Game Thread | Bolts vs. Habs | 03/13/06

SpiderManNL · Guru

Game Thread | Bolts vs. Habs | 03/13/06

SpiderManNL · Guru

SpiderManNL · Guru

Figaro · Guru

You have to like this macth up if you're a Habs Fan. Just like vs. the Ranger, the Lightning are a team we can take. You might be thinking that because a former Habs goalie helped stole the first game and a demoted sniper scored the winner in the second, we may be in for a tough one. But if you look to the third meeting, some goalie named Huet and a team called le Canadien ripped 6 goals, 4 in the 3rd period, against this same opponent. It is a game that could potentially leave the Habs 1 point from 6th in the conference and 3 points ahead of the same team they are facing.

Both teams will be asking themselves who they should start in goal. For Tampa, John Grahame was the victim of the goal scoring surge in the previous meeting between these 2 teams however, Sean Burke didn't fare much better in Tampa's previous start, allowing 5 goals. Montreal, on the other hand, has the 2nd and 3rd best goaltenders in the NHL (behing Kiprusoff) and will have a tough time choosing a starter. Do you go with the hot hand, Huet, who's shutout the last 2 teams he faced (the second time he's done that in his string of 12 starts) or the newly aquired David Aebischer who's been on fire since the new year? My guess is we'll see Grahame, he's played the bulk of Tampa's games, versus Aebischer who, Montreal Canadiens management must be itching to prove make Montreal the winner of the biggest deadline day trade this year.

Being that this game will be played at the Bell Centre, where now reside 2 ghosts, Montreal has the advantage. Not only home ice is in their favour, however, as Montreal has been on fire since the early February, just days after someone named Jose Theodore was shelled in what was Montreals worse loss of the season. Since that low point, the Habs only twice lost by more than 1 goal.

Look for contributions from a very talented core of rookies and great playmaking by Montreal's first 2 lines. The key is to stay clear of the sin-bin, a sore spot for the Habs this season. If they can play 5 on 5 or agitate Tampa into taking some bad penalties (Lecavalier can get into trouble if he's frustrated) Montreal should win this game handily. Prediction is 4-1 for the Canadiens, with goals by any mix of Higgins, Markov, Koivu, Ryder and Begin.

jeanthehabtiste · Senior Member

Tampa's in quite a slump. They got blown out by Toronto. Doesn't look good for em.

Habs by One.

Johab · Guru

Hey figgy! Where is it your getting your ranks?? 2nd and 3rd best behind Kiprusoff since when? As good as huet is playing, its hard to say he is better than Vokoun, Hasek, Lundqvist etc. And there is NO WAY Aebischer is better than them. What stat is it your looking at that says 2nd and 3rd?

Zulrath · Senior Member

If you are looking at goals against average, Cristobal Huet is #6 in the league with 2.25. David Aebischer is 27th with 2.98

If you are looking at save percentage, Cristobal Huet is #2 with .928. David Aebischer is 24th with .900

In writing, it looks like a really good goaltending tandem.

kshort23 · Member

Our team really needs to get their legs going tonight and keep them for 60 minutes. This Tampa team is reeling right now, but have the talent to turn around the offence at any point in the game. I'm really worried about an emotional let down after everything that occured saturday night. This in my opinion is the game which will show what the habs are made of and has the largest effect on where will will be in the playoff race.

barry33 · Guru

kshort23 wrote:

Our team really needs to get their legs going tonight and keep them for 60 minutes. This Tampa team is reeling right now, but have the talent to turn around the offence at any point in the game. I'm really worried about an emotional let down after everything that occured saturday night. This in my opinion is the game which will show what the habs are made of and has the largest effect on where will will be in the playoff race.

I know we are all happy and a "win is a win", but boys we cannot keep relying on a goalie to stand on hid head and win us 1-0 and 2-0 games. Someone here mentioned how happy they are with the "system we are playing". My question is WHAT system? Kiddy bar the door with Huet and pray we score one? We are going absolutely NO where in the playoffs unless gusy liek Koivu, Kovalev, and Ryder start putting the puck in the net on a consistent basis. Not being negative, just factual. Gainey made a statement by not trading for anyone (no Simpson for a 6th round throwaway does not count) that said he thinks this team i scapable of putting the puck in the net. Memo to habs..you can start putting the puck in the net now.

thompstar · Veteran Member

i understand what you are saying about an emotional let down but if these guys can't get worked up to play the team that swept them out of the playoffs then there is something seriously wrong. even though tampa has been struggling you know they are going to come out hard against a team they are trailing by one point in the standings.

i think the habs will play better then they did on saturday and they will probbably have to if they want to get the jump on the lightning. hopefully we can get a few quickones on them so they lose hope and start playing frustrated hockey.

