GDT: SCF Game 3: Tampa Bay Lightning vs Montreal Canadiens 7/2/21 8:00pm EST SN, CBC, TVA, TSN 690

[CristianoRonaldo]

No lineup change ?

 

[Habsrule]

I would love to see Romanov and Kulak as the bottom pair. They are a big upgrade in mobility to match the speed of Tampa. Their have been minimal penalties called unless they are very obvious so Gustaffson has not had a lot of power plays in which he is only effective and Merrill doesn’t bring anything more than what Kulak or Romanov can.

 

[Laurentide]

Yep, around 10% of teams have done it, similar to the rate of climbing out of a 2-0 series hole in general. I think it's slightly more rare in the final.

It's much rarer in the finals because the quality of the competition is almost always much higher than in any prior round. The last time it happened (I think) was 10 years ago when the Bruins went down 0-2 to the Canucks. But the Canucks were a fraud and they had something that Tampa doesn't have: a goalie who chokes hard in big games.

 

[Be a Hab]

That's what good goalies do: they take away the lower half of the net and give you no softies. If you want to score you have to beat them with a perfect shot to the top corner, which is hard enough to do during practice when no defenders are trying to take your head off, let alone at full speed during a game when you're under pressure from a defender who is taking away your time and space.

Yeah I agree. I suspect a few of those goals are from rebounds. Vasi goes down to stop the shot and then the player puts the rebound up and over his pads and glove/blocker.

I deleted the picture because I thought it would be bad karma here on the Habs board. I will repost it on the main SCF thread.

 

[Kennerback]

I like this Habs team a lot. Unfortunately TB is just too good. Unlike vs Leafs and Vegas, I don’t see any weaknesses we can exploit or how we can get back in the series. Carpe Diem

 

[Adam Michaels]

Another good thing about Ducharme's return is that Richardson will be able to focus on the D.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

Awesome GDT @donghabs98 !!

...need to come out with PURPOSE tonight and take this game!!...no sitting back, no soft "Zone" defense...pressure the Hades out of 'em...

 

[Riddick412]

My hopes went way down after last game. So I don't expect any wins now, just watching to enjoy the game.

 

[waitin425]

With last change we need to out coach this team. They have too much skill and too much momentum. Matchups are gonna get us through this game.

If we can win this and get the momentum back we have a series!

Let's f***ing go boys!!!!

 

[azcanuck]

 

[RussCourtnallsGhost]

I'm feeling extremely confident for tonight's game. We figured out our game plan last game, and our scorers will come through tonight. Coming back from 2-0 is just gonna make it more epic. Go Habs Go!!!

 

[Le Tricolore]

Please win. Please make a series out of this.

GO HABS!!!!

 

[A Loyal Dog]

If we want any chance to win the Cup, we need to win BOTH at home. The fact they’re limiting to only 3500 fans won’t help our team.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

No lineup change ?

Sadly, not.

 

[Phenom]

Grind deez guyz.
Put da puck at da net.
Pricer stop da puck.

 

[That Habs Fan]

Feeling a win tonight...I don't want this team to get swept in the final, and I just don't think they'll allow it, too much pride and determination in this team, from the vets to the youth.

 

[CristianoRonaldo]

Sadly, not.

I hope it won't bite us in the ass...

 

[Laurentide]

Sadly, not.

#riskaverse

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

Sadly, not.

...sad when our toughest opponent is our own coaching/management staff...

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Romanov not playing over 2 upcoming ufa in less than 10 days is just pathetic at this point.

The reason why we went to the second round was due when we inserted Caufield and KK. Injecting new blood can be a great motivator with a mix of vets.

Romanov is missing good experience for absolutely no reasons.

 

[Laurentide]

In a way I am less worried about tonight than I am about Game 4 on Monday. The Habs know they need to win tonight or Monday won't even matter so I'm expecting them to push back hard and eke out a win. My bigger worry is that they have nothing left to give in Game 4 and lose. Again, this is not the Leafs. This opponent knows how to close.

 

[Laurentide]

...sad when our toughest opponent is our own coaching/management staff...

Unfortunately this kind of pettiness and hidebound mindset has existed since long before Bergevin came along. Management and coaches are more concerned with teaching players who's boss than they are about doing the right thing. I've read that near the end of the regular season Romanov either missed or was late to a meeting and this is his punishment. I hope it isn't true but if it is I would not be the least bit surprised.

Given that Romanov barely missed a game all season I fail to see how he is now considered too inexperienced or too risky to play in the postseason, especially when the veterans taking his place are so thoroughly mediocre. I completely understand why you would dress Perry instead of Belzille or Ylonen. And if we're talking about Ouellet or Fleury, sure. But Merrill or Gustafsson instead of Romanov and Kulak? Sorry, that makes no damn sense. Not if you're trying to win a hockey game, anyway.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Unfortunately this kind of pettiness and hidebound mindset has existed since long before Bergevin came along. Management and coaches are more concerned with teaching players who's boss than they are about doing the right thing. I've read that near the end of the regular season Romanov either missed or was late to a meeting and this is his punishment. I hope it isn't true but if it is I would not be the least bit surprised.

Given that Romanov barely missed a game all season I fail to see how he is now considered too inexperienced or too risky to play in the postseason, especially when the veterans taking his place are so thoroughly mediocre. I completely understand why you would dress Perry instead of Belzille or Ylonen. And if we're talking about Ouellet or Fleury, sure. But Merrill or Gustafsson instead of Romanov and Kulak? Sorry, that makes no damn sense. Not if you're trying to win a hockey game, anyway.

The thing is , Merrill barely play 10min a night and Gustafsson plays 8min a game and 5 of his minutes are on the powerplay. They are so much at risk during 5v5 they don't even play

 

[sampollock]

knuckles says on 690 hit Kuch in the ribs....

do it asap

 

[sampollock]

everybody put some skin in the game