GDT Game #36 Habs at Tampa 5pm Sunday Dec. 29

[Prime Minister Koivu]

Play the kid again?

[Prime Minister Koivu]

[DON]

OH well, i figured would get blown out by Panthers yesterday, might as well sweep Florida!

 

"Tampa Bay still has a top-three power play, and they are currently outscoring opponents 83-58 at full strength."

Canadiens @ Lightning: Game preview and how to watch

 

 

Canadiens	Statistics	Lightning
15-17-3	Record	19-11-2
47.4% (28th)	Scoring-chances-for %	51.9% (10th)
2.97 (19th)	Goals per game	4.00 (1st)
3.49 (28th)	Goals against per game	2.76 (7th)
21.8% (15th)	PP%	27.7% (3rd)
82.1% (9th)	PK%	81.1% (13th)
0-3-1	Head-to-Head Record	4-0-0

 

[Prime Minister Koivu]

I expect Montembault to start today but it looks like we won’t find out till game time. 
 

St. Louis is unconventional so it’s certainly possible that Dobes plays again. 

[xXx..CK..xXx]

Montembault will start. You don’t want Montembault to start questioning himself and while I’m not his biggest fan in particular, he’s done nothing wrong. It was Primeau who was not to be trusted. 
 

If today’s game wasn’t the tail end of a back to back, I’d agree with the thought of playing Dobes again but one of the main reasons we brought Dobes up was so a goalie wouldn’t have to play back to backs, or 3 games in 4 nights. 
 

Tampa is coming off a 6-2 win against the Rangers and I expect a tougher matchup than yesterday. Here’s to hoping for a nice outcome though. 

[DON]

6 minutes ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

St. Louis is unconventional so it’s certainly possible that Dobes plays again. 

Hope not and doubt it.

[Prime Minister Koivu]

Yeah surely Montembault starts. 
 

I really, really, really hope that Dach has another good game. The Habs need Dach to work out as a producing second line centre. 
 

Go Dach Go

 

I absolutely want Hutson to keep putting up points today too

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

1 hour ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

Yeah surely Montembault starts. 
 

I really, really, really hope that Dach has another good game. The Habs need Dach to work out as a producing second line centre. 
 

Go Dach Go

 

I absolutely want Hutson to keep putting up points today too

 

Yep, Dach is a must-succeed player for the rebuild.

 

We also need Slaf to play about 2X better than his first half.

[alfredoh2009]

 If Dach has another multipoint game, I'll start the rumor that he really likes playing in Florida and maybe we should trade him there

[IN THE HEARTS OF MEN]

5 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

Yep, Dach is a must-succeed player for the rebuild.

 

We also need Slaf to play about 2X better than his first half.

MSL patience with Dach has been admirable. Ideally Dach needs up to 18 months post-op to really begin to see him back to his former self. He's at 15 months now. The 2 biggest takeaways from his last 2/3 games is skating and risk management (he's trying to get to spaces more often now).He is hard on the back check and looks much faster on his skates. Has he taken off his brace? Whatever may be the case, a 2nd line propelled by Dach, will really help this team in the 2nd half of season.

 

 

[IN THE HEARTS OF MEN]

1 hour ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

Yeah surely Montembault starts. 
 

I really, really, really hope that Dach has another good game. The Habs need Dach to work out as a producing second line centre. 
 

Go Dach Go

 

I absolutely want Hutson to keep putting up points today too

Lane is our #1 Dman

[IN THE HEARTS OF MEN]

All the talk of Dach, Laine, Hutson etc...

 

Where's the love for the newly acquired Carrier. We have been very good since his addition. And Arber.... he has been a revelation for a good 10/ 15 games now. Poor Struble and his preseason form having everyone pencil him in as a mainstay. Looks like an injury only will get him back into this line up.

 

 

[DON]

22 minutes ago, IN THE HEARTS OF MEN said:

...Poor Struble and his preseason form having everyone pencil him in as a mainstay. Looks like an injury only will get him back into this line up.

Which for shot blockers is just one unlucky shot away from, so hope he is staying 'ready'.

(Now if Xhekaj gets hurt, i assume they wouldnt recall Engstrom and Struble would dress, if not he then better worry.)

[alfredoh2009]

8 minutes ago, IN THE HEARTS OF MEN said:

All the talk of Dach, Laine, Hutson etc...

 

Where's the love for the newly acquired Carrier. We have been very good since his addition. And Arber.... he has been a revelation for a good 10/ 15 games now. Poor Struble and his preseason form having everyone pencil him in as a mainstay. Looks like an injury only will get him back into this line up.

 

 

 

I praised Arber on yesterday's game thread. He played the type of game I hope he plays all the time. He was great in the role he has built for himself.

I still like Struble.

[Butterface]

Can’t answer poll question until I know fate of Primeau.

 

I’m excited for this game to see if we continue with improved performances. Replacing Barron with a solid minute eater has been a boon.

 

Not sure I enjoyed Laine up on the blue line on the power play. Like nimble players up there. Big guys and assassins down low.

 

Would love to see a continuation from Dach and Newhook. That line coming out of their injury funk and beginning to produce would be an incredible boost for the team.. but not great for our first round pick options.

 

I’m conflicted. 

 

 

[DON]

3 minutes ago, Butterface said:

Not sure I enjoyed Laine up on the blue line on the power play. Like nimble players up there. Big guys and assassins down low.

Shaq, JJ Watt & John Wick down low it is then.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

1 hour ago, IN THE HEARTS OF MEN said:

All the talk of Dach, Laine, Hutson etc...

 

Where's the love for the newly acquired Carrier. We have been very good since his addition. And Arber.... he has been a revelation for a good 10/ 15 games now. Poor Struble and his preseason form having everyone pencil him in as a mainstay. Looks like an injury only will get him back into this line up.

 

 

 

Carrier is making exactly the difference that a lot of us wanted from the acquisition of a competent RD. 

[Butterface]

30 minutes ago, DON said:

Shaq, JJ Watt & John Wick down low it is then.

Net presence of Shaq. Sniping ability of Wick. Difficulty of blocking Watt.

 

[DON]

Thinking Habs will need to score at least 4 goals for a win.

[xXx..CK..xXx]

I like all of our lines for the first time in awhile.

[Prime Minister Koivu]

What a frigging goal!

[Prime Minister Koivu]

Just now, xXx..CK..xXx said:

I like all of our lines for the first time in awhile.

Exactly this

 

Its been a while…that work by Laine on that goal and the finish by Newhook was great but it all started with great work by Dach

[BCHabnut]

Matheson made a perfect play on that goal. 

[Prime Minister Koivu]

8 minutes ago, BCHabnut said:

Matheson made a perfect play on that goal. 

Yes he did

 

He read the play perfectly and pintched at just the right time. 
 

Matheson is outstanding at this

[TurdBurglar]

3 hours ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

Carrier is making exactly the difference that a lot of us wanted from the acquisition of a competent RD. 

100%.  He's not very noticeable individually, which is exactly what you want from a player like him.  There's a noticeable stability of the blue line since his addition.  Savard playing with Xhekaj has also seemed to give Xhekaj some of the confidence he lost.