GDT Game 4: Habs @ Sens - 7pm

[Lovett's Magnatones]

Keep in mind that we outplayed these guys in three games and won once. That is a combination of goaltending and some bad luck. If we played all the games like game three I would be more worried.

Suddenly after mt gets us from last to 2nd in the east, he is crap? I don't agree with all his decisions but give him some credit. He had this team refocused and playing well this game. If not for reffing and bounces, we might have won it.

He's great for what he is. Bergevin brought him in because he sees this as a 3-5 year rebuild. He's great with the kids, look at Gally sqaured and Subban, but he's not the guy you rent a convertible in advance for the Cup parade.

[brobin]

Wow, watched the replay of kicked in goal... It is clear...lifted blade and kicked it in...

[Lovett's Magnatones]

Wow, watched the replay of kicked in goal... It is clear...lifted blade and kicked it in...

One thing is for sure...we are getting a lot of powerplays Thursday.

[Helmethead]

Wow, watched the replay of kicked in goal... It is clear...lifted blade and kicked it in...

Honnest to God, I would have mortgaged my house on that call. Text book kick in

[brobin]

#Sens coach MacLean, asked about his feelings when #Habs Budaj came out for overtime: "What number is Budaj?"

Put that on the board...if we are losing the next game, run the hell out of Anderson, whatever his number is.

[Guest Stogey24]

I honestly can't wrap my head around that kick in. Cost us the game. Man oh man. This past month has just been absolute downhill slide. This ain't the year boys. Doesn't feel right

[brobin]

While I doubt it will happen, I would love Budaj to win the next three games. After, MT can ask MacLean if he knows his number now.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

The real issue, if you ask me, is that we lost Game One despite being the better team that night. This set us up for a situation where one bad game (Game Three) and one unlucky game (tonight) put us in a deep hole. It's a textbook case of how an ace goaltender can make a difference for an entire series.

Beyond that, I agree with those who say

1. MT's decision to go with the vets in the 3rd was a terrible mistake. Understandable, but terrible. The rookies were the ones winning the puck battles. That said, you can't crucify Therrien for doing what every coach would do in his place.

2. We had a grotesquely bad call on the Sens' first goal and that set them up perfectly.

You cannot win a hard-fought series if you get hugely outgoaltended in one game and have the other team getting gift-wrapped breaks like that. Clearly this is not the year.

EDIT: as for 'bulletin board' stuff, come on. It's do or die. Who cares what Maclean says or doesn't say. Put together another effort like tonight's, and we will win Game 5.

[hab29RETIRED]

Keep in mind that we outplayed these guys in three games and won once. That is a combination of goaltending and some bad luck. If we played all the games like game three I would be more worried.

Suddenly after mt gets us from last to 2nd in the east, he is crap? I don't agree with all his decisions but give him some credit. He had this team refocused and playing well this game. If not for reffing and bounces, we might have won it.

After game 2, MT has been badly outcoached and has made terrible decisions on a consistent basis.

[Lovett's Magnatones]

On some level this has to be embarrassing for the Senators organization. The guy hasn't even won a playoff series, or coached a team past 7th place, and he talks like Toe Blake on dope in press conferences.

[brobin]

After game 2, MT has been badly outcoached and has made terrible decisions on a consistent basis.

Well, that is your opinion, but I think this has more to do with the way the players played then coaching decisions. He shortened his bench...Same thing every coach does in that situation. Should he have gone all out... Maybe, but if that resulted in the tying goal then we would complain they didn't tighten up.

I know you love the kids but that doesn't mean you are right in how to use them. Chucky got ripped up pretty bad in game 3.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

On some level this has to be embarrassing for the Senators organization. The guy hasn't even won a playoff series, or coached a team past 7th place, and he talks like Toe Blake on dope in press conferences.

I'm really getting tired of all the whining about McLean. Who cares if he "has respect" or not? His team is winning the godd*amned series. Demonizing him is just a pathetic attempt at some small moral consolation prize. Forget it.

