Game Thread | Montreal vs. Maple Leafs | 01/28/06

SpiderManNL · Guru

Game Thread | Montreal vs. Maple Leafs | 01/28/06

SpiderManNL · Guru

SpiderManNL · Guru

Figaro · Guru

So basically, according to the stats, both teams stink. Belfour is worse than Theo, chances are both of them star. So it will be a high scoring affair, if either team can go over 15 shots. Montreal will win and it will appear as though they played hard but that is only because they are playing the Laffs. Don't expect either team to turn their season around with this game.

Serge C · Newbie

habs will win this game 6-4 and then next game they will lose again.

Nil d · Guru

Serge C wrote:

habs will win this game 6-4 and then next game they will lose again.

It can't be 6-4; it has to be a one-goal game. I say 4-3 in a shootout. Bulis nets the winner.

ray · Senior Member

Wow you guys are optimistic, I wish I had the same feelings but I'm very worried because nothing hurts more than losing to the leafs! Don't get me wrong, I'll have my Jersey on and 'Eye of the Tiger" blaring before puck drop, but i'm very nervous and don't see a favourable outcome. GOD I HOPE I"M WRONG

ray · Senior Member

Barry I'm changing to one of my other sweaters, please tell me your changing your thong ( underwear) and wearing it backwards for Saturdays game , because God knows we need some help. LOL

Habhead · Veteran Member

NO WAY the Habs win this game, they're just what Toronto needs at this point in time. I saw the past two games by the Leafs, they played hard and were just as good as Ottawa in their 4-3 loss to the Sens in Ottawa, and played much more inspired hockey thursday than the Habs did during their 8-4 loss to Buffalo (weak goaltending killed them in that game).

Toronto has outshot their opposition in the past two games 63-54

Outshot Ottawa 26-22

Outshot Buffalo 37-32

Habs have been outshot by their opposition in the past two games 67-27

Outshot by Philadelphia 27-15

Outshot by Ottawa 40-12

My guess . . . Toronto wins 5-1

Jay1982 · Guru

Montreal 5-2 if they show heart and come out with something to prove.

SpiderManNL · Guru

http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/hockey/canadiensstory.html?id=5cec046c-7e72-4fd9-9a78-4a90aa0ceb04

Habs stagger into T.O.

By PAT HICKEY

It was no surprise that Canadiens coach Bob Gainey didn't want to talk about Thursday's 3-0 loss in Ottawa.

Or the first five games of a disastrous six-game road swing, which sees the Canadiens limp into tonight's final game of the trip against the Maple Leafs (7 p.m., CBC, RDS, CJAD Radio-800) with a 1-4 record.

Or the fact the Canadiens have only two wins in their last 19 games on the road.

"We're focusing on making the playoffs and that means thinking about (tonight's) game against the Leafs," Gainey said after running his team though a high-energy workout that included lots of skating and three-on-three shinny.

"We're below that line in the standings which marks the eight teams that are in a playoff positions, but we're playing a team that's been having some troubles of their own and they're one point ahead," Gainey said. "Our goal is to win (tonight) and pick up two points."

Despite all the Canadiens' problems, they are only two points behind the eighth-place Atlanta Thrashers and have three games in hand.

That's the good news.

The bad news is that the Canadiens have been regressing, going from bad to worse. They can't even take much joy from their 5-3 win in Philadelphia this week because they were outplayed and wound up on the short end of a 27-15 shot count. The Canadiens won only because they had a strong performance from goaltender Cristobal Huet, and four goals from Jan Bulis.

Huet played well in Ottawa, but the rest of the Canadiens took the night off. Disinterested is the best word to describe the team's play.

"You saw the game, I don't have to tell you what happened," Steve Begin said. "It's tough to play when one or two guys take the night off; it's impossible when 20 guys don't show up."

Gainey appeared to be at a loss when asked what it would take to get the Canadiens out of what he called a "funk."

"We've been having problems for a while and if we knew what they were, we'd fix them," he said.

Gainey, who doubles as the Canadiens' general manager, said he was open to making changes.

