Post-Game Talk: Habs slow start , Crosby shows up 5-1 PIT

[sandysan]

holy **** stop defending Price for everything

as soon as some stop blaming him for everything ( including our inability to score and craptastic PP). You willing ?
no ?
I didn't think so.


he's not responsible for the offense and to hold him responsible for the bad plays the defense makes means that ( and if you look at it, you should realize how idiotic it is), that every goal he lets in is a bad one and the expectation is that so long as he doesn't pitch shutouts here on out for the rest of the regular season, that the blame will fall on his shoulder and not on our anemic offense or craptastic powerplay.

 

[Kriss E]

I was thinkin' before Subban or when Subban had just come up to the Habs.

Markov still had some good support from Komisarek. When Komi played here, except for his last season, he was pretty solid as Markov's partner. It was at a time where those type of Dman were still very effective in the NHL. We also had Hamrlik on the second pairing as support and he was excellent in that role.

 

[ahmedou]

Club Penguin > Club 1909

 

[PaulD]

Don't know what's up with Weber, but I'll reserve judgement for now before deciding whether he's burned out or just recovering from something minor.

As to Julien, he's the same age as most NHL coaches and younger than many. Old school? Maybe, but I don't see any Jacques Lemaire in this version of the Habs. The only resemblance to the Bruins from last decade is a strong defensive system. Otherwise, our team's numbers are good even beyond Carey Price, and are especially good if you consider how weak our D is. Overall it looks like a very well-coached, cohesive team.

The only obvious coaching deficiency is the PP. That's on the coaches and has to be fixed.

Its on the players

 

[PaulD]

Am I the only one that thinks Montreal outplayed the Pens most of the night? I mean, cmon, the difference was between the pipes. Yes Benn had a bad moment, so did a few others the first few minutes, but Price was awful on 3 of the goals.

Not sure what all the doom and gloom is about, they played well enough to win if not for Murray.

The low bar for Montreal

 

[Habs]

The low bar in Montreal is alive and well.

I’m the biggest critic of this team. Price was bad , Murray was good. The bar had been low since 1994

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

... As long as you have a great, great suporting cast of players in front of you.

Look no further than McDavid. He's the best player in the league and can't get into the playoffs... no player is going to go anywhere by himself. Same thing was true of Yzerman, Lemieux and Gretzky... unless there are good teams supporting them, they aren't going to win.

Btw, the Jordie Benn experiments have to end. I get the temptation to move him up in the lineup. He looks great on the 3rd... but he absolutely stinks in the top four. Leave him lower in the lineup.

Still can't believe MB did absolutely nothing at the deadline to help fix the LD.

 

[Lshap]

Its on the players

It's the coaches job to maximize the talent they have. This isn't a talentless roster. Does it look like the PP has been maximized?

 

[PaulD]

It's the coaches job to maximize the talent they have. This isn't a talentless roster. Does it look like the PP has been maximized?

Have seen both coaches run successful powerplays. With better players.

You may see a lot of talent on this team. I dont.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

It's the coaches job to maximize the talent they have. This isn't a talentless roster. Does it look like the PP has been maximized?

We need serious help on the left side. I'd just put in four forwards because there's no point to putting in Mete there.

 

[PaulD]

I’m the biggest critic of this team. Price was bad , Murray was good. The bar had been low since 1994

Yep.

Crosby and Guentzal were the best players in the game.

 

[PaulD]

Yep.

Crosby and Guentzal were the best players in the game.

You cannot talk about how the game was won without mentioning the two players that had 4 point nights.

Yes I get that it would have been a close game if we dont count the goals.

 

[PaulD]

We need serious help on the left side. I'd just put in four forwards because there's no point to putting in Mete there.

That will help Mete. Wont do much for a lousy powerplay though.

 

[PaulD]

I came so close to spending about 600 bux to goto this disaster

Only previous home game experiences saved me

I would not go see this team if you gave me the tickets and paid for the hotel room.

