Ottawa wins. Series 3-2 Montréal.

[BLONG7]

One thing I can't understand is the crap goalies get on HFBoards. Not just with Habs fans. But I notice this every where. Rhetoric like "Why didnt he steal this game? A good goalie has to steal games when it counts. He is not bailing us out enough." Etc etc

When you are the lowest scoring team you have been bailed out all year.

Another thing I can't grasp about this team is why we arent hitting Karlsson more. I am not talking about being dirty, but this is the playoffs, he is their best defender. You have to make this game hurt for him. Instead we have a defenseman out from a hit by Karlsson. Wasn't playing the Habs supposed to be painful? I seem to remember someone promising us that.

Agreed on Karlsson, why aren't they dumping it in on his side, and hitting him every chance...are the coaches not using that part of the gameplan? They should be...

 

[Unclewhalebone]

No one in the thread so far pointed out that when MT tried to dismiss the question by stating the 3rd and 4th play about the same amount, Gagnon said something like "I meant in regards to the first two lines" and THEN Terrien replied with the "we roll four lines" comment.


Good job by Gagnon to force the issue, even if he got the same vacant response.

The 4 lines answer is a lie anyway. On at least a few occasions the Eller line started in the D zone, gained the Ozone, got a shot leading to an O-zone draw. Eller line off after 12s, DD line out. That is NOT rolling 4 lines. He was lying. Maybe he was trying to hide his strategy. LOL

 

[Skip Bayless]

Agreed on Karlsson, why aren't they dumping it in on his side, and hitting him every chance...are the coaches not using that part of the gameplan? They should be...

Karlsson is like one the toughest guys to hit in the NHL. You end up hitting the boards more often than not.

 

[Takeru]

I love this time of the year, where fans and bandwagoners jump up and down on how much they hate the habs.

Called it in 6 go habs go

No one is hating the Habs here. Also, the concern isn't so much about this series, which I'm sure we're going to win. The concern is, as someone else mentionned, about the bigger picture, or what comes after. We'll win this series on Hammond being the **** goalie he is for the first two games and squeaking two wins out of probably 3, worst case 4 games. Second round will already be much harder if we don't fix this anemic offense, and we're not even talking about the Rangers or the Western Conf team we'll face.

 

[Nynja*]

Karlsson is like one the toughest guys to hit in the NHL. You end up hitting the boards more often than not.

Maybe, but it still makes him expend energy

 

[OldCraig71]

Have to agree the over reaction is pretty funny Habs still got this. Just really disappointed in such a flat effort two elimination games in a row yikes

Unless MT makes some changes it wont be funny, most of us are sick of him and his stupid system that renders most of our talented players useless. If he stays the stubborn course it will be Ottawa that moves on.

 

[Rapala]

Agreed on Karlsson, why aren't they dumping it in on his side, and hitting him every chance...are the coaches not using that part of the gameplan? They should be...

We are playing a nul forechecking game...
My thoughts on the Sens was to attack their slow D.
It seems our forwards are slower and less sure footed.

 

[mustardnight*]

Maybe, but it still makes him expend energy

Not really. It forces us to expend energy.

 

[CaptainBenn]

Please win?

 

[JV]

False. Reason for losing? Anderson is better than Price right now.

I not agree with this.

Anderson's numbers are better, but the Sens are getting (creating) better quality scoring chances with more traffic in front of Price.

The Habs have not opened the scoring in any game in the series. When the score was 0-0 in game 4 they played like they were up a goal or two.

Puck possession can be a trap in itself, if you're expending lots of energy in the offensive zone but you're not getting good quality chances. If the 5-5 play is on the perimeter it is a waste of energy just like the pp. And it's eventually demoralizing when the opposition gets one goal on five shots, or two on ten, and you have none on 15....

 

[Mike8]

I not agree with this.

Anderson's numbers are better, but the Sens are getting (creating) better quality scoring chances with more traffic in front of Price.

I don't think the Sens are generating better quality or more quantity scoring chances. They're just lucky that the puck is finding its way through. That Ryan goal, for instance, included traffic in front of Price and the puck snuck through. There were at least half a dozen instances of the same happening with Anderson, scrambles around the crease, where the bounces just didn't go Montreal's way.

Winning an individual game is similar to building a Cup contender in a lot of respects. In building a contender, a management team will assemble the best core it can and support that core adequately. That core will last for 4-6 years. Then the management hopes that injuries, matchups, etc., go their way at some point in that 4-6 year window for a Cup win.

Winning a game involves consistently pressing and outplaying the opponent and hoping that the bounces are at least evened out, allowing your superior talent and team to win out.

Over a 7 game series, those bounces generally do even out so that the better team wins. Montreal has outplayed Ottawa in 4 of the 5 games so far. Anderson's been better than Price, but only marginally. Ottawa's won 2 games just because they're a solid team and had a few more bounces go their way.