SoCalHab

Yea, I thought about that confidence thing as well, but aside from Zhogs, I doubt if Kovy and Ribs will ever lack it......I just thought that it would have been a good time getting Bonk out there w/Zed and maybe Downey....these are the guys that could actually use the pat in the back (or a swift kick in the behind).

All Zed needs is a couple of goals to get his confidence back.....seems like he's squeezing his stick a bit too tight.......good overall game against a Flyers team which we're 3-0 against since LeClair left......We didn't win this game on just emotion, we outhustled, outhit, and finally decisively outplayed a team for 60 minutes.....We finally started forechecking and utilizing our speed and quickness; we played to our strengths.........One thing that bothered me was the fact that BG came back with Ribs/Zhogs/Kovy as the PP unit after Ryder's hat trick goal....i thought he should have put on our 4th line or at least the Plex line .... No use "rubbing it in" once the game was already won, especially against a depleted Flyer's defence...Anyway, we've got a couple of tough games coming up vs Buffalo....their D-Men do a great job of pinching in to keep the puck in the offensive zone, and then their speedy forwards are extremely good at the cycling game to create their chances.....Having said this, I think we do match up well against them as long as we play like we did today.

I kind of liked yesterday's lines, and the way they were used throughout the game.............all those penalties at the end of the first and throughout the second period made it a bit tougher to keep them intact, but it worked out pretty well in the third..........did anyone alse notice that during the last 2 PP's we had last night, the Koivu/Ryder/Higgins line did not sniff the ice? It was Ribs line and the Plex line during those PPs, and they were very effective.....The Flyers, although still very big, are not the heavy hitters they once were. Therefore, the need for Downey in today's lineup is not that urgent, and the need for Sundstrom, until he slips back from his coma, will never be urgent. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Wasn't the Tinman the one without brains, and the Lion the big coward without a heart....oh same difference I guess.

Exactly.........and that is why we are getting killed with so many penalties..........it may be entirely possible that the league has decided to reward the teams who are playing, or trying to play, as you said "firewagon hockey", and punish those teams like the Habs and the Wild who are still trying to "trap" their way to victory...how many recent habs's games have turned around or gotten out of hand when we've given up a 2-man advantage goal? It seems like it's almost every game now. We need a massive re-thinking of our game philosophy....NOW!!!!!!!!!! Look at all these young opposing defenceman we've been up against in just the last 3 games........and we don't forecheck them? We just give them a free out of their end? We're 0-4 against Washington & Pittsburgh, while other teams are just dominating them by forechecking them to the ground? That is just bullshit, and also extremely stupid!

No room for Plex on your team?

The fact that I didn't really notice him all that often indicates that he had an unspectacular, yet solid game. BG should play him again for a full game against Carolina to see how he reacts to the home crowd.

Good one, BTH!! I think there may have been something lost in the translation here......He was smiling from ear-to-ear and joking around with his teammates after the 4th one, and most importantly, his teammates seemed to be genuinely happy for him.

Don't think this will happen because I think Fernandez is Jacques Lemaire's nephew or something.

That's if you have a "man in front", which we rarely do.....I agree with Jack on this, I prefer quality ve quantity; I remember back when the we used to badly outshoot the Russians in international play, and they'd beat us like 5-2....I think that's the point that Kovalev was trying to make when CJ was coach.

The key to tonight's game IMO is to forecheck the depleted Leafs Defense like we did against Philly, and like Buffalo did against the Leafs.........creating turnovers which will lead to scoring opportunities, and hopefully ....goals. We owe these MF's for the last couple head-to-heads when they brought there own refs to the game....I actually wouldn't mind having Kerry Fraser tonight as he is the ultimate road-team ref (I can't believe I just said I wanted Fraser)....in any event, if we win tonight, I gotta feeling that Quinn would have coached his last Leaf's game. GHG!!!

Best stat of the day (aside from the final score): According to NHL.com, HITS: Mtl 21 Philly 16 ....with Begin leading the way with 5.

Not really pleased with Ryder's performance as of late.....he actually appears intimidated (lost?) playing with K & K...hope he regains his confidence soon, but I'm wondering how long BG will experiment with this line.

