Carey Price and his crew came back for the first time to the city of brotherly love since the Philadelphia Flyers orange-crushed them right back to the golf course last spring.
After a so-so start with an OT win in Game One at the Bell Center, the Habs dropped four in a row to Martin Biron’s beautiful eyes. Summer came before expected, and the hard truth of the postseason’s poisoned surprises filled the “hockey city” of Montreal.
And we thought it would be easy! Silly us!
Price said he was mentally burnt after almost two full years of play. Although he made an Oscar-winning performance in the role of Santa Claus, distributing generous goals to whoever came by to say hi; Santa Price—oops, Carey Price wasn’t the only one to blame.
With a little more effort, we could have transformed the Bell Center into a giant confessional room! Stop blaming the kid—he wasn't even allowed yet to drink away his pain!
Once the Flyers figured out how to get the Canadiens out of focus, the rest of the playoffs were written wide in the sky. Add a tremendous Biron to the mix, and we’ve got ourselves a knock out! "I kicked out Price and I liiiked iiiiiiit, 'hope Le Quebec don't mind iiiit."
Tonight, they met again. Price said he wasn’t nervous, during his pre-game interview given to La Presse. Good for him, because I was!
- B/R Ticket Guide
He looked confident, as always. Rare are the times that we see Price in a state of complete breakdown, emotional that is! You have to be named Alexander Ovechkin to force him to show some emotions! (Recall that game in December, late last year?)
Of course, the context is not the same. In fact, if I had to make a choice, I would have wanted them to lose tonight, but go back in time and win some last spring! Still, 79 games from now, we will realize how important those two points are.
In the first period, Price looked strong, unshaken, with a good game read. I couldn't help but notice those blinding orange shirts that were my nightmare—actually, the colour isn’t bad, I just had to cope with it more times than I wished.
His teammates weren’t playing bad either, but Biron seemed to be sharp. No goals in the first.
The second started to give me flashbacks of a part of the season I tried to erase from my mind!
Montreal scored once, thanks to Andrei Kostitsyn. But the Flyers slipped two in a row behind Price. The Canadiens were trailing 1-2, and the nightmare was back again! It was like the Chainsaw Massacre, but with a hockey stick instead of a saw!
The “orange curse” seemed to keep on going, and Montreal had to find a way to get over it.
Roman Hamrlik, Mike Komisarek, Robert Lang, and Steve Begin finally proved to Price that the 29 saves he made weren’t to be thrown to the dogs—but in the third place of the game-stars scale.
Although the Flyers brought the game to 4-3 with one minute to go in the third, the Habs held on to their win with Begin’s security goal in an empty net. Final score, 5-3.
We’re not even close to the playoffs, and we don’t even know what the season holds. Last year, we swept the regular-season series versus Daniel Briere and his guys, which obviously helped in no way other than making the playoff loss even more humiliating!
But, you know, it’s one of those games that feel special. It's a hockey rivalry!
“It is in the back of your mind that it’s still the team that put you out last year, and you’re going to have a bit of a grudge. But it’s a new year,” declared Price.
The Habs are now two and a half for three. They stole a point form the Sabres, freed their frustration on the Maple Leafs (for the loss of the other point!), then showed to the Flyers that Montreal's pride hasn't been dropped with Price's 25 lost pounds during summer!
The Montreal Canadiens will host the Boston Bruins for another one of those games that feel special Wednesday! However, the Habs haven't won a home opener for a few years now. But we never know, right?
comments (14) write a comment »
write a new comment
about 1 month ago
:) Great article Miah! 5*, POTD.
from about 1 month ago
thanks Michael, really nice. i am glad you liked my article! :D
about 1 month ago
Robert Lang and Alex Tanguay are great additions paying dividends already, larock will be in the line up soon. we've won 7 straight reg season games against the flyers, but something tells me we will need to beat them in a series to get to were we need to be... so stay tuned.
GO Habs!!!!!!!
from about 1 month ago
for sure, the off season signatures start to pay off already. that is a nice start for the HAbs, getting two regular wins, and one point on the road.
well, for sure, in the series, it will be different. I kinda of hoped Laraque would have been in uniform, facing the flyers. those guys are really showing a lot of muscles to the HAbs!
yep, go habs!
about 1 month ago
I actually thought Price looked shaky in the first, and better in the second and third. He gave up a lot of rebounds, it seemed, and didn't look too confident. After not letting in a goal through 20 min, though, he gained a lot of it back, as well he should. The Flyers also just stopped playing in the third, and Montreal deserved to win.
from about 1 month ago
the goal by Gagne in the third was the shaky one for Price, I think! I felt he was okay in the first, especially with the 5-on-3. it was tricky, coz if he had allowed goals in the first, the game would have come out of end for the Habs.
I dont know but I have the feeling those guys play strange when Price is in the net, and a lot better with Halak ... it is just me, maybe!
Biron should get back on his old himself right away, the old himself of the series, that is. the next meetings should be fun! :D
about 1 month ago
Yeah, Biron played pretty well, there wasn't really one goal last night that he could've stopped, the defense just collapsed in front of him (nothing abnormal there...)
from about 1 month ago
didnt u guys just get Alberts?
but the thing is, you guys are a much stronger team than us. so for a couple of times there, i really did see the same games as in the playoffs! lol! i was like "man, if only Laraque was there!"
about 1 month ago
Since we are all talking about the goalies of the habs...I'll tell u my POV....
According to me, Price is a very good goalie. He is very poised in front of the net and sees almost everything come through....The other thing which strikes me about Price is his puckhandling...even thoughhe almost slipped coming out to save Breezer, he made up for his mistake....
On the other hand, I feel that Halak is a very sloppy goalie. He is all over the place and the tension rises everytime the puck goes to him coz u can never see if he made the save or not. Sloppiness or not...he most of the time gets the job don...
Bottom line...we have two very unique and contrasting goalies.
Btw...Halak looks terrible in a ball cap and Price looks awesome! Lol...looking forward to the Bruins'!
from about 1 month ago
Price's attitude is certainly what makes him special. being able to be a certain state of mind to handle a lot of pressure, for such a young man, is quite amazing.
yeah the save on the Breezer episode was ... scary, but as they said on game coverage, great goalies correct their mistakes! imagine he would have ran into breezer on his way back to the crease, that would have been a goal!
on the other hand, I dont think Halak is a sloppy goalie. he is quite good i'd say, he is very energetic in his net and has a lot of mobility. but as u say, sloppiness or not, he gets the job done!
Halak did really good helping the habs two years ago, when huet got injured. just for that, i guess he deserves some credit! right now, he just falls off in the shadow of Price, who I have to say, is quite impressive! but that's my opinion,
"halak looks terrible in a ball cap and Price looks awesome" ... loooool! Price always looks awesome anyway! lol
about 1 month ago
Nicely done here Miah. Seeing the final score did make me smile.
The only part of your article I couldn't really appreciate was:
"the Habs dropped four in a row to Martin Biron’s beautiful eyes"
Just can't bring myself to embrace that sentiment 8^D
from about 1 month ago
thanks J.C.,
I know what u mean, Philadelphia is giving us hard time presently ...
Martin Biron's eyes: I know I know, that was a wierd one! lol! that was actually the one thing my friends (girls!) and I have noticed with him, he has got amazing eye colours! lol!
about 1 month ago
Good job, can't wait to watch the Boston-Montreal game tomorrow, should be a good one!
from about 1 month ago
for sure, the Bruins are definitely looking to avenge whatever is there to avenge. it will be a great match up!
write a new comment