Senators vs Canadiens - December 20th, 2005

I forgot to mention to the world that I went to see the Habs game on Tuesday. Bought tickets well in advance, b/c we know they're sold out for the rest of the year, gave my ticket away for my cousin returning from Vietnam for the holidays, and eventually got it back b/c my brother's friend couldn't come (and I wonder what so important could make you miss the unmissable Ottawa vs Montreal classic). It was a special game, with the return of Alex Kovalev, who took a 6-week break to recover from an operation, a period of 13 games during which the Habs only won 4, but when he was there at the start of the season, the Habs only lost 3 times in regulation time in 19 games (while standing at the top of the Eastern Conference for like a month)!

The Habs were trailing 3-0 by the middle of the second period (one goal scored by Spezza during the second minute of play b/c the Canadiens player passed from behind his net *on the tape* of the other team's player's stick). Few people mentionned it, but Spezza was out of the game right after the first intermission (and hasn't played yesterday versus the Flyers). And Kovalev stepped up, banked in a 700th assist, got a standing ovation for over a minute, before making another marvelous pass for the second goal, and then scoring the tying goal. The goalie (a French citizen - who could've told a Frenchman would goal for the Habs?) saved the day in third period (with the help of his goal posts) and eventually, the Habs were to win 4-3 in shootout, with the finishing touch by Kovalev, after Dagenais scored and the two Senators, Heatley and Alfredsson were unable to respond. For every un-exciting Canadiens vs a team of the Southeast division, there is a Game 3 of Habs-Bruins series, a Saturday Night versus the Toronto Maple Leafs and a celebration for comeback kid against the single best team in the league.