The Canadiens overpower the Pens by the score of 4-2

After being benched in the third period of Sunday's game, Alex Kovalev bounced back against the Penguins with 6 shots and 1 assist. As you can see Kovalev did step up but could not put the puck in the net."(Kovalev) did what we asked of him and I thought he played well," Carbonneau said. "I thought that line was pretty good tonight, they played against Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin right until the third period when they separated them. They did a good job."Kovalev was not the only player that stepped up but the hole team did."We always say one game doesn't mean anything, but I thought we made a big step forward as a line and as a team," Kovalev said. "We're coming back slowly, but hopefully it won't just be one game. Hopefully it will be the rest of the games for the rest of the season and the playoffs."

Christopher Higgins, Maxim Lapierre,Anderi Kostistsyn and Roman Hamrlik scored for the Habs in the 4-2 win.Carey Price made 23 saves for the Canadiens in the victory.As for the Pens,Rookie Luca Caputi scored on his first career NHL shift and Malkin added another goal in the lose.Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 31 shots for the Penguins in the lose."We got beat by high speed, some of our guys looked really slow tonight," Penguins coach Michel Therrien said. "We need more desperation from a lot of players, some players were a no-show. It's that simple."The Canadiens next game will be on Friday against the Sabers at 7:30pm E.T on TSN,RDS and MSG-B.

Written by Andrew Di Pardo

Game Preview:Pittsburgh Penguins A.T Montreal Canadiens

By how well the Penguins did in the playoffs last year no one would have expected that the following season the Penguins would be in the race for the 8th and final playoff spot. But surprisingly that's where they stand."We understand the purpose of the playoff push that we're facing all together. We need to work harder." Penguins coach Michel Therrien said. Pittsburgh fell 5-4 to Toronto on Saturday night,becoming 1-5-1 in its last seven road games. "Whether it's a team above you or below you, you still have to give yourself a chance to win," Crosby said.


As for the Habs, they will be without team leading goal scorer Robert Lang due to surgery he had on Sunday night to repair his Achilles tendon on his left leg."It doesn't look good for Lang and for our team," Canadiens coach Guy Carbonneau said.The Canadiens may also be without winger Guillaume Latendresse, who was helped off the ice against Boston after falling heavily into the boards after being checked. Latendresse, in his third year, has nine goals and nine assists.Josh Gorges is also out with a upper body injury.With these injurys the Canadiens will need Kovalev and Plekanec to step up and score more goals for his team.The puck drop for this game will be tonight at 7:30pm E.T On RDS.

Written By Andrew Di Pardo

GAUTHIER SUSPENDED FOR 5 GAMES FOR A ELBOW TO THE HEAD ON GORGES

Los Angeles Kings defenceman Denis Gauthier has been suspended for 5 games due to a hit to the head on the Montreal Canadiens defenceman Josh Gorges in Sundays game in Montreal.Gauthier will pay $56,451.61, which goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.Gauthier was given a five-minute major penalty for charging and a automatic game misconduct for hitting Gorges at just about 4 minutes into the second period."I was intending to go for the body,I hope he's alright..Said Gauthier.His suspension will end on Valent-times day.

Written By Andrew Di Pardo

LANG OUT INDEFINITELY AFTER SURGERY

Today the Montreal Canadiens received bad new about Lang.Robert Lang is out indefinitely after he had surgery to repair his Achilles tendon on his left leg. He got injured at 8:33 into the third period in yesterdays game against the Boston Bruins when he was hit hard into the boards by Stephane Yelle.After the game, Lang was brought to the Montreal General Hospital where he had surgery. Because Lang is the top goal scorer on the Habs now that he is injured the Habs will need their forwards to step up in order to win games.

Written By Andrew Di Pardo

Montreal plays hard but falls to the best team in the NHL

All three Boston goals came giveaways by the Montreal forwards and defenders, and veteran winger Alex Kovalev was benched for most of the third period for not playing well, as the Bruins beat the Canadiens 3-1 for their 4th straight win against the Canadiens. It seems to be that every time Saku Koivu is in the HABS lineup, Alex Kovalev does not seem to play as well as he does when Koivu's absent.Maybe it's because Kovalev wants himself to have the "C" on his jersey instead of Koivu."I hope that's not the truth or we're in trouble because I'm not taking the C off Saku - that's the bottom line," said Carbonneau, who plans to speak to Kovalev. "If anyone needs a letter to perform on the ice, I have trouble with that. That's not professional at all.Alex is not a rookie or a Softmore. Right now, he's struggling, but we need him if we're going to go far in the Playoffs"

Montreal winger Guillaume Latendresse left 3:28 to go in the 3rd with what seems to be a shoulder injury after he sliped hard into the boards while checking Chuck Kobasew.More bad news for the Habs, Robert Lang got hurt in the back of the foot."He got caught by a skate and it cut a tendon in the back of his foot," said Carbonneau. "It doesn't look good."That mean's that Kovalev will need to step up.The Canadiens next game will be on Tuesday at home against the Penguins.