Therrien has made two big mistakes that I can think of, pulling Halpern for Game Three (lunacy) and shortening the bench tonight in the third (which, as brobin points out, every other coach on earth would do in that situation). A lot of this other stuff ('what was player X playing that shift,' etc.) may or may not be valid, but often overlooks basic context - e.g., the guy we wish had been out there had just been on during the previous shift, for instance. So I try to avoid retroactive backseat driving when it comes to moment-to-moment coaching decisions, myself.

[hab29RETIRED]

The real issue, if you ask me, is that we lost Game One despite being the better team that night. This set us up for a situation where one bad game (Game Three) and one unlucky game (tonight) put us in a deep hole. It's a textbook case of how an ace goaltender can make a difference for an entire series.

Beyond that, I agree with those who say

1. MT's decision to go with the vets in the 3rd was a terrible mistake. Understandable, but terrible. The rookies were the ones winning the puck battles. That said, you can't crucify Therrien for doing what every coach would do in his place.

2. We had a grotesquely bad call on the Sens' first goal and that set them up perfectly.

You cannot win a hard-fought series if you get hugely outgoaltended in one game and have the other team getting gift-wrapped breaks like that. Clearly this is not the year.

EDIT: as for 'bulletin board' stuff, come on. It's do or die. Who cares what Maclean says or doesn't say. Put together another effort like tonight's, and we will win Game 5.

after the vets laid an egg in the period, MT couldn't course correct??

Ryder in this series has largely been the Ryder that I wanted run out of town during this first stint. He is twice the size of Gallegher, but refuses to pay the price. He has been crap.

DD has been worse then crap. THis isn't just going with the veterens in the third period. It has been all series. DD's ice time is just idiotic. reminds me of Darche and the PP time with Martin. DD isn't producing, isn't good defensively, all the sens have had to do is blow on him and he falls over.

Armstrong was beyond useless tonight. This is a guy MT brought on board.

Bourque who I can't stand has actually been our best vetern player outside of Prust and Pleks. But offensively, Pleks has been shooting at Anderson's stomach.

If MT had the same strategy in the 2nd period, we would not have gotten our 2nd goal. Galchenyuk is the most skilled guy and has great chemistry with Gallegher. So who is Gallegher anchored with the friggin useless affirmative action man - DD.

[dlbalr]

I still say this is far from over. The Habs have outplayed the Sens on the whole and have little to show for it. At some point, some of the breaks need to go Montreal's way. Quite a few players in the core have been through this before and have gotten back into series when down 3-1, that experience should come in handy. Game 5 is a home game, use the crowd to your advantage and go from there.

Oh, and the 3 Stars are up: http://www.habsworld.net/article.php?id=3080

[Dalhabs]

YESSS!

Nothing like a little repairingjob early in the morning to calm down the nerves.

[hab29RETIRED]

Well, that is your opinion, but I think this has more to do with the way the players played then coaching decisions. He shortened his bench...Same thing every coach does in that situation. Should he have gone all out... Maybe, but if that resulted in the tying goal then we would complain they didn't tighten up.

I know you love the kids but that doesn't mean you are right in how to use them. Chucky got ripped up pretty bad in game 3.

ordinarilly you shorten your bench by playing the guys who are going. You don't shorten your benches and give ice time to guys playing like crap.

Who didn't get ripped badly in game 3????

I'm really getting tired of all the whining about McLean. Who cares if he "has respect" or not? His team is winning the godd*amned series. Demonizing him is just a pathetic attempt at some small moral consolation prize. Forget it.

agreed. if MT wants to complain about something, blame your veterans and show some balls and speak out about the officiating.

[hab29RETIRED]

I still say this is far from over. The Habs have outplayed the Sens on the whole and have little to show for it. At some point, some of the breaks need to go Montreal's way. Quite a few players in the core have been through this before and have gotten back into series when down 3-1, that experience should come in handy. Game 5 is a home game, use the crowd to your advantage and go from there.

You have to earn your breaks. You don't get breaks by playing guys who are skating like they are in quicksand and are afraid to go near the other team's net. You also don't get breaks by giving top PP time (which is next to none), to guys shooting at the goalie's stomach, while the guys that are showing heart and skill are sitting on the bench.

I think we are done. I've been wrong all year with this team and hope I'm wrong now. But the big difference is between the regular season and the playoffs is that we were solid in the 1st and 3rd. Now we are losing games in the 3rd.

