Huet out for the Season

[Santacapper]

MONTREAL (CP) - The Montreal Canadiens continue to battle the injury bug.
Goaltender Cristobal Huet said Tuesday he does not expect to be back in the Habs net before the end of the regular season while centre Steve Begin is out at least 10 days with a broken bone in his right foot.
Huet had surgery on Sunday to repair a tear in his left hamstring suffered Feb. 14 in New Jersey. He hopes to be ready for the playoffs.
''We'll see how it goes in rehab,'' he said. ''It's not easy obviously.
''It's a crucial time for our team. I'd like to be out there helping our team but there's nothing I can do about it. Hopefully, we'll be in the playoffs and I can step on the ice then.''

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Huet said the injury was not as bad as was feared at first because it is low on the hamstring.
''The doctors didn't need to do much, just take fluids away and work on it a bit,'' he said. ''That was good news for me.
''It looked worse on the MRI.''
Begin was hit on the foot by a shot during a 3-2 win Sunday in Columbus. He had the swollen foot in a brace and was walking with crutches Tuesday.
The veteran had only returned Feb. 10 after missing 27 games with a back injury.
''It's a tough season,'' he said. ''I was out for nine weeks, back for a few games and now out again for a few more weeks.
''It's a broken bone. They will wait for the swelling to go down and take it from there.''
The Canadiens are also missing winger Alex Kovalev (sore elbow) and defenceman Craig Rivet, who is on the mend from pneumonia and will not be back in action before Saturday.
Defenceman Sheldon Souray left the ice early during the Canadiens' skate Tuesday morning, but coach Guy Carbonneau said he simply wanted to keep his scoring leader fresh.
''He's playing 26 or 27 minutes per game, so we just wanted him to get some rest,'' said Carbonneau.
Heading into Tuesday's game against Washington, the Habs had just two wins in their last 10 games and were tied for ninth in the Eastern Conference.

 

[Joe Public]

This should make for some really good bet-against situations for the Habs as we head toward the end of the season.

Good info.

 

[Santacapper]

Joe, really thinking about playing the Caps tonight (more than likely +0.5)... they made MTL a reasonable dog to Columbus, then 2 days later they are a heavy fave with a rookie in net? Johnson isnt anything to write home about, but IMO Halak isnt an -180 fave.

MTL has to do some great things to even make the playoffs now, then Huet can think about coming back

 

[Joe Public]

I like the situation for the Caps. Coming off that loss to the Pens and getting Montreal off bad news.

I will say that the goalie who started in Columbus played well and they played well in front of him--"well" being a relative term for a team of their talent level.

But that could have been the game where they step up because of an injury to one of their main guys. Now reality might set in.

Even if it doesn't, Washington has the ability to beat them flat out, so, yeah, I could see the attraction to that play. Well, I can see it at the +.5, the ML is tempting but I'm not sure I'd venture it.

Hell, how about the +1.5. At Olympic it's -160 which normally isn't that attractive, but that's not a bad price for what you're getting.

Though, if you can get anywhere around even for the +.5 I think you'd have to consider it.

 

[Santacapper]

At both 5dimes and Pinnacle (I know... sorry, lol) its +0.5 +105 right now. Not sure if you have acct. at 5dimes, but getting the added goal in regulation is a nice bonus.

4 of Washingtons last 6 have gone to OT with them going 2-2 in that span so the ML doesnt lose total value, but with them at 6-6 in OT and Was at 5-9 the ML loses more value IMO.

L10 MTL 2-8, Was 3-7... Washington scoring slightly more and allowing slightly less in L5. Only thing that worries me is MTL's potential on the PP and Washingtons ineptness on the PK (69% L5).

Begin also being out tonight makes me like it a bit more...

 

[Joe Public]

Oh, Pinny, how I miss you so.

Frankly, I may need to make some sort of decision about the playoffs at some point soon as far as hockey's concerned. Because I love the Greek and I like Matchbook, but they're not offering me everything Pinny did as far as hockey lines.

