Game Thread | Ottawa vs. Habs | 11/19/07

[Wamsley01]

I just watched the highlights again. Before anyone slams a goalie (price or huet), please watch the goals.

tonight, I have to lay the blame where it belongs, the team defense.

On the bright side, the Habs didn't get blown out tonight, they just could not contain the Sens in the slot. The are not the only team with that problem either.

Like I said, I do not blame Huet. But he is now under .500 even though he has picked up a couple bonus points.

There is no complaints. Because give it 3-6 weeks and Price will be getting more starts. It is inevitable

[brboo]

Price beat Pittsburgh twice, Toronto (something Huet cannot do) and Boston twice. The only game he lost was the Ottawa game.

The Atlanta game he was the only reason they were in it.

He has not had an easy sched. People were complaining early on that they were giving him tough games and it could ruin him.

The kid was outstanding in Toronto, in Boston, in Pittsburgh and at home against Atlanta.

I am not calling for Huets head. I just feel better when Price is in net. I think Huet is a good NHL goalie who when Hot steals games.

I kind of agree with you Wamsley, I am getting really comfortable with Price in the net, not to say that tonights score would have been different, because I have yet to see the game.

[Habsfan24]

Well that was very dissapointing all around tonight. The Crowd didn't seen into it, Pierre on RDS was sick and didn't seem into it. In what was such a key divisional game the Habs really came out flat again.

I think that Montreal is really starting to show signs that they are getting away from or struggling in the area that gave them so much success in the past weeks. This being good team defence and goaltending. Huet did not play awful tonight but he gave up some goals at bad times. The team defence is not what is was for whatever reason. Breezby has really started to struggle out there in his last few games. Streit as well seems lost out there and is really losing his man.

The amount of odd man rushes aginst the Canadiens tonight was also really shocking. I know Ottawa is a high powered team that can do that kind of thing to you but in the 2 games aginst Ottawa this season the Habs have been really good at shutting them down. The Habs so far this season have been built around a strong defence that does not give up these kinds of chances to anyone. The thing that is worrying is that in the last three games against Buffalo, Boston and now Ottawa cracks are showing in the team D and teams are starting to get lots of odd man rushes against the Habs. As well the opposition seems to be getting a lot of wide open chances in front of goal because players are not picking up their man.

On the offence the first line is really frustrating to watch. They work just as hard if not harder then any line on the team but cannot score. Higgins and Ryder should be able to score a lot of goals but it is just not clicking.

I think Gorges needs to see more time on defence instead of Breezby and they need to shore up their defence and they cannot slack on their defensive resonsibilities.

I usually look for good things out of a loss but tonight it is hard to. It is starting to feel like after a great start to the season this team is starting to take steps backwards when they should be improving.

[Wamsley01]

I kind of agree with you Wamsley, I am getting really comfortable with Price in the net, not to say that tonights score would have been different, because I have yet to see the game.

It probably would not have been different. But I enjoy watching the kid control the game so young.

He calms the team which is amazing, and he does little things to help our defence.

[brobin]

Price beat Pittsburgh twice, Toronto (something Huet cannot do) and Boston twice. The only game he lost was the Ottawa game.

The Atlanta game he was the only reason they were in it.

He has not had an easy sched. People were complaining early on that they were giving him tough games and it could ruin him.

The kid was outstanding in Toronto, in Boston, in Pittsburgh and at home against Atlanta.

I am not calling for Huets head. I just feel better when Price is in net. I think Huet is a good NHL goalie who when Hot steals games.

With all due respect. Price played against the 9th, 10th, and 11th teams in the standings. He lost against Ottawa. He got an overtime win against Toronto (number 7) when his team managed to score 4 goals.

Has either of them lost a game when the team gets 4 goals?

I really feel comfortable when Price plays, but I feel just as comfortable with Huet. the only exception (and this might just be bad luck) is toronto, where Huet can't buy a win. In that case, I prefer Price.

Against any other team, I think we can put in either and they won't be the reason we lose.

[CBHabs_fan]

Like I said, I do not blame Huet. But he is now under .500 even though he has picked up a couple bonus points.

There is no complaints. Because give it 3-6 weeks and Price will be getting more starts. It is inevitable

Huet is under .500?

[brboo]

Huet is under .500?

If you count overtime/shootout losses, he is 6-7 (6-5-2)

[Wamsley01]

Huet is under .500?

Well technically no. But if you go by how many wins he has as opposed to how many starts he is.

He has started 13 games and has won 6. So that means he has won less than half his starts.

The NHL rewards points for losses. But in my books they are still losses.

[Wamsley01]

With all due respect. Price played against the 9th, 10th, and 11th teams in the standings. He lost against Ottawa. He got an overtime win against Toronto (number 7) when his team managed to score 4 goals.

Has either of them lost a game when the team gets 4 goals?

