Montreal Canadiens vs. Washington Capitals

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 (19-23-9) host Washington Capitals (26-20-4)

Saturday, February 4th, 2012 (Matinee)

Game Fifty-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)

 

How did Ovechkin get suspended for three games for that hit.  Wow.  Nice league.

Vos Canadiens are eleven points out of a playoff spot.  They have thirty-one games to make that up.  It’s possible.  And the team has the talent to do it.  Carolina, for example, also at 47 points, doesn’t.

As for keeping Andrei Kostitsyn, who has stated he is willing to stay for less money, I say yes.  He will continue developing on his unique curve and is a great value on the third or fourth lines, always with the potential to reach forty goals at some point.  He’s different and a good coaching staff will work with a player rather than discard him.

Someone named Lovely Andalay sings the anthem this afternoon.

Ovie is back.  His hair is short and he looks himself.  The Capitals are in their eighties outfits.  Stars across the chest above the crest.

Six stars.  Red and blue.  Halpern is shown last, head bowed, leaning on his stick, eyes closed.  The former Capital captain.  And a key addition for their playoff run.  Expect it.  Deep.

Molson’s player of the month.  The winner is Max Pacioretty.  Helmet off, he smooths his hair and advances to the trophy and the photo.  Shakes the suit’s hand.  Returns to the bench.

Vokoun and Peter Budaj are the goalies.

Rob Martell and Dan O’Rourke are the refs.

Desharnais lines starts.

First Period

Johansson wins it.

Pacioretty intercepts a pass.  Left side pass to Desharnais.  It ends up on the right point.  Shot.  No.

Budaj makes a mild save on the other end.

Eller hops on. Has it.  Left side. Shot.  Low.  Clammed.

Vokoun.  The best in the East.  He’s struggled, though.

Faceoff to his left.

Bourque wins the draw.  To the left point it goes.  Across.  Shot off a stick.

Caps possess.

One odd shot. Budaj has trouble, seeing it late.  Directs it to his right.  Budaj is a rightie.  Vokoun, a leftie.

And Thomas?  What is he?

Oh yeah.

Two minutes gone.

Thomas would’ve gone had it been Clinton.  No way to prove my point.  But the future may.

Who gets yelled at in the intersection?  Always check.

Halpern brakes on the circle top and drops one, half-turned.  Nearly intercepted.  Shot is chopped.

Cole.  Lead pass, Pacioretty in flight with a man beside.  Manages a backhand.

Habs retrieve.

Good first shift from each line.

Ovechkin boffs Gorges to the ice in the middle.

Eller, Darche and Gomez in a line across, to the net.

Eller nearly completes the pass to Gomez in the crease.

Laich beat Emelin but the back-pass is intercepted.

Desharnais takes the puck away on the right side.

Weird bounce on the other side and Vokoun is a tilted Britisher, tuxedo and tailspin. The puck crosses the gawp and only Capitals are about.

Knuble with a shot.  Turnaround shot is wide.

Bourque follows with a one-man effort.  Backhander.  Follows with a hard check on the opposite boards and the puck is freed.

Continues the good work and his mates match.  Puck is fenced at centre ice.

Intensity is at about 7.7, both teams.

Palushaj, in the lineup, turns and chases.  Leblanc is on with him.  Pacioretty on the left.  Leblanc leads a rush.

The control.  Across to Gorges.  Whistled as Gorges shoots.  Took the puck in the face.

There isn’t supposed to be a whistle at this juncture.

I shake my head.

The league has nothing in place to ensure neutral officiating.

Capitals win a draw to Budaj’s left.  To the point.  Shot.  Net.

Budaj wasn’t ready, sys Houde.

Bouncer.  A high knuckler that appeared to hit bodies on the way down. Left side.

Washington 1, Montréal 0

Nine and a half gone.

Desharnais line.

Under the end line.  Cole.  Carries.  Puck escapes. Pacioretty is there.  Cross-=point pass.  Canadiens retain with Pacioretty keeping on the right side and passing to the right point this time.

Lines change.

Mathieu Perreault is on for his province.  Eight goals and six assists in 32 games.  Hey, that’s better than Gomez’ zero goals and seven assists in 21 games.

The great Louis Leblanc turns away from the play as it is whistled.

Faceoff at centre ice is won by Desharnais.

Subban carries.  Short pass to the right, Cole.  Dumped.  Lost.

Intercepted by Cole at the blue.  Carlson takes the puck away.