If Im gonna pay and travel to see the Crosby and company play, it will be against a better team than the Bergevins squad

 

[donghabs98]

Look no further than McDavid. He's the best player in the league and can't get into the playoffs... no player is going to go anywhere by himself. Same thing was true of Yzerman, Lemieux and Gretzky... unless there are good teams supporting them, they aren't going to win.

Btw, the Jordie Benn experiments have to end. I get the temptation to move him up in the lineup. He looks great on the 3rd... but he absolutely stinks in the top four. Leave him lower in the lineup.

Still can't believe MB did absolutely nothing at the deadline to help fix the LD.

To be fair though there weren't many rentals available that fit the bill. I was hoping he would somehow get Brodin or Fowler but I guess both teams wanted to either keep them or wanted too much right now. Those players seen more like draft day trades so I wouldn't be surprised to see either move around then. That's where Bergevin needs to make a move as we have both the picks and cap space to be active in the offseason. Theres no excuse for the defense to not be improved heading into next season.

 

[Runner77]

To be fair though there weren't many rentals available that fit the bill. I was hoping he would somehow get Brodin or Fowler but I guess both teams wanted to either keep them or wanted too much right now. Those players seen more like draft day trades so I wouldn't be surprised to see either move around then. That's where Bergevin needs to make a move as we have both the picks and cap space to be active in the offseason. Theres no excuse for the defense to not be improved heading into next season.

Seven years of Bergevin and we're giving him a pass on rentals? So many holes in the lineup that you'd have to gut futures like CBJ did just to patch them off for the playoffs. We shouldn't have been where we are had there actually been a plan in place and were it properly executed.

This is one frustrating end of season. Seeing the team getting so easily toyed with by the Pens, made it all the more obvious how far off we are. We can't even be sure we're going to make the playoffs.

 

[Lshap]

Have seen both coaches run successful powerplays. With better players.

You may see a lot of talent on this team. I dont.

I see enough talent to have a better powerplay than one that's dead last. We're not Tampa, but we're a helluva lot better than many weaker teams that have managed to have much better special teams. Ottawa has the 14th best PP. NYR are 15th. A team's powerplay isn't directly related to their talent level. We're a decent team with decent scoring. We can put up points 5-on-5, yet it all goes to crap when they go up 5-on-4. How can that NOT be on the coaches? Change the system. Change the units.

We need serious help on the left side. I'd just put in four forwards because there's no point to putting in Mete there.

I'd definitely try that.

 

[ECWHSWI]

Seven years of Bergevin and we're giving him a pass on rentals? So many holes in the lineup that you'd have to gut futures like CBJ did just to patch them off for the playoffs. We shouldn't have been where we are had there actually been a plan in place and were it properly executed.

This is one frustrating end of season. Seeing the team getting so easily toyed with by the Pens, made it all the more obvious how far off we are. We can't even be sure we're going to make the playoffs.

with the 15th overall pick, the Montreal Canadiens are proud to select...

 

[Lshap]

Seven years of Bergevin and we're giving him a pass on rentals? So many holes in the lineup that you'd have to gut futures like CBJ did just to patch them off for the playoffs. We shouldn't have been where we are had there actually been a plan in place and were it properly executed.

This is one frustrating end of season. Seeing the team getting so easily toyed with by the Pens, made it all the more obvious how far off we are. We can't even be sure we're going to make the playoffs.

I don't even know how much to take away from Saturday's game. What's the lesson, don't make idiotic clearing passes? Don't take dumb penalties? The Habs' biggest opponent was their own stupidity, which the Pens were good enough to capitalize on. The game was lost minutes into the 1st.

The last two Saturday nights have been painful reminders of how easily games fall apart with a lack of focus. Obviously the team can't be flawless through 60 minutes every game. But since we can't score our way past our mistakes, focus must become our strength, at least until we have more talent to act as a buffer.

 

[PaulD]

I see enough talent to have a better powerplay than one that's dead last. We're not Tampa, but we're a helluva lot better than many weaker teams that have managed to have much better special teams. Ottawa has the 14th best PP. NYR are 15th. A team's powerplay isn't directly related to their talent level. We're a decent team with decent scoring. We can put up points 5-on-5, yet it all goes to crap when they go up 5-on-4. How can that NOT be on the coaches? Change the system. Change the units.