I really feel comfortable when Price plays, but I feel just as comfortable with Huet. the only exception (and this might just be bad luck) is toronto, where Huet can't buy a win. In that case, I prefer Price.

Against any other team, I think we can put in either and they won't be the reason we lose.

Well, when he played Pittsburgh they were not viewed as an 11th place team. It is like playing the Rangers in the first month when they beat nobody and calling that win a great win because they have won 9 of 10 since.

That being said he beat the teams he is supposed to beat. He saved their bacon against Atlanta when they were outshot 23-6 in the first 25 minutes, he held the fort against the Leafs and avoided getting buried early. He held the fort when the Bruins threw everything at him on a 5 on 3 in Boston.

He stopped 7 shooters in the shootout in Pittsburgh.

He has not exactly coasted through his victories.

Edited November 20, 2007 by Wamsley01

[brboo]

If their records stay like this the media will grab it and run with it. Guaranteed.

Hmm seems like TSN already has.

"Cristobal Huet made 25 saves for the Canadiens in losing his third straight start and his fourth in his last five games. Rookie backup Carey Price has one loss in regulation in seven starts this season."

[Wamsley01]

Hmm seems like TSN already has.

"Cristobal Huet made 25 saves for the Canadiens in losing his third straight start and his fourth in his last five games. Rookie backup Carey Price has one loss in regulation in seven starts this season."

LOL, that didn't take long

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

No worries, Huet is due to get injured within the next month or two. This will help in Gainey's negotiations with him and relieve any 'goaltending controversy.'

[brboo]

No worries, Huet is due to get injured within the next month or two. This will help in Gainey's negotiations with him and relieve any 'goaltending controversy.'

Somehow I doubt Huet would be happy with a backup role.

[brobin]

Well, when he played Pittsburgh they were not viewed as an 11th place team. It is like playing the Rangers in the first month when they beat nobody and calling that win a great win because they have won 9 of 10 since.

That being said he beat the teams he is supposed to beat. He saved their bacon against Atlanta when they were outshot 23-6 in the first 25 minutes, he held the fort against the Leafs and avoided getting buried early. He held the fort when the Bruins threw everything at him on a 5 on 3 in Boston.

He stopped 7 shooters in the shootout in Pittsburgh.

He has not exactly coasted through his victories.

i don't think Price has had easy victories by any means.

Let me be very clear. I love Price. I am very comfortable with him in net. I see him as our future. He has not played enough games yet for me to annoint him as the savior yet. Sometimes you get lucky. Huet got Ottawa on both games after Ottawa just lost to a crap team and were rebounding. Why do you think he got those starts? I think he got them because the team is not going to put Price in that situation yet. Huet is a vet and it is his job to play these games. Unlike the Toronto game, I don't think Carbo saw anything tonight that makes him thing he can't start Huet against the Sens.

I just don't understand why some people seem to thing Price is now better then Huet. Wins and losses are team stats. Check out the goaltending stats and you will see we have two great goalies, with Huet slightly better then Price, so far.

I think people need to focus on our problems, and its not goaltending.

[Athlétique.Canadien]

What a bummer. Good hopes ride high still. I'm concerned with how Carbo rolled the lines early in this bout. The correct line matchups happened too late.

I'm also a little worried about Huet. He has to go back to basics. I was not confident tonight when he was moving from pipe to pipe. I personally call what Huet displayed tonight in his lateral play as "roving". Roving laterally is not a good thing. Hopefully it's just a blip in Huet's style and he'll find it and hunker down next game.

Edited November 20, 2007 by Athlétique.Canadien

[Dirty Harry]

Enough with the goaltending already, ALL 4 goals against were by a senator being given a perfect, unhassled setup in front of the net where Huet had no chance, same crap against buffalo. Seems to be more a problem with the centre not picking up the 3rd man buzzing around the net than the d-men, although they have their moments too, especially the bottom 3 on the depth chat.

The habs could've even stolen a point at least tonight, they had their chances, Kovalev alone missed two open nets in the 3rd. We couldn't bury those, Ottawa was given more easy openings, and buried enough of them to keep a 2 goal lead the whole game.

Overall not a terrible game, but it is frustrating to watch such sloppy play in the defensive end. Given that all the habs' coaches were top notch defensive forwards in their day, there's no reason this sort of stuff shouldn't be worked out quickly, it cost us the game in Buffalo, and again tonight.

[sbhatt]

Price beat Pittsburgh twice, Toronto (something Huet cannot do) and Boston twice. The only game he lost was the Ottawa game.

The Atlanta game he was the only reason they were in it.

He has not had an easy sched. People were complaining early on that they were giving him tough games and it could ruin him.

The kid was outstanding in Toronto, in Boston, in Pittsburgh and at home against Atlanta.

I am not calling for Huets head. I just feel better when Price is in net. I think Huet is a good NHL goalie who when Hot steals games.

I honestly dont' think Price would have made the slightest difference tonight. As people have been saying: wide open Sens in the slot rifling home setups.

