Game #50: Tue, 25 Jan 2011 Canadiens @ Flyers 7:30 Pm Versus(hd), Rds(hd)

[HabsRuleForever]

CANADIENS (27-17-5) at FLYERS (32-12-5)

TV -- VERSUS (HD), RDS (HD)

Last 10 -- Canadiens 6-1-3; Flyers 8-2-0

Season series -- The teams are meeting for the fourth and final time this season. The Flyers have won the last two matchups, most recently Dec. 15, when the line of James van Riemsdyk, Jeff Carter and Nikolay Zherdev combined for seven points in a 5-3 victory at the Bell Centre. Van Riemsdyk scored 2 goals, Carter had a goal and 2 assists, and Zherdev had a goal and an assist.

Big story -- Philadelphia improved to a League-leading 69 points with Sunday's victory against Chicago, and is 9-2-0 in its last 11 games. Despite the absence of van Riemsdyk, who suffered a lower-body injury in Philadelphia's loss to New Jersey on Saturday, the Flyers' depth prevailed. Zherdev was promoted to Carter's line with Claude Giroux and the trio combined for 3 goals and 9 points. Daniel Carcillo, a healthy scratch the last six games, replaced van Riemsdyk on Mike Richards' line with Andreas Nodl.

"It seemed like they had five guys in the neutral zone," Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa told the media following Sunday's game. "They were waiting for our mistakes and it was hard to get the puck by them."

Team Scope:

Canadiens -- Montreal, 3-0-2 in its last five games, dropped a 4-3 shootout decision against Anaheim on Saturday. The loss still gave the Canadiens six of a possible eight points in a week when they had two sets of back-to-back games. The Canadiens entered the week sixth in the Eastern Conference, seven points ahead of the ninth-place Carolina Hurricanes.

Flyers -- Carter scored twice and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky made 30 saves to give the Flyers a 4-1 win against the Blackhawks at the United Center on Sunday. The triumph came less than 24 hours after Philadelphia dropped a 3-1 decision to the New Jersey Devils at Wells Fargo Center. Zherdev and Scott Hartnell added goals, and Giroux had 4 assists in the only regular-season rematch of last year's Stanley Cup Final, won by Chicago in six games. Bobrovsky, who has a 1.80 goals-against average and .941 save percentage in his last five games, lost a bid for his first NHL shutout at 6:49 of the third period when Marian Hossa scored on a penalty shot.

Who's hot -- Giroux, who will attend his first NHL All-Star Game this weekend, is riding a career-high six-game point-scoring streak. Giroux, who also set single-game career highs for assists (4), points (4) and plus/minus rating (plus-4) during the victory against Chicago, has 2 goals and 10 points during his scoring streak.

Injury report -- The Canadiens are without forward Michael Cammalleri and center Jeff Halpern with what the team is calling upper-body injuries. No return date for either is listed, but various media reports claim Cammalleri will miss about a month, while Halpern is day-to-day. Defensemen Andrei Markov (knee) and Josh Gorges (knee) are out the remainder of the season. … For the Flyers, van Riemsdyk (lower-body) is day-to-day.

One of the images courtesy of Clues

(bet you can't guess which one)

[beaubie]

Which one?

nicely done though habs rule forever.

I'm glad Halpern has made it back into the lineup.

Can we take them? I hope so. I just really don't like the Flyers lol.

[HabsRuleForever]

Thanks beaubie

Actually Halpern is still day to day according to nhl.com.

If you include my sig there is two images from Clues.

She does some great work.

BTW - I hate the Flyers

[Bud2790]

It was worth the wait

Great work and nice assist by Clues

[HabsRuleForever]

It was worth the wait

Great work and nice assist by Clues

Thanks it took a lot of rum & pepsi.

[Bud2790]

The captain to the rescue

[Forever_Habs10]

Great job on the GDT there captain...did the rum kick in yet,lol..........................now,get some rest....need you here tonight for the game.

One of the images courtesy of Clues

(bet you can't guess which one)

You lose the bet.

Seriously dude...you did good here...tks for the fine GDT.....LETS GO HABSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

[Forever_Habs10]

Engqvist back to Hamilton, Halpern to return

The Canadiens returned Andreas Engqvist to the Hamilton Bulldogs on Sunday, which likely means that Jeff Halpern will return to action on Tuesday in Philadelphia.

Engqvist played two games with the Canadiens, making his NHL debut on Friday in Ottawa.

Halpern missed the last two games after being injured against the Buffalo Sabres last Tuesday.

[muskeg2]

Let's gain some ground on the Flyers!

[Marathon.Man]

NO RESPECT

GO HABS GO!!!!!!!!!

