HABS vs BRUINS: Game 1, April 7th

[The Rocket Flower]

Hey every one of you seems confident that the habs will win but do you really see them beating Boston two times in a row in the playoffs? I think we'll lose the series 4-2.

[Ribeiro]

Yes, of course we'll win.

That's if Perreault gets to play on the 1st or 2nd line, Julien doesn't mess with the lines, and Souray stays healthy.

[puck7x]

Originally posted by The Rocket Flower

Hey every one of you seems confident that the habs will win but do you really see them beating Boston two times in a row in the playoffs? I think we'll lose the series 4-2.

We've beaten them 22 out of 29 times we've faced them in the playoffs? Why shouldnt we beat them this time? And whats so hard about winning 2 in a row? We've beaten then 22/29!!

[Habiman]

Sorry if I'm diminishing the drama for everyone, but this series is gonna be decided by goaltending and defence. I expect both goalies to put on a show in this series, because both have something to prove. Fortunately for us, Jose has much more to prove than the rookie Raycroft.

D-fence is gonna win this...Forwards backchecking strong and the D mixing it up on the boards and protecting the crease.

Now the deep breathe everyone. This next one is not going to be popular. Many of you don't want to recognize this, but we are still in a rebuilding phase. WE NEED TO PLAY KOMI! The kid has earned the right to play and it will make our team better in the long run.

There can be no doubt that Boullion has played very, very well. And, if we didn't have a kid as good as Komi sitting pine, I'd be singing another tune. Its gonna be physical...its gonna be nasty...We just have too much to gain by having Komi in this series...he's big, he's nasty and he needs and has earned the right to get this playoff experience.....I hope that Coach Juilien makes the bold and right move to show confidence in his youngsters on the blue line!

[Bonavistaman11]

I agree that Komisarek should be playing in this series..His size and physical presence would surely be appreciated against the Bruins....but i dont think that Bouillon should be the victim, he's played too hard for us all season long and night in night out he gives everything to win.... He maybe our smallest blueliner but he's one of our hardest hitters, and im sure a few of those big bruins will tell you the same at the end of the series.

I was watching the Playoff preview on TSN tonight, and it turned my stomach, it should have been called Maple Leafs playoff preview...Every couple of minutes theyd say something about the Leafs. Leafs will beat Ottawa, Belfour will shine, Roberts for the Conn Smythe, update all the injuries on the team, the leafs will win the Cup..It was a disgrace to watch!

And once again, no body predicted the Habs to win, I just love when those bastards are proven Wrong!!!

Heres to TSN (Toronto's Sports Network) :-^:-^:-^:-^

:ghg:

[Fanpuck33_]

I think Ryder will show the world who the true rookie of the year is. Neither has playoff experience, but there is a lot more pressure on Raycroft, and I don't think he will be able to take it. I mean, Ryder plays for the Habs, a difficult team to play for. There's pressure on you every game, so he's used to it.

Raycroft will win the Calder, but Ryder will show us the true rookie of the year.

Here's to Raycroft and the Bruins: :-^

[ch_nl]

I think it's wide open.

But maybe NHL rather gives the calder to a goaltender than a forward. Nabokov...

This is why Raycroft is the calder:

* He is no. 6 in GAA with 2.05

* He is no. 5 in SV% at .926

But he has e pretty solid defence in fron of him. The Bruins has only allowed 188 goals against and Rycroft has played NHL games since 2001.

This is why Ryder is the calder:

* He is no. 1 goalscorer. Tied with Islanders Trent Hunter at 25.

* He is no. 1 in helpers with 38.

* No. 1 in points at 63.

* First line in a team than made the playoffs since day one.

* Second best stats in his team.

Rycroft will probably win it but you never know.

[DJ_Laszlo]

I don't really mind as long as the canadiens can go far in the playoffs. The teams success is far more important than an induvidual player on the team getting an award. But then again - it sure as hell would be sweet if Ryder was named rookie of the year

And isn't Ryder also on the first PP line?

