head coach: Alain Vigneault

roster: C - Saku Koivu, Marc Bureau, Darcy Tucker, Vincent Damphousse, Sebastien Bordeleau, Eric Houde. LW -Shayne Corson, Martin Rucinsky, Benoit Brunet, Scott Thornton, Brian Savage. RW - Mark Recchi, Stephane Richer, Turner Stevenson, Valeri Bure. D - Dave Manson, Vladimir Malakhov, Jassen Cullimore, Stephane Quintal, Patrice Brisebois, Peter Popovic, David Wilkie, Craig Rivet, Brett Clark, Francois Groleau. G - Andy Moog, Jocelyn Thibault, Jose Theodore.

injuries: Stephane Richer, rw (sprained ankle suffered in San Jose, day-to-day); Stephane Quintal, d (concussion, day-to-day); Andy Moog, g (knee injury in L.A, 10 days); Turner Stevenson, rw (sprained left shoulder , 1 week); Sebastien Bordeleau, c (bruised thigh, day-to-day).

transactions: 11/10 : Goalie Jose Theodore recalled from Fredericton (AHL)

standings:

Eastern Conference - Northeast Division
Team         GP   W   L   T   PTS   GF   GA   
Montreal     21  14   5   2    30   71   45
Boston       21  11   7   3    25   55   49
Ottawa       22   9   9   4    22   62   57
Pittsburgh   22   9   9   4    22   59   59
Carolina     21   8  10   3    19   58   62
Buffalo      19   5  10   4    14   47   61

game results:

11/03 Dallas         W 6-4
11/05 Phoenix        W 4-2
11/07 at San Jose    W 4-3
11/08 at Los Angeles W 4-1
11/12 at Anaheim     W 4-3 OT
11/13 at Phoenix     W 5-2
11/14  Washington    L 3-2

team news:

by Jacques Robert, Montreal Correspondent

BEST ROAD TRIP EVER IN HISTORY, BUT...

Needless to say that the last four-game western trip was meant to be a test. OK, thus far, Les Canadiens had fared pretty well on the road - just one loss in New Jersey in OT. But remember: by that time, last year, several clashes had occurred on the road like the one opposing Donald Brashear and Mario Tremblay... Bad times are gone, but playing at home is still a concern for Vigneault's boys who do not deliver on the home ice as much as expected.

However, whenever they get a chance, Les Canadiens can put on a good show at home. Against Dallas and Phoenix, they didn't start on the right foot, trailing by one goal early into the first period. But, both times, Montreal put things back in order in about eight minutes by scoring fast goals to keep its opponents from posting road victories.

Injuries do not hurt too much

This strategy was very efficient in San Jose, Los Angeles, Anaheim and Phoenix. Despite seven casualties (five against LA, two against San Jose), Les Canadiens found a way to post its 8th victory in nine-road games by coming out strong right from the start each time... Andy Moog was put on the injury list and so was Stephane Richer. Jocelyn Thibault replaced Moog and played up to everybody's expectations. Needless to say that Tbo is supported by teammates who have dramatically reduced their goals-against... without becoming yet another boring trap team. These days, Malakhov is even compared to Larry Robinson... As for Brisebois, he is a brand new player who contributed offensively with one goal (San Jose) and one assist (L.A.). This guys is playing the best hockey of his life. As a matter of fact, all those athletes are playing their own style... thanks to Vigneault. And Corson could be added to the list - he is currently the among the NHL scoring leaders with seven goals and 23 points. What a difference a coach can make, eh!

The other secret of the Canadiens' success? The three offensive lines played productively on this journey. The first two lines contributed against San Jose, L.A and Anaheim, where a dazzling Damphousse scored the first three goals to post the 10th hat trick of his career. In Anaheim, Bure took the relay providing Les Canadiens with the winner in OT. The third line (Savage/Bordeleau//Brunet) took charge of the offensive the next day in Arizona delivering three goals and four assists altogether. Meanwhile, Savage scored two goals, getting back on track after being kept aside to heal a broken hand, and Peter Popovic ended a 70-game scoring drought... Yeaahhh!

How to please fans at home?

There is just one problem left in this city: how can the Habs please their fans at the Molson Centre? As Montreal was entertaining The Capitals with a one-goal deficit after five minutes of play, fans started booing their "western heroes" who were on a seven-game winning streak. Everybody knows that such a long period spent away from home is likely to explain a lack of concentration from players who had to face a team that is labeled as "la bete noire" of Les Canadiens (The Caps got their seventh win in a row over Les Canadiens). Fans ought to understand that their favorites did their best to overcome a first period two-goals deficit. In the third, Quintal even scored a disallowed tying goal (3:53). Down the road, the Habs registered another loss at home even though they had just outshot the Caps over the last two period. Bad luck. Plain bad luck.

Sometimes, fans are merely blind and ungrateful.

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