"We have our antennae up. We picked up Aaron Downey on waivers; we've brought some guys up from the minors and we'll listen to any teams that want to talk to us about trades.

"In the position we're in, we're open to any possibilities," Gainey added.

That's one way of saying that there are no untouchables on this team and the Canadiens would be prepared to trade goaltender Jose Theodore or captain Saku Koivu, the two most popular players on the club.

Theodore has been the backup goalie for the past two games and, while Gainey wasn't prepared to name his starting goalie for tonight, the smart money says Huet will get the start again.

Theodore continues to be the subject of trade debate, but a rumoured deal with Edmonton seems unlikely. One possible scenario would see a swap with Anaheim for Jean-Sebastien Giguere, who had a run-in with coach Randy Carlyle this week.

The Leafs are banged up with Aki Berg (ribs) joining Eric Lindros, Brian McCabe and Carlo Colaiacovo on the sidelines. The Canadiens are generally healthy, although Mathieu Dandenault, Michael Ryder and Craig Rivet skipped practice yesterday to rest minor bumps and bruises.

The Canadiens made one roster move yesterday, returning Andrei Kostitsyn to the Hamilton Bulldogs.

The Canadiens' next game is Tuesday when the Carolina Hurricanes visit the Bell Centre.

phickey@thegazette.canwest.com

© The Gazette (Montreal) 2006

barry33 · Guru

ray wrote:

Barry I'm changing to one of my other sweaters, please tell me your changing your thong ( underwear) and wearing it backwards for Saturdays game , because God knows we need some help. LOL

Ray- the thong has been washed after the Sens loss but I am going back to the well and putting it back on tonite. Only problem is that I will be out at the country bar tonite after the game and they tend to ride up on me..ok..too much info..the things I do for the team.

In seriousness, tonite will set the tone for the season. Either the team shows some canoles and comes out with a HUGE effort after being totally embarassed and laughed at Thursday, or it will be another ho-hum status quo night where they show they could care less. I am calling out the captains on this team. Koivu, Rivet, Kovalev and Souray. If you guys are the "ultimate leaders" and "heart and soul" of the team that your supporters say you are, now is the time to show you can lead this team. I know we are not in the dressingroom, but I can tell you that if we come out tonite with no emotion or grit, the verdict is in. We have no leadership.

Get er done boys!

ray · Senior Member

Thats hilarious Barry, try doing the "Achy Breaky Heart" with the thong on. Well hopefully the boys win tonight and make your evening at the country bar that more enjoyable! Go Habs Go

Caper_hab_fan · Veteran Member

This is really a 4pt game .....and a big one at that, this is also a good test for our boys to see where there at, cause the leafs are hurting lately just as much as the habs, or maybe more....so we have to take advantage of that like the flames,nucks,canes,sens took advantage of us....if they can turn the tables around, we may be good for returning home....Go Habs Go!!!

Zulrath · Senior Member

As bad as both teams are playing, and as shaky as the goaltending has been, I expect both teams to come out firing. I'll predict 5-4 in a shootout.

Kendich · Veteran Member

I have a good feeling about this one tonight. The laffs are going to be really weak in their defensive department today, playing a lot of inexperienced rookies. I think the habs will definetly take advantage of this.

heet_150 · Guru

From Sportsnet:

1:32 PM: Tellqvist gets the start
Mikael Tellqvist will get the start in goal for the Leafs over Ed Belfour tonight. When asked, Leafs' coach Pat Quinn said there was nothing to it, it's just Tellqvist's turn. Belfour did not miss a Saturday night game at home last season and this is the first time this season.

Leafs' forward Darcy Tucker said he will be a game-time decision.

davidb · Guru

Habhead u r right on I say 6-2 TO

SpiderManNL · Guru

SpiderManNL · Guru

http://www.canadiens.com/eng/news/redirect.cfm?sectionID=habsNewsDetails.cfm&newsItemID=4694

Game Preview: Canadiens vs. Maple Leafs

TORONTO – After 10 days on the road and five games played, the Canadiens (22-20-6) will conclude their road trip tonight against the Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre. They’ll look to post their second win on the trip, after falling to the Senators Thursday night. Despite the loss, Cristobal Huet shone as he made 37 saves.

