Game Thread | Canadiens de Montréal vs. Boston Bruins | 04/13/08

[jackp]

I will not judge this team until I see them perform on Tuesday. They have yet to have time to prepare and plan for the Bruins' new style, so I will give them a mulligan on last night. I fully expect wins on Tuesday and Thursday, however.

I, for one, do not believe there actually *is* a "Bruins' new style." I believe (see my last post) that *we're* the ones playing a new style - not wanting the puck enough, not willing to pay the price to get it. Why do you think the Smolinski line has been our best? Watch very carefully. They're the only line chasing down every d*mn puck, regardless of the price they have to pay.

- Jack

[Neech]

You know, it's amazing how some people look at things through rose-coloured glasses. "Single setback"? "one bad play"? Take off those glasses! This is not panic. This is seeing what's going on out there. Boston should be ahead 2 games to 1. Price has saved our bacon so far. Even the players admitted Boston should have won game 2. You think the players on *both* teams don't know this?

Game 1, I saw a bunch of hungry Habs chasing down every loose puck, using our speed to create big problems for the B's. Since then? "Ummm, I think I'll let you get the puck first, and then I'll ram you into the boards." How many times in the last 2 games have you seen a Habs with inside position on the puck, allow a Bruin to get to it first? You think we can win playing like this? Well I don't. If they don't want it enough, then they won't win, pure and simple. Playoffs are all about self-sacrifice and wanting it enough. The team who wants it more, will win. It's as simple as that.

Now I didn't say we were done. What I actually said was that if we play like we have the last 2 games, *then* we're done. We need to get back to the determination and courage we showed in game 1. We have the ability to do it, the only question is, do we have the will? Watch the next game carefully, especially when there's a loose puck. That will tell you who's gonna win the series. And I damn-well hope that it's us who's pouncing on those loose pucks and not them...

(As far as Latendresse is concerned, he's been one of the worse. Watch what happens when there's a loose puck near him. It's god-awful shameful.)

- Jack

Yeah, but even with the Bruins taking their game to us, both games went to overtime and we won one of them. Hell, with the way OT went yesterday, we should have won, but Thomas stood on his head. It IS just a single setback at this point, represented by the '1' in 'the Habs lead the series 2-1'. You sounded a lot more panicky in that first post than you do here.

Anyways, I agree with Wamsley that in the end Thomas will be outplayed by Price. He's going to make a costly mistake that will break their back.

Edited April 14, 2008 by Neech

[Habsfan84]

Bad breakdown but we will get em back in game 4.

[Habsfan]

(As far as Latendresse is concerned, he's been one of the worse. Watch what happens when there's a loose puck near him. It's god-awful shameful.)

I get the Impression that you haven'T watched a single game. Lats has played good hockey. He didn't back down from a fight(he took out a bruins d-man for 5 minutes) and has played a solid game along the boards.

[Wamsley01]

You know, it's amazing how some people look at things through rose-coloured glasses. "Single setback"? "one bad play"? Take off those glasses! This is not panic. This is seeing what's going on out there. Boston should be ahead 2 games to 1. Price has saved our bacon so far. Even the players admitted Boston should have won game 2. You think the players on *both* teams don't know this?

Game 1, I saw a bunch of hungry Habs chasing down every loose puck, using our speed to create big problems for the B's. Since then? "Ummm, I think I'll let you get the

puck first, and then I'll ram you into the boards." How many times in the last 2 games have you seen a Habs with inside position on the puck, allow a Bruin to get to it first? You think we can win playing like this? Well I don't. If they don't want it enough, then they won't win, pure and simple. Playoffs are all about self-sacrifice and wanting it enough. The team who wants it more, will win. It's as simple as that.

Now I didn't say we were done. What I actually said was that if we play like we have the last 2 games, *then* we're done. We need to get back to the determination and courage we showed in game 1. We have the ability to do it, the only question is, do we have the will? Watch the next game carefully, especially when there's a loose puck. That will tell you who's gonna win the series. And I damn-well hope that it's us who's pouncing on those loose pucks and not them...

(As far as Latendresse is concerned, he's been one of the worse. Watch what happens when there's a loose puck near him. It's god-awful shameful.)

- Jack

If you stated that if they play like this they are in deep trouble well then welcome to "State the Obvious". But that was not a post filled with confidence.

I don't think anybody is looking through rose coloured glasses. The Bruins outplayed the Habs and lost game 2, the Bruins outplayed the Habs

and were a couple of big Thomas saves in OT from being down 3-0. So the Bruins have played their heart out and still trail in the series.

The habs have played 1 game and are up 2-1 and almost ended the series yesterday. Just as fast as the Bruins took the momentum from Montreal

in game 2 it can switch back to the Habs. Am I wearing rose coloured glasses in the belief that the Canadiens can play better? Do you believe the Bruins

can play better? I don't

The PP is non existant, the first two lines are non existant and the team is being carried by the 3rd and 4th lines. Yet they are winning the series.

This team has bounced back ALL YEAR. This team has proven doubters wrong ALL YEAR. The Habs have dominated the Bruins ALL YEAR.

Sorry if one OT loss in the playoffs doesn't get me worried about the series.

Momentum turns on a dime in the playoffs.

I am confident that Price will outplay Thomas. The Kovy line will make an impact and the Bruins cannot force their will on the Habs 3 more times.

I think I will give the team that is 13-1 in the last 14 encounters and the number 1 seed the benefit of the doubt on this one.

Edited April 14, 2008 by Wamsley01

[jackp]

No, I don't believe they can beat us if we both play our best. Our best is better, no - MUCH better, than their best. But we have to do it. Did you hear Plekanic on SportsCentre? "I'm playing like a little girl," is what he said. He's not the only one though!

As to the guy who said I haven't been watching Latendresse... yes, he's going after *people.* The problem is he's not going after the *puck.* Too many on this team have been satisfied to allow Boston to get the puck first, and then ram them into the boards. If you've ever played, you'd know that it takes more guts to retrieve the puck first, knowing that you're going to take a hit, than to allow the other guy to get it, and then hit him. We need to be more concerned with getting the puck and doing something with it, than with ramming the Bruins when they have it.

We also need someone to set up in front of Thomas during the powerplay. It's been very frustrating to watch a red perimeter around the goal, but no one in front of it. That's one of the reasons are PP hasn't been working. The point men don't want to shoot, or are trying to be too fine, because no one's in front of the net, screening Thomas. (Not all the time, but often.)

Look I'm hopeful that all these "bad habits" will disappear next game. You're totally correct when you say that this team has come through for us all year. As a matter of fact, I EXPECT them to be much better next game. All I've been saying is that IF they don't, then we're done. Okay?

- Jack