tokyohabs

The whole damned game is them cycling.

A bit of life and momentum maybe now. We kill the rest of the penalty, we should be flying. But the way we play is abysmal, so predictable. We always seems to be in our half of the ice, playing two-on-three or three-on-four. Just pressure us. And the chances we give up, it's like we have a system that is let them into the zone, let them come deep, let them set up, let them blast away from the point. Something in this really has to change.

Komisarek is hurting us now...must take a break...

He ain't got the sense, man, never has never will. At least he is hustling around. PP, gotta get something at least positive. Kovalev!!!!!

It's just so obvious it makes me sick. Pressure the Habs deep. No ideas, no options. Forwards too far away. One fw comes back, gets a pass up the boards, chips it out into the neutral zone, line change. Only chances come from their mistakes, falling down etc. F'ing useless, does no one on the bench see this is not working???????????????

So much for trying to get a thread going about what the Habs should do for the last 13 games. Any suggestions? And no, I don't mean an analysis of Koivu's leadership. Koivu would be alright between A Kost and Latendresse imo, as a 2nd line; Plex-Kovalev-Tanguay on the 1st. Lapierre-Higgins-S Kost (callup for Pacioretty) on the 3rd; Metropolit-Kosto-Stewart/D'agostini on the 4th. Dandy must shift back to defence. The D must be completely re-done; late in the season, but something needs to happen, simplifying the game. I'd even gamble and rest Komisarek for the next 2 or 3 games; then give Hamrlik a game off. Schneider on the 1st wave of the pp; Breezer on the second. At least Adirondack Bud has a pretty good suggestion. Can't beat that. Chris, if you had seen the last 3 months of hockey, it is clear that on most nights - not all - we are a way better team with Kovalev in the lineup. I don't think he should be re-signed; however, he absolutely needs to be playing 1st-line minutes the rest of the season. That 5-3 v. Isles summed it up, we didn't look close to scoring once. I'm talking about the last 13 games here.

So how do the Habs mend their ways for the stretch? Christ it's pathetic for us older fans to just be hoping to make the playoffs. Ah, reality, thou dost bitest and bitest hard. I'd say someone has to sit on the d, it's ridiculous. Even something like a rotational system, something has to change back there. Dandy should just be slotted into the pack, roll with it. Two of Dandy, Breeze, Schneider playing. Sit Hamrlik for a game, tell him to rest up. Sit Komi soon for a game, same thing. Jaysus but they look awful now. Rooks don't look good at all right now, send Pacioretty down and keep Stewart in Laraque's role and D'agostini, but a limited D'agostini. Keep A Kost away from Kovalev; give Kovalev Tanguay, around Plex. Latendresse plays with Koivu and A Kost on 2nd line. 3rd line of Lapierre, D'agostini / Kosto and Higgins looks alright. 4th line the unfortunate Metropolit plus two guys, Stewart, Kosto... Get forwards to come back and help out on D, get into position to receive passes a bit closer to the D. First opponent entering our end with the puck or dumping it gets punished, f'ing creamed every time. On dump-ins, first opponent to reach the puck gets creamed every time. As Kozed said, what do you do on D? Hit, get the puck out. A d-man who doesn't throw one check a game minimum gets fined or something. Forwards pressure the opponents cut down shooting lanes. Less than 30 shots a game. Ride Carey. Pray.

I was a big fan of Jokinen and wanted a push for him. Look at Calgary now, he's done wonders. Brendan Morrow, he'll rebound. I'm sure he would make a great ctr. Of course, won't be available, but he could play behind Vinny... Regrettably, Higgins has never been the same since his injury; but he was always a no-hands, work-ethic guy with little hockey sense. He follows the play always always always.

I'm quaking - we are one the league's weak sisters. We just got thoroughly dominated by Atlanta and Islanders at home. Anyone who moans about how awful Kovalev is should watch the last few games without him. Of that list, how many of those teams do you see us beating in our current form? I'd say maximum goalies steal three games. We'd better hope Latendresse and Kovalev come back with rage and fire. And for crissakes play Dandy on defence!

