Habs Eyes On The Prize: FanPosts

Recalling Elizabeth II's Habs Visit

2012-02-07T01:16:26Z

It was pointed out today by Francis Bouchard that her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II is celebreating 60 years as the British Monarch.

With that in mind, we thought we'd recall her Habs connection that dates back before she became Queen.

Francis was able to find a clip of the Princess Elizabeth and husband Prince Phillip's visit to Montreal on October 29, 1951. The Royal Couple took in the Canadiens and Rangers that evening, with the Habs winning 5-1

The film footage of the game itself starts around the 3:25 mark of this link. Her Royal Highness seems less than interested in the clip, but the Montreal Gazette story the following morning notes she became more interested as the game progressed.

Both observed parts of a Leafs game a week prior, and Prince Phillip, who watched the occasional game in England, was highly entertained by the game action no matter who scored. When a certain Canadiens right winger scored two goals, that sent roaring waves of cheers through the crowd, the Prince had to ask who it was.

Floyd Curry felt no pressure playing before the royals, tallying the other three Caandiens goals for his only career hat trick.

Habs captain Emile Bouchard and captain Rangers Frank Eddolls are the two players seen greeting the princess in the clip.

Habs Tickets Prices Dropping

2012-02-06T02:00:00Z

As the Montreal Canadiens playoffs hopes drop, ticket sales from third party sources are quickly paralleling them.

That in mind, our partners at TiqIQ are offfering some great prices to catch the Habs in action at the Bell Centre, with last minute seats starting from $50 or maybe even less as game time appraoches!

It's a great opportunity for fans to still see some great teams at the Bell Centre, as the 2011-12 NHL season winds down. It's especially good for those out of town fans looking to make a road trip for a game, or happen to be in town when the Habs are at home.

We've also thrown in a few links for the Habs upcoming road games.

Tickets for Upcoming Home and Road Games

February 7 vs. Pittsburgh

February 9 at NY Islanders starting at $9 !!

February 11 at Toronto Maple Leafs

February 13 vs. Carolina Hurricanes

February 15 vs. Boston Bruins

Habs EOTP on Marek vs. Wyshynski

2012-02-03T16:55:54Z

Yesterday I was invited on to discuss Pierre McGuire as a possible GM for the Montreal Canadiens in the future. Listen to the podcast in it's entirety here.

Other highlights of the podcast were a discussion of Habs fan and Montrealer Jay Baruchel's new film 'Goon' and the loved until he steps on your sacred cows Ryan Lambert.

Oh and here's a trailer for 'Goon':

Goon - Official Trailer [HD] (via trailers)

Get To Know Patrick Holland

2012-01-13T08:56:04Z

New Montreal Canadiens prospect Patrick Holland went on reddit.com last night and did what's called an AMA, which means "ask me anything".

There are a few interesting comments in the thread, but the one that stood out (most depressingly) was the following:

Good luck to Patrick in his future within the organization.

Dire News

2012-01-12T00:08:57Z

According to the Montreal Canadiens official twitter feed, Brian Gionta has undergone successful bicep surgery to repair a tear that occurred in last night's game.

That pretty much spells the end of Gionta's season as recovery can be between 2 and 9 months for such a surgery.

Just another kick in the pants for Habs fans who thought this season would be one worth watching.

It may be time now for management to assess their strategy and start moving out pending UFAs as I suggested in mid-December.

Canadiens official press release:

PRESS RELEASE

MONTREAL – Montreal Canadiens General Manager Pierre Gauthier issued Wednesday a medical update on the status of forward Brian Gionta.

Gionta underwent successful surgery to repair a tear in the right biceps. He will be out indefinitely. The surgery was performed earlier today in Montreal.

The Canadiens’ captain suffered the injury during the third period of last night’s game against the St. Louis Blues.

A Christmas Gift

2011-12-29T22:20:29Z

The boy was just doing his job …

Delivering newspapers through sleet , snow and whatever Mother Nature tossed his way.

The weather was a minor inconvenience to the money that filled his pockets. It had been two years since his Dad passed away and his job helped to keep his mind off his pain. It also eased the monetary burden from his Mom. His task allowing the fifty – two year old woman more freedom to pay bills and buy food. That way – all of his earnings could provide the cool clothes and kid stuff that would allow him to keep up with his friends.

