New York Rangers @ Montreal | Feb. 3 2008 | Final: 5-3 Rangers

[Guest FlHabsFan]

Do not know if Huet is confirmed. If not, then starting in goal for Montreal will be:

J. C. PETIT!!!



Or it could be:


Jaroslav Halak

No record for this year. Has just had 2 relief duties so far this season with a 1.50GAA and .947 SV%

The drive for the 25th Stanley Cup Championship is on!!!

The only thing holding the Montreal Canadiens back earlier this season was poor play at home. That doesn't appear to be a problem anymore.

The surging Canadiens look to extend their season-best home win streak to four on Sunday when they face the New York Rangers at the Bell Centre for the first time this season.

Montreal (28-15-9) started this season playing well at home, going 5-2-1 in its first eight games. That, however, was followed by a 1-5-2 stretch there that had the Canadiens looking forward to playing on the road.

They've since reverted to their early-season form at home lately, winning three straight and picking up at least one point six of their last seven games (5-1-1).

The Canadiens have outscored opponents 16-3 during their current run at home, and are 4-0-1 in their last five overall contests to move within three points of Eastern Conference-leading Ottawa.

Tomas Plekanec scored short-handed and Mark Streit added a power-play goal, leading Montreal to a 4-1 home victory over the New York Islanders on Saturday.

Cristobal Huet rebounded from a shaky performance in a 5-4 overtime loss to Washington on Thursday with 29 saves in his 11th straight start. Huet has allowed two goals or fewer in six of his last eight games.

"You just go out and try to play better and better each game," Huet said, who matched a career high with his 19th win. "The race is tight and it's always fun to play when there's a lot on the line."

Plekanec's goal was his 47th point this season, matching his career best set last season. He has six goals - two short-handed - and 12 assists in his last 14 games.

All-Star defenseman Andrei Markov set up a pair of goals Saturday, giving him assists in five straight games.

Now, the Canadiens will try to cool off the Rangers (26-22-6), who have won four of five to move into eighth place in the East.

Chris Drury scored twice and Henrik Lundqvist made 33 saves as the Rangers beat New Jersey for the fifth straight time, 3-1 on Friday. That came after a 4-0 win over Philadelphia the previous night.

Drury had goals in back-to-back games for the first time this season. The Rangers are 9-2-2 when he scores a goal.

"We've been a lot more disciplined lately," Drury said. "It's down to the wire here. We need to get points and we need to get wins. We starting to build some momentum and we're starting to see how we have to play. It's defense first, and we'll go from there."

All-Star center Scott Gomez has four goals and 16 assists during a nine-game point streak against Montreal. He has won nine straight games versus the Canadiens, the first seven coming with New Jersey.

Lundqvist has also been very successful against Montreal, going 5-0-0 with a 2.18 goals-against average in his last six starts.

The Rangers have won three straight and five of their last six meetings with the Canadiens. New York's only loss in that span was a 6-4 defeat at Montreal on March 27.



Associated Press

Oh, if you still see the islanders info, just refresh your browser

[Guest Future Nhler]

halak should start i don't know if u guys remember but Halak beat Rangers last year 6-4 so i think we should go with Halak keep Huet rested and let him play agaisnt Ottawa

[Guest AlexK]

It sounds like this game will be a good deal more difficult to win then the one vs the Islanders. The Rangers are hot and playing good defense. The Habs will have to be sharper then they were vs the Islanders.

[roy_133]

halak should start i don't know if u guys remember but Halak beat Rangers last year 6-4 so i think we should go with Halak keep Huet rested and let him play agaisnt Ottawa

He also lost to the Rangers and got pulled in his last start with the big club.

I say give it to Huet, and rest Huet Feb. 7th against the Leafs, he struggles against them anyway.

[Guest habs fan #1]

halak should start i don't know if u guys remember but Halak beat Rangers last year 6-4 so i think we should go with Halak keep Huet rested and let him play agaisnt Ottawa

He also relieved huet in that 4-1 loss on Jan 12th and stopped 13 out of 13 shots

[Guest Faraway]

I just love it when Habs play those early games. Beacause then we have an opportunity to watch the games in prime time over here in europe. Yesterday evening i watched the Isles get their butts kicked, and tonight at 8pm local time(GMT+1), it's the rangers turn to get spun around by the fast skating, fast passing canadiens! By the way, the Canadiens is a hard team to beat in reguletion, uh? Only Detroit have fewer losses in regulation. 10 against Canadiens' 15, and still it feels like the experts aren't taking the Habs seriously. I mean, come on, with a win tonight, we're only one single point behind the eastern conference leader. It's about time people start paying attention!!

[Guest MTL]

What an opportunity we have in front of us !! If we win this afternoon we will be at 1 points of the sens... woow.

[Guest Greek Hab]

Anyone read this bit on NHL.com?

http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&a...rticleid=351868

Quotes:

This marks the first regular season game in Montreal for a U.S. broadcast network in more than 30 years.

McGuire is expecting quite an atmosphere inside the Bell Centre.

"The crowd is electric, and the fact that it is an 'Original Six' matchup makes the fans even that much more enthusiastic,” he said. “The crowd is a mix of a European soccer crowd with the mentality of an NFL football crowd – just amazing energy."

---------

Well we all know Pierre is going to praise us tonight, no doubt about it on 'ze Hameriken channel'. But 30 years...jezzz la weeezzz!

