Alouettes stop the losing streak

A win 23-20 over the Winniped Blue Bombers stopped the Montreal Alouettes 6 game losing streak. The team record stands at 8-6.

Latendresse signs a 3-year deal

All the province of Quebec will be happy, Guillaume Latendresse signed a 3-year deal for 850 000$ per season with the Montreal Canadiens. This contract signing will give the fans what they have waited for a long time... a good young local player playing for the Habs.

Montreal Canadiens cuts

Yesterday the Montreal Canadiens made cuts and now 26 of the 23 players remains.

Among the yesterday cuts: Yann Danis, Jonathan Ferland, Carey Price. Guillaume Latendresse avoided this series of cuts and even without having a signed contract everything points that he will be in the roster for the start of the season.

Latendresse is ejected.

Guillaume Latendresse inflicted a mild concussion to Rob DiMaio of the Tampa Bay Lightning very early in the 1st period of this pre-season game.

Perezoghin and Kostsysin who are battling with him took the opportunity and both scored a goal in a Montreal Canadiens 4-3 OT win.

So press is speculating on the remaining 2 or 3 spots in the lineup.

Latendresse plays well

On his 2nd NHL training camp young 19-year old forward Guillaume Latendresse could force Montreal Canadiens` head coach Guy Carbonneau to keep him on the team.

Yesterday, Latendresse scored 2 goals and added 1 assist in a 7-3 win over the Ottawa Senators.

Will his performances be enough to make the team?

Alouette freefall

The Montreal Alouettes have lost another one, this time 16-13 at the hands of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. This is the 6th straight loss for Montreal and rumors of firing head coach Don Matthews should intensify this week among the press.

What can turn the team around before the season is over?

Toronto 5 - Montreal 1

The Montreal Canadiens have lost another pre-season game this time 5-1.

Head coach Guy Carbonneau said that he will reduce his lineup this weekend as at least 15 players are still to cut. He also said that he`s a bit disappointed about the veteran players collective effort and is looking for more the very next game.

Nothing exciting came from the Ribeiro-Samsonov-Kovalev line yet, and the team will be in trouble if they don`t find a way to score goals on a regular basis.

Only 4 more pre-season games are to be played for Montreal, they need to pick up their intensity and cohesion or the start of the season will be a difficult one.

Bruins wins second game

The Boston Bruins have defeated the Montreal Canadiens 3-1 tonight and swept the 2 game series. Pre-season continues friday for Montreal and next game is in Toronto.

Boston won both games, Zdeno Chara scored in both games got involved blocking shots, all is well in Boston.

On Montreal`s side coach Guy Carbonneau said that some cuts will be made today.

Those who did well tonight for Montreal: (G)Yann Danis didn`t allow a goal. (D) Maxime Lapierre gave good checks and even got involved in a brawl, Thomas Plekanec only to name a few.

NHL: Pre-season opens

Here we are, the first pre-season games are played.

In Montreal the first of two games between the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens was played and Boston won the game 5-2.

Sliding, sliding, sliding, sliding....

In the CFL the Montreal Alouettes have lost 36-20 against the BC Lions in B.C.

This is the 5th straight loss for Montreal and after a 7-0 start this season has become a 7-5 blur.

Since the last time the Alouettes have won in B.C. , there have been 3 different U.S. Presidents, 3 different PM in Canada and 5 coaches for the Montreal Canadiens. What will it take before the coach, Don Matthews gets fired?

Personnal anecdote

I play poker online for fun in my leisure time and yesterday evening I placed 6th over 153 participants in a 2$ buy-in tournament where everyone could rebuy at will in the first hour. I was shortstacked all the way and made 2 crucial all-ins on the only 2 possible hands I had something.
Then stayed shortstacked moving all-in another 2 times. Moving my way to the final table where my JJ got hit by a KK.

I have never used a rebuy and earned 75$ for my efforts...sweet!

Koivu`s sight update.

Saku Koivu was questionned at least on two different occasions this week about the recovery from his eye injury of last season playoffs.

He answered freely yesterday that he can be active very freely in his ordinary everyday life, doesn`t feel pain, but still has a black dot in his sight and some peripherical sight problems. He also said that he wished to be in the lineup for the first game of the season.

Now whether he`ll play or not is probably a coinflip. Bryan Berard plays with basically one eye.

I personnaly think that if Koivu is a leader he`ll play thru this if he doesn`t feel any pain during effort.

A 15 year contract for DiPietro!

A very unusual 15-year contract was awarded to New-York Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro. The value of the total contract is around 67.5 millions dollars.

The Islanders has a history of controversial trades and contract awardings and this one is surely another example of management gone wrong. What if in 2 or 3 years DiPietro is injuried or loses his focus? It would put a lot of pressure on the team that would have it`s hands tied in front of their salary cap.

A very discutable move.

Federer simply too good.

Roger Federer defeated Andy Roddick in the 2006 US Open finals in 4 sets.

It`s already the 3rd US Open title for Federer.

Federer reach semifinals

Roger Federer eliminated James Blake and qualified for the semifinals of the US Open.

It is the 10th consecutive semifinal in grand slams tournaments for Federer. The four remaning player will fight it out this weekend...

Federer, Roddick, Davydenko and the surprising Youhzny. Who`s your pick?

Nadal to the 1/4 finals

Rafael Nadal was impressive again today and gets to the 1/4 finals of the US Open for the first time in his career. The 20 year old phenom will face russian Mikhail Youhzny for a place in the semifinals.

Some good competition is still to come with Safin, Federer, Nadal and Murray still alive in the draw.

Thank you Andre!

Benjamin Becker won in 4 sets and ended Andre Agassi`s 2006 US Open in the 3rd round.

A very emotional Agassi sat down on his chair after the match and a standing ovation of about 4 minutes followed... the way fans say thank you for the very last time. Agassi gave us a great 21 year career and it is now in our memories.

As I was a teen, Andre meant a lot to me and showed me that looks is not everything... hard work, passion for what you do and dedication is.

Thank you Andre.

Weather helps Agassi.

Today`s US Open matches were postponed to tomorrow due to rain and winds.

Round 3 match between Andre Agassi and Benjamin Becker is scheduled for early sunday. Will this extra 24h rest make Agassi`s back pains less worse? The stands will be full as every match could be Agassi`s last in career. Will he win one more?

Classic Agassi

Andre Agassi have made his 2nd round match against 8th seed Marcos Baghdatis a classic for the ages.

Agassi prevailed in a classic 5-set nailbiter 7-5 in the 5th set. Agassi rapidly took a 2-0 sets lead but Baghdatis never gave up and won sets 3 and 4. Baghdatis was then hit by cramps for the last 4 games of the match, making it even harder for Agassi to finish the injuried prey.

Agassi was then unable to put a 1st serve in play at 4-4 5th set, giving the fans something to scream: a 6 deuces game that he managed to win ultimately.

A delightful classic that ended somewhere around 12:40 AM in New-York.

Can Agassi give us one more win?

He`s facing the german B.Becker... John McEnroe asking Agassi about him he replied that he has a lot of experience of playing B.Becker but strangely enough he never played that B.Becker in career!

Surely this is a classy way to end a wonderful career.