Go Easy on Nathan Beaulieu

"Great moments are born from great opportunity." Herb Brooks famously gave this quote to the world during his pre-game speech to the American Miracle on Ice squad prior to their game against the Soviet Union (or so the movie tells us). The corollary, of course, is that horrible, embarrassing, scaring moments can also be born of great opportunities.

One such moment unfortunately occurred in last night's World Junior Championship semi-finals between Canada and Russia. Even more unfortunately, it involved a future Montreal Canadiens blueline stud. During the third period of what turned out to be an epic 20 minutes, with Canada down 5-1, Nathan Beaulieu loses the puck to a pressuring forward at the tail end of a Canadian powerplay, and then in trying to chop at the puck, chops the Russian's feet from under him instead, resulting in a delayed penalty call. Here's the video evidence (video begins at 3:31 mark):

The Canadians had played frustrated hockey for much of the night, shown in a late 2nd period undisciplined spear by Boone Jenner that cost him a 5 minute major and game misconduct, and a slamming of a stick on the boards by Jonathan Huberdeau after taking a penalty which forced him out of the game for 10 minutes. Beaulieu's giving up on the play and stopping to skate after taking the penalty is inexcusable. What happened there exactly? Of course he was upset. Perhaps he thought the whistle went. Perhaps he didn't realize there was a man coming out of the box which turned the play into a 2-on-1 (although it ended up being his man, the third skater, who tapped the puck in). Regardless, it was an error in a game that felt out of reach for most Canadians.

What happened after that was very nearly the most epic of comebacks, with Canada scoring 4 quick goals, leaving just that dreaded 6th marker to stand as the game-winner. Beaulieu, I'm sure, feels terrible about the play, not unlike Mikael Granlund of Team Finland who earlier in the day completely lost the puck on a shootout attempt on which he needed to score to keep his team alive.

The truth is, Habs fans, these things happen. Beaulieu at age 19 was considered one of the top 7 under 20 defensemen in the country to be selected to this team and performed reasonably well. The WJC is a huge stage, and though in the 7th d-man role Beaulieu didn't see that much ice, he looked smooth on the powerplay and confident with the puck. He took a few penalties that he will need to work out of his game, but overall showed lots of promise for the future, also demonstrating his toughness when returning to a game after taking a hard shot to the face.

This play will not define his career in any way, shape or form. Beaulieu, Montreal's first round pick last June, should sign a deal with the Habs some time between now and September and join the Hamilton Bulldogs in the Fall (given that he has a December birthday), moving up the ranks to become a pro. He won a Memorial Cup last year with the Saint John Sea Dogs, impressed at Canadiens training camp this Fall, could win a Bronze Medal at the WJC tomorrow, and then should have a good run at a second Memorial Cup on a stacked team before the season is done. Not a bad couple of seasons.

We just need to hope that the young man himself doesn't take this too hard and puts it out of his mind. Or, if anything, that he uses it as motivation not to give up on a play ever again. I'd imagine Stanley Cup-winning goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury doesn't go to sleep at night thinking about this moment any more:

So Nate, hang in there. Many great players go through tough adversity on their way to the top, so why should you be any different. If I'm Pierre Gauthier, I'd give Mr. Beaulieu's agent a call as soon as this tournament is over on Friday to talk about the inevitable contract. Might as well throw a positive the kid's way to help him get back on track. If you want to send Beaulieu some "Habs fans are all behind you!" thoughts of your own, you can Tweet at him at @n8theggr8.

Your Canadiens for December 31, 2011

A very Happy New Year to all Montreal Canadiens fans who are kind enough to stop by and read this site with any regularity. May the New Year bring all the best in health and happiness to you and those in your life. And to our Montreal Canadiens, of course. On the occasion of the New Year, I have put myself in the shoes of a number of members of the organization to make some resolutions on their behalf. Here they are:

Randy Cunneyworth - To learn Russian in order to communicate with Alexei Emelin... and to piss off the French media.

Scott Gomez - To score more goals than I did in 2011. In other words, more than TWO!

Andrei Markov - To play more games than I did in 2011. In other words, to play a game!

Andrei Kostitsyn - I go net, I score goals.

Alexander Avtsin - To play in 10 games with the Canadiens... or to go back to the KHL.

Josh Gorges - To improve my financial situation. Specifically on July 1st.

Carey Price - To score more goals than I did in 2011. I mean, if no one else is gonna do it...

Raphael Diaz - To get the team to play me at forward so I can have a 50-point season and cash in.

Tomas Kaberle - To catch Mike Sillinger for most NHL clubs played for (12)... By the end of 2012.

Brendan Gallagher - To set what must be some kind of record by taking 4 goaltender interference penalties in a single game.

Mike Cammalleri - To learn to speak French. Maybe then fans will stop trying to trade me.

P.K. Subban - To finally get my darned lightswitch fixed. It's been stuck... #AlwaysOn. I'll be so happy to have it fixed that I'll never turn it on again. #AlwaysOff for 2012. And I'll be sure to Tweet about it all the time. Ohhhh... you guys thought that had something to do with hockey!

Aaron Palushaj - To continue to follow in the Ben Maxwell model, meaning I should get to play for at least 4 different NHL clubs in 2012.

Lars Eller - To be a little less Danish by working on my Finish.

And some final updates as the Canadiens prepare to take on the Florida Panthers this evening:

- No changes again to the Habs' line-up, despite their loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. It's good to at least see some consistency from the coach. Carey Price will get the start.

- World Junior Championships Updates:

Jarred Tinordi and Team USA were upset for a second consecutive game, falling 5-2 to the Czech Republic. When Finland beat Denmark later in the evening, it officially knocked the Americans out of the medal round and into the relegation tournament, a huge disappointment for a pre-tournament medal favourite. Despite finishing a -2, Tinordi had a solid game, throwing some big hits and not being responsible for the goals he was on the ice for. He has had a very solid tournament and it is unfortunate he won't get a chance to compete for a top 3 position.

Michael Bournival missed practice again yesterday, after sitting out Thursday's game with a flu. In his absence, Nathan Beaulieu has been playing/practicing at forward.

Daniel Pribyl had a nice assist, taking a hit to make a play, in the Czechs win over Team USA. Pribyl, still recovering from his leg laceration, played limited minutes but looked good in finishing the game a +3. His assist means all five Habs prospects in the tournament have collected at least a point.

