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April 18th, 2009 | Canadiens @ Bruins | Game 2 Thread


Cataclaw

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Wow, someone else FINALLY said it. Players like Komi after the whistle trying to act tough. This team does this alot, they are not tough, they are not physical, they can't or won't evenb go near Thomas. What a bunch of pussies. He is Rivet reincarnated.

I'll never convince anyone that Price isn't the reason this team stinks. There is NO GOALIE who could play in front of this defense and win consistantly. The D zone is awful. I beleive everyone's favourite D man was on the ice for all but 1 goal. Nothing mentioned about that. Nothing mentioned about 3 goals in 2 games, so if you expect a shut out from Price every night you'll be disappointed. I'm not saying he has been good but he isn't the reason they lose. Mason has given up 8 in 2 games, does he suck all of a sudden? I hope they play Halak, they will get shelled again and then where do the excuses lie?

The BG experiment? 2 games under 500, in danger of losing 8 straight and getting swept. I don't think he has mishandled much but firing another coach for these core players who have been here a few years juat l;ooks really bad. It's time to face reality, this group can not and will not get it done. They just are unwilling to do what it takes to win.

Played a solid 10 minutes: Check

Took a dumb penalty: Check

Gave up the first goal: Check

Fold up like a tent after something bad happens: Check

Blame Price for the loss: Check

It's pretty sad when Laraque is the player you notice most on the ice in the offensive zone. Kovalev had 2 great shots, other then that he's been invisible.

Can anyone explain the D? Thye clearly need to start over with 5 new D next year. For all those saying we should resign them, i give you the game tapes. Sneider? His minus 14 looks really good since his arrival. Komi, justv awful everywhere on the ice. I don't even know what vthe others are doing out there.

Recomendations: Just watch another series and watch real playoff teams play, you'll see how far off the rails these guys are.

The good news: BG clearly knows who can be gone from the roster, but will his loyalty to players get them resigned. I hope not. It's time to pick a coaching staff for 5 years, change the culture. If you not part of the solution, your part of the problem. So at least 10 guys IMO opinion can be removed fromt this team no problem.

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Wow, someone else FINALLY said it. Players like Komi after the whistle trying to act tough. This team does this alot, they are not tough, they are not physical, they can't or won't evenb go near Thomas. What a bunch of pussies. He is Rivet reincarnated.

I'll never convince anyone that Price isn't the reason this team stinks. There is NO GOALIE who could play in front of this defense and win consistantly. The D zone is awful. I beleive everyone's favourite D man was on the ice for all but 1 goal. Nothing mentioned about that. Nothing mentioned about 3 goals in 2 games, so if you expect a shut out from Price every night you'll be disappointed. I'm not saying he has been good but he isn't the reason they lose. Mason has given up 8 in 2 games, does he suck all of a sudden? I hope they play Halak, they will get shelled again and then where do the excuses lie?

The BG experiment? 2 games under 500, in danger of losing 8 straight and getting swept. I don't think he has mishandled much but firing another coach for these core players who have been here a few years juat l;ooks really bad. It's time to face reality, this group can not and will not get it done. They just are unwilling to do what it takes to win.

Played a solid 10 minutes: Check

Took a dumb penalty: Check

Gave up the first goal: Check

Fold up like a tent after something bad happens: Check

Blame Price for the loss: Check

It's pretty sad when Laraque is the player you notice most on the ice in the offensive zone. Kovalev had 2 great shots, other then that he's been invisible.

Can anyone explain the D? Thye clearly need to start over with 5 new D next year. For all those saying we should resign them, i give you the game tapes. Sneider? His minus 14 looks really good since his arrival. Komi, justv awful everywhere on the ice. I don't even know what vthe others are doing out there.

Recomendations: Just watch another series and watch real playoff teams play, you'll see how far off the rails these guys are.

The good news: BG clearly knows who can be gone from the roster, but will his loyalty to players get them resigned. I hope not. It's time to pick a coaching staff for 5 years, change the culture. If you not part of the solution, your part of the problem. So at least 10 guys IMO opinion can be removed fromt this team no problem.

I don't think Price sucks, I just don't think he is any better then half the young punks on this team. Talented, no heart. Good history, sense of entitlement. Done jack all at the NHL level, thinks they are superstars.

