Boston at Montreal | Game Thread

[jackp]

Well, some of you guys had a better feel for this game than me. There were quite a few predictions in the beginning of this thread that we would lose, and you were right. Even with the high shot total, we seemed out of synch for a lot of the game...

[Easy Ryder]

Can't do much without good weapons and a bad plan.

Kids cannot save their harse every game.

Unfortunately the two best shooters are down and we are still

in a race for the less pityfull of the worst.

[Toronthab]

Maxwell breathes a sign of relief.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

In a way, I'm not sure why people are grumpy. The team can't win every game after all. They came out awful but, importantly, roared back with a near-dominating second period. They didn't get rewarded, because of missed opportunities and excellent goaltending, and by the third were out of gas. It happens. Take comfort in that good second period effort as a sign that the team is NOT rolling over.

Especially with the injuries, it's going to be a 2-3 win, 2-3 loss pattern from here on in (as it's been all season). If the balance tilts towards winning 3 and losing 2, we probably make it. If it goes the other way, or .500, we probably don't. This is a likeable enough team with lots of neat players. Unless completely healthy, they're no better than a middling club. Chill out and enjoy the ride.

[saskhab]

Thought the B's played an effective LW lock on the forecheck, forcing the Habs' D to make passes through the middle of the ice rather than do a breakout around the boards. But the team adjusted fairly well, just couldn't get enough good chances through to the net and create second chances. They needed a better start, Boston was desperate and got rewarded. Fair enough game, fair enough result. Can't be happy with a loss but can't complain too much about the effort and even the execution... a breakthrough to make it 2-1 could have happened, and had it happened, could have really changed the game. It didn't, and Boston got the 3rd goal and it really ended the game. It sucks, but you chin up and get back at it on Wednesday.

As for playing Price... he could be needed right when the Olympics are over if Slovakia goes deep and plays for a medal. Halak will be rode right until the end by them, so Price might get some starts in early March. Don't know if we can send him for coniditioning or not during the break, probably doesn't make sense cap wise as we'd likely have to recall a different goalie in the meantime.

[jrhabs]

A team has to be good to be lucky and lucky to be good.

The habs are neither and hence how there play is.

Can you imagine no Halak where we would be ?

[Chris]

What can you do, they played hard the second half of the game. I think thye slept waleked through the first which ultimately caused the downfall.

They didn't drive the net at all, therefore no PP like on Saturday.

Through all the injuries they are still around, so at least some credit has to be given to the new leaders and Martin, even though i still don't like him.

They will definatley need 2 of the next 3.

Hopefully they'll get a player or 2 back this week.

[dlbalr]

As for playing Price... he could be needed right when the Olympics are over if Slovakia goes deep and plays for a medal. Halak will be rode right until the end by them, so Price might get some starts in early March. Don't know if we can send him for coniditioning or not during the break, probably doesn't make sense cap wise as we'd likely have to recall a different goalie in the meantime.

If it's during the Olympic break, there's no real need to call another goalie up, particularly during the 9-day restricted period where teams aren't allowed to practice anyways. As you noted, doesn't help on the cap any, but it might help his play. Thing is, would he agree to it though?

[saskhab]

If it's during the Olympic break, there's no real need to call another goalie up, particularly during the 9-day restricted period where teams aren't allowed to practice anyways. As you noted, doesn't help on the cap any, but it might help his play. Thing is, would he agree to it though?

He might have already made more Mexican Riviera vacation plans.

I thought the Habs would still have to have 2 goalies listed as on their roster during the break. And they'd have to call up a guy to back up on Friday and Saturday, before the roster freeze, would they not?

[dlbalr]

He might have already made more Mexican Riviera vacation plans.

I thought the Habs would still have to have 2 goalies listed as on their roster during the break. And they'd have to call up a guy to back up on Friday and Saturday, before the roster freeze, would they not?

If they enforce Article 16.4 during the break, yeah they'd have to. (16.4 states a minimum of 18 skaters and 2 goalies at all times). I wonder if they would as theoretically, could a player be on two rosters at the same time? (Club and Olympic). At either rate, Cedrick Desjardins has a cap hit below the league minimum so the cost would be quite low (not like they have wiggle room as is though). Hamilton doesn't play until Friday this week so any move wouldn't be done until right before the roster freeze kicks in.

[brobin]

They must get Price a game this week. He can't go through the whole break without playing. He will be rusty as hell by the time they get back in action.

As for what game i was watching, it was the game where the habs did squat until they were behind, then took a lot of single shots from bad angles with no traffic, no second chances.

Yes, Rask was great, as I commented on in this very thread, but so was Halak. To beat him they needed traffic and deflections. They generated that, the Habs didn't. That is primarily due to a failure of effort and coaching adjustments, imo.

This looked like another game where they waited for a PP opportunity, rather then going out and driving the net 5-5.