- Despite being outshot 39-30, the Hamilton Bulldogs overcame 2-1, 3-2, and 4-3 deficits to defeat the Rochester Americans 5-4. On loan to the Bulldogs for the remainder of the season, forward Mitch Wahl scored his first 2 goals for the club, earning first star honours. Aaron Palushaj and Andreas Engqvist each had a goal and an assist (all on the powerplay), and Gabriel Dumont's 5th goal rounded out the scoring. Defenseman Frederic St-Denis had 2 assists in the win.

- The Canadiens' CHL prospects didn't fare quite as well last night:

Olivier Archambault was the only Drummondville player to finish a -2 in his club's 4-2 win over Chicoutimi.

After a hot start to the season, defenseman Darren Dietz has cooled off in a big way. He had no points and an even rating in Saskatoon's 9-4 victory last night.

Morgan Ellis (pictured above) had no points and finished a -1 in Cape Breton's 6-4 loss to Halifax. But the bigger news came at game's end, when it was announced that Ellis has been dealt to the Shawinigan Cataractes (where he'll join Michael Bournival once back from the World Juniors) in return for a first round pick in 2013, a second round pick in 2012, and Bronson Beaton. This will be a great experience for Ellis, as Shawinigan will host this year's Memorial Cup. That tournament should be another interesting event for Canadiens fans to follow, with Bournival and Ellis guaranteed to be participating, and a strong likelihood of Nathan Beaulieu and Jarred Tinordi's clubs winning their leagues to make the Cup as well.

- Moving along to the college ranks:

Greg Pateryn and Mac Bennett's Michigan Wolverines won the Great Lakes Invitational (GLI) mini-tournament, defeating rivals Michigan State 3-2 in overtime in the championship game.

Steve Qualier had an assist to extend his current point streak to 8 games (5 goals, 8 assists) in a 3-3 tie against Princeton. On the season, this gives him 17 points in 15 games.

Danny Kristo generated a number of quality scoring chances but was repeatedly stopped, unable to snap a 4-4 tie between North Dakota and Harvard.

Dustin Walsh recorded an assist, returning to the Dartmouth line-up in a 3-2 win after a 6-game absence due to injury. Walsh now has 8 points in just 6 games played this season. He recorded 20 points in 34 games for Dartmouth last year.

Your Canadiens for December 29, 2011

The Canadiens will not make any changes to their line-up for tonight's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, which means the following roster:

Max Pacioretty - Lars Eller - Erik Cole

Travis Moen - Tomas Plekanec - Andrei Kostitsyn

Mike Cammalleri - David Desharnais - Louis Leblanc

Mathieu Darche - Petteri Nokelainen - Michael Blunden

Josh Gorges - P.K. Subban

Tomas Kaberle - Alexei Emelin

Hal Gill - Raphael Diaz

Carey Price

- Starting in goal for Tampa will be former Canadien Mathieu Garon. Garon last played for the Habs during the 2003-04 season. Only two players who were on the team that year remain in Montreal, being Andrei Markov, and Tomas Plekanec who played his first two NHL games that season.

- Also playing for Tampa Bay, in his third game of the season, will be J.T. Wyman. A defensive forward (who actually started out his hockey career as a defenseman), Wyman spent 4 seasons with the Hamilton Bulldogs, playing 3 games for the Canadiens in 2009-10.

- Today was an optional skate for the Habs, but all players were on the ice except for Michael Cammalleri and Travis Moen. A Tweet from J-F Chaumont prior to practice indicated that Carey Price and Mathieu Darche were catching up with Lightning forward Tom Pyatt, while Max Pacioretty chatted with Martin St. Louis. The connection with Pyatt may be obvious to you, seeing as he played in Montreal last year, but the St. Louis - Pacioretty friendship is a little more obscure. This past July, Pacioretty's first "game" following the infamous hit by Zdeno Chara was a charity match in Connecticut in which Pacioretty skating on a line with St. Louis.

- World Junior Championships updates from yesterday:

Jarred Tinordi played a strong game for the United States, earning his team's player of the game honours, despite the Americans dropping a 4-1 result in an upset to Finland.

Michael Bournival improved on his first performance for Team Canada, playing the third/fourth line center role well in Canada's 5-0 victory over the Czech Republic. And this improvement despite the fact that a bad cold almost meant Bournival had to sit the game out. Bournival's assist in the game means 4 of 5 Canadiens prospects in the tournament now have at least a point.

Brendan Gallagher, on the other hand, didn't have as strong a night as in the opener, missing two great scoring chances (one shot directly into the Czech goalie, and the other a whiffed one-timer) and taking two penalties.

Nathan Beaulieu continues to receive limited ice time in the #7 defenseman role, serving mainly as a powerplay specialist. With the man advantage, Beaulieu's shots frequently missed the net, plus for a second consecutive game, he took a third period penalty. Beaulieu has played well enough to deserve more ice time, but he'll need to step it up further to earn his coach's trust.

Daniel Pribyl was officially named to the Czech Republic's roster yesterday afternoon, recovering from the leg laceration that made him questionable for the tourney. He made his debut in a limited role against Canada last night.

- The Hamilton Bulldogs were also in action last night but were shut down by former Canadiens goaltender David Aebischer. Despite outshooting the St. John's IceCaps in each period (and 40-26 on the night), the 'Dogs fell by a 3-1 score. Andreas Engqvist had Hamilton's lone tally, his 8th in just 16 games. He had only 10 in 71 games last season.

- The last few weeks have seen many trade rumours about Canadiens prospect defenseman Morgan Ellis jumping to another CHL team, but it seems all have reached a stalemate for the time being. This would have nothing to do with his NHL rights (he would remain a Hab), but the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, the team he captains, sit 14th of 17 teams in the QMJHL. Ellis is expected to turn pro next season as he makes the leap to the AHL (or at least the ECHL) but could prove a hot rental for the remainder of this year for a Memorial Cup contending team. He picked up 1 assist in a 5-4 shootout win last night, giving him 25 points in 33 games. A lot of the discussion has involved him joining a team of another Hab prospect, possibly to play with Nathan Beaulieu on the stacked Saint John Sea Dogs, or solidifying the defense of Michael Bournival's Shawinigan Cataractes. The current QMJHL trade window closes January 7th, so a move should be completed between now and then.

Your Canadiens for December 28, 2011

That one felt good, didn't it Habs fans? I posted Monday my skepticism about the Canadiens' chances at making the playoffs this season based on the likely record they'd need from here on out in order to make it. But there is no doubt that if they are going to make it, they need to start winning NOW. Let's hope that last night's offensive output was the breaking of a slump for a number of players and not just a fluky flash-in-the-pan. The third period was encouraging as, despite the team being up by 3 goals, Montreal did not let up and continued looking to generate more chances. There was no "sitting on the lead," which typified the Jacques Martin regime, even if the former coach himself claimed he would never instruct his players to do so.

