Montreal played another good game against us. I see a lot of complaints about the "boring" style and the "most boring OT ever" but this is how a lot of teams are playing the OT now, and particularly against a club that can put McDrai Nurse out there. When teams get the puck the object is to play keepaway and keep numbers back. Don't get exposed, cardinal rule don't give McDrai a 2 on 1. I mean thats the way an opponent SHOULD play us in OT. I have no problem with it because its sensible system play.
Maybe its just pure frustration but some of the comments last night crying about this game are all kinds of strange. Posters outing McDrai, saying they are "Doing nothing" blaming Smith, lol, blaming Tippett. I mean its to the extent that people even critique the good decisions. Tippett calls a time out in OT, allowing McDrai to rest and people are on him calling him an idiot because he doesn't make sensible on ice decisions like this more often. So in effect Tippett does the right thing, and somehow gets nailed for it. People even blaming him for starting Smith.
Sometimes maybe its good to settle back before posting and realizing that hours of rage posting after a game saying just about anything is not all too coherent for readers. I think people are just really frustrated that its quite clear Habs would have our number in a playoff series.
Finally this is what Montreal did to us after losing Gallagher in the first period. The Oilers got breaks in this game. 2 end of period goals that are typically back breakers for opponents but instead Habs break us starting early in 3rd period getting one back and almost tying the game just minutes into the 3rd. Despite a great performance from Smith, despite 2 fortunate goals, despite a rocket shot from Nurse, we still lose.
