Leafs 5 Canadiens 2

by Chemmy on Feb 8, 2009 2:57 PM EST in Game Recaps

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This won't be a traditional recap, if you didn't clear your schedule to watch Leafs Habs last night I don't think I should spoil it with a summary. Go find a copy of the game and watch. I'd like to bring the season series to everyone's attention. Toronto is a rebuilding club who are apparently godawful, and Montreal is a lock to win the Stanley Cup in their 100th year. Montreal won 6-1 at the ACC, and then lost 6-3 at the ACC. Toronto then lost 6-2 at the Bell Centre before last night's game. Montreal has missed the playoffs five of the last nine seasons, compared to Toronto's three. None of that's important.

What's important is that Luke Schenn continued his absolute dominance of Carey Price in Carey Price's home arena. It all started with Schenn's quick deke on Price in the Young Stars game. Schenn's scored two goals in NHL competition, both have been on Carey Price, both in Montreal.

Two other Leafs continued their excellent play as of late. The first one is obvious, Jason Blake has been on an absolute tear lately. With nine goals and seven assists in his last ten games, Jason Blake has been silencing critics of his contract. It's still for too long, especially on a young rebuilding team like Toronto, but you have to imagine a playoff team would want a guy putting up points like Blake has been lately. Also silencing critics of his contract has been Jeff Finger. A +5 in his last eight games, with two goals and two assists, he's stepped up on the blue line.

A short recap on a lazy Sunday, enjoy wins like this over hated rivals, because for a while they'll be few and far between.

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i love that picture

Because Taking The Leafs Seriously Is Not An Option

by JaredFromLondon on Feb 8, 2009 2:59 PM EST reply actions

greatest game

ever

Ah, Nuprin. Litlle. Yellow. Different.

by tugboats and arson on Feb 8, 2009 3:03 PM EST reply actions

It’s missing the pic Odin made of Price with a pineapple on his head.

Ain't nothing but puck drops and poke checks, babydoll.

by Wrap Around Curl on Feb 8, 2009 3:23 PM EST reply actions

Here you go.

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Five For Howling

by Travis Hair on Feb 8, 2009 7:10 PM EST up reply actions

i love that so much

Because Taking The Leafs Seriously Is Not An Option

by JaredFromLondon on Feb 8, 2009 7:30 PM EST up reply actions

I don't get it.

Is he supposed to be Chiquita Banana?

The Drive for 25

by Holy Flannel (habsfan) on Feb 8, 2009 7:56 PM EST up reply actions

uh...

it’s a thing with Grabovski. There’s some photos of him cutting up a pineapple around here somewhere, which has evolved into a bit of an obsession…

by Karina on Feb 8, 2009 7:57 PM EST up reply actions

I see. Leafs Nation inside joke.

I still don’t get it though.

I am Chiquita Banana and I’m here to say, I will eat this Toblerone and I will not pay.

The Drive for 25

by Holy Flannel (habsfan) on Feb 8, 2009 7:59 PM EST up reply actions

PPP

inside joke. 99% of Leafs Nation is probably ignorant of that.
Mmmm Toblerone……

by Karina on Feb 8, 2009 8:00 PM EST up reply actions

Right.

That’s what I meant.

The Drive for 25

by Holy Flannel (habsfan) on Feb 8, 2009 8:01 PM EST up reply actions

Search

Grabovski on the right hand side and it’ll come up. It’s a series of ridiculously insane looking pictures that he took one of which involved him with a pineapple.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Feb 8, 2009 8:46 PM EST up reply actions

Как же так может быть?

by sleza on Feb 8, 2009 3:34 PM EST reply actions

I’m really happy with the improvement in Finger’s game of late. I’ve been a supporter of his from the start, despite the rather high salary. He and VanRyn are definitely guys I would be happy with going forward, along with Schenn (natch) and Frogren. I like Kubina but if Burke can get a good return on him I won’t be sad about his departure. Ditto with Kaberle when he comes back from his injury – hopefully just in time so a playoff bound team desperate for puck moving D can overpay for him.. Hello Montreal? PK Subban + ?

by LeafFanInVan on Feb 8, 2009 4:15 PM EST reply actions

I don't think that makes much sense

The one area the Habs don’t really have a problem is with a puck moving D man to quarterback the PP. Andrei Markov is their leading scorer… for the team not just the blue liners.

They also used to have Mark Streit, and they decided they didn’t need him to win. I don’t entirely disagree with Gainey’s logic either.

What they need is solid goal tending, which they aren’t, and production out of their forwards. When your leading goal scorer is Robert Lang and he’s 38… you have a problem.

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."

- Sir Winston Churchill

I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.

by Steve Burtch on Feb 8, 2009 4:51 PM EST up reply actions

my bad for listening to habs fans gripe about what is wrong with their stupid team I guess. They still love the pricemeister for some reason.

by LeafFanInVan on Feb 8, 2009 4:56 PM EST up reply actions

they're retarded

Markov is deadly. He’s the only Hab I can’t hate, because of his mad skillz.
They need a shooter on the point with him though, and some more production of out their forwards like steve said. And yeah, Price needs to regain his form.

by Karina on Feb 8, 2009 4:57 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah

Keep in mind this one thing: they are dumb.

