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GDT: Game 4 - Bruins @ Habs Apr. 21, 2011


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The Habs record at home in the playoffs over the last decade is awful.

11-21 @ home with that crowd? That is horrible.

Contrast that to their road record in that same time span

14-20 including three game seven victories on the road.

Thanks for that post Wams.

It makes the 2 games in Boston that much more encouraging.

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As others said, if you would have told me that the Habs would have been 2-2 after four games,I would have taken it. One more home game at least for the boys and let's see what happens. To be perfectly honest, I haven't had a whole bunch of faith in this team for the last few years, but I have really enjoyed watching them and seeing the developement of a competitive team year in and year out. The Bruins were picked to win it by all, but I have been happy overall that every game has been tight and close. No blow outs here. If they lose, it was expected, and we. can move on to next year and a competitive line up including a more experienced Eller, Patch and Dasjarnais, and Markov and Subban on the back end. Whatever happens in the next two, I am happy

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As others said, if you would have told me that the Habs would have been 2-2 after four games,I would have taken it. One more home game at least for the boys and let's see what happens. To be perfectly honest, I haven't had a whole bunch of faith in this team for the last few years, but I have really enjoyed watching them and seeing the developement of a competitive team year in and year out. The Bruins were picked to win it by all, but I have been happy overall that every game has been tight and close. No blow outs here. If they lose, it was expected, and we. can move on to next year and a competitive line up including a more experienced Eller, Patch and Dasjarnais, and Markov and Subban on the back end. Whatever happens in the next two, I am happy

I have no idea what's going on. I don't see any reason for being even at this point after leading by two games. The bruins have yet to use their size advantage, other than cycling down low. I wonder if we go too many fast plumbers and not enough finishers.

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Wisniewski's suspension this year was from a gesture directly towards an opponent. By rule, the max he can get is a $2,500 fine.

I must say, that was quite the deflating end to the period after what was a very well played 30 minutes to start the game.

It turns out he could have been suspended under some odd rule number I'd never heard of but as predicted, he gets the $2,500 fine and that's it.

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Finally watched the replay of the overtime goal, and I'm starting to dislike hockey. Kelly was offside entering the zone on the 3-1 that the overtime goal was scored, but it wasn't called.

Not using that as an excuse, the real reason Montreal lost was they abandoned defense. The first 2 games the Bruins couldn't get in the Montreal zone and set up, I figured after being up 3-1 thats what they were going back to, but nope, they still played like it was a 0-0 game. Still putting 2 fore checkers in deep when they should of went back to 1 in the slot as a fore checker, and plugged up the neutral zone. Hope they make the adjustment and win Saturday.

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I don't think I'm making excuses. This team takes its foot off the accelerator at the first opportunity, perhaps because of cockiness, but more likely because The System is very demanding. It's hard to play that way and consciously or not, you tend to let up when you see daylight, or so I'd speculate.

It's worth noting that they won two game sevens last playoff. These guys have no track record of handily beating opponents. Their collective psyche just seems to be that of the scrapper coming off the mat to score a KO. You're absolutely right that if they ever actually want to WIN something, they will have to get over that and learn to kill the opponent when they're down.

I see the issue as relentless fidelity to the system. If we can sustain that for 60 minutes every night, we will win.

I think it's that The System requires discipline and restraint, particularly in the defensive and neutral zones. This is probably the best strategy when you're facing a really challenging opponent. But when you're facing a much weaker opponent, you don't care about restraint, you just go score. The Habs were dominating the game, they felt unstoppable, they were sure that if they kept pressing more goals were looming. Then halfway through the game, the Bruins stopped being a push over and became "a really challenging opponent" but the Habs kept playing the same way.

It's not what fans like to hear, but when Montreal is firing on all cylinders, outshooting their opponent, fully using their speed, and have the Bell Centre crowd going, they are completely out of their element and likely to lose. We saw last night what it is like to lose an exciting game. Personally, I'd take a boring Game 1 win over it any day.

So far they have won the two games in which they were outshot and outshot the opposition in their two losses. In last season's 19 playoff games, it was the same thing with very few exceptions. Dominating isn't Montreal's game.

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I missed the first two periods, was in still on my flight back home for the first and listened to the 2nd period on the way home from the airport on satellite. So, with the exception of the 3rd period and overtime I can only go by the highlights.

