Game Thread | Coyotes vs. Canadiens | 12/13/05

SpiderManNL · Guru

Game Thread | Coyotes vs. Canadiens | 12/13/05

Nil d · Guru

Is it a certainty that Koivu will not be in the lineup? Everything I've read lately seems to say otherwise.

SpiderManNL · Guru

I'm not sure but I hope hes in the lineup for this game.

thompstar · Veteran Member

well we could definately use koivu's services tomorrow night, maybe add some offence and leadership to the team (which is showing no signs of having either of these 2 qualities of late).

i have no guess as to what the outcome of this game is going to be....our team is friggin bi-polar

what team will show up, the one that plays with heart and determination, or the one that stinks up the place and looks like tghey could care less if they win or lose?

barry33 · Guru

We are going to find out if Saturday nights game was a low point or not for this club. People's jobs are on the bubble, not the least of which is my friend Claude's. If this team has ANY pride or heart at all they will come out differently Tuesday night. If not, then major changes need to be made. Personally, if I had my way, I can name 6 players off the bat who would not see the ice the next game. Ribieoro, Dagenais, Souray, Begin (for his string of stupid penalties), Sundstrom and yes..Theo (wake up call needed).

You see, if I am the coach and my ass is on the line, what do I have to lose? Take those 6 out of the lineup and play the kids. You send a STRONG message. The message is "I am the coach here until anyone tells me otherwise. And you will NOT embarass me with lack of effort as long as i am here".

The way I see it, sitting those guys out will not produce any worse effort and results than we saw Saturday. But if I am coaching, I am going to make a point before I go.

JohnM · Guru

Remember when CJ sat Ribs last year. That was a turning point in the season. He was in charge and the fans and the media weren't gonna make that decision for him. He needs to make a similar move this year. Ribs or Theo should be his target.

davidb · Guru

I watched Pheonix beat Boston last night. They are playing very well. C Joseph is that type of goalie that comes into your building and steals a game. I just hope we can take it to them.

Johab · Guru

im glad to hear joseph doing well again. I really liked him in edmonton, hated him on toronto, thought he was over-rated in detroit and hes finding his name again in pheonix. But we cannot afford to lose another game, this has long ago passed rediculous!

Figaro · Guru

I think that since we have some West games coming, we need to take points. Sit some guys to make a point? Go for it but we can't sit 6 players. True, it can't get any worse, though. Huet is due for a start anyway and there isn't an "easy" game until Christmas Eve Eve in Wash. We really need to do something before the game at home to Ottawa. Because, I'm telling you, Montreal is going to win that game if only because it is against the Senators. But, before then we need to correct a few glitches. We all know that Montreal only sucks against the worst teams and the best teams. I hope that we lay a beating on the Great Ones Tuesday and we play with passion. Otherswise, there is no way we beat Edmonton and, unless we have our Special Ks back on Saturday, we won't win again before the 23rd.

5-3 Mtl vs Pho

ray · Senior Member

yes it would be nice to sit guys to teach them a lesson, but people we have no one to fill in for them. There is a lack of depth on this team, maybe if they were sign some free agents like Steve Thomas or some other guys I can't think of names then maybe we could sit some guys. We need to come out firing, and so some heart and determination.

SpiderManNL · Guru

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=146821&hubname=

Gretzky's Coyotes visit Canadiens

(Sports Network) - The Phoenix Coyotes will try to extend their season-high win streak to four games tonight when they visit the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre.

Catch the action live on TSN at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt.

The Canadiens will be without the services of captain Saku Koivu. Koivu showed up at this morning's skate but was sent home by coach Claude Julien because he was suffering from stomach flu.

The Coyotes' latest victory came in Boston on Sunday. Ladislav Nagy netted the game-winning goal 30 seconds into overtime to lift Phoenix past the Bruins, 2-1, at TD Banknorth Garden.

Mike Johnson also scored and Nagy added an assist for the Coyotes, who also won for the fifth time in their last six games. Johnson extended his point scoring streak to six games. He has five goals and four assists in the string.

Petr Nedved had an assist and Curtis Joseph made 18 saves in the win.

Tonight marks the completion of a brief two-game road trip for the Coyotes, who are 7-7-1 as the visitors this season.

The Canadiens, meanwhile, are in the midst of a slump. Montreal has dropped five of its last six games, including a 5-3 home loss to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim on Saturday. Petr Sykora tallied a goal and an assist and Jean- Sebastien Giguere made 21 saves to lead the Ducks.

Alexander Perezhogin had a goal and an assist and both Richard Zednik and Michael Ryder had goals for Montreal.

Jose Theodore stopped 32 shots for the Canadiens.

The Habs wrap up a four-game homestand this evening. Montreal is 9-5-2 at home this season.

The Canadiens are unbeaten in the last seven meetings (4 wins, 3 ties) against the Coyotes.

barry33 · Guru

Looks like Julien is trying to send a message to Michael Ryder. He was on the 4th line today in practice and Perez has been moved to the top line with Zednick and Pleks. Koivu is out for sure with the flu.

Jonny G · Senior Member

If anyone needs to be taught a lesson, it's Ribs -- the turnover king. He neither backchecks, forchecks, nor skates hard without the puck.

