Game Thread | Canadiens vs. Sabres | 04/12/06

mperra (Admin) · Guru

Game Thread | Canadiens vs. Sabres | 04/12/06

fHABulous · Veteran Member

cant wait to see this one....very important game cause toronto and atlanta playing good these days...
GO habs GO
4-1 habs
ribiero-zednik-higgins-dandenault

briere

LeMac · Newbie

I am pretty sure (if the game scores you have poster are accurate) that the habs are actually winning the season series thus far. It is based on points earned in head to head games, and looking at those recaps it would seem as though Montreal has gained 8 points while Buffalo has 7.

MC Girl · Guru

We'll be at the game tonight sitting in the front row.

When we first got our tickets back in Sept we never realized just how important this game would be. Not that I wasn't excited for this game before now, I just figured we'd either be in or out already.

This year in Buffalo we've seen Danis in net, Huet in net & tonight's ????? I hope it's Huet again, does anyone know who'll be in net???

I'm thinking it'll be a close win for us tonight. Buffalo's been pretty decent as of late.

jeanthehabtiste · Senior Member

Let's Go Canadiens!

"The QEW's clear, boys, Bring this one home!"

GO HABS GO! GO HABS GO!

gfeaver · Veteran Member

Enjoy the Game MC Girl, I"ll be watching at home. Tomorrow I leave for Montreal and I'm going to the game on Saturday. When i bought those tickets in September, I thought it would be a nothing game too. were we wrong...

MC Girl · Guru

gfeaver wrote:

Enjoy the Game MC Girl, I"ll be watching at home. Tomorrow I leave for Montreal and I'm going to the game on Saturday. When i bought those tickets in September, I thought it would be a nothing game too. were we wrong...
Very very wrong LOL

Have a great time on Saturday

MC Girl · Guru

From TSN.ca

"I think at some point, we're going to make a decision of who's going to start the first game of the playoffs," Gainey said. "But let's get in the playoffs, we still don't have that nailed down. In the meantime, we're using all of our players to get us there."

Gainey said Huet would get the nod on Wednesday night when the Habs travel to Buffalo to face the Sabres, and that Aebischer would most likely start the following night in Boston.

Huet also wanted to focus on clinching a playoff berth before discussing who would man the nets for Montreal in the post-season.

"Of course I would want to play, that's obvious," Huet reluctantly said. "And I think David would say the same thing."

thompstar · Veteran Member

winning this game is important to solidify confidence against good teams. the more we beat teams ahead of us, the more the boys will feel they belong amognst the best going into the playoffs....c'mon habs, pull this one off

MC Girl · Guru

thompstar wrote:

winning this game is important to solidify confidence against good teams. the more we beat teams ahead of us, the more the boys will feel they belong amognst the best going into the playoffs....c'mon habs, pull this one off

Last time we were in Buffalo Kovy won it in OT.... Hoping we clench this win in the 1st period.

barry33 · Guru

The key tonite will be matching the Sabre's intensity. One thing that I have seldom seen with a Sabres team is to see them outworked by the opposition.

Jonny G · Senior Member

Habs need to toss a lot of junk at the net. Both Biron and Miller have been showing weakness.

Gotta keep odd-man rushes to a minimum. Buffalo has a lot of speed and versatility up front.

Muller93 · Guru

It is Buffalo's speed that worries me. They can match the habs forwards for speed. And I think Rivet, Komi, Souray can get caught standing still sometimes.

The habs centers will have to be good down low in this game. Is Bonk playing tonight? He will be valuable.

Koivu will do his part down low. And I figure Sunny or Bulis will work well down low.

Figaro · Guru

I just keep thinking that this is a team that was supposed to be beat easily. I can't help shake the feeling that many teams have taken the Sabres for granted. Now, with that in mind, as long as the Habs don't take this game for granted, I think that we are due for a 3-2 win (and what else should we expect from these 2 teams that have 5 times gone 3-2 this year.)

Ando · Guru

And-o thinks Buffalo is one of the best coached teams in the league!