[TheAussiePosse]

Originally posted by ch_nl

Rycroft will probably win it but you never know.

I hope Rycroft doesn't win it - he hasn't been a rookie since 2001

http://www.forecaster.ca/demo/hockey/player.cgi?2087

, alright, no more smart alec comments.

I think the difference is that we're comparing Ryder with rookies, not all players, while we're comparing Raycroft with all goalies. Broduer, Turco, Theodore, Raycroft is what we're saying. Same thing as Elias, Forsberg, Datsyuk, Naslund, Ryder - doesn't work.

It'll be close, I'm just hoping they don't choose Pitkanen - then there'll be a riot, and it won't be in Montreal.

[simonus]

if montreal beats boston, especially if ryder plays a major role (which he will basically have to), raycroft won't win. You can't give the calder to a guy who is on the other guy's highlight reel....

[TruthMonger]

Interesting...except voting takes place before the playoffs...

[simonus]

that might be true, but you havent taken into account my ignorance.

[sakiqc]

Matchup Edge stats... http://www.habsworld.net/show_big_news.php?id=522

I was searching the updated payrolls for Montreal and Boston.. couldn't find it. If anyone get it, send me a u2u or a reply in this thread! thx :/)

[Fanpuck33_]

I don't know how reliable http://www.thefourthperiod.com/ is, but they list the salaries for each player on the team pages, and it looks to me like Montreal's is up to date, and I believe Boston's is as well. Not totally sure if all the info is correct, but it seems about right to me.

By the way, since it's a .com, I assume it's in American dollars.

[Edited on 4-6-04 by Fanpuck33]

[simonus]

the salaries are in US dollars. The problem, however, is that you can't get an exact idea of what the habs paid for those US dollars as the exchange rate changes over the course of the year and Canadian teams have exchange departments that try to buy US dollars at opportune times. They might have bought at 71 cents or maybe at 79, or even some at 71 and some at 79, so you don't know what multiplier to use to find the relative cost.

[Edited on 4/6/2004 by simonus]

[puck7x]

So now Boynton's going on Toronto radio (or so I heard...) And saying the Bruins are bigger, stronger, then the habs... And that the Habs are divers?

The Bruins players sure do like to run their mouths, I hope it comes back and bites them in the ass.

Anyone else getting the "night before jitters" about the series? Cause I am... Part of me is confident and feels that the habs can beat the Bruins with no problems, but another part is scared that the Bruins will surprise us, and Raycroft will stand on his head...

Ugh... Wish the series would just start already... Less then 24 hours until it does.

[jl.roberts]

Jitters? Nope, I'm confident as hell. I can't wait for this to start, I mean I can hardly sit still anymore.

[habsfan88]

You know what everybody........The bruins are talking shit because they know that we'll beat them.. Theyre just trying to run us down but hell it isnt working

4-0 habs sweep!!! thats right!

BRUINS SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:hlogo::hlogo::hlogo:

:hlogo::ghg::hlogo:

[puck7x]

Originally posted by jl.roberts

Jitters? Nope, I'm confident as hell. I can't wait for this to start, I mean I can hardly sit still anymore.

I just hope the Habs players are confident.

Its not that I am not confident though, I'm confident that the Habs can beat the Bruins <u>if we play the way we are capable of playing</u> ... What I am afraid of is, the habs not playing as well as they are capable of.

[JLP]

Yup, the Bruins and fans are talking trash because they are scared.

I have a bottle of Champagne on this series with my Beantown writer buddy out here, I won the same bet last time. He came by already pissed to pay off and we drained the bottle and he stumbled home. Weeks later he called me up and said -- "Hey, I almost forgot I still owe you a bottle of Champagne for our bet."

Naturally I collected another bottle -- all's fair when the Habs meet the Bruins!!!

Speaking of which -- I hope we have Langdon dressed because things may get rough tomorrow.

And Begin too.

