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Feb. 6, Canucks vs Habs, 7:30 PM


dlbalr

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Vancouver Canucks (27-22-9)

Projected Lineup

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Daniel Sedin - Jordan Schroeder - Alex Burrows
David Booth - Ryan Kesler - Jannik Hansen
Chris Higgins - Brad Richardson - Zack Kassian
Tom Sestito - Kellen Lain - Zac Dalpe

Jason Garrison - Alex Edler
Ryan Stanton - Raphael Diaz
Yann Sauve - Frank Corrado

Roberto Luongo
Eddie Lack

Team Leaders
G Ryan Kesler (19)
A Henrik Sedin (28)
PTS Daniel and Henrik Sedin (40)
+/- Santorelli/D. Sedin (+9)
PIMS Tom Sestito (167)
Injuries: Andrew Alberts, Kevin Bieksa, Dan Hamhuis, Mike Santorelli, Henrik Sedin, Chris Tanev, Yannick Weber
Scratches: Pascal Pelletier
 
Montreal Canadiens (30-21-6)

Projected Lineup

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Max Pacioretty - David Desharnais - Brendan Gallagher
Daniel Briere - Tomas Plekanec - Brian Gionta
Brandon Prust - Lars Eller - Rene Bourque
Michael Bournival - Ryan White - Dale Weise

Josh Gorges - P.K. Subban
Andrei Markov - Alexei Emelin
Douglas Murray - Nathan Beaulieu

Carey Price
Peter Budaj

Team Leaders
G Max Pacioretty (23)
A P.K. Subban (30)
PTS P.K. Subban (38)
+/- Gorges/Plekanec (+6)
PIMS Brandon Prust (103)
Injuries: Alex Galchenyuk, Travis Moen
Scratches: Francis Bouillon, Davis Drewiske, George Parros

Puck Drop: 7:30 PM EST TV: RDS, TSN Habs, SNET P Radio: TSN 690 FM 98.5
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True, but the habs can't score more than once. It may be a race to 1 goal.

We're bottoming out as a goal scoring team. We were 4th last year, 24th this year. We're only really missing Michael Ryder from last year and he contributed 10 goals. Pacioretty is scoring at a better pace (15 in 44 last season, 23 in 48 this year) and most of the players are around their goal scoring totals from last year but with more games played. Also, most players are assisting less than they did last year with exception to Gionta and Galchenyuk. Pacioretty and Eller especially are not assisting on goals like they did last year.

When that many players return and there's so many losses in statistics, it's a coaching issue.

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Well, Machine, you're putting your finger on something important for sure. Last year, we rolled three effective scoring lines - it was great. This season, we have exactly ONE effective offensive line. I'm not quite as quick to pounce on coaching as the key variable - e.g., Bourque was good last year and has sucked this year; Gio has regressed still further - but your point is well taken.

The Canucks have been a dog's breakfast up front all season, flying on a wing and a prayer. The evaporation of Daniel Sedin and Burrows really hasn't helped what was already a dodgy lineup to begin with. I'd like to see if we can prise away Alex Edler, but that's probably just fantasyland on my part.

Two faltering, semi-desperate teams tonight, and a showdown of Olympic goalies to boot.

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Guest Stogey24

Well, Machine, you're putting your finger on something important for sure. Last year, we rolled three effective scoring lines - it was great. This season, we have exactly ONE effective offensive line. I'm not quite as quick to pounce on coaching as the key variable - e.g., Bourque was good last year and has sucked this year; Gio has regressed still further - but your point is well taken.

The Canucks have been a dog's breakfast up front all season, flying on a wing and a prayer. The evaporation of Daniel Sedin and Burrows really hasn't helped what was already a dodgy lineup to begin with. I'd like to see if we can prise away Alex Edler, but that's probably just fantasyland on my part.

Two faltering, semi-desperate teams tonight, and a showdown of Olympic goalies to boot.

Montreal could easily be on a 5 game winning streak right now. Last weekends game were damn close. We've only allowed 5 goals in our last 5 games, including two shutouts. I wouldn't call that faltering.
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Well, Machine, you're putting your finger on something important for sure. Last year, we rolled three effective scoring lines - it was great. This season, we have exactly ONE effective offensive line. I'm not quite as quick to pounce on coaching as the key variable - e.g., Bourque was good last year and has sucked this year; Gio has regressed still further - but your point is well taken.

The thing with Gionta is that while his overall play has regressed his scoring is around where it was last time. I don't consider it as bad as others do but it's still not where it needs to be.

In an ideal world this season we would have been working Gionta on the third line while having Gallagher in the top six and another right winger in the top six. The hope of course having been Daniel Briere.

With Galchenyuk down, it's Briere on the LW and even though he's a right shot he looks a lot better there. I've liked what I've seen from the line. But when Galchenyuk returns, Briere might be without a spot again...

Top Six: Max Pacioretty, Brendan Gallagher, Tomas Plekanec, Alex Galchenyuk, David Desharnais, Daniel Briere, Brian Gionta

Bottom Six: Travis Moen, Brandon Prust, Ryan White, Dale Weise, George Parros

In Between: Lars Eller, Rene Bourque, Michael Bournival

It's an overcrowding of ridiculous proportions. Next year we're so far looking at:

Top Six: Max Pacioretty, Brendan Gallagher, Tomas Plekanec, Alex Galchenyuk, David Desharnais, Daniel Briere

Bottom Six: Travis Moen, Brandon Prust

In Between: Rene Bourque, Michael Bournival

RFA: Lars Eller, Ryan White, Dale Weise

Less crowding, less skills, more questions, less answers.

That's why I see a package deal ahead of us. And it's probably a package Bergevin has been attempting but teams are not going to consider until the deadline or spring. And it's infuriating as a fan.

Briere is the most perplexing part because he shows flashes of being one of our smartest players and other times he's either taking a dumb penalty or on the bench. Do you cut your losses and trade him like we did with Erik Cole or do you change the coach and see if they play Briere more?

I really hope we trade for a Ryan O'Reilly.

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I still think it is a team makeup issue more then coaching (not that the coaching is great). Just like last year, we came out hot and then faded badly. IMO, this is what I expect for a team that is small and needs 110% efforts just to be good. The team simply can't sustain it. The coaching might be great at getting them going, but as the season wears on and the guys wear down, the team tunes it out.

Until we get some more size and natural scoring talent this team is going to rely on Price and the D to squeak out wins.

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Montreal could easily be on a 5 game winning streak right now. Last weekends game were damn close. We've only allowed 5 goals in our last 5 games, including two shutouts. I wouldn't call that faltering.

I concer and bottom line, 4th in East with 70% of season done?

Isn't standings how a team is really judged? Sooner or later all the frustration must fade dosent it and people say, they are above my expectations and team doing OK?

But, Habfans are very harsh critics and maybe always have been and will be?

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It really is about expectations.

Us habs fans are an impatient bunch.

I think after that 9-0-1 stretch expectations were unfairly raised.

Almost all NHL teams go through rough patches and there are a lot of other fan bases that have expectations that are not being met, imagine being and Oiler fan?

Edited by sim.on
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It really is about expectations.

Us habs fans are an impatient bunch.

I think after that 9-0-1 stretch expectations were unfairly raised.

Almost all NHL teams go through rough patches and there are a lot of other fan bases that have expectations that are not being met, imagine being and Oiler fan?

Our second place finish in the conference last year lead to a whole slew of expectations. Just look at the season predictions thread

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