Post-Game Talk: Habs defeat the Caps in OT

[Non Player Canadiens]

Youth can explain mistakes I am fine with it, not the lack of system and skill that we have seen since the start of the season.

I also hate the youth thing as a key argument given the fact that Suzuki has been drafted 2017, CC Newhook RHP 2019 and Monahan 2013, Anderson 2012. Slafkovsky is the only one with the excuse of age in the top 6/7. That does not mean CC and co are not developping just that they are not that far away from their potential anymore.

fair points.

losing Dach was a big blow however.

 

[RationalExpectations]

fair points.

losing Dach was a big blow however.

Fully agreed, it is a big blow because of the points he won t score but even more because of the impact he had on his line.

 

[Fenwick McCorsi]

I agree with all your points but that goes back to coaching. Coach must realizr they don't have a proper QB on the PP so they need to devise some other strategies. Repeating same rotation over and over again ain't gonna cut it... everyone on the opposing side knows the drill. Sigh. Brutal.

We've had brain dead PP concepts for a very long time: under Therrien it was Subban and Markov make something happen and when that got shutdown they refused to adjust because "it worked once so it'll work again". With Julien it was just throw the puck to Weber and make it as blatantly obvious as possible, and when teams would key in on that the PP was nothing. Now we have kids, new minds, etc and... still just a single approach to the power play that doesn't take into account the players available. It's like these coaches just know 1 thing and figure if they just do the 1 thing harder it'll eventually work. I don't get it.

 

[Canad13ns]

Only watched the last 13 minutes and it was enough for me to almost puke my whole supper.
What I saw from the PP was simply disgusting. The formation we use will never work, even if we practice it 2000 times per week. This is just poor coaching.

Can not comment on individual performances as I only watched a few minutes but from looking at the stats and some highlights it looks like Allen had a good game. Good for him.

You watched our worst period, definitely awful! I managed to get the TV on after one period and since we were leading backed up to watch the whole thing. We dominated the Caps in the first and also looked OK in the second.

I thought Allen played incredible throughout.

Unfortunately, the collapsing ineffective defensive play where we can't clear the puck from our zone reappeared in the third period and almost spoiled the whole thing. I was on the fence for caring: I wanted to win to reward Allen for his play, but I also thought if this is really how we're going to play we need another high pick (or a new defensive coach). In OT, watching those two crisp passes and seeing Caufield seal the deal, it made up for the disastrous third.

 

[Canad13ns]

Caufield does everything well: snipe, skate, pass, dangle, swagger

Even back-checks! And catches his man.

 

[Canad13ns]

1st and 2nd period was good for him 5 on 5 less eventful in the 3rd for that line but still alright

He's getting better offensively but when we're in our end and he doesn't have the puck he looks actually lost.

 

[SlafySZN]

He's getting better offensively but when we're in our end and he doesn't have the puck he looks actually lost.

That’s pretty much every kid lol

 

[Canad13ns]

Habs were on the favourable side of the officials tonight.

There were several news articles that mentioned we were leading the league in penalties (penalties taken, penalty minutes, penalties per game, penalty differential). We're gonna get more than average penalties called because refs always penalize unestablished players more, but maybe the coverage made them realize they were overzealous.

I think it was the first time I've ever seen Ovie get a penalty in a game against us! (Blew my mind!)

 

[eklund the clown]

Did i hear on last nights game that we haven't scored on the powerplay this year?

 

[Fatbiggie]

Did i hear on last nights game that we haven't scored on the powerplay this year?

Not true, we scored a PP goal last night

 

[Milhouse40]

Did i hear on last nights game that we haven't scored on the powerplay this year?

That was Washington

 

[Tyson]

If Caufield stays healthy he will establish himself as a superstar this season.

 

[eklund the clown]

That was Washington

Ah and i thought we were bad

 

[Canad13ns]

It was a boring game until halfway through the second period, Gallagher scored the most Gallagher goal ever lol. The PP is too easy to defend, everyone knows they are trying to go to CC and it doesn't work.