-- Edited by Jonny G at 14:16, 2005-12-13

barry33 · Guru

Jonny G wrote:

If anyone needs to be taught a lesson, it's Ribs -- the turnover king. He neither backchecks, forchecks, nor skates hard without the puck. -- Edited by Jonny G at 14:16, 2005-12-13

I thought Pillsbury was the "turnover king"..get it?! Turnover king?!??? At any rate I do not disagree with you but Ribs is French Canadien and Ryder is from Newfoundland. You figure it out.

Jonny G · Senior Member

Point well taken.

SpiderManNL · Guru

http://www.canadiens.com/eng/news/redirect.cfm?sectionID=habsNewsDetails.cfm&newsItemID=4560

Game Preview: Canadiens vs. Coyotes

MONTREAL – The mere mention of Wayne Gretzky is enough to get anyone’s attention. Tonight, the Canadiens, who have lost seven of their last nine, will look to put all impressions aside and leave The Great One with a not-so-memorable first visit to Montreal as head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes.

After returning to action following a week off Saturday night, the Canadiens (15-8-5) fell 5-3 to the Mighty Ducks. It was the first loss to the Ducks at the Bell Centre in seven years.

Claude Julien’s troops will close out a four-game homestand tonight as they face off with the Coyotes for the only time this season. Wayne Gretzky’s squad heads into tonight’s contest riding its first three-game winning streak of the campaign, having won six of its last seven games to improve to 16-12-2.

Since the Jets left Winnipeg for the warm Arizona sun in 1996, the Canadiens have lost just twice to the Coyotes in 12 matchups, posting a 6-2-4 record. Montreal is also unbeaten in its last seven against Phoenix (4-0-3), with the Coyotes last recording a victory on December 12, 1998.

R2D1 rekindled: Mike Ribeiro, Michael Ryder and Pierre Dagenais have been on a role since Claude Julien reunited the trio. The three forwards have accounted for six of the Canadiens’ last eight goals during the current homestand and have combined for five goals and seven assists.

Road mission: With Sunday’s win over the Bruins, the Coyotes snapped a nine-year winless streak in Boston, posting their first victory in Beantown since October 7, 1996. Phoenix holds a similar winless streak in Montreal, with their last – and only – win coming in a 5-4 final on October 28, 1996. Since then, the boys from Arizona have lost three and tied twice on the Canadiens’ ice.

On fire: Mike Comrie, Ladislav Nagy and Mike Johnson are no strangers to their recent success. Over the last five games, the trio has combined for 12 goals and 25 points. Four of the goals have been game-winners with Nagy potting three, while Johnson scored the other.

Together with Pierre Dagenais, Michael Ryder and Mike Ribeiro have scored five of the Canadiens' eight goals during the current homestand.

Jonny G · Senior Member

Kostitsyn was brought up. Who else is out and what are the lines gonna look like?

Johab · Guru

well, the Coyotes are no easy team to beat either. This wont be a push over for our habs, then again what game has been this year? Lets just hope for the best and say we come out with 2 points. If the habs win...i wont complain one bit!!!!

barry33 · Guru

Geesh when it rains it pours..now some players have the flu bug. Koivu is out as is Streit (no loss there). But I can tell you from experience that there will be other players playing with the flu tonite because usually when it hits a team it sweeps right through. Anything else that can go wrong?!???? Maybe mad cow disease for the milk drinkers on the team?

SpiderManNL · Guru

Kostitsyn Scores!!!! from Murray and Higgins....Habs lead 1-0

SpiderManNL · Guru

Plekanec Scores!!!!! Habs lead 2-0

SpiderManNL · Guru

Habs lead 2-0 after one period of play.

barry33 · Guru

Complete turnaorund so far compared to Saturday night. Habs do not look like the same team at all (axcept for Ribieor who still consitently gets knocked off the puck by a gust of wind). Anyone else think that Denis Gauthier is one of the dirtiest players in the league? If it is not his knee it is the stick.

Zulrath · Senior Member

Although we've scored one so far tonight on the PP, I find that we're still not that aggressive on the chase for the puck. When there's a race they seem to beat us to it. But we're capitalizing on some key mistakes they're making.

Nil d · Guru

barry33 wrote:

Complete turnaorund so far compared to Saturday night. Habs do not look like the same team at all (axcept for Ribieor who still consitently gets knocked off the puck by a gust of wind). Anyone else think that Denis Gauthier is one of the dirtiest players in the league? If it is not his knee it is the stick.

The worst 60 minutes of the year followed by twenty of the best. Good jump in their step, good goaltending when needed, good PK, first to the puck all period, shooting from all angles. Great to see, and I hope they can keep it up.

Nil d · Guru

SpiderManNL wrote:

Kostitsyn Scores!!!! from Murray and Higgins....Habs lead 1-0

Great pass by Murray (whether intentional or not); not bad for a couple of AHLers!

SpiderManNL · Guru

Sundstrom Scores!!!!! Habs lead 3-0

user posted image

Nil d · Guru

3-0 after two.

Now that's more like it! I realize the Coyotes are not playing well, but that often is an effect of the opposition forcing you to play badly (if that makes any sense).

I only remember one other 3-goal lead at all this year (a 5-2 win over the Rangers). Boy, it's nice to see. I will enjoy this while it lasts - and I truly hope it does.

SpiderManNL · Guru

Habs lead 3-0 after two periods of play.

Nil d · Guru

SpiderManNL wrote:

Habs lead 3-0 after two periods of play.

Didn't I just say that?