Game Thread | Montreal vs. Senators | 10/27/05

[Rooster]

Originally posted by xXx..CK..xXx

You have to give credit where credit is due and Spezza deserved that goal. You cannot blame Souray for that. 97.8% of people would not have been able to pull off that move on Souray and then roof it on Theo. Unfortunately he made a nice move and got the win for them.

As for Zednik, I felt he was having a pretty bad game even by the end of the first period. I love Zeddy and I KNOW he'll get back to his A game and be one of the leaders in scoring for the canadiens by the end of the season. But even without his two giveaways which in turn led to two crucial goals, he was NOT confident at all around the puck. I saw maybe two shifts in the game where he looked pretty good, other than that he was mediocre at best. As for the Vermette goal, it was 100% Zednik who brought the puck back towards the Montreal goal and then missed his check on Vermette.

No worries though. It was a good game and the canadiens got a point out of it all. Let's move on!!

[Edited on 2005/10/28 by xXx..CK..xXx]

My sentiments exactly:/)

[Rooster]

oh, and I'm sure it's been mentionned here already but Theo was absolutely fantastic last night. Man oh man that felt good to watch!

[Komisarek the Cruncher]

We lost because of Zednik. He cost us their last 3 goals.

1) Was out of position and not covering the point properly when Chara scored. (Ottawa's 2nd goal)

2) Do I even have to explain their 3rd goal ??? All Zednik's fault. How can a guy lose the puck like that in front of his own net ???

3) He lost the puck again to give Spezza that chance...although Souray was lousy on that play.

Don't worry guys, I like Zednik, and I know that we have to give him time to get his synchronism back...but that was an awfull game from his part. He wasn't even a sure thing for the game as they said that he had some problems in the morning's practice. Why did Julien make him play? The guy is still not healty, hasn't played a game yet and you bring him against Ottawa??? He could have waited for Sunday against the Rangers. It was an important game for us and he completely blew it for us. :mad::mad:

As for Souray, I can't take it anymore. The guy sucks under the new rules...period. Can't wait to get rid of him. Definetly not coming back next year...thank god.

And if anyone of you wants to defend him on Spezza's goal proves that you don't know anything about hockey and that you don't play the game. He went towards Spezza and stayed there without being in movement. A D has to be in movement when a guy coming with so much speed to be able to follow him. And instead of staying more in the center to cut his lane. Even Spezza said so after the game. He said that if Souray would have played him more causciously by staying in the center, he would have not went for it and would have waited for somebody from his team to join in the rush.

I'm very frustrated...we should have won that game but Zednik and Souray were horrible and cost us the game. I still don't get why Zednik was playing???

[xXx..CK..xXx]

Yeah man I play hockey and know what you're saying but I will defend Souray because the situation wasn't an easy one. Yeah Souray COULD have played the body more and made him cut to the outside. Souray COULD have taken a penalty. Souray COULD have nailed Spezza and everyone would now be talking about how nice of a play Souray made. Fact remains Spezza made an incredible move (whether or not the D played it right) and scored an even nicer goal. Heck had Theo stopped the puck, we wouldn't even be talking about this. I don't blame you for what you're saying because Souray was the last D back, who else should one put the blame on? But with all that said I stick to my statement from before. Spezza deserved that goal; he MADE it happen.

[Rooster]

Souray did misplay Spezza in overtime, but I consider that the big part of the fault resides in the guy whose sloppy play gave them a one on one in the first place. Zednik had a horrible game and what I just don't understand is why Julien kept playing him, especially in overtime. He was giving the puck away all through the game and cost us dearly. It might be understandable as this was his first real game in God knows how long, but in that case why did the coach put him out there in clutch situations like OT?

If you look at the Spezza goal closely, you will also notice that Rivet and Zednik (again) did a real crappy job of backchecking. They were both right next to Spezza when he moved in on Theo after toying pased Souray and they just watched him dance without even attempting to check him. Souray played a good, very decent game in my view, it was unfortunate that he looked bad while trying to cover up other player's mistakes at the end. I don't put any blame on Souray for the OT loss. Think Theo's incredible play and Souray's very decent game were very positive points from the night.

Other than that (mostly, other than Zednik), I think it was a strong game for the Habs. Theo played superbly. The first line had a good night although they didn't score. The secong line provided all the scoring. The third and fourth line did their job and the D played well overall. Had Zednik been kept away from the lineup (or had his playing time been ajusted according to his play), Theo would have gotten us 2 points. Still very optimistic, the team is playing very well.

