The Canes with just ‘average’ playoff goaltending…

Ando · Guru

The Canes with just ‘average’ playoff goaltending…

Pablo Honey · Veteran Member

!

I tend to agree... There are positives in the way the Habs have played, but Gerber lost game 1 for the Canes and allowed the Habs to win game two with a period and a half of solid regulation play.

Their overtime play was however excellent.

JohnM · Guru

I say we would still be up 2-0. The first game was ours because of Huet's heroics. The second game was our because we played better to start and relaxed after going up 3-0 along with getting some bad penalties.

barry33 · Guru

JohnM wrote:

I say we would still be up 2-0. The first game was ours because of Huet's heroics. The second game was our because we played better to start and relaxed after going up 3-0 along with getting some bad penalties.

Actually I am saying that the best we have is a split, however it is pretty much hypothetical conjecture and speculation. Last night we did not play 60 minutes and should have lost. The penalties were a result of not playing 60 minutes. As far as Saturday, well Huet only let one in so unless Gerber could have stopped 6 we would still win. But it is not as simple as saying that a goalie is responsible for stopping the puck. Did you notice the huge momentum swing towards Carolina last night when Ward went in and made some saves? Converesely the letdown when Huet let that weak one in? Goalies are momentum makers or breakers.

JohnM · Guru

That is true Barry.

Desi · Senior Member

I think it's silly to even go down this path. If the Habs hadn't scored so easily against Gerber, they might have fought even harder and scored anyway. Or they might have caved and given up five goals in game one and a dozen in game two. There's no way to even speculate about such matters.

What can be agreed upon, I think, is that in general the Habs are getting the puck into the Carolina end with speed and frequency, while making it frustratingly hard for Carolina to enter our zone with much momentum at all. Regardless of goaltending, that kind of work between the blue lines wins games -- though we're indeed fortunate that Huet is capable of stopping 35-plus shots a night.

Les Canadiens sont la

The Kahuna · Guru

barry33 wrote:

Actually I am saying that the best we have is a split, however it is pretty much hypothetical conjecture and speculation. Last night we did not play 60 minutes and should have lost. The penalties were a result of not playing 60 minutes. As far as Saturday, well Huet only let one in so unless Gerber could have stopped 6 we would still win. But it is not as simple as saying that a goalie is responsible for stopping the puck. Did you notice the huge momentum swing towards Carolina last night when Ward went in and made some saves? Converesely the letdown when Huet let that weak one in? Goalies are momentum makers or breakers.

It's hard to say we would have won a shootout like that if they'd had average goaltending, but Gerber let in 3 softies and Huet let in a couple of softies. I thought the Habs with Huet's heroics played a flawless first period (one of the best I've seen the play in a long time), a shaky 2nd period all around due to the dumb penalties and overall a solid and confident 3rd period. To me even though they lost the 3rd, they showed a ton of character. Many teams would have folded after those 2 quick powerplay goals, the Habs showed poise and refused to give up. If it wasn't for the 5th Carolina goal I would have been thrilled with the game and the poise they showed in the 3rd.

I felt we were in trouble as soon as that flukey first Canes goal. Goals like that can often be momentum swings and that was certainly the case last night. I was equally shocked by Cam Ward's play, we've probably seen the last of Gerber and the way he's playing, that's a bad thing.

Bottom line for me, hats off to the Habs for the monster gut check in the third. A lot of teams would have been destroyed giving up a 3 goal lead and folded up their tent. I never saw any sign of panic or defeat in the Habs and that's, here it comes, a sign of good coaching in my books.

Cleghorn · Veteran Member

Grey skies are gonna clear up... put on a happy face.

Fellas, come on - enjoy the Habs and their run. I'm having a great time - it cost me $50 bucks to join my pool and pick over half my pool as Habs - did I take heat from my fellow pool pickers - ya - bunch of Leaf fans - but I'm sitting in 3rd and gettin' ready to make my move - is my approach a good one for winning pools - of course not - but I've had more frickin' fun since Friday!! - where can you buy this type of fun for $50 bucks? My chances are better than the 6/49.

If the Habs win the Cup, I win the pool - it's the McHab fun pak.

Stop looking for weaknesses, enjoy their strengths and approach every game like its the other guys problem.

And-o me boy - if the Canes had better goaltending they'd still be the whiniest, referree bating, cheap shot artists I've ever seen... (until our next foe that is!) - and like Superman hates Lex Luthor - the Habs hate THAT kind of opponent - and they're gonna put a hurtin' on 'em.

plouf · Guru

Woo hoo! Way to be Cleghorn. You got the mentality my man!

Figaro · Guru

Cleg, it is so nice to have you posting full-time again. Please never leave.

For the rest of us, let us just not fall into the An-d'oh, AB trap. They can have a 2 person discussion all they want about whoever but we don't need to reply (or read) their posting if we don't want. We all know what it will say and we've all said what we wanted to in reply. So let's move forward. Go Habs Go!!

Cleghorn · Veteran Member

Figaro wrote:

Cleg, it is so nice to have you posting full-time again. Please never leave. For the rest of us, let us just not fall into the An-d'oh, AB trap. They can have a 2 person discussion all they want about whoever but we don't need to reply (or read) their posting if we don't want. We all know what it will say and we've all said what we wanted to in reply. So let's move forward. Go Habs Go!!

Thanks and I love the broken record avatar Figs.