Mike Cammalleri showed nice chemistry with Louis Leblanc, and Lars Eller seemed to work well with Erik Cole, so there is no reason not to give these lines at least a couple of games together to see what might develop. The game wasn't perfect; there is still lots of work to do. But it's a start. Hopefully.

- World Junior Championships update:

Neither Canada nor the U.S. were in action yesterday, meaning no news on the Habs' prospect front. The Americans play Finland at 3:30 PM EST today on TSN, after which Canada faces the Czech Republic at 8:00 PM EST (also on TSN).

Speaking of the Czechs, there is news about Daniel Pribyl. As mentioned yesterday, he was mysteriously left off the Czech Republic's roster, despite a report that he was to be made an assistant captain. As speculated, it was indeed an injury that kept him out, specifically a laceration above the knee. Apparently it was bad enough that it would bleed just from bending the knee, though the Czech coach indicated that the team purposely named only 12 forwards for now to keep a spot open should he recover quickly. If he can't go in the next couple of days, they'll fill it with another player. The Czechs won their tournament opener 7-0 over Denmark last night.

On the subject of Pribyl, check out this Q&A with him which is undated, but evidently was prior to last June's draft, where the Canadiens selected him in the 6th round:

http://dansallows.com/interview-daniel-pribyl/

- Despite the World Juniors getting underway, Canadian junior league play resumes. In the QMJHL last night, Olivier Archambault picked up an assist but finished a -2 in a 9-3 Drumondville loss. Archambault, Montreal's 4th round pick in 2011, now has 29 points in 32 games but is an abysmal -14.

Over in the WHL, defenseman Darren Dietz also finished a -2 in a 7-2 Saskatoon loss. Dietz dropped the gloves in both the first and third periods, resulting in 2 fighting majors.

Your Canadiens for December 27, 2011

Welcome back, Habs fans. Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas or happy holiday weekend, and after a 4-day break, your Montreal Canadiens are back on the ice this evening. Let's hope that the team begins to play up to its potential and rattles off a win streak, or the opposite occurs and we see the kind of re-tooling I discussed yesterday. The only thing we don't want is a middle ground scenario, especially if it encourages Pierre Gauthier and Geoff Molson to trade picks or prospects to try to grab on to the 8th playoff spot.

- We saw Randy Cunneyworth roll out new lines at practice yesterday. They were as follows:

Max Pacioretty - Lars Eller - Erik Cole

Travis Moen - Tomas Plekanec - Andrei Kostitsyn

Mike Cammalleri - David Desharnais - Louis Leblanc

Mathieu Darche - Petteri Nokelainen - Mike Blunden

Josh Gorges - P.K. Subban

Hal Gill - Raphael Diaz

Alexei Emelin - Tomas Kaberle

Yannick Weber - Chris Campoli

Lots to look at here. Most notable is the slotting of Lars Eller and P.K. Subban on to top lines following their one game sat as healthy scratches. Many have complained that Eller's potential is being wasted by playing him with third line wingers, pointing to this as a cause of his limited production (despite evident displays of top notch skill). He's now being given a chance with the large and talented wingers that David Desharnais has been blessed with this season (though he has played to a level worthy of their talents). It will be an interesting experiment to see if Desharnais can continue to produce without their size and if Eller can unblock offensively by playing with them. As for Subban, he will go right back to where he was before his scratch and I'm sure Randy Cunneyworth will be watching closely to see if any of the lessons he may have sent his way have been understood.

On D, Alexei Emelin seems to finally have a spot made for him on the left side. As much as Tomas Kaberle looks good on the powerplay, he hasn't earned any trust at 5-on-5. Could he really be that much worse playing the right side? At least you strengthen the left by slotting in a guy who has played like a Top 4 blueliner on the team on that side of the ice.

- Other than the lines, the big news out of practice was that the Canadiens now have an ad for Subway (Sandwiches) on their practice jerseys. This was met with outrage by many, including Dave Stubbs of Hockey Inside/Out / The Gazette. There have been many indications this season that the Molson family is about the cash in a big way and this is the latest move to increase their profits. Habs fans will be less angered if it is positioned as extra money going to pay for Jacques Martin's dismissal and/or perhaps sending Scott Gomez to Hamilton! And at least it's just a practice jersey right now.

- The 2011-12 World Junior Hockey Championship kicked off yesterday. If you don't follow the tournament, as a hockey fan, you are missing out. These under-20 kids play with hearts on their sleeves, representing their country and trying to be noticed on a big stage to vault their hockey careers forward. It is some of the best hockey you can watch all year. Here's how the Habs fared on opening day:

Brendan Gallagher had the game-winning goal and added an assist in Team Canada's 8-1 steamrolling of Finland. Gallagher spent most of the game on a top line with team captain Jaden Schwartz and future Winnipeg Jets star Mark Scheifele.

Nathan Beaulieu played only limited minutes 5-on-5, but was a fixture on Canada's top powerplay unit where he looked far smoother than any other blueliner. He finished the game with 1 assist. He isn't a flash player like a Subban, but he makes smart, efficient plays well and has a booming and accurate point shot.

Michael Bournival was the weakest of the three Canadian Canadiens (heh), generating some chances but also fighting the puck at times. He was the only member of Team Canada to finish a negative, of course a -1. He got looks on many different lines throughout the night after starting as the fourth line center.

Jarred Tinordi, an assistant captain with Team USA, scored a lucky goal in the first period with a shot that was going well wide but bounced in off a Danish player's skate. Still, it was a well timed pinch in the offensive zone by the big man. Tinordi played on the team's top pairing with Adam Clendenning. He took a delay of game penalty for clearing the puck over the boards from the defensive zone in the first period which was costly, as the Danes scored on the ensuing powerplay.

Daniel Pribyl is an interesting story that I don't fully understand yet. Despite a report last week that he would be named an assistant captain for the Czech Republic, according to the IIHF website, he is not a part of the final Czech team. I've yet to see any report explaining this, but the Czechs do only have 12 forwards on their final roster (most teams carry 13). I would guess Pribyl may have been injured in a pre-tournament game or practice, but we will perhaps know more when the Czechs open their tournament tomorrow.

- The Hamilton Bulldogs got back into action yesterday follow their Christmas break. They played the first period as though they were still working off their Christmas dinner, falling behind 3-0 to the Toronto Marlies in the first six minutes. But they came storming back with 6 unanswered goals to earn the win. Robert Mayer was perfect after coming in to relieve Nathan Lawson after the third goal, while Olivier Fortier passes the offense with two goals. Also scoring were Aaron Palushaj, Ian Schultz, Phil DeSimone, and Andreas Engqvist with an empty netter. Joonas Nattinen and Gabriel Dumont each collected two assists.