The Maple Leafs (24-22-3), who are just one point ahead of the Canadiens in the Eastern Conference standings, are in the middle of their worst losing streak in over a decade. Pat Quinn’s charges were on the short end of an 8-4 final against the Sabres on Thursday, extending their streak to seven games. Toronto has not dropped eight straight since February 1996, which led to the firing of then-head coach Pat Burns.

Tonight marks the fifth meeting of the season between the Canadiens and Maple Leafs. Montreal won the first matchup 5-4 at the Air Canada Centre, while Toronto has won the last three.

Photo finish: There’s been no reason for fans to leave their seats before final buzzer as all four games this season have been decided by one goal; three of those games have been decided in overtime. The Canadiens are 15-11 in one-goal games while the Maple Leafs sit at .500 with a 15-15 record.

Quality over quantity: The Canadiens were limited to less than 20 shots for just the sixth time this season Thursday night. In the previous five outings, Montreal had picked up three wins. Before the lockout, the Canadiens were 13-13-02 with under 20 shots. On the other end, five teams in the NHL this season piled up at least 50 shots during a game but couldn’t muster a victory.

AB Habman · Guru

Gainey stated in his interview " we've been having problems for a while and if we knew what they were we would fix them".

Gainey needs to come out of the closet, if he can't see the problems yet!

Every sports writer wrote in the off season that Habs didn't have enough depth at defense and center to make the playoffs!

Is Gainey in denial?

AB Habman · Guru

I don't know if this is good news or not but AB has to miss the game this evening due to work obligations!

Relying on John and others for their objective up-dates through out the game!

barry33 · Guru

heet_150 wrote:

From Sportsnet: 1:32 PM: Tellqvist gets the startMikael Tellqvist will get the start in goal for the Leafs over Ed Belfour tonight. When asked, Leafs' coach Pat Quinn said there was nothing to it, it's just Tellqvist's turn. Belfour did not miss a Saturday night game at home last season and this is the first time this season. Leafs' forward Darcy Tucker said he will be a game-time decision.

I hope that Tucker does play and someone crushes him AND his ribs into the end boards in the first period. I hate the littel weasle. Having said that, how much could the habs use someone with THAT much grit and heart right about now?

Habhead · Veteran Member

Leafs 2 man advantage produces a goal, they're still on the PP . . .

Leafs 1 Habs 0

heet_150 · Guru

barry33 wrote:

heet_150 wrote: From Sportsnet: 1:32 PM: Tellqvist gets the startMikael Tellqvist will get the start in goal for the Leafs over Ed Belfour tonight. When asked, Leafs' coach Pat Quinn said there was nothing to it, it's just Tellqvist's turn. Belfour did not miss a Saturday night game at home last season and this is the first time this season. Leafs' forward Darcy Tucker said he will be a game-time decision. I hope that Tucker does play and someone crushes him AND his ribs into the end boards in the first period. I hate the littel weasle. Having said that, how much could the habs use someone with THAT much grit and heart right about now?

Carefull what you wish for, Barry. And I agree, he is a weasel. Is he available????lol

heet_150 · Guru

A little bit more of a spring in their step, but still not 100%.

Habhead · Veteran Member

Yeah, I've never liked Tucker, even when he was a Hab, lol. But I'd like him and his energy on Mtl right now.

BTW, roughly 4 minutes left in the first and the Habs have a whipping 4 shots so far.

Habhead · Veteran Member

heet_150 wrote:

A little bit more of a spring in their step, but still not 100%.

Yes, the Habs do have more jump in them tonight.

Habhead · Veteran Member

End of one . . .

Leafs lead 1-0

Leafs outshot the Habs 8-6

heet_150 · Guru

End of first, only down by one. By no means an unsurmountable deficit. TO not playing very well either.