets fancy and nearly turns it over.

Eller with a right side entry and the one-eighty turning backhand is allowed space.  But fails.  He’s working on these moves and he’ll put it together at some point.  They’re dangerous moves, those ones.  He also skates with his head down in the high slot at times and needs to be more careful.

Zednik was never the same.

Bailey.  Right in.  Covered but gets the space.  Shot.  Price.  Shot again. Price.

Yikes type.

Plekanec on the left.  Islanders are all around.  One at the net.  Martin in the high slot.  Men at the hash.

Martin takes the chance to run over Subban when he gets it.  Runs over Subban.

Subban turns and rolls.  Midsection injury.  Martin tried to finish the job.  On the end boards.

What a hockey creep.  Very dangerous.  And purposeful.

Martin is from Windsor, Ontario.

And he’s in the box.

One twenty-four.

Faceoff to Montoya’s right.  Montoya is alright, I suppose.

Stoppage after a failed entry.  Islanders control.  Clear.

I ponder Pat Riley’s comment “basketball is a series of skirmishes” and wonder how precisely this fits hockey which seems, at times, one interminable skirmish. At other times it does seem like a rich series of segments.  But they’re much shorter.  And much quicker.

Montreal slows it down.

Perimeter passing.  Plekanec is blocked from receiving a pass by Staios and Frans Nielsen up top.  Plekanec, parked on Montoya’s left, has to watch as the Habs try a long shot from the middle.  Easy block.

Period ends with Montreal leading on shots 15-9.

Second Intermission
Montreal 2, New York 1

Carbonneau and the cactus remain.  The cactus says “we talk a lot about the small details” in hockey.  He continues.  He seems proud that he’s worked the small details into his presentation.  They’re not occasional.  They’re constant.

Hey!  A petit detaile!

Hey!

Count needles.

Third Period
Montreal 2, New York 1

Marc and Pierre remind us that Kaberle was hired with play-making in mind.  Not goal-scoring.

They set up well.  Quick passing.  And the passes go long then short.  And shorter.  And perfect.  Desharnais to Cole for the one-timer from the low slot.

Boom.  Boom.  Boom.

Subban, too.

Montreal 3, New York 1

Isles follow with a will and one way.  It lasts three seconds.

Leblanc deep left.  Knocked down and back up.  Keep sup.

Goes to the net and bumps Jurcina.  A rather fearless move.  Or foolish, perhaps.  Jurcina ignores Leblanc for now and the puck is out, nonetheless.

Islanders are game but they seem less cohesive than in the first.

They’re still a fairly young team though with Brian Rolston, Jay Pandolfo, Steve Staios, the team’s veteran core is more pronounced than in recent years.

Jurcina is huge.  He’s listed at six foot four and 253 pounds.  He leaves the ice and the Islanders shoot it in.  Price holds onto it.

Houde mentions that at the end of the last period, gill took Subban aside, by the arm, and had some words.  The two are usually the last to leave.  Denis says that whatever was said has had a real effect.  Subban is playing a great third period.

Islanders score.

Josh Bailey deposits a backhand off a nice pass from the right post.  Entry had fooled the Canadiens and Diaz was compromised with two to cover from the low slot.

Montreal 3, New York 2

Price hides a puck under his pads to end a very dangerous looking incursion.  Okposo was in untouched down the right column.

Faceoff to Price’s left.

Just under fourteen.

Kostitsyn loses a puck on exiting.

Cammalleri is such a liability.

Lame effort at all times.  Here he pretends to be interested in the puck but just completes a banal rectangle, chasing at the perfect speed, all the while (the speed that will never bring him even).  He extends his stick in the air, held one-handed and accomplishes nothing.  Wand of stone.

He’s off the ice and the puck should be out soon.  Eller and Darche.  Tavares’ entry is closed off easily by two forwards and two defenders.

Cole entry on the right.  Into the post.  In some pain.  Some booing.  Hard to say.  He’s back up.  Cole tells the trainer to leave.

Legal play by Staios.

Dove to the ice to take him out.  Legal if he touches the puck.  And he did.

Cole finally decides to take the bench.  Or was he called in?

This team is much better without Gionta and Gomez on the ice.

And when Cammalleri is on the bench.

Get rid of all three.

Yeah, well, I’ve had time to think about it.

The Emperor has no clothes.

More trouble.    Islanders score.

Some flinging and flailing by Campoli and the puck is in.  But guess who else is on the ice.  And watching.  And relaxing. In his own zone.

Your buddy, Michael Cammalleri.

New York 3, Montreal 3

A coach that’s afraid to go after his worst players is not a tier one coach.

It takes some skill, sure.  And some support from upstairs. But.

Cory Clouston was thrown under the bus by Bryan Murray.  In a league where players make far more than their immediate supervisors and where those immediate supervisors don’t benefit from a coaches’ union as in certain other sports leagues on this planet, one can expect some untoward, illogical and shameful outcomes.

Jason Spezza is not a man of honour.  Cory Clouston is.

Bench Cammalleri. Then trade him.  Sure, he’ll be a baby.  Sure he’ll rally some people around him.  So what.

Nokelainen scores.  Blast from the blue.  Just hopped off the bench.  Was uncovered.  Hustled to the blue.  Over.  Received.  From Eller.  And point-blasted in. A one-timer.  And one for the ages.

I kid you not.

Off the crossbar.  Didn’t know he had that.  What velocity.

Montreal 4, New York 3

What do the Islanders have?  More importantly, who.

They’ll ice Tavares more than necessary.  That will be a help.

And hopefully we won’t ice Cammalleri.

Michael Cammalleri should be a healthy scratch til he learns his hockey lessons.

He’s on the ice.  Nothing.  Nothing.

More nothing.

Maybe he should be an actor.  Where is pretending most valued?

Mayor Michael Cammalleri.  A top hat and tip to Richmond Hill.  That quaint village of smiling and nodding.  Where heroes take brisk morning walks and leave the gardening to their wives.

Cole with a powerful wrist shot from the middle.  Cole.

Under one.  Montoya is off the ice.

Long puck.  Goes in the Islander net.

Hal Gill.

I laugh.

So does Houde.  And then Denis.  The rink is mostly smiling.  Laughing.

On est content pour Gill.  He’s a big brother and a leader in his way, says the impresario.

Montreal 5, New York 3

Is this the game?

And do something about that cowboy.

Times ekes out with the Islanders hopping and chasing.  Montoya is back.

No matter.

Long Islander shot.  Off a stick.  And done.

Price keeps his cool.

Subban breaks it.

They congratulate and thank Price for the win.  Some good saves.

Final Score
Montreal 5
New York 3

Darche gets a low five from Price.  Then Subban with the three.

HDS Stars: Erik Cole, Lars Eller, Mathieu Darche
RDS Stars: Petteri Nokelainen, Erik Cole, Matt Moulson

Related posts:

1. Montreal Canadiens vs. New York Islanders
2. Montreal Canadiens vs. St. Louis Blues
3. Montreal Canadiens vs. Winnipeg Jets
4. Montreal Canadiens vs. Philadelphia Flyers
5. Montreal Canadiens vs. New Jersey Devils
6. Montreal Canadiens vs. New York Islanders