Koivu hobbled as habs hit speed bump

[Habsfan84]

Head coach Guy Carbonneau said good health has been a key ingredient in the Canadiens' success this season, but the team might be starting the playoffs without captain Saku Koivu.
While the extent of Koivu's foot injury remains shrouded in mystery, he wasn't dressed last night when the Canadiens dropped a 4-2 decision to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
While there was a report on RDS that Koivu would be out for four weeks, Carbonneau said the team was awaiting a further examination today in Montreal.

"I think he had an X-ray (Friday) night, but that's one of those things where you can't tell the full extent of the injury until the swelling goes down." Koivu was struck by a shot in the first period of Friday's 4-3 overtime win in Buffalo, but continued playing. His foot was swollen yesterday and he was scratched, along with defenceman Mark Streit, who suffered a similar injury.
The Canadiens already are without defenceman Mike Komisarek (hip injury) and Guillaume Latendresse, who is suffering from neck spasms. Another defenceman, Francis Bouillon, limped off after he was hit in the right ankle for the second time this season. He tested the ankle, but said he was unable to return.
The injuries overshadowed another disappointing performance from the Canadiens who missed a chance to clinch the Northeast Division title.
"We didn't play well enough to win, even with the injuries," said Christopher Higgins, who was stopped by Vesa Toskala on a second-period penalty shot with the score tied 0-0.
"If I had lifted it a bit higher, I might have scored and it might have made a difference, but he made a good save," Higgins said.
Despite the loss, the Canadiens remain one point ahead of idle Pittsburgh atop the Eastern Conference standings and control their own destiny in the battle with Ottawa for first place in the Northeast Division.
The Senators' meltdown continued with a 4-0 loss yesterday in Boston, and Ottawa is six points behind Montreal. The Canadiens can clinch first place if they get at least a tie in Ottawa Tuesday or in either of their two remaining home games - Thursday vs.
Buffalo or Saturday against the Leafs.
Anton Stralman and Jiri Tlusty each scored two for the Leafs, who were eliminated from playoff contention this week. Mathieu Dandenault and Tom Kostopoulos scored for Montreal.
Penalties were a major factor, though neither team scored on the power play. The Canadiens kept the Leafs off the scoreboard in the first period despite being shorthanded for nine minutes. Defenceman Ryan O'Byrne accounted for five of those minutes when he was handed a major and a game misconduct for driving Jeremy Williams into the boards.
"We thought we would have a letdown after clinching a playoff spot, but we didn't think it would last for two games," Carbonneau said. "We talked about it before the game and I thought we would come out really hard, but it didn't happen." Josh Gorges found himself pushed around in front of the net on two of those goals and said: "It's my fault, I have to be stronger." It was difficult to fault Gorges on the first goal. Mats Sundin clubbed him into the ice as Stralman launched his shot.