Wayne Gretzky was more humble and hard working after 4 Stanley cups then most of our team is now.

I don't think Halak is better then Price, I just think he is playing better this year then Price. I doubt he is playing good enough to make this team look good, but maybe he is playing well enough to give them some hope, which might lead to some more effort.

Regardless, I call this Bruins in 5 with a decent chance of a Boston sweep.

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I have no words..

Pitful. Simply pitful.

The tiny hope I had is completely gone now.

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Ugh. Ugly game. One penalty in the 1st and the team crumbled.

Quick notes:

- Josh Gorges. What's his use? He makes mental mistake after mental mistake, can't make a pass, can't win a battle, can't take or give a hit. Hope he goes on the press box once Markov comes back. I can't stomach watching that little #26 screw up every time the puck gets in his vicinity. So he's a good team player. Fine. Have him fill up the Gatorade bottles and hand out towels on the bench.

- Tom Kostopoulos. Please Bob, put someone with one ounce of talent with Lats and Laps. Kosto is a great warrior and all, but he negates all offense that line could generate because he has zero stickhandling ability.

- The Kostitsyns. How comes nobody has yet to teach them how to backcheck? Better yet, how comes nobody has told them the playoffs have started yet. Cycling the puck 30 feet away from the B's net. Yes, that'll score you some goals in the playoffs. I'll give some bonus points to Andrei K for solid hits on Lucic and Chara. Now start shooting the f***ing puck already.

- Higgins: Buy him a pair of contact lenses. He shot wide of the net about 5 times. So did most of the other players anyway. Except Lats. Latendresse hit the goalie with lot of consistency. Those 15 footers with nobody near Thomas sure are dangerous... if it was a pee-wee goalie in there.

- Price. Not impressed. Same old Carey. Miraculous saves, then stinkers from 15 feet. Give Jaro a chance to start in Game 3.

18 days since my home burned down and the Habs only won once since (april 4th). I'm doubly pissed off.

Give me a F**&G break!

I'm tired of how the french players get a free pass on this forum and Koivu and Kovelev continuosly get bashed. What exactly have Lats and Lapierre done this series (or for that matter Tanguey) ??? Yes they both had good years and were good down the strech, but have done dick all in the playoffs, with the exception of Lapierre going after guys after the whistle has blown. They spend most of the time battling BEHIND the bruins net and both have have either missed the net or have had their shots blocked pretty consistently. I agree about Kostopolous, the guy belongs on the 4th line. They should have someone like S. Kostitsyn or Tanguey - guys who can help the two L's by setting them up for some scoring lines. However, that can only ocurr IF those two starting driving TO the net rather then battle aimlessly behind it!!! Tanguay and Sergei could also benefit by playing with the two L's - again, IF they Drive hard and get IN FRONT of Thomas rather then fighting and losing the puck behind the bruins net. I'd rather have Sergei play with them, bcoz, Tanguay has shown good chemistry with Koivu and Kovelev. Why you break up the ONLY line that was going for them down the stretch is beyond me.

Higgins at least has scored and for the most part has been EXTREMELY effective as a penalty killer. He would also be better suited to play with the two L's, becuase at least he has SOME goal scoring ability.

Josh Georges is a 5th or 6th d-man that is being expected to be a #3 or 4. But I'd rather see him then Breeze-by. I cringed everytime he toched the puck in Game 1. At least Georges hits the net more oftern then the Beezer - despite not having nearly as good of a shot.

The two biggest problems with the Habs is that Gainey is trying to get them to play tough with the bruins, rather then use the same strategy as in the last regular season game they played, where the Habs used their speed and skill, do what the bruins are doing now - generate chances and turn the other cheek, and get some power-plays and score. Instead they are undisciplined taking too many stupid penalties and not using their speed or skill - with the exception of Kovolev. They out hit the bruins in game one, but so what??? They need to play their game and that is using their speed and skill. Right now the habs are little guys trying to out hit the big bad bruins and the bruins are using their speed and size to drive to the net and still delivering the more crushing hits.

