Game #76 Sat 29 March 2014 Canadiens @ Panthers 7:00 PM EST CBC RDS Fox Sports Florida TSN 690

[habs_93]

The Habs

Visit the Panthers

At the Bell Centre South always packed BB&T Center!

("Hey, why isn't the Habs goal horn working?")

Are you excited yet? The atmosphere's electric. The stakes don't get much higher. Saturday night hockey, Florida and Montreal, the classic rivalry that has excited fans for generat-Oh. Right. Florida's in our division so they'll sell more tickets and not go bankrupt. Thanks, NHL.

Seriously, though. To use a sentence that could've been said at any time during hockey season since 1995, we're going to Florida to face their young, rebuilding team and highly-touted top prospect that will surely pan out and deliver them to the promised land, Rob Niedermayer Ed Jovanovski Radek Dvorak Stephen Weiss Jay Bouwmeester Nathan Horton Dmitri Kulikov Erik Gudbranson Johnathan Huberdeau Aleksander Barkov! (Who is hurt, and isn't playing.)

Let's just hope we don't get a goal or two called back in this one.

The Panthers brought Roberto Luongo back at the trade deadline this year, which means the Habs have the chance to beat him three times in the same year for the first time since 2005-06!

Another familiar face is Scott Gomez, who is actually in the process of having his worst statistical season ever. So, it wasn't just us. From our side, George Parros and Mike Weaver are ex-Panthers. They may or may not have had this one circled on their calendars.

‎The perpetually underrated and always superb Tomáš Plekanec isn't with the team in Florida and likely won't play on the trip. So this just got a lot harder.

‎

Florida is 29th in goals for per game, 27th in goals against, 30th in Power Play, and 30th in Penalty Kill. We're 20th, 8th, 13th, and 3rd, respectively. They're also a very bad 2nd period team, apparently. Just sayin'.

GO HABS GO!

[Guest mrsmarkov]

Omg 93, great GDT. One of my favourites for sure, it was hilarious. Haha my favourite was the packed part. Whenever I watch the kitties play, I'm always upset by the lack of fans in attendance. You'd think it would improve having their goalie back..*cough* Luongo. Him coming back was a big deal....clearly not. The saddest part is their season tickets start at $25, holy moly. That's just sick if you ask me, in the bad way. Oh and btw, Luongo isn't playing tomorrow. He sustained an upper-body injury last night. I was expecting the game to go to a shootout tomorrow, but now with him out, probably not.

[kinot-1]

Love your comments, 93,, great job.

Dan Ellis will get the start in his place and Scott Clemmensen will be the backup.

Saturday’s game will be a homecoming for Canadiens defenceman Mike Weaver, who was acquired from the Panthers at this month’s NHL trade deadline.

“I had four years here, it was a great place to live,” Weaver said. “Obviously, it’s emotional, but I’m happy where I am now. Being in a big market, being on a playoff team and everything that goes with Montreal, it’s exciting.”

Hab I/O:

Here’s how the Habs lines and defence pairings looked at practice Friday:

Pacioretty-Desharnais-Vanek
Galchenyuk-Eller-Gallagher
Bourque-Briere-Gionta
Bournival-White-Parros

Bouillon-Subban
Markov-Emelin
Murray-Weaver
Tinordi

Why is Boo getting all the love, if anything, any of the bottom 3 D-men should play with PK>

[Marathon.Man]

GO HABS GO!!!

[habs_93]

Bouillon-Subban

Because it's worked so well before?

[southernhabfan]

Very good...now if the boys can stand up to your....er...our expectations!

[BigTed3]

Confirmation that Murray and Parros are in, Plekanec and Tinordi out.

[kinot-1]

Confirmation that Murray and Parros are in, Plekanec and Tinordi out.

Parros in,,, really? Tinordi out,,,,,really?

[Guest mrsmarkov]

Parros in,,, really? Tinordi out,,,,,really?

Well of coarse we don't want to hurt Parros' feelings now not letting him play his old team .