[Edited on 2005/10/28 by Rooster]

[Komisarek the Cruncher]

Originally posted by Rooster

Souray did misplay Spezza in overtime, but I consider that the big part of the fault resides in the guy whose sloppy play gave them a one on one in the first place. Zednik had a horrible game and what I just don't understand is why Julien kept playing him, especially in overtime. He was giving the puck away all through the game and cost us dearly. It might be understandable as this was his first real game in God knows how long, but in that case why did the coach put him out there in clutch situations like OT?

If you look at the Spezza goal closely, you will also notice that Rivet and Zednik (again) did a real crappy job of backchecking. They were both right next to Spezza when he moved in on Theo after toying pased Souray and they just watched him dance with even attempting to check him. Souray played a good, very decent game in my view, it was unfortunate that he looked bad while trying to cover up other player's mistakes at the end. I don't put any blame on Souray for the OT loss. Think Theo's incredible play and Souray's very decent game your very positive points from the night.

Other than that (mostly, other than Zednik), I think it was a strong game for the Habs. Theo played superbly. The first line had a good night although they didn't score. The secong line provided all the scoring. The third and fourth line did their job and the D played well overall. Had Zednik been kept away from the lineup (or had his playing time been ajusted according to his play), Theo would have gotten us 2 points. Still very optimistic, the team is playing very well.

[Edited on 2005/10/28 by Rooster]

I agree, your comments are very similar to my previous post. Although Souray misplayed Spezza in OT, the game shouldn't have gone to OT in the first place. Zednik is the real reason why we lost, but I'm willing to be patient since it was his first game back. Couldn't agree more with you on the backchecking of Rivet and Zednik on that OT goal. Sucks for Theo because he deserved the win.

The rest of the team played well and we should have won that game and the 2 points. Oh well, will get them next time when Zednik is back to his regular level of play. Hope that Julien got his lesson and will adjust Zednik's playing time to how he plays.

Now lets get 4 points out of the Rangers and it will be a superb start of the season...9-2-1 !!!! Theo is back and there's no stopping us!!!!

[simonus]

zed had no business in the endgame scenario. Everybody here knew it, I'm sure the players knew it, I'm sure Zed knew it, but apparently Julien didn't know it. I like Julien, but he's got the goat horns here.

[mrgodo]

We played a mediocre game. The senators played all out.

I'm satisfied with the point. I'm even happy with the game. We had to help them score.

I sense a conspiracy to make the senators feel superior.

[gohabsgo252006]

I was at the game, and Zednik looked either tired or injured most of the night, OR lazy one of them for sure.

However, although i hate to I do blame Julien for the first goal. WIth RIbeiro in the box and aobut 20 seconds left he tried to cheat and get Zednik and Ryder out there to get the shift going for when Ribs got out. HOwever, it cost us as the Sens got it into the zone and they misplayed the puck allowing Chara to blast one.

Dangerous play and it cost us

[Rooster]

I also agree with Theo's post game comments were he basically said that the Habs played to much of a open game against the Sens. Julien seemed to disagree and simply stated something to the effect that the Habs also had their scoring changes and could have won. I think that is besides the point. A coach must know and work within a team's limitations. The Habs have a fast, skilled team and they can impose "their" game on quite a number of teams which is great as it has been a long time since that was the case. They however don't match the Sens firepower and skill. Going in with a "slugg it out" game plan against the Sens will lead to more losses than wins. You gotta improve your chances of winning against a team like Ottawa by playing, first and foremost, a defensively oriented game. I thought this was the lesson from the first game against the Sens. I also think this is the lesson from the second game against the Sens. There are teams against which the Habs will statistically lose the majority of games if they try to duke it out offensively with them. They should be mindfull of their relative strenghts against teams like the Sens and play conservative games. Julien doesn't seem to agree with this and I don't agree with Julien, but then again he is the coach and I am just a Rooster.

[Edited on 2005/10/28 by Rooster]

[Roo-AH! Roo-AH!]

Well, all the indications are that Julien is a very fine coach, so I'd give him the benefit of the doubt re: his game plans.

But...am I the only one with this weird feeling that now that Theo seems to have found his game, we can expect the rest of the team to start sagging? It's probably just paranoi induced by the wretchedness of the last decade, but I dunno, I've seen that sort of thing happen before.

Hope I'm just nuts. :guru: