Habs VS. Lightning : GAME THREAD

[JoeLassister]

with no results. he just dangled with the puck until he lost it...every single time!!

His line combined for 9 shots. Seriously, he wasn't that bad. Maybe not a star result, but close to. IMO

[Neech]

Am I the only one that thinks that Kovy didn't deserve his star ??

He scored a great goal but otherwize he held on the puck too long too often and was too predictable.

Yeah, I agree. A couple of times we had furious pressure on the powerplay and the puck came to Kovy and he just sat there.

[HABBER-oooooKNOWS]

where is that from? I'd like to use it for my player grades article.

They are up on a bunch of sites. TSN, Habs inside out. That was a great shot. Can you use it? or are there legal limitations? I say go for it, it won't be the last time it's seen. I'll make sure of that.

These are pretty good too.

Edited March 27, 2009 by HABBER-oooooKNOWS

[Trizzak]

They are up on a bunch of sites. TSN, Habs inside out. That was a great shot. Can you use it? or are there legal limitations? I say go for it, it won't be the last time it's seen. I'll make sure of that.

http://www.habsworld.net/article.php?id=1773

[habs rule]

could we please have the koivu for captain thread? oh...... he is the captain.......sorry ........what about that lapierre guy? and that tanguay guy? ..................... oh ok he is the captain

[Easy Ryder]

That was the first game i've watched for a long time.

On the positive side, they stand as a team as i never seen this year.

The players are used at the role they where hired to play. And those who deceived play to the role they can play

Tanguay and Latendresse are on the top of their game right now.

Higgins is one of the best 4th liner in this league, combined with Dandenault speed now he has remembered

what his main strenght was, speed and he has strenght and shoots the net blindly.

Best defense starts with Markov and Hammer found a groove. Schneider is trigger happy. That's all good.

On the less positive, Komisarek, yes he hits more and block shots but his passing game is horrible.

Gorges is playing like a poor Bouillon man, always shooting in the legs and just is ok defensively.

Luck is not on Price side. I had hope it was reversed when the puck hit the post on Stamkos shot but the second

goal was a deceiving one. Badluck or missed o dunno but it went in.

Saturday game will show more about the characters. Buffalo ain't a unflamed Bolt.

[HABBER-oooooKNOWS]

That was the first game i've watched for a long time.

On the positive side, they stand as a team as i never seen this year.

The players are used at the role they where hired to play. And those who deceived play to the role they can play

Tanguay and Latendresse are on the top of their game right now.

Higgins is one of the best 4th liner in this league, combined with Dandenault speed now he has remembered

what his main strenght was, speed and he has strenght and shoots the net blindly.

Best defense starts with Markov and Hammer found a groove. Schneider is trigger happy. That's all good.

On the less positive, Komisarek, yes he hits more and block shots but his passing game is horrible.

Gorges is playing like a poor Bouillon man, always shooting in the legs and just is ok defensively.

Luck is not on Price side. I had hope it was reversed when the puck hit the post on Stamkos shot but the second

goal was a deceiving one. Badluck or missed o dunno but it went in.

Saturday game will show more about the characters. Buffalo ain't a unflamed Bolt.

Regardless, They played well. Sure the score was 3-2 OT against Tampa but at-least it wasn't a game we barely won. Ramo was great and it should have been 10-0. Gainey has them going in the right direction which is playing up to there potential not below it. I think that is why Gainey fired Carbo, he was going the wrong way. Gainey is fixing that.....just in time.

Carey is growing game by game back into form and it just could be this years play-offs where he turns it around, this was his first career meltdown and Gainey is holding his hand all the way through it. Nice, that's what a coach is supposed to do.

Stop with Koivu bashing. At the start of the game before puck drop he was cheering and shouting both ways up and down the bench pumping the boys up. Let's not be blind as to the reasons he may be captain and just assume he plays a big role in the dressing room. He came through for us last night. Thank-you.

San Jose has lost to Phoenix and Nashville in the past week. Boston lost to Phoenix and L.A does that mean both these teams suck and won't win the cup???? Nope!

It's a new NHL and if the Habs get hot which they are starting to I think we have a good chance of going all the way.

The 100th season was pressure but if we get confident and play well in the play-offs that pressure is going to turn into an encouraging weapon, along with the fans support we will be unstoppable.

Go Habs Go!!!!!!!!!

[Fanpuck33]

I think pretty much everytime Kovy touched the puck, something was happening.

Usually him fumbling it over to Tampa.