[Guest d80jcrant]

halak should start i don't know if u guys remember but Halak beat Rangers last year 6-4 so i think we should go with Halak keep Huet rested and let him play agaisnt Ottawa

That sounds good to me....But I am no Carbo

[Guest TOHABSfan16]

halak should start i don't know if u guys remember but Halak beat Rangers last year 6-4 so i think we should go with Halak keep Huet rested and let him play agaisnt Ottawa

I agree, we need Huet rested for the stretch.

[Guest Greek Hab]

I'd really like to see Halak tonight. As stated above, the stretch is important, and if all goes our way, even without this new York game, we will end up ahead of Ottawa if we play solid in the next three games(sens, leafs, sens).

Huet for a rest...A...well...deserved...rest.

[Guest FlHabsFan]

Oh and today's game will be shown on:

CBC (HD),NBC (HD),RDS (HD)

So todays only game will be shown on a regular network channel, here in the states

[habulator]

I agree, we need Huet rested for the stretch.

They mentioned during yesterdays game that they were giving Huet more leeway in practise, in an effort to keep him fresh. In the past he has been known to leave to much of himself in the practise rink. Perhaps it takes a bit of time to learn how to be a workhorse in the league? Huet seems to be learning this.

And, in the words of Elmer Fudd - "wet's get dem wascally wangers" !

[Guest wellyhabkiller]

the marleafs did the habs a huge favor by beating the sens this game should be a must win

[Guest HabSteve]

lol

good GDT, and a bonus for that J C Petit picture!

Go Habs Go!!!!!!!!!

They'll show everyone watching on NBC what the Habs are all about, and this crowd will show they are the best in the NHL!

[Guest muskeg]

day off today....so i'm looking forward to being around for the game. if we can get the W here today we are in a great position!

part of me wants halak to start to keep somewhat fresh and give huet a rest, but part of me doesn't want to stop huet when he's on such a role.

[Guest habsrool]

day off today....so i'm looking forward to being around for the game. if we can get the W here today we are in a great position!

part of me wants halak to start to keep somewhat fresh and give huet a rest, but part of me doesn't want to stop huet when he's on such a role.

I feel the same way Im glad its not my decision to make!

[Guest Paulin98C]

A win this afternoon will get us 1 pt behind Ottawa.... Tuesday's game against the Sens could be our chance to be top dog in the east!!!!!

GO! HABS! GO!

60 Mins today nothing less... hopefully nothing more!

[Guest steph(Quintal)prevost]

Huet should get the start.....only for the simple reason that I have him in my pool and he's gotten me 7 pts already! 2 more and I go into the lead!! hahahaha No really though, kinda hard to remove him as he is playing so well. if we had another 4 games next week then yes, but I say keep him in I think he would love that!

[Guest Greek Hab]

JCPT!

[Guest HabSteve]

JCPT!

:lol:

"poke check"

[Guest RocketPower]

HABS machine gonna roll today GO HABS GO .

[Guest Innis_Mor]

I'd really like to see Halak tonight. As stated above, the stretch is important, and if all goes our way, even without this new York game, we will end up ahead of Ottawa if we play solid in the next three games(sens, leafs, sens).Huet for a rest...A...well...deserved...rest.

I agree. It is time for Huet to get a rest. And I think Gainey-Carbonneau will be doing just that. Huet will be back in on Tuesday.The Habs can "use" some more wins right now; but they "need" them as little as the "need" Huet to get injured, a factor that increases slightly (IMHO) in back-to-backs.The Habs will be fine with Halak in goal today.Huet is in goal Tuesday for the bigger (4-points!) game against the Sens.

And, in the words of Elmer Fudd - "wet's get dem wascally wangers" !

Good one! LOL!

[Guest Asterix9]

And, in the words of Elmer Fudd - "wet's get dem wascally wangers" !

:lol:

JC Petit!

"Stack them up!... Extra maple syrup? Ha ha ha! Merveilleux... Lovely... See you in the highlight reel... Quick, quick like a chat... Pokecheck... Sensational... Nice try No-goal-ov!"

[Guest denismurphy]

I just love it when Habs play those early games. Beacause then we have an opportunity to watch the games in prime time over here in europe. Yesterday evening i watched the Isles get their butts kicked, and tonight at 8pm local time(GMT+1), it's the rangers turn to get spun around by the fast skating, fast passing canadiens! By the way, the Canadiens is a hard team to beat in reguletion, uh? Only Detroit have fewer losses in regulation. 10 against Canadiens' 15, and still it feels like the experts aren't taking the Habs seriously. I mean, come on, with a win tonight, we're only one single point behind the eastern conference leader. It's about time people start paying attention!!

very good quoit but i like it that nobody is paying attention we just keep climbing the lader we play ottawa this week and toronto they are talking about it on hockey night in canada , and i bet the rangers were watching last nights game , they will come out and trap try to slow down the habs , hey know how fast they are they do not want to play catch up with te rangers , they want that first goal , that will force the rangers to think twice .just think we were 20 points behind theottawa sens two months ago now 3 these habs have been getting better and better every game and doesnt alex love playing for a team that wins , i know gainy told him he was going to get him some players, i am allready for todays game , i am here in montreal , for these games yesterdays game loved it , there is no better place in the WORLD TO SEE A GAME I LOVE MONTREAL , AND ITS FANS I INJOYED HAVEING BEERS WITH THEM AT THE GAME AND LOOK FORWARD TO IT TODAY , GO HABS!!!