Habs to play Washington

[MK1]

This series will be decided by one thing IMO ... the Caps are going to score at least 3 every single game, and that is being kind to their avg which is just shy of 4g/game. So can the Habs put 4-5 in the net 4/7 times to beat the Caps?!? That means AK/Gomez/Plex/Gio/Camms, ALL OF THEM, need to be flying high and putting the puck in the net regularly to have a chance at the upset.

Defence is NOT a strength on this team, and it is not a horrible liability on the Caps either, since both are pretty much equal during the year in goals given up per game. The difference is WASH scored close to 100 more goals than the Habs.

Theo was something ridiculous like 21-1-3 over his past 25 games, whereas Halak AND Price and the whole damn team fell on their collective faces and slid into the playoffs on their asses. If the season were 83 games long it wouldn't have mattered because NYR would've taken our spot anyways. So Plex running his mouth with his 0 playoff track record and flying in the face of all the recent stats makes him look ridiculous, NOT TO MENTION firing up the entire WASH dressing room at the same time. Great work.

The Molsons are happy, they get 2 home games of sellout playoff revenue. But I'm afraid I see nothing to think the Caps this year aren't just the Bruins from last year, and mercifully this will end fast.

[bar]

I don't know about that. Kolzig was too old to be their starter anymore and it would have been unwise to give into the huge contract demands of Huet. Theodore was a good decision for them. He came at a more reasonable price and length of contract than Huet, and has given them about the same quality of play as Huet. Theo came in to hold the fort down while Varlamov worked his way up. The kid looked like a stud until he got hurt earlier this season. If he'd stayed healthy, I think we'd be talking about how strong Washington's goaltending is, with an already playoff tested youngster and a seasoned veteran backing him up.

I think his 21 points in 14 playoff games last season (9 in 7 the year before) would have something to say about Ovie being another Thornton.

Back to back game 7 loses in the last two years, nothing from him, olympics this year. Those are clutch situations.

15 goals, 15 assists in 21 playoff games? 4 points in 4 games in the Olympics (5 goals in 8 games in 2006)?

Where did this notion of Ovechkin not being a clutch player come from? Like it or not, Ovechkin is going to be a force and I'm worried since Halak hasn't played him this season.

Ovie has NOT been a force in the 4 regular season games, thats where I'm drawing my conclusions from. What Ovie did against Florida has no bearing what he did against the habs, which was a very average 4 pts.

The Molsons are happy, they get 2 home games of sellout playoff revenue. But I'm afraid I see nothing to think the Caps this year aren't just the Bruins from last year, and mercifully this will end fast.

Haha how can we as fans ask the habs to play with grit, heart and determination, when we as fans give up before the series even starts. Have some faith guys!

[MK1]

Haha how can we as fans ask the habs to play with grit, heart and determination, when we as fans give up before the series even starts. Have some faith guys!

Honestly, when this team completely mailed it in last season during one of the most pathetic stretch runs I've witnessed I was pissed off. They completely deserved the fate they received.

But to do the exact same DAMN thing this year, with a completely different core of players, is flat-out astonishing. EVERY single one of those last 7-8 games of the season was for their playoff lives, and they not only failed the test they barely showed up. Not to mention the schedule they faced was nothing like what they will be seeing in the post-season.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. The last half dozen games of this season were the most important games this team played all season, and they were flat out brutal. I can only be optimistic for so long. This year I am hoping for a miracle; but if that doesn't happen, once again they completely deserve their fate. And now there is no one left to fire.

[jrhabs]

The first game will tell all.

If we get blown out , then that's how they are going to toy with us, especially with our stand still defence and that extra motivation little girl pleky gave them.

If you go strictly on paper this is a mismatch that may get ugly.

Edited April 14, 2010 by jrhabs

[Dalhabs]

Honestly, when this team completely mailed it in last season during one of the most pathetic stretch runs I've witnessed I was pissed off. They completely deserved the fate they received.

