GDT Nov. 6, Vegas vs Montreal, 7 PM

[dlbalr]

Marchessault - Roy - Smith Carrier - Stephenson - Dadonov Kolesar - Amadio - Janmark Howden - Leschyshyn - Rondbjerg	Hague - Pietrangelo Martinez - Theodore McNabb - Coghlan Lehner

Toffoli - Suzuki - Gallagher Hoffman - Drouin - Anderson Lehkonen - Dvorak - Armia Paquette - Evans - Pezzetta	Chiarot - Petry Kulak - Savard Romanov - Wideman Allen

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Ugggh, they will be stoked because of The Trade and also out to avenge last year’s semi-final defeat. Plus we completely suck the bag. I predict a final score of 97-1 Vegas.

[hockeyrealist]

How bad does this team need to play before they make real lineup changes?

Running those same d again is ludicrous.   Time to send some messages with press box tickets and play some AHLers, may at least see some pride on the ice.   Players have been stinking the place up, coaches don’t seem to be doing much about it. 
Saw another poster mention they are fed up

seeing  Ducharme behind the bench looking confused. He has not been good at all, no adaptation, no accountability and no answers.  The more I see of him, the more I am convinced last years playoff run was result of players (Weber and Price it seems) motivation and nothing to do with coaching, supported by fact DD inherited team late in year and missed 1/4 of playoff and team was coached by assistant to boot.

[dlbalr]

You can make your point without the unnecessary sexual reference which has been removed from your post.

[DON]

 

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

1 hour ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

Ugggh, they will be stoked because of The Trade and also out to avenge last year’s semi-final defeat. Plus we completely suck the bag. I predict a final score of 97-1 Vegas.

 

That is a little pessimistic.  The Habs come up with a big effort and win 5-3.  I have to say I am impressed with Suzuki, 10 points in 12 games on a team that has started horribly is pretty decent plus he is showing a lot of leadership and maturity. He is a keeper.  Hopefully we can find another one like him in the draft this year. 

[alfredoh2009]

I look forward to seeing how the top 2 lines perform. I am curious to see how Drouin will do at centre, hopefully as well as Domi didi his first season with th eHabs: surprisingly well.

 

I would have sat Savard and played Kulak-Romanov and Niku-Wideman. No need to call up AHL Ds, the Habs have already plenty of those...

 

I will be happy with a loss in regulation time by 2 goals or less. If they play well but loose, I would be ecstatic. Anything more than that will exceed my expectations.

[GHT120]

24 minutes ago, alfredoh2009 said:

... I will be happy with a loss in regulation time by 2 goals or less. If they play well but loose, I would be ecstatic. Anything more than that will exceed my expectations.

 

2 goals or less and playing well are not necessarily a corollary ... a 2 goal loss to this version of the VGK would not necessarily mean that much ... I agree that how they play is far more important than the actual result.

[alfredoh2009]

1 minute ago, GHT120 said:

 

2 goals or less and playing well are not necessarily a corollary ... a 2 goal loss to this version of the VGK would not necessarily mean that much ... I agree that how they play is far more important than the actual result.

 

2 goals or less against any decent NHL team is a step in the right direction. My expectation, I stand by it

[GHT120]

Just now, alfredoh2009 said:

2 goals or less against any decent NHL team is a step in the right direction. My expectation, I stand by it

But at this moment the VGK are a below average NHL team

... 23rd in Pts%

... 26th in GF/gm 

... 24th in GA/gm 

... 2nd worst Shots-Against/gm

... LAST in PP%

 

Their best attributes are
... 18th in PK% (slightly below average, but which should favour them against the tied for 26th ranked Habs PP); and
... 9th most Shots-For/gm (which should slightly favour them against the 12th ranked shots against Habs)

[alfredoh2009]

1 minute ago, GHT120 said:

But at this moment the VGK are a below average NHL team

... 23rd in Pts%

... 26th in GF/gm 

... 24th in GA/gm 

... 2nd worst Shots-Against/gm

... LAST in PP%

 

Their best attributes are
... 18th in PK% (slightly below average, but which should favour them against the tied for 26th ranked Habs PP); and
... 9th most Shots-For/gm (which should slightly favour them against the 12th ranked shots against Habs)

 

enough about me.

