GDT: Game 19 | MTL @ CGY | In a pickle | Nov. 15, 2018 9:00pm ET, TSN2 RDS

[Runner77]

Habs are in a pickle.

They've started their West Coast swing on the wrong foot, losing to the Oilers.

The power play is not working as reported by The Gazoo:

The Canadiens went 0-for-3 on the power play and are now 2-for-35 with the man advantage over the last 10 games and rank 29th in the NHL with a 13.0 per cent success rate.

The heat is on Kirk Muller.

credit: Habs4Life

The Canadiens also struggled in the faceoff circle again, winning only 41 per cent of their draws. They now rank 30th in the NHL in faceoffs with a 45 per cent success rate.

They've allowed 4 or more goals in 7 of their last 8 games. And 10 goals coughed up in the Habs's last 2 games.

Carey Price has not been himself but is still confirmed to start.

All of this adds up to probably the most critical juncture of the season so far.

So what's the vibe like, in spite of all this? Well, it didn't prevent Brendan Gallagher from pulling a fast one on the media:



Sportsnet swallowed the prank whole and mentioned it during the Oiler game broadcast.

How did Gallagher pull it off? He had a good story and a prop that he passed off as "pickle juice":

The expert fact-finders were fooled by an unrelated product covered by a makeshift label that was just a handwritten piece of tape:

However, what's really floating in pickle juice, is Karl Alzner. He was scratched in the Habs's home opener at the expense of his ironman streak but not at the expense of what's best for the team. He was also a late scratch for Tuesday's Oiler game.

And he's only appeared in 6 of the team's 18 games this season -- now we know why he's a "stay-at-home" defenseman.

To say Alzner has been a disappointment would be an understatement. However, he's also managed to let down more than just your average human being who follows hockey.

Alzner's teammates are hearing it all right:

And while everyone showed their face on the Habs flight to Edmonton, guess what Alzner was doing:

Even got the attention of Melania Trump, as she was seen sporting this jacket while boarding a flight recently:

Turns out it wasn't Melania Trump after all -- we should have known better ...

FINAL LINEUPS TO BE CONFIRMED.

Lines at practice for Habs (minus Domi, absent for maintenance purposes):

Calgary combos at practice:

Johnny Gaudreau - Sean Monahan - Elias Lindholm
Matthew Tkachuk - Mikael Backlund - Sam Bennett
Austin Czarnik/Dillon Dube - Mark Jankowski - James Neal
Michael Frolik - Derek Ryan - Garnet Hathaway

Mark Giordano - TJ Brodie
Noah Hanifin - Travis Hamonic
Juuso Valimaki - Rasmus Andersson
Dalton Prout - Michael Stone

Mike Smith
David Rittich

Click to read more...

 

[Chippy11]

Watching it with a couple of Flames fan here in Edmonton.
May we bring them great suffering.

 

[HabsDood]

Will watch.. Off day.. Cool GDT

 

[NotProkofievian]

Brendan you sly dog.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Carey price always has, and will always be better than Mike smith

Take that for what it's worth

 

[Runner77]

Brendan you sly dog.

 

[Runner77]

Sportsnet broadcast of Gallagher's Fake Story (raise volume):



"Watching Gallagher this morning in his stall, you see just in the back there, he's got kind of a jug of something -- it ends up being pickle juice. It's actually a German product.

And while some players drink it, what the Canadiens do is before they hit the ice as they get set for the 1st period, they rub it on their legs. They say it makes them feel good, it gets them ready for the game."

Idiots.

 

[NotProkofievian]

I really hope this becomes a regular thing: the players feeding false rumours to the habs sports media to the point where they doubt reality itself.

 

[Runner77]

I really hope this becomes a regular thing: the players feeding false rumours to the habs sports media to the point where they doubt reality itself.

It was too easy and that's an issue. It just evokes lazy reporting and not double-checking what is being offered as "fact".

The operative words from the broadcaster's comment for me, are when he says "you see just in the back there", as he explains how the bottle was behind Gallagher, on a low shelf. The bottle wasn't exactly in the reporter's face but it was a good place to plant it as bait -- the reporter who first saw it, fell for it probably for that reason.

The reporter probably prided himself in being the first to have "discovered" it from its low-key location and then must have believed that it was true since it came from Gallagher. Also, had the reporter simply googled the German label, he would have realized that it had nothing to do with pickle juice. And, to top it all off, why would it need a handwritten taped label? Why would the players rub it on themselves?

Also, the broadcaster should have used caveats to express that he didn't double-check it and use words like "apparently". At least it would have been a softer landing than trying to pass off a cockamamie story as fact.

So much crazy, so little fact-checking. And to make it even worse, you have a parrot-reporter who bought into the story on account of the fact that it came from a mainstream source and who in turn propagated the myth on Twitter while Sportsnet broadcast the story. Who knows who else fell for it.

Brought to you by the same people who ask softball questions at PCs and who won't ask the tough, follow-up questions when they're being lied to. And who care way too much about the perks that teams shower them with.