The defence looked horrible on all the goals. I really don't get what Spacek is doing in the lineup. Would rather see Weber or even Mara. Spacek has looked horrible in all the games. This is why i don't want Hammer and Gill back next year - unless the habs can find a way to dump Spacek. Gill has served his purpose this year in mentoring Subban, but the defence is far too slow and Gill, Hammer and Spacek also lack any sort of physicality depsite Gill being almost as big as Chara.

I also don't get what Moen is doing on the second line and am really fed up with Gomez after a strong first game by him. There have been far too many goals scored where he has been responsible for covering the goal scorer and has just let his man be all alone in front of the net or has been very lazy in his back check.

I really think JM needs to mix up his 2nd, 3rd and 4th lines and has got to have Halpern taking more draws.

I'd like to see the following:

AK46-Pleks-Cammy

Deshernais-Eller-Gionta

Pouliot-Halpern-White

Pyatt-Gomez-Darche

SUbban-Gill

Wiz-Hammer

Sopel-Weber

Next game, IMO you have to sit either Moen or Gomez. Pouliot has been horrible, but so was Ryder. What Pouliot does bring, like Ryder is the POTENTIAL to contribute. I'm fed up with the emtpy net misses by Moen and Gomez and just fed up in general with Gomez. If the habs get out of this round (momentum clearly is with Boston now), I'd like them to play him in game 1, because that tends to be the only game historically that Gomez is strong in. But after that his ass should be nailed to the bench. He is not contributing offensively and has been a major liability defensively.

The habs should be up 3-1 right now and it could have even been a 4-0 series win, in which case, I would have been willing to cast my doubts about JM aside, but being tied 2-2 when they had Boston on the ropes is so demoralizing. It just seems other coaches make the right call, like calling a time at on oppertune time. I also can't believe who ineffective the PP has been. It's not as bad as it was in the Philly series, but last night at the end of the 3rd, the PP oppertunity was one that you have to capitalize on and you can't let leads and oppertunities like that continuously slip through your fingers and expect to be successful.

Lastly, Fereance should be suspended, but given that we have idiots and the father of Campell in charge of officiting, I doubt if we'll see that happen.

Edited by hab29RETIRED
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Yes, Moen had a bad game. But there's no way I'm sitting him to make room for the no-goals-in-over-two-months Pouliot, he of the worst PIM to TOI ratio on the team. As for benching Gomez, it didn't happen during the year, it ain't happening now. I'd also be hesitant to play Desharnais as a winger, especially as a top-6 forward when he has 1 point in 13 games, while Eller isn't far from that. Both have played decent the last couple of games despite not a lot of production though.

The Sopel-Weber experiment during the year was an outright disaster too, Sopel clearly can't play the left side. It's more realistic to see Mara for Spacek, something a lot of people have been advocating since Game 2.

As for Ference, I already noted that he was fined and not suspended, that issue is done.

Finally, for those who love the Halpern faceoff tracker, the lightbulb may have gone on in the 2nd intermission. Going into the 3rd, Eller was 0/3, Halpern 1/1. Final game totals saw Eller at 0/4 and Halpern 4/6. 6 faceoffs were his highest in any single game since March 1st where he also had 6.

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Yes, Moen had a bad game. But there's no way I'm sitting him to make room for the no-goals-in-over-two-months Pouliot, he of the worst PIM to TOI ratio on the team. As for benching Gomez, it didn't happen during the year, it ain't happening now. I'd also be hesitant to play Desharnais as a winger, especially as a top-6 forward when he has 1 point in 13 games, while Eller isn't far from that. Both have played decent the last couple of games despite not a lot of production though.

The Sopel-Weber experiment during the year was an outright disaster too, Sopel clearly can't play the left side. It's more realistic to see Mara for Spacek, something a lot of people have been advocating since Game 2.

As for Ference, I already noted that he was fined and not suspended, that issue is done.

Finally, for those who love the Halpern faceoff tracker, the lightbulb may have gone on in the 2nd intermission. Going into the 3rd, Eller was 0/3, Halpern 1/1. Final game totals saw Eller at 0/4 and Halpern 4/6. 6 faceoffs were his highest in any single game since March 1st where he also had 6.

Despite his size, Moen is really not bringing a physical presence and IMO, its pretty much pointless to have a guy go to the net, when he is consistently missing open nets. I don't think he just had a bad game, I think he has been pretty lousy all series. Not sure why JM took Darche off the G&G line. If you have to sit one of Gomez and Moen and Gomez isn't going to be the one (I think any other coach in the league would have benched him at some point during the season, given the horrid season he had), I'd rather sit Moen and put Pouliot back in. You would THINK Pouliot would come back into the lineup hungry, but at least he does use his size more then Moen does and has the potential to contribute physically. Ryder really did nothing until last night as well and Boston writers had been calling to sit him. Like Pouliot he has been at least hitting and finally contributed last night. The habs need someone with some finish.

