Round 1 Series Discussion Thread

[brobin]

There were a lot of problems last night, but until that third goal the team was still in it. The team acting like a bunch of dirty losers after that was not on Price by any means. .

I still haven't seen Price win a game for them. Last night was his chance and I was hoping he would hang in and give the team the time needed to tie the game. Instead it was another deflating goal.

The team will need to play significantly better but my fear is the constant pounding by the Sens is wearing them down physically, which is clearly the plan by the sens. At some point, the injuries (known and otherwise) will make it impossible to come back. The only defense the team has is to out skate them. It is hard to hit a moving target. We also need to get back to aggressive forcheck that gives them the opportunity to pound the sens.

Finally, if they don't all man up and start playing with discipline they are toast. If they wanted to send a message late in the game, they sent the wrong one.

[JMMR]

@FriedgeHNIC: There will be no supplementary discipline/hearings resulting from MON/OTT last night.

[brobin]

Shanny probably watched the tape and decided the humiliation was punishment enough.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

That's a break for us.

Strange to say, but I do not believe this is over by a long shot. We've been successful all season when we play our game and get goaltending. I'm looking for a bounce-back game on Tuesday, a Habs team playing fast, hard-working, smart hockey rolling four lines as they have for most of 2013.

My main concern is that too many injuries will prevent our player from doing this.

[HabsTrick450]

If we lose Tuesday night, we're done!

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

If we lose Tuesday night, we're done!

See, that's what ace goaltending does. We probably should have won Game One, but we lost it. The next two games were a split. The end result is the Sens have us in a must-win situation, when by rights it should be the other way around. I've seen the Habs inflict that upon other teams enough times to know how damaging it is. Nonetheless, I expect a strong effort on Tuesday, health permitting.

[illWill]

Habs win game 4. They come out blazing with controlled emotion and willingness to win.

[dlbalr]

Patrick Wiercioch, who left the game early yesterday, is out for tomorrow for Ottawa. Eric Gryba is expected to play in his place.

[habs rule]

There were a lot of problems last night, but until that third goal the team was still in it. The team acting like a bunch of dirty losers after that was not on Price by any means. .

I still haven't seen Price win a game for them. Last night was his chance and I was hoping he would hang in and give the team the time needed to tie the game. Instead it was another deflating goal.

The team will need to play significantly better but my fear is the constant pounding by the Sens is wearing them down physically, which is clearly the plan by the sens. At some point, the injuries (known and otherwise) will make it impossible to come back. The only defense the team has is to out skate them. It is hard to hit a moving target. We also need to get back to aggressive forcheck that gives them the opportunity to pound the sens.

Finally, if they don't all man up and start playing with discipline they are toast. If they wanted to send a message late in the game, they sent the wrong one.

he actually gave them enough time, they just didn't score.Gio scoring would have changed this game entirely imho

[brobin]

he actually gave them enough time, they just didn't score.Gio scoring would have changed this game entirely imho

Yes, but he wasnt shooting on Price now was he.

If Price lets in three goals, we will not win.

[habs rule]

Price will be ok , he will bounce back just like the rest of these peckerheads. Tomorrow workboots and big boy pants, speed skill and irritate the shyt out of neil and those other walrus loving turkeys. And yes the walrus is Paul (mclean)

NO EXCUSES (remember?)

[Machine of Loving Grace]

NO EXCUSES (remember?)

[JMMR]

Price will be ok , he will bounce back just like the rest of these peckerheads. Tomorrow workboots and big boy pants, speed skill and irritate the shyt out of neil and those other walrus loving turkeys. And yes the walrus is Paul (mclean)

NO EXCUSES (remember?)

I puckin hope so

[dlbalr]

One final stat from the Game 3 craziness, it was the first time since 1997 where both teams had at least 100 PIMS each in a playoffs game (Detroit-Colorado).

[illWill]

In some positive news, it seems like Price has settled now in the crease. I found that he was moving around too much and not his normal calm self. He can't be fighting and going AT the puck, for him to be successful, it needs to come to him.

[Trizzak]

You know what bugs me about this playoff series? The selfishness of playing with an injury.

Prust re-injures his shoulder but convinces the training staff he's good to go... and doesn't have the strength to clear the puck from in front of the net before the tying goal.

Gionta returns from injury too soon and is ineffective. He even has the game on his stick with a breakaway and shovels a poor attempt. Ottawa runs away with the game soon after.

I think if you come back from an injury, you need to play your way back into your icetime. NO ONE has come back from an injury in the series and played up to the minutes they got.

[habs rule]

Yes, but he wasnt shooting on Price now was he.

If Price lets in three goals, we will not win.

he let in 2

[brobin]

he let in 2

I don't recall blaming Price for game 4. I am talking about game 1 and 3. Fact is, our star player Price didnt win a single game for us in the playoffs. Game 2 he was fine, but we dominated that game. I thought he did fine in game 4, and we had a chance to win.

You can't have a goalie giving up soft goals in the playoffs in a goalie duel. I don't know if he was playing injured, but he hasn't looked right in a month. Denying the issue is just putting your Price fanboyism ahead of the team.

I do think the nail in the coffin was Eller getting hurt. We just don't have the depth down the middle to deal with that in the long haul. If we still had Eller, we would have a much better chance of closing out last nights game between him and Plek. We also might have scored an extra goal or two.

This series will be remembered for bad injury luck, spotty goaltending, and shit reffing.

[Machine of Loving Grace]

Roy/Moog all over again.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Roy/Moog all over again.

*Shudder*

That said, Price had two superb games in this series (Game Two and Four). Give him that much.

[Toronthab]

*Shudder*

That said, Price had two superb games in this series (Game Two and Four). Give him that much.

I don't know why we keep hiring humans for goaltending. Must be one hell of a mental challenge. I heard Balfour always told himself the goal was not his fault.

.....It's not my fault. ... I heard it.

[Toronthab]

I don't recall blaming Price for game 4. I am talking about game 1 and 3. Fact is, our star player Price didnt win a single game for us in the playoffs. Game 2 he was fine, but we dominated that game. I thought he did fine in game 4, and we had a chance to win.

You can't have a goalie giving up soft goals in the playoffs in a goalie duel. I don't know if he was playing injured, but he hasn't looked right in a month. Denying the issue is just putting your Price fanboyism ahead of the team.

I do think the nail in the coffin was Eller getting hurt. We just don't have the depth down the middle to deal with that in the long haul. If we still had Eller, we would have a much better chance of closing out last nights game between him and Plek. We also might have scored an extra goal or two.

This series will be remembered for bad injury luck, spotty goaltending, and shit reffing.

He could have made it a lot less difficult out there alright. Poor kid.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

The series has exposed structural vulnerability in two areas: depth at C (Desharnais has failed to do the job) and at D (we have no one to replace Emelin - although I do wish Therrien would try Drewiske over Diaz). Neither should prove an insuperable obstacle, since we're seeking a top-9 C who can play top-6 minutes in a pinch and a bottom-pairing rugged defender, not exactly rare gems. MB knows what must be done.