Game Thread | Buffalo vs. Montreal | 02/07/06

SpiderManNL · Guru

Game Thread | Buffalo vs. Montreal | 02/07/06

SpiderManNL · Guru

SpiderManNL · Guru

Jay1982 · Guru

5-2(or 3, can' decide) hab win

Figaro · Guru

It depends on which teams show up. Buffalo has won 5 straight and we all know the rollercoaster that is Montreal's season. Hard not to predict a 3-2 game (based on the first 4 games) but you would have to give the game to Montreal on paper. Buf is a miracle that they are where they are (call it team work and unity). I'd like to see 4-1 Habs. Now, don't get me wrong, 2 straight wins is great but remember that 1) Huet beat Boston and 2) Philly is currently worse than Pittsburgh so this is the real test. The season will be make or break this week.

davidb · Guru

If the Habs come out strong with no first period lapses a great PP, stay out of the penalty box and get great goaltending (Huet I hope) We would have a chance We need all the divisional pts we can get. But you are right these next 2 are the important test

plouf · Guru

I see that Spiderman has Bonk on the third line. Is this for sure? I hope not, because I like the Pleks-Bulis combo.

Zulrath · Senior Member

I see the Sabres as being where the Canadiens COULD have been. A great core of young players who are getting their chance. Great coaching. They've been getting stellar goaltending, everything mixing right.

24 Rings · Guru

You don't see the roof coming in on Buffalo? I don't think they are anything special, I just think they are playing a good team game and they suddenly caught fire over X-mas. I think the Habs have a better roster. If Montreal gave more efforts like Buffalo gives, they would win just as many games.

ray · Senior Member

Two of the hottest goalies in the league at the moment, i see a 3-2 score. These four points would be great, and not to mention the confidence builder for the team. Play like we did sunday and this should make for a great game. Go hab Go!!!!!

barry33 · Guru

24 Rings wrote:

You don't see the roof coming in on Buffalo? I don't think they are anything special, I just think they are playing a good team game and they suddenly caught fire over X-mas. I think the Habs have a better roster. If Montreal gave more efforts like Buffalo gives, they would win just as many games.

You hit the nail on the head. The next two games you will see a team that is outworked by NOBODY in the NHL..and I am not talking the habs. No team in the League works harder from player 1-20 then Buffalo does. That is why they are successful. And if the habs do not come close to mathing that intensity it will be over in a hurry regardless of who plays goal.

Desi · Senior Member

Consistency: The Bisons have it, the Habs are still working on developing it. In this case, the numbers don't lie. After a lukewarm start, the Swords have been rock solid at both ends of the ice. Special teams are excellent. Goaltending a pleasant surprise. Everybody is contributing and nobody seems to be dogging it -- at least in the Buff games I've seen.

Luckily for us, Briere is out. He's been a thorn in our side many times before.

I'm thinking Les Boys will come out skating hard tonight and will win 2-1. If they stop moving their feet and take a lot of stupid hooking, holding, and tripping penalties, though, they'll prove me wrong.

We need 35 shots on goal and we'll win.

Les Canadiens sont la

Jonny G · Senior Member

I've been in South Beach for the last week, so I need to get caught up to speed. Have Koivu and Kovy been split up for the last three games? Do the line combos (including Plecs on the 4th) represent a move to balance the attack?

I saw some of the highlights -- it's nice to have Markov back in action.

AB Habman · Guru

The only way we compare is in net! Like Miller, Huet has stepped up and took over the prime spot!

The Sabres have good speed and skill in front! Very mobile team!

To beat them, we have to capitilize on chances and go to the net! If we miss open nets like the other night we're toast!

We have to find a way to match their speed!

Saks needs to play solid again back to back! I agree with Plouf, Bonk needs to be on fourth line while Plecs on third! Our D need to be solid and head man the puck up the middle to our centermen! Yes up the middle! The Sabres are great along the wall and our wingers will be smuthered! Good outlet passes will lead to good skating through the neutral ice! Thank God Markov is back! The kid can pass!

