Yardbarker: Mathieu Garon

Previews: Whiteout in Phoenix; Quebec reps meet with Bettman

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:30:31 -0500

Here are your Puck Previews: Spotlighting the key games in NHL action, news and views as well as general frivolity. Make sure to stop back here for the nightly Three Stars when the games are finished.Preview: Columbus Blue Jackets (2-1-0) at Phoenix Coyotes (2-1-0), 9 p.m EST. Despite a rough summer, the Coyotes have sold out their home opener tonight, which will also feature the popular "Whiteout". If history repeats itself, Phoenix will take home a victory as they've won their...

Previews: Whiteout in Phoenix; Quebec City reps meets with Bettman

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:30:31 -0500

Here are your Puck Previews: Spotlighting the key games in NHL action, news and views as well as general frivolity. Make sure to stop back here for the nightly Three Stars when the games are finished.Preview: Columbus Blue Jackets (2-1-0) at Phoenix Coyotes (2-1-0), 9 p.m EST. Despite a rough summer, the Coyotes have sold out their home opener tonight, which will also feature the popular "White Out". If history repeats itself, Phoenix will take home a victory as they've won thei...

The 5-Hole - Blue Jackets News and Notes: 9/22/09

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:00:00 -0500

Every Tuesday, WFNY’s The 5-Hole brings you up to date with the goings-on of the CBJ… The Week That Was This Week: 1-2-1Pre-Season: 1-2-1 The pre-season schedule got underway for the Jackets with a bit of a bump in the road. There were some positives in their overtime loss to Pittsburgh last Tuesday: new back-up goaltender Mathieu Garon [...]

COLUMBUS SIGNS GARON

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:11:00 -0500

The Pens are once again in the market for a backup goalie, because Mathieu Garon just signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The deal is reportedly for $2.4 million over two years, a mere $200,000 less than former Penguin backup Ty Conklin received in a similar two-year deal done this afternoon with St. Louis.

Garon was 2-1 in four regular season games with the Penguins, and played only 24 minutes in the 2009 playoffs, a bullpen call in the 5-0 loss to Detroit in Game Five. He was acquired in January from Edmonton in exchange for goaltender Dany Sabourin, forward Ryan Stone and a fourth-round pick in 2011. Being that he barely played, there's not much to say about his time here; but he did skate with the Cup and get a chance to play in the Finals, so I can't imagine it was all bad on his end.

Email: Mondesishouse@gmail.com Twitter: twitter.com/mondesishouse Facebook: Facebook Group

Columbus signs G Garon

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:53:00 -0500

The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed goaltender Mathieu Garon to a two-year contract.

Garon Signed to a Two-Year Deal

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:14:00 -0500

COLUMBUS, OHIO - The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed goaltender Mathieu Garon to a two-year contract, club General Manager Scott Howson announced tonight. As is club policy, terms were not disclosed. Garon, 30, has compiled a 94-83-13 record w...

THAT WAS RATHER DISAPPOINTING

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 10:36:00 -0500

RED WINGS 5
PENGUINS 0
When Mathieu Garon is brought on to stop the bleeding, you know things have gotten out of hand. And that pretty much sums up the disaster that was Game Five of the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals, a 5-0 Red Wings victory that puts them within 60 minutes of clinching a second straight NHL championship.

Down just 1-0 after a first period in which they held a 10-8 lead in shots, the Pens came apart at the seams in the second, allowing four goals in a 14-minute span, three of the power play variety. Pittsburgh seemed determined to do their best Philadelphia Flyers impersonation, racking up penalty after penalty (five in all) in the second stanza. What's even more frustrating is the fact that even someone as traditionally focused as Sidney Crosby would get caught in the penalty vortex, taking a two-minute time-out as a result of a slash on Henrik Zetterberg.

The Red Wings just refused to fight back, as witnessed by Chris Kunitz making Darren Helm into his own personal punching bag. Instead, the Wings were content to take a few bruises for the team in the name of goals. And they were cashing in their power play tickets like a high-roller after a couple hours at Dave and Buster's. The only difference is that they're playing for a prize much more valuable than a giant stuffed giraffe.

A total of four Penguins weren't on the ice by the end of the game, including three guilty of misconduct (Craig Adams, Max Talbot, and Matt Cooke), and Marc-Andre Fleury, who was guilty of allowing five goals on 21 shots.

It was hard to believe that this was the same team that had thoroughly outplayed Detroit in the prior contest, and after Saturday night it's safe to say that the "old" Red Wings probably shouldn't be fitted for wheelchairs just yet. Pavel Datsyuk was impressive after returning from his injury hiatus, getting second-star billing for a two-assist evening. Chris Osgood tossed a shutout, and has allowed just two goals in three home games in the Finals. Zetterberg, though, was the biggest star of all, with a goal and an assist in 20:55 of ice time.

As for the Penguins' "Big Four", Crosby, Malkin, and Jordan Staal combined for just four shots and eight penalty minutes, while Fleury's performance of 11 goals allowed in three Detroit games this series left little doubt that he doesn't mesh well with the surroundings of Joe Louis Arena.

What the Pens (especially Fleury) need now is a very short memory. The nightmares of Game Five need to be exorcised, and fast. There is no doubt that this team has what it takes to win this series, Saturday night aside. They have been counted out too many times and in too many rounds of these very playoffs to give up now. And my gut feeling tells me that this group will be rested and ready for a much better performance in Game Six. I'm sure they don't want to see the Wings skating around with the cup on their ice again. Right, Sid?

Email: Mondesishouse@gmail.com Twitter: twitter.com/mondesishouse Facebook: Facebook Group

PHOTOS: Stanley Cup finals, Game 5

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 23:04:26 -0500

Mathieu Garon and his Pittsburgh teammates got pushed around by the Wings, who cruised in Game 5. Check out the action.

Sympathy For The Devil

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:10:14 -0500

Miroslav Satan scored a highlight reel goal against Edmonton last night that was very similar to one scored by Rick Nash last season. The only problem is that while the hockey world was abuzz after the Nash goal, I have yet to here a peep about Satan's beauty. Coincidence? Anti-Penguin bias? Anti-Euro bias? People forgetting that there are players on the Pens not named Crosby, Malkin, or Staal? Whatever the cause, sit back and enjoy this beauty.

Satan's Stunner

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 11:49:31 -0500

For those of you who didn't see it, Penguins veteran Miroslav Satan scored a very impressive highlight reel goal on Thursday against Edmonton. Satan took a rebound off the boards and did an amazing between his skates trick and then put the puck past Oilers 'tender Mathieu Garon. It was pretty ...

Morning After Meltdown: Edmonton Oilers

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 10:14:01 -0500

It's hard to win a game when you're down 5-0 at the end of two periods. The Edmonton Oilers tried, but not showing up for the first 40 minutes really hurt them. When the Pittsburgh Penguins jumped out to that 5-0 lead, it looked like the game was locked up, over with, kaput! Then the Oilers put ...

Can Anyone Stop the Sabres?

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 20:04:07 -0500

An overview of the first month in hockey, looking at the star players and teams so far, as well as the flops.