Canadiens record in March

mperra (Admin) · Guru

Canadiens record in March

Kendich · Veteran Member

And thus they finished with their best month in 13 years!

mac_attack · Member

yeah the last time they had a record like this was in january if the year they won the cup

Diehardhabsfan · Veteran Member

Huet brought the habs back to life, this guy is playing amazing and everyone loves him. If they keep playing like they are now they will go far in the playoffs.

Key Lime · Guru

It was all magically done by the players...the coaches had nothing to do with it. Ribeiro came up with the game plans and Downey with the PP system before each game and Kovalev supplied all the motivation.

barry33 · Guru

Key Lime wrote:

It was all magically done by the players...the coaches had nothing to do with it. Ribeiro came up with the game plans and Downey with the PP system before each game and Kovalev supplied all the motivation.

Your sarcasm is noted Key Lime. I believe it was a team effort. Several things are now different with the current habs then the habs of Christmas time:

Goaltending- Huet has stolen several games and has been solid in the rest. This is something that Theo did NOT provide. Does anyone remember Theo stealing a game this year? No. Does anyone remember Theo even being the difference in a game this year? Negative again. Yet how many times can you say Huet has been the difference? 75% I would say of his games. Without Huet we are not in a playoff position. Plain and Simple. Anyone who can deny that has not been watching the games.

Motivation- the coaching change did wonders because a few passengers in red white and blue (see Bonk, see Ribiero, see Kovalev) came to the realization that they could be next. Julien played and played and played Bonk. I have said it all year long, there has been a horrid attitude in that dressingroom and the effort has been nothing short of pathetic. Gainey has brought accountability that was not acheivable under previous coaches.

PP and PK- Key Lime..same system as under Julien. PK is still the same 1-3 system. PP has same bodies. The difference is that now, because of the extra effort, the system is working. It makes a HUGE difference when guys are paying the price, blocking shots, working the puck down low etc. You can have the best system in the world but without the effort it is useless. These systems were developed in training camp by Gainey and Julien and have been consistent all year.

plouf · Guru

The TEAM played well this month.
Huet's been great, but the Habs also scored way more goals than they've been scoring. It was like they started with defense and PK and built from there. Guys recovered from the Olympic hangover and feet seem to be moving again. Even guys in slumps found ways to help with the overall effort.

Above all, though, it's about team spirit. Somehow the Habs seem motivated to play on the same team and work for each other. You see it in the skating. Guys getting open, backchecking, drawing penalties.

Some credit has to be due to Gainey, or Koivu, or Rivet, Souray, Kovalev, Markov, who knows, Downey? Anyway...somehow the team is playing better. Huet's clearly a big part of it, and was probably the spark that lit the flame, but you have to give credit to the leadership as well. They've sustained a real improvement on this team.

I do have a complaint with those who chalk up wins to a lot of luck or to one saviour goalie, but then never allow that a loss might also be due to some bad luck, or a hot goalie on the other team (these are referred to as "excuses").

Habtastic · Guru

I agree and said as much is another thread, Plouf. The one thing I would add though is that team confidence seems to come from the nets out. We had no confidence to do anything when Theo was around, but we are playing like "we can't do no wrong" now that Huet is back there.

Habtastic

doodie · Veteran Member

barry33 wrote:

Key Lime wrote: It was all magically done by the players...the coaches had nothing to do with it. Ribeiro came up with the game plans and Downey with the PP system before each game and Kovalev supplied all the motivation. Your sarcasm is noted Key Lime. I believe it was a team effort. Several things are now different with the current habs then the habs of Christmas time: Goaltending- Huet has stolen several games and has been solid in the rest. This is something that Theo did NOT provide. Does anyone remember Theo stealing a game this year? No. Does anyone remember Theo even being the difference in a game this year? Negative again. Yet how many times can you say Huet has been the difference? 75% I would say of his games. Without Huet we are not in a playoff position. Plain and Simple. Anyone who can deny that has not been watching the games. Motivation- the coaching change did wonders because a few passengers in red white and blue (see Bonk, see Ribiero, see Kovalev) came to the realization that they could be next. Julien played and played and played Bonk. I have said it all year long, there has been a horrid attitude in that dressingroom and the effort has been nothing short of pathetic. Gainey has brought accountability that was not acheivable under previous coaches. PP and PK- Key Lime..same system as under Julien. PK is still the same 1-3 system. PP has same bodies. The difference is that now, because of the extra effort, the system is working. It makes a HUGE difference when guys are paying the price, blocking shots, working the puck down low etc. You can have the best system in the world but without the effort it is useless. These systems were developed in training camp by Gainey and Julien and have been consistent all year.

Hey that sounds awesome!!!! One off the problems was the coach(CJ), some of the moves he made when he was there ,all i could do was shake my head .And i don't think he could tame the lions or the sheep on that team at the time.I think CJ would be a good ass. coach (somewhere)

plouf · Guru

Well CJ had to be one of the many problems. But it's quite possible (probable?) Gainey undermined him in some way. Anyway, I think it was CJ who got this team back on the right track in the first place.

I also agree that Huet was the first difference, (though not the only one). Gainey's been lucky he had something to work with in Huet for sure.

I think sometimes it IS just luck at times (the bad and the good)...a bunch of losses and even a well-coached, tight team could fall apart. A bunch of wins and guys who can't stand each other start connecting.

Overall, I'd say this team has been reasonably well run the last couple of seasons, on many levels, and this is not something I'd have said at any other time since Tremblay became coach. I've been fairly optimistic since early last season.

-- Edited by plouf at 20:21, 2006-04-02