Price is definitely the guy to play. He's both better now and promises to be better in the future.

I'm so sick of people assuming Price will be better than Halak. I guess I missed school the day they handed out crystal balls.

[redondo]

On the basis that he's our best goalie and that Halak never managed to steal the job from him when he had the chance - except for the four-game winning streak that was unfortunately ended by the flu. With Price playing alright (but not great) and Halak also playing alright (but not great), Price is definitely the guy to play. He's both better now and promises to be better in the future.

Maybe you and I are not watching the same games then, because I don't see what makes Price the better goalie. He has a clear advantage in size but as far as technique he is not better, at least in this point in time.

As far as Halak not managing to steal the job, this is at least the second obvious time I count that HE HAS stolen a job from a supposed #1 only for coach to give it back to the anointed goalie, two years ago it was Huet in the last game of the season, this time around he stands on his head, then gets the flu (after Carbo finally said he'd ride him as long as he was hot), by the Gainey takes over and he gets shafted yet again. So yes, he has stolen it, but it was taken away from him. I guess if you're a low pick and you have one bad game it's back to the bench.

I think you and many others are so quick to think of Price as the next Roy that you automatically discount that we may be sitting on a next Hasek. No, it's not very likely, but it's neither impossible - I don't want to find out this was the case after we lose him for a marginal 3rd liner. People forget that the year Price carried the Dogs on that crazy playoff run Halak has been playing lights out as well until he got promoted. In fact the kid has shown promise and steady, if unspectacular progress since I've followed him. And don't bring up the Garon hype a few years ago either, that was totally different.

[HABBER-oooooKNOWS]

I'm so sick of people assuming Price will be better than Halak. I guess I missed school the day they handed out crystal balls.

I hear you. It's more hoping then assuming based on being picked 5th, which I guess is supposed to be a lock for Stanley Cup/Saviour. I get caught up in it too. It's hard not to. It will be answered in the first round this year assuming/hoping we make the play-offs. If we go down 2-0 in the series and there is a goaltending switch that takes us on a cup run it could get really interesting. For now I'm with Gainey on who should be starting, but wouldn't be surprised if Halak steps in and gives us what we really need in the coming month.

My crystal ball says: We lose the next few games with Carey. Gainey puts Halak in and he takes us into the play-offs. Starts the first 2 in Boston and we lose. Carey comes back in and takes us to the finals.

Man, if crystal balls really existed how boring would sports be?

[BTH]

Maybe you and I are not watching the same games then, because I don't see what makes Price the better goalie. He has a clear advantage in size but as far as technique he is not better, at least in this point in time.

As far as Halak not managing to steal the job, this is at least the second obvious time I count that HE HAS stolen a job from a supposed #1 only for coach to give it back to the anointed goalie, two years ago it was Huet in the last game of the season, this time around he stands on his head, then gets the flu (after Carbo finally said he'd ride him as long as he was hot), by the Gainey takes over and he gets shafted yet again. So yes, he has stolen it, but it was taken away from him. I guess if you're a low pick and you have one bad game it's back to the bench.

I think you and many others are so quick to think of Price as the next Roy that you automatically discount that we may be sitting on a next Hasek. No, it's not very likely, but it's neither impossible - I don't want to find out this was the case after we lose him for a marginal 3rd liner. People forget that the year Price carried the Dogs on that crazy playoff run Halak has been playing lights out as well until he got promoted. In fact the kid has shown promise and steady, if unspectacular progress since I've followed him. And don't bring up the Garon hype a few years ago either, that was totally different.

*sigh* Yes, yes, Halak is good too. But even if they are Roy and Hasek, we'll never be able to develop them both into stars. Eventually we'll have to trade one (almost definitely Halak) and let him be a starter somewhere else, or one of them will plateau and become our back up for the rest of time.

Technique? I've never seen a goalie with a smoother technique than Price. He hasn't been playing his best but that doesn't mean he's fundamentally unsound. He relies a lot more on his positioning than Halak does. Once again, Price has proven to be an NHL goalie over the past two seasons, Halak has never strung more than 4 good NHL games together. His recent streak might have been exciting but he's just a pretty good back up for now. We have two good young goalies - only one can be our guy in the playoffs - and like I said, Price being better now and having higher potential makes him the obvious choice.

