MONTREAL -- Just back from the morning skate at Bell Center and not much news to report other than, yes, Tim Hortons has bagels. And they are pretty good, thank you very much.
Michael Frolik is in the lineup for the Panthers tonight, Wade Belak taking the night off along with Anthony Stewart. Tomas Vokoun makes his fifth straight start in net.
Word is Florida will see Montreal backup goalie Jaroslav Halak (1-0-0, 96 percent) tonight, Carey Price taking the evening off.
-- Old pal Dave Strader is here calling the game for Versus. He says hello to everyone back in South Florida.
-- Panthers headed to Ottawa right after the game and will practice there tomorrow afternoon. Will have report after that, and will also offer LIVE! coverage of Wednesday's game from Scotiabank Place in Kanata. That game is not being televised locally, but is TSN's early national game so it will be available on Center Ice.
-- More from Montreal later today. Enjoy your afternoon. I know I will.
-- Word is, Bryan Allen is off to see a knee specialist in the coming days. Will try and get more from JM on this situation tonight. Was going to talk to him about it this morning and just forgot.
-- Oh, and congratulations to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for their huge win last night over the Boston Red Sox. The World Series returns to the Sunshine State, and will be played in what was once known as the Suncoast Dome.
Good luck to the D-Rays in the Series, good to see that franchise turned around.
Def glad to see frolik out there cause montreal is a very fast team. Hopefully he gets some good ice time.
Posted by: Stephen | October 20, 2008 at 01:07 PM
Why GR wont JM give Anderson anything more then the ocassional back to back?
Posted by: jh | October 20, 2008 at 01:16 PM
Thanks for the updates and yes, congrats to the Rays! George, they changed their name and lost the devil.
When did Bryan Allen have knee surgery? It seems like he had it before preseason started and hasn't had time to heal. What's with the timing?
Posted by: EJ | October 20, 2008 at 01:27 PM
EJ
FYI, He knows that they are not the Devil Rays any longer. Read his posts most often.
Posted by: Andy | October 20, 2008 at 02:35 PM
JM doesn't make the calls when it comes to who plays that's PD's job. Anderson will have plenty of chances i def think he will play a lot more than he did last year.
Posted by: Stephen | October 20, 2008 at 02:42 PM
Sorry Stephen we will need to agree on disagreeing on whose making the goaltender calls, and scratches, as i believe JM very, nay, TOO involved. I wish you were right though!
Posted by: jh | October 20, 2008 at 03:05 PM
George, did you not get the memo? Its the Tampa Bay Rays now, they hate it when you call them that!
Posted by: YearOftheRAT | October 20, 2008 at 06:39 PM
If you're a real hockey fan, you know it asThunderdome; 2nd of the 3 buildings that the Lightning have played in.
Posted by: FloridaObserver | October 20, 2008 at 10:25 PM
this team really sucks,every year the same s#@$ ....
Posted by: bill baker | October 20, 2008 at 11:12 PM
You came to Montreal and only had a Tim Horton's bagel? Classic Montreal bagels are the best in the world...too bad you only experienced a second rate fast-food bagel. But don't take that as a criticism of Timmy's...still the best coffee on the planet.
Posted by: Geoff | October 21, 2008 at 08:50 AM
HOw can you complain about that game last night. Pretty much the best team in the east and it took everything for them to beat us. We played an outstanding game. There goalie was sick we just couldn't get anything past him some nights that happens. Was very happy the way frolik played as i think he needs to play and not mclean cause frolik has more speed and energy and it showed when he was crashing the net on the goal by ballard. If we keep playing like this we will def be on our way. It sucks we lost but we still played a great game. And when allen or mccabe come back PLEASE sit corey murphy he's useless and i saw him twice once during a powerplay and at the end of the game stand there when the puck was right in front of him in the zone and not do anything.
Posted by: Stephen | October 21, 2008 at 09:47 AM
I watched last night's game on Versus, and also listened to part of the 1st period on Montreal's CJAD radio (via XM satellite). It was embarrasing that none of the non-Florida announcers seemed to be familiar with several of the Panthers' top players, or even how to pronounce their names! Some examples: Jay Bouwmeester ("Bow-MEISTER"), Steven Weiss ("Weece"), Michael Frolik ("Fro-LEEK", rhymes with Bobby Holik), and Karlis Strastkins ("Strast-KEENS"). The center of the hockey universe doesn't seem to know or care about the Panthers or our roster... even players like Bo who have played for the Canadian national team, or Weiss who was a high draft pick, or Strastkins who came from the Avs. Wasn't sure if I should laugh or be depressed (or both).
Posted by: Mark | October 21, 2008 at 10:46 AM
Sorry, make that "Skrastins"... apparently I can't say it OR spell it.
Posted by: Mark | October 21, 2008 at 10:48 AM