Montreal Canadiens vs. St. Louis Blues
January 10, 2012, by Homme de Sept-Îles
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 (16-18-7) host St. Louis Blues (24-12-5)
Tuesday, January 10th, 2012
Game Forty-Two (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)
(warning; this musing was destroyed by MS Word; the final period was erased)
Jaroslav Halak is back. His first game in Montreal since the trade. He won the first meeting between the two in St. Louis in March of 2011 by a 4-1 score.
Price marks the first moment. He is awarded the Molson Cup for the player of the month in December.
Halak’s head is down and then back up. This game is important to him.
Eric Furlatt and Brad Watson are the refs.
First Period
First puck is into the right corner and I’m occupying two seasons at once.
On the other end Halak scoops a flimsy shot and holds it for the faceoff.
To his right.
He has the neck protector, clear plastic and the high glove as the Canadiens win the draw. Price doesn’t wear a neck protector. I wish he would.
Blues carry, Berglund around the net and then along the column looking for an opening all the while. Finally it’s stripped and cleared. Gionta is on the ice and the puck goes out of play.
Same lineup as last game, seven forwards and Nokelainen off the roster.
Emelin sends a long wrister. Lost on the boards. Arnott’s lead pass finds only Price behind the net.
Action slows and the stops as the puck is iced by Montréal.
Langenbrunner is shown. He’s won three Cups, all with New Jersey. Two minutes gone.
Plekanec and Gionta advance with caution, two defencemen back. Plekanec pulls the shoulder in and shoots it wide of the net. Possession can’t be had.
Reaves is on. I smile. He’s huge. And he’s tripped. Willard? No. Ryan. But he’s from Winnipeg.
Eller shakes his head in the box and smiles. He was looking relaxed in a pre-game shot in the dressing room.
Plekanec is free. Breakaway.
Plekanec brakes and then Halak is v-legged, dropping and the puck stays out.
Houde says we’re seeing the Halak of two years ago.
Blues finally set up.
Colaiacovo with a long shot. Stays out. Second shot by Pietrangelo is way wide o the mark.
Puck is in the crease. Unseen. Play is stopped.
Blues win the draw. To the blue. Shot. And it’s out again. Twenty seconds in the penalty. Desharnais and Moen. Diaz fires one out of the zone.
Campoli intercepts a pass and the teams are back at fives. Sent long.
Shattenkirk carries and then passes mildly into the neutral zone.
The pace remains nearly casual.
A crossed-arm Ken Hitchcock is shown and he tugs self-consciously at his jacket lapel as he realises he is on camera. He’s respected by many but I’m having my doubts.
The team has been winning since his appointment as his coach.
Cammalleri and Perron are annoyed with one another. Perron took exception to the cross-check bumps in the corner and sticked back. Cammalleri upped the ante and now both are in the box.
Four on four.
Blues have scored five goals and allowed one in four-on-four this season. Montreal has scored three and given up four.
Price freezes two pucks, the second a crab-leg riser with the glove over his head like a New York schoolboy. We’re only missing the popsicle.
Thirteen. Backes. Under the Montreal end line. Back and forth. And then the pass is sent out after missing all sticks.
Emelin introduces himself to a St. Louis forward. Arms get high.
Houde notices. No call. Emelin could have been called for an elbow.
One minute in the four on four.
Blues have controlled throughout.
Very poor effort from Subban on the ending sequence. Following sizzle-free.
Back to fives.
Long shot. Changes direction like an ice cube in a pinball machine. And Price earns an exclaimed compliment (from Houde).
Desharnais line. Cole and Pacioretty with him. They’ve been reunited.
Blues are on the boards unchallenged.
Nobody wants any of it.
Finally Subban has it behind his net.
Long pass to the right hash.
How many players are affected by the increased media attention, for Halak, this week?
Blues watch Montréal break down in their zone. Slow fraying.
Corner pass. D’Agostini shoots. And Price is knees together, both skates angled behind him and he’s out for the save.
Give the guy some help.
Two and two in the right corner. Longest Montreal possession of the game. And it’s out after a three second pause.
Desharnais chops at an outlet pass. Alters the path.
D’Agostini. Right side. Long pass and Price is spun out of position in reaching. Puck can’t be taped in.
