Habs can now only face 4 teams in the first round

[psychonaut]

I really like this new format its shall be more intense playoffs like before with the division. But with a better race for a playoff spot with the wild cards spots. Right now looks like its shall be Tampa Bay, should be a great series

 

[JusticeBeaver]

Circle April 1st on your calendar against Tampa. Its going to be a wild one

 

[Shadow Journal]

Circle April 1st on your calendar against Tampa. Its going to be a wild one

Potential battle for home ice in the first round, should be a good one.

 

[Dagistitsyn]

Circle April 1st on your calendar against Tampa. Its going to be a wild one

For some reason, game against Tampa and "wild" just doesn't seem right to me. Least interesting possible match up, so now if we lose it will be way more frustrating.

 

[Lshap]

For some reason, game against Tampa and "wild" just doesn't seem right to me. Least interesting possible match up, so now if we lose it will be way more frustrating.

There was no emotional baggage between Habs and Ottawa one year ago. That changed quickly. Give us a couple of playoff games against Hedman and Gudas, while being shelled by Stamkos and stoned by Bishop, and Tampa-hate will be in overdrive.

I'd rather beat them in five and keep the friendship.

 

[BobBobrovsky*]

Potential battle for home ice in the first round, should be a good one.

I think you can delete "Potential" from your post.

 

[SpeedyPotato]

Ughhh I don't have a good feeling with Tampa.. Bishop has given us all sorts of trouble this year and this team really reminds me of the Ottawa team last year, they don't look intimidating but they play pretty week defensively and have a great goalie. I dunno, I'd rather face the leafs but that's pretty much out of the question so let's hope the hans can win in tampa next week and put my doubts to rest.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

There was no emotional baggage between Habs and Ottawa one year ago. That changed quickly. Give us a couple of playoff games against Hedman and Gudas, while being shelled by Stamkos and stoned by Bishop, and Tampa-hate will be in overdrive.

I'd rather beat them in five and keep the friendship.

Me too man.

 

[FrontierPsyCHiatrist*]

For some reason, game against Tampa and "wild" just doesn't seem right to me. Least interesting possible match up, so now if we lose it will be way more frustrating.

Get use to that, they'Re now our division rivals!

 

[habitue*]

It's gonna be TB. Only the location of the start of the Series has to be settled.

Very winnable series for the Habs.

 

[optimus2861]

First round match-ups as of today :

With the new divisional format :
- St-Louis - Phoenix
- San Jose - Minnesota

This is one aspect of the new playoff format that is flawed. If the two wild-card teams are from the two divisions, they should not cross over, especially in the West. Why should the division winners get saddled with significantly worse travel match-ups than the runners-up? If those match-ups stayed as STL/MIN and SJ/PHX it would make a heck of a lot more sense and retain the divisional flavor of the playoffs.

Alternately give the conference #1 seed the option to select which wild-card opponent they will play in the first round. That might even add a bit of fire to that series, too.

 

[Frankenheimer]

The only thing i don't like about this format is that the third seed in a division could end up with more points than the second seed of the other division. Meaning that the team with more points loses home ice advantage in the first round. We could end up with more points than the rangers, yet be the away team against Tampa. Right?

 

[Harpo]

96% odds of playing TB... I hope the team is already starting to analyze TB games.

Things would really have to turn bad for us to have a different opponent.

 

[Et le But]

As a hockey fan, I want to face Boston.

As a Habs fan, I want to face Toronto (easiest, especially considering how they look right now).

As a mod, I want to face Tampa.

 

[Koivu777]

We will play TB, now its just a race to get home ice.

 

[David Suzuki]

We'll play and beat Tampa.

 

[Harpo]

We will play TB, now its just a race to get home ice.

Home ice would be nice in the long run. We'd probably finish 3rd in the conference, so if we win round 1, we could avoid PIT or BOS in the 2nd round if there's an upset in round 1. Let's keep them for round 3.

Then again I wouldn't be surprised to get eliminated in the first round, but I'm less scared of TB since Vinny and St-Louis left.

 

[Bob b smith]

Time to start pulling out the TB scouting reports... Basically Stamkos, Bishop and Hedman and a bunch of 23 years old that won the Cup with their farm club...

 

[PricePkPatch*]

96% odds of playing TB... I hope the team is already starting to analyze TB games.

Things would really have to turn bad for us to have a different opponent.

Us.. or them

 

[SB164]

Delete.

 

[Treb]

It's gonna be TB. Only the location of the start of the Series has to be settled.

Very winnable series for the Habs.

Bishop who has a good record vs us.

Hedman is a stud on D.

Stamkos own all of our forwards.

Not VERY winnable, but we should win based on depth.

 

[StanAjax]

This is one aspect of the new playoff format that is flawed. If the two wild-card teams are from the two divisions, they should not cross over, especially in the West. Why should the division winners get saddled with significantly worse travel match-ups than the runners-up? If those match-ups stayed as STL/MIN and SJ/PHX it would make a heck of a lot more sense and retain the divisional flavor of the playoffs.

Alternately give the conference #1 seed the option to select which wild-card opponent they will play in the first round. That might even add a bit of fire to that series, too.

Yes, that's what I don't like too. Having a wild card team going in beast mode in the playoffs and becoming the division champion of the other division would make it look really silly.

And I can see the Wings winning the Metropolitan with how the things are shaping up...

I agree with you. If the two wild cards are from different divisions, keep them in their division, regardless of the standings.

Home ice would be nice in the long run. We'd probably finish 3rd in the conference, so if we win round 1, we could avoid PIT or BOS in the 2nd round if there's an upset in round 1. Let's keep them for round 3.

Then again I wouldn't be surprised to get eliminated in the first round, but I'm less scared of TB since Vinny and St-Louis left.

Nope, we can only face the winner of Boston - Wild Card #2 in the 2nd round with the new format.

 

[Shadow Journal]

Bonus: Tampa's 2 games in hand are against teams battling Toronto for a wildcard spot - Sunday at Detroit and April 13th at Washington.

 

[Milhouse40]

Goals For:
Tampa: 2.89 (8th)
MTL: 2.49 (21st)

Goals Against:
Tampa: 2.60 (13th)
MTL: 2.45 (8th)

Ratio at 5-on-5:
Tampa: 1.18 (7th)
MTL: 0.90 (21st)

Powerplay:
Tampa: 18.3% (16th)
MTL: 18.8% (12th)

Penalty Kill:
Tampa: 80% (24th)
MTL: 85.6% (4th)

Goals for at 5-on-5:
Tampa: 141 (8th)
MTL: 114 (28th)

Tampa seems to be a much better team at 5-on-5, while the habs seems to be better on the special units.

It will be a very tough match-up for the Habs.
They also have a very good goalie and they are very well coached.

Getting the home-ice advantage might be really important in this first round

 

[Shadow Journal]

Getting the home-ice advantage might be really important in this first round

A few stats:

Edit: out of boredom (and procrastinating studying for a forensic psych test tomorrow) I made a table instead. No guarantee there aren't any mistakes.

Interesting notes: Mtl's GF/G on the road matches TB's GA/G at home, and our road PP% is within .1 of their home PP%.