CANADIENS CLAIM STAUBITZ OFF WAIVERS

                    This just in, the Habs have Claimed  forward Brad Staubitz off of waivers from Minnesota. This season on the Wild, Staubitz played 43 games and had 0 points and is a -7.

Written By Andrew Di Pardo

HABS TRADE ANDREI KOSTITSYN TO NASHVILLE

February 27, 2012 10:35 am ET

Nashville acquires: Andrei Kostitsyn

Montreal acquires: 2nd-round pick (2013) 5th-round pick (2013 conditional)

           This morning in Montreal, the Habs traded Andrei Kostitsyn to the Nashville Predators for a 2nd & 5th round pick in the 2013 draft. This trade for the Habs is a trade that will help them in the future as they hope to build a stanley cup team within the next 4-5 seasons as of right now the Habs sit in Last in the Eastern Conference and 28th place in the the NHL with only 58 points. This is not a year that the Habs will make the playoffs so you can expect more trades like this that will  help them in the future. As for Nashville, they made this trade so that Andrei Kostitsyn can be reunited with his brother (Sergi Kostitsyn).

Written By Andrew Di Pardo

Deadline Diner: Can B's deal their way out of slump?

SO LONG GARY!

The Canadiens paid tribute to former Expos catcher Gary Carter prior to Sunday's game.

Devils @ Canadiens

HABS FALL TO THE DEVILS

GOAL SCORERS

NJD:   Z. Parise (18:03 - 1st) , D. Clarkson (19:42 - 2nd) , M. Taormina (08:27 - 3rd)

MTL:   M. Pacioretty (PPG, 01:46 - 3rd)

GOALIES

NJD: M. Brodeur (W)

 MTL: C. Price (L)

                  Earlier tonight in Montreal, the Habs took on the Devils in search of gaining 2 big points. During the pre-game skate all of the Habs player wore a number 8 jersey to honor Gary Carter who died of cancer just the other day. Carter was a back-catcher for both the Montreal Expos and the New York Mets for a total of 21 seasons in the MLB. Carter was also know as Mr. Canada. Before the game they honored Carter with a 1 minute of silence. So now onto the game.

             With under 2 minutes to go in the first, Kovalchuks shot from the left circle was tipped in by Parise to make it 1-0 Devils. Late in the second, Elias shot from the slot went off the knee of Clarkson and into the net to extend the Devils lead. Early in the third with the Habs on the powerplay, Paciorettys shot from the slot beat Brodeur to cut the lead to 1. But the Devils would add one more goal from Taomina to end the game with a 3-1 win. This loss will keep the Habs in 11th in the conference being a total of 6 points back of the 8th placed Leafs. "We all know how important these games are, especially tonight when we had a chance to make up some ground," Pacioretty said. "It's frustrating that, myself included, we came out the wrong way. If we'd played like we did in the third period, we would have had better results."

Written By Andrew Di Pardo

The Biggest Comeback in Habs History | 5-0 to 6-5

4 years to this day, the Canadiens came back down 5-0 to beat the Rangers 6-5. It was the greatest comeback in the Canadiens history. Enjoy the video!

Markov on the ice

Andrei Markov hits the ice with athletic therapist Graham Rynbend.

HNIC - Coach's Corner - Feb 18th 2012 (HD)

Montreal Canadiens Vs Buffalo Sabres - 02/17/2012

HABS WIN 4-3 IN A SHOOTOUT

GOAL SCORERS

MTL:   T. Kaberle (11:26 - 1st) , S. Gomez (PPG, 19:46 - 1st) , C. Campoli (11:28 - 2nd) , M. Pacioretty (00:00 - SO)

BUF:   R. Regehr (04:16 - 1st) , T. Myers (15:43 - 1st) , T. Ennis (11:55 - 3rd)

GOALIES

MTL: C. Price (W)

 BUF: R. Miller (L)

