GAME DAY: Chicago Blackhawks at Montreal Canadiens -- 7:30 ET, March 31, 2009

GO HAWKS GO!!!

Well, I'm off to Montreal...thanks to everybody for your support...I'll bring a hunka hunka GM Hockey karma with me!

:D

wprager wrote:Isn't it funny that the two goalies at the centre of the controversy last year (Huet traded and Price made the #1) are both warming the benches?

Ahh Prags, ever the pessimist...look at it instead as a delicious drama...Count of Monte Cristobal returning to wreak revenge on the club that tossed him overboard for the anointed Prince Jesus Price...
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Price goes tonight for the Habs.

Huet goes tonight for the Hawks.

Have a great time Dave. Not sure what Habs team will show up to play, so your Hawk team might just enjoy tremendous success, or if the real Hab team shows up to play, they will definitely make a game of it!

Either way, you are bound to have a great time

Hawks should be all fired up after their fight-filled game against Vancouver.

Go hawks, smack around the ole ole bunch and win like 5 to 0, Huet will get a bit of justice against his former club.

SensFan71 wrote:Go hawks, smack around the ole ole bunch and win like 5 to 0, Huet will get a bit of justice against his former club.

Well, no justice last night I guess, and no smacking...so apologies to my Sens friends here...believe me, Hawks fans would have loved to see a different result.

That said, it was really a special pleasure to be at the Hawks-Habs game at Le Centre Bell last night. I had an excellent view from the 100s, situated down around the goal line.

The Bell Center is a great place to see a game. There were quite a few Hawks fans in attendance. I had some excellent conversations with Montreal fans who were (a) surprised to see as a Hawks fan, how friendly and even handed about the game I was (b) that I spoke fluent French-Canadian ;-)

The Montreal fans had lots of good things to say about this year's Chicago team. There was much chatting about the rich history between these clubs, and heroes like Denis Savard, Stephane Matteau, Chris Chelios and Tony Esposito who have worn both jerseys.

BTW when I see a game I applaud ALL the good plays--not just the team I am cheering for.

PPS Montreal has the most beautiful women on the planet...I don't know how wealthy young hockey players can possibly concentrate on The Game when there's that much local talent LOL.

OK, on to Le Match.

Playoff quality hockey.

Montreal understood that, and played accordingly.

Again, playoff hockey is about mistakes.

The Blackhawks made enough to cost themselves the game, and the Canadiens, knowing they HAD to win, capitalized on enough of those to prevail.

I had a brutally close view of the inexplicable giveaway by the Hawks D in the first thirty seconds, that effectively invited Alex Kovalev--an extremely gifted player--to score from less than ten feet out.

It was a pretty close contest for the rest of the period, but the wonky goal in the second was a cold shower for Chicago. The Hawks couldn't solve the Habs' trap and Markov's excellent power play goal pretty much sealed it.

Schneider's PP rocket in the third was inevitable as Montreal had successfully put a choke hold on the Hawks' attack. It was like watching Bob Gainey, cloned. Gainey as a player was the best at what he did, and as an executive, he obviously has the respect of his players.

The Blackhawks didn't help themselves by trying to impress everyone, including themselves, with their speed and passing...while doing altogether too much passing and not enough shooting. Forgetting to bodycheck the Canadiens, and not crashing the net, meant the Hawks were never dangerous.

The Hawks may have also been feeling a letdown after the Vancouver game, but that's no excuse for hale and hardy young men like these.

When Chicago did have good scoring chances, Price was in The Zone.

Gainey's Canadiens play a much more efficient game than they did under Carbo. If they continue to play as they did last night, they will make the playoffs and perhaps make life difficult for Boston (assuming they meet).

Now, a word regarding the Habs fans--and by no means are they in the majority--who think it's 'cute' to boo and taunt opposing players...in this case Monsieur Huet. Their behaviour seemed to show they've quickly forgotten how Cristobal Huet gave the Canadiens strong goaltending when they needed it, and was, by all accounts, an outstanding teammate. Carey Price has nothing but great things to say about Huet who was, in Price's words, a mentor and a friend.

Maybe some people will argue this taunting is 'part of the game', but IMHO all it shows is a lack of class.

I remember well the last time I saw the Habs live in Montreal at the Forum against the Bruins in an early seventies playoff series. The adolescents heckling Gerry Cheevers didn't get him off his game as the Bruins won.

Jean Beliveau was the epitome of class, and he never engaged in the kind of trash behaviour that some fans think is 'cool'. Neither did Bobby Hull, nor have any of the great players.

So enough said about that.

Anyway...the Blackhawks are learning what it's like when other teams who know what the playoffs are about--and take the Hawks seriously as an opponent--teach them a few lessons.

The Canucks did it the other night. The Canadiens did it last night.

So the teams shake hands, and move on to play the next one.

Hopefully the young Blackhawks are taking notes, and will be ready to apply themselves accordingly.

All in all, a wonderful and memorable hockey night for me, as it was the first time I have ever seen the Hawks play live, after being a fan since '61.

Though they lost, they showed how much talent they have, and Blackhawks fans are rightfully proud of them. The season is not over yet, and there are great things yet to come from this team.

Here Come the Hawks!
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