Written By Andrew Di Pardo

Laraque took place in the Canadiens full practice yesterday morning

Georges Laraque skated with his teammates yesterday for the first time in a long time. “It felt really good to be back on the ice. It had been already almost a month. I almost started feeling like I was a member of the media I was watching my teammates play for so long,” said Laraque, who has been out of the lineup since Boxing Day. “I won’t be back this weekend. I’m probably still two or three full-contact practices away from being back in the lineup and playing in a game.”Laraque kept things light about their 4 game losing streak on Saturday morning by joking around with Alex Kovalev and he was practicing being a defender in the Practice.“Who knows I could be the next P.K. Subban,” laughed Laraque. “I also figured that if I let Kovy deke me out a few times, it will get him pumped up for this weekend or worst case provide him with a blooper reel for his next instructional DVD.”Laraque is still dought-full for today's game, as the Canadiens will look to win 2 in a row once again.

Written By Andrew Di Pardo

The Canadiens score 2 late period goals which would lead to a 4-3 victory

The L.A Kings were leading 3-2 with less than 2 minutes remaining but then the unthinkable happened Montreal forward Chris Higgins got a breakaway and shot the puck just underneath the Blocker of L.A Goalie Jonathan Quick to tie the game.Then with less than 30 seconds remaining Montreal Captain Saku Koivu scored a power-play which ended up being the game-winner. "I saw the goalie was coming out with a poke check and I got it up and over."Higgins said about his game tieing goal.Tomas Plekanec and Andrei Kostitsyn also scored for the Canadiens. Michal Handzus, Dustin Brown and Jarret Stoll scored for the L.A. Kings.

Kings defenceman Denis Gauthier get suspended after he got a 5 minute penalty for charging and game misconduct at just 3:50 of the second period for lifting his feet off of the ice and elbowing Montreal defenceman Josh Gorges in the head. Josh Jorges looked a little dazed after the hit,he was helped to the Canadiens dressing room. He came back to the game later on in the second but did not return for the 3rd period. Theirs no update on his condition right now but their should be more news tomorrow just go to www.tsn.com.Montreal goalie Carey Price made 29 saves in the victory. As for the Kings goalie Quick made 26 saves in the lose.The Canadiens next game will be tomorrow afternoon against the RED HOT BRUINS at 2:00Pm E.T on CBC and or RDS.

Written by Andrew Di Pardo

The Canadiens host the L.A. Kings tomorrow afternoon

The Montreal Canadiens will go back home with losing all 4 of their road trip games.""We have to find that desperation back in our game," Montreal defenceman Mike Komisarek said. "We need that one shift, one period, one game to get us back on track, and get us playing with confidence, with poise and playing together." The Canadiens have lost 4 in a row for the first time in 2 years." The Canadiens fans who think that their going to win the Cup this year, I don't think that's legit right now by they way their playing right now."TSN NHL commentator Pierre McGuire said in the Canadiens v.s the panthers game.I think if the Canadiens can get their act together I think that the Canadiens can win the cup.


As for the Kings they are on a 3 game winning streak.The Kings latest win was against the Blackhawks on Thursday."I think that team is a lot better than what people give them credit for," Chicago defenseman Brian Campbell said. "They're knocking on the door for the playoffs, and I think probably too many teams underestimate them." This will be a great game.The puck drop will be at 2:08pm E.T on CBC and RDS.

Written By Andrew Di Pardo

P.S The Canadiens played against the Kings in the 1993 stanley cup final, The Canadiens won that series in 5 games to capture their 24th stanley cup.

Habs lose 4 straight for the first time in 2 seasons

After losing the first 3 straight mettings this season against the Canadiens, the Panthers came out of the gate with some hard core defense and offense as the Canadiens drop their 4th straight game in a row by the score of 5-1."You don't get many nights like that as a coach where you walk out and feel pretty good about almost every component of how the game went," The Panthers coach DeBoer said. "Now it's going to be up to us to reproduce that."Jay Bouwmeester,Stephen Weiss,Richard Zednik, Radek Dvorak and Michael Frolik scored for the Panthers in the victory.As for the Canadiens Robert Lang scored the loan goal for the Canadiens in the blow-out defeat.

