Round 3 Series Discussion

[rafikz]

[PMAC]

I think Habs payer don't care much of who they prefer to face

Don't ask hockey intellegencia to favour us in any series.

Yes, if the Habs need any further motivation--which they shouldn't-- the so-called experts are saying that our small forwards will be no match for the big, bad flyers. So, once again, underdogs just where we want to be...

My only concern is that we need Gomez, Kostysyn, Pouliet, etc. to score some goals to take the pressure off of our top scorers. We might have trouble if all of our secondary scoring has to come from Moore, Moen and Lapierre again. :hlogo:

Just like the last two series, I am quietly optimistic, I don't want the dream to end.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Yes, if the Habs need any further motivation--which they shouldn't-- the so-called experts are saying that our small forwards will be no match for the big, bad flyers. So, once again, underdogs just where we want to be...

My only concern is that we need Gomez, Kostysyn, Pouliet, etc. to score some goals to take the pressure off of our top scorers. We might have trouble if all of our secondary scoring has to come from Moore, Moen and Lapierre again. :hlogo:

Just like the last two series, I am quietly optimistic, I don't want the dream to end.

I dunno. Part of my problem with this series is that my goals have shifted. Against Washington, every win felt like a wonderful bonus - I was expecting nothing and got everything. Pittsburgh, it was more a feeling of unreality through the whole series ('can this really be happening?'). But now, we're in the final four and have the best chance of actually WINNING than we've had in 17 years. Suddenly, and unexpectedly, I find myself daring to think about the Big Prize...and I can just see our great run ending where, on paper, it would be least LIKELY to end - against the lowest-ranked team we've faced. I just can't shake a certain underlying pessimism.

Also, didn't Philly kill us all regular season? That, too, doesn't bode too well.

[saskhab]

I'm worried about Pronger deliberately injuring one of our key forwards (e.g., Cammy or Gionta). I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he puts out one of our guys for months, for which he will receive the usual one-game suspension.

They'll try to run Halak, too, but I'm not so sure that Spacek and Gill will be unable to prevent that. We quietly did an excellent job of getting the refs to call goalie interference in the second half of the Washington series, so our organization may be able to get the NHL to do its job and call the g*ddamned penalties on this front.

The very real possibility of deliberately-inflicted injuries aside, Philly fits the profile of a team we should be able to defeat: questionable D and so-so goaltending. We have a real chance of winning this one. But it won't be easy.

A top 4 of Pronger-Carle, Timmonen-Carle is questionable? If one of them goes down, then yeah, maybe, but Philly's D corps is a team strength. It's the goaltending that is the obvious weak link.

And when has Pronger put out a guy for months? He's cheap, but most of the injuries he's inflicted haven't had long term reprecussions.

Pronger is the key to this series. Dude has taken 2 different teams to SCF's since the lockout and has probably been the best post-season player post-lockout period.

[bar]

A top 4 of Pronger-Carle, Timmonen-Carle is questionable? If one of them goes down, then yeah, maybe, but Philly's D corps is a team strength. It's the goaltending that is the obvious weak link.

And when has Pronger put out a guy for months? He's cheap, but most of the injuries he's inflicted haven't had long term reprecussions.

Pronger is the key to this series. Dude has taken 2 different teams to SCF's since the lockout and has probably been the best post-season player post-lockout period.

Didn't pronger wing clip Mchammond a couple years back knocking him out of the playoffs?

[sakiqc]

As of now, on the HW poll: 85% of people (which I presume most are fellow Habs fans) believe the Habs to win this series. Is that realistic optimism or wishful thinking?

So far I have predicted each series to go in 6 to the Habs.

For the series against the Caps, I'd say for me it was 90% wishful thinking and 10% realistic optimism.

For the Pens series, it was more 70%-30%.

Now I'd say I'm at about 50-50

I keep the same prediction, Habs in 6 ! GO HABS!!

[tomh009]

Also, didn't Philly kill us all regular season? That, too, doesn't bode too well.

No, they didn't; the season series was split.

• 07 Dec: 3-1 Habs (@ Montreal). Shots 13:15, goalies Price & Boucher.
• 12 Feb: 3-2 Flyers (@ Philadelphia). Shots 33:25, goalies Price & Leighton.
• 13 Feb: 6-2 Flyers (@Montreal). Shots 26:28, goalies Halak/Price & Leighton.
• 02 Apr: 1-0 Habs (@Philadelphia). Shots 23:35, goalies Halak & Boucher.

Notably on the 13 Feb game, we gave up four special teams goals: two PPG, one SHG and one penalty shot.

Markov was only in the lineup for the last game; Spacek was out of the lineup for that one.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

No, they didn't; the season series was split.

• 07 Dec: 3-1 Habs (@ Montreal). Shots 13:15, goalies Price & Boucher.
• 12 Feb: 3-2 Flyers (@ Philadelphia). Shots 33:25, goalies Price & Leighton.
• 13 Feb: 6-2 Flyers (@Montreal). Shots 26:28, goalies Halak/Price & Leighton.
• 02 Apr: 1-0 Habs (@Philadelphia). Shots 23:35, goalies Halak & Boucher.

Notably on the 13 Feb game, we gave up four special teams goals: two PPG, one SHG and one penalty shot.

Markov was only in the lineup for the last game; Spacek was out of the lineup for that one.

Thanks. That's mildly reassuring.

I don't pretend my anxieties about this series are 100% rational, but I do definitely fear injuries to one of our key forwards. Pronger plays dirty, we know that; and where you play dirty, there is always a heightened risk of injury.

[tomh009]

I don't pretend my anxieties about this series are 100% rational, but I do definitely fear injuries to one of our key forwards. Pronger plays dirty, we know that; and where you play dirty, there is always a heightened risk of injury.

I agree -- I think we have a decent chance if the series is clean. But Pronger is definitely a dirty player, and I only hope the refs will not be wearing the same kind of blinders they had on when Crosby was playing.