ATD10-ML Round 1: #4 Sault St. Marie Greyhounds vs. #5 Labatt Blues
- Thread starter VanIslander
- Start date
VanIslander
A 19-year ATDer on HfBoards
Discussion and analysis until the end of Wednesday.
Let's refrain from jumping to conclusions about who we think will win and stick to specific advantages and disadvantages. (First impressions and second impressions can be very different. And these playoff threads are further opportunity to talk about the players themselves, about the history of the game).
Thursday is Voting Day.
Let's refrain from jumping to conclusions about who we think will win and stick to specific advantages and disadvantages. (First impressions and second impressions can be very different. And these playoff threads are further opportunity to talk about the players themselves, about the history of the game).
Thursday is Voting Day.
- Feb 24, 2003
- 29,955
- 3,043
One thing of note, is the Greyhounds will have to be careful when they're sending the second line out there. I don't know if there's enough grit on that line to handle the bottom two lines of the Blues. That being said, there's a lot of speed, and offensive talent there, is there enough skill and speed to just go around whomever they're playing?
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VanIslander
A 19-year ATDer on HfBoards
Don't you worry about the Labatt second line's ability to handle physical play!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Courtnall can handle anything a defense throws at him and give some back. Geoff really enjoyed banging in the boards and played an emotional game. Hit him and he'll come right back and line you up for a hard check. And he carried pucks through traffic in a scambling but effective manner. He is a lot like Deadmarsh but with a bit more wild, risk-taking side to him.
Christian wasn't a football and track star for nothing, he is strong on his skates, can take hits and doesn't shy away from the crease.
Reay I've never seen play but was praised for his gritty two-way play, could check and as the Habs second line pivot looks like he was a tough enough little bugger to take abuse in an O6 era of toughness.
.
http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=14087
http://ourhistory.canadiens.com/player/Billy-Reay
- Feb 24, 2003
- 29,955
- 3,043
Don't you worry about the Labatt second line's ability to handle physical play!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Courtnall can handle anything a defense throws at him and give some back. Geoff really enjoyed banging in the boards and played an emotional game. Hit him and he'll come right back and line you up for a hard check. And he carried pucks through traffic in a scambling but effective manner. He is a lot like Deadmarsh but with a bit more wild, risk-taking side to him.
Christian wasn't a football and track star for nothing, he is strong on his skates, can take hits and doesn't shy away from the crease.
Reay I've never seen play but was praised for his gritty two-way play, could check and as the Habs second line pivot looks like he was a tough enough little bugger to take abuse in an O6 era of toughness.
.
http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=14087
http://ourhistory.canadiens.com/player/Billy-Reay
The city names should be reversed. I was speaking about Sault St. Marie's 2nd line. Doh.
chaosrevolver
Snubbed Again
VanIslander
A 19-year ATDer on HfBoards
Your minor mistake... for a minute there I thought you were off your rocker
The city names should be reversed. I was speaking about Sault St. Marie's 2nd line. Doh.
Yeah, the 'Hounds Gagne and Whitney might be bumped around, though Dahlen can handle it, and Gagne at least has a heart of a lion and will take the abuse.
Interesting how both of these teams took two extra defensemen (not many teams did). I think Bouwmeester should be benched in favour of Giles, the captain of a stanley cup playoff run and the team MVP of an earlier season in which they made a Stanley Cup run. I remember Giles as a high energy, smart player at both ends of the ice and a real leader. Size is not so important in the battles against smaller Labatt centers like Reay and Kisio: heart and energy and tough determination is.
VanIslander
A 19-year ATDer on HfBoards
Does anybody think a Labatt second pairing of Redden and Stackhouse is a good idea?
I see MacLean and Dahlen often getting into Khabibulin's grill with the puck and for screens and deflections. This is not to mention the breakaway opportunities for the Greyhounds.
I see MacLean and Dahlen often getting into Khabibulin's grill with the puck and for screens and deflections. This is not to mention the breakaway opportunities for the Greyhounds.
chaosrevolver
Snubbed Again
It wasnt a permanent pairing? I just havent been able to talk to cotton because he hasnt been on in 11 days. Im quickly looking over our defensive corpse to make the change.Does anybody think a Labatt second pairing of Redden and Stackhouse is a good idea?
chaosrevolver
Snubbed Again
Okay, so for now.
Langevin - Stackhouse
Redden - Rochefort
O'Connell - Kasparaitis
Thats out defensive pairings at the moment. Im kinda hoping cotton comes on to talk to him before voting is due. But if not, ill probably stick with us unless someone convinces me otherwise.
Langevin - Stackhouse
Redden - Rochefort
O'Connell - Kasparaitis
Thats out defensive pairings at the moment. Im kinda hoping cotton comes on to talk to him before voting is due. But if not, ill probably stick with us unless someone convinces me otherwise.
seventieslord
Student Of The Game
chaosrevolver
Snubbed Again
Don't know why, but I always spell it like that, lol.You guys aren't dead yet!
core*
chaosrevolver
Snubbed Again
Also a change in captains and assistants. We alerted the players that these were temporary and they all understand that a leadership role is expected from every player.
C - Kelly Kisio
A - Dave Langevin
A - Dave Christian
C - Kelly Kisio
A - Dave Langevin
A - Dave Christian
VanIslander
A 19-year ATDer on HfBoards
seventieslord
Student Of The Game
chaosrevolver
Snubbed Again
First off, we plan on running our 3rd and 4th lines out there against their top-2 lines. We are confident in both of our checking lines to help shut down there scoring lines while possibly providing some offense along the way.