I haven't been very vocal about Slafkovsky but outside of his game against the Leafs, he looks lost, especially in our end of the ice, the pace is too much for him(just my opinion, yours might be different but we can still be friends) and he is basically trying to survive. I think that a stint in the AHL is on the way for him and it won't be a bad thing. Allen was very good and so was Caufield, the little guy is throwing a hit here and there and dancing with the puck on his stick, I read the Naslund comparisons and I agreed with it.

Agree 100%! (99% really -- only difference, I wasn't bored.)

 

[Skip Bayless]

If Caufield stays healthy he will establish himself as a superstar this season.

I find that he's just better at everything this year.

Suzuki is producing but he's not controlling the game like he can. Once he gets going, Caufield is going to explode.

 

[RationalExpectations]

Reminds me strongly of Jeff Petry, whenever he was in over his head his play would crater.

But I can't blame Matheson for anything when the defensive structure around him is so flimsy and the goalies he plays for are not even half of Carey Price.

The goalies have actually been decent since the start of season (even though they have given up momentum by allowing bad goals)

 

[The Real Timo]

The goalies have actually been decent since the start of season (even though they have given up momentum by allowing bad goals)

Wasn't the case yesterday. Allen did crap the bed against the leafs in game 1. Other than that they are giving team a chance.

 

[morhilane]

Did i hear on last nights game that we haven't scored on the powerplay this year?

That's Washington (and the St-Louis Blues). Habs have two 2 pp goals so far.

 

[1909]

So far, they could had won 3 out of 4. Not bad for a team with a pitiful non existent PP and super weak PK. But it's gonna blow in their face in a near future if they don't fix that.

 

[Kriss E]

I overall agree with you on the result i.e. That this team is bottom 10, which is why I am speaking of content.

I have mentioned it in other posts but this team has not scortched earth to rebuild. Their leaders are in their D+4 (Guhle) to D+7 (Suzuki) and they have a 1 OA in his D+2 who should start having a positive impact. This may not be a contender but this should be a team who has the ability to keep the puck in the ozone, to score on PPs given the supposed talent they have.

When you trade picks for Dach, Newhook, acquire Barron to speed up the rebuild and overpay to keep Allen, it means you want to improve sooner than later right ?

Disagree. I think this is a bottom 5 team.
Dach is injured so that's just bad luck. Can't fault them for it. Remains a good gamble.

As for Newhook and the rest, a team is not rebuilt overnight and you still need to bring in decent players who can help your youngsters grow as well as be potentially good selling assets.
A rebuild is not "let's be terrible everywhere, surround the team with mediocre plugs, not spend a single draft pick in trades, and pray we end up great after a few years of high drafting".
That's just not realistic.

 

[admiralcadillac]

Subban was a legit superstar and actually better than Kovalev. PK was easily a top three blueliner in the league. Subban was a legit superstar. Carey Price was too as he was at one point one of the absolute best players in the league.

PK gained too much weight and lost a step. Not sure if that was the only issue but his game dropped off significantly.

 

[The Real Timo]

Sweet. 4 games next week. We are sure to see Yoel! I can't wait.

And if we're extra lucky maybe even Dvorak. I am burning with excitement, to tell you the truth.

HEre is a chance to make some distance from others for that playoffs spot.

And this is just to make us feel extra good

Matvei Michkov's historic pace is making NHL teams who passed on him look foolish

Michkov, who slid to No. 7 in the 2023 draft, surely has GMs who were reluctant to draft him because of the "Russian factor" second guessing things.

ca.sports.yahoo.com

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

PK gained too much weight and lost a step. Not sure if that was the only issue but his game dropped off significantly.

I don’t know what it was. I know he had the neck injury and I think he had some back problems. Probably too much weight on his frame but he fizzled out really quickly.

He had HOF talent but not a HOF career. Just ended too quickly for him.

 

[morhilane]

Sweet. 4 games next week. We are sure to see Yoel! I can't wait.

And if we're extra lucky maybe even Dvorak. I am burning with excitement, to tell you the truth.

No Dvorak until November 4th, because of LTIR rules of minimum 10 games out.

 

[Andy]

I think we'll see some little positive changes when Dvorak comes back. It will allow the club to slide Monahan between Newhook and Slafkovsky.