Dennis Kane’s Excellent Montreal Canadiens Blog

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Habs Slam Dunk The Leafs. October 11, 2008

It was one of those long nights Toronto Maple Leaf coach Ron Wilson and GM Cliff Fletcher predicted would happen this year as the Leafs are in the early stages of struggling and rebuilding. Not to mention they’re a team made up of unknowns.

 

And the best thing is, this long night was against the Montreal Canadiens, who rolled over the hapless Leafs 6-1 in front of a less-than- happy Leaf crowd. (with dozens of Habs jerseys sprinkled about).

 

Montreal dominated in every aspect, from Jaroslav Halak playing solid in goal, to a deadly power play (3 for 8), to Alex Tanguay having a goal and three assist night, to Sergei Kostitsyn chipping in with two goals and an assist, and Guillaume Latendresse helping out with a goal and two assists. 

 

What a far cry from Fridays spotty effort in Buffalo when the Habs dropped a 2-1 shootout loss. And the big question is - how did the Detroit Red Wings lose to the Leafs a couple of nights ago?

 

Montreal showed all the signs Habs fans have been looking for, especially the potent power play, firewagon hockey, a cavalcade of chances, and the way newcomers Alex Tanguay and Robert Lang have come through so far.

 

The Leafs, to their credit, hit three or four goalposts, but Montreal also hit a few, and they had enough chances to make this a 10-1 game, which wouldn’t have sit well with Don Cherry.

 

Don didn’t like the idea that the Canadiens kept pouring it on late in the game with the score 6-1. I say pour it on. Help Kostitsyn get his hattrick. Pad the stats of the power play with a couple more. Let Kovalev pop another because for the Habs to be successful Kovalev has to be as good or better than last year, and that’s a big order.

 

Hell, let everyone pad their stats. It’s a long year, with dry spells along the way. Get em while the gettins good. The hell with the Leafs and Don Cherry. This is a business, not a San Francisco love-in.

 

Cherry had another rant on Coach’s Corner when he went on with another classic but somewhat tired bit about European kids taking Canadian kids’ jobs. Basically, I agree with a lot of what Don says. Not all, but a lot. But I think it’s all starting to get a bit old now. Maybe him and Bob Cole should join a lawn bowling league.

 

On Monday the Canadiens are in Philadelphia, and this will be a huge test. For those with short memories, it was the Flyers who knocked Montreal out of the playoffs last year. And TSN hippie Pierre McGuire predicts Philadelphia, not Montreal, to win the Eastern Conference and challenge Detroit for the Stanley Cup.

 

So there’s big motivation for the Canadiens to win on Monday. And it’s always good when McGuire is proved wrong.

 

GAME NOTE: Montreal starts the season off with three points out of four.

SURPRISING TEAM OUT OF THE GATE:  Vancouver Canucks

 

 

Play The ‘Bob Cole Hockey Night In Canada’ Drinking Game October 2, 2008

Filed under: Hockey Night in Canada, Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs — Dennis Kane @ 8:49 am

Just a little something to do on those cold, wintry Saturday nights. You can play the game with friends, or even by yourself. That’s the beauty of it. All you need is a TV showing Hockey Night in Canada and quite a bit of your favourite alcohol.

 

The rules are simple:

 

Every time Bob Cole gets a player’s name wrong, drink a drink.

 

Every time Bob is at least one play behind, drink a drink.

 

Every time Bob gets the score wrong, drink a drink

 

Every time Bob forgets what city he’s in, drink a drink.

 

Every time Bob forgets who his colour commentator is beside him, drink a drink.

 

Every time Bob forgets who he is, drink a drink.

 

Every time Bob does a Leafs game and blatantly cheers for the Leafs, drink a drink.

 

Every time Bob seems disappointed when the Canadiens score, drink a drink.

 

Arrange to have paramedics come to your house after the game because you have alcohol poisoning.

 

 

 

Powell Riverite Comes Up With Cool ‘Hockey Night In Canada’ Theme August 6, 2008

Filed under: Hockey Night in Canada, Uncategorized — Dennis Kane @ 10:47 pm

Okay, so it’s the only one I’ve heard. But I like it. And it’s from a former Powell Riverite, Tobin Stokes, now living in Victoria. Don’t forget, we get to decide on the new ‘Hockey Night In Canada’ theme for CBC. The old one went away because business is business, and that’s fine. We’ll just find a nice, happy, new song, like this one.

Just click on the link, enjoy the song, and vote by logging in, then clicking on the fifth circle of five circles. But only if you like it.

Hey, it’s better than any of the others I’ve heard! Hope you like it. I don’t know the guy, but I’m sure he’s a fine fellow.

Oh, and let me know in the comments what you think about it.


And, here’s what Tobin Stokes has to say…

Hey Canada! Here’s my demo - try to imagine it with all real instruments and professionally produced. CBC could keep the soloist at the beginning or surprise us each week with the intro sung (yelled?) by a minor hockey team , a mob of fans, a choir, the Governor General, etc. If you like it, please vote. It just takes a minute to invent your own user name and password if you haven’t already, then click on button number FIVE and then (of course) copy and email the link to everyone you’ve ever met! I’d like to thank Ildiko for singing a great solo and then inviting me to her 10th birthday party! And I’d like to thank my son Vaughn for his great guitar work, as always. Darn fine for 16, sonny boy. OK CBC and fellow hocky fans, here you go - it is catchy, easy to arrange, shorten or lengthen, great for visuals, versatile, fun, and IT ROCKS!

www.tobinstokes.com
250 598 7664