 

what do YOU think will happen, what is your expectation and what do you hope for?

[dlbalr]

1 hour ago, alfredoh2009 said:

I look forward to seeing how the top 2 lines perform. I am curious to see how Drouin will do at centre, hopefully as well as Domi didi his first season with th eHabs: surprisingly well.

 

I should clarify the lines are my guesses as Drouin, Gallagher, and Suzuki are all game-time decisions.  Drouin has lined up at centre this season so I'm guessing they'll try that again, allowing Dvorak to drop down a line.  The defence pairings are confirmed to be unchanged from Thursday though.

[GHT120]

14 minutes ago, alfredoh2009 said:

enough about me.

what do YOU think will happen, what is your expectation and what do you hope for?

I hope the Habs play well ... I expect a close game between two below-average to poor teams ... IMO this is a make the playoffs or TANK season because of the chance they would end up drafting so late in the first round if Habs squeak into 11th place or better on the draft ... as the supposedly magical 95 point threshold requires a .625 Pts% over the last 70 games (which less than 10 teams usually accomplish over a normal 82 game season) I don't expect the playoffs ... so I don't hope for a lot of wins (Boston, Toronto, Ottawa being exceptions)

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

3 minutes ago, GHT120 said:

I hope the Habs play well ... I expect a close game between two below-average to poor teams ... IMO this is a make the playoffs or TANK season because of the chance they would end up drafting so late in the first round if Habs squeak into 11th place or better on the draft ... as the supposedly magical 95 point threshold requires a .625 Pts% over the last 70 games (which less than 10 teams usually accomplish over a normal 82 game season) I don't expect the playoffs ... so I don't hope for a lot of wins (Boston, Toronto, Ottawa being exceptions)

 

I really don't see the Habs getting to 95 points. On the other hand  they would likely need less than about 82 points to pretty much guarantee a top 10 pick (based on averages over the last 10 years).   Worst case scenario is to be between 82 and 95 points . 

[DON]

Anyone else thinking of watching the Carolina vs Florida game instead?

[GHT120]

41 minutes ago, DON said:

Anyone else thinking of watching the Carolina vs Florida game instead?

As an Alouettes fan I am curious how Trevor Harris does in his first game ... PVRing both ... will switch back&forth until one or the other captures my attention.

[DON]

Drouin out, Suzuki & Gallagher in.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Vegas looking pretty weak so far

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

I swear the Habs miss the net on their chances more than any other team in the league. It’s exhausting

[Sir_Boagalott]

1 minute ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

I swear the Habs miss the net on their chances more than any other team in the league. It’s exhausting

 

Yep, for sure.

 

They better score 1st or they will likely lose.  That seems to be a big part of their problem.  i.e. they get so many really good chances but no goals, and when the other team scores 1st, its like the Habs buy into the limiting belief that they have no chance and they phone in the rest of the game.  Its not possible to come back and win with that mindset.  

[Sir_Boagalott]

Hmm, was Gally really hooked there?  It sorta looked like he faked that.  Good on him either way though.  🤣

 

Did the Vegas dman shoot the puck over the boards?  If yes that could have been a delay of game or unsportsman like penalty.  

[DON]

1st blood!

 

And 2-0, awesome!

[Commandant]

If nothing else right now, the Habs have their number 1 centre locked up long term on a good money deal. 

[Sir_Boagalott]

Awesome!!  The Habs scored 1st, and 2nd!!  

 

Was Toffoli offside though?  Thank god, nope.   

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Shots will be 60-3 by night’s end at this rate.

 

This is probably the most dominant period they’ve played in years. Vegas is absolutely asleep.

 

1 minute ago, Commandant said:

If nothing else right now, the Habs have their number 1 centre locked up long term on a good money deal. 

 

Slick Nick is a gem all right.

 

I have to say, Mike Hoffman is a genuine offensive threat. At least that signing seems to be working out.