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Even if we lose this series ( which I doubt ) look at all the positives. An amazing regular season along with a second round playoff series which we have played some pretty amazing hockey. The Habs have shown so much more grit and heart than I even thought they had in them. They dont give up and continue to battle. The fans at the Bell Center are amazing and the atmosphere there along with how successful the team has done will surely attract many more players wanting to be a part of the greatest sports organization of all time. GO HABS GO....
Fight the urge to purge with your doubt.
Handful of thoughts:
1. No need to panic. It's not a best of three, it's a best of seven. Bounces tend to even themselves out over the course of seven games.
2. I think Richards did us a favour yesterday by popping Halak in the melon. That won't go unnoticed in the league's head orifice, neither will Downie's slewfoot. If we get a ref with some stones, all the little stuff they've been getting away with will be whistled down.
3. Have to go with Price one more time. He hasn't been on, but to call for the backup is utter foolishness. Reminds me of the schmoes who would always howl for Bunny Larocque or Brian Hayward. You ride your horse until it can't run anymore. The great ones always make adjustments
4. Ryder needs to be in the lineup. To me, our single biggest problem in this series has been a lack of finish. How many goalposts can we hit? No, he hasn't been great this year, but he does have a knack for scoring goals, and sometimes a guy like that can get a cheesy one that can get the momentum going in the right direction.
5. Latendresse really doesn't offer much.
6. Biron makes a lot of saves look spectacular because he's often out of position. More effort needs to be made (easier said than done, of course) moving him from side-to-side.
Right, right and right, except on Lats. Both he and Ryder have had their flashes, and Lats has got his 16 goals - not too shabby at all for a sophomore kid with defensive-minded linemates making less than $1M. Either one would be an improvement of Dandy.
1. www.flickeringpictures.com - not a hockey site, but still kinda neat
2. Josh Gorges on Montreal's attack: "They're comin', they're comin' and they keep comin'. Just line after line, wave after wave..."
Sorry, but Lats offers more than Ryder right now. I don't know what's wrong with Ryder, but he "aint getting it done" this year. Who knows what will happen/where he'll be next year, but for now he doesn't belong in the lineup. Heck, I'd dress Stewart before him - at least Stewart will want to impress somebody.
I didn't think Biron was out of position.
He looked more like Price did in game 7.
Regardless of why they loss, most are blaming the goaltending, however, the fact remains they failed to score 5 on 5 and no team is going to win anything if they cant score 5 on 5.
I still believe...they are playing well, a lot better than against Boston that is for sure...they will pull this off, it was going to go 6 or 7 games anyway, Philly was way too good of a lineup for it to be 4 or 5...also, for those crapping on Price's future (already), listen, yes now he is not doing well, but some of you already have written off the rest of his career...look at Biron, a career backup finally shining, how come he never took the chances that came his way (meaning when he got to play, how come he never took anyone's breath away?)?
The kid will be fine, this shell-shocking will be good for him, trial by fire and all that...although they should get that glove of his looked at :P
GO HABS GO!
The Habs will bouce back and win this series.
Last night's 3rd period was a HUGE confidence booster for the les boys.
The Flyers are done.
The next 3 games are ours.
Habs did do some good things in the 3rd period, like having a man in front of the net during the PP. Lets hope it carries over.
This team has been written off for dead on so many occasions this year. They were picked to finish out of the playoffs and they won the East with 100+ points. They were called chokers in the 1st round when they let Boston back in the series and turned in a dominant performance in game 7 when no one thought they had it in them. Now, down 2-1 they are being questioned again and left for dead.
There is a lot of character in that room...a lot. They are a resilient bunch and it's my belief that this series is far from over and that we remain a good bet to win it. Getting into shoulda, coulda, wouldas is pointless. They got their two wins because they deserved them and we got our win because we deserved it...point final. I'm not going to take anything away from Philly...they've been opportunistic and have gotten the type of goaltending you need to win in the playoffs.
Rumors of our demise again are going to be greatly exaggerated. We will bounce back! I believe...truly I do.
Thanks for the dose of reality and good sense. We're down one measly game. No reason we can't steal one on the road and come back home 2-2.
1. www.flickeringpictures.com - not a hockey site, but still kinda neat
2. Josh Gorges on Montreal's attack: "They're comin', they're comin' and they keep comin'. Just line after line, wave after wave..."
good post Rastaman... we must continue to believe and to support our team. Although we didn't get the win last night, it was nice to see the grins and smirks disappearing from the flyers faces. They know they are in trouble and have to watch their step... very carefully. They also know that the only reason they are still in this series is Biron.... and its only a matter of time before he falters and returns to his 'norm'. Lets all pull together on this... the tide is turning.. in our favor!