Habs win 3-2 in OT!

JohnM · Guru

barry33 wrote:

You hit the nail on the head. The next two games you will see a team that is outworked by NOBODY in the NHL..and I am not talking the habs. No team in the League works harder from player 1-20 then Buffalo does. That is why they are successful. And if the habs do not come close to mathing that intensity it will be over in a hurry regardless of who plays goal.

Who is their captain as well as first and second line center? Just wondering how they were able to unite, is it because Ruff is that good a coach or their captain is really making each of them step up.

Caper_hab_fan · Veteran Member

I'm not 100% sure, but i think its Drury as the Captain, but they also have Briere and Connelly up front centers.

SpiderManNL · Guru

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=153934&hubname=

Canadiens host Sabres in hunt for eighth

Ryan Miller looks to continue his strong play in net, and lead the Buffalo Sabres to a sixth straight victory when they visit a Montreal Canadiens team also riding a hot goaltender.

Miller made 28 saves in regulation and thwarted Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson's attempt in the final round of the shootout to earn his fifth straight win Saturday, 2-1 over the Senators.

"I tried to get the glove forward on him and not give him any angle," said Miller, who was named to the U.S. Olympic hockey team's taxi squad Monday. "It's not really a save, it's more taking space away."

The 25-year-old Miller is 12-3-0 with a 1.79 goals-against average since returning from a fractured thumb on Dec. 19. He's allowed three goals or less in 14 of 15 starts over that span.

The victory was the fifth in a row for Buffalo, which won a season-high seven straight from Dec. 4-19.

The Sabres have beaten three of the top four teams in the Eastern Conference during their current run, and with 71 points, are tied with Philadelphia for fourth place in the conference.

Buffalo will be looking to extend its win streak against a Canadiens team it has beaten in the last two meetings between the clubs. The Sabres snapped a four-game losing streak at Montreal with a 3-2 overtime victory on Dec. 1.

The Canadiens, who trail Toronto by one point for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East, have won two straight behind their backup goalie.

Cristobal Huet beat Boston 2-0 on Saturday and Philadelphia 5-0 on Sunday to post Montreal's first consecutive shutouts since starter Jose Theodore accomplished the feat in February 2002.

Theodore is 17-15-5 this season with a 3.46 GAA and .881 save percentage, while Huet is 5-5-1 with a 2.47 GAA and .926 save percentage. The 30-year-old has allowed three goals or less in 11 of his 14 appearances.

"That's what I'm here for," Huet said. "We have two goalies and when needed, we've got to step up and do the job. The matter is to help the team right now, that's what we need."

Michael Ryder provided plenty of offense against the Flyers, ending a seven-game goal drought by collecting his first career hat trick.

"Since it was my first, the guys hit me on the head a couple of times and I don't know if I've got a concussion," Ryder said jokingly. "It's kind of cool to get it under my belt."

Ryder has four goals and five assists in 10 games against the Sabres in his career.

SpiderManNL · Guru

http://www.canadiens.com/eng/news/redirect.cfm?sectionID=habsNewsDetails.cfm&newsItemID=4759

Game Preview: Canadiens vs. Sabres

MONTREAL – After sweeping away their opponents in a pair of Super Bowl weekend matinees, the Canadiens are back in action tonight as they welcome the Buffalo Sabres to the Bell Centre. With back-to-back shutouts against the Bruins and Flyers over the weekend, the Canadiens now find themselves just one point shy of eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

Montreal, now 4-1 at home with Bob Gainey behind the bench, will be looking for its third straight victory for the first time since winning five in a row from Oct. 31 to Nov. 8. During that stretch, the Canadiens beat the Sabres on consecutive nights.

The Sabres, meanwhile, continue to challenge the Ottawa Senators for first place in the Northeast Division. Lindy Ruff’s troops are just six points back with a game in hand. Buffalo heads into tonight’s matchup riding a five-game winning streak and is tied with the Flyers atop the Eastern Conference with 17 road wins.