Jarred Tinordi + Daniel Pribyl Named WJC Assistant Captains

In addition to having three prospects as important cogs on Team Canada, the Montreal Canadiens will have two other prospects playing big roles for their countries at the upcoming World Junior Championships. When the tournament opens on Boxing Day, defenseman Jarred Tinordi will be an assistant captain for Team USA, while center Daniel Pribyl will wear an A for the Czech Republic.

Tinordi, 19, was Montreal's first round pick, 22nd overall, in 2010. The 6'7", hard-hitting defensive defenseman is the captain of the Ontario Hockey League's London Knights and should have a big role on a shutdown pairing for the Americans. Tinordi's game has very little offensive upside, but is the type of player the Canadiens sorely lack and thus will make a highly anticipated debut with the Hamilton Bulldogs next season. Tinordi had previously captained the U.S. under 18 team, but will serve as an assistant to WJC returnee Jason Zucker. The other assistant is fellow returnee and WHL star Emerson Etem.

Pribyl, who just turned 19 on December 18th, is a 6'4" skilled center who was taken in the 6th round this past June. Criticized for not using his size to his advantage in winning battles often enough, Pribyl has boom-or-bust potential but will first need to fill out his frame and work on his agility and balance. He plays in the senior league in the Czech Republic, but has limited ice time as a young player and has managed just 2 goals in 15 games despite being seen as an offensive player. He is penciled into a third or fourth line role on the Czech Juniors team, but the club will need added offense throughout the line-up as top prospect Martin Frk has had to declare forfeit for the tournament due to injury.

Your Canadiens for December 21, 2011

Updates on the morning of the third game of the Randy Cunneyworth era, as the Habs prepare to take on the Chicago Blackhawks at 7:30 PM EST this evening.

- With the Canadiens playing in a back-to-back situation, travelling to Winnipeg for tomorrow night, Peter Budaj will get the start in goal tonight. The Habs have dropped 3 games in a row, so tonight is an important game and playing Budaj is a bit of a risky move on Cunneyworth's part. However, for some time now, Carey Price has been one of the few players who "brings it" on a nightly basis. Starting Budaj is a challenge to the skaters; Carey's not there, now it's your turn to go out there and win it.

- Otherwise, the team will make no line-up changes, meaning Alexei Emelin and Yannick Weber will again be healthy scratches. I'm no fan of sitting Emelin and really think it makes little sense given the make up of this club. He's being held back because he's an LD, but a spot needs to be made for him at some point. With the top pair of P.K. Subban and Josh Gorges struggling, now would seem as good a time as any to split them and shift Gorges back to the right side.

- Team Canada continues its preparation for the World Junior Championships (which begin on boxing day) with their second pre-tournament game tomorrow night. Canada will take on Switzerland at 9:00 PM EST, live on TSN2. In the team's first game Monday night, Michael Bournival and Brendan Gallagher made strong impressions with great games. The pair is on the "fourth line" with no consistent third linemate since there are only 11 healthy forwards with the group at the moment. They still got plenty of ice time as coach Don Hay rolled four units, and Gallagher rewarded him by tapping home a Bournival rebound for a goal late in the third period. Nathan Beaulieu, meanwhile, had an up-and-down game, generating a few chances offensively while on the point of the team's top powerplay unit but not producing.

- Team USA is also holding their pre-tournament camp, dropping their first exhibition match to Team Russia last night. Jarred Tinordi was a healthy scratch for the game as the club opted to evaluate other defenders instead. Most still consider Tinordi a lock for the squad, though the Americans still have to make their final cuts by Christmas.

Hockey Canada Announces Final Roster for World Juniors

The final round of cuts from Hockey Canada's selectition camp for the upcoming World Junior Championships were released this morning. And the results are...

CONGRATULATIONS to Habs prospects Brendan Gallagher, Nathan Beaulieu, and Michael Bournival on all making Team Canada! It's sure to be a fun holiday tournament for Canadiens' fans as three top prospects get to represent their country on home soil!

The final round of cuts were as follows:

GOALTENDERS

Louis Domingue
Tyler Bunz

DEFENSEMEN

Cody Ceci

Alex Petrovic
Ryan Murphy
Joe Morrow

FORWARDS

Brett Bulmer

Phil Di Giuseppe

Tyler Toffoli
Christian Thomas
Ty Rattie
Brad Ross

Philip Danault

This leaves the following players who've earned the right to play for their country over Christmas:

FINAL ROSTER (lines just for illustration; nothing final)

Jayden Schwartz - Mark Scheifele - Devante Smith-Pelley

Jonathan Huberdeau - Ryan Strome - Mark Stone
Quinton Howden - Boone Jenner - Brett Connolly

Freddie Hamilton - Michael Bournival - Brendan Gallagher
Tanner Pearson

Brandon Gormley - Dougie Hamilton

Ryan Murray - Mark Pysyk

Nathan Beaulieu - Jamie Oleksiak
Scott Harrington

Mark Visentin

Scott Wedgewood


Photo, courtesy of TSN, of Michael Bournival being told he made the team.


Photo, courtesy of TSN, of Brendan Gallagher being told he made the team.

Big Night for Habs and their Juniors

Montreal - Habs fans will be forgiven for thinking, in last night's third period, that they were watching a tape of many prior third periods this season. We've seen the horror story before: the Canadiens build a lead (in this case, 3-1), then sit back, and some sloppy defensive zone coverage lets the other team right back in. Last night, Jacques Martin was quick to point out P.K. Subban on the New York Islanders' first goal, and Raphael Diaz on their third as the culprits of bad giveaways that almost cost the Canadiens a point or two.

But at the end of the day, we will look back on this night and see two points in the bank. It wasn't always pretty - and who'd have thought that Mathieu Darche, Petteri Nokelainen, and Hal Gill could ever all score in the same game (#PlayersWithMoreGoalsThanScottGomez) - but with the amount of points the team has lost this year that they likely should have earned, I'll take it. Sad but true, the win puts the Habs at two games over .500 for the first time this season!

