[Game Thread] Calgary Flames @ MONTREAL CANADIENS

[JoeLassister]

1. That kind of pinch happens often. If you noticed, Mara's not even on his side because guess which other D wasnt there?

2. Come on JoeLass. A pee-wee goalie could have stopped that 8 mph backhander. That's what probably fooled him in the first place. Still he's right there waiting for the shot!

Exactly. IMO Price was ready for a real hard NHL shot, but Tanguay received it in his skates, that pushed the puck upfront and he had to take a hail mary backhand shot that hit the post.

It's like a professional poker player facing an amateur one on one, he never knows how the other will react and get screwed. Or like a batter waiting for the 98 mile per hour fastball who receives a 64 miles per hour changeup.

I think blaming Mara is silly. How much time does a goalie need to be prepared to stop a break away that starts 140 feet away? Even mistakes that happen at the other teams blue line result in goals basically every time.

I wont say Price should have had it, but it wasnt that hard of shot. However for the people wanting to place blame on that goal blame Laps. Watch him float back and not do much to try to stop Tangs. If Laps had put a bit more effort into actually back checking instead of just back skating he could have tried to accost Tangs in some way instead of just gliding along behind Tangs. Also Gui was uber weak with with the puck which lead to Mara loosing it at the blue line. Gui started that entire sequence.

Exact again. You just can't blame the goalie only on a play that was a mess since the beginning. Tu gagnes en équipe, tu perds en équipe.

[redondo]

The Carbonneau firing was also suspect, seeing as Bob did even worse than Guy with the same team.

I liked Carbonneau, and I think he will probably do a good to great job next time he gets a head coaching job, someplace. But he didn't help himself exactly with that quote about not knowing what to do/being out of answers (i forget the exact line, but it was less then a week before he was fired), you never want your coach to admit publicly that he's lost the room even if he has, it's kind of the kiss of death.

And I agree with you on the performance afterwards, but Bob Gainey the interim coach is one thing, and Bob Gainey the GM is another. So if you accept the point of view that last year's group needed purging (which I do) even if you don't necessarily agree with how Bob went about it (which I partially don't), then you wonder what any coach could have done with them. That bunch looked pretty listless to me, but not before killing four pretty decent (if young) coaches previously. I will live with this year's group's faults, at least they're fighting and in games, not getting beaten up and beaten down, midgets or not. I'm not a fan of 1:0 losses, but Bruins just went through something similar a week ago and now they're back scoring/winning, I am still optimistic. There is lots of room for improvement......

[KoZed]

I think blaming Mara is silly. How much time does a goalie need to be prepared to stop a break away that starts 140 feet away? Even mistakes that happen at the other teams blue line result in goals basically every time.

I wont say Price should have had it, but it wasnt that hard of shot. However for the people wanting to place blame on that goal blame Laps. Watch him float back and not do much to try to stop Tangs. If Laps had put a bit more effort into actually back checking instead of just back skating he could have tried to accost Tangs in some way instead of just gliding along behind Tangs. Also Gui was uber weak with with the puck which lead to Mara loosing it at the blue line. Gui started that entire sequence.

That's more like it. Lats is the one that turned the puck over and Laps never backchecked. Both were benched after that goal.

[Trizzak]

The HabsWorld.net main page doesn't haven nearly the consistent coverage needed to encourage growth in the forums.

This season has had the most coverage since I started coming to this site.

[JoeLassister]

This season has had the most coverage since I started coming to this site.

Think it was sarcastic from Colin ...

[brobin]

How mjuch worse is Koivu then Gomez. At least Koivu goes HARD to the net. I like Gomez and wouldn't mind having him as a second line centre making under $4M. But all of the habs fans were on Koivu for not being a BIG DOMINATING Centre, or being a true #1 centre. Is Gomez really a #1 centre?? He sure the heck isn't a BIG DOMINATING centre!!

Having Koivu for anther year or two at $2.25M seems a lot more enticing to me then Gomez at $7.3M for the next 5 years!!!!

I had a huge argument with my brother about Kovy after his big year, I thought they should have traded him then, my brother who loves Kovy and still wears his Kovy jersey, thought that Kovy had finally broken out. Guys his age don't suddenly break out or change. If gainey had any balls he would have moved him after that big year.

If we don't sign Gomez, we don't get Cammy or Gionta. While they are not Crosby or Malkin, they were the best available.

We have done the Koivu thing. It didn't work. He is just getting older and slower. When is the last time a Free agent signed so they could play with Koivu? Even Kovy didn't gel with him.

