Season Opener | Montreal @ Buffalo | Friday October 10, 2008 At 7:30 Pm

[GreekHockeyCoach]

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Season opener | Montreal @ Buffalo | Friday October 10, 2008 at 7:30 pm

HSBC ARENA in Buffalo

Here we go folks, Montreal Canadiens hockey is back.

This is the home opener in our centennial year and there is a huge buzz surrounding the city and all Montreal Canadiens fans around the world. The expectations are high after a first place finish in the eastern conference last year, the goal is to win our 25th Stanley Cup.

After failing to sign Mats Sundin, Gainey made some key acquisitions in the offseason and the Habs look stronger than ever. Alex Tanguay who grew up in Quebec knows the pressure of playing in Montreal and looks to rekindle his scoring touch playing alongside captain Saku Koivu. Robert Lang, a key faceoff center that the Habs desperately needed was also signed. At 6’3 and 216 pounds he will add size down the middle as well as a quick wristshot which will provide us with 3 strong scoring lines. For those of you that don’t know this, Lang was so eager to join the Habs after he was traded that he jumped in his car and drove 12 hours from Chicago to Montreal. Last but not least, Quebec native Georges Laraque was also added and will add a new dimension to an otherwise small finesse team that was pushed around in the playoffs last year. The undisputed heavyweight champ in the NHL will guarantee that our stars don’t get pushed around.

The Habs will be led once again by captain Saku Koivu and Alexei Kovalev. Kovalev, looking to add to his spectacular season of last year looks fit and raring to go. The key to this season will be goaltender Carey Price who lost 30 pounds and looks quicker than ever. He seems focused and eager to play as many games as he can.

Projected lineups:

A.Kostitsyn - Pleks - Kovalev

Tanguay - Koivu - Higgins

Lats - Lang - S.Kostitsyn

Begin - Lapierre - Kostopolous

Markov - Komi

Hammer - O'Byrne

Bouillon - Gorges

Price

Halak

[Innis_Mor]

Thanks for this, THG. I'l be at the game. Friday, and am really looking forward to it. It would be nice for the team to get off to a thumping start. HSBC is a great arena to watch hockey (most all the new ones are, I suppose). I've found the fans and ushers quite accommodating of the throng of Hab fans (seems like it's 20% of the crowd, making at least 50% of the noise, but I may be biased and high on these numbers).

My biggest concern for the start of the season is the few games lines have worked together in exhibition, and the (recurring?) injuries. Habs should be able to handle both Buffalo and Toronto through, to start the season on 4 points. Here's hoping.

[GreekHockeyCoach]

Thanks for this, THG. I'l be at the game. Friday, and am really looking forward to it. It would be nice for the team to get off to a thumping start. HSBC is a great arena to watch hockey (most all the new ones are, I suppose). I've found the fans and ushers quite accommodating of the throng of Hab fans (seems like it's 20% of the crowd, making at least 50% of the noise, but I may be biased and high on these numbers).

My biggest concern for the start of the season is the few games lines have worked together in exhibition, and the (recurring?) injuries. Habs should be able to handle both Buffalo and Toronto through, to start the season on 4 points. Here's hoping.

You're welcome Innis, even though you baptized me with another name

Glad you're going to the game, there are always a lot of Habs' fans in Buffalo making a lot of noise. I can't wait for the puck to drop.

[Bobby4]

To the Habs and their awesome, devoted fans on this forum …. wishing you many W’s and few L’s.

I am putting my money on your team to win Stanley this season but don’t tell my bruin buddies, they desperately need my support because there are only 14 of us in Ontario. (tee hee)

I was lucky to get Plekanec and Markov in my office hockey pool, I won it last year, no pressure!!

Looking forward to reading/chirping along with you all !

[GreekHockeyCoach]

To the Habs and their awesome, devoted fans on this forum …. wishing you many W’s and few L’s.

I am putting my money on your team to win Stanley this season but don’t tell my bruin buddies, they desperately need my support because there are only 14 of us in Ontario. (tee hee)

I was lucky to get Plekanec and Markov in my office hockey pool, I won it last year, no pressure!!

Looking forward to reading/chirping along with you all !

Glad to have you back BF4. Best of luck to the Bruins as well, except when they're playing us , I've always liked Julien as a coach, he's a classy guy.

[KRod]

Wow... that picture in the first post by GreekHockeyCoach... Marine Midland Arena! I barely remember when it was called that

I really wish I was gonna be at this game.... I'll have to wait until February. I know what I'm asking for for Christmas

GO HABS GO!!!

[GreekHockeyCoach]

Wow... that picture in the first post by GreekHockeyCoach... Marine Midland Arena! I barely remember when it was called that

I really wish I was gonna be at this game.... I'll have to wait until February. I know what I'm asking for for Christmas

GO HABS GO!!!

I noticed that after I put the picture in and it was too late to edit it. I googled HSBC and I got that picture because I wanted the inside of the arena and not the usual outside pic of the arena that we usually put up. Oh well

[BigBADHabs]

super excited! I also will be at the game cheering our boys

nice game thread GreekHockeyCoach

the boys should come out flying and break the bad luck I bring to Buffalo

two game in the row now the habs have left buffalo without a point. I really like to see win this time

Last year a 7 year old kid was teasing us all game saying how the habs suck while his dad whispering into his year saying that our beer sucks too while he was drinking Molson Export, some buffalo fans are too funny

[KRod]

I noticed that after I put the picture in and it was too late to edit it. I googled HSBC and I got that picture because I wanted the inside of the arena and not the usual outside pic of the arena that we usually put up. Oh well

Haha, that's alright... I have a few from my own personal collection that I took back in March when the Habs were there.

