Does Montreal ever win decisively ?

[Tanknation]

Don't get me wrong guys a win is a win and I am happy with where we stand currently. This is no meant to be a negative thread just more so a got me thinking after the Ave's game and Boston...

I just feel like it would be nice if Montreal could have a few games where we win decisively. It just feels like anytime we go up 2 to 3 goals and what feels like a possible blow out ends up with us hanging on for dear life and rarely do we ever win by big margin.

I know its the new NHL and teams come back and teams are evenly matched but even with Montreal up 3 or 4 goals I really don't trust them to hang onto any lead, or blow out many teams if ever.

What do you guys think do you feel Montreal lacks a killer instinct that other elite teams may have? Not looking to start anything negative hear just trying to get a sense of others opinions.

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[Alexdaman]

It doesn't matter right now. We are in the beginning of the season and we have only faced teams in a good position to make the PO. Whats important is that a team keeps improving until the end of the season and into the PO. Thats how teams win in the PO is if they keep adjusting and improving throughout the season.

 

[WhiskeySeven*]

They have enough guts and killer instinct to come back from being behind - shows loads more than the opposition wouldn't you say?

And Montreal RARELY, if EVER gives up 3 unanswered goals in a loss. Taking the foot off the pedal with a big lead is normal and happens league-wide, we don't hear about it because most of the time comebacks don't happen.

And the start of this season has looked rather shaky, we'll see what they're made of in deep November and onward. Where the league starts to get really stratified.

I remember maybe 5/6 seasons ago we went from being a pretender team to a team that won games it had no business winning and since then, despite some blips along the way, they've progressed steadily. We're a formidable team and one with a lot of, dare I say it, character.

 

[Alexdaman]

And as far as the games went so far, we were able to adjust to the teams we were playing and I never felt we were dominated when we won (except TB of course)

 

[Kriss E]

It's precisely what the NHL has been working on. They want teams to always have a chance to come back. It's the parity. Nothing wrong with it, it makes it more interesting.

 

[bigtimehockeyfan999*]

Don't get me wrong guys a win is a win and I am happy with where we stand currently. This is no meant to be a negative thread just more so a got me thinking after the Ave's game and Boston...

I just feel like it would be nice if Montreal could have a few games where we win decisively. It just feels like anytime we go up 2 to 3 goals and what feels like a possible blow out ends up with us hanging on for dear life and rarely do we ever win by big margin.

I know its the new NHL and teams come back and teams are evenly matched but even with Montreal up 3 or 4 goals I really don't trust them to hang onto any lead, or blow out many teams if ever.

What do you guys think do you feel Montreal lacks a killer instinct that other elite teams may have? Not looking to start anything negative hear just trying to get a sense of others opinions.

We don't have that killer instinct because our forwards and Michel therrien recognize the importance of playing sound defensively and playing the right way. We're playing like a playoff team, battling for every inch and not trying to make things happen that aren't there....we take what the give us and we give nothing back.

 

[Gamimenos]

We r a teem with a bsns mentalité, mon osti.

 

[Haaabs]

Big lead in the third period?
Have no worries, Price will preserve the victory.
Then the other team scores and we start playing a bit more like we did to get the lead.

 

[Rapala]

And as far as the games went so far, we were able to adjust to the teams we were playing and I never felt we were dominated when we won (except TB of course)

And conversely the one team that we did dominate if you can call never allowing them to have a lead domination are those very same TB Bolts...