But to do the exact same DAMN thing this year, with a completely different core of players, is flat-out astonishing. EVERY single one of those last 7-8 games of the season was for their playoff lives, and they not only failed the test they barely showed up. Not to mention the schedule they faced was nothing like what they will be seeing in the post-season.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. The last half dozen games of this season were the most important games this team played all season, and they were flat out brutal. I can only be optimistic for so long. This year I am hoping for a miracle; but if that doesn't happen, once again they completely deserve their fate. And now there is no one left to fire.

They werent close to as bad at the end this year as they were last year... if we look at all our games after the olympics I even think we have a quite good record and definitely NOT even close to last years after the all star game. Im not gonna predict one thing, Im gonna enjoy this instead since I think it will be the last play off we will be in for a few years.

[bar]

They werent close to as bad at the end this year as they were last year... if we look at all our games after the olympics I even think we have a quite good record and definitely NOT even close to last years after the all star game. Im not gonna predict one thing, Im gonna enjoy this instead since I think it will be the last play off we will be in for a few years.

Really? We're going to have pretty much the same team next year + Subban. So this team, heavily injured made the playoffs, but a better, hopefully not a chronically injured team will not? Doesn't make logical sense.

[SOOPAVILLIN]

Haha how can we as fans ask the habs to play with grit, heart and determination, when we as fans give up before the series even starts. Have some faith guys!

quoted from Bar (for some reason its not showing up)

lol :hlogo:

Edited April 14, 2010 by SOOPAVILLIN

[Athlétique.Canadien]

Ovechkin SUCKS! Yeah yeah, I know he is completely the opposite of that but hey, time for me to get my playoff hate on!

SCREW WASHINGTON! OVECHKIN SUCKS!

[Habsfan]

I don't know if any of you are watching the Phoenix/Detroit game, but talk about some good hockey! Both teams are forechecking like crazy. (I wish our boys would play an aggressive style like that!) The pace is infernal!

Edited April 15, 2010 by Habsfan

[JoeLassister]

Haha how can we as fans ask the habs to play with grit, heart and determination, when we as fans give up before the series even starts. Have some faith guys!

2nd candidate !

[Toronthab]

They werent close to as bad at the end this year as they were last year... if we look at all our games after the olympics I even think we have a quite good record and definitely NOT even close to last years after the all star game. Im not gonna predict one thing, Im gonna enjoy this instead since I think it will be the last play off we will be in for a few years.

I think you're right about that. We were excellent after the Olympic break , better than almost anyone and without Cam and MAB. Our team play was much improved. I don't know all the reasons for the flat spots following their return...chemistry.. ? We lost a coupleof games we had in the bag and that didn't help.

If we can play as well as we did after the break along with the return of such key offensive players, ...who knows???

Go Habs GO!!!!

[brobin]

The key to the upsets last night were physical play. Ottawa as an example were constantly punishing the best players and the Defense on the Pens. Same out west. Same with Philly.

I think that would work against Washington too, but I am not convinced our team can do it. This is where being small and fancy hurts. All I hear about is how we will put in a tight defensive system. First, our defensive system is about as tight as a 40 year old hooker. Second, see number one.

[Wamsley01]

The key to the upsets last night were physical play. Ottawa as an example were constantly punishing the best players and the Defense on the Pens. Same out west. Same with Philly.

I think that would work against Washington too, but I am not convinced our team can do it. This is where being small and fancy hurts. All I hear about is how we will put in a tight defensive system. First, our defensive system is about as tight as a 40 year old hooker. Second, see number one.

Was it physical play or poor goaltending?

Fleury gave up 5 goals on 26 shots and was awful. He was giving up monster rebounds, he was going down early his compete level was less than sufficient as he wasn't really battling through screens. If that is the way he is going to play, the Pens are done.

The legendary Brodeur gave up a pair on 14 shots. He just isn't an elite goaltender anymore.

[johnnyhasbeen]

Was it physical play or poor goaltending?

Fleury gave up 5 goals on 26 shots and was awful. He was giving up monster rebounds, he was going down early his compete level was less than sufficient as he wasn't really battling through screens. If that is the way he is going to play, the Pens are done.