GO HABS GO!

Figaro · Guru

Hey Johab, I was just being a big fan, I guess. I think we have the best 1a and 1b goalie combo in the league.

plouf · Guru

barry33 wrote:

kshort23 wrote:
Our team really needs to get their legs going tonight and keep them for 60 minutes. This Tampa team is reeling right now, but have the talent to turn around the offence at any point in the game. I'm really worried about an emotional let down after everything that occured saturday night. This in my opinion is the game which will show what the habs are made of and has the largest effect on where will will be in the playoff race.
I know we are all happy and a "win is a win", but boys we cannot keep relying on a goalie to stand on hid head and win us 1-0 and 2-0 games. Someone here mentioned how happy they are with the "system we are playing". My question is WHAT system? Kiddy bar the door with Huet and pray we score one? We are going absolutely NO where in the playoffs unless gusy liek Koivu, Kovalev, and Ryder start putting the puck in the net on a consistent basis. Not being negative, just factual. Gainey made a statement by not trading for anyone (no Simpson for a 6th round throwaway does not count) that said he thinks this team i scapable of putting the puck in the net. Memo to habs..you can start putting the puck in the net now.

But in this case Huet wasn't the only one who stood on his head. I only listened to that one on the radio, but by the sounds of it Lundqvist was every bit as impressive as Huet, and the fact that we got more real chances than the Rangers was the difference.

I wonder if Rangers fans are arguing that their top offensive players aren't good enough to get them rolling in the playoffs because they are only getting 3.0 goals per game and have scored 6 goals in their last 5 games?

barry33 · Guru

plouf wrote:

barry33 wrote: kshort23 wrote: Our team really needs to get their legs going tonight and keep them for 60 minutes. This Tampa team is reeling right now, but have the talent to turn around the offence at any point in the game. I'm really worried about an emotional let down after everything that occured saturday night. This in my opinion is the game which will show what the habs are made of and has the largest effect on where will will be in the playoff race. I know we are all happy and a "win is a win", but boys we cannot keep relying on a goalie to stand on hid head and win us 1-0 and 2-0 games. Someone here mentioned how happy they are with the "system we are playing". My question is WHAT system? Kiddy bar the door with Huet and pray we score one? We are going absolutely NO where in the playoffs unless gusy liek Koivu, Kovalev, and Ryder start putting the puck in the net on a consistent basis. Not being negative, just factual. Gainey made a statement by not trading for anyone (no Simpson for a 6th round throwaway does not count) that said he thinks this team i scapable of putting the puck in the net. Memo to habs..you can start putting the puck in the net now. But in this case Huet wasn't the only one who stood on his head. I only listened to that one on the radio, but by the sounds of it Lundqvist was every bit as impressive as Huet, and the fact that we got more real chances than the Rangers was the difference. I wonder if Rangers fans are arguing that their top offensive players aren't good enough to get them rolling in the playoffs because they are only getting 3.0 goals per game and have scored 6 goals in their last 5 games?

I guess it is all a matter of perspective Plouf. Jagr has almost as many GOALS (44) as our top scorer Kovalev has POINTS (47). So if I am a Rangers fan I am really not very worried about 2 games of lower production. Fact is that Ryder with 24 is our top goal scorer followed by Kovalev with 17. In the new freewheeling NHL this is a definite cause for concern.I can only assume that Gainey tried to address this before the deadline but could not. Question. When was the last time Montreal had a player who even cracked the TOP 50 in league scoring? Why is that?

Jonny G · Senior Member

barry33 wrote:

When was the last time Montreal had a player who even cracked the TOP 50 in league scoring? Why is that?

Who cares?! It's not about individual stats. The team is winning the must-win games and beating top teams. That's all that matters. The team is playing well.

davidb · Guru

I care, it would be nice to hace a league leading player like we did years ago. This tells me something is very wrong with our scouting that we cannot get a number 1 forward. That being said I am happy we are winning and I hope it continues. The one thing that would make me a little happier would be to see our new goalie make a start and play a fantastic game. It would be nice to see two SOLID netminders

Muller93 · Guru

barry33 wrote:

Someone here mentioned how happy they are with the "system we are playing". My question is WHAT system?

It's called the trap...Every team over the past 15 years has won the cup playing this "system.

Now come on...do you really think Huet is THAT good??? He has been solid but there are NO second chances with the centers playing down low etc. I would say Huet has been well above average but the defensive zone "team" coverage has been stellar. Thanks to Gainey, Carbo and Jarvis...

And NO this is not a cup contending team at all, we willl be lucky if they even make the playoffs. If they do it will be thanks to Gainey, Carbo and Jarvis.

But ultimately, Gainey is making this team competitive for this season but was not going to sacrifice his 2 year plan for this sub-par team. Gainey is very smart and will make this team better for next year...without giving up any prospects or draft choices.

