Tape Delayed Live Blog: Habs 11/16

by Ryan


Editor's Note: Since Clarke MacArthur first came up from Rochester last year, I've called him "Sparky". My reasoning for this is simple: Sparky is Clark Grizwald's nickname from the the "Vacation" movies. At first no one liked this nickname. After his latest call up, I think it makes more than enough sense. See? I knew all along...

First Period

Roy better aaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrgh! Again, the empty net isn’t big enough for Derek. Kill me.

Seeing Petey get laid out was probably the highlight of the game for me so far. Latendresse just cut and Andrew flew into the boards. Sweet.

Vanek playing strong...

Thank God Sparky wants to win games. Roy puts a chance right into Huet's crest, and Clarke buries the rebound far corner.

1-0

First opening goal in 15 games. Good Lord that was some run.

Kaptan Koivu takes a penalty. Bring out Sparky on the half wall.

Rob Ray notes that Goose is captain material. Well, he says he is "talking to his guys" on the power play. Same difference.

Vanek takes a bad penalty. Drops an F bomb, slams stick against boards. Hey, at least he has the routine down.

Fat Crosby-Paille and Goose kill the penalty...

GOAL!

Holy Nolan Pratt. Say what you will about his defense, but the guy shoots the puck. Rips it from the point and Fat Crosby gets a piece.

2-0

Shades of a playoff hockey team. Sabres are buzzing.

OH. MY. GOD

THEY’RE BACK!. THEY’RE BACK! It may not count... BUT THEY’RE BACK!

How beautiful was that play? Tallinder pinches and loses a battle in the zone. A 2 on 1 for the Habs the other way.

Derek Roy comes FLYING back to take the guy with the puck. (Koivu) Roy stick checks like a champ and forces a shot wide.

Down the ice it comes, with Vanek picking it up in the neutral zone.

Takes it wide, goes around the D, throws it to a streaking Stafford.

Skate. Net.

3-0

Not a kick to be seen, and New Druu has his third of the year.

Poetry in motion. That is what you want to see from your “young core.”

Peters takes exception to Latendresse’s superior skating ability, scufflescufflescuffle.

Vanek is looking like a new man out there. If he has a “Beast Mode” like Money, he may be getting close to it.

Tickticktick. End One.

Most complete period of the season. A standing O is more than necessary.

Start Second.

Eeeew. An icing keeps Captain Finland and Hank on the ice for a good two minutes. Love Potion #5 gift wraps a pass to Ryder. Goal.

3-1.

Montreal has the best names. Chipchura. Latendresse. Kostitsyn. Kostopoulos. They must go through stat keepers like Teppo<3 goes through hair gel.

Hecht plays Gretzky, flips it in front to Pomminville. Whiff. Yo-Yo gets a second chance, goes to the other side of the net. Guess who’s free in front?

SPARKY MACARTHUR!

4-1 My favourite theatre was always the Pacific.

Fat Crosby takes offense to Kostopoulos’ hack on Miller. A few glovepunches later, it’s 4 on 4.

Drew Stafford plants Roman Hamrlik onto Sparky’s lap. Clarke, mind you, is on the bench.

The only #84 in NHL history rings one off the post.

It’s official: Vanek is in Beast Mode. Causing a ruckus in the Montreal zone until Stafford slashes a Hab in front. Dang.

Montreal’s ridiculous PP has a hard time scoring with the puck in their own zone.

Tickticktick. Montreal out shoots the Sabres 19-10 in the second, but the scoreboard is what counts.

4-1. End of Two.

20 to play with a three goal lead. Hold the fort, boys.

Start Third

The Sabres are 2-0 when leading after two periods. The fact that we’ve only led going into the third in two games this year really does sum up the way things have been going.

Names like “Dandenault ” are to blame for Whole Language failing miserably in American schools.

I’m almost positive Max just exploded. He abruptly collapsed into a heap with no one around, then preceded to skate like Olive Oly for the remainder of the shift. We may need to change his batteries soon...

Tickticktick. 14 to play.

Jaro destroys a stick on a point shot. I can’t be the only one that dies a bit inside when a $200 stick gets obliterated without a blink while you pray your $85 Mission Brad Boyes model doesn’t crack when Some Guy hacks you in front.

Tickticktick 10 minutes left.

Kotalik hits the post, subsequently kills Huet. Wait, he’s okay. Carey Price’s sniper bullet must have missed.

Hecht missed Sparky on the 2 on 1, robbing us the joy of a possible rookie hat trick.

Vanek has really been great tonight. Did someone tell him Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s assassin was a Habs fan or something?

Tickticktick. 5 to play.

2...

HSBC Plays “Born in the USA”, which must be for Goose, because Timmy is still... where is Timmy? Anyways, Crown ‘Em. (Yes, I'm going to link that until he has the C...)

1...

Game.

A satisfying, complete victory. Play like that against Ottawa and we just may have a good Thanksgiving.