Post-Game Talk: The Finn Armia win! Habs win 4-3 in SO vs NYI

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Drouin was the best forward on the ice tonight. Dominant, threatening, didn't give up.

I wouldn't want Claude Julien to break the two other lines but if the Habs can find a quality player that clicks with Drouin/Domi, they have a legitimate first line, I think. It's fun to see the chemistry between Drouin and Domi keeps developing.

Domi not having his best game tonight and yet he makes a difference. I don't know if he can keep this up but he looks more and more like the best center this team has had since Vincent Damphousse.

Not usually a fan of Juulsen but tonight was a really solid effort on his part.

I ****ing love Niemi.

As much as I'd love a legit big, great board working 1st liner with the Double Ds I really like what a couple posters suggested about putting Byron with them. Would be one of the fastest lines in the league easily. Could potentially be a nightmare to play against. Byron's offense just seems to get better all the time.

But yeah ideally it's Kakko

 

[holy]

Wasn't here tonight and didn't watch, I had something else to do.

Let's not let this man brag about having a life. Boo this man!

 

[Walrus26]

If we stopped giving up so many 2 on 1's..........not a lot Niemi could have done about those goals if you ask me.

Great road win against a team on a 5-game roll.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Let's not let this man brag about having a life. Boo this man!

Let's not get carried away. 10 bucks says he was simply out with Kenny, Kyle and Stan trying to figure out where Mr Garrison hid Lemmiwinks.

 

[OldCraig71]

I did my job then

Phrases you'll never hear from Barry Trotz:

"not in my neck of the woods"

"I'll be holding a necktie party"

"that player is a pain in the neck"


I wonder if he ever got offended if someone told him he had a chip on his shoulder, or if someone told him he was head and shoulders above everyone else.

Lets be honest, Trotz is not the type of guy that's just going to "stick his neck out" like @CoopersFalls did last night.

 

[yianik]

Holding the line then coming back. Nice win.

But boy, year started with understandably very low expectations and team has been a great surprise. Still major pieces from being a very good team so it makes me shrug when people go off the stick when the team is losing or loses. I'm still tempering my expectations.

 

[BLONG7]

Holding the line then coming back. Nice win.

But boy, year started with understandably very low expectations and team has been a great surprise. Still major pieces from being a very good team so it makes me shrug when people go off the stick when the team is losing or loses. I'm still tempering my expectations.

This is a lunch pail kind of team, there is still going to be some pain ahead. That being said, this is a group who's core has changed, and it seems to be a good change. Interested on what they can do defensively when Chez Veber gets reactivated.
Tempered expectations makes alot of sense at this point, but they are playing some entertaining hockey for a change...they have not played this type of hockey since the days of Koivu and Kovalev.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Holding the line then coming back. Nice win.

But boy, year started with understandably very low expectations and team has been a great surprise. Still major pieces from being a very good team so it makes me shrug when people go off the stick when the team is losing or loses. I'm still tempering my expectations.

Agreed. There were a lot of posters saying we were a bottom 5 team for sure heading into the season. I had us anywhere from bottom 5 to wild card spot. After this start, I'm now saying bottom 10 to possible 3rd seed in the Atlantic. Every season is different and I totally agree with you... there is still too much there for us to be a bad team.

I still think it's middle of the pack strategy and we struggle to get into the 2nd round if we make the playoffs though. This is what concerns me. We need a few more grade A prospects vs trying for the playoffs and anything can happen strategy.

Regardless, it's nice to see our team play very well. Mixed emotions for sure lol

 

[Habs Halifax]

6 players on pace for 50+ pts at the moment. Last time this happened was over 10 years ago. Can these guys maintain this pace? Who knows. But this is the reason why we are in the top 10 in the standings at the moment... They are scoring by committee and we have 3 solid lines.

Weber will be giving them a boost in about a months time too. I wonder how close he is and it's good news to hear that there is no set backs and he is traveling with the team.

 

[Tuggy]

Where the haters talking **** about niemi

He literally stole that game for us

He played fine after the first but he certainly didn't "steal" the game.

Great game from Domi again. By far, the best player so far this season.

 

[Dominator13]

Could we try Sherbak on the 1st line please? Hudson's lack of speed is killing him out there with those 2.

How awesome is it that we have a free n.1 defensemen about to join this team soon one an already capable D-core? I have a feeling Mete is going to he sent down when he comes back. Juulsen and Ouellet played D on the 5 on 3, which is pretty much max level of coach's confidence, so they're not going anywhere.

 

[26Mats]

6 players on pace for 50+ pts at the moment. Last time this happened was over 10 years ago. Can these guys maintain this pace? Who knows. But this is the reason why we are in the top 10 in the standings at the moment... They are scoring by committee and we have 3 solid lines.

Weber will be giving them a boost in about a months time too. I wonder how close he is and it's good news to hear that there is no set backs and he is traveling with the team.

Byron will also help when he comes back. And I'm still holding outside hope that Scherbak will get it together when it comes to the non-offensive parts of the game. That would allow him to be in the lineup, and provide secondary offense from there.

