Go Habs Go - Fan Forum

[Booche]

FOUR WEEKS????

Fuck.

[Guest Low Roller]

No confirmed rumours regarding Koivu currently, but RDS is saying it is possible he is out 4 to 6 weeks with a broken foot. That would pretty much be it for the captain if this was true.

Streit they are calling 'a similar injury'.

Latendresse still has neck cramps.

Komisarek might be back for the start of the playoffs.

And finally, Bouillon was hurt yesterday stopping a puck, and was unable to put any weight on his foot after the game.

This would technically leave the Habs one player short of a full roster, given that there are four extra players on a healthy roster.

Currently the Habs have five healthy defencemen: Markov, Gorges, Hamrlik, O'Byrne, Brisebois, and Dandenault (in a pinch). Will they bother calling someone up from the pathetic Bulldogs roster?

[SmoothedShredder]

I hope that winning the North East was worth it... Boston, Washington, or Ottawa are going to teach you youngings all about what the Playoffs are like in the NHL.

4 and out...

[MattyC]

Koivu broken foot!! confirmed.. fack. Not sure how long he'll be out.

[Guest Low Roller]

Fungul.

Lines for tomorrow's game are:

Big Tits / Plex / Kovalev (probably wearing the 'C')

Ryder / Little Tits / Higgins

Grabovski / Lapierre / Latendresse

Kostopoulos / Smolinski / Begin

[badams]

BAD timing for these injuries but nothing that can be done at this point. The team will have to play through them.

[Kanada Kev]

BIG game tonight!

Good luck Habs.

[Tissue Man]

Section 313 Row G..

OLE OLE OLE OLE

[rubberdinghy]

Section Couch...in my living room. Preparing for the worst.

[Davey Boy 2.0]

this just in, dinghy's going to be hiding behind his favourite pillow, sticking his fingers in his ears from time to time and trying to get voodoolady to wait on him hand and foot

"ohhhhh stephie, a glass of milk and some cookies will make me feel a bit better"

"what's that got to do with me?"

[rubberdinghy]

how'd you know

[Kanada Kev]

BIG game

Dammit ... i might even sing Ole Ole Ole

I hope the Montreal fans in the building are louder than ever tonight.

[Booche]

They will be in section 313.

[badams]

They will be in section 313.

I am with you there in spirit!!!

[Booche]

More like "in spirits"

Ollie and FreakByNight will be there in spritzers.

[Davey Boy 2.0]

FbN: Another Zima, ollie?

Ollie: it's about time you asked, don't skimp on the lime either this time!

[Booche]

If you really want to know what Saku Koivu is all about, don't look beyond this: he stopped a shot with his foot early in Friday's win in Buffalo and fell awkwardly to the ice. He struggled to his feet in obvious pain, staggered and almost fell again. Yet incredibly, he remained in the game long enough to assist on the overtime goal by Christopher Higgins.

Little guy. Huge heart.

An MRI yesterday revealed that Captain K had suffered a fracture in his left foot. He'll be examined today by Dr. Eric Lenczner, the team's orthopedic specialist, to learn more about the injury. For now, though, the Canadiens aren't ringing alarm bells about his availability for the playoffs. He'll miss the last three games of the season, but head coach Guy Carbonneau said it is "uncertain" if Koivu will be ready for the start of the playoffs.

"He's someone with a lot of experience, he's a leader, he's our captain," Carbo said yesterday. "We'll definitely miss him the rest of the regular season.

Hopefully, he'll be able to play once the playoffs come.

"It all depends if he can put his boot on without pain ... if he can skate without pain," Carbonneau added.

If you caught Koivu on the telly yesterday leaving the Bell Centre on crutches and in obvious pain, you have to feel he's a long shot to start the playoffs, which open one week from tomorrow. On the other hand, none among us has to be reminded of the stern stuff Koivu is made of.

Doctors feared for his life when he was found to be suffering from non-Hodgkins lymphoma before the start of the 2001-02 season. At best, his career was thought to be over. Koivu fought through it. Then, remarkably, he returned for the last three regular-season games, the first of which to an ovation that will forever remain in the minds of those who were there. It was a magical night. He went on to deliver four goals and six assists in 12 playoff games.

In Game 3 of the 2005-06 playoffs against Carolina, with the Canadiens leading the series 2-0, Koivu was sweeping in on the Hurricanes net when he was clipped with a stick in the eye. He fell to the ice bleeding profusely and was rushed to hospital where he spent two nights.

Koivu eventually had surgery to repair a detached retina, struggled with his sight throughout the offseason, still has a blind spot in the eye, yet missed only one game last season.

He's had knee injuries. He had a broken bone in his hand in one playoff series - and didn't miss a game.

It's what team leaders do, and everybody on this team knows he's the leader. It's what captains do in this risky business. It's what Koivu does.

Until Black Friday in Buffalo, good health was the biggest reason the Canadiens have done so well this season.

It's why they need only one point tonight in Ottawa to clinch the Northwest Division title, and they could still finish No. 1 overall in the Eastern Conference.

Three key players - Alex Kovalev, Andrei Markov and Higgins - have not missed a game this season.

Power-play specialist Mark Streit has missed one game, and although he also suffered a foot injury against the Sabres, he skated with the team yesterday and is expected to play tonight. Tomas Plekanec and Koivu have missed one game each, both with the flu.

Mike Komisarek hadn't missed a game until a hip injury sidelined him for the last four games and through to the end of the regular season.

Defenceman Roman Hamrlik missed five games in February with a virus and the Canadiens had their longest losing streak of the season - three games - without him.

In other words, the injuries they've had have mostly been to third- or fourth-line forwards or third-pair defencemen - until Komisarek went down. All the while, big names on many other teams have gone down with long-term injuries.

Koivu's absence probably won't be felt tonight against the Senators or even against Buffalo and Toronto in the team's final two games of the season.

What you've heard from the players is that the Canadiens have depth, they're more experienced than they have been and somebody else will step up. That should happen tonight, against Buffalo on Thursday and Toronto on Saturday, but can they carry it into the playoffs if Koivu's broken foot makes him unavailable for the first part of it?

That's when we'll really learn what the Canadiens, as a team, are all about.

Koivu is the Canadiens' leader. He's the team captain. He's needed in the playoffs. Without him, there's a hole on this team.

Let us pray.

[Freak By Night]

I don't even know what Zima is.

Here's a handy tip for those of you going to the game tonight.

They sell tall boys of Canadian at the game for $8.50 each.

You can buy them at the LCBO for $2.50 each. Stick 'em in the freezer at home for an hour before you go to the game, and stuff them in your coat pockets.

I've been doing this since the days when a love-tap to Kovalev's wrist meant playoff elimination.

[Hal Johnson]

Didnt they win that series?

[Tissue Man]

Didnt they win that series?

Yes they did.

its all about the rickards draft at those games. tall boy canadian ugh..

[AD]

if they are doing searches, if your coat has a hood, stick some cans there. they never ever look there.

[ollie]

Hello? Creemore Tall Boys! Fags.

[Booche]

Dissention amongst the ranks!

I can smell your fear from here.

[ollie]

if they are doing searches, if your coat has a hood, stick some cans there. they never ever look there.

Another option is your girlfriend's purse. You're in the clear either way.

[ollie]

Dissention amongst the ranks!

I can smell your fear from here.

Dissention with Tissue Man is nothing new.

I can smell the stale beer from here.