Take a chill pill.......

Ahhhh....that feels much better!

I needed to tell my self that after Tuesdays' game against Calgary.  I was on the ledge, one small push and I would have been over.  Being a Habs fan, sometimes there is a large disconnect between logic and emotion.  I knew full well when Markov was injured in the first game of the season that we were in for a rocky ride but on an emotional level it was becoming very difficult to keep watching them lose games.  Time for a deep breath and to take a step back.  The first twenty games of the season are experimental for every team in the NHL.  Coaches and GM's make notes, they know at this point who and what is working, what holes need to be plugged and who stays and who goes.  Jacques Martin is still experimenting, juggling lines and trying to find combinations that work.  I was all for calling Sergei up from Hamilton to try and get some secondary scoring going on a line with Pleks and his brother, but that's just putting a lot of pressure on a young player, seeing him as a potential Saviour could do more harm than good.  Martin is a good experienced coach so I'll leave those decisions in his capable hands.

Feeling disgruntled about our team, I took a look at my other favorites.  The Ducks are laying enough eggs to supply Denny's and are currently sitting in last place in the Western Conference.  The March of the Penguins has slowed to a crawl, they're struggling with the losses of Gonchar and Malkin, and they have still have Sid the Kid.  It put things into perspective for me, we're not all that bad considering the injuries we have and last night against Phoenix we started looking like a half decent team.  For the love of God, let's pray that Pricey tries one of these good luck rituals this coming New Year.  I've never seen such ridiculously fluky goals in my life.

Spain
The Spanish ritual on New Year’s Eve is to eat twelve grapes at midnight; one eaten at each tolling of the midnight bells. The tradition is meant to secure twelve happy months in the coming year. This ritual could be used year round on birthdays to issue in twelve happy months of your “new” year.
 
Greece
The Greeks bake a special cake on New Year’s Day to secure luck for the coming year. Vassilopitta, or St Basil’s cake, is baked with a silver or gold coin inside. Whoever finds the coin in her piece of cake will be especially lucky during the coming year. A twist on this traditional theme is to have a dinner party, make a Vassilopitta, and declare the finder of the coin the luckiest person for the next year.
 
Now we know what Pleks did with some of that extra cash he got from his raise, he burned his bra and got a sex change.  A lot of fans are chomping at the bit for Gainey to resign him before the end of the season when he's UFA.  I would hold off and assuming we make it into the playoffs, I want to make sure the born again Pleky transformation is complete, historically that's when he does his greatest disappearing act.
 

Last Saturday Mr. Moey and I were watching the game together and naturally I was lamenting the loss of Markov.  He looks at me and says, "give it a rest Moey, he's not Bobby Orr."  In theory he's right, but as I explained to him he is as important to the Habs as Orr was to Boston.  He's still not convinced, he's not a hockey fan but I think the more games he watches he'll be able to see the difference first hand when Markov returns.  I may make a fan out of him yet, now he asks "how did WE do last night?"