The boy and his Mom resided in an affluent community .It was not easy keeping up with a two-parent working neighbor. Kids could be cruel and, as his Mom discovered, adults could be just as cruel or more so.

The year was 1991.

David had started delivering print to the doors in his neighborhood shortly after the death of his Dad. On occasion – the job was tedious.Especially those cold wintry dawns when the wind would cut through him like a knife. Still, each morning without pause, the soon-to-be teenager carried out his duties with dignity. Banking whatever money that was available for a car when the law allowed.

Along the way , certain things happened which made his early morning tasks seem worthwhile. One of those things was having a professional hockey player as a client. Not just any hockey player. David had the good fortune to be able to place a paper on the porch of a Montreal Canadien. A particular player who was one of the hardest working skaters in the Habs modern era.

Brian Skrudland of Peace River, Alberta…

A Hero

Skrudland was one of the lucky ones.One of a handful of players that earn something quickly.A prize that eludes the majority of professional
hockey players for eternity. The Stanley Cup …

Skrudland arrived in the NHL in time for the 1985-86 season. Along with Mike McPhee – the duo evolved into a latter-day Doug Risebrough and Mario Tremblay. A pair of water bugs who – not unlike the 70′s version of themselves, provided grit and determination with each and every shift. Skrudland and McPhee were determining factors in the Habs’ unlikely 1986 Stanley Cup run. The duo hooking up to score the game winning goal in game two of the finals. Skrudland netting the winner just nine seconds into overtime on a nifty pass from McPhee. The two – on – one providing lore for many Montreal fans for years to come. David was seven when Skrudland sent the puck into NHL history. Age has no boundaries when heroes are formed …

David was delighted to discover that number thirty – nine ‘s home was one of his destinations. It seemed imperative for him to stop by and introduce himself. He was the liaison between Skrudland and the world ‘s events. In doing so – David was able to boast of a conversation and an autograph to his envious classmates.A gesture by the Canadien forward that somehow lifted the weight off David’s delivery bag. One small step for Skrudland evolving into giant leaps for David as he made his rounds through the neighborhood…

In the course of the following year and a half , David was able to carry out several conversations with the blonde – haired , six – foot Skrudland. The Habs’ defeat at the gloves of the Calgary Flames in the 1989 finals – the thorn in their normally rosy conversations.

One day – near the start of the 1992- 93 season, Skrudland informed David that he would get all of his team mates to sign a stick for him. A Christmas present for David’s work ethic and for being an all – around good kid. David thanked him and deemed the gesture unnecessary. Skrudland had, after – all, been very generous every Christmas and had even given tickets to a game. The fourteen year old was not able to alter the Hab forward’s thinking.

David did not mind …

A Boy ‘s Life

The young man continued delivering papers to Skrudland and never spoke of the signed stick. He figured when the Habs’ winger got around to it – the wooden piece would be delivered to his waiting arms. The season played through Christmas with the year ending in Calgary on New Year’s Eve – a tradition between the two teams that somehow has lost it’s way as the years have passed.

On January 28, 1993 – David awoke to shocking news. His hero, one of the men responsible for bringing the Stanley Cup ‘home’ - was traded.

Brian Skrudland was dealt to the very team that he helped defeat for hockey’s most coveted prize. The thirty year old forward was sent to the Calgary Flames for a former fifty goal scorer whose fortunes had fallen on hard times. Skrudland himself had fallen out of favour with Canadiens management so the move that delivered Gary Leeman to Montreal was not a total shock. To David it was … His hero and customer left town to join his new team.

In a boy’s travels – life is fast. School, peer pressure and the normal growing pains of evolving from boy to man can make things appear skewed. Just the realization of puberty and the mixed hormonal messages alone can alter everyday perspective. To David – one of his favourite hockey players exchanging jerseys was but one of many trials and tribulations along the bumpy road of adolescence.

