Semifinals: Montreal Canadiens vs. Vegas Golden Knights | Canadiens lead 3-2

[VivaLasVegas]

Nice analysis, thanks!

Scoring first
TBL 10-1
MTL 9-2
NYI 5-1
VGK 4-2


Trailing first
TBL 0-4
MTL 1-3
NYI 5-5
VGK 6-5


by your definition, TBL IS the one-trick pony.


Habs isn't a top 4 team.
But the Habs plays a system and respects it. That's the playoffs.

They aren't the most talented. But every player is implicated.
There isn't a single player who lack commitment (there was one, but got scratched since then)

VGK is way better than the Habs on paper.

 

[Lshap]

Who are 4 good teams in the North? And how do their rosters stack up against other divisions top 4 teams?

There's zero data on any division stacking up against another. That's the point. It was ridiculous to claim the North was weaker, because those bold opinions were based on absolutely nothing.

Four Mtl/Vegas games represent a small sample size. But that's MUCH better than the zero-sample size the "North is crap" argument is based on.

 

[Lshap]

The North is crap.

So are opinions based on imagination.

 

[hockeyfan2k18]

So are opinions based on imagination.

Nothing imaginary about it. Leafs are the only “good” team on paper. The rest are bad to mediocre. Then look at playoff success the last several years. Aside from Winnipeg, not good.

sometimes mediocre teams win.

the NFLEast of the NHL

 

[D1az]

Really torn right now. On one hand I'd really like to see an offensive team in a full arena play in the finals, but this officiating really gets my thumbs down and I'm on the brink of hoping for an almost-empty-arena team to win...

 

[DearDiary]

There's zero data on any division stacking up against another. That's the point. It was ridiculous to claim the North was weaker, because those bold opinions were based on absolutely nothing.

Four Mtl/Vegas games represent a small sample size. But that's MUCH better than the zero-sample size the "North is crap" argument is based on.

That's why you compare rosters which you ignored in my post. So how do the rosters for Montreal/Edmonton/Winnipeg/Toronto compare to Pittsburgh/Washington/Boston/Islanders?

 

[Essenege]

You said it.... "Last night"

High danger chances are 50-34 in favour of the Habs for the whole series. They have 54% of expected goal at 5v5. It’s not only last night. They were the better team in game 2 & 4, game 1 was pretty balanced once you factor in the Habs should have had a few goals in the first. Vegas only dominated game 3.

 

[General Fanager]

Bottom line right here.

The storyline of the North being crap has been exposed as nonsense. We should be enjoying a great series between two evenly-matched teams. Instead, most of the conversation revolves around the wildly erratic reffing. Yes, every series has bad calls. This one features the refs abdicating complete games. It's very rare to witness referees lose control, lose direction, and completely surrender as they did last night. So far their incompetence hasn't directly impacted a goal, but they've done the next worst thing – they've tilted the ice heavily.

I mean if they would let the players play on both sides I could get with that....

But the dangerous ones NEED to be called. High stick on Perry, the punch on Suzuki, boarding of Weber and yes The elbow Chiarot gave to Stephenson.

Someone is going to be hurt worse if this continues.....

 

[BHD]

If Vegas gets past Montreal, it'll be in spite of DeBoer. His team is doing exactly what the Habs want them to do.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Nothing imaginary about it. Leafs are the only “good” team on paper. The rest are bad to mediocre. Then look at playoff success the last several years. Aside from Winnipeg, not good.

sometimes mediocre teams win.

the NFLEast of the NHL

You can live on paper all day long if you wish

The error most fans are making about the Habs is how they addressed their flaws and holes which were holding them back.

