8:04 PM ET, Fri March 12, 2010

Bruins calm but emotional on Savard injury

Habs Inside/Out | Montreal Gazette — • BRUINS AUDIO: Coach Claude Julien English and French | Mark Recchi | Patrice BergeronAt first yesterday, Bruins veteran Mark Recchi said he didn’t want to revisit last Sunday’s near-decapitation of Boston’s Marc Savard by Pittsburgh’s Matt Cooke, a hit that might have sidelined its victim for the rest of the season.But then, considering the NHL’s decision not to suspend Cooke for what any reasonable observer would view as a vicious check, Recchi decided he couldn’t not speak up. So he did, calmly but with emotion, voicing an opinion possibly shared if not spoken by many NHL players.“I think...

53 mins ago

Lapierre set to return

Habs Inside/Out | Montreal Gazette — Maxim Lapierre, who has finished serving a four-game suspension, was back on the fourth line with Glen Metropolit and Mathieu Darche today as the Canadiens held a relatively short 45-minute practice in preparation for tomorrow night's key matchup against the Boston Bruins. The Canadiens made room for Lapierre by returning Ben Maxwell to the Hamilton Bulldogs. Defenceman Andrei Markov, who played nearly 28 minutes in last night's 5-4 shootout win over Edmonton, took a day off to rest. Coach Jacques Martin said there wasn't concern about Markov's health. The defenceman has points in each of...

5 hours ago

Maxwell returned to Bulldogs

Habs Inside/Out | Montreal Gazette — Forward Ben Maxwell has been returned this morning to the Hamilton Bulldogs. Suspended Maxim Lapierre, who sat out the past four games, is eligible to return tomorrow vs. Boston.

7 hours ago

Questions ahead of Habs vs. Bruins

Habs Inside/Out | Montreal Gazette — The Canadiens return to practice in Brossard this morning following last night's too-close 5-4 shootout win over the lowly but very game Edmonton Oilers. The Habs are scheduled to hit the ice at 11:30 a.m. in a practice that, as usual, is open to the public.The Boston Bruins, meanwhile, will hold a practice of their own at 1 p.m. at the downtown Bell Centre; that's not open to the public.Locked in a playoff-berth battle, the Canadiens play host to the Bruins tomorrow night.Questions surely to be asked of head coach Jacques Martin today: Who gets the start in goal (he surely won't answer that u...

11 hours ago

Habs escape with SO win over Oilers

Montreal Gazette — Andrei Kostitsyn, the fifth Canadiens’ shooter, beat rookie Devans Dubnyk for the only goal of the shootout as the Canadiens beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-4 Thursday night.

21 hours ago

Audio: Habs GM Gauthier on head shots

Habs Inside/Out | Montreal Gazette — Canadiens general manager Pierre Gauthier met the Montreal media before tonight's game to discuss the issue of head shots, a prime topic of conversation at the GMs' meetings in Florida. Here's the audio of his comments.

23 hours ago

Halak to face Oilers

Habs Inside/Out | Montreal Gazette — Jaroslav Halak will be going for his fourth cosecutive victory tonight when he faces the Edmonton Oilers but Canadiens coach Jacques Martin is reluctant to make any longterm commitment to the goalie, saying: "I'm not looking that far ahead. We're just taking it one game at a time."The Canadiens will stick with their same lineup tonight which defenceman Paul Mara is a healthy scratch and Maxim Lapierre is serving the final game of a four-game suspension. Michael Cammalleri and Marc-André Bergeron skated before the practice but neither is close to returning to the lineup. 

March 11, 2010

If there's any such thing as a gimme ...

Habs Inside/Out Mike Boone | Montreal Gazette — The once-proud Edmonton Oilers are the worst team in the NHL.They are tied with the Leafs for fewest wins, 21, and have the NHL's worst goal differential, -62.The Oilers have won eight road games – fewest in the league.The Canadiens have a chance to match their season high – previously achieved in October and December – of four straight wins.And they need the W to preserve momentum.The Rangers lost last night. If they win their one game in hand, the New York will still be three points behind the Canadiens.Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Florida and Carolina are in similar predicaments: trailing the Canadi...

March 11, 2010

Game 69: Habs need shootout to down Oilers

Habs Inside/Out | Montreal Gazette — Canadiens' Travis Moen (left) and Sergei Kostitsyn celebrates Moen's second period goal against Edmonton.François Lacasse, NHLI via Getty ImagesPreview | Matchups | Thursday's NHL schedule | Boone's Game Blog and About last night ... | Stubbs on Twitter | Basu's Playoff Checkup | Hickey's game storyAUDIO: Ryan O'Byrne | Andrei Markov | Brian Gionta | Mathieu Darche | Jaro Halak | Jacques Martin• At A Glance: One team so bad this season, they need a ladder to get into the basement. The other, battling to make the playoffs and doing well of late. So how to explain the Canadiens going to a shoot...

March 11, 2010

Enough flex to sign Pleks?

Habs Inside/Out Mike Boone | Montreal Gazette — Now that we know the Canadiens MVP didn't have his knee destroyed by Mattias Ohlund last night, let's get back to the math problem:Will the team sign Tomas Plekanec?And for how much?  Here are the current roster players who are under contract for the 2010-'11 season, with their salaries (data from nhlnumbers.com):Scott Gomez .......  $8 millionMike Cammalleri ... $6.25 millionBrian Gionta ..........$5 millionAndrei Kostitsyn .....$3.25 millionTravis Moen ............$1.5 millionAndrei Markov .........$5.75 millionRoman Hamrlik ........$5.5 millionJaro Spacek .............$3.833 mill...

March 10, 2010

Next game vs Boston Bruins on Sat, Mar 13 7:00 pm EST

Opponent news and rumors snapshot:

  • Satan back to work Bruins Blog | Boston Globe
  • Savard visits specialist, likely done for year Boston Globe
  • Fired-up Bruins show punch in win Boston Globe
More Boston Bruins rumors and news»
Thu 3/4 at San Jose L 2 - 3
Sat 3/6 at Los Angeles W 4 - 2
Sun 3/7 at Anaheim W 4 - 3
Tue 3/9 vs Tampa Bay W 5 - 3
Thu 3/11 vs Edmonton W 5 - 4
Sat 3/13 vs Boston 7:00 pm EST
Tue 3/16 at New York 7:30 pm EDT
Sat 3/20 at Toronto 7:00 pm EDT
  • Live from Minnesota at Sabres Sabres Edge | Buffalo News Not that any Sabre likely will be silly enough to do so, but I hope the Wild's Derek Boogaard fights tonight. I want to see at least one good bout...
  • Satan back to work Bruins Blog | Boston Globe MONTREAL -- Every Bruin participated in today's afternoon practice at the Bell Centre, including Miroslav Satan, who sat out last night's 5-1 win because of a groin injury. "We'll see how it is," Claude Julien said. "It will be a...
  • Looks like Leclaire up next Ottawa Citizen Pascal Leclaire will be in goal for the Ottawa Senators against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night.
  • Lindy wants a banner Sabres Edge | Buffalo News Tucked in the Sabres' dressing room is a big standings board the players walk by numerous times a day. Coach Lindy Ruff figures the team can see it, so he...
  • Friday Mail Bag The Spin | Toronto Star In 1989, the Maple Leafs had three first round draft picks and spent all three, curiously enough, on members of the OHL's Belleville Bulls. It wasn't a particularly strong draft after Mats Sundin went first overall. Scott Thornton, at No....
  • Eager Leafs making a bid for NHL All-Star Game Toronto Star The Maple Leafs have applied to the NHL to host either the 2012 or 2013 All-Star Game. The Leafs last hosted the game in 2000.