 

[NotProkofievian]

It was too easy and that's an issue. It just evokes lazy reporting and not double-checking what is being offered as "fact".

The operative words from the broadcaster's comment for me, are when he says "you see just in the back there", as he explains how the bottle was behind Gallagher, on a low shelf. The bottle wasn't exactly in the reporter's face but it was a good place to plant it as bait -- the reporter who first saw it, fell for it probably for that reason.

The reporter probably prided himself in being the first to have "discovered" it from its low-key location and then must have believed that it was true since it came from Gallagher. Also, had the reporter simply googled the German label, he would have realized that it had nothing to do with pickle juice. And, to top it all off, why would it need a handwritten taped label? Why would the players rub it on themselves?

Also, the broadcaster should have used caveats to express that he didn't double-check it and use words like "apparently". At least it would have been a softer landing than trying to pass off a cockamamie story as fact.

So much crazy, so little fact-checking. And to make it even worse, you have a parrot-reporter who bought into the story on account of the fact that it came from a mainstream source and who in turn propagated the myth on Twitter while Sportsnet broadcast the story. Who knows who else fell for it.

Brought to you by the same people who ask softball questions at PCs and who won't ask the tough, follow-up questions when they're being lied to. And who care way too much about the perks that teams shower them with.

I want to see how far they can stretch it. Now, reporters will be suspicious of everything, so they could leave some pretty whacky shit around the dressing room to see what will now be reported. Have Carey Price do a dead panned interview in front of something that looks suspiciously like 3 kilos of heroin.

 

[Habaneros]

Carey price always has, and will always be better than Mike smith

Take that for what it's worth

Habs are 4 pts out of a possible top 3 pick..lol
Could you imagine if Habs are sitting in 28th place next Friday? lol.

We need a Calgary win and a Van win ....

 

[Tuggy]

Hopefully we see a bounce back game tonight. What we saw in Edmonton was pretty terrible.

Curious to see how Price looks tonight...

 

[habsfan891]

Great GDT runner the muller pic had me lol'ing at work got some funny looks

 

[vokiel]

Yyyyeaaah lets get Alzner back on top LD spot please.

 

[ArtPeur]

Mr. Pickles approve this

 

[PhysicX]

Speaking of which, yesterday was National Pickle Day in the U.S.

 

[WeThreeKings]

For all the talk of how this team is more closely knit than last year..the pickle story has really unearthed some unsavory behavior.

All of this pickle talk is clearly a move to ostracize Alzner as he cannot partake with his inability to open jars.

 

[Runner77]

Speaking of which, yesterday was the National Pickle Day in the U.S.

I watched Kimmel last night and it was part of his monologue. I was tempted to add it to the thread but there was so much pickling already going on from the title, the gifs and text plus Gallagher giving Alzner a run for his money on it, that I just thought I'd let it float.

Glad you brought it up.

Great GDT runner the muller pic had me lol'ing at work got some funny looks

I remember last year, Per Sjoblom said he had spilled or spit his coffee reading one of the GDTs. I always enjoy reading that kind of feedback. If I made someone laugh or caused him or her to spill a drink, it makes it all worthwhile.

Mr. Pickles approve this

Waiting on our fellow poster "Pickles" to check in. He's going to have a field day.

 

[Censored Toad]

Top notch GDT man... Runner you a legend with these great threads.

Seriously, its freaking hilarious. I thank you for your time and effort that you put into these. It is truly appreciated.

Freaking pickle juice and we got Alzner on our team... Can't make this stuff up !

 

[Runner77]

For all the talk of how this team is more closely knit than last year..the pickle story has really unearthed some unsavory behavior.

All of this pickle talk is clearly a move to ostracize Alzner as he cannot partake with his inability to open jars.

Alzner can't even open the better jars, like the ones that contain THC gummy bears. Now that is a serious and unforgivable shortcoming.

 

[Krnage]

Pickle juice for the win

 

[Adam Michaels]

@Runner77 does it again! Brilliantly linking the pickle juice with Alzner saying he wasn't able to open a jar!

 

[OldCraig71]

Great job @Runner77 . Sadly it seems that this season is quickly turning into last season where the GDT's were the most entertaining part of being a habs fan.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Great job @Runner77 . Sadly it seems that this season is quickly turning into last season where the GDT's were the most entertaining part of being a habs fan.

I still think the Habs are at least entertaining to watch. Them losing is just more of a reason to be hopeful because of the better chance to get a real good player for the future.

The perfect season for me would be if Habs are fun to watch and still lose. And they still continue scoring goals so we can at least enjoy watching the young guys put the points up.

 

[Forum93]

I still think the Habs are at least entertaining to watch. Them losing is just more of a reason to be hopeful because of the better chance to get a real good player for the future.

The perfect season for me would be if Habs are fun to watch and still lose. And they still continue scoring goals so we can at least enjoy watching the young guys put the points up.

It's fun to watch them score, not fun to be scored on and definitely not fun to watch them lose. A losing season is a depressing season for me anyways.