We Have A Pulse

OK, everyone close your eyes, take a deep breath and think back to October and November. Remember the HABS? Remember the work ethic? Skating hard, working hard, hungry for the game and the win...this was our key to success.

Last few games and mainly last night we've seen the same team and all it took was some young blood. Following another solid start and getting scored on in one of the first shots on met, I grew worried. In recent history this is the point where we stop fore checking and collapse I'm front of the net waiting for the game to end without getting too amassed. A shift by our third and fourth lines and we're back on the fore check and skating hard. Same goes for the momentum shift following the Isles second goal. Props to young Lapierre in realising his spot in the team and doing a bang up job at it...literally. His shifts are what I'm looking forward to the most when we go in to Pittsburgh. If the refs would just call diving penalties regardless of the player who's acting, we should be fine.

Getting back on topic, how about Mr. Kostitsyn. I couldn't help but reminisce about the Great #99 following his pass to Higgins from behind the net. He sat in Gretzky's office, put his feet up, lit a cigar and when the defence flinched made 2 foot flip pass over 12" of sticks and skates right on to Higgins' tape. If that doesn't earn him a spot on next year's roster, maybe his cranial capabilities will. Mid way on the third, he watched Pleckanecs shred it passed the sloth like Islanders D and challenge the goalie on the left side. It seems I was not the only one to notice how far left the goalie came out to play Plecks (he left his crease to the right to challenge Pleck’s...signs of inexperience). In any case, later on that period Kostitsyn had the exact same trajectory as Pleckanec. He's as smart as he is talented this kid. Even though he was facing the goalie 1 on 1, he never hesitated to pass the puck to #35 who was facing an empty net on the account of Dunham enjoying a bag of popcorn and some cotton candy with Kostitsyn on the third row.

But the star rookie of the game, who incidentally was the star of the game, was Guillaume. He almost potted a hat trick (just could turn fast enough) was active, stood in front of the net and crunched some bodies. By far his best game in the NHL thus far. But you know what really impressed me? When Koivu got man handled in front of Di-Pietro’s net (which magically was not a penalty for the record) who was the first to jump in? Not the veteran Ryder (in fact Mr. Newfound Land never showed up) but it was Guy Guy Guy Guy Guy! When a rookie stands up for his captain, it gets his whole team going, and that was a momentum shifter of a moment as well.

It’s the little things that make or break a great team. We were doing them all right last night. I sure hop we can keep it up because two wins over the weekend will go a loooooooong way in this playoff race. With the accelerated return date of Huet we’ll have a goaltender who can stop a puck (no offense but Halak has some maturing to do and Aebi couldn’t stop a cab) things are still looking good for us. If we win on Friday and Saturday, we have a chance (pending other games) to be tied for or in 8^th in NL standings. So Carbonneau and Muller, whatever you have been telling or feeding the troops to get them playing that motivated, make sure you keep doing it for another month or so.

The HABS Are Not Ready To Win

The HABS do not want to make the playoffs. This is my only explanation. The lack of motivation, the lack of leadership, the speed at which they fold up and give up, the finger pointing...these are all signs of t team in peril who is not interested in sucking it up and trying to work out of it. This is a team that is waiting for a miracle.

The last chance for a miracle was a blockbuster trade and or acquisition at the deadline and for Halak to pull a Huet out of the bag. There are no more miracles headed our way boys and you have let your fans know YOU are not ready to take it on the chon, stand up and keep chugging along.

I haven't lost fait in the team and I know that with one momentum shift a team...this team can go on a 10 game winning streak. Unfortunate side is that we have been waiting for that momentum shift for months. We have had all kinds of highs and lows in that time and nothing shook this team out of its cob-webs. It is hard to conceive an event, which we haven't endured yet that can successfully derail this train bound towards a top 7 draft pick.

The good news is that 1) There is always hope and 2) With a dozen or so games remaining we have a few left to enjoy. We can't be embarrassed in all of them and we have Boston and Leafs series coming up which are always entertaining.

So here is my suggestion to everyone. Stop trying to be an arm chair GM what's done is done and things cannot be changed at this point in the season. So just enjoy what ever is left of it and if lady luck decides to smile at us we can get another week of hockey in the form of a first round.

Atlanta Could Shut The Critics

Atlanta was one of the most active teams at the trade deadline acquiring an arsenal worthy of a Stanley Cup final. It seems apparent they are focused on one thing and one thing only: get to the playoffs and go far in to the rounds this year. They are undoubtedly a talented and dangerous team. If Lehtonen can keep up his stellar performance, they are most definitely one of the favourites going in to the post season.

Here is our chance to show our critics that despite our minimal activity level during the trade deadline we remain a competitive team. This is Halak's chance to get back on the horse after entering the NHL strong and getting bucked in recent games. If he can play strong and we stay out of the box, Bonk and Maxim can effectively shut down their offence. I wouldn't mind closing our season series with them with a 4-0 record.

Gotta Hold Our Heads High

Time is winding down and the race is beyond tonight. I still believe we can make a push, but whether it will come to be or not is up for debate. One thing is for sure: What ever is going to happen in the way of a push has to happen soon.

