Post-Game Talk: Habs los... wait what? They won in extra time!

[jaffy27]

Alzner was bought out.

Pick up the bought out money.....or are we not allowed to do that

 

[Redux91]

Man, he had 3-4 EXACTLy like this last year too lol

 

[RationalExpectations]

Playing Vancouver and Ottawa is exactly that.

You still don't get that it's the other end, the top teams that makes the difference. We don't get to play any of the top 10 teams, except a borderline Toronto. Instead, we're battling bubble teams and bottom teams. In each other division, there at least 3 teams better or equal to Toronto.

Anyway, you'll see next year. Unless there are major defenders added to the division assemble, if the normal format returns, I expect only Toronto to battle for a top 10 spot.

This does not mean the division is easier by any means, it is a different composition : what is harder for a playoff team : being among 6 potential playoff teams or behind 2 top teams and before 4/5 easy teams ?

 

[MarkovsKnee]

I wonder how much time he concentrates on training his release.

If you want to score, you need to constantly practice everyday. Shoot hundreds of pucks from all angles and manners. Ted Williams became one of the best hitters by spending his teens and early 20's batting hundreds of balls each day. Brett Hull poured 2 to 3 buckets each day for years. They were phenoms, but the point is, talent is never developed without intense practice and focus.

It just seems like Lekhonen has a very good shot, but is inconsistent, which tells me he doesn't spend nearly enough time practicing it.

Yup, zero accuracy. His release is fine. He just can't hit the net. KK is opposite. Generally good accuracy (everyone misses the net occasionally even Ovechkin & Matthews), but slow release.

Toffoli, Perry, Petry, Tatar & Gallagher are far and away the best shooters on the team.

It's frustrating when we create all these turnovers and don't force the goalie to make a save.

 

[sheed36]

The next 3 games are against the Oilers and then it's 4 straight games against the Sens and then another game against the Oilers. So the next 8 games over the next 2 weeks are against the Oilers and Sens.

Can we get one of these teams to wear a Bruins jersey for at least one of these games so we can pretend for one night the Habs are playing the Bruins this year.

 

[JianYang]

The 3rd goal although deflection that might go in regardless, Price looked awful on that one. I don’t even know what position or what he was trying to do there. He looked completely off balanced, I think that’s one he would like to have back.

I'd have to take a look again, but that just looked like a classic case of a goalie getting his wires crossed because of the deflection on initial viewing. It was a great tip by Horvat.

 

[Habs]

Unless your aunt had balls but felt he's a lady.

Why you bringing my aunt into this?

 

[BehindTheTimes]

I'd have to take a look again, but that just looked like a classic case of a goalie getting his wires crossed because of the deflection on initial viewing. It was a great tip by Horvat.

It was a great tip, but you see the player there attempting a deflection you try to get square and cover as much net as possible. I think he misread this play badly.

 

[JianYang]

Canucks of late have beaten Winnipeg, Edmonton, Ottawa twice and the mighty Leafs twice.....we took 3 out of a possible 4pts.....this wasn’t the Sabres

They've shored up their defensive play since the early season meetings, but the biggest factor in their success is demko. He has been lights out, and the habs got a taste of that the other night.

Also, I don't think Pettersson played in this stretch where they won 7 out of 8 games.

They are looking more like the Canucks last year, with some excellent top end skill at the top of their lineup, and herculean goaltending from their starter. The only difference is that demko plays the latter role now instead of markstrom.

 

[dinodebino]

Habs need min 8 but preferably 10-of-14 points over next 2-weeks IMO, to put themselves in a solid spot for the stretch drive post-deadline

Yeah, no one seems to be able to win 4-5 games in a row. Might as well stop expecting this and just win out fair share. I love this format because it makes for great drama.
And like baseball, it's very tough to sweep a series.
Now, even though they play a lot of games, they should be more stable staying at home. Hope it will help.

3 games against the Oilers? Need 2 wins.

 

[admiralcadillac]

If we look at regulation losses, GF, GA - our team is in a good spot.