 

[attachetatuque]

the way I see it, we aren't playing excessively well, although we are in a very comfortable position. To me, it's important to get points early on, while teams are still adjusting and coming into their own, strategy wise (we are also still adjusting to new leadership, etc). I figure we have the firepower to get a few dominating wins, but we'll see those once we get everything together and when the demarcation between the good and the bad teams becomes more evident.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

...did you watch Saturday night against the Avs??...we were the dominant team, not just the better team...the TV cameras could have been fixed on the Avs end of the ice and still caught 2/3rds of the game...if not for a couple bad piches that lead to 2-1's, a bit of sloppy Fire Drill D-play on a couple of occassions, and a very nice tip from Duchene, Colorado had pretty much nothing going on...we're coming together nicely and it's still just early...Chucky-Plekasex-PA line is rolling, Eller's line is forechecking the hell outta teams and has created a ton of unburied chances (freakin' BORK), and our 4th line is amung the best in the League...if we can shore up the defensive zone coverage and get the SuperFriends line going, we're not just another playoff team, we're contending for top seed in the Eastern Conference...





...or it could all fall to Hell now that I jinxed it...

 

[DekeLikeYouMeanIt]

We're not good enough to close out games and hold steady leads for long periods. Happy with the progress though. Everything has looked better each game esp the PP.

 

[DenverHabsFan]

I blame it on the fact that when we're on our way to a decisive win, the Ole chant starts...

 

[Goldthorpe]

We had some one-side games last year where we won decisively. This year, many of our wins could have been loses, but then, it is also said that good teams find a way to win. I'm not especially concerned. The team will have to get better as the season goes but I'm sure they are aware of it and none of their issues is unfixable.

 

[lou4gehrig]

You know winning 4-3 is better than losing. Maybe it's a good sign that we're winning the close ones. Only a Habs would complain that we're not winning by enough. Enjoy it. Grab a pint and relax.

 

[lou4gehrig]

We're not good enough to close out games and hold steady leads for long periods. Happy with the progress though. Everything has looked better each game esp the PP.

Leading the NHL in points and "we're not good enough". O rlly?

The only time teams win decisively was during the no salary cap era where teams like Edmonton or Pittsburgh could load up with a crazy amount of talent.

 

[HABSonaroll]

HABS Gotta turn up the Wick more out of the Gate - not recklessly but with confidence

 

[Help]

Do the Habs ever win decisively? Yes

 

[FrontierPsyCHiatrist*]

character

Quoted for truth

 

[NobleSix]

Honestly, if we're up by 2 or more goals in the third period, it's basically a guarantee the Habs will let in at least one goal around 5 minutes to go in the period. I grow to expect a nail biting finish.

 

[Andy]

6 games, 5-1-0. Or something like that...

 

[JayKing]

The lack of firepower up front makes it so that they never really put the game away and destroy the opposing team's confidence. Even when they dominate they seem to let in 1 or 2 in and the other team is somehow still in a game they shouldn't be which is why I'm still hoping Bergevin can find another top 6 winger.

 

[1UP]

Remove the 1st period of every game, and it looks pretty decisive

I think better starts, a bit more cohesion for special teams and less penalties will go a long way in seeing Habs win games 3-0 or 4-1 instead of 3-2 or 6-4. The 3rd periods showed us this team can dominate play and control the puck at a high skill level, even against strong opposition. Not worried (6 games in), but if the little problems that crept in aren't starting to get fixed with all the practice they'll get this week, it might get a bit concerning.

Anyway, we're not playing like a 5-1 team right now. But, we're 5-1 after a really tough schedule to start. As long as they clean up a bit on their play, all's good.

 

[Scriptor]

The key is the CONTINUED improvement of the team, even if it is only incremental. As long as the team peaks at the end of the playoffs

 

[Runner77]

The team can lose decisively (as it did against Tampa). Should we be extrapolating anything from that? These outliers tend to offset each other over the grind of a full season.

Plus, it's never a black and white thing as to how blowouts happen -- sometimes a team is worn out, is on a long road trip, has the misfortune of not having ref calls going their way, is carrying injuries whether declared or not, or is just having a bad night or whatever -- no one claimed we had to trade half the team or make major changes just on account of the Tampa blow-out. No more than most of us would not get overly optimistic just cause they won the few games by a large margin -- there are too many in-game indices that can be a lot better storytellers than the score.