1992 – 93 Season

The Montreal Canadiens finished the season behind their division rivals – the Quebec Nordiques. The two teams met in the first round of the play-offs with the Habs’ Eastern neighbors favored to win. Down two games, after a pair of Nordique victories on home ice, les Canadiens
limped into Montreal. Hockey sticks between their legs. In David’s mind – this would not be happening if Skrudland were on the team . Gary Leeman , after a dismal start with his new club – discovered his game and was one of the Habs best players in the final section of the regular schedule. This did not ease David’s pain of losing another male role model in his life.

The Canadiens were victorious in their next four games and commenced a winning streak dotted with improbable exclamation points. A winning streak with ten overtime wins that inevitably led them to their twenty-fourth (and final) Stanley Cup championship. The team’s victory eased David’s aches as Patrick Roy evolved into a new – found hero.

David never forgot Skrudland . He pursued Brian’s career as it passed through Florida and New York - eventually landing in Dallas. It was during Skrudland‘ s first season in Texas (1997), David learned what integrity was all about.

‘Tis the season …

It was a few days before Christmas and David returned home to discover a note in his mailbox. It was a message from UPS instructing him to pick up a package the delivery company was unable to leave, due to the absence of him or his Mom at his home.

Not expecting anything, David’s mind wandered as he drove to the depot. All of his relatives lived close by so a Christmas present seemed unlikely in the form of a UPS package. Leaving his car, the young man entered the building and gave the pleasant young woman behind the counter his note. The dark- haired beauty took his memo and disappeared to another room leaving David alone with his thoughts.

Minutes later, the girl appeared with a package wrapped in brown paper. A package that could be only one thing. No wrapping on this planet could mask the contents of David’s ‘ gift’. David signed a paper to acknowledge the reception of the tan – colored item. He thanked the woman and wished her Merry Christmas. In the parking lot – he noticed there was an envelope attached to the long article. Someone had scribbled ‘ To David ‘ on the front. Placing the package against his car – David ripped open the envelope as a young kid would open a present on Christmas morning.

Inside was a card with a depiction of Santa Claus on the cover. He opened it and inside were a few words penned in ink. Words that made the hair on David’s body stand to attention …

" To David – sorry it took so long to get you the hockey stick . It was hard tracking down all of the guys I played with in Montreal. I hope you have a nice Christmas !"

Sincerely,

Brian Skrudland.

Want more Rick Keene ... ? Check out his blog !

Coming to see NJ vs MTL, is there Open Hockey?

2011-12-13T14:10:16Z

Hi all,

Me and a few buddies have been traveling from NJ to Montreal once a year to see our Devils take on your Canadiens at the Bell Centre. So far each year has been awesome. We've come to games on weekends, have spent the nights at bars on Crescent Street, and have played pond hockey with the locals. Much to your chagrin, we even got to see this happen a few years ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xknU6X9qSk

This year, we're going to be making the trip (this weekend!) for the Dec. 17 game. As usual, we will be bringing our hockey gear as well. After speaking with a few Montreal fans at our game in New Jersey last Saturday, it seems apparent that the temperature may have not been cold enough yet for outdoor ponds/rinks to freeze.

So, here's where I'm looking for some help/advice from you guys. Do you know of any outdoor ice rinks/ponds that are frozen yet in the Montreal area? And, if not, can you recommend any indoor facilities that offer "open hockey" or pickup hockey? When is it normally offered, where, and how much gear is required?

Thanks a lot, and see you Saturday.

Good time a 'Skate with Canadiens'

2011-11-29T08:19:19Z

Thanks to my proud Habs fan daughter, received some tickets(via fan club member) to go skate with a couple Canadiens this past Sunday at the Bell Centre. We had a blast! We got to meet Montreal Canadiens players , Yannick Weber, Peter Budaj & Alexei Emelin as well as Youppi! My daughter was really excited that the nice girl(didn't get name) that does in-game interviews on big screen during home games did an interview with her and everyone there could hear and see it! that made her day. So proud my daughter and i got to experience this, meeting our very first NHL players from our favorite team skating on the very ice the play on and seeing the Bell Centre. I can now mark that off my bucket list! Our next thing we'd like to do is attend a game and watch our team play live for first time hopefully in the near future.My daughter would also love to meet P.K. Subban as i would love to meet Carey Price someday as well. So i hope everyone who attended event this past Sunday had as much fun as my daughter and I did. Maybe we'll see you next year! Go Habs Go!!

