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Habs @ Sabres | Game Thread


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No, I just mute the CBC boradcast and crank CJAD from my computer. Not much lag between the tv and radio broadcasts. Ive had enough of bob cole.

Interesting

I'll do that next time

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I tell you, I won't be surprised to see Pacioretty in Hamilton over the next couple of days - he does not look comfortable out there and has the highest cap hit amongst the youngsters on the team. (You know it's a bad sign when nearly everything I post lately discusses cap implications, but the 2 injuries tonight could force the Habs' hand well before they have to make a move).

Glad to see Gionta's picking things up from where he left off in the preseason, that goal was a beauty.

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Good summary. SOOO nice to see Price settled in.

How does one motivate AK.?

3rd game in a row that Price is playing really well. The shots are deceiving. Most of them not too dangerous.

Our offence definitely needs to get going though.

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Definitely agree Brian, I mentioned that earlier, his play is really not up to par with a 2nd line winger. The question is who do you elevate to the 2nd line in his place.

If he has reported to the AHL and not whined this could've been SK's opportunity, likely not anymore.

Maybe we'll see Maxwell? Anyone know if he can play on the wing?

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WOW! That's what a freakin' amazing goal by Gio. He should make a DVD! :P

I really like the way we played despite losing Ob and Metro.

Plekanec with another strong game, always a 2nd and 3rd effort and very very strong PK.

Mara played a Hell of game, if unspectacular. 24:27 mins played. Broke a lot of plays in the defensive zone and isnt half-bad on the PP. He's the kind of useful depth D we sorely lacked last season

Spacek played like a #1 should. 26:18 mins played, a lot of blocked shots, looked faster than in Toronto. I loved that signing as soon as it happened and now we're seeing the proof why.

Moen plays like advertised. I think he'll be a good influence on Lapierre and Latendresse. That line caused the Sabres troubles all night long.

Kostitsyn looks like Plekanec last year. Just off his game, like his head is elsewhere. Martin has his work cut out for him trying to get him going.

Pacioretty looked green and just not up to speed. I think he needs to play more minutes in the AHL. I'm guessing it means Maxwell might be closer to the NHL than we might have thought.

Stewart was given a chance by being inserted instead of Dago, and he didnt take it. He's starting to appear to me as a living embodiment of the Peter Principle. I'm guessing he's on borrowed time until Chipchura.

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Definitely agree Brian, I mentioned that earlier, his play is really not up to par with a 2nd line winger. The question is who do you elevate to the 2nd line in his place.

If he has reported to the AHL and not whined this could've been SK's opportunity, likely not anymore.

Maybe we'll see Maxwell? Anyone know if he can play on the wing?

Problem is for Hamilton, they're loaded with C's as well. (And Desharnais is out until December already). I seem to remember Maxwell being on the wing in the one preseason game, however, his cap hit is nearly the same as Pacioretty. If they make a move to the AHL, it wouldn't surprise me to see them try and pull Darche/Glumac up to buy them a bit of space. Surely not the best option available, but the one that makes the most economical sense.

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That, my friends, was a real character win. Tremendous effort from a shorthanded and overtaxed defence corps, from Gorges who took about three crushing hits to Gill who ate up minutes and got the job done (albeit awkwardly). Then there was Moen's heroics and, of course, Gionta's lethal and eye-popping game winner.

This team looks like it has no quit, opportunistic scoring, and character to burn. Not to mention GREAT FRIGGING GOALTENDING. :clap:

Having said that, we were obviously outplayed for large stretches. :puke: My advice, for now, would be not to flip out about that. Gomez and the rest will not look this bewildered all season. These games are chemistry class - the advanced tutorial - and the great news is that the Habs are pulling out wins even with a team whose players have no idea where the others are going to be.

But (apart from the Markov disaster - and Cherry further freaked me out with his comment that Markov will NEVER be back) the comments here have been right about one thing. Kostitsyn HAS to wake up. He is a crucial component of the Habs' plans for secondary scoring and right now he is absolutely pathetic. Unfortunately, this is a team in crisis mode with Markov down and we cannot afford to carry passengers. I can't believe he doesn't realize this...or maybe doesn't care.

I would not be in the least surprised if he's shipped out of town in the next little while, perhaps for a blueliner, but more likely for help at RW. Before that, though, I'd have a little chat. And I'd also tell him that I have no intention of packaging him with his brother. (Might be a bluff, but it might make Andrei think twice in the event that he's just pouting over what happened to his little punk mini-me). I am soooo tired of players like this. Put your f***ing head down and BE A MAN, goddammit.

