GDT Game #2 Thurs. Oct. 10, 7pm est. Montreal @ Boston

[Commandant]

Ive liked armia and he had a nice assist on the first goal.

 

Ideally hes a third liner but after Laine's injury hes the best we have.  And no, i dont think Barre-boulet a 27 year old journeyman, or Kapanen a raw rookie in his first game, best known for his 2 way game, not his offence, are better options today.

[Commandant]

I was wrong.  Call up dobes.

 

Not content to let in bad goals, Primeau is now putting them in his net.

[BCHabnut]

Good call. Get in the box rat boy

[Prime Minister Koivu]

Poor Primeau, he must feel awful 

 

Habs didn’t have a very productive pre season so hopefully that’s why our top players don’t look so great yet. 
 

Matheson is irking the hell out of me. 
 

I like the third period line changes and I would love to see Newhook, Dach, Slafkovsky for a few games. 
 

Congrats to Gallagher for a decent start to the season. 

[tomh009]

21 minutes ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

Hutson - Guhle look great together. Natural, effortless 

 

I like it 👍

2-0 with Hutson-Guhle on the ice, and a positive xGF% for both.

[sbhatt]

56 minutes ago, Commandant said:

 

I wasn't saying you.  SBhatt is not being sarcastic, yours I could tell. 

 

 

I wasn't.  This is not based on just tonight, mind you, but is my opinion of his entire body of work at the NHL level.  I don't think he's a strong enough backup to have cemented his position.  I just don't see enough solid performances out of him to believe there's significant upside just around the corner.  Management should actively be seeking to upgrade, because we do not want to play Montembeault into the ground...but we want a realistic chance of winning on the nights he's resting

[Prime Minister Koivu]

Stat card for tonight 

 

Some players were great and some were terrible - MIKE MATHESON 

 

 

[Commandant]

3 minutes ago, sbhatt said:

 

 

I wasn't.  This is not based on just tonight, mind you, but is my opinion of his entire body of work at the NHL level.  I don't think he's a strong enough backup to have cemented his position.  I just don't see enough solid performances out of him to believe there's significant upside just around the corner.  Management should actively be seeking to upgrade, because we do not want to play Montembeault into the ground...but we want a realistic chance of winning on the nights he's resting

 

23 games last year with a .910 save percentage and 2 shutouts is more than enough evidence that he is currently a capable backup goalie. 

 

Yes, he had a very rough night, but that doesn't erase what he proved last season. 

[BCHabnut]

19 minutes ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

Stat card for tonight 

 

Some players were great and some were terrible - MIKE MATHESON 

 

 

He pisses me off at least 5 times a game.

[tomh009]

13 minutes ago, BCHabnut said:

He pisses me off at least 5 times a game.

And who else did he make look bad? The initials are JB, you can guess the rest.

 

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

Is it just me or does Nick look a little off this year so far?   Just doesn't seem to have the same jump. Maybe it's early. 

 

You have to love Hutson's creativity and vision. His passing is tremendous. He seems to always make something happen.

[Neech]

Hutson with a quiet two assists, he's gonna rack them up!

[BCHabnut]

7 minutes ago, Neech said:

Hutson with a quiet two assists, he's gonna rack them up!

And he is pretty good in his own end too. He's evasive and good with the puck. Markov never had to win board battles really. He just stripped the puck off you, rolled out of the check and sauced a pass perfectly onto someone's stick. I was expecting the offensive dynamic, but he's OK in his own end too. Maybe needs to work on angling forwards when they are coming at him. 

[alfredoh2009]

it was an expected outcome for any team facing he Bruins last night: after their loss to FLA. The coach didn't like t when questioned by Arpun Basu about the D pairing changes, but it was obvious that some of them got pushed around by the 🧸

 

Next game will be interesting, after the stuff in pre-seasson between OTT and MTL

 

Go Habs Go!

[Prime Minister Koivu]

If Primeau had played well then Montreal would have won. 

[DON]

2a for Hutson (22:48) & Guhle (21:23), sweet, had they been practicing the Guhle-Hutson pairing?

Gonna be interesting to see how effective other teams deal with Hutson. He just so involved in making offensive chances, with weakness being in own end.

4 goals in a game was a bonus, kept it close most of game and had bit of a comeback also, entertaining.

Gallagher 4 and Caufield 3 shots was good and for both Gallagher and Anderson to score was great. Anderson does seem more 'engaged' or something and on the PK he looks fine.

At least Dach seems to be skating well.

Hopefully just a tough 1st night for Primeau.

[Prime Minister Koivu]

I agree that Anderson has found his place on the PK. He was quite good at it. 
 

St. Louis had Anderson with Suzuki and Caufield for much of the third. I hope we don’t see that trio next game. They just don’t seem to work together. 
 

Armia and his board work might help with Suzuki, Caufield. 

[alfredoh2009]

good summary:

https://www.habsworld.net/2024/10/10-thoughts-a-tough-night-in-boston/

 

Basu mentions in The Athletichow Xhekaj-Barron were exposed and that MSL paired Savard with Hutson to shelter the kid where in his oppinion Xhekaj would have benefited more from #58

[Commandant]

29 minutes ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

If Primeau had played well then Montreal would have won. 

 

I wouldnt go that far considering how dominant boston was and we werent doing much til they got up three goals and took their foot off the gas.

 

Primeau stunk but so did many of the players in front of him for too long a stretch.

 

Boston was just the much better team and you cant expect a performance like where a goalie steals the game on wednesday every night.