Advice for a southern hockey fans first habs game?

2011-11-28T17:19:59Z

Hi all and greetings from North Carolina. My wife and I will be visiting Montreal in late January/early February and are avid hockey fans first of all as well as Carolina Hurricanes fans, however when the going gets tough down here (as is often the case lately) we enjoy following Habs hockey and have readily adopted them as "our" team in the playoffs when our beloved canes fall short of the mark.

We intend on trying to get out to a Canadiens game while on our trip and are looking for any advice regarding what will likely be a once in a lifetime experience for us. We have experienced the addictive feeling of playoff hockey and the magic of a Stanley Cup win here in Carolina and are excited to experience this sport at its most storied and successful location. We are, admittedly, envious of a place where you could talk hockey with virtually anyone (and its slowly getting better here) and actually have them understand what you are trying to convey. Anyhow, we are looking for advice on the whole package i.e. parking, pre-game food/drinks, best place to buy tickets, or anything else about Montreal that we shouldn't miss out on. Thanks in advance and GO HABS!

(Yes we miss Erik Cole... Please send him back at your earliest convenience)

One of my heroes.

2011-11-27T04:19:25Z

This is a (bad) picture of my framed, autographed Saku Koivu picture. The story behind this is quite interesting, at least, I hope it is. I am currently in remission after surviving leukemia and a subsequent relapse of it. During my first time dealing with it, as I was no longer able to play ice hockey, I grew really close with my younger brother's team and traveled with them to tournaments and the like. They all got together and wrote fellow cancer survivor Saku Koivu a letter telling him about my situation, and he sent them back this to give to me.

After a depressing loss, I felt I'd try and cheer you all up with this:

via fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net

Canadiens to face Coyotes for NHL championship

2011-11-09T22:42:53Z

No, it's not a headline from next june written by someone who's not alowed to use the words Stanley Cup for some legal reason, neither is it the fevered hallucinations of a heartbroken Habs fan after yet another undeserevd loss. This headline is about the upcoming battle for the much covetted NHL linear championship. Yeah that thing I sort of made up a moment ago that should totally be made into a real thing!*

*I know a soccer-style league cup would be utterly pointless and a complete waste of time and energy, but how fun would that be? Probably not at all, but what if we guaranteed a playoff spot for the winner? Or a top 10 draft pick? More ridiculous gimmicks is always better I say!

The idea is simple : apply boxing logic to the world of hockey: if you beat the man, then you become the man.

The Bruins started the season as champions and immediately lost their first title defense to the Flyers who then successfully held the belt for four challenges (Philadelphia actually lost a game in a shootout, but I count that as a draw, like the NHL should dammit!) before falling to the Capitals... Well, you get the idea.

Let's rally and cheer for our Canadiens as they take the ice against the Coyotes for the rights to the most important NHL award handed by some guy who chose to go about his internet life under the identity of a Space amphibian from a cartoon. It doesn't get more prestigious (or credible) than that! Plus it's good to have something at stake against an opponent from the west we normally wouldn't care too much about if not for the fact that they are among the likely future new Nordiques currently scraping by in this league.

Championship progression:

N	W	Score		L
1	Phi	2	1	Bos
2	Phi	3	0	NJ
3	Phi	5	4	Van
4	Phi	2	2	LA
5	Phi	7	2	Ott
6	Was	5	2	Phi
7	Was	7	1	Det
8	Edm	2	1	Was
9	Edm	3	1	Col
10	Edm	4	2	Stl
11	Edm	3	0	LA
12	Pho	4	2	Edm

Overall records:

Team	W	L	T
Edm	4	1
Phi	4	1	1
Was	2	1
Pho	1	0
LA	0	1	1
Col	0	1
Stl	0	1
NJ	0	1
Van	0	1
Bos0	0	1
Ott	0	1
Det	0	1

Who Could Have Predicted?

2011-11-08T03:09:16Z

Turns out that retired NHL referee Kerry Fraser, one of the most respected officials ever in the sport (outside of bitter Maple Leafs fans), saw the Blunden/Rangers altercation from Saturday night the exact same way Habs fans did.