We also had big issues in the locker room. At least this team tries, or at least, the new guys are trying. The problem with this team is not Gomez's salary, its the fact that we have zero contribution from the kids. In a cap system, you MUST have contribution from the low cost kids, or you are done. The Gomez line is being smothered, just like Crosby in Pitts is being smothered.

We have a new core and while we all wish it was made up of Crosby, Ovie, and Malkin, that just isn't in the cards. We need to find a second line player to help Pleks. We need Markov back, and we need top end goaltending. That will make us competitive. It won't make us a favourite for the cup. Like most teams in this league, unless you get lucky, or a few years with top 5 draft picks, it takes more then one year to build a team.

I certainly don't agree with a lot of Gainey's moves, nor do I think he is the best GM in the biz, but he is not the worst. He had a bad hand last year and he has done his best to go back to the deck. He did better then Burke, imo,.

[Athlétique.Canadien]

Our core 3 free agents contain one that is making 3 to 4 million more than he's supposedly worth. I really don't care. When I look at the big picture of having these 3 players it seems to me they might as well be all overpaid by 1 million. Considering what the 3 bring to the team and if in fantasy Gionta and Cammalleri were overpaid by 1.5 each and bring Gomez down to 4.3 million does it really matter?

What I like is IMO - if one more big ticket name comes in we might become lethal. There's 5 years of this core to make that happen. Before BOb did the rebuild he was always cherrypicking for UFA's. Fill this plug and that plug - Samsonov or whoever.

Now the Habs can focus on getting the power forward. That's it really. Bob has made this far easier now!!! It staggers me that during this whole rebuild that the media didn't even catch this. The talk from the media was that we didn't address the size issue. Size this and size that. Watch 2 weeks of TSN and enjoy listening to size Habs etc...and size oh no they're in trouble.

All the while (and Moen is probably part of the plan) we now just need ONE! And for the record. IMO, we are in a MUCH BETTER position to bring in or attract that player via UFA than we were with last years squad. All it takes is a good trade to a sinking losing team if we make the playoffs.

Bah. Gainey's alright for now

Bob has made this far easier now!!! Nobody sees it

Edited November 12, 2009 by Athlétique.Canadien

[jackp]

Our core 3 free agents contain one that is making 3 to 4 million more than he's supposedly worth. I really don't care. When I look at the big picture of having these 3 players it seems to me they might as well be all overpaid by 1 million. Considering what the 3 bring to the team and if in fantasy Gionta and Cammalleri were overpaid by 1.5 each and bring Gomez down to 4.3 million does it really matter?

What I like is IMO - if one more big ticket name comes in we might become lethal. There's 5 years of this core to make that happen. Before BOb did the rebuild he was always cherrypicking for UFA's. Fill this plug and that plug - Samsonov or whoever.

Now the Habs can focus on getting the power forward. That's it really. Bob has made this far easier now!!! It staggers me that during this whole rebuild that the media didn't even catch this. The talk from the media was that we didn't address the size issue. Size this and size that. Watch 2 weeks of TSN and enjoy listening to size Habs etc...and size oh no they're in trouble.

All the while (and Moen is probably part of the plan) we now just need ONE! And for the record. IMO, we are in a MUCH BETTER position to bring in or attract that player via UFA than we were with last years squad. All it takes is a good trade to a sinking losing team if we make the playoffs.

Bah. Gainey's alright for now

Bob has made this far easier now!!! Nobody sees it

You're right... I don't see it at all. I hate to be the doom and gloom guy but it's really hard to be optimistic with what I've been seeing on the ice. We have *one* regulation time win. That's even worse than the Maple Leafs. I don't believe we're a good team, nor do I believe we're one player away from being a good team.

I've already listed all the things I was unhappy about as far as Gainey was concerned, but here's one more:

I was very disappointed when he got that top 5 pick and took a goalie. At the time, I think we had Huet and Theodore (not sure about this). I do remember thinking at the time, why didn't he pick a power forward? Why another goalie? Some of the more knowledgeable people on this board can perhaps help me out here and list who was available at the time.

I do remember that this was the first time I had a niggling doubt about Gainey. Before that, I was with the crowd who thought he was the 2nd coming.

[bar]

I will reserve my thoughts for Gainey when Markov comes back, it's like judging the Capitals without Ovie. Markov is our best player, we really never knew how much influence he had on the entire game. All those close games we lost, who knows with Markov in the line up we don't have what a 10% PP rate? You can boohoo Gainey all you want, but no one in their right mind can say they predicted Markov to go down in the first game of the season.