Tonight is the fifth meeting between the Canadiens and Sabres this season. The two clubs will face off again Thursday night at HSBC Arena in Buffalo. The season series is currently even at 2-2, with Montreal taking the first two.

Three for three? Last Thursday in Boston, Patrice Bergeron found the back of the net at 12:13 of the second period. 147 minutes, 27 seconds and 72 shots later, Cristobal Huet has been unbeatable. The 30-year-old became the first Canadiens netminder to record back-to-back shutouts since Jose Theodore accomplished the feat on Feb. 5 and Feb. 7, 2002. Tonight, Huet will look to join a select list of 19 goaltenders who, since the 1943-44 season, have shut out the opposition in three straight games.

It’s Miller time: Despite a solid 13-game stretch with Martin Biron in goal while he recovered from a fractured thumb, Ryan Miller has reclaimed his spot as the Sabres’ top netminder. Back on the ice since Dec. 19, Miller, who was just named to the U.S. Olympic reserve squad, has posted a 12-3 record. On Monday, the 25-year-old narrowly beat out Huet for the NHL’s Defensive Player of the Week honors.

See you soon! For the 21st time in their history, the Canadiens and Sabres will face each other in consecutive contests. In those meetings, the Canadiens have gone 20-13-7-0, while the Sabres have held the edge at home, with a 9-6-5 record. Just like a doubleheader in baseball, the back-to-back matchups in the NHL tend to be split among the two teams. Only Montreal has managed to sweep a series and only three times at that, most recently on Nov. 4 and 5. The Canadiens also swept the series in 1978-79 and 1991-92.

MONTREAL - After sweeping away the competition over the weekend, the Canadiens will look to win their third straight as they host the Sabres tonight at the Bell Centre.

SpiderManNL · Guru

mperra (Admin) · Guru

Just handed to me on the press gallery, the starting line-up. Streit, Sundstrom and Cote are tonight's scratches.

I'll report during the intermissions.

Mario

plouf · Guru

Huet good again. Montreal playing better in second half of the period.
This seems to be a different team from a week ago.

SpiderManNL · Guru

1st Intermission

0

0

Shots on Goal:

13

12

Jonny G · Senior Member

Mario, thanks for the update. What's the talk about the Habs' intensity? They looked pretty good in the first.

barry33 · Guru

JohnM wrote:

barry33 wrote: You hit the nail on the head. The next two games you will see a team that is outworked by NOBODY in the NHL..and I am not talking the habs. No team in the League works harder from player 1-20 then Buffalo does. That is why they are successful. And if the habs do not come close to mathing that intensity it will be over in a hurry regardless of who plays goal. Who is their captain as well as first and second line center? Just wondering how they were able to unite, is it because Ruff is that good a coach or their captain is really making each of them step up.

Johnny- I think it is a combo of alot of things with Buffalo. Ruff is a good, "lunch bucket-blue-collar" type coach who holds everyone accountable. Drury is the Captaain and I do not really feel they have a first or second line Center..it is really leadership and scoring by committee.

mperra (Admin) · Guru

Huet is playing well. Habs not afraid of laying the body. And they are moving their feet, creating scoring chances. At one point they were being outshot 12-6 in the 1st period. After one, they narrowed the margin to 13-12.

Will report more after the 2nd period.

Nil d · Guru

How's my buddy Don Ko-arse-ski doing tonight?

I predict this game will be determined by penalties, and Ko-arse-ski will dictate the outcome. He always does.

murphy · Veteran Member

Very questionable call by Koharski and a weak clearing attempt by Bonk led to the goal by Sabres. Habs got that back short-handed and they have been taking the play to Buff however it seems everytime they get some momentum going, a penalty is called.

SpiderManNL · Guru

2nd Intermission

2 1

Shots on Goal: 22 22

mperra (Admin) · Guru

Buffalo scores in the dying seconds of the 2nd period. Lucky bounce, that I'm sure Huet would like back.

brooklynhabfan · Guru

ow