Blues continue to control. Where are the boos? Very limited effort byte Canadiens. Finally Subban wakes up somewhat and shakes the clothesline. Around the net. Now it’s trapped behind. And then in front. Price became a defenceman on the play, says Houde.
The Blues are large defensive club with a surly, intimidating demeanour. They’re playing clean but nobody wants to wake them up. I’ve never seen Montreal so cowed by a bigger team.
Why not take the game to them.
Finally Darche beats Colaiacovo to a puck and the pass nearly results in a crease rap.
Blues are adroit and calm and lumber back into their designated area, the Montréal zone.
Crowd is waiting and hoping for something, a Kostitsyn entry, covered by two players raises voices but there’s not much else.
Blues are not worried at all. And they remind me of the Canucks tonight. The Western Conference is populated with bigger teams and a more rugged, Canadian style attitude to the game.
Diaz. Long shot. Up into the air. Gionta slices at it high. And it stays out. Sudden.
Cole. Around the net. Passes into the crease. Turnover.
Cole swings a stick at the exiting Blue. Cole has to lead. And I sense he will.
Thirty-five seconds.
Plekanec line.
Price launches them.
Darche and Blunden are with him. Pass for Darche. Montreal begins to pressure. Pass through the crease. Darche can’t finish.
Siren goes.
Blues led on shots 9-4.
Disappointing period.
First Intermission
Montreal 0, St. Louis 0
My nephew phoned. He doesn’t seem to remember who Jaroslav Halak is, anymore. He’s three now.
Second Period
St. Louis 0, Montreal 0
Alak!
Eller sees Berglund to the ice, a slow turning, knees to rubber affair as the forward played some failed haunch hockey.
Canadiens are more implicated and the lanes St. Luis could count on are gone. The surface looks as it should, red comets and blue flames.
Being the visiting goalie. Kept in.
A shot. Cammalleri. Gionta is pushed into Halak. They’re former teammates.
You know.
Stoppage.
I’ve had ice cream. The Canadiens have had a lecture. Let’s go!
Habs win the draw. Pacioretty sends one through the slot. Watches it dawdle to a board death. Now he chases under the end line. Another red jersey beside him. Blues hurry and move it out.
Their possession doesn’t last. Over and out.
Eller, right side. Accelerates. Small shrieks. Defended.
Subban takes down a man loudly.
Berglund is stopped at firing range. And Subban is smiling as Price holds it to himself.
Jackman was taken down by Subban. Jackman got up to say something to Subban, stick on the ice. Jackman is shaking his head to himself on the bench. As if his delicate hockey sensibilities have been ruffled. Young guys aren’t allowed to hit old guys in this league. Go to dinner, Don. Don’t come back.
Cammalleri in the slot. Nice shot. Blast sizzles but doesn’t ignite.
Mosquitoes and the conference to conference static. And Darche is called.
Tie guy looks up beside Darche, also gazing at the scoreboard for the replay. Suited staff in the box.
Plekanec’ turtleneck is in evidence. Blue. With the logo. It’s an athletic keep warm thing.
Oshie falls after the won faceoff, stays on knees and plays the puck. To the point. Down the boards. And then out of the zone.
Behind the net. To the slot. Perron has it bounding on his stick. Gorges whacks it away.
Habs are down.
Two forwards. Eller. Working it. Two against three. Eller is slowing the action and stretching the fabric. Then Oshie whams the forward in his back. Elbow and all. Oshie and his innocent face.
Real tough fella. Hitting a guy in the back. We’ll remember that. He’s called.
Habs can’t set up.
Now a Price pass misses Subban and is binged back by St. Louis at the Montréal blue.
Boards deep left.
Penalty expires and no chances were given up.
Blues are fourth in the West with 24 wins and 17 losses. I’m lumping the OTL and L columns.
Pace is better. Blues work only as hard as Montreal asks them to.
Here’s a left to right rush.
Price is flat and fraz doughboy left. Up and then flat again. Reaves’ drive was followed by Arnott. Plugs it in.
Arnott maintains a grave, wolfish expression as he spits water on the bench. Stubbled. And he’s thirty-seven.