I do think the habs are much better than the flyers, I thought it was possible to sweep them to be honest. We did outplay them but only when we were behind and on PPs. When the result of the game was still up in question, we didnt outplay them that much. Less excuses, more hardwork.
nice blurb (if it's in the audio i'm sorry but i can;t get hte audio)
“He’s 20-years old and we’re trying to ask this kid to be the savior for our club,’’ Carbonneau said. “But again, you can’t ignore the fact that we have a 5-on-3 power play for two minutes in the first, with our best five players on the ice, and couldn’t score. Maybe we should blame them. This is a team game and we lost as a team so everybody is to blame; not just one guy. I’ll take some of the blame as well.
http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=361974
We all have opinions and some of us let the passion for the team mixed in with the frustrations of a disappointing outcome fuel those opinions. You think we are disappointed, imagine how the boys feel.
One thing I think the Habs are guilty of is letting frustration get the best of them. We all know that if they would have captialized on the missed chances of the last nights first period and even the chances missed in game 2, we would all be praising the all mighty for giving us this team. They would have been different games. I am a strong beleiver that "If it was meant to be... It will be" We will see the character of the "boys" and what they have. They were golden during the season and bronze at best so far in the playoffs. This is where the men get separated from the boys. Problem is some boys have to grow up first. You can't expect boys to do a man's job right out of the gates or even on the first try. This is a very good young team with very little playoff experience. Don't get me wrong, If these guys play the way they can and keep it going for 60 minute stretches, there are few teams in the league today that can match them. Just imagine what they will be able to accomplish with experience.
I agree with that.
Someone mentioned the Penguins earlier - they didn't get far last year and this year they are on fire.
If the Habs don't make it past this round, I will be sad but not devastated - there is a VERY bright future ahead and the experience they will have accumulated will carry them even further in the years to come.
The morning after; I posted during the game, I swore I'd never do that, that the team was not mentally prepared. I stand by this comment this morning. There was a better turnout in the 3rd but that's it. Biron is getting into people's head by now and this is not good.
Is Higgins, don't shoot me for this, turning into a Turner Stevenson ? How many chances does he need to put the puck behind Biron ?
Our PP is atrocious, never seen it as bad as last night. I praised Streit all year but it is now time to look somewhere else for some creativity and shots on net. May be having Kovy on the back side with the only task to bring the puck across the blue and make something out of it. This dump and chase is simply not working. How many times do we have to go through this ?
I'm sure that the fact that we blew so many chances, especially the early 5 on 3, combined with the low shots on Carey, affects Carey's game.
Shots on goal and the rest of the stats don't mean much in playoff hockey.
Hopefully the younger crowd in Montreal will can the Ole and name calling. Does it really help?
I missed the first 40 minutes of disaster unfold, but witnessed the 3rd period last night. Although the Habs are down 2-1, the flyers don't look that good, aside from Biron. The Habs just need to control the puck like they did for the last 15 minutes, only for 60 minutes. If they can solve Biron, they can win this series. They can outskate this collection of pylon defencemen with ease, and draw penalties.
Let's see some serious, disciplined hockey tomorrow night!
Lorn - the game was basically over in the 3rd period until Hatcher took the major. At that point, Montreal (and it's PP) finally started to connect. Without that penalty, you're probably looking at a 3-0 or 3-1 game.
The Original 24.4 Cups
When people say Price is tired, I get upset. Tired from what? he's only played about 40 games this year. C'mon! the kid doesn't have the intensity needed to win game in and game out. If you noticed during the season, he would win 3 in a row, then a bad game. It was always the same scenario. He was never capable of winning more than 3 in a row, before having a bad game(brain freeze). There's just something off about this kid. way too nonchalant, and always full of excuses why he couldn't stop the puck. he never takes blame for anything.Never takes rtesponsibility. Doesn't know what humility is about. Guess he thinks he's better than the rest of the team, and maybe he thinks he's God or something. get over yourself kid. You're just a brash wannabe goalie who can't cut the mustard when the pressure is on! he's not capable of winning 4 games in a row,never mind 28! It's never going to happen, period! Sorry guys, but I just don't see this kid as an NHL goalie. Please don't bash me for my opinion. I have a right to disagree. But I really do hope that I'm wrong, because there is nothing I would enjoy more than winning a cup with this kid in goal.
Carey Price is not ignorant. I'm sure he realizes that he has the weight of Habs world on his shoulders and I imagine that it has probably caused him to feel a little pressure which will cause even the best players in any sport to stumble a little bit. Unfortunately because he isn't old enough in the US to go have a cold beer and chill out, he is left to try and get it under control on his own and he will, so relax he'll be fine.
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Have always been a Habs fan...will always be a Habs fan. I was born on the bandwagon and will die on the bandwagon...there is no on and off.
"there's just something off about this kid. way too nonchalant, and always full of excuses why he couldn't stop the puck. he never takes blame for anything.Never takes rtesponsibility. Doesn't know what humility is about. Guess he thinks he's better than the rest of the team, and maybe he thinks he's God or something"
Huh?