Caps are also stopped and Cole carries. Desharnais is at the net and Kostitsyn starts the line change.  Bourque joins.  Kept alive down low.  Bourque to Kostitsyn.  He gives it away.  Gets back. Struggles.  Gorges assists.  And the Canadiens are back in control.

Vokoun is still in net. Yup.  No goals forthcoming.

Seven and a half left in the first.

Caps lead on shots eight to seven.

Honey on his stick, Troy Brouwer moves around a defender and then loses the disc.

Replay shows a hit by Plekanec in front of the Cap bench.  Laich came by to bully Plekanec but left off as action continued.

We resume.

Kaberle advances and his shot is a difficult stop for Vokoun.  Caps are out.

Perreault has a puck on the left.  Shot goes high.

Should Francophones be allowed to suit up against Montreal at the Bell?  What an unfair advantage.  They show up for one, two, maybe three, maybe four road games a year; play hard for their families and resume whatever inept careers they’re engaged in.

What a joke.

Meanwhile, our Francophones get in the catalogue, strut about town and fail to finish on the boards.

Desharnais and Darche are this day’s exceptions.

Lapierre and Latendresse?  Less so.

Faceoff outside the blue.

Lost.

Orlov across.  Another pass and it’s dumped in.  Joel Ward can’t get to it.

The dump-in has a horrendous percentage.  Why even use it?

Montreal controls.

Leblanc sends a doltish pass and then looks for hits.  Delivers two pee-wee bumps and is off the ice til his next turnover series.

Four and eighteen.

Bourque, Plekanec and Kostitsyn.

Kaberle and Emelin low.

Emelin delivers a hit and separates his man from the puck.  That’s what checking is for.

Emelin is called for tripping.

Took Laich down at the right hash.

Washington power.

Plekanec wins it. Cleared. Vokoun plays it.  Visions of Theodore.  Another leftie.

No, not that kind.

Three and a half.

Caps control.  Semin on the right point, quarterback.  Drifts to the hash and then the point.  Finds it after a failed hash shot from the other side.

Ovie is taken down and loses his stick on exiting.

Another Cap turnover on the left, forced and then cleared.

Forty seconds.

Montreal’s penalty-kill ranks second in the league, just over 89 percent.

They’ve been consistent this season.

Caps enter offside.

Perreault.

Ovie talks with Semin on the bench.

Fourteen in the penalty.  Cleared in.  Budaj stops it.  Gorges cracks it down the ice.  And Emelin is back.

Back to fives.

Ward.  Offwing shot.  Fifty-footer.  Wrister.  Easy stop.

Three Caps back to receive the Cole line.  To the left corner.  They dig.  Cole sticks a foot out but the puck scoots away.

Kaberle fires it back in from centre ice.

Lines change.  Gomez.  Orlov waits.  Carries.  Long left side pass.

Budaj gives it to Laich under the end line.  But the pass can’t be had.

Habs entry.  Mild shot.  Vokoun reaches low and holds it for the draw.

We’re shown Kyle Alzner, number twenty-seven.

Alzner is in the top five for defencemen drafted since 2007.

Gomez takes the draw deep right.

Eller on the left wing.  Gomez wins it and Darche loses it to Hamrlik on the boards.

Thirty seconds in the period.  Dangerous play on exit and the resulting Ovechkin distance shot sizzles past the post.   The outside.

Siren.

Not much noise.

Washington led on shots 11-10.

Peter Budaj.  God.

First Intermission
Washington 1, Montreal 0

Afternoon games. God.

Crosby may be heading for a divorce with the Pittsburgh Penguins.  So says Alain and they discuss the situation.  The Crosby family is unhappy with the way the team handled his medical treatment and the fact that Tom Brady, an NFL quarterback (New England Patriots), intervened to help advise Crosby on options outside the Penguins, is cited.

Tremblay and Brunet both feel that Crosby is damaged goods and won’t be the player he once was.  The Penguins’ need to sign other high-priced players on the roster (Malkin, Letang) is cited.  Crosby is heading to unrestricted free agency and makes nine million (Kovalchuk and Ovechkin are the highest-paid players at 10M or so).

Will a team be dumb enough to sign Crosby?  Sure.  But the price tag will reflect the severity of stupidity.   The smarter will pay less.

Once a player has had three concussions, the risk (and frequency) of additional concussion increases significantly.  He’s probably done.  He may float around for a few seasons, as Lindros did, but it’s all hope and nostalgia now.

Crosby has had at least four we know of.  One in junior and three in pro.

(“I’ve won at all levels except college and pro”)

Second Period
Washington 1, Montreal 0

Zero goals.  Zero goals.  Zero goals.  Zero goals.

