Robert L Note: A friend of mine challenged me – bet me three beers at the bar down the corner no less! – to do this post. Knowing that the Habs were playing in Jersey tonight, and knowing what a fanatic I am of Springsteen, he bet me that I couldn’t fit 50 Boss song titles in a Habs game relevant post. You lose – Dumbass! You shoulda known better, Beatle fan! I’ll be at Mustangs at 10:30 sharp, and expecting double the brews should the Habs win.
The Canadiens have a rendezvous tonight with the Jersey Devils, never an easy foe. Unlike last game versus the Thrashers, they’d better be prepared to prove it all night in this one or they could end up giving coach Carbonneau a few restless nights over the All Star Break. Last night it looked the Habs were playing ball hockey out in the street. Only spare parts Pacioretty, Stewart, and D’ Agostini played like they had a hungry heart to win. Some say that’s the price you pay when several players are missing the fire, but it is not as though the Canadiens are counting on a miracle to win.
It is never a simple matter to play in the Devil’s arcarde, and Montreal had better turn it on and keep it open all night, firing everything they can from point blank range, in order to win. This is one way not to be trapped in their jungleland of clogged up neutral zones, and past games offer living proof that it works. Should they drive all night to the net, by game’s end they won’t be able to tell the difference between Devils and dust.
With some days off coming for most players, some will have their sights set on a roll of the dice in Atlantic City or Reno. Carbonneau will try to keep their minds off the beautiful rewards in lucky town
They had better be ready because this won’t be no game of shinny with Shanny. Some think that Shanahan has seen better days, that he has taken long time coming back this season, but with him there is no surrender in his game. He’s not the hitter he used to be, but he’s still tougher than the rest. Zack Parise is also a man at the top of his game, and always brings his magic against the Canadiens. There’s always a reason to believe, that this player is in right in the middle of his glory days, and he’ll kill you everytime.
They can’t settle for shooting peas at Scott Clemenson tonight, and if they can light the fuse and fire close to 41 shots on the Jersey goal. If the Habs can be true to themselves, and not be the team with two faces as they have been lately, there will be no need to be concerned tonight
A few seasons back, the two teams were worlds apart, but over the last season, the Habs have come back to the real world and closed the gap between themselves and Jersey. After taking one step up and two steps back for a few seasons, they are now ready to take a leap of faith and go for a 25th Stanley Cup. There’s several sharp shooters on the team, especially Andrei Kostitsyn, who has a good eye for the net. This team could be working on a dream season or caught in the big muddy. Time will tell whether they are blinded by the light or just dancing in the dark.
Tomorrow never knows if the Devils can catch the Canadiens in the race for first place overall this season. The standings are closer than they have even been, with the shootout now breaking the overtime ties that bind teams in the tight Eastern Conference. When the playoffs roll around, the Canadiens could meet the Devils in the playoffs if they keep rising in the standings. Some think that could be all out war, with the last to die heading off to the Cup finals. None but the brave will emerge unscathed.
