Reasons we won't go far in playoffs

[Hannibal]

As much as i hate it, i don't think we will be going far, again, in the playoff. Last night was a proof of it even if we won. We got dominated 5 on 5, outshot, outhit, etc.

We will not be able to win as long as our top 9 forwards will be that small and soft. Desharnais, Plekanec, Gionta, Brière, Gallagher. That's just too much. We don't even have 1 forward in that top 9 that brings physical element. Last night when we lost Moen and Weise, man we were soft as **** (Forward group).

Our defence is not great but good, our goalies are very good, but our forwards arr terrible. Far from being build properly to do well in playoff.

In a single game like yesterday, we can win. But, in a best of 7? No way we can win that. Imagine our team getting pounded like yesterday during 7 games? Wow, that will be ugly.

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[LePoche69]

I thought it was obvious.

I mean, most people are stating, since the start of the season, that the Habs are nothing more than a second tier team, having to fight till the end for a playoff spot.

They could win one round depending on the team they're facing, but that's it.

 

[Hannibal]

Bergevin will have to adress that in the off-season. No more Brière type signature. We need more than just midget in our top 9.

 

[Habskrieg]

-We don't really adapt our game plan to other teams enough.

- We're having a lot of hard times getting gout of our zone. Though last night might be due to losing 2 players, this is still a recurring problem.

-We're having trouble getting into the opponents area. In addition to trouble cycling the puck around in there.

-Defensive coverage has been on and off, apart for the PK which has been really good.

-Face-offs need to improve.

While I think some things have improved since last year. Clearing the goalie crease. Ever since acquiring Vanek, the PP is getting better, so is our scoring, even though there's still room for improvement.

For the first time ever, I expected us to miss the playoffs this year. Didn't think we had acquired any players that filled our biggest needs. But we somehow manage to get in a nice spot in the standings.

I think if the coaches manage to fix a few things in time for the playoffs. We could go far. If nothing changes, I don't know... I won't hold my breathe, it could go either way.

 

[hototogisu]

Using last night as an example is strange, because we were playing the best team in the NHL.

I think, no matter how highly you think of this current version of the Habs, you probably agree that we're not ready to go toe-to-toe with the best teams in the NHL in a 7-game series. Whether it's Boston or Pittsburgh or St. Louis or San Jose or Chicago. So what happened last night shouldn't really be a shock...we were playing the best team in the league on a 12 game run, no doubt we got outplayed pretty decidedly.

What plays to the Habs' advantage in the East in terms of a long playoff run is that, outside of Boston and Pittsburgh, it's a pretty wide-open conference. And even those two teams aren't certainties - we've undeniably owned Rask for most of his career, and Fleury is a total wildcard in Pittsburgh.

 

[Riverside Habs Fan]

Whoa way to bring down the mood.

 

[HuGo Sham]

As we saw last night Habs got ground down. I don't think it matters in one game, but 7 vs Boston is a huge problem. Briere, Gionta (as great as he played), Gallagher, Desharnais (neutralized last night) - smaller d - weaver, Bouillon, etc...team is still too small.

Losing Moen and Weise was a problem but we're still not built to handle the Bruins, Blues, Kings etc...for 7 games.

Vanek on the wing is a start, Tinordi too...but we're not there yet...

 

[HuGo Sham]

Using last night as an example is strange, because we were playing the best team in the NHL.

I think, no matter how highly you think of this current version of the Habs, you probably agree that we're not ready to go toe-to-toe with the best teams in the NHL in a 7-game series. Whether it's Boston or Pittsburgh or St. Louis or San Jose or Chicago. So what happened last night shouldn't really be a shock...we were playing the best team in the league on a 12 game run, no doubt we got outplayed pretty decidedly.

What plays to the Habs' advantage in the East in terms of a long playoff run is that, outside of Boston and Pittsburgh, it's a pretty wide-open conference. And even those two teams aren't certainties - we've undeniably owned Rask for most of his career, and Fleury is a total wildcard in Pittsburgh.

agreed and i'm not worried about the physical toll in a series vs. TB...philly, boston - on the other hand

 

[JohnLennon]

We just beat the best team in the league, missing almost a full fourth line from the start of the game, having to face horrible back-to-back calls and with our back-up goalie in nets, and you're complaining? The Habs matched up against them well, got them off their game and Budaj came in clutch.

I'm sorry, but if anything, last night solidified that we can go toe-to-toe against any team in the league for me. The real question is whether we can last a seven-game series against this type of team. That remains to be answered.

 

[Hannibal]

agreed and i'm not worried about the physical toll in a series vs. TB...philly, boston - on the other hand

TB is a hard-nose team! They are not soft.

 

[Price is Wright]

Montreal is a better faceoff team than Tampa, has better team defence, better penalty kill, we hit more and we block more. Five on five is pretty much the only advantage they have.

 

[Lemons]

We have to go by one game at a time mentality. Let's face it, we aren't an elite team and our coach isn't the brightest, but the habs have all the tools to be a dark horse in the cup run this year. We to stop looking at the playoffs as 7 games series. One game at a time. Learn the habits of their opponents, their strengths and weakness, and dont let ANY team get in our heads. Some players aren't playing to their peak potential (Patches soft as butter with a massive frame, Subban going on tilt, Captain Gionta has to be putting up more points) and need to step the fu,ck up.