They need proven scorers and a real goalie.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Feb 8, 2009 6:46 PM EST up reply actions

It’s easier keeping track for Leaf fans as to what the team needs, which is everything.

by LeafFanInVan on Feb 8, 2009 8:46 PM EST up reply actions

hahaha

Yeah, basically.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Feb 8, 2009 8:46 PM EST up reply actions

i told anyone who would listen...

last season was an anomaly for the habs. too many guys had breakout and/or career seasons, and there were almost no injuries. to expect all of that to be repeated was foolishness. not to mention a young goalie coming off a bad playoff and who had never been a starter for an entire season, the departure of mark streit, counting on kovalev to put together 2 good seasons in a row (has he ever done that? definitely not in montreal), the pressure of the glorious 100th season, etc etc. they may still make the playoffs, they may not, either way they’re not getting past the first round and half their team is going to bolt as UFAs come july and the team’s going to be in shambles. it’s gonna be sweet.

by daoust on Feb 8, 2009 6:51 PM EST reply actions

Good to see you guys are enjoying yourselves.

Boy, you’re all having a field day, like you all just got laid for the first time last night.

Anyways, I’m not going to hide that last night hurt a lot. Habs need a shot from the point. They need Kovalev to wake the fuck up. They need more people who look like they give a shit, because on most nights hard work (the Leafs) will be a lot of talent (Habs). That’s what I think Price’s problem has been. He has relied too much of his skill and not enough on working hard. The calm, cool and collectiveness that made him so successful so far in his young career seems to be hurting him now

Everyone in Montreal is just kind of falling down back to Earth right now. “Oh well, no Cup this year.” I still believe we’re going to make the playoffs though.

The Drive for 25

by Holy Flannel (habsfan) on Feb 8, 2009 7:13 PM EST reply actions

of course we are having a field day. And don’t pretend you wouldn’t had the scores been reversed

Because Taking The Leafs Seriously Is Not An Option

by JaredFromLondon on Feb 8, 2009 7:31 PM EST up reply actions

Of course we'd be happy.

But when we beat the Leafs 6-1 or 6-2 a couple of time this season, no Habs blogs dedicated 4 posts entirely to bashing the Leafs and Toskala.

The Drive for 25

by Holy Flannel (habsfan) on Feb 8, 2009 7:34 PM EST up reply actions

actually there is only 3 posts today about the Canadiens. and two of those are written after every game about every team. Check the archives.
the third was about Luke Schenns first NHL goal. Which is totally different.
and lest we not forget that the leafs also beat les Habitants twice this year, 5-2 last night and 6-2 a few months back.
Also Toskala sucks, feel free to bash him as much as you want

Because Taking The Leafs Seriously Is Not An Option

by JaredFromLondon on Feb 8, 2009 7:39 PM EST up reply actions

that should have said “the fourth was about Luke Schenns First NHL goal”

Because Taking The Leafs Seriously Is Not An Option

by JaredFromLondon on Feb 8, 2009 7:41 PM EST up reply actions

in a season

when the Leafs rarely win at all, we can gloat all we want when we beat our oldest rivals in their own building. No defense is needed.

by Karina on Feb 8, 2009 7:55 PM EST up reply actions

I guess you're right.

Still though, can’t you leave the Habs alone so that I may cry in peace.

The Drive for 25

by Holy Flannel (habsfan) on Feb 8, 2009 7:55 PM EST up reply actions

Nope

Sorry! we get no peace so we give none ;)

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Feb 8, 2009 8:47 PM EST up reply actions

No Habs blog knows enough words to put together four posts in one day.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Feb 8, 2009 8:47 PM EST up reply actions

Icarus had wings

Holy Flannel Batman! The drive for 25- I think that last line just about sums up everything that annoys me about the Hillbilly nation. Expectations breed hubris, leading to self pity. Sorry that you couldn’t get cheap wing at La cage aux sports last night. OH, that’s right we got 5 goals. Maybe I can get some cheap wings.
In the spirit of the we take happiness where we can get it theme- Stefanovich potted another hat trick over the weekend. King Patrick, a former Hab I think, says that Mikhail is on fire.

by blue with age on Feb 8, 2009 8:28 PM EST reply actions

NICE!

Please let this Stefanovich kid pan out.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Feb 8, 2009 8:48 PM EST up reply actions

1) Suddenly the habs are no longer a cinch to be in the playoffs(albeit for 1 series). Does Blake have 1 of the silly NTC’s? Perhaps a playoff bound team might give him a second look, but his health/age/contract length still give us pause!

by Fauxrumors on Feb 8, 2009 9:33 PM EST reply actions

Miraculously, Blake does not have an NTC.

Unless you meant “non-tradable contract”, in which case, yes he does.

Down Goes Brown - Unapologetically nostalgic for the past. Brutally realistic about the present. Grudgingly optimistic about the future.

by Down Goes Brown on Feb 8, 2009 9:54 PM EST up reply actions

wow, Marlies won 10-5 today
Stapleton with 4 goals and Andrea Freaken Devaux with a hattie and an assist

Because Taking The Leafs Seriously Is Not An Option

by JaredFromLondon on Feb 8, 2009 9:56 PM EST reply actions

10-5? wooooooow

GO BELL BIV. why the hell couldn’t he put up points with the leafs?

Ah, Nuprin. Litlle. Yellow. Different.

by tugboats and arson on Feb 8, 2009 10:28 PM EST up reply actions

why the hell couldn’t he put up points with the leafs?

Um….because he sucks? AHL hattie notwithstanding?

jrwendelman
The Artist Formerly Known as "Junior", who blogs at heroesinrehab.ca/blog

"But if someone so eager to engage into fist talk, we can always meet after season end in Minsk." (Mikhail Grabovski and a well-meaning but not particularly skillful translator)

by jrwendelman on Feb 9, 2009 9:24 AM EST up reply actions