When I was watching this game I noticed that, the Canadiens defense was not as sharp as it was in the Past.They were looking like the Toronto Maple Leafs."We have to find that desperation back in our game," defenceman Mike Komisarek said. "We need that one shift, one period, one game to get us back on track, and get us playing with confidence, with poise and playing together."All-star starter Carey Price, making his third start since missing eight games because of an ankle injury, stopped 31 shots in the loss.Price threw down his equipment bag in disgust in the locker room before speaking to reporters after the game."You go from having the best time of your life to the worst time of your life," Price said. "We've got to pull together. We can't start pointing fingers now or you'll never dig yourself out of the hole."The Canadiens will look to get back on track tomorrow when they go back to the Bell Center to take on the L.A. Kings at 2:00Pm E.T.(On CBC and RDS)

Written by Andrew Di Pardo

Habs lose 3 straight

The Canadiens allowed 4 unanswered goals (when leading 2-1) to fall to the bolts by the score of 5-3. Koivu was unhappy about the lose." We kinda stopped playing in the second period, then we were down by a couple of goals. We have to be more consistent, in order to win games. Montreal Canadiens captain Saku Koivu told TSN.Montreal got two goals from Maxim Lapierre, while Alex Kovalev scored the other. Andrei Markov had an assist to extend his point streak to nine games (nine assists, two goals). As for the Lightning, Vincent Lecavalier scored a pare of goals, Vinny Prospal,Steve Downie,Ryan Malone,Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier scored a pare of goals for the bolts in the win.

Late in he first when the Canadiens were leading by a goal, Lightning right wing Mark Recchi had an opportunity to tie the game, but he was stopped by Price."I wish I can get that one back but what are you going to do.I'm just happy we got the win."Reechi told TSN.Reechi only has 2 Career.The Canadiens next game will be on Thursday against the Panthers on TSN and or RDS.

Written By Andrew Di Pardo

Trade rumors heating up about Lecavalier

The Montreal Canadiens and the New York Rangers are still very interested in Lecavalier, but the question is will The Lightning be looking to trade this star?"Were not shopping Vinny."Jay Feaster Said of the Rumors.But at the 2009 NHL All-Star game in Montreal.I saw Bob Gainy and Jay Feaster were at the Game side by side, they may possibly be negotiating a deal. This was the offer Gainy put on the Table before the All-Star game:Tomas Plekanec, Chris Higgins, prospect P.K. Subban, Josh Gorges and Andrei Markov for Vincent Lecavalier. For Lecavailer to become a Canadien,he would have to have a desire to leave Tampa and play with the team he was cheering for as a kid.Anyway, Lecavalier's Lightning will be going to Montreal to have another game against the Habs.

Tampa Bay Lightning A.T The Montreal Canadiens(Habs)Tomorrow night at 7:30PM E.T On RDS H.D.

Written By Andrew Di Pardo

Kovalev and Ovechkin scores in the shootout to lead the Eastern Confrence to a 12-11 win

In the First period, Carey Price started in goal for the Eastern All-Stars. In that First period Price made 9 saves on 11 shots,as the East was up 4-2 after 1 period. Alex Ovechkin,Eric Staal,Alexei Kovalev,and Andrei Markov scored in the first period for the East.J. Giguere made 7 saves on 11 shots in the first period.Keith Tkachuk and Patrick Marleau scored in the first period for the West.In the Second period it was N.Backstrom was in goal for the west and he made 17 saves on 21 shots.

Sheldon Souray,D.Boyle,Nash,Hejduk,Souray and Iginla scored for the west in the second.Henrik Lundqvist started in goal for the East in the Second,he made 15 saves on 21 shots.Martin St. Louis,E.Malkin and Kovalev scored in the second for the East.In the Final frame(The 3rd period and Overtime) Tim Thomas started in goal for the East,he made 19 saves on 22 shots.Dany Heatley,St. Louis,and Bouwmeester scored in the Third for the East.As for the West,Roberto Lungo started in the Final fram(The 3rd and Overtime) he made 13 saves on 16 shots.Doan,Toews and Kane scored in the Third.

Kovalev and Ovechkin scored in the shootout to lead the East to a 12-11 Shootout win.In this game the Fans in Montreal were so loud the Broadcasters from CBC literary had to scream so the players can here them talk."I think hockey is more popular now than it was in the '70s when we won four Cups in a row," said former Canadiens player Serge Savard. "They had 22,000 people at the workout yesterday morning. And you can see people in the streets, people with cars with flags, with the `CH' flag, the waiting list for season tickets."Their will be no All-star game next year due to the Olympics but their will definitely be one in 2011.

Written By Andrew Di Pardo

Photos from NHL All-Star game 2009 in Montreal