Article of the day..
Feb 7, 2002 9:24:05 GMT -5
Post by Cranky on Feb 7, 2002 9:24:05 GMT -5
By HERB ZURKOWSKY
Montreal Gazette
Joe Juneau should acquit himself well - as long as he remembers he's there to do a job and doesn't allow the fan inside of him to take control.
"Some nights, it's just amazing: the goals that he scores and the plays that he makes," said the Canadiens centre, who will be responsible for neutralizing Pittsburgh's Mario Lemieux tonight.
It's a task Juneau knows well. He saw plenty of the Penguins' superstar during his five-plus seasons in Washington when Pittsburgh was a division, and frequently a playoff, rival. And Juneau has continued his defensive excellence since joining Montreal this season, playing against the opposition's top centre on a regular basis.
"You find yourself being a fan when you play against him. He's amazing," Juneau added. "It's fun playing against guys like that - Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux. Eleven, 12 years later I still have that same feeling."
Juneau won't play me-and-my-shadow with Lemieux, coach Michel Therrien said. The Canadiens, the coach added, simply don't have that style of team. Instead, the key will be to play Lemieux tight while keeping to the team system. That means playing a sound and thorough defensive game over-all.
"We're facing one of the best players in (NHL) history," Therrien said. "It's always special when Mario's in town. We have to find a way to keep him off the board, but it's going to be tough."
Juneau realizes he can't do it alone. At 6 feet and 195 pounds, he'll give up four inches and 40 pounds to Lemieux, not to mention a considerable amount of reach.
"It's trying to play as smart as you can," Juneau explained. "You can't give him time, because he has so many ways in which he can find the open man and make plays. You have to make the right play and react quickly.
"If you make a mistake, he's going to make you look bad. And you're going to get beat because he's so talented. You just hope he doesn't beat the guy behind you or the goalie."
The Canadiens, to their credit, have been playing well defensively of late - none better than Tuesday on the road, when they defeated the New Jersey Devils 1-0. Not only was it the first time in 16 regular-season games, dating back to 1993, that Montreal has won at the Meadowlands, but they limited the Devils to 19 shots in the process. The Canadiens can't expect history to be repeated against a Penguins team that isn't nearly as patient as New Jersey.
"We have to be solid in our own end. If there's no play, just get the puck out," said Shaun Van Allen. "We don't want to open up against those guys."
There's a sense in the Canadiens' dressing room that something magical is occurring here.
This team, despite injuries, is defying the odds in its quest for its first playoff berth in four years and the players' confidence is growing. A little thing like a victory in an arena in which it never has success could have a profound effect on this group.
"That game (against the Devils) was a confidence booster," said defenceman Karl Dykhuis. "It proves to us that if we follow the system, do the things we're supposed to, buy into it and play together, it's amazing what we can accomplish.
"We have the talent to win against any team."
NOTES - Canadiens goaltender Jose Theodore is the team's player of the month for January, marking the third consecutive month in which he has captured the Molson Cup. Theodore appeared in 13 of the Canadiens' 15 games in January, including 12 starts. He went 6-5-2 with a 2.50 average and .916 save percentage. His fifth shutout this season against the Devils lowered his average to 2.13 while raising his save percentage to .927, the second-highest mark in the league. ThÈodore was given the day off yesterday but is scheduled to start against Pittsburgh. ... Defenceman Craig Rivet practiced yesterday and scoffed at the suggestion he had suffered a knee injury against New Jersey
-----------------------------------------------------------
HA
-Rivet detractors take note.
-Theo is going to be a handfull in negotiations this summer. Do I hear four million?
-Team chemistry is at an all time high. Could it be that Salvage and Rosie where poisining the atmosphere and now they are dea...err.. I mean traded?
Montreal Gazette
Joe Juneau should acquit himself well - as long as he remembers he's there to do a job and doesn't allow the fan inside of him to take control.
"Some nights, it's just amazing: the goals that he scores and the plays that he makes," said the Canadiens centre, who will be responsible for neutralizing Pittsburgh's Mario Lemieux tonight.
It's a task Juneau knows well. He saw plenty of the Penguins' superstar during his five-plus seasons in Washington when Pittsburgh was a division, and frequently a playoff, rival. And Juneau has continued his defensive excellence since joining Montreal this season, playing against the opposition's top centre on a regular basis.
"You find yourself being a fan when you play against him. He's amazing," Juneau added. "It's fun playing against guys like that - Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux. Eleven, 12 years later I still have that same feeling."
Juneau won't play me-and-my-shadow with Lemieux, coach Michel Therrien said. The Canadiens, the coach added, simply don't have that style of team. Instead, the key will be to play Lemieux tight while keeping to the team system. That means playing a sound and thorough defensive game over-all.
"We're facing one of the best players in (NHL) history," Therrien said. "It's always special when Mario's in town. We have to find a way to keep him off the board, but it's going to be tough."
Juneau realizes he can't do it alone. At 6 feet and 195 pounds, he'll give up four inches and 40 pounds to Lemieux, not to mention a considerable amount of reach.
"It's trying to play as smart as you can," Juneau explained. "You can't give him time, because he has so many ways in which he can find the open man and make plays. You have to make the right play and react quickly.
"If you make a mistake, he's going to make you look bad. And you're going to get beat because he's so talented. You just hope he doesn't beat the guy behind you or the goalie."
The Canadiens, to their credit, have been playing well defensively of late - none better than Tuesday on the road, when they defeated the New Jersey Devils 1-0. Not only was it the first time in 16 regular-season games, dating back to 1993, that Montreal has won at the Meadowlands, but they limited the Devils to 19 shots in the process. The Canadiens can't expect history to be repeated against a Penguins team that isn't nearly as patient as New Jersey.
"We have to be solid in our own end. If there's no play, just get the puck out," said Shaun Van Allen. "We don't want to open up against those guys."
There's a sense in the Canadiens' dressing room that something magical is occurring here.
This team, despite injuries, is defying the odds in its quest for its first playoff berth in four years and the players' confidence is growing. A little thing like a victory in an arena in which it never has success could have a profound effect on this group.
"That game (against the Devils) was a confidence booster," said defenceman Karl Dykhuis. "It proves to us that if we follow the system, do the things we're supposed to, buy into it and play together, it's amazing what we can accomplish.
"We have the talent to win against any team."
NOTES - Canadiens goaltender Jose Theodore is the team's player of the month for January, marking the third consecutive month in which he has captured the Molson Cup. Theodore appeared in 13 of the Canadiens' 15 games in January, including 12 starts. He went 6-5-2 with a 2.50 average and .916 save percentage. His fifth shutout this season against the Devils lowered his average to 2.13 while raising his save percentage to .927, the second-highest mark in the league. ThÈodore was given the day off yesterday but is scheduled to start against Pittsburgh. ... Defenceman Craig Rivet practiced yesterday and scoffed at the suggestion he had suffered a knee injury against New Jersey
-----------------------------------------------------------
HA
-Rivet detractors take note.
-Theo is going to be a handfull in negotiations this summer. Do I hear four million?
-Team chemistry is at an all time high. Could it be that Salvage and Rosie where poisining the atmosphere and now they are dea...err.. I mean traded?