BTW...I ALSO HATE THE Flyers

[powerplay2009]

This game will be a great measuring stick for the month, I think. If we win, we are truly back to form, and we will be close depending on how we lose. Either way, I am classifying this game as a must win. But mostly because I hate the Flyers.

[CanadianMike]

awesome game day thread.

Is it sad if I am sure Flyers will win this one?

As much as I hate them, they are the strongest team in the East and the team I see coming out of the East this season (HOPE I AM WRONG!!) and it seems only other team that can take care of them are the Pens UGH!!

Hoping for the best....GO HABS GO!!!

Guessing the only change from the ducks game is that Pyatt will take Engqvist place.

[HabsRuleForever]

awesome game day thread.

Is it sad if I am sure Flyers will win this one?

As much as I hate them, they are the strongest team in the East and the team I see coming out of the East this season (HOPE I AM WRONG!!) and it seems only other team that can take care of them are the Pens UGH!!

Hoping for the best....GO HABS GO!!!

Guessing the only change from the ducks game is that Pyatt will take Engqvist place.

I see a lot of people going with the Flies thinking they are just too strong for us.

We need the first goal & we will take care of things from there.

Let's Go Habs!

[HabsRuleForever]

Great job on the GDT there captain...did the rum kick in yet,lol..........................now,get some rest....need you here tonight for the game.

You lose the bet.

Seriously dude...you did good here...tks for the fine GDT.....LETS GO HABSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

It was a rhetorical question FH

Happily yes the rum has kicked in.

Sadly no I will not be here during the game.

[otto84]

Thanks it took a lot of rum & pepsi.

More like rum and awesomeness!

Tough game tonight. I think the boys can win it as long as they don't get the poop beat out of them.

GOHABS!!!

[Forza-Montreal]

Nice GDT HRF GO HABS GO

She does some great work.

BTW - I hate the Flyers

That she does

& Who doesn't hate the Flyers

[HabsRuleForever]

awesome game day thread.

thank you

More like rum and awesomeness!

Thanks. I need to buy more glue for when I cut & paste m,y next one.

Nice GDT HRF GO HABS GO

That she does

& Who doesn't hate the Flyers

Thanks from me & Clues.

[Forza-Montreal]

Thanks from me & Clues.

Your Welcome

[Johnnymop]

In the opinion of most Montreal fans where do the Flyers fall on the list of hated teams? I'm guessing the Leafs are #1.... where do the Flyers end up? #2?

Speaking for myself Montreal would be around #6 behind the Rangers (#1 for me!), Devils, Penguins, Capitals, and Boston.

What say you!

[powerplay2009]

For me:

1.Boston

2.Toronto

3.Flyers

4.Red Wings

5.Ducks

Those are the only teams I hate.

If we come flying out of the gate against Philly, we can take advantage of our speed better. However, we will lose the transition game if we can't gain any momentum because eventually they will be able to settle play down and dominate in our end with their big bodies. My biggest worry is that Price, as good as he is, can't see through the likes of Hartnell and sometimes Pronger. That's what killed us last year, and it will kill us again unless our big defensemen move the Flyers offense or we don't let them set up.

[HabsRuleForever]

In the opinion of most Montreal fans where do the Flyers fall on the list of hated teams? I'm guessing the Leafs are #1.... where do the Flyers end up? #2?

Speaking for myself Montreal would be around #6 behind the Rangers (#1 for me!), Devils, Penguins, Capitals, and Boston.

What say you!

Hello Johhnymop long time no talk.

Laffs

Booins

Flyers

Pens

[Forza-Montreal]

Hello Johhnymop long time no talk.

Laffs

Booins

Flyers

Pens

Well Since we are listing most hated teams mine are:

Leafs

Flyers

Sabres

Ducks

Pens

These Are My Top 5

[uncivilengineer]

Most hated teams list

1) Everyone but Montreal

I don't discriminate, I hate all equally.

[Roythenumber33]

well, looong row continues:

1. Bruins

2. Flyers

3. Leafs

4. Sabres

5. Devils

[BigTed3]

My most hated teams of all time would be different than what they are currently. The Leafs slide down right now because they're terrible and their organization's a joke, so I feel hating a team requires both a rivalry in terms of past events but also in terms of challenging each other for success. My top 5 right now would be:

1. Flyers - team that loves to play dirty hockey, fans who treat people without respect

2. Bruins - long rivalry, same division, and guys who rub you the wrong way (Lucic, Thomas, etc.)

3. Pens - how can you not hate Sidney Crosby? He's good but he can stop acting like he's the center of the hockey world already. The game goes on without him and his whining.

4. Leafs - despite their disastrous play, it's always fun to play them

5. Sabres - they have their share of dirty players, as we saw the last time we played them.