There were definitely things to build on. Erik Cole remained, as he has been since about game 7 of the season, the Canadiens' most dangerous forward. He is definitely staking claim for his signing to be Pierre Gauthier's best move as GM. His 11th goal of the season tied him with Max Pacioretty for the team lead and has him on pace for 29, just short of his career high of 30. But what was perhaps more impressive was a play in the third period where Cole, being his usual self, drove hard to the net with the puck, but had his legs taken out by defenseman Travis Hamonic, resulting in his crashing hard into the goal post. Cole stayed on the ice for a few seconds, as Habs fans around the world held their breath, but he got up, skated around, and stayed on the bench. Moments later, he was back on the ice, and repeated the play almost immediately. He took the puck and drove in hard, again against Hamonic, generating a chance. This time it was Hamonic knocking the net off its moorings, but it didn't stop Cole from chopping a buck past Al Montoya after the whistle had gone. Hamonic challenged Cole, and the likable American didn't back down, engaging in some jousting. If Brian Gionta is ever dealt away from Montreal, I'd say Cole is as strong a candidate as any to take over as captain.

Also good last night was Lars Eller, assisting on Nokelainen's game winner. He showed more glimpses of his incredibly soft hands that make him, in my mind, the best stickhandler on the team. However, he suffers from a chronic lack of finish. I'm not sure what it's going to take for him to unblock (better linemates?), but it is certain that his stat line doesn't come close to reflecting his incredibly high skill level.

Tomas Kaberle is a general on the blueline on the powerplay. He patrols the center of the ice efficiently, and is extremely proficient and holding the puck in along the line. The team's powerplay has improved tenfold with his addition, even if there are still a few kinks to work out. His even strength play, however, does leave something to be desired. After being on the ice for the tying goal, he was glued to the bench for the final 8 or so minutes of regulation.

Chris Campoli looked solid in his debut. He won't wow anyone with his defensive zone play, but he's more intense in his own zone than Kaberle, and supported the attack well on a couple of occasions. With Diaz having a bit of an off night, it will be interesting to see how Jacques Martin manages his d-men and if he re-inserts Alexei Emelin for tomorrow's game against the tough Philadelphia Flyers.

There was some concern as Travis Moen, he of a therapy day missing practice on Monday, took a shot off the foot and left the game. Moen has been playing some great hockey for the team, and though he is considered day-to-day for now, if he is to miss some time, his loss will be felt. Especially since even with Moen, the team only has 11 healthy forwards on the roster. A call-up from Hamilton would be necessary to replace him.

Still missing in action were Tomas Plekanec and Mike Cammalleri. Cammalleri has always been a streaky scorer, so fans can continue to hope that it begins to click in the near future. Plekanec, however, is a bit of a concern, as it isn't his skill level or shot that earned him a fat contract. It has been his intensity, jump, two-way play, and creativity on the ice that have endeared him to Habs fans, and even if he does lead the team in points, all of these traits have been lacking this season. He has been unable to create offense or help the game of his linemates, and given that he was generally always a guy to bring his 110% on a nightly basis, it is quite inexplicable.

But, a win is a win. The Canadiens are in striking distance of climbing back into a playoff spot, and hopefully they can extend their longest winning streak in a month (2 games) against some tougher competition in the days ahead.

Alberta - Yesterday was the third on-ice day at Hockey Canada's World Junior Championships selection camp. Habs' prospect Brendan Gallagher was made a healthy scratch for the final exhibition game, indicated that he has made the final roster. Congratulation Brendan!

Playing for their spots last night, however, were Nathan Beaulieu and Michael Bournival, both in hot competition for spots as an offensive D and two-way center respectively. For the most part, Bournival had been relatively unnoticeable, while Beaulieu had looked good on the powerplay but had largely failed to produce.

Last night changed everything, with strong performances from both future Canadiens. Beaulieu assisted on Canada's first goal against the CIS Alberta All-Star team (on the powerplay) before adding a powerplay marker of his own to tie the game at two. He generated chances all night and was quite solid in his own end. He definitely did all he could to leave a good enough impression to make the squad. At this point, I'd be more surprised if he did not make it than if he did.

Bournival, meanwhile, skating on a line with Brett Connolly and Brett Bulmer, had perhaps some of his team's best shifts throughout the game, with a number of strong cycling shifts down low in the offensive zone, very fitting for a guy looking to lock down a possible fourth line role. But with Philip Danault, one of Bournival's possible competitors for the spot, potting two goals in the second period, the Shawinigan Cataractes captain needed to step it up further. And that he did, roofing a wrist shot top shelf for a goal of his own.

Beaulieu and Bournival performed as well as could have been hoped for, but must now play the waiting game due to the deep talent pool in camp. They'll find out their Christmas fate over the next couple of hours as Canada makes its final cuts.

Your Canadiens for December 13, 2011

Updates from a reasonably busy morning in the hockey world:

- Travis Moen was back at practice this morning after taking a therapy day yesterday. He will play tonight.

- As I mentioned yesterday, Scott Gomez suffered some form of setback in his training. He was not on the ice this morning, and nor was Brian Gionta, still considered out indefinitely, at least a week.

- Chris Campoli practiced alongside Raphael Diaz on the second powerplay unit this morning. He will return to the line-up on a pairing with Tomas Kaberle, meaning Alexei Emelin will be a healthy scratch. Thus, this marks Campoli's regular season Bell Centre debut, since he was injured in the season opener in Toronto. I look forward to seeing what he'll bring to the table, as I thought he looked quite solid in his 1 preseason game and first half in Toronto.

It should be noted that despite being dressed on Saturday, Weber received no powerplay time. The Canadiens really only used 3 d-men on the PP: Tomas Kaberle, P.K. Subban, and Diaz.

Now about Emelin being a scratch... I'm sure anyone that reads this site is well aware of my take on the issue. I think this roster move is beyond excusable on the part of Jacques Martin. Yes, Emelin is young, and he does take risks that lead to occasional errors. Admittedly, he is far worse on the right side (where he would play when paired with Kaberle) than he is on the left. But there is no doubt that he brings a crucial set of tools that the Canadiens do not have anywhere else in their roster. His size, toughness, and physicality are important on a team full of small puck-movers. Emelin won't develop and continue to improve by sitting in the stands. He can be an important part of Montreal's future, and MUST play. Let's hope this is just part of a rotation to give Campoli some action, and that we'll see Emelin dressed again on Thursday.

- Speaking of the powerplay, the top unit at practice was:

Mike Cammalleri - Tomas Plekanec - Andrei Kostitsyn

Tomas Kaberle - P.K. Subban

While Kostitsyn brings some size, it's interesting that neither of the team's powerforwards (Max Pacioretty and Erik Cole) are on the top unit. They flank David Desharnais on the 2nd unit, just as they do at even strength.