[Prime Minister Koivu]

Just now, Commandant said:

 

I wouldnt go that far considering how dominant boston was and we werent doing much til they got up three goals and took their foot off the gas.

 

Primeau stunk but so did many of the players in front of him for too long a stretch.

 

Boston was just the much better team and you cant expect a performance like where a goalie steals the game on wednesday every night.

Game stats that I posted certainly agree with you. Most of the team had tough nights. 

 

 

14 minutes ago, alfredoh2009 said:

good summary:

https://www.habsworld.net/2024/10/10-thoughts-a-tough-night-in-boston/

 

Basu mentions in The Athletichow Xhekaj-Barron were exposed and that MSL paired Savard with Hutson to shelter the kid where in his oppinion Xhekaj would have benefited more from #58

It seems clear to me that Hutson, Guhle should be a pair moving forward. Guhle was significantly more engaged in the play and I think it’s because when he plays with Matheson, he spends his time covering for Matheson. 
 

Matheson needs a guy to stay home and cover his mistakes. Savard is far from perfect but he is the best RD option to partner with Matheson. 
 

Barron has significant trouble reading the play and maintaining position on his opponent and is not a good partner for a learning Xhekaj. Struble is steady and competent. 

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

It concerns me that in both games the Habs were dominated for long stretches at times in their own end where they just couldn't get the puck or when they did they couldn't get it out. Lost more board battles than they won. Sure Primeau didn't have a good game but Boston was simply better. 

 

Certainly some bright spots, Hutson is magic, Gallagher looks really engaged this year, Anderson looks good on the PK, Monty was awesome, Guhle looks good, Dach looks healthy. It's early. 

 

 

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

9 hours ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

It concerns me that in both games the Habs were dominated for long stretches at times in their own end where they just couldn't get the puck or when they did they couldn't get it out. Lost more board battles than they won. Sure Primeau didn't have a good game but Boston was simply better. 

 

Certainly some bright spots, Hutson is magic, Gallagher looks really engaged this year, Anderson looks good on the PK, Monty was awesome, Guhle looks good, Dach looks healthy. It's early. 

 

 

 

Didn't see this game because I have still not been able to get through to Rogers for the purpose of ordering the French plan. (Waited two hours on the phone and got nowhere; typical Canadian oligopoly). It sounds, however, like the team was at least as dominated as we were by Toronto.

 

Now, admittedly, those are two top clubs. However, despite the win in TO, I didn't like the familiar old feeling of watching them get overmatched in their own zone. There doesn't seem to be any suggestion of improvement in terms of team structure over last season.

 

Is there a point at which we can expect the coaching staff to have these guys looking better than a pre-Vegas expansion team? Or are the players still so young, overall, that asking for some structure and sound defensive play is unreasonable?

[Commandant]

16 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

Didn't see this game because I have still not been able to get through to Rogers for the purpose of ordering the French plan. (Waited two hours on the phone and got nowhere; typical Canadian oligopoly). It sounds, however, like the team was at least as dominated as we were by Toronto.

 

Now, admittedly, those are two top clubs. However, despite the win in TO, I didn't like the familiar old feeling of watching them get overmatched in their own zone. There doesn't seem to be any suggestion of improvement in terms of team structure over last season.

 

Is there a point at which we can expect the coaching staff to have these guys looking better than a pre-Vegas expansion team? Or are the players still so young, overall, that asking for some structure and sound defensive play is unreasonable?

 

I actually think the dzone coverage is coming along but another aspect of the teams game has regressed... breakouts.

 

Right now the only D who can consistently get the puck out of the zone and moving the other way with the Habs in possession is Hutson.  

 

Matheson is playing the worst hes ever been in Montreal.  Hes supposed to really lead that breakout and has been awful.

 

Guhle looked better when with Hutson.

 

Savard and Xhekaj look like they are handling a hand grenade back there.

 

Barron has been awful too.

 

Part of this could be the forwards not being open for passes but right now the team has been forechecked to oblivion in the first two games.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

1 hour ago, Commandant said:

 

I actually think the dzone coverage is coming along but another aspect of the teams game has regressed... breakouts.

 

Right now the only D who can consistently get the puck out of the zone and moving the other way with the Habs in possession is Hutson.  

 

Matheson is playing the worst hes ever been in Montreal.  Hes supposed to really lead that breakout and has been awful.

 

Guhle looked better when with Hutson.

 

Savard and Xhekaj look like they are handling a hand grenade back there.

 

Barron has been awful too.

 

Part of this could be the forwards not being open for passes but right now the team has been forechecked to oblivion in the first two games.

 

Great analysis, thanks.

 

I have to think that this is somewhat fixable. Mattheson and Guhle should revert to their means, and Savard, while he was never a breakout machine, always seemed half-decent at making an efficient play. Of course, it does require coaches who make the right adjustments too. Sounds like other teams are really focusing on pressuring our D.

[Prime Minister Koivu]

34 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

Great analysis, thanks.

 

I have to think that this is somewhat fixable. Mattheson and Guhle should revert to their means, and Savard, while he was never a breakout machine, always seemed half-decent at making an efficient play. Of course, it does require coaches who make the right adjustments too. Sounds like other teams are really focusing on pressuring our D.

I do think the Laine injury in the opening minutes of the first preseason game and then the stuff in Ottawa kind of derailed the preseason. 
 

Our star players didn’t get many minutes because of it. 
 

Hopefully Matheson snaps out of this and isn’t facing an Anderson level cliff fall. 
 

Hutson - Guhle were genuinely good together, albeit only for one period. They should play together on Saturday.