Canadiens Hockey: The Centennial Season is Here

The Buffalo Sabres beat the Montreal Canadiens 2-0 in the shootout and 2-1 in the hockey game, leaving the Habs with a single point in their Centennial season-opening game at HSBC Arena.

Robert Lang scored on his first shift with his first shot as a member of the Canadiens, beating Ryan Miller before this one was three minutes old.  However, that was the only damage the Habs could do against Miller on this night.  Thomas Vanek tied the game on Carey Price four minutes after the Lang goal.

Price was very good, but didn't get much offensive support, as the Canadiens looked flat following a five-day layoff.  When this one was over, the Habs boarded a bus for Toronto and Saturday night's game against the Leafs with Jaroslav Halak already penciled in to get the start.

Canadiens captain Saku Koivu is looking forward to the drop of the puck in Buffalo for more than just getting the historic 100th season underway.  He'll do a ceremonial puck drop with the Sabres' new captain Craig Rivet, his longtime lieutenant as Habs assistant captain and longtime roomate as well.

"I've warned him (about some unceremonial stickwork) so you'll see at game time," Koivu says with a mischeivous grin. 

"I consider Saku my best friend in hockey," says Rivet, still surprised and thrilled that the Sabres have embraced him as their captain.

Rivet will likely have to try to cover Koivu in the Sabres' zone when Saku threatens offensively with linemates Guillaume Latendresse and Alex Tanguay. 

"Can you beat Rivet?" I ask.
"At what?" counters the Canadiens' captain with another grin hinting at past mischeif.
"To the front of the net?"
"You'll see tonight!"

More with Rivet, Koivu, and Canadiens GM Bob Gainey coming up on the Bar B Barn Pregame Show at 7pm, right after the Ric Peterson Show.

RICK MOFFAT asks Patrice Brisebois to react to the loss of the Montreal Grand Prix.  Listen

The Canadiens open their regular season with a 3-game roadtrip on CJAD 800 starting with the Sabres, the Leafs in Toronto Saturday and the Flyers Thanksgiving Holiday Monday (as part of another Alouettes-Canadiens doubleheader day on CJAD).

CJAD's Abe Hefter in conversation with The Coach:
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TEXT THE CJAD DAGWOODS POSTGAME SHOW: just keyword CHAT then 514 800.

SEND YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FOR MURRAY WILSON AND RICK MOFFAT TO Canadiens@cjad.com AND WIN A COPY OF THE GREAT NEW BOOK ON THE HABS' HISTORY "100 YEARS OF GLORY" BY D'ARCY JENISH.

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Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day with Ryan O'Byrne
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