Throwdown Lowdown – Canadiens @ Blues, 03-10-11
CROSS BODY BLOCK! Image via Zimbio
There were no fights in the awesome, beautifully-finished 4-3 Blues win over the Columbus Blue Jackets last night. But seriously, who in this town is NOT going to love Chris Stewart by the time he reaches unrestricted free agency? I was having a hard time comprehending the trade when it happened, but I’m starting to believe it’s EXACTLY what the 2011-2012 (and beyond) Blues ABSOLUTELY needed for their future. I can admit when I’m wrong. Anyway, the Blues remain at 64 fighting majors on the season, second place alone in the NHL at the moment. Their fight record? Still 27-19-18.
This is the first and will be the only time I’ll get to cover the Montreal Canadiens this season. The Habs have been in the news for all the wrong reasons lately as far as pugilism is concerned, all from their rival Boston Bruins. First, earlier in the week, Brad Marchand said some nasty things about the temperament of the club and the “Laissez-Faire” way they play hockey. Then, Zdeno Chara maybe, possibly, by accident, caused Max Pacioretty’s face to explode and neck to be broken by getting him caught between his own body and a stanchion. Not fun times, if you ask me (For the record, it wasn’t an illegal hit but an absolutely brutal one, and I say the league made the correct decision . . . one that would be ridiculed less without the presence of one SON OF COLIN CAMPBELL on a certain NHL team . . . I’ll let you figure this one out on your own, folks). As far as fights are concerned, though, “Les Habitants” are tied for 24th in the NHL with the Carolina Hurricanes, each with . . . 24 fighting majors each, ironically. Their fight record stands at a very paltry 4-10-10.
Travis Moen (6’2”, 215lbs, 2-0-4) is the out-and-out leader of the Habs fighters with six. A surprising second? The slick-handed young defenseman, PK Subban (6’0”, 206lbs, 0-2-2) with four. Maxime Lapierre (6’2”, 207lbs, 0-2-0 as a Hab and 0-3-0 overall, traded to Anaheim . . . then traded to Vancouver) has three fights total but only two as a Hab. Ryan white (6’0”, 193lbs, 1-0-1) and Benoit Pouliot (6’3”, 199lbs, 1-0-1) have also each fought twice. There’s a long list of Habs with one fight each, mostly from that brutal game with the Bruins that preceded Tuesday’s incident: Hal Gill (6’7”, 241lbs, Draw), Carey Price (YES, CAREY PRICE!) (6’3”, 219lbs, Draw), Jeff Halpern (5’11”, 198lbs, Loss), Mike Cammalleri (5’9”, 182lbs, Loss), Alexandre Picard (6’3”, 215lbs, Loss), Jaroslav Spacek (6’0”, 210lbs, Loss, On IR with the dreaded Lower Body Injury), Roman Hamrlik (6’2”, 207lbs, Loss) and Tom Pyatt (5’11”, 183lbs, Loss).
This is probably a moot exercise, because the chances of there being a fight tonight are about the chances of a snowball making it through Hell. But if I had to guess, in a rematch from a fight last year, maybe Moen and BJ Crombeen will go at it.
WIN AT HOME FOR JARO! Especially against his old club! Let’s do this, gang.
LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!
Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights
