The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Ro....fall off

Come on now!

You've got the 2 points bagged. In a bag. You deposited 2 points in a bag. A plastic bag, with the twizzly ties. They are in a bag and ready to be transported on the plane.

Or you had the points in a duffle bag and you zipped it up ready to be loaded.

A paper bag with 2 points in it. Awesome, the points fit snuggly in there. They look happy.

2 points you worked not so hard to get - but you got them anyways. In your hands. Done deal. And then you put them in a bag and you can take that bag with you to do what you wish with it.

And what do you do?

You emptied the bag, turned it upside down and let the points spill out.

Opportunity wasted. These are peculiar points because once they're out of the bag you can never put them back in. They are uni-directional points. The bag doesn't accept repeat deposits.

But you knew that, and you took them out of the bag anyway. Really, why would you do that.

All I've got for you is the bag analogy. I want to remain in Metaphoria right now. Speaking about things literally, at this point I have no desire for this. Like I had no desire to watch the bewildered crew in red last night back themselves into a corner.

8th loss in regulation. Chill pills are on the counter ready to be washed down with some soda.

After the Habs beat the Boeings tonight.

Don't Expect Brière and Plekanec to Clear the Benches - Habs/Flyers Preview

What the Habs-Flyers Rivalry Once Was

The Habs are up against a tough team today. Philly has been so relaxed and ready for this game, forward Daniel Brière even had time to make it on l'Antichambre last night for the full show. I also heard that James Van Remsdyk co-anchored le Téléjournal with Bernard Derome.

Gone are Claude Giroux and Chris Pronger so the Flyers may have their hands full  a somewhat easy time handing the Habs their asses.

You've read on this legendary blog that with a power play running at a decent 20% the Habs would be in the playoffs. They wouldn't be world beaters, not by any stretch, but they'd crack the top 8 and make life interesting in Montreal for about 9 days in the spring.

If the PP wakes up thanks to Kaberle, then it's the 5 on 5 offence that we turn to. Cammalleri, Gionta, Gomez, Plekanec all being choked offensively. Cammy now looks like he's just removed emotionally. It would not be shocking to see him moved before the deadline if the Habs chances to make the playoffs have faded by then.

Montreal-Philly is always a good show because it showcases everything that's good about the NHL: hard hitting, skilled skating, the colour orange and weak mustaches.

Habs are going for 3 straight wins. Philly aiming for its 7th in a row.

Don't think for a second that this isn't a winnable game despite the Flyers hot streak of late. You take any team's top threats on offence and defence and you're left with a vulnerable squad. The Habs have to be opportunistic. If you look at a calendar and figure that you can't drop that game in November against the Blue Jackets, well it's got to be the same instinct when you're playing the Flyers who suddenly arrive to Montreal without Pronger and Giroux. The BJ game you can predict once the schedule come out, but this is an unexpected gift and it's important that the team capitalize.

We can expect to see Emelin back in uniform tonight as Diaz rests on his Neo Citran IV. Why it takes another player's cold to give this guy his regular spot on the team is beyond comprehension - but this is a Jacques Martin coached team so it's actually very much within the confines of comprehension.

Pacioretty Grants Coach Martin Stay of Execution

Finally, we can show you our new banner (look up).

Ligaments shmigaments.

Max Pacioretty took the entire team and its droopy dog old coach on his back and carried them to victory last night. It was courageous and inspiring and beautiful and made me feel all tingly like when that kid is skipping in the fields during the opening credits of Little House on the Prairie.

Determination and will. Look no further than Tomas Plekanec trying to shovel a puck past Philly goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov and Pacioretty taking matters into his own hands by slamming this goal mouth scramble to its definitive end. Pleks was poking at the puck, Pacioretty put his whole body into the effort. Game set and match.

If Governor Pacioretty made the call to grant Martin a stay, you have to think that Carey Price dialed the number. Price put the stiffness to bed (please interpret that in any direction that suits you, they all work and are probably all true), shed the Pretty in Pink look and moved back into his familiar groove. It felt like October 9 all over again.

Philadelphia is the shadow of the team it usually is when Chris Pronger is in uniform. With their bone crunching army of sulphuric fury resting a wounded eye at home, the Habs exposed Philly's D-men during the entire second and third periods. The Habs played with a second wind we haven't seen since Irene went from a tropical breeze to a topical bore (thank you CNN for your 3-day world is coming to an end coverage because it's drizzling the flow of hamster pee in New York City).

Coach Martin mourned the loss of Perry Pearn (we'll get to that later today) by doing damage on the special units previously under Pearn's coverage guidance. Montreal scored a power play goal but their play 5 on 5 was strong and continuously on the attack. Erik Cole is starting to show signs that he can be Hall without Oates and soon our kiss will be on his lips in gratitude for his play.

But as Quentin made The Wolfe once say....let's not start....

(you fill in the blanks)

So maybe back to reality tonight my dear friends. Or maybe not. Check out your Bruins record this season and that Stanley Cup banner hanging at the Garden may be the only thing to feel good about in la ville des fêves right now. 

Just pray that Governor Pacioretty continue to find it in his heart to spare the poor coach's life.