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Round 1 Series Discussion Thread


dlbalr

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I'm surprised we don't have one of these up yet, a place to discuss the Habs-Sens series while we wait for Thursday's GDT.

Schedule:

Thursday, May 2 7 p.m. Ottawa at Montreal CBC, RDS, CNBC
Friday, May 3 7 p.m. Ottawa at Montreal CBC, RDS, CNBC
Sunday, May 5 7 p.m. Montreal at Ottawa CBC, RDS, NBC Sports Network
Tuesday, May 7 7 p.m. Montreal at Ottawa CBC, RDS, CNBC
*Thursday, May 9 7 p.m. Ottawa at Montreal CBC, RDS
*Saturday, May 11 TBD Montreal at Ottawa CBC, RDS
*Sunday, May 12 TBD Ottawa at Montreal CBC, RDS

Injuries:

Chris Phillips left the Boston game early with an undisclosed injury while Milan Michalek was held out of the lineup for precautionary reasons. Neither have skated at practices since then. Alexei Emelin is out for the Habs and isn't coming back this year (and may miss the beginning of next).

Stats:

Carey Price was 2-0-1 against Ottawa this year with a 1.58 GAA and a .944 SV%. He has 14 wins vs the Senators in his career, second only to Boston. Craig Anderson was 1-1 vs the Habs in 2012-13 with a 1.52 GAA and a .953 SV%. He has a losing mark against the Canadiens in his career though (5-6-1-1) with a GAA and SV% both worse than his career averages.

Despite their struggles to score, the Sens led the league in shots on goal per game at a shade over 33. They also led the league on the penalty kill at 88% (the Habs, by comparison, are one of just three teams to make the playoffs with a PK % under 80).

(I'm sure there's other stats and tidbits worth noting, I'm just quickly tossing this together...)

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So predictions?

Game 1: OTT 2 MTL 3 - This one may go to OT, first round first game jitters, gonna be a 1 goal game

Game 2: OTT 1 MTL 3 - Price and the rookie are going to settle in, one or both rookies(Chucky & Gally) are going to get their first playoff point.

Game 3: MTL 0 OTT 2 - Anderson is going to be fantastic, we're going to outshoot the Sens, but not get any.

Game 4: MTL 4 OTT 3 - We're going to get a 2 or 3 goal lead and see it dwindle, but we will hold on. This may be overtime.

Game 5: OTT 5 MTL 1 - On the ropes, Sens are going to have a huge game, pinning us in our zone most of the game.

Game 6: MTL 4 OTT 1 - Tired from the burst of effort to stay alive in the previous game, Sens will play a good game, but not get many real good chances.

4-2 Montreal wins series.

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Even with a mixed day/evening work schedule, I am lucky enough to be able to see 6 out of the possible 7 games !!!!!

I booked off Tuesday and Wednesday awhile ago so I would be sure to catch game 1. That didn't work out as planned and now I am set to miss game 1 and 2 :(

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Hmm,



Game 1: OTT 0 MTL 5 - Complete domination.


Game 2: OTT 2 MTL 3 - Galchenyuk GWG in the 2nd period


Game 3: MTL 1 OTT 4 - Spezza comes back, gets 2 PPP in 1st period then leaves the game.


Game 4: MTL 4 OTT 3 (OT)- Habs come back in the 3rd to tie the game and we win in OT. Tinordi's shot deflects on 2-3 bodies


Game 5: OTT 2 MTL 6 - Gallagher 2g 2a bye bye



4-1 Montreal wins series.



So I'm predicting an easy win for the Habs and the youth to be a good part of the success.


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As per board tradition I will do the GDT... However, my own personal tradition is that a GDT can NOT be done until after midnight on the actual date of the game, so you'll have to wait.

Sounds good. This is just to talk about the series until then (plus any news/lineup notes that may come along).

Hmm,

Game 1: OTT 0 MTL 5 - Complete domination.

Game 2: OTT 2 MTL 3 - Galchenyuk GWG in the 2nd period

Game 3: MTL 1 OTT 4 - Spezza comes back, gets 2 PPP in 1st period then leaves the game.

Game 4: MTL 4 OTT 3 (OT)- Habs come back in the 3rd to tie the game and we win in OT. Tinordi's shot deflects on 2-3 bodies

Game 5: OTT 2 MTL 6 - Gallagher 2g 2a bye bye

4-1 Montreal wins series.

So I'm predicting an easy win for the Habs and the youth to be a good part of the success.

Spezza coming back would be a huge shocker. I'm not even sure he's skating with a hockey stick yet, he's several weeks away at least. This isn't a situation for a guy to dress to rally the troops like Mike Peca did years ago on a broken leg.

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Habs are getting no respect from Yahoo sports, they are 11th in the power rankings and most of the Puck Daddy crew are predicting an upset. Of course, this is coming from writers, the same bunch that named Erik Karlsson the first rover to win the Norris. I like the Habs in five. I would be worried about the Habs in a Blues style frenzy tonight, but I think we match up very well against Ottawa.

