Lovett's Magnatones Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Fans of the Montreal Canadiens were overjoyed after Game 7 of the ECSF vs the Bruins, only to see their hopes dashed in the first game of the Eastern Conference Finals. All that could go wrong, did go wrong, and the Rangers coasted to a 7-2 blowout victory. The Rangers scored their goals by commitee, as 11 skaters hit the score sheets. The Rangers scored on three powerplays in the third period, which could be troubling for the Habs, who enjoyed a special teams advantage prior to the series. The game was not without its cost to both teams, as second line center Derrick Brassard, and Carey Price were both banged up. If this were fantasy sports, I would rate Price as "probable," and Brassard as "questionable" to play in Game 2. The fancy stats side of things went out the window, due to score effects. However, a quick glance at ExtraSkater.com shows that the fourth line of the Rangers, and surprisingly, the second line of the Canadiens were pushed around at Even Strength. The key to success for the Rangers is to execute their uptempo game. Most likely due to contrast in opponents, the Rangers employed quick ups out of their zone, and the speed of the Rangers through the neutral zone stymied the Canadiens. Game one was a walk in the park, and they deserve full marks for taking advantage of an unprepared opponent. The key to success for the Canadiens will be revisiting the neutral zone trap that found them success in the Tampa series. Michel Therrien would be wise to move Danny Briere back to the fourth line, as his move to the second line failed the eye test, due to the lack of a classic "F1" forecheker, and the stats test, which saw the second line demolished in Corsi/Fenwick. Controlling the first ten minutes will be crucial; the Rangers exploded to four goals in something crazy like three minutes of gametime on Saturday. Executing a cycle game, and clogging up the neutral zone will level the ice, and the Canadiens should enjoy a comfortable advantage. NYR NASH-STEPAN-KREIDER POULIOT-BRASSARD*(MOORE)-ZUCARELLO HAGELIN-RICHARDS-ST-LOUIS CARCILLO*-BOYLE-DORSETT MCDONAGH-GIRADI STAAL-STRALMAN MOORE-KLEIN LUNDQVIST MTL PACIORETTY-DESHARNAIS-GALLAGHER VANEK-PLEKANEC-GALCHENYUK BOURQUE-GIONTA-ELLER PRUST-BRIERE-WEISE GORGES-SUBBAN MARKOV-EMELIN BEAULIEU-WEAVER Tokarski Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PMAC Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 I am sure that this will be a bounce-back game for the Habs. if Price is healthy, the Rags will struggle to score 7goals in total in the next 5 games as the Habs win in 6. However, how hurt does price have to be for MT to go with Budaj or .....Toskarski? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toronthab Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 You guys have me feeling better already...I needed that. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comfortfablyHABS Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Sorry for the pessimistic energy but I guess this series is over with Price hurt. There is no confirmation on his knee injury but the silent is a strong indication that he is hurt. Without Price, we have no chance. The Boston series drained the team and it seems that we have achieved enough. I really hope I am wrong tho.Looking at my collegue's profile picture, the only thing I can think of is that maybe Pope Francis can help us out! Let us pray... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PMAC Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 The Boston series did drain the boys mentally and the afternoon game did not help. Tonight will be a different story. This team has been resilient all year and I don't expect them to cave now---a little faith....they've earned it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davehab Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Is there any word on Galchenyuk entering the series? I could see him take a place on the second line and Bournival moving back down to the 4th to play with Briere and Wiess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Price (no relation) Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Montreal can win a game or two without Price. I doubt they will win the series without him. Fortunately, I also doubt he misses the entire series. The importance of tonight's game cannot be stressed enough, with or without Carey. These teams are too evenly matched to overcome a big deficit. We must win tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Is there any word on Galchenyuk entering the series? Nothing confirmed yet. The Habs had a practice yesterday and he participated. Is one full skate and an optional enough for him to be declared ready? Personally I don't think so but given how they lost Game 1, they may want him in right away. If not today, Game 3 would seem like the likely return. No Price for the morning skate...but he hasn't taken the morning skate on a game day for the last few games anyways so don't yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toronthab Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Sorry for the pessimistic energy but I guess this series is over with Price hurt. There is no confirmation on his knee injury but the silent is a strong indication that he is hurt. Without Price, we have no chance. The Boston series drained the team and it seems that we have achieved enough. I really hope I am wrong tho.Looking at my collegue's profile picture, the only thing I can think of is that maybe Pope Francis can help us out! Let us pray...I Amen comfortablyHabs.....Funnily enough and given such light matters as human poverty and starvation, it seems absurd and embarassing that God would care about an icy sports event in Montreal,, but apparently this is so. Francis' God is the God of all of life's joys and sorrows, and few things cause a more natural and joyful communion than our magnificent , graceful sport. I don't know who said it but some wiseguy said that the two highest activities of man are "praying and playing". Let's email Francis for some assistance! Indeed, let us pray! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Stogey24 Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Apparently Price is out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huzer Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Well crap, Price out for the rest of the Rags series. http://www.hockeyinsideout.com/news/price-skips-habs-optional-morning-skate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toronthab Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 The Boston series did drain the boys mentally and the afternoon game did not help. Tonight will be a different story. This team has been resilient all year and I don't expect them to cave now---a little faith....they've earned it. I'm with you PMAC...these guys have earned and deserve our appreciation. If , as comfortablyHABS suggests we gave it all in the Boston series, then (I'm whispering this and don't tell anyone else..) I think we beat the best team out there and have won the moral Stanley Cup already. I hope we can continue this wonderful story that will once again add to the saga of God's favorite hockey team ( and who else could it possibly be?), but after Goliath, Mad Men from Madison Avenue present a less compelling threat for our passions. But one of the little joys of this post season season of true hockey is encouraging the dissolute Leaf fans around me to throw down the blues and embrace the soul of Canadian hockey as we sail forward in the 3RD (count 'em) round. Allons nous y! GO HABS GO! Apparently Price is out Oh no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbhatt Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 So what's the fair thing to do here....run Lundqvist and take him out I guess? They have to find a way to win...I hope they come out as angry at the Rangers as they did against Boston. Angry because Price got run and was hurt. Angry because they were embarrasseed in a blowout. If they can do that....run on HATE like they did against the Bruins, and use that hate to hit the Rangers into the ice and win the one-on puck battles, they can win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habsfan84 Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 If Budaj falters at all I would be quick to go to Tokarski. He played really well this year in his call-ups. We are now gonna be in pretty tough without Price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovett's Magnatones Posted May 19, 2014 Author Share Posted May 19, 2014 I've edited in Price, for what is a very sad GDT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Price (no relation) Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Too bad. They had a shot at a cup, but it's not happening without Carey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habber Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 There better be some serious net crashing tonight. Nothing obvious...just go hard to the net and sometimes there's just not enough time to stop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toronthab Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 So what's the fair thing to do here....run Lundqvist and take him out I guess? They have to find a way to win...I hope they come out as angry at the Rangers as they did against Boston. Angry because Price got run and was hurt. Angry because they were embarrasseed in a blowout. If they can do that....run on HATE like they did against the Bruins, and use that hate to hit the Rangers into the ice and win the one-on puck battles, they can win. Les Canadiens are not the WWF. Beat the Rangers by outthinking and outplaying them. Rise to the challenge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovett's Magnatones Posted May 19, 2014 Author Share Posted May 19, 2014 Les Canadiens are not the WWF. Beat the Rangers by outthinking and outplaying them. Rise to the challenge. I agree. They can play very defensive minded hockey. They'll win at least one game in a worst case scenario. I don't want a repeat of the Sens-Habs. There is all the time in the world to go after Kreider, and if they do anything, they would be well advised to wait to limit his effectiveness. He's a soft rich college punk from Boxboro, Massachussetts, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huzer Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Great, so we'll see Gallagher go hard to the net and get how many interference penalties for breathing on Hank tonight? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toronthab Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Prust described the skate first hit on Price as accidentally on purpose. He did nothing to try to minimize the force of impact. That's not hockey; that's thuggery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toronthab Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Great, so we'll see Gallagher go hard to the net and get how many interference penalties for breathing on Hank tonight? I don't think Gallager is the kind of guy who'd set out to injure another player... drive him crazy and knock him over?....sure... but it takes a pretty corrupt soul to set out to injure. What kind of "victory" does that leave to be enjoyed. Lucic is obviously all about Lucic and nothing larger than that. Gallagher has that true spirit of competition and courage that isn't fueled by psychopathology and a grossly distorted egocentric megalomania. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuternoga Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 (edited) Thank you very much Kreider, you pucking bi*ch. This is heartbreaking... Edited May 19, 2014 by kuternoga Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 That's two playoffs in a row where Price bows out with injury. Probably this is irrational of me, but might it be wise to rest him more during the season? Is there any connection between possible overuse and injury? We're done. And it's a damned shame. Every team has a couple of players they cannot afford to lose. Price and Subban are the indispensable men on this team. Damn, damn, damn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Les Canadiens are not the WWF. Beat the Rangers by outthinking and outplaying them. Rise to the challenge. Eye for eye is BS and childish response. Should be bit more a motivator if anything. Is Tokarski a better choice than Budaj? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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