Nonchalant. Yes. He's also cool, calm, and collected, whether on the ice or in an interview.
As for the rest? Sorry to disagree with you, buddy, but I've never one seen him blame anyone but himself, never NOT seen him take responsibility for poor play.
I think he is quite humble for a 20 year old rookie who is lauded as the Next Big Thing. He does not assume he is superman and when the team wins, he gives his team credit before he gives himself credit.
When people chant "Jesus Price" does he assume he is God? Absolutely not. He is human like everyone else. He makes mistakes, he has bad games, and he admits it.
He's learning and he WILL be a big star. He's proven it in the small leagues.
I think it is a bit over the line saying that the kid is not humble and that his ego is larger than life and that he needs to get over himself, where is the proof, if he honestly did have that kind of attitude problem, Carbonneau, Muller, Jarvis, Gainey, Koivu and the rest would have quickly put an end to that...from the interviews I have seen, his only excuse was that he did not play well (sounds like taking responsibility to me), he never blamed things that were beyond his control...Also, if you notice, everyone was calling him the next Dryden and Roy, but he never did...
So yes, he is not playing well now...big deal, he will rebound...look at Marty Turco now in Dallas, a perenial playoff choker and now everyone is singing praises about him and the team...
20 years old, future star and expected to scratch the 15-year old itch of a venerable institution...no pressure, eh?
I think it's too early to judge how good Carey Price will be. Yes, he has not been able to bring out his A game night after night. However, he is only 20 years old. Most goalies don't crack the NHL until they're at least 22 or 23, and many of those are backups for another year or two after that. I agree the comparisons to Dryden/Roy may have gotten to his head (if I was told this night after night, my ego would be so inflated it wouldn't fit in the Bell Centre).
Let's keep in mind these are Price's first NHL playoffs, and this is great preparation for the centennial year for him, OB, and the rest of the playoff rookies. It's hard to expect these guys to go all the way. Afterall, the seemingly unbeatable Penguins didn't get this far last year, and now they are making minced meat out of the Sens and Rangers.
Regardless of the reasons Price has been horrible in four of the last five games. At least. Only two more losses and we are out. Give the other guy a chance. It is obvious there is something wrong with Price right now. How many chances is he going to get?
Detroit has made a switch. Carolina made a switch a few years ago and went to the Stanley Cup.
I think the team has lost confidence in Price. I saw how they reacted in the third with Halak in there. They dominated. We have to make the change.
Did they dominate or did they protect their goaltender more because it was his first playoff experience?
Perhaps the team had TOO much confidence in Price, leaving him to stop bad deflections or letting him be screened. Perhaps Philly is in his head.
I agree with an earlier post that he performs best when he's facing a lot of shots. He seems to lose his focus when he is peppered with only a couple. Dealing with this is something he'll have to adapt to.
Practice?! Mais no!!!! I cannot believe it. I thought we had nothing to practice. Not like we need to adjust on a powerplay or learn how to hit an empty net. Maybe they shoudl bring out a shooter tutor and do that today at the practice. Practice. What a strange word to hear in relation to Habs. Practice... Practice. Kinda rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?
What it comes down to is our jump in our step! The boys need to throw their bodies around and be hungry for the puck. We all know that we can outskate the flyers any day of the week, but we need more than that. We need to want it more, and be hungry. The third period showed me that we can play with these guys and win, if we want it more. No goalie can steal a series if you outshoot the opponents like we did in the third. We just can't did ourselves into these giant holes, but otherwise i like what im seeing in the third periods so far!!
Koivu is a true champion in my books and we can all see why he is the captain of this team. His amazing play on the ice can only motivate the guys around him. As for Guillaume, i thought he played amazing yesterday; he really showed that he belongs in the lineup.
On the defensive side, the first pass needs to be alot better, and i think thats the key to our game. The D also need to communicate better and pick up guys in the slot!! Otherwise, im not worried!!
GO HABS GO!
I am a big supporter of Carey Price and I know he will be a great goaltender. I don't think he was bad yesterday because he was tired. My Theory is that they have rested him between games lately. Not to tire him out because he has played a lot of hockey in the last year. I think that because he is not practicing and that Philly is not shooting at him as much, he has lost his timing. He is like a Luongo or Brodeur in the sense that he needs lots of pucks to be comfy or else he loses concentration. I don't blame price for the loss yesterday but he was an element to the loss...
As for the rest of the team. We manhandled Philly in the thrid and we only allowed something like 16 shots throughout the whole game. Not too bad defensively. But we also need to bang on our chances. That is why we were successful against Boston. We didn't have many chances, but the ones we did get, we took advantage of. I believe we are on the right track.
Good point about last night is that on the second half of the Hatcher 5 minute major, we looked pretty good on the PP and scored twice... With a little consistent goaltending we can beat them no problem. But Higgy no more missed chances. Come on...
Players win games, teams win championships.
- Bill Taylor