...it seems to take a lot to out-work them!

Habtastic · Guru

1-0 Buffalo on a Pyat deflection. Montreal no shots yet.

Habtastic

The Kahuna · Guru

We're looking pretty bad so far...Miller's kicking big rebounds out every shot...good sign for us.

The Kahuna · Guru

of course, with 3 shots on goal so for it's not that big a deal

barry33 · Guru

Pathetic first period by the Habs. McGuire made a good observation about the current winning streak...mostly againts non-playoff teams except Ottawa which was seriously depleted and Jersey which beat us. We are looking very ordinary out there. Not to question the coaching but what the hell are they doing playing Dandenuault and Streit as a defensive pairing?!???? One is lost out there and the other guy is looking for him.

murphy · Veteran Member

Shots 16-4 Sabres. Habs had a terrible first period and will need to get many more shots on goal if they want to win this game. Of course the Sabres already have a playoff spot and are playing very loose. Mtl seems to be up tight. They need to get a quick goal at the start of the second period and maybe that will help.

AB Habman · Guru

Downey terrible in that period. Rather than picking up the point, he follows Rivet who had his man. The point man....I think Timander had a clear shot which was deflected in for a goal. Also, he gets caught with his head down and could of got creamed. Than Souray and Rivet have to protect him and potentially drop the gloves because of it. When's Downey going to do his job as our enforcer? Playing him will barry us in the playoffs. Too many liabilities for our shadow boxer.

Also, Saks gives the puck away then takes a lazy penalty. When Saks is tired, he loses his legs and starts taking weak penalties. He will need a rest before the playoffs.

JohnM · Guru

Streit out on the 4 on 4 was a bad move. This guy just forgot about covering his man.

So far no jump in the legs and Huet wasn't able to pull out a miracle like he's done before.

The Kahuna · Guru

Let me tell you, I don't think I'd want to be in the Habs dressing room right now! Their probably getting the Jonny G stare down and much more. They're only down 2-0, should be more...let's see how they respond.

Muller93 · Guru

barry33 wrote:

Pathetic first period by the Habs. McGuire made a good observation about the current winning streak...mostly againts non-playoff teams except Ottawa which was seriously depleted and Jersey which beat us. We are looking very ordinary out there. Not to question the coaching but what the hell are they doing playing Dandenuault and Streit as a defensive pairing?!???? One is lost out there and the other guy is looking for him.

Sadly, I think you are correct Barry. This winning streak when broken down is perhaps a little suspect. Ottawa had 3 AHL defensmen.

The big tests were NJ and Buffalo IMO...so far strike one. And if this game keeps going like this...

By the way, I stated earlier about Buffalo's speed. It killed us that first period. And I hate to say it but Koivu was on for that second goal I believe. Buffalo made the habs defense look pretty weak.

Nil d · Guru

The Kahuna wrote:

Let me tell you, I don't think I'd want to be in the Habs dressing room right now! Their probably getting the Jonny G stare down and much more.

I certainly hope so!

Canada Post should be very pleased. They mailed in their performance that period.........

Shots 16-4. Absent Huet, it would have been worse.

And my buddy Donut Koharski reffing to boot...............

The Kahuna · Guru

Shot number 6 is the one

Nil d · Guru

Go for the simple plays! Shoot the puck; sometimes they go in.

The Habs have had gerat jump since that Souray goal.

The Kahuna · Guru

Solid second period, we won it, now let's win the third! Huet is looking solid and very confident. Ryan Miller is not looking great in my opinion, shaky.

JohnM · Guru

Much better 2nd period. Streit really has not been able to get accustomed to the NHL... If we can continue this type of play in the third we will be ok.

Nil d · Guru

JohnM wrote:

Much better 2nd period. Streit really has not been able to get accustomed to the NHL... If we can continue this type of play in the third we will be ok.

I'm anxious to see which team shows up in the third period. Hopefully it's the same one that just got off the ice.

Caution: koh-arse-ki "owes" the Sabres a few power plays.............