Ideally we have 4 lines that come at the opposition relentlessly. But it's really nice that we have 3 coming in waves now.

 

[26Mats]

Could we try Sherbak on the 1st line please? Hudson's lack of speed is killing him out there with those 2.

How awesome is it that we have a free n.1 defensemen about to join this team soon one an already capable D-core? I have a feeling Mete is going to he sent down when he comes back. Juulsen and Ouellet played D on the 5 on 3, which is pretty much max level of coach's confidence, so they're not going anywhere.

Scherbak has to prove he can not turn the puck over, play fast, and win his share of board battles. I'm looking forward to seeing where these aspects of his are at, if'/when he finally gets his chance.

But, I'm one of the few that agree, he could fit really nicely with Domi and Drouin. He had his best moments last year with Galchenyuk and Drouin. He's not at a stage where he can lead a line. But has the offensive tools to play with offensive players.

 

[Man Purse]

man oh man.. those Finns get after it !!

 

[nhlfan9191]

The Niemi save in the second was the turning point in the game just like the Price save was the turning point against Washington. You can say what you want about our goalies bleeding goals behind a terrible defence, they’ve gotten us some points this season despite what their stat sheet might say.

On a side note, I really liked Galchenyuk, but Domi is really making him easy to forget.

 

[Baksfamous112]

As much as I'd love a legit big, great board working 1st liner with the Double Ds I really like what a couple posters suggested about putting Byron with them. Would be one of the fastest lines in the league easily. Could potentially be a nightmare to play against. Byron's offense just seems to get better all the time.

But yeah ideally it's Kakko

By now I think it’s clear we have to let go of the idea of a top 5 pick. I don’t know about you guys but I feel next year Suzuki with Kotkaniemi’s line and Armia with Domi and Drouin could be a very solid line.

Armia took a lot of crap early on from fans but if there’s one thing he good at is puck battles along the boards with filthy hands. I think he could be a good fit with Domi/Drouin.

Right now they are doing great playing with each other and you can see Hudon has no business there and killed way too many plays

Agreed. There were a lot of posters saying we were a bottom 5 team for sure heading into the season. I had us anywhere from bottom 5 to wild card spot. After this start, I'm now saying bottom 10 to possible 3rd seed in the Atlantic. Every season is different and I totally agree with you... there is still too much there for us to be a bad team.

I still think it's middle of the pack strategy and we struggle to get into the 2nd round if we make the playoffs though. This is what concerns me. We need a few more grade A prospects vs trying for the playoffs and anything can happen strategy.

Regardless, it's nice to see our team play very well. Mixed emotions for sure lol

We’re one of the youngest team in the league and we’re still competing hard with whoever they put in front of us. The good news is we will have the assets to make a big splash at the draft (lots of depth/young prospects). I wouldn’t be surprised if we finally pull a quantity for quality trade at the draft for huge name, depending on who’s available.

 

[Rapala]

Gonna leave this right here.

One of the BEST concerts ever...

 

[Rapala]

Jeeez I said the exact same thing in GDT and PGT. You mean I just had to post a Tony Tweet for Likes????

 

[Rapala]

You thought Danault was invisible?

Jeez...tough crowd.

Edit - just read you wrote danault's line....still I thought they were good.

Compared to the line they were matched up against most of the night they were great.

 

[dcyhabs]

Scherbak has to prove he can not turn the puck over, play fast, and win his share of board battles. I'm looking forward to seeing where these aspects of his are at, if'/when he finally gets his chance.

But, I'm one of the few that agree, he could fit really nicely with Domi and Drouin. He had his best moments last year with Galchenyuk and Drouin. He's not at a stage where he can lead a line. But has the offensive tools to play with offensive players.

I thought Scherbak looked good in the AHL, but I didn't watch that much and he doesn't seem to be scoring.

 

[26Mats]

Jeeez I said the exact same thing in GDT and PGT. You mean I just had to post a Tony Tweet for Likes????

I like Juulsen and his developmental trajectory, but he's not all the way there yet. He will have to keep progressing and not be one of those players whose development just stops all of a sudden. He makes mistakes, turns the puck over, gets beat one on one, etc... this is fine as long as he learns from it and solidifies his game. I think he will, but it's far from a sure thing.

 

[40Armia]

Montreal Finn’s

 

[Lshap]

Could we try Sherbak on the 1st line please? Hudson's lack of speed is killing him out there with those 2.

How awesome is it that we have a free n.1 defensemen about to join this team soon one an already capable D-core? I have a feeling Mete is going to he sent down when he comes back. Juulsen and Ouellet played D on the 5 on 3, which is pretty much max level of coach's confidence, so they're not going anywhere.

Unfortunately, Scherbak has shown nothing to prove he's ready for the NHL, let alone the 1st line.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Jeeez I said the exact same thing in GDT and PGT. You mean I just had to post a Tony Tweet for Likes????

It's not about working hard. It's about working smart.

 

[Belial]

Everybody talks about Weber and Byron but I can't wait for Plekanec to come back lol, pretty sure he could do a better job with Shaw and DLO than Peca is doing right now...

Or scratch DLO and go Peca-Plek-Shaw...