[han_dyl]

You're right... I don't see it at all. I hate to be the doom and gloom guy but it's really hard to be optimistic with what I've been seeing on the ice. We have *one* regulation time win. That's even worse than the Maple Leafs. I don't believe we're a good team, nor do I believe we're one player away from being a good team.

I've already listed all the things I was unhappy about as far as Gainey was concerned, but here's one more:

I was very disappointed when he got that top 5 pick and took a goalie. At the time, I think we had Huet and Theodore (not sure about this). I do remember thinking at the time, why didn't he pick a power forward? Why another goalie? Some of the more knowledgeable people on this board can perhaps help me out here and list who was available at the time.

I do remember that this was the first time I had a niggling doubt about Gainey. Before that, I was with the crowd who thought he was the 2nd coming.

Maybe because he knew they were not the answer. Huet was ok, but let's be honest he was not going to lead the team to the cup. Theo?!?! Come on do you remember how he played the year after he won the vezina and hart? Theo was done in Montreal, and he has been awful ever since, save one contract year in Colorado. Maybe it's possible Gainey realized the goaltenders we had were not going to get the job done. And before we go throwing Price under the bus here, keep in mind he is 22 years old!

[Colin]

This season has had the most coverage since I started coming to this site.

It wasn't sarcasm, no. And I agree, in comparison with last year, for instance, the team led by Brian is doing a very good job. But compared with a few years back when there were sometimes pre-game posts, as well as 2 or 3 post game stuff AND other postings? We were getting lots and lots of people back then.

That wasn't meant as a shot at anyone, just an observation from the peanut gallery. As far as I can tell, we just don't have the same coverage we used to, and combined with the other elements I pointed out, it's probably led to a diminuation of the boards somewhat.

I think Brian is doing a great job, all things considered.

[bombTHEice]

It wasn't sarcasm, no. And I agree, in comparison with last year, for instance, the team led by Brian is doing a very good job. But compared with a few years back when there were sometimes pre-game posts, as well as 2 or 3 post game stuff AND other postings? We were getting lots and lots of people back then.

That wasn't meant as a shot at anyone, just an observation from the peanut gallery. As far as I can tell, we just don't have the same coverage we used to, and combined with the other elements I pointed out, it's probably led to a diminuation of the boards somewhat.

I think Brian is doing a great job, all things considered.

Maybe guys are getting bored to write and read about the same things since these boards started? HABS are still mediocre and I still read the same things, rants, etc. at the Habs talk section - it's simply nothing new.

Though that's just my opinion ...

Edited November 12, 2009 by bombTHEice

[Toronthab]

Holy shit everyone, we lost a game! Burn your jerseys and hang yourselves! Season's over!

HAHAHAA! What is the root word of 'fan'?

[Fanpuck33]

It wasn't sarcasm, no. And I agree, in comparison with last year, for instance, the team led by Brian is doing a very good job. But compared with a few years back when there were sometimes pre-game posts, as well as 2 or 3 post game stuff AND other postings? We were getting lots and lots of people back then.

That wasn't meant as a shot at anyone, just an observation from the peanut gallery. As far as I can tell, we just don't have the same coverage we used to, and combined with the other elements I pointed out, it's probably led to a diminuation of the boards somewhat.

I think Brian is doing a great job, all things considered.

Sounds to me like Colin wants to start writing again!

[KoZed]

HAHAHAA! What is the root word of 'fan'?

Fantasy?

[BTH]

All the while (and Moen is probably part of the plan) we now just need ONE! And for the record. IMO, we are in a MUCH BETTER position to bring in or attract that player via UFA than we were with last years squad. All it takes is a good trade to a sinking losing team if we make the playoffs.

Bah. Gainey's alright for now

Bob has made this far easier now!!! Nobody sees it

I think you're right that Habs + healthy Markov + consistent goaltending + "one big power forward" (who? people have been waiting for this guy for years - how many acceptable ones are there in the NHL?) is a Cup contending team.

If we can lock in another 6-7M player (assuming the player deserves that salary) we probably will be a contender for the next 4-5 years. But it's easier said than done - there are very few 6M+ players in the league and most of them are untouchable (only Kovalchuk comes to mind).

Besides, I'm not confident that Gainey is out there looking for an impact player right now. He's probably just looking for a serviceable secondary scorer (Frolov, Sharp).