No wavering here. Despite my logical misgivings, I hope the Habs shell Marty for 9, he pulls a fit and is traded to Colorado the next day. Go Habs!

Ha ha. Then Gainey could do like McNamara and go to court to prove he is brain-damaged. Then we could paint the Bell Ctr yellow on the inside and...and... oh Christ.

c*cksucking son of a b*tch, as me Da would say at these times. Metropolit was brought in to do what exactly? Higgins does what exactly? Gorges looks paranoid, has looked so since the all-star break. Islanders hemming us in, sticking to a game plan, looking like the Wings against us. Oh well, least Price has bounced back. Sun shining in Tokyo, not going to let the 'performance' of this 'team' get me too down. Bring on St. Pats!

Completely f*ing predictable. Did we win a faceoff after the 2nd? SURELY we all know now it is not the coach!

Price! and the rest hanging on for dear life for a point v. Islanders...last 4 minutes should tell Bob all he needs to know about this team.

The rooks look like rooks. D'agostini, Stewart, Pacioretty should watch this one from the bench for the remainder of the game. Crazy, I'm just thinking Koivu is invisible when he steps up to make that nice interception / pass at their blue line.

Ooh, what did he miss there...

Kosto - 4.5 million next year?

2-man advantage? If so, time to pull it out now.

Agree with Easy, Christ would have a difficult time inspiring them for 60 mins. Luckily we're still in it and should pull it out, especially considering the opponent.

I'm all for trying...like Bob tries! Hey what do I know, I'm an anglo (born and raised in Montreal, and I'd help KoZed with the torching of the Bell Ctr if we could get the Forum back). I think a lot of people see Lever suddenly being promoted to assistant coach, when none of the assistants lost their jobs, and put 2 + 2 together: grooming for a takeover in 2009-2010. Not necessarily for or against it, but it looks like that's what might happen.

That's what I tried to point out, alexstream, in a small way. I don't think my citing the 70's was off in any way. Coming from an anglo, I never thought that Gainey was that bad at his speaking. No Trudeau, but better than that lump Harper. Now Jean Chretien...

Something big happened in the 70's that changed the province into a nation - almost in actuality. Comparing then to now is impossible, like when people compare Richard to Gretzky (as we all know, of course, The Rocket was far the better player...) As much as I dislike it, alexstream is 100% right on the issues of a unilingual coach chez nous. They can study it and learn enough to get by, make an effort. Technically there is no need: but the world, and especially not Quebec, does not function on technicalities.

Good articles, Christ why am I reading RDS?? Thanks for the links.

If Jarvis is a potential head coach, he isn't showing much as the Habs defensive specialist (is he the Habs defensive specialist?). Lever, College Platon, session intensif, ete 2009. Prep for his HC stint next fall... Funny, I was roasted a few days ago for suggesting that Carbo had 'lost the room' and suggesting he was 'surely doomed now', this after the Atlanta game. The number of people accusing me of not being a 'fan' was amusing. I guess neither is Gainey? Anyway, every article I just read on RDS suggests Carbo lost the room in one form or another. Be very interested to know if this is Gainey's call 100%, or a 'suggestion' from higher-up. And f**k the bruins, they are all scum. Isn't Pat Burns from Gatineau? Or did he just police / coach there? He is French, though.

We traded Chelios and won the Cup; since then we've stopped hitting. It is unreal that we have guys like Komisarek, O'Byrne, Hamrlik and are routinely chasing the puck and standing off the boards in our own end. The only hitting I almost ever see is Bouillion running some guy in the neutral zone. Sure we need a system to do something with the puck; but before that we need the puck. Larry Robinson couldn't take it as a head coach; but I wonder if he'd be interested as a defensive coach / advisor with us?