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Nice summary CC

I was overlooking how good a job the D did all night, and they had LOTS to do. Good on Plex for his seemingly renewed spirit. I wonder how invlolved I'd feel if I were playing for the Vladivastok Raiders?

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Nice summary CC

I was overlooking how good a job the D did all night, and they had LOTS to do. Good on Plex for his seemingly renewed spirit. I wonder how invlolved I'd feel if I were playing for the Vladivastok Raiders?

Thanks.

Meanwhile, apparently, the RDS Antechambre nitwits are crapping all over Gill and Mara. :lol: I guess they were watching the game through their patented Parallel Universe Vision-Goggles. Those guys were warriors tonight - all our D were.

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We were dominated but we responded physically in a way that we never did last season. We had guys standing up for each other and players taking (and dishing out) hits.

At least we're holding the fort until Martin can instill some sort of system.

(I still think we are built to be a defensive team, or at least some sort of hybrid. We do not have the talent to play fire wagon hockey, but we do have the depth and character (and goaltending?) to wear down opponents and score timely goals.)

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Major hats off to Price again. Outshot badly but it's to be expected with so many new faces and a new coach and system to boot. I expect to see more stable play after a good month of feeling it all out. Thankfully Price is on his game.

2 more injuries... The Centennial Curse continues...

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I agree with everyone who says Pacioretty needs time in Hamilton. Let him develop where he should.

Hal Gill did a decent job but like Cucumber said he looks really awkward out there and he falls constantly.

Gionta's speed is truly magnificent. Cammalleri kind of looks like he doesn't fit on that line though. Gomez is worrying me a little. My first impression is that he is a turn over machine.

Hamrlik deserves a big applause for his awesome work tonight. Not to mention the big minutes he played with little preparation.

Mara is solid. Not a star but a solid Dman.

Our second line is crap. Plekanec is playing great but Kostitsyn is just brutal out there. I'm not sure that AK fits on this team anymore.

Price has been amazing :clap:

Why are we being out shot and out played so badly though?

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Only saw the last 15 minutes but so far I like all the additions and how they're living up to the expectation. Im also liking how Plex, Price and O'Byrne have turned their games around. Just need some time for it all to get rolling and then when we get Markov back it'll be like a huge deadline addition.

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Hal Gill did a decent job but like Cucumber said he looks really awkward out there and he falls constantly.

Gomez is worrying me a little. My first impression is that he is a turn over machine.

Why are we being out shot and out played so badly though?

I'm liking Gill, actually. He's always been clumsy-ish, but he somehow finds ways to be mostly effective AND he offers a genuinely crease-clearing, big body presence, as well as obvious leadership. He'll never be pretty, but he had a good game tonight and may he have many more. There's some substance there if not style.

I agree on Gomez. But part of his problem may relate to your third point above. The answer to your question, I think, is mostly chemistry. These players are learning a brand-new system AND learning about each other. Nobody is sure where anybody else is going to be, which is why you see all those muffed passes, garbled breakout attempts, and broken offensive-zone plays. This particularly affects a guy like Gomez who is a pure playmaker and has shown in the past that he needs time to get sizzling with new linemates (c.f. his slow start in 2007). It's going to take a while for this team. I remember 1993; having integrated a few new high-end players, a few games into that season we were shellacked something like 8-2 and everybody was in a panic. Turns out it was just part of the process. The key is patience, and being good enough to eke out enough wins until the chemistry does start to coalesce.

So far so good. But that's a further reason why the Markov injury is so disastrous. We REALLY needed his all-around excellence for this crucial phase when the team was trying to gel.

Still, I loved the character, goaltending and opportunism I saw tonight. These attributes have traditionally defined the Montreal Canadiens and may yet enable us to survive the most unlucky start in memory.

Edited by The Chicoutimi Cucumber
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I'm very sorry to see O'Byrne and Metro hurt. They have both been great. Metro is such a good fourth line centre.

Gio is clutch man. I love him.

That Myers kid is sure weak for a 6'8er. He falls like a tree when someone touches him

Komi got a penalty and cost the Laffs a goal tonight haha.

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You all mess me up when you say CC!

People call me CC as well on other forums :D

:lol: Call me Cuke. :hlogo: Yes, I know what it rhymes with.

Komi got a penalty and cost the Laffs a goal tonight haha.

It's just too bad Markov won't be around to be "exposed" by his absence. Right, Pierre Macguire?

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