Hartley Miller's Slap-Shots - April 9th, 2010

By Hartley Miller

The Montreal Canadiens goaltending status has been a “hot” topic all season. This issue is even more prevalent in Northern B.C. because Anahim Lake-Williams Lake product Carey Price is front and center in the controversy.

 The 22-year-old Price who played several minor hockey and WHL games in Prince George, as an opposition goalie is now the back up behind Jaroslav Halak. At the beginning of the season, Price, in his third full year in the NHL, was the Canadiens’ number one stopper, but Halak has recently assumed the duties of this prime position. The 24-year-old from Slovakia is playing with a lot more confidence and has better stats than Price. In fact, just last weekend Halak posted back-to-back shutouts against Philadelphia and Buffalo. As the Canadiens prepare for the playoffs, the team has little choice but to play Halak. 

 While some coaches and players have publicly stated the team supports Price, it is clear many rude, thoughtless, and obnoxious fans do not agree. How else can one explain after a recent (March 31) game, a 2-1 home loss to Carolina, that Price was booed after he was announced as the game’s third star? This is ridiculous. I have never hidden my feelings about Montreal in that I have been a fan of
Les Canadiens since I was able to crawl, half a century ago (did I really admit that?).

 I do understand Montreal is a hockey Mecca where fans quickly show emotion ranging from happiness to anger in a split second. They, like most NHL cities, want and demand a winning team; but sometimes they cross a line to a stage where it affects the psyche of a player; in this case the most important player on the team, the goalie.

I was surprised Canadiens Head Coach Jacques Martin did not defend his goaltender when Montreal sportswriter Dave Stubbs interviewed him after the Carolina game. Martin stated, “I respect the fans. They pay good dollars to be entertained and they have a right to an opinion. As a professional athlete, or a coach, you have to work within the framework. Sure I would like to see better results (for Price), as he would. At the same time, I can't say we lost the game because of him."

 A week prior to the Carolina game, Price stopped 40 of 42 shots in a 3-2 shootout loss at Buffalo. The Habs led 2-0 with two minutes left in the third. Guess who some fans directed their anger after that loss?

 Last season, in the first round of the playoffs against Boston, the situation between Price and the home fans, reached a boiling point when Price raised his arms when the crowd applauded him after a routine save. In retrospect, what has transpired this season is just a continuation from 2009. Of course, this bothers a fragile Price. His facial expressions, when not covered by a mask, often illustrate his frustration.

The Canadiens’ first round pick (5th overall) in the 2005 entry draft, does sport a mediocre 13-20-5 record with a .912 save percentage and a 2.77 GAA. I do not suggest that these are great stats but let's remember the amount of scrutiny he receives and the little offensive support he gets in many games.

Many of Price’s critics are convinced that he only plays well enough to lose. Once that reputation rears its ugly head, it is hard to shake, particularly when you backstop the most storied franchise in NHL history.

Carey Price is a very good young goalie (with his best professional days ahead of him) who needs a change of scenery next season. A trade would benefit all parties. I believe he would excel in another market, something that will not happen with the Canadiens, especially considering the cloudy circumstances that surround him. This state of affairs has now reached a point where, in Montreal, THE PRICE “ISN’T” RIGHT.

From the quote rack:

 For the first time, “Dancing With The Stars”, with Pamela Anderson, had higher viewer ratings than “American Idol”, with Simon Cowell.
Viewers had to decide whether they wanted to see plump, over-sized breasts with nipples popping through or Pam Anderson.

In his first news conference since his car crash last Thanksgiving, Tiger Woods said he has never taken any illegal drugs. Well, that’s good enough for me. If you can’t trust Tiger, then who can you t… oh, wait a minute. Never mind.Comedy writer Jerry Perisho http://monologuewriter.blogspot.com/According to TMZ, Woods paid $10 million to Rachel Uchitel -- the first woman identified as one of his mistresses -- to buy her silence. In golf terms, Uchitel now has a lot of green to work with.Ian Hamilton of the Regina Leader-PostTiger says he is getting the itch to play which was a relief because he had been getting the itch after playing.Contributor Derek Wilken of Calgary (http://smacksport.blogspot.com/) Headline--'Couples Joins Woods for Practice Round'. Well, I see that Tiger's sex rehab was a failure--he's now into couples.In her upcoming wedding to the Senators' Mike Fisher, Carrie Underwood's Chihuahua will be the ring bearer.  So, who's catering the wedding, Taco Bell?

Brett Favre became a grandfather when his daughter, Brittney, 21, gave birth to a son this week. For advice on having to deal with being a grandparent in pro sports, he reportedly texted Larry Johnson a.k.a. Grandmamma.Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California

So Tiki Barber is leaving his pregnant wife of eight months after 11 years of marriage for some 23-year old intern. Ya know what this is? Its tiki tacky. Comedy writer Marc Ragovin of New York

An unconfirmed story from the recent women's world curling event had Canada's Jennifer Jones in a scuffle with Scotland's Eve Muirhead. Apparently, it all started when Jones asked where in Scotland Muirhead is from, and she replied, Atholl. www.Sportsdeke.comDonovan McNabb denies that he said if traded to the Raiders he would retire. He simply said if he was sent to Oakland it would mean he would be done with professional football. 

The latest opposition to the Oakland A's moving to San Jose comes from the San Jose Sharks. I guess they don’t want another team around that actually wins games in May.

Good news for Toronto Maple Leafs fans. The team will unveil new, better-looking jerseys next year. Bad news. The jerseys will have the same old Leafs in them. Contributor Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California (www.leftcoastsportsbabe.com)

And in case, you missed it: 
Another (honor ?) for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Defenceman Dion Phaneuf has been voted by his peers as the most overrated player in the NHL in a Sports Illustrated poll of 272 players. Phaneuf, who earns an annual salary of $6.5 million, received 21 per cent of the votes. New York Rangers defenceman Wade Redden was second with seven per cent and Montreal Canadiens forward Scott Gomez was third with six per cent of the vote.

 
Hartley Miller is the sports director for radio stations 94X and the Wolf@97fm. He also writes for the PG Free Press. Send along a quote, note or anecdote to hmiller@94xfm.com.

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