We have the advantage of being the underdog so lets ride that out. It would be a miracle if we won, but its not impossible.

 

[Smokey Thompson]

I wouldn't call Gallagher or Gionta soft. Both guys are willing to take a hit to make a play, no matter how small they are. Weaver is as soft as a rusty nail. The guy is tough and it showed last night.

I'd add Patches and Bourque to your group of soft forwards.

On the bright side, this team has character. The players stepped up last night. We kept the best team in the league to 1 lone pp goal. Forced shots from the outside. Defense wins in the playoffs, and we're among leaders in GA/g.

 

[Burke the Legend]

I think last night is not a good sample, the Habs were just REALLY tired especially in the 3rd, after playing with 3 lines and having to PK so much. I saw a bunch of instances where guys who had just been on 30 seconds would get the puck transitioning out of zone and they would have no wheels left and just chip it down ice and peel to bench, guys who normally have great legs like Plekanec. It is normally not quite like that...

 

[Corncob]

OMG, OP is right!! The only solution is to withdraw from the playoffs and issue a sincere apology to the NHL and the game of hockey in general

 

[David Suzuki]

TB is a hard-nose team! They are not soft.

Neither are we.

 

[That Habs Fan]

Neither are we.

Boom goes the dynamite.

Prust, Murray, Tinordi, White, Weise, Moen, Pacioretty, Gallagher, Bourque, Eller, Vanek, Emelin, Subban, Weaver, Bouillon, Gorges

None of those guys play exceptionally soft games, even the shorter ones

Even Gionta, Briere and Plekanec play with a chip on their shoulder at times, Briere goes the dirty route often but so be it.

Also we can't forget Parros, who can be inserted into the lineup if we NEED a fighter for a game.

 

[Uber Coca]

Some positives in order to balance your pessimism :

- Montreal found a way to beat the best team in the NHL.
- Montreal got dominated 5-on-5 but somehow played great defensively and limited the scoring chances (with three offensive lines).
- Losing Weise because of a dangerous play doesn't mean we're soft.
- Moen has always been a meh fighter. He stood up for a teammate though and props to him, that's the toughness you'll want in the playoffs.
- Emelin rocked Lucic.

In fact, with the East being weak and the fact that Montreal could get ice advantage, I don't think I've ever been this confident going into the playoffs.

 

[David Suzuki]

Boom goes the dynamite.

Prust, Moen, White, Weise, Murray, Tinordi, Pacioretty, Gallagher, Bourque, Eller, Vanek, Emelin, Subban, Weaver, Gorges

None of those guys play exceptionally soft games, even the shorter ones

Even Gionta, Briere and Plekanec play with a chip on their shoulder at times, Briere goes the dirty route often but so be it.

Also we can't forget Parros, who can be inserted into the lineup if we NEED a fighter.

Exactly. I've never understood the concept of us as a soft team. We won't exactly run you out of the building physically, but very few players will shy away from physicality. The only one I can think of is Deshernais, and really, he doesn't have to. It doesn't help his game to set up snipers and goal scorers.

 

[That Habs Fan]

yup, DD's really the only name I didn't mention.

heck even Markov threw his weight around against the big bad Bruins yesterday and did so successfully.

Galchenyuk has yet to grow into his body but even he doesn't shy away from contact, although he's usually so elusive that he doesn't get hit.

 

[idk]

As much as i hate it, i don't think we will be going far, again, in the playoff. Last night was a proof of it even if we won. We got dominated 5 on 5, outshot, outhit, etc.

We were dominated 5 on 5 last night by the hottest team in the league with only 10 forwards for most of the night. I don't think there's many team that would be super successful playing ten forwards only against any team in the league, let alone the Bruins.

Don't get me wrong - I think this team has problems that need fixing. But trying to use last night's game as a gauge is pointless. There were too many other variables in play.

 

[InglewoodJack]

Who cares? Same story every year, it's getting tiring to see posts about the same deal.

 

[hockeyfan2k11]

There are many reasons but the biggest is 2nd last in 5 on 5 scoring (last time I checked). Its a stat that people seem to overlook.

On top of that. Neutralize the 1st line (which shouldn't be difficult) and game over. I think we can win a series. It just isn't likely unless we can produce 5 on5.

 

[Smokey Thompson]

Boom goes the dynamite.

Prust, Murray, Tinordi, White, Weise, Moen, Pacioretty, Gallagher, Bourque, Eller, Vanek, Emelin, Subban, Weaver, Bouillon, Gorges

None of those guys play exceptionally soft games, even the shorter ones

Even Gionta, Briere and Plekanec play with a chip on their shoulder at times, Briere goes the dirty route often but so be it.

Also we can't forget Parros, who can be inserted into the lineup if we NEED a fighter for a game.

Good list, I'd take out Bourque and Patches.

Prust, White, and Eller's absence was felt last night.

We're going to need Prust in the playoffs.

 

[hockeyfan2k11]

We were dominated 5 on 5 last night by the hottest team in the league with only 10 forwards for most of the night. I don't think there's many team that would be super successful playing ten forwards only against any team in the league, let alone the Bruins.

Don't get me wrong - I think this team has problems that need fixing. But trying to use last night's game as a gauge is pointless. There were too many other variables in play.

We suck 5on5 in general. Play in a weak conference and at the bottom of the league 5on5. Snap out of it.