Figures, I go away from the sport for two years and the moment I start to get interested in it again, my outs dry up some. Ugh.

I did see that line at Pinny, though and, really, I think that's a solid play.

I'll say this, and maybe it will mean something, maybe it won't, but you may want to look at the weather in Montreal yesterday and today. I was there a few years ago and caught a Pens game.

The team was actually staying in my hotel and the day they got there there was a ton of snow. So for a day they had nothing to do but sit around in the hotel which is, literally within walking distance from the arena. Sure enough, the next day for the game they were listless and slow and they lost.

Like I said, it may mean nothing, but Montreal is one of those cities where when it gets cold you get trapped inside, and if you're trapped for too long it's not good for you.

 

[Santacapper]

Besides Pinnacle your most 'exotic' lines are going to come from 5Dimes no doubt. Use the 2 of them for most if not all my side play (the -).5 or PL mostly)

With the weather, its nothign out of the, if not mild for MTL at this time of year (-11 celcius and light flurries), but understand what you are saying. I always find Washingtons team page to be one of the more 'objective' as far as calling a spade a spade. This is their write up
--------------------------------------------------

Matchup
​

Washington concludes its three-game road trip with a Tuesday night tilt against the Canadiens in Montreal. The game marks the first of the Caps’ two visits to Bell Centre this season.

After opening the trip with a 3-2 shootout setback to the Lightning in Tampa Bay, the Caps lost in regulation by the same score on Sunday in Pittsburgh. Washington is currently 14th in the Eastern Conference standings, 11 points back of the three-team logjam in eighth place.

The Caps and Habs most recently met on Jan. 4 at Verizon Center, Montreal’s second visit to the Phone Booth in a nine-day span. Washington won that one by a 5-1 count, but both clubs have fallen on hard times since. The Capitals are 6-10-2 and the Canadiens are 7-13-1 since that game nearly seven weeks ago.

During a stretch of nine games from Jan. 11 through Feb. 1, Washington surrendered four or more goals in a game six times. The Caps went 2-7 in those nine games, despite scoring 29 goals of their own during the same stretch. Since that time, the Caps’ defense has stood tall.

Excluding empty-net goals, Washington has allowed only seven even-strength goals in its last seven games. The Caps have allowed fewer than 30 shots in goal in five of their last seven games, something the team has not been able to accomplish since Mar. 5-16, 2004.

Unfortunately for the Caps, the team’s offense has virtually dried up at the same time. The Capitals have managed only 13 goals (three of them on the power play) in their last seven games, going 2-3-2 in the process.

Going into Monday night’s NHL activity, the Capitals had the 20th best power play in the NHL with a 17% success rate.

Washington is 21st in the circuit in penalty killing, having killed off 81% of its opponents’ power play chances on the season. The Caps are 3-for-26 (11.5%) with the extra man over their last seven games.

The Habs are 8-16-1 since they first visited Verizon this season on Dec. 27. Montreal has tumbled out of the top eight in the East, and has recently been riddled with injuries to several of its top players.

Montreal netminder Cristobal Huet – an Eastern Conference All-Star – suffered a torn hamstring that required surgery to repair. He may be lost for the rest of the season. Slick and skilled winger Alexei Kovalev is out with an elbow injury, and defenseman Craig Rivet has missed several games because of a bout with pneumonia.

It its last nine games, Montreal has managed to score just 18 goals. Although the Habs’ power play has been among the best in the league this season, the unit has struggled recently. The Canadiens are just 6-for-42 (14.3%) with the extra man in their 10 February games.

The Canadiens were also among the league’s best penalty killers for most of the first half of the season. They’ve had difficulty in that department since the holidays, killing just 110 of 144 (76.4%) of their opponents’ man advantage opportunities. Before that dismal stretch, the Canadiens had killed off 89.2% of their foes’ power play chances.

During the Habs’ recent six-game losing streak, they killed off 24 of 33 (72.7%) shorthanded situations. Montreal ended that losing streak on Sunday in Columbus with a 3-2 win over the Blue Jackets. The Habs were a perfect 4-for-4 on the penalty kill in that game, and they went 2-for-7 on the power play.