The habs also need someone on the point he can contribute on the PP. I'd much rather have Hammer and Weber back there for the second PP unit and IMO, Weber also is much better on the outlet pass then Spacek or Mara. Mara is clearly brings more of a physical presence, but I think he is more of a penalty threat then Weber. The habs have been getting burnt in their own end, because for the most part, with the exception of Subban, their D is too slow and can't get the puck out of their zone - I doubt if Mara is going to help in that regard. I wouldn't mind even seeing Weber paired with Hammer and having Wiz with Sopel, but at this point, I'd rather insert two guys who have more offensive potential into the lineup.

The fine is what I pretty much expected for Ference, so I'm not surprised. I bet if that was PK giving the finger in Boston, He'd been suspended and we would have heard Milbury and Stock say what a coachrach PK is and the CBC's cross dressing redneck proclaim who Subban is a "black" mark on the league and not only is showing disrpect to other players but is also disrespectful to the greatest fans (after Toronto) in hockey.

Edited by hab29RETIRED
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I find it funny to see the defense of Ference by the Bruins.. "He is not that kind of guy... out of character, not intentional"...

Apparently, the Bruins are all sweethearts and Lady Bing finalists, hearts of gold, etc. Maybe they are right. It is possible that no matter how classy you are, playing in Boston turns you into a petty, classless moron.

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hab29, I couldn't agree more with you on Gomez. It's over for me. He's the most deserving, in the entire league, to have his ridiculous contract buried in the minors starting next season. Yes, I'm aware that we won't do it. Think back to last year, when we traded for Dominic Moore. At the time, the draft pick we gave up was said to be too much. Then he scores a key goal, ONE goal, and that draft pick is all but forgotten. It's time for Mr. Gomez to score ONE goal. He basically wins the lottery every winter, he's gotta do something big. It's become sickening. I liked the trade, and think he's a good hockey player. He's great in interviews, I don't care anymore. Do something, anything, to make us for one evening forget the money he's making.

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I find it funny to see the defense of Ference by the Bruins.. "He is not that kind of guy... out of character, not intentional"...

Apparently, the Bruins are all sweethearts and Lady Bing finalists, hearts of gold, etc. Maybe they are right. It is possible that no matter how classy you are, playing in Boston turns you into a petty, classless moron.

Don't your remember, Chara is an angel and freindlier then the freindly giant- he would never ever try and injure someone. Besides it helps having Campbell's son on the bruins to get the free pass from the league.

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hab29, I couldn't agree more with you on Gomez. It's over for me. He's the most deserving, in the entire league, to have his ridiculous contract buried in the minors starting next season. Yes, I'm aware that we won't do it. Think back to last year, when we traded for Dominic Moore. At the time, the draft pick we gave up was said to be too much. Then he scores a key goal, ONE goal, and that draft pick is all but forgotten. It's time for Mr. Gomez to score ONE goal. He basically wins the lottery every winter, he's gotta do something big. It's become sickening. I liked the trade, and think he's a good hockey player. He's great in interviews, I don't care anymore. Do something, anything, to make us for one evening forget the money he's making.

I hated the trade - I think the Rangers should have been trying to sweeten the deal by giving up a top prospect to take that horrible contract of their hands, instead we gave them one of our top two D-man prospects in Mcdonough. The only thing that could have been worse is if we gave up Subban.

McDonough is a big guy, playing 20+ minutes. O'Byrne, another big physical dman playing 20+minutes. Both of these guys would have been an improvement over Spacek, Hammer, Sopel, Mara, and Gill - yes Gill brings the intangibles of being SUbban's mentor this year, but after this year, I don't want Gill, Hammer, Mara or Spacek (whom we are probably stuck with) back.

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Well, I've been pretty consistent over the last few months saying this team should do WHATEVER it takes to make the jump to bona-fide contender. Dumping Gomez may be a necessary part of that. However, the series isn't over yet and it's perhaps premature to talk about dumping guys. Game 5 beckons.

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I hated the trade - I think the Rangers should have been trying to sweeten the deal by giving up a top prospect to take that horrible contract of their hands, instead we gave them one of our top two D-man prospects in Mcdonough. The only thing that could have been worse is if we gave up Subban.

