good article.....
By RED FISHER
The Gazette
Ten games into the regular season, you're 5-4-1-0 and competing - so what's the reason for all those long boo-blanc-rouge faces, eh?
It's all in the numbers - and let's see if you can follow this carefully:
Once again, over lightly, No. 1 (or is he 1a?) goaltender Jeff Hackett didn't hitch a ride last night on the Canadiens' charter carrying les Boys to this city Wayne Gretzky built. And he's not likely to for at least the next eight weeks while he's recovering from a dislocated shoulder.
Fast forward now to No. 1a (or is he No. 1?) goaltender Jose Theodore, who also remained at home somewhere on a planet of his own with the concussion he suffered in Buffalo on Friday after being trampled by an elephant named Vaclav Varada. Theodore is spending his next few days keeping company with Alice in Wonderland, boning up on the "concussion test" he must take on Wednesday. You see, since he's on the injury-reserve list for a week, dating back to the night he was left in dreamland by Varada (would you believe some hockey people, starting with Doug Gilmour, insist the Buffalo forward hurtled into Jose deliberately?), NHL rules stipulate that he can't return to the lineup until he posts passing grades on the test.
No. 3 goaltender Mathieu Garon, who did not look like Georges Vezina or even Bunny Larocque in a Canadiens 5-1 loss to Philadelphia on Saturday, was on the charter along with No. 5 (or is he No. 6 or Lucky Seven?) Olivier Michaud, a junior goaltender. Good ol' Olivier wasn't complaining, because even the worst seat on the Canadiens charter (executives up front, players and the wretched media in the rear) is infinitely more comfortable although not necessarily intellectually enlightening than the back of the bus junior goaltenders normally are assigned.
Anyway, if you're wondering what on earth happened to Goaltender Numero Fore!, be advised that Vadim Tarasov, otherwise known as The Red Mench, has been suffering with a groin injury and, while Garon is consorting with the Big Boys, has generously agreed to be the backup to Quebec Citadelles' Luc Belanger. (Sadly, Luc has not yet been assigned a number in the Canadiens' goaltending lottery.)
Wait! There's more!
Vadim is on a plane today flying to Wayne's World. He arrives tonight, skates with Nos. 3 and 5 tomorrow morning, and if he doesn't feel an annoying tug in his groin, he'll be recalled officially and remain with The Dynasty for the rest of the three-game road trip, which starts tomorrow against the Oilers, continues in Vancouver on Thursday and winds up in Calgary on Saturday. What happens to No. 5 (or is it No. 6 or Lucky Seven?) Olivier? Nothing serious, really. He returns to junior hockey in La Belle Province.
Got the murky picture?
Right now, with the Canadiens laying claim to positively the worst goaltending situation in NHL history, somebody will have to suck it up on this journey to the Wild West. The good news is that Doug Gilmour, who was suspended for all of one game for tracking down his former teammate, Varada, for his assault on Oy Vey, Jose, can play tomorrow. The bad news is that the Canadiens defence, in the face of this sad-sack injury situation, didn't really lift their game to another level in front of No. 3 Garon on Saturday. Minuses, led by Stephane Quintal's fat minus-3, was another numbers game. Only Sheldon Souray and Craig Rivet escaped with an "E." Fifteen other skaters fell short.
By RED FISHER
The Gazette
Ten games into the regular season, you're 5-4-1-0 and competing - so what's the reason for all those long boo-blanc-rouge faces, eh?
It's all in the numbers - and let's see if you can follow this carefully:
Once again, over lightly, No. 1 (or is he 1a?) goaltender Jeff Hackett didn't hitch a ride last night on the Canadiens' charter carrying les Boys to this city Wayne Gretzky built. And he's not likely to for at least the next eight weeks while he's recovering from a dislocated shoulder.
Fast forward now to No. 1a (or is he No. 1?) goaltender Jose Theodore, who also remained at home somewhere on a planet of his own with the concussion he suffered in Buffalo on Friday after being trampled by an elephant named Vaclav Varada. Theodore is spending his next few days keeping company with Alice in Wonderland, boning up on the "concussion test" he must take on Wednesday. You see, since he's on the injury-reserve list for a week, dating back to the night he was left in dreamland by Varada (would you believe some hockey people, starting with Doug Gilmour, insist the Buffalo forward hurtled into Jose deliberately?), NHL rules stipulate that he can't return to the lineup until he posts passing grades on the test.
No. 3 goaltender Mathieu Garon, who did not look like Georges Vezina or even Bunny Larocque in a Canadiens 5-1 loss to Philadelphia on Saturday, was on the charter along with No. 5 (or is he No. 6 or Lucky Seven?) Olivier Michaud, a junior goaltender. Good ol' Olivier wasn't complaining, because even the worst seat on the Canadiens charter (executives up front, players and the wretched media in the rear) is infinitely more comfortable although not necessarily intellectually enlightening than the back of the bus junior goaltenders normally are assigned.
Anyway, if you're wondering what on earth happened to Goaltender Numero Fore!, be advised that Vadim Tarasov, otherwise known as The Red Mench, has been suffering with a groin injury and, while Garon is consorting with the Big Boys, has generously agreed to be the backup to Quebec Citadelles' Luc Belanger. (Sadly, Luc has not yet been assigned a number in the Canadiens' goaltending lottery.)
Wait! There's more!
Vadim is on a plane today flying to Wayne's World. He arrives tonight, skates with Nos. 3 and 5 tomorrow morning, and if he doesn't feel an annoying tug in his groin, he'll be recalled officially and remain with The Dynasty for the rest of the three-game road trip, which starts tomorrow against the Oilers, continues in Vancouver on Thursday and winds up in Calgary on Saturday. What happens to No. 5 (or is it No. 6 or Lucky Seven?) Olivier? Nothing serious, really. He returns to junior hockey in La Belle Province.
Got the murky picture?
Right now, with the Canadiens laying claim to positively the worst goaltending situation in NHL history, somebody will have to suck it up on this journey to the Wild West. The good news is that Doug Gilmour, who was suspended for all of one game for tracking down his former teammate, Varada, for his assault on Oy Vey, Jose, can play tomorrow. The bad news is that the Canadiens defence, in the face of this sad-sack injury situation, didn't really lift their game to another level in front of No. 3 Garon on Saturday. Minuses, led by Stephane Quintal's fat minus-3, was another numbers game. Only Sheldon Souray and Craig Rivet escaped with an "E." Fifteen other skaters fell short.