[BigTed3]

In addition to Luongo being out, didn't realize that all of Huberdeau, Kopecky, and Barkov were also injured... team is ripe for the picking as long as don't play down to their level...

[Guest mrsmarkov]

In addition to Luongo being out, didn't realize that all of Huberdeau, Kopecky, and Barkov were also injured... team is ripe for the picking as long as don't play down to their level...

[weepingminotaur]

Best game thread I've seen in a while, great job.

[Guest mrsmarkov]

Best game thread I've seen in a while, great job.

I agree. I really enjoyed it. Great job again!

Lets all make a bet. How many empty seats will there be at tonight's game? I feel so bad for the kitties. Maybe just maybe it will be full of Hab fans on vacation and it will look more like a Habs home game.

[weepingminotaur]

What I'd really like to see is the EGG line break out. It would make Therrien think twice before sending Eller back to the doghouse once Plekanec is back with the team.

[Guest mrsmarkov]

What I'd really like to see is the EGG line break out. It would make Therrien think twice before sending Eller back to the doghouse once Plekanec is back with the team.

As much as I've been praying for the EGG line to be reunited, I've been really liking Pleky with the Gally's. I'll take either or actually, but then again in the long run Eller would probably be best kept in the kind line because we need three lines that can score.

[weepingminotaur]

As much as I've been praying for the EGG line to be reunited, I've been really liking Pleky with the Gally's. I'll take either or actually, but then again in the long run Eller would probably be best kept in the kind line because we need three lines that can score.

Well, sure, when Pleks comes back, he regains his old spot, but if Eller can have a good showing tonight, maybe he'll get more minutes even from the fourth line.

[Guest]

Awesome work 93. You should do Leaf games,,,,,much more ammunition to work with. :lol:

[ColRouleBleu]

Parros in,,, really?

no other healthy body left unless you want to move one of the D-men at forward or to play 7 D

[BigTed3]

What I'd really like to see is the EGG line break out. It would make Therrien think twice before sending Eller back to the doghouse once Plekanec is back with the team.

This is what I'm hoping for as well. I really feel like Eller is underused and under-appreciated, and he's been on record stating these are two guys he really looks forward to playing with. Hopefully he can make it work. I have no issue seeing Plekanec play with Briere and Gionta as a shut-down veteran trio. Bourque can go back to the 4th line or pressbox, but Eller really needs to be in the top 9, ideally on the EGG line.

[Guest mrsmarkov]

Well, sure, when Pleks comes back, he regains his old spot, but if Eller can have a good showing tonight, maybe he'll get more minutes even from the fourth line.

That's true. I just wish that he could get more minutes elsewhere, not the fourth line. But then again, we have no other choice now due to injuries. Well actually now that I think about it..Bourquey would look great up in the pressbox.

Awesome work 93. You should do Leaf games,,,,,much more ammunition to work with. :lol:

So true. If I laughed hard at a team I don't hate at all, just imagine a Leaf one.

[THEBIGGESTHABSFAN123]

That's true. I just wish that he could get more minutes elsewhere, not the fourth line. But then again, we have no other choice now due to injuries.

Sure we do.

Patches - DD - Vanek

Briere - Pleks - Gio

EGG

Bournival - White - Bourque

Great GDT 93!

5 game winning streak! Make it happen, Habs.

[Guest mrsmarkov]

Sure we do.

Patches - DD - Vanek

Briere - Pleks - Gio

EGG

Bournival - White - Bourque

Great GDT 93!

5 game winning streak! Make it happen, Habs.

Ya sure, but I'd love Bourque to be out of the picture.

[THEBIGGESTHABSFAN123]

Ya sure, but I'd love Bourque to be out of the picture.

It's better than him on the third line like he is now and Eller on the fourth. And the only other option is Parros and I'd rather not go there.

[Guest mrsmarkov]

It's better than him on the third line like he is now and Eller on the fourth. And the only other option is Parros and I'd rather not go there.

I'll agree there.

[Guest habs1952]

The Habs should have paid Florida to play the game in Montreal. Both teams could have made money.

GO HABS GO!!!!!