Habs @ Blues | Game Thread

[JLP]

I still think they will struggle to match last season's point total. But they need to learn how to win playoff games.

This team is too good to miss the playoffs, a first seed did not guarantee them success, but they are going to learn

a shitload of lessons this year. Teams are going to have a game plan against them this year, teams are not going

to be surprised this year, they are not going 12-0 against Philly/Boston this season.

It is frustrating to watch, but this regular season is college, the playoffs are the real world. Everybody forgets how

last season we all expected them to shit the bed in December and when they choked in November everybody assumed

it has come early and we were really screwed.

. . .

It is a long year and this will not be the last slump. And they are going to catch fire at times as well.

No blame, it is the nature of the beast. Every team is going to ebb and flow and it is better to be good in May

then good in November.

I suppose I can agree to some extent. We want the Habs to play with intensity every game, Bouillon did that tonight jumping in front of a slapshot and what if it had ended his career? So yeah maybe it's ok if the players coast a bit through the season ~ my concern is they have the heart and the hustle when they will need it, down the stretch and into the playoffs.

[MMPL]

Dude, don't even start that crap. Don Cherry-like views on race are not cool. Ask Detroit if they are too European and then never ask that question ever again.

It was merely a suggestion because of the style of hockey we were playing.

[HABBER-oooooKNOWS]

You know a win is a win. They played a good game. They were down and kept coming back and they got two points.

O ya, and Lang got laid last night. He says so in this post game interview.

TSN/LANG/PRICE

[MMPL]

O ya, and Lang got laid last night. He says so in this post game interview.

TSN/LANG/PRICE

LOL!

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

In other news, has this site been officially surpassed by Habs Inside-Out as the main online venue for discussion relating to specific games? These game threads don't seem as long as they used to be. Just asking.

Wamsley is wise to remind us that the same sort of debacle happened last November (a point I also made, but without as much precision, in the Philly game thread). Nonetheless, it's demoralizing to see Les Boys in such disarray and there remain a lot of question marks. Specifically, we've put a lot of stock into two kids from Belarus, both of whom *could* well be candidates for a sophomore slump. We're also counting on the world's most mercurial player (Kovalev) to put in his second strong season in a row (up to now he's been decent, but nothing like last year). And we have two very young goalies, who, while supremely talented, are liable to blow hot and cold.

Add to that the question of whether it's realistic to expect Plekanec and Komisarek to equal or top what were career-best seasons last year, and you can see several reasons for a deeper unease about the team in the short term (by which I mean, this season).

Don't get me wrong, I didn't really see these possible weaknesses going into the season any better than anyone else. Nothing like an early slump to cause you to re-consider some complacencies.

But I still, absolutely and emphatically maintain that it is stupid - and looking stupider all the time - not to have a defence-specialist on the coaching staff.

[Partisan]

Decent game from A kost.

[Fat Tony]

Dude, don't even start that crap. Don Cherry-like views on race are not cool. Ask Detroit if they are too European and then never ask that question ever again.

European isn't a race :-) It's a continent.

Edited November 17, 2008 by Fat Tony

[Fat Tony]

You know a win is a win. They played a good game. They were down and kept coming back and they got two points.

O ya, and Lang got laid last night. He says so in this post game interview.

TSN/LANG/PRICE

That's hilarious

[MAK]

where are the California Golden Seals when you need 'em....

unless I'm mistaking they are in New Jerzey now !

[MAK]

You know a win is a win. They played a good game. They were down and kept coming back and they got two points.

O ya, and Lang got laid last night. He says so in this post game interview.

TSN/LANG/PRICE

HAAA the mile high club

[Chris]

2 points is 2 points. I wouldn't really say they played well but they got the win. Price and A Kosty were good.

I wonder if Ak waking up has anything to do with not playing with Kovy?

I think Kovy had the same negative effect on Tanguay and Koivu? No points and only one good chance.

I think Price has more points then Kovy in the last 3 or 4 games.

The PP is just ridiculous, i have never seen a team just stand around and do nothing for 2 minutes. The 4 on 3 was worse, did they even get a shot?

If I were Bg i would be looking for some roster movement, i won't throw out any names, you can put your own in.

It's a good thing this team has really good goaltending, they could have 10 losses already.

[Chris]

I forgot 1 thing, is it me or do these guys look like ZOMBIES out there? No emotion, No effort, No pride, no expression at all.

[Wamsley01]

In other news, has this site been officially surpassed by Habs Inside-Out as the main online venue for discussion relating to specific games? These game threads don't seem as long as they used to be. Just asking.