That brings me to the other issue. No one on this team seems to have the balls to go down the centre of the ice and DRIVE TO THE FU*&NG net!!! No one is willing to pay the price in front of the net and force the bruins to take some penalties. Again Kovelev has at least try to carry it to the net, but no one else has. You always have three guys fighting for the puck behind the net, or two guys behind the net and one guy at the side, when they do pass the puck in front, it gets picked up by the bruins. Cycling the puck back and forth is only going to kill the clock, you aren't going to score until you show some balls and start going to the god damn NET.

In these two games Kovolev has been doing what he is paid to do and in the first game Higgins and Koivu were solid. Koivu was even throwing himself at Chara during the play - unlike Lapierre who tends to only yap with him after the play is dead. However, last night Kovy was the only one who generated anything or even showed up.

Anyways, I'd like to see a little more objectivity if you are going to bash the euro/english/russian/american habs and give Lats and Lapierre a free pass. They have done dick all this series and have neither generated offence or done enough defensively, or even made a good decision 25% of the time they have been on the ice. And Tanguay has been the disapearing softie he was in the playoffs, which got him run out of Calgary. Hopefully by putting him back with Koivu and Kovelev he can get going, rather then wasting him with a grinder like Metropolit.

I'd like to see the following line-up tomorrow given that Markov is probably still out:

Kovelev - Koivu - Tangauy

AK46 - Plecanek - Higgins

Latendresse - Lapierre - SK74

Laraque - Metropolit - Kostopolous

Komisarik - Hamrlik

Schneider - Weber

Georges - Dandendault

Halak

Gainey should be double shifting the Kovolev - Koivu - Tangauy line as much as possible. I'd also double shift Higgins and Ak46 with Metropolit and limit Laraque and Kostopolous's time. AND PLEASE no f*&ing Laraque on the power play!!!!

Lastly if Pleks doesn't respond it may be time to move him. You can't have your #2 centre not show up for the playoffs two years in a row. I really like Pleks - he is a really smart player and other then size, he is about as a complete as a player you can ask for - but at some point, guys have to step up or be shipped out.

Edited by hab29RETIRED
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Fair points, Mr. habs29. I'm not sure about trading Plekanec, though. He's right around the age when Ribeiro was traded, and if he has less offensive talent than Ribs, he has a far better all-around toolkit when he's on his game. Even if he blows his next chance, I think you're better off keeping him on grounds that trading a 25-year-old who has already spent a season and a half as a bona fide #2 C is almost certain to blow up in your face. Do we *really* think he is going to continue to suck in the playoffs, or be as useless as he was this season, when, say, he's 28 or 29? Why should we suffer the growing pains without reaping the rewards?

(Of course, if you can package Pleks as part of a deal for an elite C, that's another story. But I'm addressing the idea that we should give up on him, i.e., 'ship him out').

The same goes for Higgins and the Kostitsyns, BTW. None of these guys are close to their prime. Unless Gainey has detected fundamental character flaws that will likely prevent them from ever fulfilling their potential - or unless a deal emerges for that mystical stud #1 C the organization has needed for a decade - we should hold on to these young guys. Otherwise we'll be reproducing with players what we've been doing with our coaches: providing quality on the job training that ends up benefitting other organizations.

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Fair points, Mr. habs29. I'm not sure about trading Plekanec, though. He's right around the age when Ribeiro was traded, and if he has less offensive talent than Ribs, he has a far better all-around toolkit when he's on his game. Even if he blows his next chance, I think you're better off keeping him on grounds that trading a 25-year-old who has already spent a season and a half as a bona fide #2 C is almost certain to blow up in your face. Do we *really* think he is going to continue to suck in the playoffs, or be as useless as he was this season, when, say, he's 28 or 29? Why should we suffer the growing pains without reaping the rewards?

(Of course, if you can package Pleks as part of a deal for an elite C, that's another story. But I'm addressing the idea that we should give up on him, i.e., 'ship him out').

The same goes for Higgins and the Kostitsyns, BTW. None of these guys are close to their prime. Unless Gainey has detected fundamental character flaws that will likely prevent them from ever fulfilling their potential - or unless a deal emerges for that mystical stud #1 C the organization has needed for a decade - we should hold on to these young guys. Otherwise we'll be reproducing with players what we've been doing with our coaches: providing quality on the job training that ends up benefitting other organizations.