For the season, Montreal’s power play is second best in the league at 21.5%. The Habs are 11th overall in the league in penalty killing with a kill rate of 83.6%.

Notes: Caps coach Glen Hanlon celebrates his 50th birthday on Tuesday … Washington has outscored the opposition 20-12 in the final minute of periods this season.

Fun Fact: With netminder Cristobal Huet sidelined because of a hamstring injury, Montreal recalled goaltender Jaroslav Halak from its Hamilton farm affiliate in the AHL. The 21-year-old native of Slovakia was Montreal’s ninth-round (271st overall) selection in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

Halak got his first NHL start on Sunday for the slumping Habs, standing between the pipes for Montreal’s Sunday game at Columbus. He earned his first NHL win as the Canadiens edged the Jackets, 3-2. In doing so, Halak becomes just the fourth NHL goaltender ever to snap a team losing streak of six or more games in his first game in the league.

Halak joins San Jose’s Arturs Irbe (13-game losing streak in 1991), Boston’s Claude Pronovost (eight-game losing streak in 1956) and Chicago’s Marcel Pelletier (eight losses in 1951) on that short list. Halak’s win stopped a six-game Montreal slide.

Halak also joins Nashville’s Jan Lasak, Washington’s Rastislav Stana and Colorado’s Peter Budaj as the fourth Slovakian goaltender to suit up for an NHL game.

Short Shifts: Kris Beech has a goal and two points in his last two games. He is plus-2 in those contests … Matt Bradley has a goal and three points in 11 career games against the Habs. He has played plus or even hockey in four straight games … Donald Brashear has played plus or even hockey in 17 straight games and is plus-5 during that stretch. Montreal and the New York Rangers are the only teams against which Brashear has not scored a goal in his NHL career … Chris Clark has two goals and four points in 12 career games against Montreal. Clark has 10 goals and 15 points in his last 18 games … Ben Clymer has four goals and eight points in 19 career games against the Habs. Clymer has a goal and four points in his last six games … Steve Eminger has played plus or even hockey in each of his last eight games … Eric Fehr has played plus or even hockey in each of his last six games. He is plus-3 during that stretch. Fehr picked up his first NHL assist on Matt Pettinger’s goal against Pittsburgh on Sunday … Brent Johnson is 0-1 with a 3.00 goals against average and an .880 save pct. in his lone career game against Montreal … Milan Jurcina has averaged 23:43 in ice time in seven games with Washington since coming to the Caps in a Feb. 1 deal with the Bruins. Only Brian Pothier (24:47) has averaged more ice time per game for the Capitals this season … Brooks Laich has a goal and two points in six career games vs. the Canadiens. He netted his first NHL goal against Montreal on Nov. 19, 2005. Laich has played plus or even hockey in nine of his last 10 games and is plus-4 during that span … Lawrence Nycholat has a goal and two points and is plus-2 in two games against Montreal this season … Alex Ovechkin has two goals and eight points in six career games against the Habs. Ovechkin has nine goals and 22 points in his last 20 games. Ovechkin has at least a point in 45 of 59 games this season. He is fourth in the NHL with 34 goals and is tied for seventh in the league in scoring with 72 points (he wasn’t among the NHL’s top 20 scorers at the start of December). Ovechkin is tied for eighth in the league with six game-winning goals. He is tied for fourth in the league with 14 power play goals. He leads the NHL with 297 shots on goal … Matt Pettinger has three goals and four points in 12 career games against the Canadiens. Pettinger has two goals and three points in his last six games … Brian Pothier has a goal and six points in 18 career games against Montreal … Alexander Semin has four goals and six points in four career games against the Habs … Jeff Schultz has played plus or even hockey in 12 of his last 13 games, and he is plus-6 during that span … Brian Sutherby has three goals and four points in 14 career games against the Canadiens … Richard Zednik has three goals and four points in a dozen career games against Montreal. Zednik has a goal and three points in his last six games … Dainius Zubrus has five goals and 13 points in 25 career games against Montreal. Zubrus has four goals and 13 points in his last 13 games … David Aebischer is 1-1 with a 1.51 goals against average lifetime vs. Washington. He is 1-3-1 with a 3.46 GAA and an .896 save pct. in his last six appearances (five starts) … Steve Begin has two goals in eight career games against the Caps … Radek Bonk has eight goals and 23 points in 39 career games against the Capitals … Francis Bouillon has four assists in 15 career games against Washington … Mathieu Dandenault has three goals and seven points in 20 career games against the Caps … Chris Higgins has two goals and three points in six career contests vs. the Capitals. Higgins has two assists in his last three games … Mike Johnson has two goals and eight points in 19 career games against the Caps. Johnson has two assists in his last three games … Saku Koivu has six goals and 21 points in 31 career games vs. the Capitals. Koivu has a goal and four points in his last five games … Mike Komisarek has a goal and two points in 10 career games vs. Washington. Komisarek is slated to play in his 200th NHL game against Washington on Tuesday … Alexei Kovalev has 13 goals and 37 points in 51 lifetime tilts vs. the Capitals. Kovalev has a goal and three points in his last four games … Guillaume Latendresse has three assists in two career games against the Caps … Andrei Markov has six assists in 19 career games against the Caps … Tomas Plekanec has three goals and seven points in his last eight games … Michael Ryder has six goals and 10 points in 10 career games vs. Washington … Sergei Samsonov has four goals and 13 points in 26 career games against the Capitals … Sheldon Souray has five goals and 12 points in 24 career games against Washington. Souray has three goals and eight points in his last eight games.