Wamsley is wise to remind us that the same sort of debacle happened last November (a point I also made, but without as much precision, in the Philly game thread). Nonetheless, it's demoralizing to see Les Boys in such disarray and there remain a lot of question marks. Specifically, we've put a lot of stock into two kids from Belarus, both of whom *could* well be candidates for a sophomore slump. We're also counting on the world's most mercurial player (Kovalev) to put in his second strong season in a row (up to now he's been decent, but nothing like last year). And we have two very young goalies, who, while supremely talented, are liable to blow hot and cold.

Add to that the question of whether it's realistic to expect Plekanec and Komisarek to equal or top what were career-best seasons last year, and you can see several reasons for a deeper unease about the team in the short term (by which I mean, this season).

Don't get me wrong, I didn't really see these possible weaknesses going into the season any better than anyone else. Nothing like an early slump to cause you to re-consider some complacencies.

But I still, absolutely and emphatically maintain that it is stupid - and looking stupider all the time - not to have a defence-specialist on the coaching staff.

I hate the format at Habsinsideout though. You reply to somebody and it gets buried 3 to 4 pages back.

[Easy Ryder]

Power play should be the main concern here.

What is the problem exactly ?

Too much softness there.

1 Face off has to be won or the winger has to jump and move the puck fast to own the puck.

2 Shoot the damn puck to the net and drive the net, anything can happen. Lang goal was the first rebound goal i

have seen for a long time

3 Opponent zone entrance is too predictable, too often only one player carry the puck between centre ice and

blue line. Not enought speed to have options, if a winger is on fast pace to the zone a dump is not pretty but the player

is on position to fight the puck in the zone and with some help can keep it and create play.

4 Play Markov on point left.

5 Try someone new at the right point. Gorges can't be worst than anything we have seen this year. He cannot score

but at leat he can make a first pass and fight a puck at the blue line.

[Fanpuck33]

1 1 Face off has to be won or the winger has to jump and move the puck fast to own the puck.

2 Shoot the damn puck to the net and drive the net, anything can happen. Lang goal was the first rebound goal i

have seen for a long time

3 Opponent zone entrance is too predictable, too often only one player carry the puck between centre ice and

blue line. Not enought speed to have options, if a winger is on fast pace to the zone a dump is not pretty but the player

is on position to fight the puck in the zone and with some help can keep it and create play.

4 Play Markov on point left.

5 Try someone new at the right point. Gorges can't be worst than anything we have seen this year. He cannot score

but at leat he can make a first pass and fight a puck at the blue line.

1. Agreed.

2. Agreed.

3. Agreed, to the extent they need to enter the zone with speed. I just don't like dumping on the PP. Crisper passing would help here.

4. I disagree. Of the guys we've played on the point, he has the best shot. Playing the right side sets him up for easier one timers.

5. I don't see why they don't try Kovalev back there. His shot is better than Markov's, so Markov would switch back to the left, where you want him anyways. It's not like Kovalev is making things happen from where he is. Might as well try him back there.

[saskhab]

I hate the format at Habsinsideout though. You reply to somebody and it gets buried 3 to 4 pages back.

Yep.

I guess HabsWorld is now #3 in GDT's for Habs games. That's generally fine by me, I like to know the people posting the comments, or know their general POV on the game. I also post at a very small message board for the same reason... I've known those guys for 5+ years.

[brobin]

I would not move Kovy to the point, he is very effective where he is. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of that position is completely dependent on the effectiveness of the player. Kovalev has not been sharp this season. Too many bad passes, too many bad decisions. If he screws his head on straight, the PP will get better.

Last night I found the PP really slow. They were so slow moving the puck that the defense barely had to move. The way to open up a seam is to move the puck quickly to get the defense moving and out of position. That implies quick decisions. The team lacks confidence, which means they hesitate to make decisions. When they do pass, the passes are not crisp.

At this point, I think they need to go back to basics and get the puck on net. Believe it or not, Breezy is the only one who gives me any confidence that he can get the puck through and on net. Markov seems to be trying to blast it like Streit or Souray did, which is not his strength. He used to either wrist it in with great accuracy or make the cross ice feed. He needs to get back to that approach and stop blasting it wide. Boo Boo is also not bad on the point, since his shot is pretty good and he has a ton of speed to get back when needed.

[saskhab]

The problem with Markov's slapper isn't speed, or the ability to get off a one-timer... it's accuracy. Very few of his slap shots are making it to the goalie.... they are either being blocked or going wide.

Breezer is just looking like he's done. His shot looks fine, but he is having a hard time holding the line, and he's lost a lot of foot speed. I actually liked Breezer as the team's spare D last year, but this year he's not nearly as effective. I'd rather see Dandy as the spare D to be honest... and that'd partially clear up the 4th line jam right now. Breezer is a better PP option yes, but he's not good enough to help the unit, and his 1 on 1 play is just in such decline. Dandy's speed alone would make him more effective as a sub.

