Sabres vs Habs 7: 00 Nov 25 2017

[TheDriveFor25]

Goal probably should have counted but I'll take the no-goal..

nice win for CP31!

[Trizzak]

If only we could play the Sabres for the rest of the season...

[Commandant]

44 minutes ago, BCHabnut said:

Who Said that? That's funny

 

It was a Commandant original. 

[Commandant]

42 minutes ago, Habsfan said:

I seriously believe that MaxPac shouldn't play with Chucky and Drouin. Keep Max with Danault! For some reason whenever Max is with either Chucky or Drouin, it doesn't work out!

 

Agree 100%. 

 

Patch and Danault work. 

Might as well have two lines. 

[Toronthab]

Watched the game on delay so I couldn't share my pearls with y'all.

 

So nice to see Uncle Bob's boy back in goal and looking like... Carey Price. 

 

Hurrah! I guess you build a season from the goal out too.

[Toronthab]

Price was body checked when he was interfered with. His body weight was shifted to his left and he could not get back to the right side in time. Good call. 

[Guest Stogey24]

Petry needs to play every game like last night. Why the coaching staff isn't telling him to skate with the puck more, I have no idea. 

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Early in this thread, I said that the only way this team is likely to make the playoffs is if Price reverts to 2015 form.

 

This game, he was in 2015 form. Cool as a cucumber, totally in control, lateral movement superbly contained, handling the puck assertively - just a master class.

 

For all that my "official position" is wanting MB fired and therefore for the Habs to miss the playoffs, it sure was good to see the old Carey back. It's a privilege to watch great players, and few players in hockey have an aura like Price when he's on form.

 

A couple of other notes: I thought the D looked atrocious for the first chunk of the game, then settled down somewhat as we built a lead. Petry had one of his strong nights. But Alzner is human garbage. I don't know who his partner was in Washington, but he must have been damned good to make this guy look like a major UFA prospect Alzner should send him a monthly cheque.
 

Galy's attempted pass in the first period was a joke. And that he didn't shoot really says a lot about where his brain is. Fortunately he got a goal later, maybe this will help him to find his groove - ? It's at a point where I find myself not believing in him at all anymore.

 

Pacioretty does work best with Danault. I'm beginning to wonder whether Patches needs to be the "best player" on whatever line he's on. He seems to thrive when paired with these offensively mediocre C (DD, Danault). Give him a truly talented player like Drouin and he does jack. It's weird.

 

In sum: if Price keeps playing like that, the equation changes, and we will see the Habs claw their way up the standings - maybe even making the playoffs before their inevitable elimination leaves them muttering about "puck luck" and a press conference where MB talks about it being "tough" to fill the team's holes.

[Scott462]

Hey man Ottawa squeezed into the playoffs last year with a terrible goal differential and made it game 7 OT vs the champs.

 

Same with Nashville who if they were playing in the east wouldn’t have even made the playoffs and we all know how that went. It’s the old saying anything can happen in the playoffs.

 

I’m not delusional in thinking the Habs have a great chance at winning the cup but crazier things have happened and if Price can put up a heroic post season like Rinne did last year you just never know.

[DON]

4 hours ago, Stogey24 said:

Petry needs to play every game like last night. Why the coaching staff isn't telling him to skate with the puck more, I have no idea. 

What is the coaching staff telling him to do?

But do agree, when he is aggressive and rushes puck he looks much better.

 

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

28 minutes ago, Scott462 said:

Hey man Ottawa squeezed into the playoffs last year with a terrible goal differential and made it game 7 OT vs the champs.

 

Same with Nashville who if they were playing in the east wouldn’t have even made the playoffs and we all know how that went. It’s the old saying anything can happen in the playoffs.

 

I’m not delusional in thinking the Habs have a great chance at winning the cup but crazier things have happened and if Price can put up a heroic post season like Rinne did last year you just never know.

 

The difference is that Nashville had a strong team that was hobbled by injuries. Ottawa was a Cinderella story, though, that's true.

 

This team is mediocre and will not accomplish anything in the playoffs. Don't kid yourself. The reason is that the Carey Price Advantage is extremely unlikely to last across four rounds. Once the Habs meet a team whose goalie is playing close enough to Price's level, they will lose. IF they even make the playoffs at all.

[Scott462]

1 minute ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

The difference is that Nashville had a strong team that was hobbled by injuries. Ottawa was a Cinderella story, though, that's true.

 

This team is mediocre and will not accomplish anything in the playoffs. Don't kid yourself. The reason is that the Carey Price Advantage is extremely unlikely to last across four rounds. Once the Habs meet a team whose goalie is playing close enough to Price's level, they will lose. IF they even make the playoffs at all.

 

Lol ok but have we not been hobbled by injuries this year? Our two best players in Weber and Price were/are both injured. Schlemko hasn’t even played a game for us yet.

 

Nashville is a great team but it was Rinne playing godly that let them get that far. In the final when he started to struggle under the weight the team put on him the team lost.

 

I don’t deny that it is unlikely we win the cup but if Price has a year that Rinne had last year we could go on a little run and who knows. That’s all I’m saying, a little positive outlook in a sea negativity that has been this season.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

12 minutes ago, Scott462 said:

 

Lol ok but have we not been hobbled by injuries this year? Our two best players in Weber and Price were/are both injured. Schlemko hasn’t even played a game for us yet.