- Updates from Team Canada World Junior Championships Selection Camp: None of Nathan Beaulieu, Brendan Gallagher, or Michael Bournival collected points in yesterday's 2-0 Team Red win. Few players have done much to separate themselves from the pack so far, as both sides have failed to generate offense. Bournival was solid, but mostly unnoticeable, while Gallagher was noticed for bad reasons, taking two offensive zone penalties and being on the receiving end of two large hits. Beaulieu had a few good shifts on the powerplay, patrolling the blueline well, but failed to produce.

Still, as expected, all three survived the first wave of cuts, which included Mark McNeill, Zack Phillips, Matthew Dumba, Jerome Gauthier-Leduc, Michael Ferland, Max Reinhart, and Brenden Kichton. With 31 skaters remaining in camp for 13 forward and 7 defensemen spots, the pressure remains on both Beaulieu and Bournival to impress tonight. Gallagher's spot is seemingly the safest of the three, likely penciled into a third or fourth line role.

A good article on Gallagher published last night can be found here:

http://www.mindentimes.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3402122#.TudxNxRusPg.facebook

- Another good prospect article today is this feature from the AHL about community work done by the injured Brendon Nash and Hunter Bishop:

http://theahl.com/bishop-nash-scoring-points-off-the-ice-p174893

Your Canadiens for December 12, 2011

A few updates as the Canadiens hit the ice a day before taking on the New York Islanders at the Bell Centre.

- With an afternoon game on Saturday and a day off yesterday, today was newest Hab Tomas Kaberle's first practice with his new 'mates after picking up 2 assists in his Canadiens debut against the New Jersey Devils. Kaberle remained on a pair with Alexei Emelin, despite the young Russian's obvious struggles when playing the right side. This seems like a blatant mistake to me. Josh Gorges is perfectly comfortable on the right, and even if it would mean breaking up his pairing with P.K. Subban, any of Hal Gill, Tomas Kaberle, or even Emelin himself could fill that slot.

- Brian Gionta (out at least a week) and Travis Moen (therapy day) were absent from practice today. Chris Campoli is with the team again in a cleared-for-contact jersey. However, Jacques Martin clarified that it is uncertain whether or not he'll be in the line-up tomorrow. He was not on a regular pairing in practice.

The lines remained unchanged from Saturday's game, with Mathieu Darche filling in for the day on the Lars Eller line (with Louis Leblanc) in Moen's absence.

- Scott Gomez was on the ice with his teammates in a non-contact jersey. However, he left the ice early, and after practice, Martin stated that he had suffered a bit of a setback and remains out indefinitely. I'm sure Canadiens fans won't be too terribly heartbroken at that news.

- In an interview through a translator, Alexei Emelin was informed of his Boom! nickname. He said he was aware of the #EmelinBoom movement and enjoyed it. He was said to seem personable and in a generally good mood.

- Yesterday was the first on-ice day at Team Canada's World Junior Championship selection camp. In last night's scrimmage, Michael Bournival and Brendan Gallagher's Team White posted a 3-2 victory, though both were held off the scoresheet. Bournival did little to distinguish himself and will have to be better tonight. Gallagher played a pretty strong game, including hitting the post on a quality scoring chance (Gallagher hitting the post? Where have we seen that before?). Nathan Beaulieu picked up an assist for Team Red in a losing cause. Game 2 goes tonight, after which some cuts are to be expected. You can watch the scrimmage live as of 9:00 PM EST here:

http://hockeycanada.fasthockey.com/login.php

(sign-up is required, but it's free)

- At the WJC camp, a number of player interviews were conducted. We learned a few interesting details, like that Brendan Gallagher has Justin Bieber on his iPod, and would invite Martin St. Louis, Carrie Underwood, and Barack Obama to dinner. Perhaps worse is that he indicated his favourite karaoke song would be, "some ABBA." He lists Underwood as his top celebrity crush. Wonder what Mike Fisher has to say about that.

- The Hamilton Bulldogs went 2-1 in their 3 weekend games, finally getting players back from both Montreal and injury and starting to look like a real team. Yesterday's 2-1 victory included goals from Alexander Avtsin and Michael Blunden.

- There is an NHL trade freeze in effect during the holidays every year, and it begins December 19th. Expect possibly some minor activity this week leading up to that day, as GMs won't be able to make any trades between the 19th and the 27th.

- Former Habs defenseman Chris Chelios is being inducted into the USA Hockey Hall of Fame tonight in Chicago.

- I sent a Tweet to Hamilton Bulldogs defenseman and Habs prospect Brendon Nash to see how he was recovering from September shoulder surgery. Nash hasn't played a game this season, unfortunate timing for him given the spots that were most certainly available on Montreal's back end. Nash was courteous enough to respond with the following:

Thanks Brendon! Best of luck in continuing your recovery, and hope to see you back on the ice soon!

- Speaking of Twitter, Canadiens prospects and fellow Michigan defenseman Mac Bennett and Greg Pateryn joined the social network not long ago. You can give them a follow at @Mac_Bennett and @Greg_Pateryn respectively.

To see updates from all members of the Habs' family on Twitter, follow my list here:

https://twitter.com/#!/DailyCanadiens/habs-players

Your Canadiens for December 5, 2011

Thinking today might be a relatively mundane day in the Habs' realm, I thought I might be able to wait till tomorrow for this update. But there is enough hot button news to put this out this evening.

- Most notably, minutes ago, it was revealed that the National Hockey League has agreed on a realignment of its divisions for the 2012-13 hockey season. Gone is the current divisional structure, replaced with simply 4 larger imbalanced conferences - two of 8 teams, and two of 7. They are composed as follows:

East (7): Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, Buffalo Sabres, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers

East / Atlantic (7): New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils

Central (8): Detroit Red Wings, Columbus Blue Jackets, Winnipeg Jets, Chicago Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild

West (8): Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings, Phoenix Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche

For the Canadiens, the new schedule will see them play a home-and-home against all non-conference teams (meaning each team will visit the Bell Centre at least once a year), and then have 6 games against each club in their new conference (3 at home and 3 on the road).

For the playoffs, the first two rounds will be played strictly within conference. The top 4 teams from each conference make the post-season, with the first round being 1 vs. 4 and 2 vs. 3, and then the winners facing off in round 2.

Per commissioner Gary Bettman, no official decision has been taken on the seeding of the final 4 for the semi-finals and finals, but it is likely that the remaining 4 teams will be seeded based on regular season standings, meaning it is possible for two teams from eastern North America or two from western North America to face-off in the Stanley Cup Finals.