We also believe our 2nd line can handel any physicality they want to throw at us. Courtnall, Christian and Reay are not only solid two-way players but could also handle the gritty side of the game and our belief is in assembling this line, we have a line that can handle pretty much any shutdown line in this draft.
I fully understand that paper has assembled some solid checking lines but I don't believe our first line can be stopped either. Herb Cain and Mickey Redmond are two of the best forwards in the draft, and are assembled with a solid two-way playmaker in Gomez that I think can handel the responsibility of our first line center role.
Now I love the Greyhounds top-4 defenseman. All guys were on my radar at some point and I applaud papershoes for obtaining all of them. However, I have enough confidence in our mobile defenseman to get it done. Langevin and Rochefort were very much like Dick Redmond is for Sault St. Marie and paired with two offensive defenseman who were not liabilities in their own end is a nice match.
Our powerplay and penalty kill should both be very effective with the players assembled.
They do have the edge in goaltending with Hextall. However, it must be remembered that Khabibulin has a very good playoff resume (31-25, 6 SO, 2.26 GAA).
In my opinion we have a better coach that fits our mobile team and should provide us with a big edge in coaching. Im a big fan of Carlyle, but I don't think he's done nearly enough to cement his name up there with Babcock.
We also believe our 2nd line can handel any physicality they want to throw at us. Courtnall, Christian and Reay are not only solid two-way players but could also handle the gritty side of the game and our belief is in assembling this line, we have a line that can handle pretty much any shutdown line in this draft.
I fully understand that paper has assembled some solid checking lines but I don't believe our first line can be stopped either. Herb Cain and Mickey Redmond are two of the best forwards in the draft, and are assembled with a solid two-way playmaker in Gomez that I think can handel the responsibility of our first line center role.
Now I love the Greyhounds top-4 defenseman. All guys were on my radar at some point and I applaud papershoes for obtaining all of them. However, I have enough confidence in our mobile defenseman to get it done. Langevin and Rochefort were very much like Dick Redmond is for Sault St. Marie and paired with two offensive defenseman who were not liabilities in their own end is a nice match.
Our powerplay and penalty kill should both be very effective with the players assembled.
They do have the edge in goaltending with Hextall. However, it must be remembered that Khabibulin has a very good playoff resume (31-25, 6 SO, 2.26 GAA).
In my opinion we have a better coach that fits our mobile team and should provide us with a big edge in coaching. Im a big fan of Carlyle, but I don't think he's done nearly enough to cement his name up there with Babcock.
seventieslord
Student Of The Game
You guys have two of a small group of MLD goalies with a winning playoff record. Not that W-L record is everything...but it is something.
Kyle McMahon
Registered User
- May 10, 2006
- 13,301
- 4,354
If he's healthy enough to play (and he's never missed a playoff game), Gaborik is one 13th forward I could see having a noticable impact if inserted. He brought it big time in 2002-03, his team's one lengthy playoff run. A guy with dynamic offensive abilities who has also had defensive responsibility drilled into him by Lemaire.
VanIslander
A 19-year ATDer on HfBoards
Keep those votes coming in!
the absolute DEADLINE for voting is Friday at noon eastern
PM me the winner of the series, in how many games, and the three stars of the series
VanIslander
A 19-year ATDer on HfBoards
The Soo defeat Labatt in a goaltenders' duel in 2OT of game three !!!!
The series' three stars: 1. Khabibulin 2. Hextall 3. Ronty
(Would have been a helluva game to have watched. No one was interested in going to it unfortunately to report back. It's a shame. Guess we're all so busy this weekend.)
The series' three stars: 1. Khabibulin 2. Hextall 3. Ronty
(Would have been a helluva game to have watched. No one was interested in going to it unfortunately to report back. It's a shame. Guess we're all so busy this weekend.)
chaosrevolver
Snubbed Again
VanIslander
A 19-year ATDer on HfBoards
Your team almost did.Still can't get out of the 1st Round
The voting was close enough that maybe a couple of GMs could've been swayed by a re-alignment of that blueline: Stackhouse out of the top-4, Redden benched in favour of playoff-intense Kasparaitis who was great as an Isles and in early Pens days.
Dave Langevin - Normand Rochefort
Gord Fraser - Mike O'Connell
Ron Stackhouse - Darius Kasparaitis
Wade Redden
Gord Fraser - Mike O'Connell
Ron Stackhouse - Darius Kasparaitis
Wade Redden
Looks better imo.
Anyways... your team was pretty good... and the series was very close
seventieslord
Student Of The Game
Double OT in game 3? Man, this series should have gotten the write up.
Tough break Labatt, you guys put together a solid team and IMO made huge strides in the the "all-timeyness" department.
it is not a surprise at all that this was the closest series.
Tough break Labatt, you guys put together a solid team and IMO made huge strides in the the "all-timeyness" department.
it is not a surprise at all that this was the closest series.
VanIslander
A 19-year ATDer on HfBoards
It was the second game you weren't up to doing, I didn't have time to do, nalyd said he would do but I wasn't around the hours later when he showed up to volunteer, and no one else stepped up to the plate upon my invite.
I am on the road this weekend and only have minutes at a time to log on. I'm sorry the series didn't get a write-up.
