I am sure if other HF's were writing this review this would be an "OMFG what a comeback!" kind of thing (see e.g. HF4 [née HF33]'s brilliance re the Rangers comeback). But you know me - focus on the negative. I'll be happy when I'm dead. Maybe. Just thought you noobs should know that in advance.
Plan the parade - OMFG what a comeback! Totally left for dead midway through the 3rd down 3-1 against an inspired Sabres team, even deader with about 3 minutes left when we got a PP. 3 minutes - can we do it? Old Habs no, new Habs yes. Pleks, by his own admission fighting the puck a bit lately, beautifully tips a Streit point shot. Hope rises out of nowhere. Price pulled. Heart rates rising in the last 30 seconds as Habs get into the zone. Streit gets off a shot from the point and Pleks is there to backhand the rebound in with 14 seconds left. From there even I felt it was inevitable. And in OT, Streit spies an open Higgins at the back door and feeds him a beauty he redirects into a virtually open net. Orgasms for all. First place in the East again. Habs win their 24th road game, 4th highest total in our long glorious history.
There were only two other good things during the game. The Kovy-Grabs give and go that was our first goal had me crying. Wow. Kovy reaches 80 points for only the second time in his career. And then there was TFS(tm). Stopping 35 of 38 shots including a couple of highway robberies, he totally kept us in the game we had no business being in. After the game, I was really impressed when several Habs did post-game interviews on the stationary bike. Very Sens-like. You know, back when the Sens were good.
The sky is falling - hello Habs, we have a game to play. Was it rust after not playing since M0nday? Was it complacency? Was it a Sabres team desperately fighting for its playoff lives? A little from each column I guess. All I know is we were outshot 27-13 through 2 periods. We looked lifeless. We had very few offensive chances, and the Sabres were skating rings around us. The defense really felt the loss of DOOM for the first time. We played a little better in the 3rd, but really, for 57 minutes, the return of Hyde was upon us.
Coach Carbo said after the game, "we didn't respond, but sometimes it's better to be lucky than good, and we took advantage of it in the last minutes." Fuck you, Guy. It's better to be good. It's better to be ready to play from the opening face-off. It's better you get your head out of your ass and realize this team can't play 60 minutes. It's better you realize this fact before the playoffs start.
Mark Streit, for all his offensive heroics, looked a little lost on the back end. A near Breezer-like gaffe directly led to the Sabres' second goal. The rest of the defense wasn't much better. The 3rd and 4th lines, so full of energy lately, seemed non-existant.
Chez Parée bound? Everyone gets in, but only after waiting in line for 57 minutes.
Next evil, evil foe - Leafs! Habs! Saturday night on CBC! Bob Cole! Er, Saturday night!
Special note - Playoff tickets on sale today at noon! It's not a dream after all.
Plan the parade - OMFG what a comeback! Totally left for dead midway through the 3rd down 3-1 against an inspired Sabres team, even deader with about 3 minutes left when we got a PP. 3 minutes - can we do it? Old Habs no, new Habs yes. Pleks, by his own admission fighting the puck a bit lately, beautifully tips a Streit point shot. Hope rises out of nowhere. Price pulled. Heart rates rising in the last 30 seconds as Habs get into the zone. Streit gets off a shot from the point and Pleks is there to backhand the rebound in with 14 seconds left. From there even I felt it was inevitable. And in OT, Streit spies an open Higgins at the back door and feeds him a beauty he redirects into a virtually open net. Orgasms for all. First place in the East again. Habs win their 24th road game, 4th highest total in our long glorious history.
There were only two other good things during the game. The Kovy-Grabs give and go that was our first goal had me crying. Wow. Kovy reaches 80 points for only the second time in his career. And then there was TFS(tm). Stopping 35 of 38 shots including a couple of highway robberies, he totally kept us in the game we had no business being in. After the game, I was really impressed when several Habs did post-game interviews on the stationary bike. Very Sens-like. You know, back when the Sens were good.
The sky is falling - hello Habs, we have a game to play. Was it rust after not playing since M0nday? Was it complacency? Was it a Sabres team desperately fighting for its playoff lives? A little from each column I guess. All I know is we were outshot 27-13 through 2 periods. We looked lifeless. We had very few offensive chances, and the Sabres were skating rings around us. The defense really felt the loss of DOOM for the first time. We played a little better in the 3rd, but really, for 57 minutes, the return of Hyde was upon us.
Coach Carbo said after the game, "we didn't respond, but sometimes it's better to be lucky than good, and we took advantage of it in the last minutes." Fuck you, Guy. It's better to be good. It's better to be ready to play from the opening face-off. It's better you get your head out of your ass and realize this team can't play 60 minutes. It's better you realize this fact before the playoffs start.
Mark Streit, for all his offensive heroics, looked a little lost on the back end. A near Breezer-like gaffe directly led to the Sabres' second goal. The rest of the defense wasn't much better. The 3rd and 4th lines, so full of energy lately, seemed non-existant.
Chez Parée bound? Everyone gets in, but only after waiting in line for 57 minutes.
Next evil, evil foe - Leafs! Habs! Saturday night on CBC! Bob Cole! Er, Saturday night!
Special note - Playoff tickets on sale today at noon! It's not a dream after all.