[Lovett's Magnatones]

I'm really getting tired of all the whining about McLean. Who cares if he "has respect" or not? His team is winning the godd*amned series. Demonizing him is just a pathetic attempt at some small moral consolation prize. Forget it.

Therrien has made two big mistakes that I can think of, pulling Halpern for Game Three (lunacy) and shortening the bench tonight in the third (which, as brobin points out, every other coach on earth would do in that situation). A lot of this other stuff ('what was player X playing that shift,' etc.) may or may not be valid, but often overlooks basic context - e.g., the guy we wish had been out there had just been on during the previous shift, for instance. So I try to avoid retroactive backseat driving when it comes to moment-to-moment coaching decisions, myself.

You're right. His behavior has been inspiring, and fitting for leaders in all shapes and sizes. They might as well give Sean Avery a team.

[brobin]

ordinarilly you shorten your bench by playing the guys who are going. You don't shorten your benches and give ice time to guys playing like crap.

Who didn't get ripped badly in game 3????

agreed. if MT wants to complain about something, blame your veterans and show some balls and speak out about the officiating.

Mt didn't complain about it... I did. I suggest it as motivation for Budaj if he has to play the next game.

By the way, DD was better then Pleks and Halpern on draws, which is why he was it on a few key draws.

[Commandant]

1st goal was kicked in

the 2 icings were disgraces.

And the 2nd goal.... well just look at Price's stick here, and tell me how Turris isn't interfering with his ability to make the save

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BJtiqoHCYAILjrp.jpg:large

This was a screwjob.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Habs29, you're mad at MT's playing Pleks and DD too much. Problem is, in their absence our top C becomes Halpern. Complain about overuse of one but not both. Besides, Pleks has been all right. Not vintage, but decent.

Really too bad that Eller is out. He was out best C in Game One before the hit.

In terms of post-mortem assessment, I agree that we've been the better team for two of three games this series. This has been a hugely frustrating series and the third-period collapses - mostly due to Price's stinkers in games one and three - are unacceptable, but I wouldn't be willing to throw the whole organization under the bus the way some fans are doing over at H I/O. My main offseason agenda would be to correct the imbalance on the blueline (too many soft, skilled, small defenders, not enough sandpaper...though a more seasoned Tinordi would help).

[Habinator33]

RenLavoieRDS NHL told the Canadiens that linesman made a mistake on the faceoff before the first Sens goal. Faceoff should have been on the left side.

Ever since the Jim Joyce blown perfect game call it seems that officiating all around sports has gone on the decline. Now you blow a game or blow a call you just admit to it and all is fine.

[brobin]

So basically we had Tim Peel doing his usual blind monkey routine and a linesman that messed up the faceoff (dd was out for a left side draw, ended up a right side which he was then kicked out of anyway), and then called two BS icing calls when the sens failed to chase the puck.

How much help do the sens need?

[hab29RETIRED]

I've got no issues with over playing pleks 5 on 5. What's been eating at me is for the past month Eller and Gally squared not getting PP time. With Eller out either put the two if then with pleks, or Maxpac.

Habs29, you're mad at MT's playing Pleks and DD too much. Problem is, in their absence our top C becomes Halpern. Complain about overuse of one but not both. Besides, Pleks has been all right. Not vintage, but decent.

Really too bad that Eller is out. He was out best C in Game One before the hit.

In terms of post-mortem assessment, I agree that we've been the better team for two of three games this series. This has been a hugely frustrating series and the third-period collapses - mostly due to Price's stinkers in games one and three - are unacceptable, but I wouldn't be willing to throw the whole organization under the bus the way some fans are doing over at H I/O. My main offseason agenda would be to correct the imbalance on the blueline (too many soft, skilled, small defenders, not enough sandpaper...though a more seasoned Tinordi would help).

[brobin]

I've got no issues with over playing pleks 5 on 5. What's been eating at me is for the past month Eller and Gally squared not getting PP time. With Eller out either put the two if then with pleks, or Maxpac.

What powerplays?

Gif of Kick....

http://i.imgur.com/fWhuRpe.gif