AB Habman · Guru

Muller93 wrote:

barry33 wrote: Someone here mentioned how happy they are with the "system we are playing". My question is WHAT system? It's called the trap...Every team over the past 15 years has won the cup playing this "system. Now come on...do you really think Huet is THAT good??? He has been solid but there are NO second chances with the centers playing down low etc. I would say Huet has been well above average but the defensive zone "team" coverage has been stellar. Thanks to Gainey, Carbo and Jarvis... And NO this is not a cup contending team at all, we willl be lucky if they even make the playoffs. If they do it will be thanks to Gainey, Carbo and Jarvis. But ultimately, Gainey is making this team competitive for this season but was not going to sacrifice his 2 year plan for this sub-par team. Gainey is very smart and will make this team better for next year...without giving up any prospects or draft choices.

Huh? Our goalie and team are sub par but Saks is amazing?? We're lucky to make the playoffs because Gainey is brilliant??Your post are becoming contridictory!

plouf · Guru

AB...might want to read the post again.

Where does he say the goalie is sub par? Where does he even mention Saks?
I think it's pretty easy to say that this team is a long way (at least on paper) from being a cup contender. The point is simply that the coaching staff is doing a good job. How can you disagree? The team is playing with effort, and like a team. I think we can all agree that it's not just Huet, but the team is actually playing better too.

SpiderManNL · Guru

0-0 after one period of play.

AB Habman · Guru

Gainey is very smart but we're lucky to make the playoffs is what I got out of that post?

plouf · Guru

So....do you disagree? Around two months ago I was pretty sure we weren't going to make the playoffs. Now the team is playing well. I think Muller is just giving some of the credit to Gainey. Not sure what's so controversial about that.

plouf · Guru

Not that the boys are playing well right now....

thehabit · Member

Hello All...The thing with goal scoring one shouldn't worry too much about the teams last 50goal scorer was Richer and since then goal scorring has been balanced... '93 Champs had balanced goal scoring, Although that sniper is a much needed necessity Kovalev is more than able to do this but you have to live and die with his mental errors. I think the team can make a move to the cup as the toughness and grit is there through the coaching staff and the defense can continue to implement the game plan turnovers will come and chances...Huet is playing too much Hockey for a goalie

SpiderManNL · Guru

Tampa leads 2-0 after two periods of play.

barry33 · Guru

SpiderManNL wrote:

Tampa leads 2-0 after two periods of play.

Let me see..3 goals against Boston Thursday (one in an empty net I believe), one goal agianst The Rangers Saturday..and none so far tonite...nothing to worry about though. If ONLY Huet could have shut them out tonite we would be tied 0-0 entering the 3rd period. As far as playing "the trap" Muller, the trap in the new NHL is out. That is why Lemaire's team is sucking the big one in Minny this year. He got by there for years trapping the hell out of the opposition. He can't do it this year thus Minny will be playing golf in April. Today's game is about speed and scoring. What I do NOT see is the speed that we all raved about for a month when thne season started. The great transition game that we had. Somehow under Julien that got lost and we have not regained it. I do not see the odd man rushes we used to have because of our speed. Tonite's game just reenforces my earlier point. Huet has been ok tonite but not extraordinary. We are playing Sean Burke who has struggled all year..and we are down 2-0. The prosecution rests.

plouf · Guru

But I think Montreal is having a bad game tonight compared to last 3-4 games or so. That's the thing.
And in their last five games, Montreal has 17 goals. Even if they were shutout tonight they'd still be averaging approximately 3 goals per game over 6 games. Which is above average even in the new NHL.

For me 3 games is not a good basis for generalization. Sorry.

Yet again, must we always panic? Even when we are winning?

-- Edited by plouf at 21:29, 2006-03-13

Muller93 · Guru

plouf wrote:

AB...might want to read the post again. Where does he say the goalie is sub par? Where does he even mention Saks?

Geez, I guess so eh Plouf...AB, what are you talking about??? This Saku fixation of yours is just....well....weird!

I in fact stated that Huet has been "well above average" Hello....I said Hello...

Muller93 · Guru

Just to add to my above post in which I stated Huet has been well above average...

What I was saying is in a way Barry is correct( as evidenced by the first two periods). We lack scoring, but Gainey will not sacrifice this teams bright future for this weak season.

AND, the fact that this team is even in the playoff hunt is more a testiment to Gainey that it is to Huet's great play. In fact I would argue that Huet owes much of his high save% etc to the "system" Gainey installed.

Boring as all get out, but required on a team with very little offensive punch

plouf · Guru

Ribeiro (I think) LE BUT!

SpiderManNL · Guru

Tampon Bay wins by a final score of 2-1