The numbers speak for them selves and the other teams in the race our on a roll. Our fate is not in our hands and the teams who currently hold it are playing their best hockey of the season. This doubles the urgency for wins and puts us in a position to play desperate hockey (which we are yet to concretely see yet)

If we make the playoffs, it is apparent that it will be in 7 or 8. This is hard to deny given the status of the Pens, Sens, Atlanta and Islanders. That being the case, we would be matched up against the Sabres or Devils in the first round. We all know our record against the Devils and we are even more familiar with what the Sabres can bring to the table.

So what is the underlying message here? I'm not saying all hope is lost for the playoffs and even if we make it it may be a short run. Far from it. One momentum shift and we're in the game. We know we can beat the Sabres, and if Brodeur were to get injured, the Devils would be like shooting fish in a barrel. But the odds against us.

Since I am a numbers guy I’ll be the first to admit there is a high likelihood that we may have a long summer ahead of us. Why am I bringing this up? Well it's certainly not because I have been lured to the dark side. IMHO this gives us even more reason to keep a smile, cheer them on even harder and remain positive. If the season is almost done for us, might as well make the most of it and get the most out of it. I still have mote than a dozen games to enjoy, and that is exactly what I'll do :towel:

I'm Qualified To Be An Author For The Journal De Montreal...I Am Great At Making Stuff Up!

The article Posted by Le Journal De Montreal was yet another tabloidesque half brained attempt at getting the public's attention. This attack on Kovalev spanned over the whole sports section and made me question the integrity, competence, motivation and mental state of the Journal authors.

Those of you who read the full four pages of smut have undoubtedly noticed that they clearly state they were unable to confirm the story. Yes you heard me, the author (let us refer to him as the donkey from here on end) admit to the fact that they were unable to confirm the legitemacy of this "interview". The donkey goes on to say that since he was unable to confirm the story with his counterpart donkey who "transcribed" the "interview" in Russia, it must be a conspiracy and cover up. Yup...first it was the Anglophones in Quebec, then the rest of Canada now its Russia that is conspiring against the French. I'm fairly certain Zimbabwe has been scheming against us and I don't trust the penguins in Antarctice either. Get a life.

The Sky Is Falling In HABS Land

Ladies and gentlemen, Mesdames et Monsieurs, dudes and dudettes, we are still mathematically in it. Things may not look good with our dismal record in recent months, but there is hope...there is always hope.

Most of the teams we're in the race with are as shaky as us. It would take one momentum sift, one winning streak, one big push by our beloved team to turn things around.

Even if we're out of the picture, even if the odds are against us what is there to gain from sobbing and pessimism? Leave the "why me" syndrome to the hormonal youngsters in here who are in dire need of growth, maturity and life lessons. Crying and whining about things outside of you circle of influence (control) is a waste of energy. Sure you accomplish your objectives of attracting attention, but this is the wrong kind of attention.

So I say to all of you out there, chin up, stay level headed and cheer for your team with support and enthusiasm. Even if we loose and even if we miss the playoffs I guarantee you it is better and healthier than the alternative.

Just remember. Things could always be worse. Our home team could have been the Leafs :shock:


PS I have updated two things with the numbers. Frist off the obvious MN-NO-GO numbers. I put up the six most likely for us to surpass. I picked the names from all suggestions (only two people made an effort there), and added one of my own for Carolina. The second thing I changed was the formula for the MN Playoffs. Now we are chasing 8th place and no longer defending a position in the top eight, so the formula has been updated appropriately. Good news is that the MN hasn’t changed ;)

I would like to include the NO-GO numbers in my sig with the other scoreboard, but I don’t know if having two sigs would be a violation of rules. Even though I know there is demand for it, I would not want to get a ban for something so trivial. Winnipeg I would like to hear your POV on this. Could I have your permission as a moderator of the forum to post a second scoreboard for the next six weeks?

Could We Get The Chemistry Going Again?

Does everyone remember the beginning of the season? When the wins were racking up faster than Paris Hiltons DUI tickets, and the HABS winning ways was more of a mystery than Britney Spears' spastic behaviour? Well I remember it, and I also remember one of the things we attributed that success was team chemistry. We were praising everyone for coming together, the defensemen for sticking up for the goalie, the Aaron Downeys sticking up for the forwards, and everyone acting like a team.

When we lost that chemistry on the ice in late November, it was a sign of the tough times to come. I would be hard presses to believe team chemistry, or rather the lack there of, is the kryptonite that caused our demise. We can all agree that our problems ranged across the whole spectrum and we can't really pinpoint one event and/or player.

What we can agree on however is that sometimes one event and/or player could make the difference in improving a team who is on its proverbial knees. Last night’s rookie dinner could possibly and hopefully could get the team chemistry going, and create a domino effect to get these players back to October levels of motivation and production.

I would have loved to be a fly on the wall at this dinner to get a sense of the mood and to hear what was said. I suppose the Friday and Saturday matches will give us a good indication of the results. In the meanwhile I have been praying to God, Allah, Budah, Sponge Bob, Chuck Norris and the Crocodile Hunter that I might one day run in to an intoxicated Angelina Jolie at a bar looking for a place to crash. Oh and I also have been asking them if they can get the HABS back on track.