Injuries
Montreal Canadiens
Goaltender Cristobal Huet underwent hamstring surgery and is out indefinitely.
Defenseman Craig Rivet has pneumonia and is on injured reserve.
Left wing Alexei Kovalev has an elbow injury and is day-to-day.

Washington
Goaltender Olie Kolzig has a knee injury and is out for two weeks.
Defenseman Bryan Muir has a fractured foot and is out indefinitely.

Possible Line Combos and Defensive Pairings
Montreal Forwards
21-Higgins, 11-Koivu, 73-Ryder
15-Samsonov, 35-Plekanec, 20-Johnson
84-Latendresse, 14-Bonk, 42-Perezhogin
62-Milroy, 40-Lapierre, 22-Begin

Montreal Defensemen
25-Dandenault, 51-Bouillon
8-Komisarek, 79-Markov
32-Streit, 44-Souray

Goaltenders
30-Aebischer, 41-Halak

Washington Forwards
8-Ovechkin, 9-Zubrus, 17-Clark
28-Semin, 21-Laich, 14-Fehr
18-Pettinger, 15-Gordon, 10-Bradley
87-Brashear, 16-Sutherby, 20-Zednik

Washington Defensemen
23-Jurcina, 26-Morrisonn
2-Pothier, 55-Schultz
4-Erskine, 6-Heward

Goaltenders
1-Johnson, 35-Cassivi

 

[$$$$inmywallett]

Hey Santa, that avatar is soooo mezmerizing.

 

[Joe Public]

I second that. Your avatar is mezmerizing. I love it.

Meanwhile, that writeup just makes me want a cold Molson. Is that wrong?

 

[Santacapper]

$$ - lmao, it just screams time to dance. lol

Joe - not in the least bit wrong... in fact I may crack one myself.

 

[Joe Public]

And if Washington would have just shown up for the first period, they would have won that game tonight.

S**tty beat if you took it, Santa.

 

[Santacapper]

And if Washington would have just shown up for the first period, they would have won that game tonight.

S**tty beat if you took it, Santa.

Yeah I did, not that I think it was a bad play, still think it was a good play, but gettign 18 shots on net and 5 in the third period when you are down one is not going to win games and they just didnt play all that well.

Speaking of which, having to ride Aebischer and the Halak to try and beat out a hot DiPietro, a surging Carolina team, Leafs, etc is going to be a tough feat to hold off for the 8th spot