Denis explains the Cammalleri missed Arnott on the coverage.
Campoli is down. Rung. Says Houde.
Reaves with an elbow across the jaw. Head shot. Legit call. Reaves philosophy is writ on his face and he unapologetically adjusts the tape on his stick.
Put yer head down and I’ll adjust it up fer ya.
He should wear a “hurt me” logo instead of a note.
The Blue note.
Stan Getz jingles through my memory banks.
Again Montreal is unable to set up. Oshie is following. Montreal is playing intimidated.
Afraid of pain. Afraid of rough-housing.
Cammalleri from Diaz. Shovels a pass across. Now another.
Cammalleri is fiery. Not backing down.
Showing the rest how it can be done. Someone has to. Why not Our Man from Richmond Hill.
Cole. Scores. Houde, ooooooh!
No.
No goal.
Just Halak.
What a save. Glove.
Backhand at the door step.
Went under the arm. Dropped into the crease. They’re going to check the replay.
Two huge guys check in with Halak and he shakes his head, no. It didn’t go in.
Two huge Blues.
Call on the ice stands.
Halak readies himself. Small boy amongst big men.
These must be the biggest forwards in the NHL.
Defencemen are large, too.
Size matters. The Flames and Canadiens were the two biggest teams in both 86 and 89 when the two met in the Stanley Cup finals.
Skill is important, too, of course. But if you can have both, all the better.
Eller from Kostitsyn. Direct shot. And save.
Crowd whoahs.
The pressure ends.
Just hit these guys.
Why not.
Sobotka tries to detorso Plekanec. The centre slips away before the arrival. And retains the puck.
Five minutes and eighteen.
Emelin low. Gets a body. Has to chase back.
Out of his spot.
And the Blues press in.
Stewart. Around Gill. Pass. Pass to the hash. Shot. And a goal.
Price may have been screened.
Blues aren’t worried about anything.
Nor have they been made to be.
St. Louis 2, Montreal 0
Hitchcock’s demeanour permeates this team. Sullen as a mountain.
Kostitsyn. Right side, off-wing. Halak drops and muzzles it.
I find myself admiring the Blues. They may have size but they play with a measure of discipline. I wonder how different they’d be if trailing.
They’re called for hooking as I typed this last.
Kaberle. Starts them. Falls. Puck is intercepted away from his spill and iced.
Into the Louis ice and then off the netting.
Cammalleri leaves the ice a bit irritated. He wants more. And his embers are glowing.
Berglund nearly deflects into this own net.
Desharnais. To Subban on the right point. Back to Desharnais.
They trade the puck.
Pacioretty under the end line. Subban finally shoots from the centre of the blue. Then a puck divides Subban and Desharnais and oodles out.
Long puck. Campoli and Backes. Campoli challenges the much bigger player and it’s a standstill, the puck waiting on the end boards. Bump-a-bump.
Penalty ends.
No presence. No pressure. First pure negation of the Montreal power0play this season. It’s much more St. Louis than Montreal.
But the Canadiens are still intimidated.
This is a game where Gomez is missed. He’s unafraid and it’s infectious.
Time drains out.
Booing begins.
Siren goes.
Blues were more opportunistic, says Houde.
Shots on goal favoured Montreal 8-5. Blues lead 14-12, overall.
There’s something self-contained and reasoned in the Blues hockey makeup. It wasn’t’ there last time. Must be Hitchcock.
Second Intermission
St. Louis 2, Montreal 0
Brunet compliments the Blues, their containment and their decision-making. Video of their strong forecheck is shown. Alain says we can now understand why the Blues are so high in the West standings.
Brunet says that Subban can do well and poorly on the same sequence. Subban beats two men and then tries a third and loses the puck. The work was around the Blue perimeter and Brunet says Subban should have shot after beating two players. That’s how you create scoring chances and they’re hard to come by, finishes the improving analyst. Solid.
Wow. Somehow I pressed the wrong button and lost the rest of the text (I can’t even figure out what button did it; just a slip).
Fuck Word.
Final Score
St. Louis 3
Montreal 0
HDS Stars: Jason Arnott, David Backes, Jaroslav Halak
RDS Stars: We weren’t told. Or I was too annoyed to notice.
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