Kiprusoff Blanks the Canadiens 1-0

It’s bad enough that the Montreal Canadiens offence is struggling, but when a former all-star goalie brings his  A-game, you know it could be a long night.

Miikka Kiprusoff had a 25-save effort, earning his 200th career win, to lead his Calgary Flames to a 1-0 at the Bell Centre.

The Flames essentially dominated Montreal in the first twenty minutes, with a 13-9 shot advantage.

Calgary scored the only game of the game, at 14:55 of the first period, when captain Jarome Iginla put a screen shot past Jaroslav Halak.

Late in the period the Flames remained in control when they had a full power play in the Canadiens end.

The Habs came out in the second period, challenging the Flames physical play, and were outhitting them 19-16 after two periods.

Montreal’s offense had it’s chances, including a breakaway opportunity by Scott Gomez, but Kiprusoff continued to shut the door.

The Canadiens had an excellent opportunity to tie it up, with a late power play in the third period, but could not solve the Finnish netminder, who earned his 31st career shutout.

“It’s frustrating when we can’t put a goal on the board,” said Canadiens forward Mike Cammalerri. “We gotta create more chances offensively.”

The former Flame acknowledged the team’s successful penalty killing unit (0 goals allowed in 6 chances), but noted the importance to stay out of the box in a one-goal game.

“In a game like tonight, it kills a lot of momentum,” he said. “It’s hard to get puck time when we’re sitting in the box.”

Canadiens coach Jacques Martin echoed his winger’s concern. “Once or twice we took penalties after some good shifts,” he said.

“Sometimes even if the opposition doesn’t score, you lose your momentum.”

Martin also commented on his teams struggling power play that went 0 for 3 Tuesday night. “It’s a concern. Most games are determined by two factors, special teams and goaltending,” he said.

“We need to have better execution and traffic in front of the net.”

Goaltending clearly was not the problem for the Canadiens, on Tuesday night, thanks to Jaroslav Halak’s 30-save performance.

“It’s tough (to lose a one-goal game) but it happens,” Halak said. “You need to find a way to score a goal.”

Halak also commented on the tweet left by his agent on Saturday.

“Obviously he wrote something he shouldn’t,” he said. “I found out on Sunday. It’s got nothing to do with me. I try to control what I say, and that’s the bottom line”

Halak also said he has not talked to Carey Price about the incident, “I think he knows that I’ve got nothing to do with it.”

Montreal has lost three straight at home, while Calgary (11-4-1) now rides a four-game winning streak.

The Canadiens record falls to 8-10-2 and is a disappointing  0-5 against Western Conference teams this season.

Montreal will head off to to Phoenix, for a game against the Coyotes, on Thursday, and to Nashville,Saturday, to face the Predators.

Three Stars:  1. Miikka Kiprusoff 2. Jaroslav Halak 3. Jarome Iginla

Photos: Montreal Gazette

July 1989: A changing of the guard in Habs leadership

The 1988-89 NHL Season concluded with the Montreal Canadiens losing in six games in the Stanley Cup Finals at the hands of the Calgary Flames.

Much like the the 2008-09 off season departures of Saku Koivu, Alex Kovalev ands Mike Komisarek, several leadership changes were about to unfold for the Montreal Canadiens as their 1989-90 season approached.

On July 18, 1989 with five Stanley Cups, a Conn Smythe trophy and four Selke trophies to his name, Canadiens’ captain Bob Gainey announced his retirement.

D’Arcy Jenish chronicled Gainey’s retirement in his recent book: The Montreal Canadiens: 100 Years of Glory

Bob Gainey’s last act as captain occurred on July 18, 1989. He sat at a table in the media room at the Forum with Serge Savard to his right, wife Cathy to his left and a large crowd of teammates, team officials and journalists before him. He spoke in English and French, switching effortlessly from one to the other, performing with customary poise and distinction, as one writer put it, and announced that after sixteen bruising and sometimes punishing seasons, he was through.

“The people of Montreal are known, and rightly so, as the strongest and most knowledgeable fans,” he said. “I tried to perform for them every night I played and I’ll carry with me many great memories.”

Savard spoke warmly of his former teammate. He cited his many accomplishments: the Stanley Cup championships, the individual awards, the all-star nominations and the appearances with Team Canada. “If I can describe Bob Gainey in one word,” Savard said, “it would be determination. He once played with two separated shoulders and no one even knew about it. In his prime he was one of the most feared players in the league. He is one of the greats in the history of the Canadiens hockey club.”

Pat Burns spoke of the future and the challenge ahead. “You don’t replace Bob Gainey,” Burns said. “You put someone else out there, but you don’t replace him.”

A week later on July 26, 1989 longtime Canadiens’ defenceman Larry Robinson, a more than suitable replacement as captain, was left without a contract and signed a three-year deal with the Los Angeles Kings.