Fraser, current TSN special analyst/blogger for officiating issues, states:

When a dust up like this happened to me on the ice I always did my best to subscribe to the K.I.S.S. theory (keep it simple stupid) to get the game going as quickly and efficiently as possible. There's no sugarcoating this one.

This is my penalty assessment on the play after watching the entire episode:

MTL: 2-Minute Bench Minor Penalty - Too Many Men on the Ice
MTL: Mike Blunden - 5 Minutes Fighting
NYR: Ryan Callahan - 2 Minutes Instigating + 5 Minutes Fighting + 10 minutes misconduct
NYR: Brandon Dubinsky – 2 Minutes Roughing
MTL: Hal Gill - 2 Minutes Roughing
MTL: Petteri Nokelainen – 5 Minutes Fighting + Game Misconduct (secondary altercation)
NYR: Michael Sauer - 5 Minutes Fighting + Game Misconduct (secondary altercation)

Montreal would then place a man in the penalty box to serve the bench minor and New York would have the option to place a man in the box to serve Ryan Callahan's minor or the logical move would be to have Brandon Dubinsky serve his minor on the clock so as not to sacrifice another player in the box when cancelling out the coincident major and minor penalties. The teams would play 4 on 4 (Not 5 on 3...)

He adds:

Clearly Montreal had Too Many Men on the ice when Mike Blunden came onto the ice and made body contact with Brandon Dubinsky while Blunden's retiring teammate was still physically on the ice. (Rule 74.1 - If in the course of making a substitution, either the player entering the game or the player retiring from the ice surface plays the puck with his stick, skates or hands or who checks or makes any physical contact with an opposing player while either the player entering the game or the retiring player is actually on the ice, then the infraction of "too many men on the ice" will be called.)

Dubinsky clearly had received the puck on the stretch pass and would be deemed in possession; therefore the check that was put on him by Blunden could not be deemed "interference". The contact was a perfectly administered body check (shoulder to chest) and would have been deemed legal save for the fact that Montreal had six skaters on the ice.

As well as:

In a perfect world an instigator penalty would have been assessed to Callahan for the distance he travelled to grab and start a fight with Blunden. The referee could then send a clear message that the initial infraction was being called (Too Many Men on the ice) and if restraint had been shown the non-offending team (Rangers) would go on the power play. Not the case here either as the wrong message was sent and the Rangers gained a two-man advantage.

In short, the Habs got screwed here, and there's no two ways about it. Then the officials poured salt in the wound with several weak calls going against the Canadiens while the Rangers got away with frequent hooks and holds.

Those who were there when Plante donned the mask

2011-11-02T00:22:44Z

Our video guru, Francis Bouchard, fired this little link my way. The video clip marks the 52nd anniversary of Jacques Plante putting the mask on in game action.

The short clip features accounts from journalist Red Fisher, Plante's Canadiens teaamate Phil Goyette and the New York Rangers' Andy Bathgate, who's shot changed everything from that point on.

Sizzling debut for Louis Leblanc.

2011-10-28T02:22:58Z

Making his pro debut, Louis Leblanc played a factor in all three Hamilton Bulldogs goals against the Rochester Americans in their 3-2 OT win, Thursday night.

The Montreal Canadiens prospect assisted on goals by Andrew Conboy and Andreas Engqvist, before potting the overtime winner past Amerks goalie Drew MacIntyre.

I think we know why the Canadiens organization could afford to move Brock Trotter.

Who's going festifan?

2011-10-16T21:42:51Z

I don't know if your excited or if its just me. November 6th my daughter, wife and I will be attending the festifan celebrations. My daughter is HABS fan, like her father, yet I haven't told her about attending cause I wanna see the look on her face when we visit Bell Centre and meet some players for our first time! My wife well she a leafs fan, so she says she will be excited just to see our daughters face as well. It's all goes to good cause so I think all fans should attend so they can see there child's face as well as children who are in need of help them selves and this would put a smile on there face also. Which this is what is priceless making smiles on our children's faces even if there not our children. So hope to see everyone there and oh yeah ill have a s mile like a happy child as well...so come out for a good cause make children smile again.