Scott Gomez

The Montreal Canadiens are 47 games into the 2011-12 NHL season and their record has suffered drastically. With a 17-21-9 record and currently sitting 12th in the Eastern Conference, one point ahead of the last place Carolina Hurricanes (17-24-8), the team is on pace for their worst season since the 2002-03 NHL season.

It is about that time of the NHL season where we can start to figure out which players will be among the elite, and which players will need to step up their games if they are to contribute to a team's playoff push.

This article has more to do with the players that need to step up their games; it's a list of which players who should be putting pucks in the back of the net are in fact not doing that at all.

Some notable names are on it, and these are mostly players who, given their massive bank accounts, are simply not cutting it.

Well that was fun wasn't it? 

Three times the Montreal Canadiens had a lead on the Boston Bruins and three times they let it waste away. For every nice shot, pin point pass and dazzling display of skill, there was a blown coverage or a bone-head play.

For a team that seemed to be controlling the pace of the game, the Habs looked tentative on too many occasions. Every time they built up a lead, they looked like they knew they were about to blow it.

Before the regular season began, the major question regarding the Montreal Canadiens and their season was: How will Carey Price play as the Habs' starting goaltender?

With all the pressure of the Montreal hockey world, Price answered the call all season long. He carried the team to the sixth seeding in the Eastern Conference and would head into Boston as an underdog, a role he must be pretty familiar with by now.

And so tonight, after a 31-save shutout of the Bruins in Game 1, did he perform up to standard?

Heading into tonight’s tilt between the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens there is a sense of excitement.

Finally, the playoffs are upon us. After 82 grueling games, we're finally at the important stuff. And boy did it take long to get here.

We've witnessed countless injuries, the disappearance of Scott Gomez, the emergence of Carey Price, the ups and downs of P.K. Subban, more injuries...

Fortunately, we're passed that now. We can start focusing on the second season. The games that really count.

Hockey players, for the most part, aren't the most entertaining bunch.

In fact, most people who've seen a hockey interview will tell you that there isn't much there in terms of entertainment value.

Hockey players, perhaps more than any other athletes, tend to regurgitate the same old sports cliches we've been hearing for years.

Every once in a while, however, a hockey interview goes a little off the rocker. Every once in a while, hockey players open up and have us laughing our "you know whats" off.

Here are the top 10 funniest hockey interviews.

With playoffs just two weeks away, teams should be starting to wonder what roles their rookies are capable of playing in these intense games. Likewise, rookies should understand that their confidence will be challenged, and they will be expected to adjust their style in order to be able to help their team in the playoffs.

The drought has ended. After three frustrating games, which included an absolute beat down at the hands of the Bruins, the Canadiens scored a goal. 

More importantly, the Habs picked up another two points and have taken a big leap towards locking down a playoff spot. With 89 points in the bank, it is unlikely they'll pull off the mother of all collapses and miss the second season.