The legendary Brodeur gave up a pair on 14 shots. He just isn't an elite goaltender anymore.

Agree fully. Hope to see the same from Theo tonight!

[KoZed]

I dont know about the rest of the Habs fans, but to me this is a make-or-break playoffs for the Kostitsyns. We need them to give 100% once and for all. If Andrei isnt motivated by facing Ovechkin and drags his feet again, I say it's time to ship him and his 3.25M contract out of town.

[saskhab]

I dont know about the rest of the Habs fans, but to me this is a make-or-break playoffs for the Kostitsyns. We need them to give 100% once and for all. If Andrei isnt motivated by facing Ovechkin and drags his feet again, I say it's time to ship him and his 3.25M contract out of town.

For Andrei, yes. He's 25 and has one year left on that deal. Sergei is 22/23 and is still on his rookie contract. I don't think we need to make a rash decision on his fate based on his preformance in the next couple of weeks.

Personally, I'd be already willing to ship Andrei out, but I'd be offering Sergei a 2 or 3 year deal. Of course, Martin inexplicably keeps hating on the guy.

[MK1]

For Andrei, yes. He's 25 and has one year left on that deal. Sergei is 22/23 and is still on his rookie contract. I don't think we need to make a rash decision on his fate based on his preformance in the next couple of weeks.

Personally, I'd be already willing to ship Andrei out, but I'd be offering Sergei a 2 or 3 year deal. Of course, Martin inexplicably keeps hating on the guy.

Andrei has the work effort of Kovalev and a fraction of the natural talent. He clearly doesn't care, his numbers are PATHETIC, and the bigger the game is the more invisible he becomes. I cannot believe he survived the purge last year, but the faster he and his contract are out of town the better this team will be for it.

[TheDriveFor25]

Call me crazy... but I love how the playoffs have shaped up for the Habs.

WE CAN BEAT WASHINGTON.

Then it would be Buffalo in the 2nd Round (as Flyers put out NJ) and then whoever in the ECF.

Love it.

GO HABS GO!

Big things from MaxLap and SKost tonight...

[Habsfan]

I dont know about the rest of the Habs fans, but to me this is a make-or-break playoffs for the Kostitsyns. We need them to give 100% once and for all. If Andrei isnt motivated by facing Ovechkin and drags his feet again, I say it's time to ship him and his 3.25M contract out of town.

Completely agree with you. I have been more than patient with AK46, and I've been disappointed with him numerous times over the past couple of seasons. If he doesn't show up in the playoffs, I say we trade his ######ed ass out of town!

[lazy26]

Completely agree with you. I have been more than patient with AK46, and I've been disappointed with him numerous times over the past couple of seasons. If he doesn't show up in the playoffs, I say we trade his ######ed ass out of town!

His (multiple!) pounded ass? Do you know something we don't?

Edited April 15, 2010 by lazy26

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

I was wondering when someone would bring up the larger issue of A. Kostitsyn. MK1's analysis that 'Andrei has the work effort of Kovalev and a fraction of the natural talent' seems pretty much spot-on. The degree to which he is a pale replica of Kovalev, right down to the tendency to try to skate through entire teams solo whenever he's struggling, is almost comical. The guy is either one of the DUMBEST players the Habs have had in recent years, or one of the most apathetic.

I hate giving up on players in his age bracket, though. 26-27 is right around the time when players typically make a jump. Gainey kept him around, I suspect, because he was simply too young and talented to abandon.

This summer, the organization needs to make up its collective mind about what kind of human being they're dealing with. Does A.K. honestly want to succeed, but is being held back by confidence or other issues as he struggles to put it all together? Or is he fundamentally a paycheck-cashing bum who will never do more than the minimum required? If the latter, move him, because you probably *can* get some value back.

Sergei is also a head-case, but at least he plays with some moxy on the ice, albeit only some of the time.

The other issue is whether we can move one and keep the other. Short term, yes. Longer term, perhaps not.