GDT Game #30 - Montreal @ Winnipeg - December 14th - 7:00 pm

[GHT120]

 

[Prime Minister Koivu]

Tough opponent. 
 

On one hand the Habs are surely going to want to show the fans that they aren’t complete crap and have a very strong effort tonight. 
 

On the other hand the Habs are fragile and a strong start by a strong team could break us. 
 

Go Habs Go

 

 

[DON]

Not looking forward to this one, Habs could play well and still get smoked and shutdown by Jets.

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

I think the Habs come up with a big effort tonight, I expect a close game. 

[Prime Minister Koivu]

 

[BCHabnut]

This is feeling like another blowout. Boys need a goal here.

[BCHabnut]

Monty keeping them in it. Could easily be 6-0.

[Prime Minister Koivu]

Habs worked hard and did some good things. 
 

Slafkofsky is just cursed, nothing works for him right now. 
 

Newhook - Dach - Laine

 

One thing I’ve noticed is that with the addition of Newhook, Dach doesn’t carry the puck near as often as he used to. Newhook likes to carry and so does Laine where Slafkovsky usually passed the puck. 
 

Don't know what effect that will have on Dach’s game but I’m curious. 
 

Anderson scores just as I’m about to post - WOOT

[Commandant]

44 minutes ago, BCHabnut said:

Monty keeping them in it. Could easily be 6-0.

 

Monty has played well but i totally disagree they have been outplayed.  Hellebuyck has made bug saves too and Montreal is outshooting them right now.

 

Some bad penalties, especially the Dvorak one to give the 5 on 3 have hurt.

[Prime Minister Koivu]

This third period is fast, hard, exciting hockey and Hellebuyck has indeed made some great saves. 
 

Barron has looked good tonight 

[Commandant]

That penalty hurts too (gallagher)

[Prime Minister Koivu]

Exciting finish. 
 

Habs could have easily won this game and there were strong performances by several players. 
 

[Butterface]

Nothing to be ashamed about with that game. PK was the difference. 

[Prime Minister Koivu]

Stat card is very unkind to the Laine, Newhook, Dach and Barron - whom I thought had a decent game. 
 

 

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

A decent effort, I thought Anderson was a force tonight. Looks like the Anderson of old. 

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

1 hour ago, BCHabnut said:

Monty keeping them in it. Could easily be 6-0.

 

Really, except for a stretch in the 2nd period, it's been a pretty even game. 

[hab29RETIRED]

2 hours ago, Commandant said:

 

Monty has played well but i totally disagree they have been outplayed.  Hellebuyck has made bug saves too and Montreal is outshooting them right now.

 

Some bad penalties, especially the Dvorak one to give the 5 on 3 have hurt.

That Dvorak penalty deserves a benching. Just friggin stupid play by a veteran player. I can't wait until he's gone!

[BCHabnut]

3 hours ago, Commandant said:

 

Monty has played well but i totally disagree they have been outplayed.  Hellebuyck has made bug saves too and Montreal is outshooting them right now.

 

Some bad penalties, especially the Dvorak one to give the 5 on 3 have hurt.

Ya. When I said that, jets were breaking the defense steady for like 10 minutes. Overall, they played ok and helly made some awesome saves. Overall an improved game. 

[DON]

Havent seen game yet (just clip of the idiotic Dvorak x-check!) but 7 shots for Laine sounds good to me.

 

10 Thoughts: Winnipeg’s power play overcomes an improved Habs effort – HabsWorld.net

 

Third Star: Patrik Laine (0g, 0a, 7 shots, -1, 16:13 TOI) peppered his former teammate with shots and was deliciously close several times but could not quite get the puck into the Winnipeg net.

 

Hutson got monkey off back, awesome for him and team to play better.

Bottom Six Minutes: Lane Hutson finally gets his icebreaker

 

"It wasn’t just a one-goal wonder from Hutson, either, as he was arguably the best player on either side of this game. The Canadiens held a stellar 72.64% share of expected goals with him on the ice at even-strength, and without Connor Hellebuyck’s play in net, he’d have at least gotten a few more points at even strength, if not on the power play. It was close to, if not the best game we’ve seen from Hutson to date, and it came at a time when the team sorely needed a spark."

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Once again I missed this game - peak work period for me - and I am disappointed to have missed Huston's historic first goal. This kid is an exhilarating talent and is going to be a star for years and years to come.  

 

Reading the summaries and analysis, my main reaction is relief. The Habs have been playing much better, structured hockey for about six weeks following a disastrous start. The important thing is that, after the Pittsburgh debacle, they got back to that structured, smart game, win or lose. Sounds like they did.

 

 

 

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

1 hour ago, DON said:

"It wasn’t just a one-goal wonder from Hutson, either, as he was arguably the best player on either side of this game. The Canadiens held a stellar 72.64% share of expected goals with him on the ice at even-strength, and without Connor Hellebuyck’s play in net, he’d have at least gotten a few more points at even strength, if not on the power play. It was close to, if not the best game we’ve seen from Hutson to date, and it came at a time when the team sorely needed a spark."

 

He is going to fun to watch for many years to come. When we get more finishers up front his point totals will explode. His passing ability is as good as any Habs defensemen I have seen and I have seen a few. 

[DON]

2 hours ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

His passing ability is as good as any Habs defensemen I have seen and I have seen a few. 

Watching Hutson, I was thinking of Markov and wondering how his passing would compare.  Hutson is better it seems.

His rookie year numbers will obviously be better. 

 

[BCHabnut]

7 minutes ago, DON said:

Watching Hutson, I was thinking of Markov and wondering how his passing would compare.  Hutson is better it seems.

His rookie year numbers will obviously be better. 

 

It actually blows my mind how he finds guys for high danger chances. 

[DON]

3 hours ago, BCHabnut said:

It actually blows my mind how he finds guys for high danger chances. 

Wonder how Demidov & Hutson will mesh next season?

[Helmethead]

4 hours ago, DON said:

Watching Hutson, I was thinking of Markov and wondering how his passing would compare.  Hutson is better it seems.

His rookie year numbers will obviously be better. 

 

I watched plenty of Markov and I can say without an inkling of doubt that Hutson’s vision and ability to maneuver in tight spaces is next level. 
 

Not saying that he’s a better all around player but rather a generational unicorn.