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Halak and Habs Overcome in 7

April 29, 2010, 12:07 AM ET [ Comments]
Habs Talk
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Is Dominic Moore worth a second round pick, now?

Picking up a loose puck, knocked free by Maxim Lapierre's best effort, Moore ended what was supposed to be Washington's triumphant moment as the league's premiere contender for hockey's greatest prize, with 3:36 left to play.

It was an effort from two of the Canadiens 'pluggers' that epitomized the team's unmatched work ethic through 7 games of grueling hockey. The Canadiens did it by shutting down the world's greatest offense with lion-like character from players like Hal Gill and Josh Gorges, lest we forget what Jarolsav Halak did to pull them through with what will likely go down as one of the greatest goaltending performances in hockey's rich history.

And we will never forget. Halak stopped 131 pucks over games 5, 6, and 7 with everything on the line, he made 45 saves in game 1, and with that, history was made.

It was made for the Canadiens, in winning this series, a feat accomplished by no other team before them: Knocking off a #1 seed from the 8-spot--down 3-1 in the series...no doubt you've heard about it by now.

It was made for Jacques Martin, who with this win (the biggest one of his career) no longer has to carry the label of "never won a game 7".

What will certainly go down as one of the greatest upsets in the history of the game, may even be considered one of the greatest upsets in the history of sports.

And the Canadiens deserved it. They did everything you need to do to win in the playoffs. They killed 32 of 33 penalties off against the best powerplay in the league. They scored timely goals. They scored on the powerplay. Their best players were their best players. They blocked 41 shots in game 7 alone. And they shut down one of the greatest players in the world, in Alexander Ovechkin.

Let's come back to Dominic Moore. Because he's a part of what was a complete rearrangement of the Montreal Canadiens, from summer to the trade deadline.

Pierre Gauthier's first trade as GM of the Montreal Canadiens was to get Moore out of Florida, to give the team some depth down the middle, headed down the stretch. That was the only move the Habs made. Imagine someone had stepped up and made a real spicy offer for Jaroslav Halak? Who knows? Maybe someone did.

But Gauthier was continuing Bob Gainey's policy, not doing anything dramatic with his team in a favorable position to gut it out with the other teams in the mix for 4 remaining playoff spots. He made a minor tweak to a team that had been completely remolded in the summer.

Could Bob Gainey have known? Gainey was lambasted for not signing any of the 10 unrestricted free agents he had. He tried until the final hour, leading up to unrestricted free agency, to pry Vincent Lecavalier from the Tampa Bay Lightning, unsuccessfully, and not for the first time. Instead, he moved for Scott Gomez to replace tenured captain, Saku Koivu, trading another considered leader in Chris Higgins, a healthy prospect in Ryan Macdonagh, on the verge of losing supposed future captain, Mike Komisarek.

Gainey played with the idea of bringing Alex Kovalev back, but Brian Gionta was in his front pocket, and Mike Cammalleri may go down as the best pick up in the lot of unrestricted free agents, last summer. Plucky Travis Moen was added to the mix. Paul Mara, as well. Jaroslav Spacek for three years, and not Francois Beachemin, who wanted to come, according to his agent. Hal Gill for 5 million over 2 seasons. Marc-Andre Bergeron after Markov went down in the first game of the season. It was the most lavish spending spree the Canadiens had ever been on.

Gainey's hire of Martin put this team in the playoffs. On the shoulders of two young goaltenders (mainly one), Martin--always the pragmatic planner-- executed on his preseason goal. He was brought in after a whirlwind season that was filled with controversy; one that led to the death of what could've been something great in the 100th year of the winningest hockey team. He was brought in to stabilize a situation that had spun out of control.

Gainey may not have built a team that would pull fans out of their seats through 82-games of regular season hockey, but he put together a team that was capable of doing something in the playoffs, if they ever got there.

Injuries plagued them. Stretches of inconsistency created enough doubt for no one to give them a chance in the playoffs. Characteristically, they pulled off wins all season when adversity was at its highest. And with their experience and composure, and an apparent chemistry they searched for throughout, they did it again. To the best team in hockey. When it mattered most.

The Molson Brothers, newly minted owners of this great franchise, stood by Bob Gainey. They stood by Pierre Boivin, as Gainey surprised everyone, leaving the team he had assembled midseason, passing the torch to his top assistant. They now proudly stand by Pierre Gauthier, and Jacques Martin, and Perry Pearn, Kirk Muller and new goaltending mentor Pierre Groulx.

Whatever credit leftover of what goes to Jaroslav Halak, goes not only to the men above, but to the guys on this team that believed more than anyone else did in their ability to accomplish what was seemingly impossible; the guys who made believers out of the fans that helped push them through game 6.

The next impossible task is less than 48 hours away, waiting in the den of Lord Stanley's domicile. The Canadiens unfathomable quest continues against the last standing heavyweight of the Eastern Conference. Another chance to make some history...
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