Halak stole the job from Price and got the flu. By the time, he came back Price was playing well again and there was no point in giving the job back to our back up (why re-create a goalie controversy that's over with?) so he lost it. That was just bad luck. Then, he was given two more separate oppotunities to start after losses from Price - he was good in one but still lost and he was bad in a huge loss to Toronto hence the job goes back to Price, who has managed to hang onto it. Back ups need to be opportunists; something keeps on going wrong for Jaro, or he keeps on wasting chances. He's playing just okay and Price is playing just okay - so why play the back up, the worse goalie, with lower potential when you're winning with the more proven goalie, with higher potential? There's no reason other than because you might have a thing for the underdog and have been routing for him since he was drafted.

[Fanpuck33]

I hear you. It's more hoping then assuming based on being picked 5th, which I guess is supposed to be a lock for Stanley Cup/Saviour.

Yup, seems like so many people would rather be able to say they made a great pick at #5 than say we found a diamond in the rough in the last round. Me, I don't care which I'm able to say, I just want a goalie who wins us games!

[MK1]

Eight PPs usually lets a team get into a groove offensively in any game, let along against the 27th best team in the league...

Halak stole the job from Price and got the flu. By the time, he came back Price was playing well again and there was no point in giving the job back to our back up (why re-create a goalie controversy that's over with?) so he lost it.

I don't recall this time period where Price was "playing well again", I recall Carbo being axed and the Habs losing five of six mostly with Price between the pipes, save for one Halak loss to the Leafs where no one else showed up either (other than laps/lats).

[huzer]

F@&^@#& goalie debates. Holy crap, it's old.

Anyway, I don't care who the Habs played, it was good to see them hustling and winning puck battles that they haven't been winning. Yes, I would've liked more PP goals, but on the bright side, puck possession during the PPs was strong. The Habs working for a change drew penalties (although I'll admit the call on Ramo for "roughing" was a little weak). Other random thoughts...man, Higgins can skate. He's been flying lately. Nice jets by Lats, too, on his wrap around. Also nice to see Lats get a couple of hits in, dropping Artukhin. Komisarek, he's battling again, and the biggest difference I'm seeing is that he's not tentative to go behind his own net and work, meaning he's not worried about taking a hit as much.

Price, decent when he had to be. The little backhand flip by St Louis that he made a shoulder save on....same goal he gave up to Ruutu in the Ottawa game.

When TB tied it, the Habs were on their heels for a bit, but nice to see them get their composure back. It'll be nice to see the Habs hustle against some tougher opponents, now that the Lapierre line isn't the only line doing so. Get A Kost back in the lineup, and hope that line starts clicking, and it could be the best line rolling that we've seen in a while.

[BTH]

F@&^@#& goalie debates. Holy crap, it's old.

I knew you would come and complain about a goalie debate. It shattered my feelings. Now how do you feel?

[huzer]

I knew you would come and complain about a goalie debate. It shattered my feelings. Now how do you feel?

I feel a little better. It's fun to be repetitive.

[redondo]

*sigh* Yes, yes, Halak is good too. But even if they are Roy and Hasek, we'll never be able to develop them both into stars. Eventually we'll have to trade one (almost definitely Halak) and let him be a starter somewhere else, or one of them will plateau and become our back up for the rest of time.

I couldn't agree more. So wouldn't you want to make sure we're evaluating BOTH enough to make a right decision, and then keep to the better of the two?

Halak has never strung more than 4 good NHL games together. His recent streak might have been exciting but he's just a pretty good back up for now.

Not true. I don't have the number in front of me, but I'm pretty sure that two years ago in that battle for the playoffs he had a good streak that was significantly longer. I'll look it up if you want, but I don't think it's central to this debate.

He's playing just okay and Price is playing just okay - so why play the back up, the worse goalie, with lower potential when you're winning with the more proven goalie, with higher potential? There's no reason other than because you might have a thing for the underdog and have been routing for him since he was drafted.

This is where you and I see it differently. I don't see Price as being so clearly a better goalie today, for this team, for this place in time. The amount of playing time he gets may support your point, but the overall stats (careerwise and this year) would indicate that they're not as far apart as you'd suggest. And anyway, as someone (brobin I think) pointed out earlier, it's kind of late right now, at this point Price will be starting in the playoffs barring a total collapse. And I'll support him as I did last nite and every othertime he's between the pipes, but i still reserve myself the right to criticize too.

For the record, it's not that I love Halak or hate Price, I just want what's best for the team. Loving the underdog or favoritism has nothing to do with it, in fact I would say that I'm arguing for the very opposite, giving people the chance they deserve until they truly blow it, and working on evidence as opposed to assumptions or projections.

Ok, I'm letting it go now, no more goalie debates for me today!