Habs Cap Off Road Trip With Another Win-Habs 5, Panthers 4

Now all Habs fans can celebrate New Year's Eve in style. The Montreal Canadiens, in front of thousands of their own fans in Florida, defeated the Florida Panthers 5-4. The win brings their 7 game road trip to an end with 12 out of a possible 14 points in the bank. Hal Gill...yes Hal Gill, Tomas Plekanec, Mike Cammalleri, Marc Andre Bergeron and Benoit Pouliot scored for the Canadiens. Jarslav Halak wasn't especially sharp in net, but 2 of the goals were breakaways. Halak ended the afternoon with 32 saves while Tomas Vokoun stopped 37 for the Panthers. The game entered the 3rd tied but all that changed when the Panthers were whistled for a delay of game penalty at the 20:00 minute mark of the 2nd and then another just 13 seconds into the 3rd. Bergeron blasted his 10th of the year followed less than 3 minutes later with Pouliot's 2nd as a Hab. The Candiens power play was dangerous again going 2/4. The penalty kill ended the night killing 2 of 3 Panthers chances. Some other observations from an exiciting game:

>Markov had his worst game since returning, with several giveaways and a late penalty. He made up for it on the offensive side with 3 assists. Gorges also had an off night getting burnt on goal #1 and caught up ice on goal #2.

>A. Kost left the game in the 2nd after a hit by Keith Ballard. Pacs, who played tonight for S. Kost took his spot the elder Kostitsyn's spot on the top line after the injury and played well. Lapierre had a pretty good fight against Ballard later in the 2nd.

>Gomez, Gionta and Pouilot continue to shine. Their line produced 2 more goals. I'm not going to lie, I am really starting to take a liking to Pouliot.

If you would have told me when the road trip started the Canadiens would take 6 of 7 I would have been ecstatic. Having a nearly full line up makes a huge difference in all aspects of the game. The Silver Wolf Whiskey Hab of the Game...New Year's Eve edition goes to Scott Gomez. Loved Gomez's game tonight. He back checked hard and was dangerous in the offensive zone. Honorable mentions go to Pouliot and Gill. A rare Saturday night off but back at it Sunday afternoon versus the Sabres.