I'd definitely try that.

They have changed the system. Then changed it back. They have changed the units. Then changed them back. They have worked on it in practice. On the board. Both coaches have had huge success with powerplays in the past. Eventually you have to stop blaming the coaches and its on the players.

You say they are scoring 5 on 5. Yep. I suppose that's on the players. But give them an extra man an its all coaching now?

Could use your same argument on the players. They score plenty 5 on 5. But dry up with the extra attacker "how could that NOT be on the players"

Powerplay looked good against the leafs. No Drouin. Try that more often.

Believe me , Gally Domi, Weber, and the boys are not quietly thinking "I wish the coach could help us out here"

 

[PaulD]

I don't even know how much to take away from Saturday's game. What's the lesson, don't make idiotic clearing passes? Don't take dumb penalties? The Habs' biggest opponent was their own stupidity, which the Pens were good enough to capitalize on. The game was lost minutes into the 1st.

The last two Saturday nights have been painful reminders of how easily games fall apart with a lack of focus. Obviously the team can't be flawless through 60 minutes every game. But since we can't score our way past our mistakes, focus must become our strength, at least until we have more talent to act as a buffer.

Same as the Leafs lost the game to the Canadiens in the early minutes the week before. Down 3-0 right away. Nothing you can do once you are down 3-0 early in the first.

What was the final of that game again?

 

[Lshap]

They have changed the system. They have changed the units. Eventually you have to stop blaming the coaches and its on the players.

You say they are scoring 5 on 5. I suppose thats on the players. But give them an extra man an its all coaching now?

Could use your same argument on the players. They score plenty 5 on 5. But dry up with the extra attacker "how could that NOT be on the players"

Powerplay looked good against the leafs. No Drouin. Try that more often.

Believe me , Gally Domi, Weber, and the boys are not quietly thinking "I wish the coach could help us out here"

No, I'm saying both ES and PP are on the coaches. We're seeing a totally different system being employed this season. The players didn't make it up. That's Julien, Richardson and Ducharme. The players have to implement what they're taught, naturally, but it's the coaches who are teaching & activating it. 5-on-5, special teams -- the players don't just improvise. It's coaching. And the most important aspect of coaching is working with the talent you have. Habs don't have elite snipers, but we do have an arsenal of good skaters, good puck control and good slapshots. Does that collective skill add up to a great PP? Maybe not, but there's no way it should be the worst.

 

[Gally11]

I'm not gonna lie, when Julien started Benn against Crosby line and he had that giveaway to kick it off I immediately turned off the game to go and enjoy my Saturday night.

 

[Lshap]

Same as the Leafs lost the game to the Canadiens in the early minutes the week before. Down 3-0 right away. Nothing you can do once you are down 3-0 early in the first.

What was the final of that game again?

I don't know what point you're making. The Leafs screwed up the first half of that game. If they were playing most playoff teams they would've lost like they did against the NYI. The only reason they won against us was because of two PP goals and a fluke bounce off the zamboni door. They can compensate for their screwups better than we can. That was exactly my point. Habs can't compensate by scoring a ton; we compensate by superior focus and relentless skating. When those factors fail us, we lose.

 

[sandviper]

Price didn’t have a great game at all and probably should have stopped a couple of the goals but at the same time, it isn’t all on him. Second pairing was atrocious and while Murray had a good game, I didn’t feel we really get that many grade-A chances. Shooting into his chest was how the Rags beat us a couple playoffs ago also...

As for blaming Price for deflating the team, @PaulD i think nailed it with the Toronto example. I mean, yeah, it was a horror show giving up 3 goals in 4 shots but this didn’t happen with 5 minutes left in the game. We had over two periods to get back into it.

Price isn’t blameless, but the team as a group lost the game. I mentioned it in another post, but while Price was a factor in the loss, he also kept us in it, as crazy as it sounds losing 5-1.