How do you spell relief?

Finally, a win.  I usually have my little pre-game rituals that I perform because like the players I am also superstitious to a certain degree.   The usual things haven't been working so it was time to start something new.  I posted a pic of a black cat with a "good luck" message to the boys.  It produced the desired result so I will now continue to perform this ritual before every game. 

A few notes on last night:

I have no doubt that Carey Price is as good if not better than that goaltender Steve Dryden, whomever he may be.  What is up with these TSN guys?  I'm sure they're well enough paid to at least get the players'  names right.  Geez.

Pierre McGuire was dead on when he said the Bell Center was unusually quiet last night, unfortunately he was also right about him being the loudest person in the building.  Mr. Moey thinks I'm off my rocker, he could hear me yelling from upstairs, "shut up Pierre, would you please just STFU."  It's a good thing that Mr. Moey has left the building for the next few days, now I can scream and yell like a banshee at the television  without anyone hearing me. 

I thought Latendresse was absolutely brutal last night, he was starting to come around last season, but he and Lapierre haven't found their mojo yet.  I don't understand how players that play well together suddenly stop clicking. It reminds me of the Kovy/Pleks/Kostitsyn line last year, I just don't get it.

The defense were good last night but I worry about the minutes Hammer and Spacek are expected to play.  Hammer could hardly have a conversation the other night when he was being interviewed, he was so out of breath.  Now I'm worried that Markov will come back as fresh as a rose but the rest of the D will be toast by then.

I had a nostalgic moment when Armstrong hit Bergeron into the boards, it brought back memories of his hit on Koivu and Souray pounding the living crap out of him in retribution.  Souray always had his captain's back and what's encouraging now is to see our guys sticking up for each other, a concept that was sorely lacking after Souray's departure.    

The Habs may have a chance of hanging on until Markov's return, the top line is younger and have enough stamina to play a full sixty minutes of hockey.  There was  no way on God's green earth that my dearly departed Captain K could have played to that level and intensity against Boston in the playoffs.  Kovy has never broken a sweat and he certainly wasn't about to start.  It was a case of the spirits being willing but the flesh was weak.  I agree with Bob's moves, it's starting to make sense to me now.  I'm sure Bob will sleep better tonight knowing that.

I hope the Habs don't take the Islanders too lightly tomorrow night, normally they're ripe for the picking but the boys need to keep the pedal to the medal and take nothing for granted.

I checked the NHL standings early this morning, the Leafs are in last place in the league with a solitary point.  I didn't want to gloat because we don't need any bad karma but I automatically did a tiny fist pump.  It  then occurred to me that my disdain of the Leafs is programmed into my being, it doesn't require any thought. or pre-meditation.  How cool is that?

If you have any pre-game rituals, I'd love to hear them.