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As always, there will be plenty of news and notes throughout the series. Rather than have them run through several different threads, let's keep the non-game related series discussion in here. Schedule: Game 1: Wed, Apr. 12, 7 PM - CBC, NBCSN, TVA Sports Game 2: Fri, Apr. 14, 7 PM - CBC, USA Network, TVA Sports Game 3: Sun, Apr. 16, 7 PM - SN, NBCSN, TVA Sports Game 4: Tues, Apr. 18, 7 PM - CBC, NBCSN, TVA Sports Game 5: Thurs, Apr. 20, TBD - TVA Sports (English networks TBD)* Game 6: Sat, Apr. 22, TBD - TVA Sports (English networks TBD)* Game 7: Mon, Apr. 24, TBD - TVA Sports (English networks TBD)* * - if necessary

I don't see it lasting more than two games, but Galchenyuk being bumped to the fourth line for a guy with one point in 17 games is the first obvious mistake of the Julien Era. This reminds me of when Julien bumped Tyler Seguin to the 3rd line for Jagr in 2013...and Jagr didn't have a single goal in 22 playoff games. Then Seguin got dealt. People take the Rangers lightly. Besides an aging Lundqvist, they don't have any real stars. But they also have above average everything. Imo, their logo should be a B+. Great forward corp and coaching, good enough D, and if Lundqvist gets hot the Habs might be in for a surprise. I think the Habs take it in 6.

Eeyore and Chicken Little were always quite concerned as well. Cheer up sir, we can worry about stuff like that in a few months and for now we should all just pull for this 2nd rate team to go deep!

Are you sure about that? Le Gros Bill had guys like John Ferguson to take care of business, and also dropped the gloves quite a bit early in his career. Just saying.

Oh hi New York, remember me? It's me Carey, the guy you injured in the playoffs. Well I've been a bit pissed about that since then

I'm sure Galchenyuk will take care of it.

Somehow I think that might be out of our powers but ....ah what the hell, let's give it a try. So I heard Babcock pissed in some bodies shoes and is going to be fired.

To go to game 3 or not to go? Restaurant is closed on Easter Sunday. Might be a good time to take my daughter to her first habs game (she's 8). What do you think?

I will accept nothing less than a trip to the finals this year. Enough is enough, time to see if this team has what it takes to go deep. Lehkonen for the Conn Smythe

There is a big difference between a save % of .903 (Condon last year) and .914 (Condon this year). The kid learned from his baptism of fire and came back stronger. 2015 was not aberrant for this group; 2016 was. 2014 46 wins 2015 50 wins 2016 38 wins 2017 47 wins Which is the outlier? It's obvious. What was the main variable? Goaltending. There is nothing surprising or incredibly impressive in regression to the mean.

Jean Beliveau would roll over in his grave if he heard you...and you know that!

Is the coach also accountable for his choices? Cause I think that on a team that is mediocre offensively, taking one of our top 3 offensively-gifted players and playing him on the 4th line with players unfit to lace his ####ing skates is a pretty poor choice to make in the playoffs.

Considering the train wreck that last season was, it's pretty remarkable that this group was able to put that behind them and win the division. Price didn't have to be a Hart winner, Weber didn't have to be a Norris winner, Galchenyuk was injured for awhile, Plekanec and Gallagher were invisible and Therrien got fired....but yet they still persevered. I am thinking these guys are a team to be reckoned with in the playoffs.

Agreed. A coach and GM that are smitten with Phillip Danault aren't looking for guys like Galchenyuk (entertaining players) to gum up the works.