And.

Pacioretty shoots from the circle tops.  Stopped.  Held.

Faceoff to Vokoun’s right.

Plekanec wins it easily against Laich.  Left point.  Across.

Lost on the hash.

Emelin has it again on his blue.  Across.  Sent in.  Whistle.

Centre ice faceoff.  Offside?

Markov skated today.  Alone.  Gauthier was watching in that cold, lonely rink.  And Doctor Mulder.   Or whatever his name is.

Gambles.

Hmph.

Behind Budaj’s net.

Budaj elects to drop low and sweeps the crease with his pads.  I shake my head.  A puck goes to the low slot.  Montreal outnumbers the visitors and no easy shot results.

In another world, we keep Huet.  And Halak.

Yeah, I know.

I never said I’d sound smart.

Two and a half gone.

The fumin’ cap.

Another offside entry.

Campoli is back in the lineup.  Again.

Nobody wanted him in September.  Denis optimistically discusses showcasing Campoli for other teams.

Injuries lead to openings.  Sure.

Another whistle.  Neutral zone.

What a waste of money.  Seven million.  Six.  Five.  And another six.

What next.

Subban is low.  Brakes and waits behind his net.

Cole line is across, two to the net and Cole on the boards.  Keeps.  Finds a right point target.  Another pass.  Sticks and fire but the Caps are playing well in their zone.

Ovechkin line. Semin.  They cycle and carry.  To the right point.  Wideman.  To Semin again.  To Ovechkin. Intercepted by Plekanec in the slot. And he turns, wheels and they’re off. Pacioretty’s long shot is too weak.  And Vokoun holds it for the draw.  Allows a line change.

Who’s this Washington assistant?

Oh.  Dean Evason.

Looking like he could still play.  He’s had success wherever he’s coached. Head coach at Kamloops for a bit there.  Western Hockey League. Reminds me of Dunigan somehow.  The jaw. The mouth. The game face.

Did Ovie die on Boudreau?  Is Hunter the guy to get Ovie right?

Joy is important.  Let him play.

Under the Washington end line.

Darche is chasing and intense.  Eller is sword and cape on the boards.  And the defencemen advance where and when needed.  This is how it’s done.  Knuble finally gets to it and finds Chimera.

But the Habs resume control in their end.  Halpern is on.  Flying.  Chasing.  And now looking for the opening and the puck.

How could we let this guy go?  What a mistake.

Bourque.  Left side.  Wide.

Puck slingshots around into Montreal ice.   Retrieved.  Also sent long.  Icing

Same guys stay on the ice.

Vokoun takes a sip of water.  Houde informs us that it’s pronounced Vo Kon.  Not Koooon.

Vogons, however, are too slow for goaltending.

Twelve left in the period.

Pacioretty is the foremost, stick lolling and but rigid form turning to survey the lanes.

Semin fires on entry, puck meeting his stick.  It’s wide.

Cole.  Right side.  Brakes.  To the net.

Gets it again.  Leaves it.  To the net.  Puck flounces. And a shot

Budaj loses his stick and then dolts left.  Nearly scored on.

Tried to poke check the puck from Brouwer.  Then threw it.  Illegal.

Penalty shot is awarded.

Brouwer.  Waits.  He wears the A.  For alternate.

Brouwer shoots from the low slot after a short veer movement.  Budaj sees it hit him.  That wasn’t a save.  That was a poor shot selection.

Can’t we just put in Price now.  Why wait for goals against?

Who cares about how players feel?

Win.

Bourque trips Brouwer in the Washington zone.  Called.

Second man-advantage.  Faceoff deep right, Washington.  Eller against Brower. Habs win and clear.

Wideman carries.  Loses it.  Nobody to clean it up.  Just four Habs.  Easy clear.

Ovie carries.  Booing.  Mild.

Ovie is taken down by Gorges on entry, an arm high and the puck is cleared by another.

Caps have yet to set up.

Seventy seconds.

Semin, finally. Left hash. Ovie on the left point.

They work the boards.

Gorges is advancing on each pass.

Cleared again.

No shots, yet.

Ovie carries it in on the right this time after the reset.

Gives it away low.  Darche clears it.

Wideman carries it out.  Looking left.  Chooses long dump-in, right instead.

Habs are to it first.  And Eller has it.  Tries a one-on-one move. Fails.  Follows it to the right corner.  Neutral result.

Five on five.

Subban with a long carry. Wasted.   Perreault down the middle.

Canadiens need to play as if they’re on the PK all the time.  Aggressive.  To the puck and winning the boards.

And some guys need to go.  Just go.

You tell me who.

Montreal leads on shots 15-14.

Giveaway. Slot.  Missed shot.  Finally it comes.  Just wide.  Caps panic. And they barely get it out.

Bourque hops on.  Six and twenty-two.

Bourque sends a slot pass into a Washington player.  Eller was behind him.  Didn’t look.  Bad decision. It’s out.  And whistled moments later.

Subban, Gorges low.  Desharnais.  Another rush.  Caps knock their net off.  Brouwer.

Brouwer was sliding and did nothing to stop it.  Why not call that?

Cheating.

The Cole pass, prior nearly found Pacioretty for a goal.  Low slot.

Plekanec line

Wideman’s poor pass is not intercepted.  Right through a winger.

Concentrate.

Under five.

Schultz waits behind his net.  Waits about three seconds.

Finally they’re off.

Turnover at centre ice.

Darche, Eller and Gomez block lanes better than the Plekanec line and they draw a penalty.  Delayed call.

Whistle before Montreal can take advantage.

Hooking.  Mike Knuble. Goes to the box without complaint.  Also wearing the A.

Something in his demeanour reminded me of Peplinski.

Something honourable.

Ladouceur says very little and the team takes to the man-advantage.  Plekanec is on the right point.

More confident in this role.

Caps break up the first sequence on the corner.

Bourque wastes a shot and the puck is kept in.  Shot.  Legs.  Out.

Under three.

Fifty in the penalty.

Subban.  Gomez.  Campoli helps.  It’s out on the other side.

Campoli’s pass is poorly thought and intercepted on the high hash.  No pass results.  Very lucky.

Subban is slow and Chimera’s speed nearly extracts.  But Subban saves it.

Back to fives.

There is only one play-making centre on this team.  Eller doesn’t.  Gomez can’t.

Sure that’s not a fair statement. Use mostly.

Emelin’s long shot.  Wide.

Cole line.  Twenty seconds.

Caps have it in their own zone.

Action slows.

Pacioretty tries a last rush.  He has help.  Gorges follows. But the puck is trapped on the hash. Siren.

Montreal led on shots 9-3.  They lead 19-14, overall.

Jacques Martin numbers.

Second Intermission
Washington 1, Montreal 0

Pay the price.  Or you won’t win.  So says Mario.

Third Period
Washington 1, Montreal 0

Losers see missing the playoffs as a way out.

Winners keep skating.

Cole sparkles and the Capitals ice it.  Long shift and Hunter calls a timeout.

Cole is playing on the fourth line with Leblanc and Palushaj in addition to his first line role.

Sixteen.  Habs keep it in.

Caps squeak out on the left point despite Kaberle’s best effort.

And Vokoun smothers a Bourque brake-and-swing.

I just remembered another reason some fans might insist on seeing what they want to see.  A fan may only have been able to observe four things about a given league; say; Jett drops passes, Gannon is accurate short, Woodson doesn’t like run support and Crockett doesn’t get used in anything but short yardage situations.  If that’s all they know, they’ll need those facts to stay the same. Any changes in the list means less knowledge; less ability to show off at the bar.

See? I was right.  See?

Forgot about that.  The casual fan doesn’t have the luxury of learning more. They either can’t.  Or won’t.

Crowd.  Effort. Laich emerges from the end line.  Jams.  It’s out.  Budaj is on his back immediately.  Doesn’t know where it is.  As usual.  And a man advances. Fires.  And it’s in.

Matt Hendricks.

Washington 2, Montreal 0

Thirteen and a half.

Only the Cole line makes anything happen.

Go Habs Go chant begins.  Crowd gets louder than they’ve been all game.  Gomez takes a drop-pass and carries through the middle.  Crosses.  Drops.

And a turnover.

Semin is hauled down by Kaberle.  Called. Legit.

Penalty shot.

Semin is too good.  Budaj is something else.

Goal.

Washington 3, Montreal 0

Seven and a half.

They mail it in.   Both of them.  And all three, counting your scribe.

Final Score
Washington 3
Montreal 0

HDS Stars: Jeff Halpern, Erik Cole, Tomas Vokoun
RDS Stars: Tomas Vokoun, Dennis Wideman, Alexander Semin

Related posts:

1. Montreal Canadiens vs. Washington Capitals
2. Montreal Canadiens vs. Buffalo Sabres
3. Montreal Canadiens vs. Carolina Hurricanes
4. Montreal Canadiens vs. Buffalo Sabres
5. Montreal Canadiens vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
6. Montreal Canadiens vs. Washington Capitals