Larry Robinson signed a three-year deal with the Kings on 07/26/89 playing all three seasons and appear in the playoffs for a record 20 consecutive seasons.

With two key leaders gone from the Canadiens’ ranks, and no clear replacement, the team would be asked to vote on the next captain.

Three rounds of voting wound up in ties between Guy Carbonneau and Chris Chelios.

Savard made the decision to name Carbonneau and Chelios as co-captains, alternating the “C” every other game.

Ultimately, the captaincy would fall to Carbonneau alone.

Despite signing a new five-year deal in February 1990, Chelios was traded in June 1990 to Chicago for Denis Savard.

It was a move that surprised Chelios, Burns and fans alike.

There was speculation that Canadiens’ president Ronald Corey was tired of Chelios’ alleged off ice antics and demanded the trade, but Savard claimed it was his decision based on team doctors’ concerns that Chelios’ knee might shorten his career.

That theory can be thrown out the window twenty years later.

Carbonneau would lead the Canadiens to their last Stanley Cup in 1993.He remained captain until he too was traded in the summer of 1994 to the St. Louis Blues. He would win another Cup five years later with the Dallas Stars and then GM Bob Gainey.

Mike Cammalleri chats with The Hockey News

The Montreal Canadiens’ Mike Cammalleri stopped by the Hockey Hall of Fame last week for a photo shoot for a story that appears in the latest issue.

He also had a chat with THN’s Ken Campbell. The full interview is available here.

Cammalleri talks on his decision to sign with the Habs saying that the opportunity to play for the most recognized of the Original Six teams di influence his decision.

He also thinks the pressure of the media scrutiny in Montreal will push him in a positive way

“You can use that to take your game to a level that’s going to be your best and the going to be the best for your team and your teammates,” he said.

“I don’t think you can be more engaged than playing for the Montreal Canadiens.”

He looks forward to the prospect of playing with the other new offensive acquisitions, Brian Gionta and Scott Gomez.

“Both guys are real exciting. It would be a great dynamic line in my eyes,” he said.

When asked on the new identity of the Canadiens, he felt that it looks like GM Bob Gainey has assembled a team that is going to compete.

“We’ll be there every night to grind it out,” he added

“Any time you have success, it’s going to be the direct result of the guys you play with.”

The Habs 2009-10 Schedule is out!!! Bulldogs and Cyclones sked news also released

 

The NHL officially released the Montreal Canadiens 2009-10 Regular Season Schedule this afternoon. The official press release can be found here.

The Canadiens will kick off Season 101 on Thursday October 1 against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the ACC.

It will be the first game of a five-game road trip to start off the season.

Maybe a good thing to get it over with early:

The Canadiens head west to play back-to-back games in Calgary and Vancouver on Oct 6-7, wrapping up the trip on Oct. 10 in Edmonton.

We all remember the disastrous western trip from last year, and so far coach Jacques Martin has not planned a team bowling night.

The Canadiens’ home opener is against the Colorado Avalanche on Oct 15 where they will have a six game home stand.

We’ll get a possible look at John Tavares twice in Montreal in four days (Oct  22 and 26)

Montreal then faces the Stanley Cup Champion Penguins in Pittsburgh on Oct 28.

The First Must-See home game: Saturday Oct 17th,when Alex Kovalev returns with his Ottawa Senators.

Christopher Higgins returns Oct 24 with the New York Rangers

Komisarek returns Oct 31, where it will be brick night: First 5000 fans get unused off-cut bricks from the Centennial Plaza to do…

Alexander Ovechkin and the Capitals roll into the Bell Centre on Nov 28. The game will be at the Bell Centre and not at Olympic Stadium as rumored.

Dec 4 against Boston will mark the 100th Anniversary of the Canadiens’ formation. Note the starting time of 8pm as there will be a ceremony beforehand.

Montreal looks to have a tough schedule in December, playing 11 of 17 games on the road and ends the month with seven in a row during the holidays.

Montreal has 15 back-to back games with just one of these at home, so Jaroslav Halak could see lots of work this season.

The NHL shuts down for two weeks, after Feb 13, for the Olympics.

Even with 21st Century technology, the NHL’s logistics team still cannot find a system to make it work evenly:

After the Olympics, the Habs are in Boston on Mar 2, then off to California (if it’s not in receivership) to play San Jose, L.A. and Anaheim and back across the country to face Tampa on Mar 9. That’s a lot of travel.

March closes out in the Canadiens’ favor for the playoff run however , with five of their last eight at home.

The season concludes on Apr 10 at the Bell Centre against the Maple Leafs.

The Canadiens will have seven pre-season games from September 17-26. Five games will be at home, while the other two will be in Ottawa (Sep 19) and Quebec City (Sep 20 vs. Boston)

 

First six Hamilton Bulldogs home games announced!