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It is amazing that as the 2nd seed, we are considered under dogs.

Yahoo prognostication: "The Senators have Karlsson; Sens in 6. Montreal is small and finished 15th last year."

My prog: "The Senators have Karlsson, and on one of his 15 bad pinches a game..."

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I booked off Tuesday and Wednesday awhile ago so I would be sure to catch game 1. That didn't work out as planned and now I am set to miss game 1 and 2 :(

Can't switch?

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The Sens do have an Achilles heel.................

I see what you did there.

Should we expect you to frequent these boards during these playoffs?

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Even with a mixed day/evening work schedule, I am lucky enough to be able to see 6 out of the possible 7 games !!!!!

I lucked out too. I will catch all but one hour of the potential 7 games!

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Sens are a strong, well-coached team with the most potent offensive defenceman in hockey and no obvious weaknesses. Unlike us, they made the playoffs last season and repeated the trick despite an injury-decimated lineup. So it's not surprising that they tend to get the edge among critics. If we had not had our late-season swoon and if Price had not had a disastrous April, we'd probably be reading more balanced assessments.

It's gonna be tough, though. My instincts tell me Sens in 6/7. I've underestimated these Habs all along, no point in stopping now ;)

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I think this series is going to be won or lost by the decisions of Therrion. If we fall behind in this series due lack of offense and poor powerplay, we need to let the best line get top line minutes. If this means putting Eller and the 2 Galy's out as the first line and PP time then thats what needs to be done. We cannot afford to wait for our supposed top lines to start producing.

Having said that, I expect the Habs in 6.

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Can't switch?

I'm good to go for game 1 and am still trying for game 2. Working doubles and owing people big time but it's worth it! If I was smart I would have just booked off the the whole month and not worry about it.

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Sens are a strong, well-coached team with the most potent offensive defenceman in hockey and no obvious weaknesses. Unlike us, they made the playoffs last season and repeated the trick despite an injury-decimated lineup. So it's not surprising that they tend to get the edge among critics. If we had not had our late-season swoon and if Price had not had a disastrous April, we'd probably be reading more balanced assessments.

It's gonna be tough, though. My instincts tell me Sens in 6/7. I've underestimated these Habs all along, no point in stopping now ;)

Can't score. Only 3 teams in the whole league scored fewer goals, and none of them are playoff teams.

If Craig Anderson remembers he's Craig Anderson, and Carey price remembers he's Carey price, this could be over in 4 to be honest.

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Sens are a strong, well-coached team with the most potent offensive defenceman in hockey and no obvious weaknesses. Unlike us, they made the playoffs last season and repeated the trick despite an injury-decimated lineup. So it's not surprising that they tend to get the edge among critics. If we had not had our late-season swoon and if Price had not had a disastrous April, we'd probably be reading more balanced assessments.

It's gonna be tough, though. My instincts tell me Sens in 6/7. I've underestimated these Habs all along, no point in stopping now ;)

Last I checked we have THE most potent offensive defensive core in the NHL. While we don't have Karlsson, we have a more balance defenseman in Subban, who isn't as strong offensively (arguably) as Karlsson, he's better defensively and hit way more often.

Also everyone is pointing out Ottawa's defence is big and that is going to be our downfall. Whats the way to counteract big defensemen? Speed and dump and chase, make them skate and tire them out. We have the type of team to beat their type of defensemen. I'm confident in our team to beat Ottawa.

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Yesterday, Paul MacLean noted that the pressure is on the Habs since they're the higher seed...which makes perfect sense. Therrien's response today? "We don't feel the pressure. We will apply the pressure." I like that line.

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This is so bizarre to me. I respect the Sens. I feel no hatred towards them. Ok, Chris Neal? I heard he grew up a Habs fan. I hope we win, and both teams remain healthy.

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This is so bizarre to me. I respect the Sens. I feel no hatred towards them. Ok, Chris Neal? I heard he grew up a Habs fan. I hope we win, and both teams remain healthy.

Really?

I wish he were a Hab all along.

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Really?

I wish he were a Hab all along.

He likely would have been a Hab but the Senators drafted him around where he was expected to go at 161st Overall. Montreal had the next pick and selected some Russian scrub named Andrei Markov ;) haha

That said if we took Neil instead of Gordie Dywer in the same draft we would have drafted Markov *and* Neil in the sixth round. Crazy.

(I'll refrain from mentioning the guy Detroit took after Markov and Neil were off the board.)

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That said if we took Neil instead of Gordie Dywer in the same draft we would have drafted Markov *and* Neil in the sixth round. Crazy.

I played ball hockey with Gordie recently, great guy. Unfortunately Chris Neil would look great in our lineup.

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I will sacrifice a goat to the hockey gods tonight. They have demanded this of me! ;)

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