Pleks is a WAY better player then Ribero was when he left and even today, I'd still rather have Pleks then Ribeiro - Pleks actually seems to care and have a good attitude, but for whatever reason - be it the greater physicality of the playoffs or the pressure, can't seem to get ittogether. He also is very streaky like Ryder was.

The risk I see with keeping Pleks is that he is an RFA this year and had a pretty crappy year, so he probably wants a short term deal and the habs need to start signing guys to long term deals rather then having the situation like this year where most of the team will be a UFA or RFA and losing assets for nothing - the way we lost Ryder last year.

I think that he has either 1 yr left or at most 2 years before he is a UFA. So if you give him a low low 1yr deal now, he may end up deciding to walk next year when he is a UFA and you get nothing. Or, you could take a chance sign him to a long term deal for more money then he deserved after this year's output - assuming he is willing to sign a long term deal given his numbers this year, and take a chance he puts it together.

I think he is better suited as a #3 centre then a #2. But then, is Lapierre going to be happy being #4?? There are a lot of young guns that are o going to be RFA's this year and I'd like the habs to lock up the better one's to longer term deals now, when they can sign them cheaper.

The following are all RFA's this summer:

1. D'Agostini

2. Higgins

3. Latendresse

4. Plekanec

5. Chipchura

6. Stewart

Next summer you also have the following RFA's to deal with:

1. Price

2. Lapierre

3. S. Kostitsyn

4. Halak

From this year's list, unless I'm wrong, Higgins and Pleks can become UFA's in 2010.

How many of this year's RFA's do you want to try and sign to longer term deals (4+ years)???

I'd want to sign Higgins for sure - I still think he has more potential and the type of attitude to be an impact player and leader. He may not hit 40 goals, but should be able to become at least a regular 30 goal guy.

I'd also want to sign Latendresse to a long-term deal - anywhere between 4-7 years and front loading the contracts more as an incentive. I think if you lock him up now, even if it means over paying him, you could end up with a bargain when he hits his stride (think Jeff Carter this year although I wouldn't pay him that kind of money now).

Last year the habs signed AK46 to a 3 year deal, and I really think they should have tried to lock him him to a 4-7 year deal, becuase this guy SHOULD easily hit 40 goals when he hits his stride and we probably won't be able to keep him, unless he wants to keep playing with little bro.

Next year, I think you need to try and lock up Price and Lapierre long term.

But how many players can you take that risk with??? Do you want to do it with a small centre, when all you have in your system are other small centeres like Maxwell???

I'm not saying dump him for nothing like they did with Ribeiro. But if you can package him with a few other players and prospects, you can try and get a impact power forward or centre that the habs are serverly lacking.

We also have the following UFA's to deal with:

-Koivu

-Tangauy

-Kovolev

-Komisarik

-Kostopolous

-Lang

-Schneider

-Dandenault

-Brisbois

-Bouillon

If you lose the top 4 on this list for nothing, all of a sudden you just lost your ENTIRE first line and your #2 d-man!!! You have to have some chips to replace them.

I'd rather have the habs sign Koivu ($3.5M), Kovy ($3.5M) and Tanguay ($3.5M) back if they take a substantial cut from this year's base and although Komi had a bad year, you can't afford to lose your only real phyiscal d-man - especially since he is a much better player then he showed this year. He WILL get at least $5.5M and possibly over $6M this summer. Gainey, needed to sign him during the year. STUPID, STUPID, STUPID!!!

Gainey has really left himself open to regress further next year by not re-negotiating during the year and having so many free agents. A strategy like that can work for a team that is going to have a line up free agents wanting to play for you (which said to say, I think the Leafs will end up signing a lot of free agents over the next couple of years). But this this of strategy can not for the habs who can't seem to sign anyone, even if they offer more money, even the french players like Briere balk at coming home.

After the circus this year, where you had the usual idiot in the french media (Rejean Tremblay - is it just me, or is just a coincidence that he shares names with the two guys most responsible for the downfall of the habs - Mario Tremblay and Rejean Houle), created a stink over a non-story, you fired another coach and if most of your leaders walk this year, and on top of that you have to deal with High Quebec taxes and french language education laws. How attractive will Montreal look to other free agents??? We can dream of Bouwmester and Hossa or even Havlet all we want, but there is no way in hell they'll ever come to Montreal.

Edited by hab29RETIRED
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