 The Hamilton Bulldogs have announced yesterday that Oct 9 will be their first home game of the 2009-10 AHL season.

Five other confirmed dates are also set with a Nov 6 game played in Montreal at the Bell Centre. Opponents are to be determined when the AHL releases the official schedule later this summer.

ECHL Cincinnati Cyclones Schedule released!

The Canadiens’ ECHL affiliate Cincinnati Cyclones (shared with the Nashville Predators) also announced their pre-season schedule today. Their regular season schedule is also posted.

It could be handy for our Ohio area Habs fans or those travelling south of the border on the way to Florida this winter! Catch a game on the way down I-75 !!!

May 25, 1989: MacInnis leads the Calgary Flames to their only Stanley Cup

It was a rematch from three years prior.

The Calgary Flames would square off again with the Montreal Canadiens for the Stanley Cup, looking to avenge their defeat in 1986.

It would be a meeting of the regular season’s No. 1 teams from the Campbell and Prince of Wales conferences.

Montreal, led by rookie coach Pat Burns, had lost just three games in the three playoff series they had been in leading up to the final.

Terry Crisp, in his second season as coach, and his team would battle Vancouver to seven games in the first round.

Flames fans will vividly recall Mike Vernon’s glove save, off Stan Smyl, in overtime of game seven leading to Joel Otto’s winning goal.

They would then crush Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings in a sweep, and take Chicago in five to get to the Cup final.

The series would be a defensive battles and goaltending from Vernon and Montreal’s Patrick Roy.

The two adversaries would split the first two games in Calgary, with the Flames winning game one 3-2 and Montreal taking the second game 4-2.

Moving to the hallowed Montreal Forum, Ryan Walter would score for the Canadiens at 18:08 of the second overtime giving them a 4-3 game three win before the Flames won game four, 4-2.

The series returned to the Saddledome with the home team winning the fifth game 3-2.

The Flames were up three games to two going back to Montreal.

In the first period, Colin Patterson capitalized on a shot that had deflected off the Canadiens’ Chris Chelios, and snapped the puck past a surprised Roy at 18:51 of the first period.

Claude Lemieux responded for Montreal, at 1:23 of the second period, when his blast from just inside the blue line handcuffed Vernon and trickled over the goal line.

The Flames co-captain, Lanny MacDonald, scored his only goal of the playoffs in the second period at 4:24.

Coming in hard on a four man rush, after serving a penalty, the veteran took a pass from Joe Nieuwendyk to beat Roy on the glove side.

Despite each allowing a soft goal, both goaltenders played at the All-Star level into the third period.

The turning point came for Calgary in the third period, when Russ Courtnall took a boarding after he ran Vernon over behind the net.

The Montreal bench felt that Vernon was clearly away from his crease, and was an open target.

On the power-play, Doug Gilmour cashed his own rebound, that Roy had difficulty handling, at 11:02

Pat Burns was seen clapping his hands after the goal sarcastically in response to referee Denis Morel’s call on Courtnall.

Rick Green would respond for Montreal at 11:53 on a screen shot that clearly showed Lemieux interfere with Vernon.

An interesting event occurs at the 15:51 mark of the period.

With the Canadiens still trailing andon the attack, the Flame’s Al MacInnis scoops the puck with his glove and stops the play in the Calgary end.

Being on the opposite side, referee Morel can’t see what occurred so no delay of game penalty is called.

MacInnis carries his “trophy” to the Flames bench, during the stoppage in play, and flips it to a trainer.

Gilmour would score an empty net goal with just over a minute to play, and the Flames had won their first ever Stanley Cup.

What makes it equally significant is that, in their history, the Canadiens had never lost a Cup clinching game at home.

Montreal fans gave a standing ovation for the Flames and remained in their seats to watch as the visiting team paraded the Stanley Cup around the Forum ice.

Though he didn’t score in the final game, MacInnis had five goals (two game winners) with his booming slapshot in the series.

His 31 points in the playoffs, including a 17-game point streak, would earn him the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

MacInnis became the first defenceman to lead the playoffs in scoring.

For Lanny MacDonald, it was an exclamation point on a Hall of Fame career.

Having capped his regular season career with an even 500 career goals and 1006 points, his final goal in the NHL would be on a Stanley Cup winner.

"I scored my first goal ever in the National Hockey League in the Montreal Forum. And I scored my last goal in my final game, again, in the Montreal Forum. I was part of the on-ice lineup for that winning game and we were the only team other than the Canadiens ever to win the Stanley Cup on Forum ice. All those things added up to me thinking, 'Boy, it's a sign! It's time I was outta here.' What a great way to go!

"To come back and eventually win the Cup playing for a team close to your hometown (Hanna, Alberta), wow! It doesn't get much better than that,"

This Stanley Cup final would also mark the last time that two Canadian teams have faced off.

The complete game can be viewed here.