[JMMR]

I honestly dont' think Price would have made the slightest difference tonight. As people have been saying: wide open Sens in the slot rifling home setups.

Well the 4th goal would for sure not have happened becuase Heatleys shot would not have resulted in a rebound off of the checst of Price.

But then they still would have lost 4-2 becuase Alfi would have scored an empty netter.

Edited November 20, 2007 by JMMR

[Soccerox]

Well the 4th goal would for sure not have happened becuase Heatleys shot would not have resulted in a rebound off of the checst of Price.

But then they still would have lost 4-2 becuase Alfi would have scored an empty netter.

sens win.......yawn!!!!!!

[Guest Syn]

As soon as the Sens popped their first two goals quick I turned the DVD player on and watched a movie... I knew the outcome already.

[Habsfan84]

Is Price is next game?

[johnnyhasbeen]

Huet was non-stelller, but that wasn't the cause of the loss. Higgins said it between the 2nd and third in an interview on Sportsnet, "We are letting them skate through the slot and aren't picking them up" or something to that effect. 3rd period starts with a goal from an unmolested Sen in the slot. I put this loss down to weak play in our defensive zone especially along the boards and in front of the net.

Edited November 20, 2007 by johnnyhasbeen

[Habsfan]

I agree that it is our defense that lost this game for us. Huet wasn'T great but he wasn'T the reason why the habs lost tonight. He might've been able to stop the 4th goal, but in any case, it would not have been enough!

What I was disappointed with was Carbo's use of his main players. Why is it that forwards on other teams (ie:alfredsson, Lecavalier, Richards,St-Louis, Spezza, Heatly, Sundin etc.etc.) can play 23-24 minutes per game, yet when we have a superstar who is strong like a horse, has just as much talent as any of these guys I mentionned and seems to have found that spark that had been missing in his game??...cough, cough, cough ALEX KOVALEV!! he only played 16 minutes last night. Kovy was all over the place last night. He played well along the boards, he created some nice plays, got an assist. Why did he only play 16 minutes? If there was one forward last night who deserved to play at least 20 minutes it was kovy!

Going back to our goalie situation. We've got 5 games in 8 nights(4 of which are on the road). who gets what start. If we assume that Price will get the start in Toronto on Tuesday, who gets the other games! Huet against the isles and in Buffalo, then you go with Price at the Phone Booth against the Sabres and in Toronto, and then you go back to Huet against the Devils!?

[Wamsley01]

Enough with the goaltending already, ALL 4 goals against were by a senator being given a perfect, unhassled setup in front of the net where Huet had no chance, same crap against buffalo. Seems to be more a problem with the centre not picking up the 3rd man buzzing around the net than the d-men, although they have their moments too, especially the bottom 3 on the depth chat.

The habs could've even stolen a point at least tonight, they had their chances, Kovalev alone missed two open nets in the 3rd. We couldn't bury those, Ottawa was given more easy openings, and buried enough of them to keep a 2 goal lead the whole game.

Overall not a terrible game, but it is frustrating to watch such sloppy play in the defensive end. Given that all the habs' coaches were top notch defensive forwards in their day, there's no reason this sort of stuff shouldn't be worked out quickly, it cost us the game in Buffalo, and again tonight.

I never claimed that Price would have won. I do not blame Huet for the loss last night.

I have been praising Price since the summer. I was not worried that he was ready for the NHL, I was excited to see how dominant he could be at the NHL level. He has not disappointed me.

I feel better when he is in the net. He is better technically than Huet, he has better rebound control and he handles the puck better. The only thing in my opinion that Huet holds on him right now is experience, but we are not talking about Huet having 10 years. He has never started more than 40 games in a season. Experience is a large factor, but as every game passes that will change.

Plus I was just pointing out that Huet is playing .500 hockey now. He has won 2 of his last 6 and he has allowed 10 goals in his last 3 games since his shutout. He is slumping. I think we are about to see Price get some more starts and Carbo will deviate from his Huet 2/Price 1 plan.

This is not a call to bench Huet, this is not a slight against Huet. But I do want to see if this kid can run with the ball, he has passed every single test at every level, I expect him to pass the starter test as well.

I have confidence in both goalies, but I have more in Price. Nothing more, nothing less

[Chris]

Well as bad as the defense was, the Habs have scored a grand total of 5 goals in 3 games against the sens. Not going to win much doing that. The defense has been mediocre at best since the Philly game. It isn't going to get any easier from here, 3 more games this week and against teams that have better work ethic then the Habs.

Well it only took 59 and a half minutes but i did see a body check. The Habs were soft, lazy, and couldn't cover anyone in there own end. The Habs really need to watch the game film on that one, notice the Sens actually drive to the net, score goals around the net. Other then Lats the Habs are pretty much a perimeter team. this why they always have problems scoring.

Good news;

Chipchura plus 6, Lats had a decent night.