 

[Rapala]

they're still a bunch of flakes in OT but hopefully they turn the corner now. Only 8 reg losses is pretty impressive. They need to plug the D quickly and hope Toffoli is back

Think of what we could be with a few proper upgrades. Still missing a top 6 winger who can skate. And the D is a tire fire but the expendable parts aren't viewed as such by management I'm sure.

 

[Rapala]

The danault line was good. There was a point in the 3rd period where that line was up 9-1 in shots versus the canucks, and they had several extended zone time shifts throughout the game. I don't know what the shots ended up for that line, but I don't think they let up at any point.

Gallagher just had one of those Gallagher games where just wasn't going to be denied. It wasn't quite like that bubble game against Philly when he broke his jaw, but he seemed to have a similar mood.

I can tell you this for sure the 9 shots didn't happen on the shift Tatar scored on. We missed the net about 5 times on that one before Tatar finally scored. I think it was even worse as the shift before also had a slew of missed opportunities to get the puck on net.

 

[Rapala]

Danault haters are curiously missing in action tonight... just incapable of giving any praise even when warranted.

Yeah it boggles my mind why there is no hate on Danault when he finally got his head out of his ass.
Pull...ease

 

[expy]

Yeah it boggles my mind why there is no hate on Danault when he finally got his head out of his ass.
Pull...ease

Still think we shouldn’t re-sign him unless he takes a significant pay cut, he’s not worth anywhere near what Bergevin offered, and the term is even worse.

a team with him on the top 2 lines will not win a cup.

 

[tazsub3]

Last 2 I promise.

He is the captain. Not mountain man become valley man

 

[tazsub3]

Perry in the shootout though. Wow. Unreal hands on that guy. No wonder he won a Hart.

Its nice to see what pure talent is , have to be honest, we rarely tasted that in the last few decades.

 

[Rapala]

Yeah, I remember Réjean working his arse off, wearing his three piece helmet LOL. But man, it was godawful seeing him miss empty net after empty net. Poor guy. 62 is the same. After Gally, he's probably the 2nd hardest worker on the team, but man, oh, man. Couldn't hit a target 3 feet from him.

I still laugh to this day remembering when Reggie missed the entire rink on a breakaway. Keep in mind the optics made it look so much more worse because the was no netting behind the goals in those days.

 

[Rapala]

Still think we shouldn’t re-sign him unless he takes a significant pay cut, he’s not worth anywhere near what Bergevin offered, and the term is even worse.

a team with him on the top 2 lines will not win a cup.

I've never had an issue with that. But I also don't lose any sleep over it. He did make his own bed.

 

[Kunta Kinte]

Its nice to see what pure talent is , have to be honest, we rarely tasted that in the last few decades.

Markov, Vanek, Kovalchuk, Radulov and Perry

 

[Rapala]

Despite his goal, I Thought it was Suzuki’s worse game of the season. Soft plays at both blue lines, multiple turnovers in key parts of the ice leading to goals against and scoring chances and most important, playing a slow game. He’s not processing the flow of play fast enough and aside from occasional spurts of cleverness, he’s a step behind the play. Though it may be heresy, Suzuki may no longer be the untouchable asset that everyone has come to see him as.

His skating is killing him. He is processing the play just fine and always has but his lack of footspeed has defenders going right after him and not giving him nearly the time they did in the past. They aren't afraid of him making them look foolish anymore.

 

[tazsub3]

Markov, Vanek, Kovalchuk, Radulov and Perry

Vanek, kavalchuk and perry for sure, sadly all at the end of their careers.
Markov was awesome but he contributed without much flash, he was perfectly efficient in my eyes, not what i was refering to . but the other 3 sure were.
Radolv, i would not call pure elite. He is a great player, but not the pure scorers the others are/were

 

[Rapala]

Markov, Vanek, Kovalchuk, Radulov and Perry

Alexie Kovalev

 

[Stive Morgan]

Overhead view:




Close up and reverse angles:

Imagine showing this to someone from 2007-2011. Perry as the Habs' first shooter and scores a beauty

 

[JianYang]

Alexie Kovalev

No kidding, kovalev is easily the most talented player the habs have had in the 2000s.

He wasn't as legendary or effective as Lafleur, but thats probably the guy you have to go back to when you think of comparable talent levels.