Habs Focused on Points, Not Revenge

**RGM81** · 03-08-2011, 09:23 AM

http://www.montrealgazette.com/sport...760/story.html

It was the first (and only) game summary of the Canadiens season that spilled onto two pages, the result of 14 goals and 46 penalties totaling 187 minutes in their Feb. 9 goal/slugfest with the Bruins in Boston.
But there is no one on the Canadiens, on the bench or behind it, who believes these teams will re-enact the Beat Down in Beantown tonight at the Bell Centre (7: 30 p.m., RDS, CJAD Radio-800).
"Revenge is winning," Habs defenceman Hal Gill said after practice in Brossard, not needing to be reminded of the defensive horror show that was Boston's 8-6 victory that night.
"It was crazy, the whole thing. I don't think that's the game they want to play, and I know it's not the game we want to play. In the end, they got the upper hand on us, and we want to take it back."
In Boston, before heading north, Bruins head coach Claude Julien lit at least a small fire under what might be to come.
"There was a lot of frustration the last time we played," he said, with the Canadiens losing only once in the teams' previous nine meetings.
"Part of it was us sticking up for ourselves. They have a tendency to want to try to stir the pot and look innocent in those situations. We know what it's all about and we've got to do what we've got to do."
Every leading question was asked yesterday of the Canadiens and head coach Jacques Martin, going down the wildwest road of revenge, retribution, a reckoning.
And every reply suggested there's too much at stake in the standings at this late stage to let goonery or even indiscipline escape the holster.
"Those things happen from time to time," Martin said, but the coach expects a good defensive battle tonight.
The Canadiens trail their Northeast Division rival by five points, the Bruins holding a game in hand. Both are hot - the Habs have won four straight, Boston is 7-0-1 in its last eight, an overtime loss to Pittsburgh on Saturday snapping a healthy winning streak.
The buildup among Canadiens fans, and surely those of the Bruins as well, has focused on the mayhem of last month.
Yesterday, the Canadiens spoke of perhaps being goaded into trying to play the brawny Bruins game, and abandoning their strengths.
"Most of the time when you score six goals, you win the game," Martin said. "We just had too many breakdowns. We know. We dealt with that the next day and now we're on a different page. We've covered a lot of ground since then, and (tonight) we have a big challenge."
The Canadiens might not have forward Michael Cammalleri and defenceman Brent Sopel in the lineup. Both took therapy days yesterday, and Martin wouldn't say that either were sure things for tonight.
Nor would Martin say whom he'd use as his sixth defenceman in the event Sopel is unfit to play, with Paul Mara, Yannick Weber and Alexandre Picard at his disposal for that role.
The Bruins left injured defencemen Andrew Ference and Steven Kampfer in Boston. Of course, they brought along star rearguard Tomas Kaberle, who was added at the trade deadline to shore up their blue line for the stretch run.

Martin said his team is preparing to solve the league's stingiest defence and the visitors' four balanced lines.
Canadiens goalie Carey Price wasn't headed off after practice to work the heavy bag, preparing for another fight with Bruins' Tim Thomas. Their apologetic scuffle last month should have earned them minors for silliness, not majors for fighting.
Yesterday, Price was named the NHL's third star of the week for his 3-0 road-trip that featured a 1.00 average, .974 save percentage and a shutout.
"The biggest thing was that we got six points," he said, dismissing the individual recognition and shrugging off the growing thought that he's in the running for the Vézina Trophy.
"We both need the points (tonight). I don't think it's going to get too crazy, but you never know.
"Everybody who puts on the skates knows what they're getting into. Sure, there's going to be a lot of hits thrown and a lot of words spoken. It's just going to be good, hard-fought hockey."
Gill was disappointed that the Canadiens let the Bruins dictate the tone of their last meeting. He says the Habs strategy tonight is simple: use the team's quickness, get the puck in Boston ice and keep it there.
"The most frustrating thing is when you're chasing around, trying to be physical (on an opponent) and he's skating and moving the puck," Gill said.
"That's when we're effective. It's really just playing our game."

Cliche, but - biggest game of the year for the Habs tonight.

Cannot wait to drop the puck!

**sholi2000** · 03-08-2011, 10:06 AM

Up 3-1 in the season, the Habs don't have to worry about anything.

Always more exciting than any other game played. I love this match up.

**durangatang** · 03-08-2011, 11:11 AM

Can Hal Gill keep up his torrid scoring pace.....

**RGM81** · 03-08-2011, 11:12 AM

I LOL'd at the "Hal MacInnis" quip they made yesterday on TSN. Skillsie's been a house of fire of late!

**durangatang** · 03-08-2011, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by RGM81 View Post

I LOL'd at the "Hal MacInnis" quip they made yesterday on TSN. Skillsie's been a house of fire of late!

Hal himself also LOL'd. I still remember Gill as the Human Pylon when he played with the Leafs..... Good for him though, he doesn't score much so it must feel good. I also liked Gomez saying that they have been telling him see what happens when you hit the net haha.

**sholi2000** · 03-08-2011, 11:59 AM

I like Hall, he can be very hard to watch at times, but you'll always cheer when he does soemthing good. Reminds me of the weak player on our atom team, he always gets the biggest cheer from all the parents.