This is pretty drastic, and there is certain to be a lot of opinion and discussion to go around over the coming days, weeks, and months. My initial reaction is not to like the imbalance, which essentially provides easier post-season berths to the teams in the 2 Eastern conferences. But I don't necessarily hate it. I'm willing to give it a chance.

- Elsewhere, USA Hockey announced the preliminary roster for their World Junior Championship squad. Amongst the 9 defenseman on the list is the Habs' Jarred Tinordi. He would appear to be a near-lock for the squad at this point as part of a shutdown pair, and his name has been thrown around as a possible team captain, given that he fills that role presently for the London Knights, and previously wore the C for the U.S. Under-18 team.

- Tomas Plekanec missed practice today, but have no fear! It wasn't due to an injury. He and his wife Lucia Vondrackova welcomed a son, Matthias, to the world. Congratulations to the happy parents!

- Filling in temporarily for Plekanec at practice was Andreas Engqvist, rehabbed from his recent injury. Later in the day, the Canadiens officially assigned Engqvist to the Hamilton Bulldogs.

- Also in practice, wearing a normal contact jersey for the first time, was defenseman Chris Campoli. With Andrei Markov out another few weeks, Campoli's near return to the line-up is a welcome piece of news to Habs fans and the Canadiens' powerplay. Jaroslav Spacek also practiced with the team, but in a non-contact jersey, while Ryan White skated on his own and then spoke briefly with reporters in the dressing room. Other than Plekanec, the only Hab not to skate today was Scott Gomez.

- On the Andrei Markov front, he underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his knee in Florida today. Though Pierre Gauthier initially stated the expected recovery time would be 3 weeks, the team revised this estimation to something more realistic today, offering a prognosis of 4-6 weeks. Did Gauthier float the 3 week number just to minimize criticism when face-to-face with reporters?!

- Lastly, there is a bit of a public dispute going on between Max Pacioretty and Brendan Shanahan. Pacioretty spoke out disagreeing with Shanahan's decision to suspend him for 3 games, claiming that Shanahan had compared his hit to Matt Cooke's on Marc Savard. Shanahan disputed this claim on the Team 990, saying that not only had he not compared it to that hit, but he went out of this way to explain that he wasn't drawing that comparison. This line is a little tough to follow; if he wasn't comparing the hit, why bring it up at all?! By saying that he explicitly stated he wasn't drawing a comparison there, it means he must have at least mentioned it! And Pacioretty agrees, as he repeated today that he feels the comparison was made, and made unfairly. He and his agent preferred to compare the hit to Ryan Malone on Chris Campoli, a dirty hit which went undisciplined by Shanahan.

Jarred Tinordi at Team USA WJC Summer Camp

Replacing our usual content again today, we look at another World Junior Championship summer camp currently in progress in Lake Placid, being that of Team USA. The only Hab prospect in attendance there is 2010 first round choice defenseman Jarred Tinordi.

In all, 26 forwards, 14 defensemen, and 4 goaltenders received invites to the camp, and a first round of cuts that will trim the roster to 24 or 25 names is expected today. A year ago, Tinordi was sent home at this point of the camp.

Tinordi was on Team Blue, paired most often with Justin Faulk (Carolina 2nd round pick, 2010), and picked up an assist in his side's win in one of two inter-squad scrimmages before also adding an assist in Team Blue's win over Team Sweden's WJC camp squad on Monday. Considering the leading defenseman scorer amongst all Americans at the camp had 3 points, this is solid production from a primarily defensive player.

The slimmer American roster will have games against Finland on August 11 and Sweden on August 10th and 13th before the camp wraps up.

As a former captain of the American U-18 team, Tinordi has a reasonable chance at making the squad, but the Americans have a deep group of blueliners making for fierce competition. The team will likely begin with the three returning defensemen, Justin Faulk, Derek Forbort, and John Merrill, but beyond them it is a bit of a toss-up. In addition to Tinordi, some strong candidates include Adam Clendening, Scott Mayfield, and Connor Murphy.

While the hype around Tinordi with the Americans hasn't been close to that Brendan Gallagher received at Team Canada's camp, he has managed to make a name for himself through his physicality. Tinordi, 6'7" and 212 lbs., far and away led all USA d-men with 10 penalty minutes in the 3 games he has played (though some in attendance have said some of his penalties were of the "stupid" variety, leaving room for improvement). With this year's tournament being played on a North American ice surface in Alberta, Tinordi's size and toughness may be a needed asset for the American team.

A good blog about the Team U.S.A. camp can be found here:

http://usahockey2.com/usah_blogs/world_juniors_blog/

though there isn't really anything about Tinordi's play unfortunately.

UPDATE: About the same time this post went up, the Team USA cuts were announced, and Tinordi is one of 29 players who remain at camp for the final 3 exhibition contests. Of the 29, there are 9 defensemen remaining, and given that the final roster is likely to include 8, Tinordi's chances look good at this point. If all of Gallagher, Michael Bournival, and Nathan Beaulieu make the Canadian team, an already always exciting WJC tournament will be extra fun for Canadiens fans this holiday season.

The "Final Roster" for the time being can be found here:

http://www.usahockey.com//Template_Usahockey.aspx?NAV=TU_04_01_06&ID=306258

Of particular note is that 16 year old defenseman Seth Jones remains on the roster right now, and from a Montreal perspective, a guy that some wanted the Habs to draft in the first round, Tyler Biggs (who ended up being taken by the Leafs) was cut. Another 2011 draftee some Canadiens fans were high on, J.T. Miller, had a solid camp and remains in the mix. Kenny Agostino, a 5th round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2010 (and looking like a steal), has been amongst the most impressive players in camp, notching 2 goals and 5 assists in 3 games to remain on the roster.

Updates from Team Canada WJC Camp - Take 2

In place of our usual Memory Monday feature, we bring you a second recap of activity from Hockey Canada's summer camp in preparation for the World Junior Hockey Championship which takes place in December/January every year. If you missed it, click here to see part 1.

While Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was appropriately a show stealer throughout camp with the event taking place in Alberta (with honourable mention to Jonathan Huberdeau), Habs fans can be encouraged by multiple glowing reviews of the play of Montreal prospect Brendan Gallagher. Given that Don Hay, who will coach Team Canada at this year's Worlds, has been Gallagher's coach with the Vancouver Giants of the WHL for the past 3 seasons, the 19 year old came into camp as a favourite to earn a roster spot. But he has far from sat on his laurels. Here's a couple of pieces on him:

"Pesky Gallagher Hoping to Impress," Vicki Hall, Calgary Herald

"The Amazing Gallagher," Mike Morreale, NHL.com

"Giants' Gallagher Plays Big," Jim Matheson, Vancouver Sun

Gallagher made it all the way up to the December camp a year ago, but did not earn a spot on the final roster.