              Earlier tonight in Buffalo, it was another big game for the Montreal Canadiens as they looked to climb from 13th to 11th in the Eastern Conference.  4 minutes in, Regehrs point shot beat Carey Price for his first goal of the season. 7 minutes later, Desharnias centred the puck right to Kaberle and he scored his second of the season to tie the game. 4 minutes later, Myers scored from the slot to give the Sabres a 2-1 lead.  With under 1 minute to go in the first, the Habs were on the powerplay, Weber at the point played the puck to guess who? Scott Gomez at the right circle and he one-timed a shot past Miller for his second of the season and the game was tied.

                    At the start of the second, Carey Price had a new mask, changing from his old mask that he wore for what was nearly 2 full seasons. Would it help the Habs? We'll find out. 11 minutes into the second, Campoli came up the right side and cut into the slot and fired a shot and scored to give the Habs a 3-2 lead. Ennis would tie the game in the third. So we went to overtime. In O.T, Pominvilles shot from the slot hit Carey Price in the mask. So this game would go to a shootout. Boyes was up first for the Sabres and he was stopped by price. Pacioretty scored five-hole on the Habs first attempt. Pominville was up next and he was stopped by Price.

         Then Desharnais scored to win the game and put the Habs in 11th place just 4 points back of the Jets for 10th, 5 points back of the Capitals for 9th and 6 points back of the 8th place Leafs."We've got to continue to go here. We don't have time to look at it and reflect," Subban said. "We've got a long way to go." Price made 27 saves in the win. How about those Buffalo Sabres, they currently sit in 14th in the East with 55 points (9 points back of 8th) and their season looks to be over with just 24 games remaining for them."Obviously, I'm very disappointed, embarrassed," Ruff said. "We've dealt with a lot, but to be where we're at is a big disappointment."

          As for the Canadiens, they sit in 11th (6 points back of 8th) with 23 games to go. In the last 7 games the Habs are 5-1-1 which improves their chances of making the Playoffs from 5% to 20% chance, it's still not a high chance but if they continue to play the way their playing the might be able to make it. "Any way you win it, obviously, those are extra points that we desperately want and need," Canadiens interim coach Randy Cunneyworth said. "I think we deserved it tonight. I'm happy for the boys. It's good to get the reward."

Written By Andrew Di Pardo

Shootout
Brad Boyes	BUF	Save
Max Pacioretty	MTL	Goal
Jason Pominville	BUF	Save
David Desharnais	MTL	Goal

HAL GILL GETS TRADED TO NASHVILLE

Montreal acquires:

• Blake Geoffrion
• Robert Slaney
• 2nd-round pick (2012)

Nashville acquires:

• Hal Gill
• Conditional 5th-round pick (2013)

              Earlier today in Buffalo, the Habs Gm Pierre Gauthier traded Hal Gill & a 5th round draft pick in 2013 to Nashville for Slaney, Geoffrion & a 2nd round pick in 2012.“It’s always a tough day when a friend has to leave,” expressed Josh Gorges. “It’s too bad because I never got a chance to see him to actually say bye. But that’s the business side of hockey, now we have to move forward.We were pretty close friends and he was really like a mentor to me over these last couple of years. He showed me a lot about what it takes to be an elite player, and good penalty killer, an effective shot blocker, so it’s tough to see him go. Guys like him are hard to find.There’s no replacing Hal Gill, he’s one in a million – anyone who knows him will tell you that.”

            But does this trade mean that the Habs are giving up on their season? . “As far as I’m concerned, that’s not the case at all,” answered Cunneyworth when faced with the question. “I think our younger guys are going to embrace the chance to carry more responsibility. It’ll be important for every guy playing on the blue line to take his play up a notch. We know they’re all capable of it.”The Canadiens currently sit 8 points out of a post-season spot with 24 games to go.

Written By Andrew Di Pardo

Adam McQuaid vs Ryan White Feb 15, 2012