 

Nashville is a great team but it was Rinne playing godly that let them get that far. In the final when he started to struggle under the weight the team put on him the team lost.

 

I don’t deny that it is unlikely we win the cup but if Price has a year that Rinne had last year we could go on a little run and who knows. That’s all I’m saying, a little positive outlook in a sea negativity that has been this season.

 

Most of our losses occurred with the team quite healthy. And we bowed out in round one last year to a so-so Rags team despite being ridiculously injury-free - and that team was probably better than this one.

 

Miracles happen, but that's not really a basis for optimism outside of perhaps certain theological circles.

[alfredoh2009]

For me, monday's game will more telling

[Scott462]

Just now, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

Most of our losses occurred with the team quite healthy. And we bowed out in round one last year to a so-so Rags team despite being ridiculously injury-free - and that team was probably better than this one.

 

Miracles happen, but that's not really a basis for optimism outside of perhaps certain theological circles.

 

You are right while our franchise player was playing like the worst goalie in the league, which we all know he isn’t.

 

Look I’m just putting an optimist spin on our current situation, I have said multiple times that it is unlikely. But like you just admitted miracles do happen especially to teams like Nashville and to a greater extent Ottawa.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

27 minutes ago, Scott462 said:

 

You are right while our franchise player was playing like the worst goalie in the league, which we all know he isn’t.

 

Look I’m just putting an optimist spin on our current situation, I have said multiple times that it is unlikely. But like you just admitted miracles do happen especially to teams like Nashville and to a greater extent Ottawa.

 

OK, OK, I'll stop playing the Grinch. I just don't want the situation, and the fanbase, to turn sufficiently positive that Molson does nothing to address the underlying rot, and worry that if we scrape into the playoffs and bow out after, say, six hard fought games, everyone will be satisfied enough that no major surgery follows.

[alfredoh2009]

I am not delusional, but I do not think there is a GM ( of any language) that could come in tomorrow and turn this around .

 

A battle hardened and experienced MB is as good as any

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

20 minutes ago, alfredoh2009 said:

I am not delusional, but I do not think there is a GM ( of any language) that could come in tomorrow and turn this around .

 

A battle hardened and experienced MB is as good as any

 

Would you have used the same argument for retaining Rejean Houle - ?

[Link67]

30 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

Would you have used the same argument for retaining Rejean Houle - ?

 

I dont think MB has entered the Houle category yet, but he has entered the category where a change is needed because we are trending in the wrong direction. He has been here long enough, he has hit some homers, he has made some obvious blunders and ultimately has failed to trend upward for nearly 3 years. His plan didn't work, and he has very little assets left to bolster this roster.

 

Do we leave him in to try and salvage this thing? or do we give him the boot and let someone else decide how to bolster it or re-shape it. I'm not sure giving the guy who's multiple plans already failed a chance to plan the next phase of this is the right move.

 

But regardless of all that, MB certainly has more very good moves on his resume than Houle. Certainly has a better team record than Houle during his tenure, and the team has gone further than any Houle team did. 

 

So to answer the question for myself, No, i wouldnt have made any argument of any kind to see Houle stay another day longer than he did.

[illWill]

It's not out of the realm of possibility to suggest that Price returns to form and some of the offensive guys start to bury some goals. This team is better than it's record suggests, but to me the issue might be that they have dug themselves a hole too deep to get out of

[Scott462]

2 hours ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

OK, OK, I'll stop playing the Grinch. I just don't want the situation, and the fanbase, to turn sufficiently positive that Molson does nothing to address the underlying rot, and worry that if we scrape into the playoffs and bow out after, say, six hard fought games, everyone will be satisfied enough that no major surgery follows.

 

Thats fair. And I agree if this turns out to be a lost season and a sell off seems to be the only solution MB needs to be removed. He had his shot to turn things around so this should be his last chance. 

[alfredoh2009]

2 hours ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

Would you have used the same argument for retaining Rejean Houle - ?

Touché !

 

that's a good argument. I believe that Bergevin is  it better than Houle. I cringe at some of his moves, but I have not reached your level of frustration ... yet

[sbhatt]

4 hours ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

Pacioretty does work best with Danault. I'm beginning to wonder whether Patches needs to be the "best player" on whatever line he's on. He seems to thrive when paired with these offensively mediocre C (DD, Danault). Give him a truly talented player like Drouin and he does jack. It's weird.

 

While Pacioretty does seem to play best with Danault, keep in mind that he's inevitably going to 'do jack' for a 5-6 game stretch at minimum after playing well for 5 or 6.  This is what he does...it's as predictable as the sun rising in the morning and setting at night.  Max has been absolutely useless for the past 5 games, right on schedule:

 

[Guest Stogey24]

Does Pacioretty even want to be in Montreal anymore? I honestly don't think he does. Maybe that will never come to the surface, but just a feeling I have 

[dlbalr]

I have to admit, I thought Beaulieu would fit in reasonably with Buffalo but he has been horrible this year (and wasn't any good last night either).  He's still doing his usual screwups in his own end and isn't doing anything offensively.  The return for him wasn't particularly exciting but right now, it's not looking half bad considering Beaulieu has arguably regressed away from the Habs.