[saskhab]

The PP runs on Kovy and Markov. If they want to open up a down low option, tell Gui to take up a Holmstrom type role in front. Gui was supposedly watching Holmstrom very closely in the preseason game to take pointers. I'd put him on the top unit and tell him to do exactly that and if he didn't do that, he wouldn't see any PP time at all. If we don't have a point shot threat, then we can open the space up for Kovy and Markov by showing a strong net presence.

[Wamsley01]

Yep.

I guess HabsWorld is now #3 in GDT's for Habs games. That's generally fine by me, I like to know the people posting the comments, or know their general POV on the game. I also post at a very small message board for the same reason... I've known those guys for 5+ years.

I agree, I like to know the people I am talking to as well. At habsinsideout it is just a flurry of posts coming at you a million miles and hour,

the majority of which are half thought out complaints, followed by a 7 paragraph answer, followed by 19 three word observations.

It is the equivalent of trying to talk to the whole Bell Centre at once. In here it is like a discussion with a 10-15 person group

at a party. IMO it is much more enjoyable

[CerebusClone]

The PP runs on Kovy and Markov. If they want to open up a down low option, tell Gui to take up a Holmstrom type role in front. Gui was supposedly watching Holmstrom very closely in the preseason game to take pointers. I'd put him on the top unit and tell him to do exactly that and if he didn't do that, he wouldn't see any PP time at all. If we don't have a point shot threat, then we can open the space up for Kovy and Markov by showing a strong net presence.

It's too bad we didn't keep Chipchura in Montreal, I get the feeling that he would do a good job there on the powerplay, not unlike a Tomas Holmstrom or a Paul Gaustad (with a skill level somewhere in between those 2). He's very strong, has a good reach, protects the puck well, rarely loses a battle, and has a knack for picking up garbage goals.

I've also mentioned before that I think Andrei Kostsitsyn could do a very good job as the shooter on the powerplay because he possesses such a great shot, a very quick release, and perhaps more importantly because he also has great passing skills; with two guys in Markov and Kostsitsyn who can both shot and feed an open linemate, this would give us a plethora of different options from the blue line.

So you keep the Plekanec-Kovalev duo that did such a great job last season on the powerplay, you add a Markov-A.Kostsitsyn duo at the blue line that can generate a lot scoring chances, and you add a large, gritty Chipchura to work the net, do the dirty work, and pick up the garbage goals. I think it has potential...

[HABBER-oooooKNOWS]

It's simple. Pleks needs to stop playing like a little girl. It's starting to rub off on his linemates.

They'll shake it off boys. I think the team is starting to realize that even teams like St'Louis are coming hard against them and it's not going to change all season long.

I think a couple of powerplay goals and scoring first for a few games will turn this ship around. Plus Kovy needs to grow his hair out and start losing his helmet more often. He's much more effective that way.

I hope it happens soon, before we have to go through the rumor mill again, the summer was painful enough.

How about Sak's? Can we talk about something positive or are we waiting for him to slump so we can question his character and bash.

GO HABS GO!!!!!

Edited November 17, 2008 by HABBER-oooooKNOWS

[JoeLassister]

It's simple. Pleks needs to stop playing like a little girl. It's starting to rub off on his linemates.

They'll shake it off boys. I think the team is starting to realize that even teams like St'Louis are coming hard against them and it's not going to change all season long.

I think a couple of powerplay goals and scoring first for a few games will turn this ship around. Plus Kovy needs to grow his hair out and start losing his helmet more often. He's much more effective that way.

I hope it happens soon, before we have to go through the rumor mill again, the summer was painful enough.

How about Sak's? Can we talk about something positive or are we waiting for him to slump so we can question his character and bash.

GO HABS GO!!!!!

On another note, I'd like Guillaume in front of the goalie on PP, i'd like it a lot. 2nd option : Laraque ???

[sbhatt]

Pleks needs to stop playing like a little girl.

Amen...he aggravates me to no end with his pussified floaty play.

Kovy needs to grow his hair out and start losing his helmet more often. He's much more effective that way.

I was somewhat concerned when I saw his new shorter 'do when training camp opened. After the season he had last year, I wouldn't have changed anything. Carbo should order him to stop getting haircuts from here on out.

[saskhab]

I was somewhat concerned when I saw his new shorter 'do when training camp opened. After the season he had last year, I wouldn't have changed anything. Carbo should order him to stop getting haircuts from here on out.

Someone should also lobby for Andrei Kostitsyn to take propecia like Theo.