On the heels of McCarty getting his ass kicked........this sounds like excessive pouting.

Even though we lost, there was some effort tonight.....against a team which regularly outhits its opposition, I thought we held our own in that department.........I like the way we broke out of our zone with nice crisp passes......though, we have still have a floaters, tonight I would have to include Sunny, Higgins, and Ryder (who does not look comfortable yet with K & K) in that group.......Komi and Streit got good experience against quality forechecking.....they didn't always succeed but at least they competed and should learn from this experience.......our biggest problem remains to be that we cannot control the opposition cycle behind our net.....unfortunately, Ribs was playing a tired center when Iginla got his game-winner by just pure hustle..........the worst part about watching this game was having to listen to Ryan Walter and that play-by-play guy .....everything is so pro-Calgary that I'm starting to think that they may have inferiority complex.....how many times did they mention the "northwest out-of-town scores and standings"?......and the coup-de-grace was when the habs finally got on the PP after the Flames had gotten a several PPs of their own, the play-by-play guy says "the Canadiens will now go on ANOTHER powerplay" ..........and at the end of the game, he completed dished the Habs efforts by saying the final score flattered the Canadiens.....I just don't remember the Flames having that many good chances during 5-on-5.

"PS. My wife only gets sex on game night if we win. It has been a long couple of months" Thanks for the heads-up (both of you).....I just purshased 20,000 shares of Trojan stock!

The past..... http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/5827/tmp895pw.jpg ...is the key.... http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/2534/tmp902wj.jpg ...to the.... http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/6135/tmp914ub.jpg ....future. http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/4042/tmp928jf.jpg

I tried posting a picture in this thread using ImageShack, but without success....anybody have any ideas?? (I did click the green tree, and put in the url i was hosting, but it still didn't show)

Wow, Dallas looks awesome......according to Spiderman stats, they've won 6 in a row, haven't lost yet this year in regulation, are ranked first in their division , second in their conference, are 3rd in goals against in the league, and 5-0 in shootouts......that being said, let's kick their butts! :hlogo:

Good start to the second half......our wingers are still having some trouble clearing the puck out of our zone along the boards.....our D played smart tonight.....Rivet and Higgins should have been stars before Kovy or Theo......the mere presence of both Gainey and Carbo made a difference in player's attitudes......but there is still a lot of learning to be done......we'll take it and move on.......Dallas on Monday

Best of luck to CJ, but this move makes sense.....it will be instant credibility........when the refs come over to our bench to explain a call or why they screwed up, it will be to Mr. Gainey I also hope this lousy system we've been playing has left with CJ.......we need to start attacking in the offensive zone instead of sitting back, waiting for a turnover, and counterattacking.....and yes, we would give up a few more 2-on-1's, but that's why we have a goalie back there. STOP PLAYING SCARED!

It's not our "D"....its the stupid "system" (hate that word!) CJ is still trying to implement......Why is that most teams are beating up on teams like Wash. and Pitt., while we're 0-4 against them....it's because they attack their very weak and inexperienced "D", which give up the puck more often than not......Our strategy is to send one guy in as a pest and hope we can create a turnover at centre ice, and then counterattack. As the rules have changed (tag-up off-side), these teams have gotten smart and all they do now is as soon as any bit of pressure comes there way, they dump the puck into our corner zones, and make our "D" work hard to get it out while being harassed by 2, sometimes 3 forecheckers.......that's why our "D" are always so tired in the third period....we need a new philosophy....our defense never pinches in to keep the puck in the offensive zone because we worry too much about a 2-on-1 going the other way.....I'd rather we become more aggressive and take chances, let their "D" get tired of chasing our forwards in their zone throughout the game......this only happens when we fall behind.....if you notice we actually play better when we're losing, and this is why, with very few exceptions, we never get blown about by anybody, nor do we beat anybody by more than a goal. IT'S NOT WORKING, TIME TO FIX IT!!!

###### Buccigrass....he bleeds Bruins black & gold

Wasn't he in the movie "Boogie Nights"?

I guess he just did.