MAGIC NUMBER NINE TONIGHT.

The Canadiens Forever!

Johab wrote:

---

wright wrote: Eight game winning streak and optimism reigns supreme. certainly a lot of good things have happened. Team chemistry, at least on the surface is at its best levels in a long time. Players response to Higgins 20th goal of the season and Downey's goal against the Bruins showed a team pulling  equally for  a talented young player and a veteran role player. All four forward units contributing in terms of timely goal scoring and utilizing their best assets, speed. More and more forwards driving to the net and moving into areas that require paying a physical price. Defence looks assured and goaltending has been outstanding.     The downside is, with the exception of Ottawa, all victories have come against teams the Habs should beat, sub 500 teams going nowhere. Ottawa was missing their top 4 dmen, and Hasek. Over the eight game streak the Canadiens have actually been outshot on average, 34 shots to 33. The penalty killing is still allowing too many power play goals. In terms of give aways, and take aways and faceoffs, the Habs have not had an over whelming margin of success. Not trying to rain on the parade, but the margin of victory in most of those games has been slim. Any slippage in Huet's game and the Canadiens will start to struggle.                 Im sorry Wright, but i couldnt not disagree more with that statement. Did you miss my post about the 8 game streak? If you did i think you should read it. The games were far from close, in fact montreal outscored their oppenents 34-16. More than double. There were yes a few close ones, but montreal took control when they needed to, and have been amazing in the 3rd period of late. Our PP is in the op 5 in the league now, and our pk is...decent. Goaltending has been great, AND something most of you probably dont know is Gainey has NOT been running the bench for the games lately. He is simply there as a title. This has all been Carbo's work. He is doing the lines, he is making the calls and running the bench as if it were his. The 8 game win streak shows alot of positives, and 6 place is in our grasp. Lets make it 9 in a row tonight!!! GO HABS GO

---

 Good post johab. Also, I feel Carb deserves most of the credit. A better coach and stratigist.

 Also, Wright, in your report, did you actually state that Downey was a veteran and a talented young player?

AB Habman wrote:

---

Johab wrote: wright wrote: Eight game winning streak and optimism reigns supreme. certainly a lot of good things have happened. Team chemistry, at least on the surface is at its best levels in a long time. Players response to Higgins 20th goal of the season and Downey's goal against the Bruins showed a team pulling  equally for  a talented young player and a veteran role player. All four forward units contributing in terms of timely goal scoring and utilizing their best assets, speed. More and more forwards driving to the net and moving into areas that require paying a physical price. Defence looks assured and goaltending has been outstanding.     The downside is, with the exception of Ottawa, all victories have come against teams the Habs should beat, sub 500 teams going nowhere. Ottawa was missing their top 4 dmen, and Hasek. Over the eight game streak the Canadiens have actually been outshot on average, 34 shots to 33. The penalty killing is still allowing too many power play goals. In terms of give aways, and take aways and faceoffs, the Habs have not had an over whelming margin of success. Not trying to rain on the parade, but the margin of victory in most of those games has been slim. Any slippage in Huet's game and the Canadiens will start to struggle.                 Im sorry Wright, but i couldnt not disagree more with that statement. Did you miss my post about the 8 game streak? If you did i think you should read it. The games were far from close, in fact montreal outscored their oppenents 34-16. More than double. There were yes a few close ones, but montreal took control when they needed to, and have been amazing in the 3rd period of late. Our PP is in the op 5 in the league now, and our pk is...decent. Goaltending has been great, AND something most of you probably dont know is Gainey has NOT been running the bench for the games lately. He is simply there as a title. This has all been Carbo's work. He is doing the lines, he is making the calls and running the bench as if it were his. The 8 game win streak shows alot of positives, and 6 place is in our grasp. Lets make it 9 in a row tonight!!! GO HABS GO  Good post johab. Also, I feel Carb deserves most of the credit. A better coach and stratigist.  Also, Wright, in your report, did you actually state that Downey was a veteran and a talented young player?

---

If I was not clear, let me try again, I said that Higgins was a young talented player and that Downey was simply a veteran role player. I have reread the phrase, and I think Ab Habman you knew what i was saying, but if not I never would state that Downey was a good young player.

    As for the margin of victories, well 3-2 ot victory over Washington, a 6-5 victory over Pitt, 2-0 win over the Islanders (with a empty net goal) a less than impressive 2-0 win over Boston, and a 5-3 win while being outshot 44-27 against Ottawa, and those victories besides the score do not indicate a compelling ovverwhelming victories for the Habs. That is half the games in the win streak against sub 500 teams. The other victories were stronger, no question. Look I am not trying to down play the win streak, 8 in arow against anybody is impressive. I hope they keep it going. And the first part of my post I did indicate a lot of good things are happening. Ultimately though I feel that Huet must keep playing at an above average level to maintain the run.