McDonough is a big guy, playing 20+ minutes. O'Byrne, another big physical dman playing 20+minutes. Both of these guys would have been an improvement over Spacek, Hammer, Sopel, Mara, and Gill - yes Gill brings the intangibles of being SUbban's mentor this year, but after this year, I don't want Gill, Hammer, Mara or Spacek (whom we are probably stuck with) back.

Mr Martin doesn't like fighting. You can see a pattern with guys that have left. Chip/Lapierre/O'Byrne- You fight then sit on bench, and are out of here as soon as it can be arranged. Mara is sitting because he fought.

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offsidea.jpgWas this an offside ? Does Kelly's skate still in contact with the ice ?? Up to you...huh.gif

Obviously, at full speed, no chance for the lineman to be 100% sure so I'm just fine with the no offside call.

Edited by JoeLassister
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hab29, I couldn't agree more with you on Gomez. It's over for me. He's the most deserving, in the entire league, to have his ridiculous contract buried in the minors starting next season. Yes, I'm aware that we won't do it. Think back to last year, when we traded for Dominic Moore. At the time, the draft pick we gave up was said to be too much. Then he scores a key goal, ONE goal, and that draft pick is all but forgotten. It's time for Mr. Gomez to score ONE goal. He basically wins the lottery every winter, he's gotta do something big. It's become sickening. I liked the trade, and think he's a good hockey player. He's great in interviews, I don't care anymore. Do something, anything, to make us for one evening forget the money he's making.

I thought the 2 goals he set up in game one was a good start.

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Mr Martin doesn't like fighting. You can see a pattern with guys that have left. Chip/Lapierre/O'Byrne- You fight then sit on bench, and are out of here as soon as it can be arranged. Mara is sitting because he fought.

well, White fights and JM seems to like him. I think its more a matter of you make a mistake or take a penalty and you are a kid who still needs some coaching, i have no time to coach you. But if you are an $8m bum who takes stupid penalties and couldn't score in a brothel, you have no fear of repurcussions on your ice time.

I'm still peeved off about the way SK74 was handled right from training camp last year and then trading him for two UNRESTRICTED UFA's 3-4 days before the start of free agency is just plain stupidity. I know a lot of people rave about how well Subban has "developed" under Martin, but I think that is a total BS and a red herring. Subban started playing better when JM was forced to give him ice time due to the habs blue line being decimated. To me the injuries were a blessing, because the habs were forced to lean on Subban. Otherwise, he might still have been rotating in and out of the lineup. That's why I really want the habs to give Weber more of a look next year.

Edited by hab29RETIRED
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Well, I've been pretty consistent over the last few months saying this team should do WHATEVER it takes to make the jump to bona-fide contender. Dumping Gomez may be a necessary part of that. However, the series isn't over yet and it's perhaps premature to talk about dumping guys. Game 5 beckons.

Not talking so much about dumping guys - as i said during the year, I really don't are what kind of playoff Gomez has, I want him either moved or buried in the minors next year.

What I do want the habs to do, is move him of the second line and let Gionta play with Desharnais and Eller. DD is much more defensively responsible then Gomez and I'd rather have Eller play with two skilled guys then a couple of pluggers. I really think DD has the potential to be a diamond in the rough like St. Louis was, but he needs to be put in a situation to succeed. Eller has also shown a lot of promise and I'd rather give him a chance on the 2nd line, because after the first game, Gomez has gone back to his regular season form.

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I thought the 2 goals he set up in game one was a good start.

Good for you, hope you're happy with that good start. Surely you get the point I'm trying to make though.

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well, White fights and JM seems to like him. I think its more a matter of you make a mistake or take a penalty and you are a kid who still needs some coaching, i have no time to coach you. But if you are an $8m bum who takes stupid penalties and couldn't score in a brothel, you have no fear of repurcussions on your ice time.

I'm still peeved off about the way SK74 was handled right from training camp last year and then trading him for two UNRESTRICTED UFA's 3-4 days before the start of free agency is just plain stupidity. I know a lot of people rave about how well Subban has "developed" under Martin, but I think that is a total BS and a red herring. Subban started playing better when JM was forced to give him ice time due to the habs blue line being decimated. To me the injuries were a blessing, because the habs were forced to lean on Subban. Otherwise, he might still have been rotating in and out of the lineup. That's why I really want the habs to give Weber more of a look next year.

I pretty much agree with what you are saying. I think we are colouring the same picture with different crayons. I think on top of what you have said is that Martin despises fighting. I think even White is limited to when he can fight, calculated by Martin. Asking a goalie (Martin) to know anything about fighting is like asking a kicker to lead block.

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