:hlogo::hlogo::hlogo::hlogo::hlogo:

[JLP]

Originally posted by simonus

that might be true, but you havent taken into account my ignorance.

Hahahaha excellent post!!!

[jl.roberts]

I think the players believe in themselves. They know that Boston is a good team, and they know that if we outwork them we can be a better team. I read a Zednik interview on Canadiens.com and things seem pretty solid. No overconfidence, just a feel-good atmosphere.

21 Hours to GAME TIME!

:hlogo::hlogo::hlogo::hlogo:

[Bonavistaman11]

i think the teams main objective goin into Boston for the first two games is to do what they did the last time, come out with the split. IMO if they dont its over!...

But if the Team plays the way that they are capable and can get under the skin of the big Bruins forwards and suck them into taking Stupid penalties then winning both games in Beantown is very possible.

It's 2:26am here now and i cant even think about sleeping, im too damn excited.

:ghg::ghg::ghg:

18 hours and 4 minutes untill game time....

:hlogo:

[JP]

I can't sleep either, funny that... It's 4:40 am, I got a lonnnnng day in front of me

I'm really anxious to see how the team plays at the drop of the puck, if we'll see a difference right away in the intensity level, or if it will take a few minutes, and/or games... I suppose not, they're pros after all...

I'm also curious to see the state of their facial hair, looks like they went for some kind of Viking/Spinal Tap mustache, sort of like a horseshoe... looks weird! But it's scary!

Oh and I'm happy to see that Komi, despite having 4 inches and almost 70 pounds more that me, has the same difficulties with growing his beard!

[bombTHEice]

Originally posted by sakiqc

Matchup Edge stats... http://www.habsworld.net/show_big_news.php?id=522  

I was searching the updated payrolls for Montreal and Boston.. couldn't find it. If anyone get it, send me a u2u or a reply in this thread! thx :/)  

Here's something from NHLPA.com, perhaps it's the right thing you're searching for.

Montréal Canadiens:

Kovalev Alex $6,600,000.00

Théodore José $5,500,000.00

Koivu Saku $4,250,000.00

Brisebois Patrice $4,000,000.00

Perreault Yanic $2,800,000.00

Rivet Craig $2,500,000.00

Juneau Joé $2,025,000.00

Sundström Niklas $1,950,000.00

Zednik Richard $1,850,000.00

Dykhuis Karl $1,600,000.00

Souray Sheldon $1,600,000.00

Quintal Stephane $1,500,000.00

Dackell Andreas $1,400,000.00

Markov Andrei $1,300,000.00

Bulis Jan $1,150,000.00

Komisarek Michael $1,130,000.00

Garon Mathieu $1,000,000.00

Ribeiro Mike $847,000.00

Dowd James $775,000.00

Ward Jason $750,000.00

Ryder Michael $605,000.00

Bouillon Francis $500,000.00

Dagenais Pierre $500,000.00

Langdon Darren $500,000.00

Bégin Steve $400,000.00

Boston Bruins:

Lapointe Martin $5,500,000.00

Thornton Joe $5,500,000.00

Murray Glen $3,850,000.00

Gonchar Sergei $3,650,000.00

Samsonov Sergei $3,650,000.00

McGillis Daniel $3,200,000.00

Rolston Brian $3,175,000.00

O'Donnell Sean $2,700,000.00

Nylander Michael $2,675,000.00

Gill Hal $2,000,000.00

Zamuner Robert $2,000,000.00

Green Travis $1,600,000.00

Boynton Nicholas $1,550,000.00

Axelsson Per Johan $1,300,000.00

Potvin Felix $1,300,000.00

Girard Jonathan $1,089,000.00

Delmore Andy $1,000,000.00

Bergeron Patrice $900,000.00

Knuble Michael $800,000.00

Slegr Jiri $800,000.00

Moran Ian $700,000.00

Grosek Michal $600,000.00

Raycroft Andrew $550,000.00

Donato Ted $450,000.00

Doull Doug $450,000.00

MacDonald Craig $400,000.00