Poor Len: Perhaps I was a bit hasty...

Got a text from a reader 30 seconds after the finish of last night's hockey game between the Montréal Canadians and the Philthydelphia Flyers. "O ye of little faith!", he said. "One bad game and you get off the good ship Habs?!" He was referring to yesterday's post headed "Poor Len Canayen loses hope for hapless Habs". Well, I blame Ed. for that.* If you read my words carefully, you will see that I did not give up hope entirely. I merely said that I wouldn't bet on a "miracle on ice" that would get les Glorieux into the playoffs.

Our reader (J-P Fou, of St-Louis-du-Ha-Ha, QC -- you can look it up) points to last night's satisfying 4-1 win over the team the Habs have to pass to get into the last NHL Eastern Conference wild card spot. And, he says, that makes 3 wins in the last 4 games. Plus a GAA of 0.67 for Carey Price, who turned aside 40 shots and was chosen first star of the game. Touché, J-P!

Add into the mix Montréal native (meaning he was born there, nothing else) Marco Scandella, recently acquired from the Buffalo Sabres, who turned in another strong performance on an improved Habs defence. Even more important, Ilya Kovalchuk, who many naysayers (Hello to the Gazoo's Brendan Kelly) said was past his prime, scored not once but twice, bringing his point total to 7 in 6 games. As P.J. O'Rourke wrote, age and guile beat youth and innocence! Good on yer, Kovy!

More good news. Tomas Tatar had a goal (his 17th) and an assist. He's now the Habs' leading goal-scorer. Whoda thunk it? Jesperi Kotkaniemi instigated a fight which he won on points. Again, whoda thunk it? Joel Armia returned from injury and played well. Arturi Lehkonen continued his much-improved play, scoring his 11th goal this year. The Canadiens got a power-play goal and allowed no goals while short-handed.

All in all, it was a fine performance, and, while the Habs are still 7 points out of a wild card spot, hope springs eternal, right here in my bleu-blanc-et-rouge heart!

* Note from Ed. Perhaps I made a mistake when I translated Len's scribbles from the original joual. Sorry.