 

[TD Charlie]

Bruins fan

I want nothing more than to see Montreal go down in flames

Still, I like Montreal in 6.
The officiating has been atrocious and skewed so far to Vegas' favor that it's not even funny.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Habs are a better hockey team than vegas. Will be dissapointing to lose to such a weak team

 

[Avsavsavsavsavs]

"Team I want to lose wins, must be rigged"

I could not care any less about either of these 2 teams, in fact having to eat crow about the North being trash sounds worse than seeing Vegas win. I guess the broadcasters calling out the referees, and the thousands of posts from round 1, 2, and now this have to all be incorrect though.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

 

[habsnacks]

I don't think I've ever seen a group complain about the reffing as much as habs fans.

wow.

non stop...every single post.

IMHO you both stole a game from the other.

best out of 3 now

Hmm. Except for the fact that plenty of neutral fans, as well as many Bruins and Leafs fans on these boards, have stated that the officiating has been completely garbage, and pretty heavily in Vegas’ favor. But I guess we’ll just pretend that it’s only Habs fans who are annoyed.

 

[Dr Pepper]

This series is like the Tom Wilson debacle all over again, where 1 fanbase is loudly trying to convince 30 others that their team is in the right.....and just like it was back then, most of us aren't buying it.

Refs have been laughably biased in this series, it's ridiculous.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

This series is like the Tom Wilson debacle all over again, where 1 fanbase is loudly trying to convince 30 others that their team is in the right.....and just like it was back then, most of us aren't buying it.

Refs have been laughably biased in this series, it's ridiculous.

All 10 golden knights fans on this board sure are mad about the habs getting shafted

 

[habsnacks]

Nothing imaginary about it. Leafs are the only “good” team on paper. The rest are bad to mediocre. Then look at playoff success the last several years. Aside from Winnipeg, not good.

sometimes mediocre teams win.

the NFLEast of the NHL

Good thing these games aren’t played on paper.

 

[Bouboumaster]

Bruins fan

I want nothing more than to see Montreal go down in flames

Still, I like Montreal in 6.
The officiating has been atrocious and skewed so far to Vegas' favor that it's not even funny.

Well lol, if the Habs win in 6 you might get your wish!

Game 6 will be played on June 24th, which is the St-Jean-Baptiste.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Looking again at the Suzuki-McNabb incident, holy hell is Chris Lee a goddamn incompetent and I wonder if that might be the breaking point for the league regarding keeping him on for big games. HOW DO YOU GOOF THAT UP?

 

[teamfirst]

To the non-conspiracy theorists, check out the linesman running interference at 5:50 (video time, not game clock time) setting up the game tying goal for Vegas........

Funny to see Chris Lee celebrating the goal with the Knight's players

 

[teamfirst]

Looking again at the Suzuki-McNabb incident, holy hell is Chris Lee a goddamn incompetent and I wonder if that might be the breaking point for the league regarding keeping him on for big games. HOW DO YOU GOOF THAT UP?

Funniest part is seeing him turning his head to the left.....like oh no dont want to see that , too late Chris you where cut on candid camera

I mean i dont know how he can explain that

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Funniest part is seeing him turning his head to the left.....like oh no dont want to see that , too late Chris you where cut on candid camera

I mean i dont know how he can explain that

I have no idea how it works with ref discipline/their union but there's no way these guys didn't get chewed out after the games 3 and 4 and I have no idea how it can impact their usage going forward. Due to travel and time between games, I'm not surprised they reffed game 4 again but it's stunning that they managed to do worse than game 3. Embarassing performances and there's no what they a) don't know that themselves, b) weren't confronted about it.

 

[T REX]

Hmm. Except for the fact that plenty of neutral fans, as well as many Bruins and Leafs fans on these boards, have stated that the officiating has been completely garbage, and pretty heavily in Vegas’ favor. But I guess we’ll just pretend that it’s only Habs fans who are annoyed.

Great! It's the incessant non stop complaining in every other post.

It's a sewer to try and read anything.

 

[robertocarlos]

Looking again at the Suzuki-McNabb incident, holy hell is Chris Lee a goddamn incompetent and I wonder if that might be the breaking point for the league regarding keeping him on for big games. HOW DO YOU GOOF THAT UP?

Bettman sent him a brown envelop filled with cash.