Pre-Game Talk: Round 1 : Montreal Canadiens vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

[Dagistitsyn]

We just have to shut down Stamkos as much as possible, the rest will take care of itself.

and Filppula and Palat and Johnson etc..

Plekanec will be matched up against Stamkos, so that's ok..
DD vs Filppula could be bad though

 

[Agnostic]

you are selling^^?

No, that's what tickets are selling today at face value. So cheap, just need a break on the airfare.

 

[Boyon90]

shutdown players

- plekanec he should be the one on stamkos on the PK

- we can expect vanek to do more backchecks in the playoffs even if he does not play center he seems to like that

- probably Prust, not really sure in what role he will be needed but thats his type of game grinder/ backchecker

- gionta on the second pk wave

- Gorges

- Emelin

- PK, I have to put him there even tho I dont think is that good of a shutdown player, he always takes penalties on the shutdown around the boards

-weaver

biggest shutdown player will be Price



PP1

DD - VAN - PAC
markov- subban

PP2

Galchenyuk - plek - gallagher (I see briere somehow taking someones place)
beaulieu - gorges / emelin /weaver

 

[Jee]

Habs in 5

 

[BubbleGumPlant]

If Bishop is truly out (I think he will be back for game 1) then I call this a sweep for the Habs. We have way more playoff experience, our first line is on fire right now and Carey has been a rock all year. We have one of the best PK's in the league and I don't see Stammer scoring one PP goal.

If Bishop is in, Habs in 6 or 7.

 

[Brainiac]

and Filppula and Palat and Johnson etc..

Plekanec will be matched up against Stamkos, so that's ok..
DD vs Filppula could be bad though

Well, they will have to shut us down as well.

Whatever people say about DD, his line with Vanek and Patches is scary good right now.

If Plekanec can shut down Stamkos to a certain degree, our depth, both up front and on defense, will make the difference. Eller might score a few goals, who knows!

I think we have one advantage on many teams: flexibility. Markov, Subban and Plekanec can all adapt their play 100% depending on what is required.

 

[EveryDay]

The teams are pretty equal really. This should be a good series.


Forwards - even

Defense - Habs (slight)

Goalies - Draw (can Price win in the postseason?)

Coach - Habs (this is our biggest advantage I think)Habs in 6!

I hope you are kidding.....

 

[LyricalLyricist]

Hard to feel we'd lose and I'm sure Tampa fans feel that with their team overcame significant injuries as well.

Should be a good series. I say it lasts 5 games, could be either team but I'll say Habs.

 

[Mike Mike Caron]

The main board is mostly giving the series to Tampa in 5, i wonder if it's the general hate for teams like the Habs (Toronto and Van city always get it too) or actually that Tampa really has an advantage here and we are too homer to see it. But i don't remember a single time the main board didn't underestimate the Habs.

 

[HeShootsHeScores]

Mixed feelings, but I'm gonna go with habs in 4. They had their lesson last year. We have more talent, and more experience than tampa, yet our team is not overconfident. I expect to be surprised (?) by how the team is gonna take care of this like a boss.

I think tampa is gonna fall flat from the start and we're never gonna look back.

Sure Stamkos is gonna narrow a lead or give a lead to his team from time to time. But in the end of the game, it's gonna be the habs with the win.

 

[Brainiac]

The main board is mostly giving the series to Tampa in 5, i wonder if it's the general hate for teams like the Habs (Toronto and Van city always get it too) or actually that Tampa really has an advantage here and we are too homer to see it. But i don't remember a single time the main board didn't underestimate the Habs.

The main board had us out of the playoffs. The main board had the canadian teams ranked that way at the beginning of the season:

Van>Tor>Ott>Habs

That's also why I simply love our avatars this year!

 

[Boyon90]

can we put a poll in to vote for the outcome of the serie

 

[Adriatic]

Mixed feelings, but I'm gonna go with habs in 4. They had their lesson last year. We have more talent, and more experience than tampa, yet our team is not overconfident. I expect to be surprised (?) by how the team is gonna take care of this like a boss.

I think tampa is gonna fall flat from the start and we're never gonna look back.

Sure Stamkos is gonna narrow a lead or give a lead to his team from time to time. But in the end of the game, it's gonna be the habs with the win.

You have mixed feelings but you're taking Habs in 4, doesn't seem your feelings are that mixed lol!

 

[HTTP 400]

Really depends if Bishop plays or not, i'll wait to know this before making any prediction.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Bishop in game 1. It sounds a bit like a mental strategy from the Lightning. You get the other team to build a false confidence based on the fact that they'll face the backup.

Plus you force the Habs crew to spend some of their time studying the backup goalie instead of focusing only on Bishop.

I guess we'll see.

 

[hockeyfan2k11]

It will either be a Habs sweep or Tampa in 5/6. I don't see a close series at all. One team will dominate the other.

 

[HeShootsHeScores]

You have mixed feelings but you're taking Habs in 4, doesn't seem your feelings are that mixed lol!

Lol overall I think our team is in really good shape and I don't find any reasons to say tampa is gonna win a game besides lucky bounces. I'm just scared things just won't go their way.

 

[99GoHabsGo99]

I really believe the Habs are gonna come out like crazy knowing what happened last year, and you can tell they do not want that to happen again. I really think it will be a dominate first round by the Habs

 

[Strat]

I don't fault the Habs for losing last year. They had been absolutely decimated with injuries while the Senators had a full roster.

On top of that, Eller, who was playing the best he had ever played in the NHL was ruthlessly taken out with a clothesline by Gryba. Gryba gets 2 games and Eller is out for the remainder of the Playoffs.

Latendresse pushed Subban into Price which resulted into a goal.

And my personal favorite, who can remember the soccer goal that somehow was accepted by the blind refs?

Kind of hard to win when your key players aren't in the roster, another is taken out by a goon, and the refs accept 2 goals that should never have counted.

This year, almost everybody is healthy. If they lose, it's either because the opponent played better or the Habs played badly... unless the refs somehow decide to change the outcome of certain games by calling questionable penalties or goals.

 

[holyhabs]

Have we scored more than 1 goal on Bishop this season? Even since last year seems like we cant score on him. Its hist first trip to the playoffs so hope he is nervous.

Therrien has gotten outcoached in every game against Cooper. The game sans Stamkos was a clinic.

 

[Habs Icing]

TBL have won two Stanley Cups in this century, the Habs have zero

I suggest you hope back into your time machine and return to the future. The time difference has disoriented you. In this century the lightning have won only one cup SO FAR.

 

[Scriptor]

Habs in 8, during the shootout!

 

[Account Terminated]

can we put a poll in to vote for the outcome of the serie

Good thinking. Poll added.

 

[le_sean]

I'll say Tampa in 6. They remind me too much of the Sens from last year. Hard working, great system, star player. Yeah we have Vanek, that line is really clicking, but it seems we are starting to rely too much on them.

 

[ThaDevilGirl]

Have no idea why some fans think the Habs are going to sweep the Lightning. Not going to happen.

 

[Kriss E]

The main board is mostly giving the series to Tampa in 5, i wonder if it's the general hate for teams like the Habs (Toronto and Van city always get it too) or actually that Tampa really has an advantage here and we are too homer to see it. But i don't remember a single time the main board didn't underestimate the Habs.

Are you surprised the main board is against the Habs? When are they ever for us?

TB is not a push over team. Neither are we. I prefer our depth, so long as it is healthy. We have a bunch of PO performers. We also have Price playing as good as ever.
TB lost Bishop.

I see no reason to favor TB as it stands today.