Another player who was at the December camp and was amongst the final cuts of the team is Canadiens prospect Michael Bournival. He has had a quiet camp for the most part, but played hard, spending some time on Gallagher's line, and picking up a goal in Sunday's game. He may find himself on the bubble again this year depending on his start to the season in the QMJHL.

The final Canadiens prospect at the camp, Nathan Beaulieu, has earned some praise but faces stiff competition to earn a spot on the blueline. Initially credited with an assist during Saturday's intersquad game (but it was changed on the official scoresheet), Beaulieu's Team Red blew a 4-1 lead in the third period, falling 5-4 to the Whites, but then rebounded with an 8-2 win on Sunday. All of Bournival, Beaulieu, and Gallagher were on the same side for the games, which may have facilitated the task of Canadiens assistant coach Perry Pearn who was in attendance to watch the three high profile youngsters according to the Edmonton Journal.

With only Erik Gudbranson returning from last year's team on defense, there are jobs to be won. However, there are 3 other 2010 draftees who have the advantage of being one year more mature and experienced, and, including Beaulieu, there are 7 2011 1st round choices in attendance. Given that Beaulieu's biggest strength is his offensive touch from the back end, the best impression he could have made would have been all over the scoresheet during the two "official" games, but there he was outshone by the behemoth Jamieson Oleksiak who had 1 goal and 1 assist on Saturday (and, as he was mostly paired with Gudbranson in camp, Oleksiak would appear to have an inside track at a spot). In Sunday's game, it was Brandon Gormley who produced offensively with a goal and 2 assists, and he should be considered a lock for a spot on the team.

While lots can still happen between now and December, if I had to pick Team Canada today, my prediction would look something like this:

Ryan Johansen - Jonathan Huberdeau - Mark Stone

Jaden Schwartz - Sean Couturier - Brett Connolly

Quinton Howden - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Brendan Gallagher

Ryan Strome - Michael Bournival - Ty Rattie

Brett Ritchie

Brandon Gormley - Erik Gudbranson

Jamie Oleksiak - Mark Pysyk

Duncan Siemens - Dougie Hamilton

Nathan Beaulieu

Mark Visentin

Scott Wedgewood

The final roster will likely be different than this, depending on who sticks in the NHL and is thus not made available to Hockey Canada by their respective clubs, and the starts to the season had by many players as well.

Updates from Team Canada WJC Camp

This week, more than 40 of Canada's top young prospects have been participating in Hockey Canada's summer development camp for the 2011-12 World Junior Hockey Championships. The WJC is seen as some of the best hockey played each year as the top players under 20 years of age worldwide compete over Christmas and into the New Year for global supremacy. The Russians shocked the Canadians in the finals last year with an epic third period comeback to steal the gold medal away from Canada, leaving them with a second straight disappointing silver after 5 consecutive golds between 2005 and 2009.

The summer camp is just a preliminary event, with a second camp taking place prior to the tournament in Decemeber where the final team will be selected. Three Montreal Canadiens prospects are in attendance at the camp, being defenseman Nathan Beaulieu and forwards Brendan Gallagher and Michael Bournival. All three are part of the "Red Team" for intersquad games, the side which dominated the first contests yesterday, with Gallagher and Beaulieu each picking up a goal. It seems like Beaulieu's was a beauty, as described by Florida Panthers prospect Jonathan Huberdeau (a good friend and teammate of Beaulieu's):

JonnyHuby11 Jonathan Huberdeau

Really Good game by the red squad!!! Foolish spinorama and Gino by @n8THEggr8 !! Back to work tmr ! #WJC

7 hours ago Favorite Retweet Reply

Without wanting to dip too much into relationship gossip, it seems Beaulieu might be having just a little too much fun at the camp, as his girlfriend has put out some unhappy Tweets over the last couple of days, which included:

kyywright Kyla Wright

Lovers to friends

6 hours ago

kyywright Kyla Wright

So sick of this relation-shit

7 hours ago

ispeakfemale ispeakfemale.™

by kyywright

It only takes a second to make a mistake. It can take a lifetime to make it right.

10 hours ago

ispeakfemale ispeakfemale.™

by kyywright

I'm not single and I'm not taken. I'm simply on reserve for the one who deserves me.

9 hours ago

GirlDictionary The Girl Dictionary

by kyywright

If you ever lose my trust, you probably will never get it back. And even if you did, things will never be the same.

3 Aug

ispeakfemale ispeakfemale.™

by kyywright

He already ruined your mascara, don't let him ruin your life.

3 Aug

wehatequotes WeHateQuotes™

by kyywright

Apologizing doesn't mean you're right or wrong, it just means you value your relationship more than your EGO.

3 Aug

kyywright Kyla Wright

Night. #roughday #pleaseendnow

3 Aug

kyywright Kyla Wright

Truth comes out !!!! Seeee yaaa

3 Aug

kyywright Kyla Wright

hmmm , a lot to think about #nightwiththeoneswhomatter <3

3 Aug

kyywright Kyla Wright

you are dead to me

3 Aug

We'll skip the speculation, but by being with a prospect of a professional sports team with such a huge following, Ms. Wright has entered the public eye, so these and any other Tweets are subject to being picked up and analyzed. Let's just wish both her and Nathan the best, whether together or broken up. They're just kids after all, let them have fun.

Anddddd back to hockey. Some updates from last night's intersquad game came via either Hockey Canada or Mike Morreale on Twitter. Give Mike a follow at @mike_morreale. Thanks to him, we know that Beaulieu has been paired with Mark Prysyk, a first round selection of the Buffalo Sabres in 2010, throughout camp, while Gallagher and Bournival have been linemates, playing along with Freddie Hamilton (brother of 2011 first rounder defenseman Dougie Hamilton, also at camp).

Following yesterday's games, Team Canada coach Don Hay shared a few thoughts with reporters, and seemed impressed with Gallagher's play, singling him out specifically.

The camp's final intersquad games on Saturday and Sunday nights can be watched live online for a fee of $7 at the following link: http://www.hockeycanada.ca/index.php/ci_id/172027/la_id/1.htm

UPDATE: In other WJC news, Canadiens prospect John Westin - taken in the 7th round in 2010 - was left off the roster for Team Sweden's summer camp. Westin is an average-sized two-way forward in the mold of Fredrik Sjostrom. He battled injury last season and hopes to rebound with a better year in Sweden in 2011-12.