Sorry they're so big...

[77bourque77]

woooo hockey is finally back!

was excepting a game thread this early, but it feels nice to have it up.

lets hope our boys can carry the momentum they gained during pre-season and use it to keep the ball rolling.

[GreekHockeyCoach]

Haha, that's alright... I have a few from my own personal collection that I took back in March when the Habs were there.

Sorry they're so big...

Nice pics. Where were you when I was looking for pics for this thread

woooo hockey is finally back!

was excepting a game thread this early, but it feels nice to have it up.

lets hope our boys can carry the momentum they gained during pre-season and use it to keep the ball rolling.

I couldn't wait for Thursday to make the thread, I'm anxious to get the season underway.

[77bourque77]

I couldn't wait for Thursday to make the thread, I'm anxious to get the season underway.

oh i know man, i cant wait!

dont have to work friday, or for our home opener, to say the least im pretty pumped to get this season started.

[RicochetII]

Does that mean there was news about Boullion returning in time for the opener?

Anyway, this thread got me excited, but mostly because it made me think I had the opening date mixed up and would get to see a game a few days sooner.

I've been on the edge of my seat pretty much since the playoffs ended waiting for this season. Picked up NHL 08 to keep me sane and NHL 09 when it was released, then my xbox broke for around the tenth time and had to go back for repairs. I've been going out of my mind since. I'm a wreck!

Go Habs Go!!!

[2VP]

Habsgirl, very nice seats. I retire from the infantry in 2011.

I was thinking about moving the family to a central location so that I could catch games of the Sens, Sabres, Lafs, and Canadiens all year long.

Don't tell the wife though, she'd kill the thought with a swift kick to the junk!

[hockey_gal89]

Believe it or not, this opening game is going to be a real test for MTL...The Habs need to put this team away in convincing fashion...Winning early and often is the key to success, if you can't put away these middle/lower of the pack teams, then it's going to be a long season.

[KRod]

Habsgirl, very nice seats. I retire from the infantry in 2011.

I was thinking about moving the family to a central location so that I could catch games of the Sens, Sabres, Lafs, and Canadiens all year long.

Don't tell the wife though, she'd kill the thought with a swift kick to the junk!

Hahah, I say go for it... she'll come around

[Y-ASK-Y]

Habsgirl, very nice seats. I retire from the infantry in 2011.

I was thinking about moving the family to a central location so that I could catch games of the Sens, Sabres, Lafs, and Canadiens all year long.

Don't tell the wife though, she'd kill the thought with a swift kick to the junk!

Kingston would be a good place to live and it's within driving distance of all four cities. P.S. wear a cup...... better than nothing.

Hopefully, the Habs minor injuries are all healed up by then. Should be a fast and entertaining game. Go Habs GO!

[babinator77]

I noticed that after I put the picture in and it was too late to edit it. I googled HSBC and I got that picture because I wanted the inside of the arena and not the usual outside pic of the arena that we usually put up. Oh well

i especially liked the size difference between the mma's 'jumbo'tron and ours but ours still trumps the hsbc's.

i'll be at the game also and i couldn't be more excited. it's my first 'away' habs game.

here's hoping for a high energy, fast-paced game to pick up where we left off.

thanks for posting this thread; it's never too early to talk habs

[ColRouleBleu]

mommy, are we there yet?

[imdocrob]

GO HABS GO!! For the record I hope Sundin comes back mid season and breaks his neck. What a jerk!!!!

GO HABS GO!! For the record I hope Sundin comes back mid season and breaks his neck. What a jerk!!!!

Sorry I just had to get some closure on the whole Sundin debacle.

[hockey_gal89]

GO HABS GO!! For the record I hope Sundin comes back mid season and breaks his neck. What a jerk!!!!

GO HABS GO!! For the record I hope Sundin comes back mid season and breaks his neck. What a jerk!!!!

Sorry I just had to get some closure on the whole Sundin debacle.

Wow that isn't childish and pointless at all...

I can tell you right now that this kind of posting won't be tolerated by mods...

[Bobby4]

Nice pics. Where were you when I was looking for pics for this thread

I couldn't wait for Thursday to make the thread, I'm anxious to get the season underway.

glad to feel the enthusiasm that only exists in the NHL ..... I'm so tired of the summers lasting 400 days !!

[imdocrob]

Too funny BF4 but I hear where you are coming from. I don't think this weekend can get here soon enough.

[ColRouleBleu]

To the Habs and their awesome, devoted fans on this forum …. wishing you many W’s and few L’s.

I am putting my money on your team to win Stanley this season but don’t tell my bruin buddies, they desperately need my support because there are only 14 of us in Ontario. (tee hee)

I was lucky to get Plekanec and Markov in my office hockey pool, I won it last year, no pressure!!

Looking forward to reading/chirping along with you all !

It took me a fraction of a second to realise you were talking about a pool. I was about to say that indeed you were VERY lucky

[imdocrob]

So how does one attatch all these pics to their signature and to their posts?