With an elite goalie, should the Habs try and win 5-4 or 2-1?

[Spearmint Rhino]

I got to meet the king of out-scoring the other team goalies a couple of weekends ago, Grant Fuhr, made the save when he needed to but otherwise run and gun the other way

We are just missing Gretzky, Messier, Kurri...

 

[Cobra Commander]

I don't enjoy defensive hockey, it is boring, give me run and gun full on offense. The best defense is a great offense, blow the other team right out of the water.

 

[Et le But]

Brodeur is a different era.. the trap era and yes there's an obvious exception when you also have two of the best defenseman to ever play the game with you.

Roy was on great offensive teams in Colorado and the 93 run they had good timely offense.

The 93 Habs were not exactly a firewagon hockey team and were middle of the road offensively that year, but had a ton of offensive depth. They had four 30+ goal scorers and four defensemen with over 10 a piece; they were 9th in goals for and 7th in goals against, a much more balanced formula than what we have seen since.

 

[nhlfan9191]

I don't enjoy defensive hockey, it is boring, give me run and gun full on offense. The best defense is a great offense, blow the other team right out of the water.

If they aren’t going to be serious about building a contender, they may as well give us a pop shot offence so the games atleast have sort of entertainment value.

 

[Price is Wright]

The 93 Habs were not exactly a firewagon hockey team and were middle of the road offensively that year, but had a ton of offensive depth. They had four 30+ goal scorers and four defensemen with over 10 a piece; they were 9th in goals for and 7th in goals against, a much more balanced formula than what we have seen since.

Technically, this is true. But around March 1st, 1993, Montreal was third in the league in scoring with 270 goals (1o goals less than 1st place Detroit, 2 goals behind 2nd place Buffalo) but they just had an abysmal final 19 games. Montreal was the first team in the league to 40 wins in 92-93. They just finished poorly, which is why history thinks of them as some middle road team who was carried by Patrick Roy heroics.

You're definitely right about the defencemen. The most successful teams had defence who could score goals (The Capitals were insane that season with Hatcher, Iafrate, and Cote) and it was a strength for the Kings as well, a part of why they made the final that year too.

 

[beowulf]

They should simply try and win, no matter the score. Likely going to be another very hard year with few W.

 

[Laurentide]

LA was built around Kopitar/Doughty.

Exactly. Quick didn't become a thing until he had that first good playoff run, just like the 86 Habs weren't built around Roy, who wasn't even their #1 goalie during that season. He just blossomed in the playoffs and history was made. He only became a centerpiece after that run.

The Kings won because they were huge, were very good down the middle, had an elite scorer in Kopitar, and had an elite first pairing defenseman in Doughty. The Habs don't win because they are undersized, no good down the middle and lack an elite scorer. Having an elite defenseman in Weber and an elite goalie in Price doesn't compensate for those other deficiencies.

 

[Laurentide]

Technically, this is true. But around March 1st, 1993, Montreal was third in the league in scoring with 270 goals (1o goals less than 1st place Detroit, 2 goals behind 2nd place Buffalo) but they just had an abysmal final 19 games. Montreal was the first team in the league to 40 wins in 92-93. They just finished poorly, which is why history thinks of them as some middle road team who was carried by Patrick Roy heroics.

You're definitely right about the defencemen. The most successful teams had defence who could score goals (The Capitals were insane that season with Hatcher, Iafrate, and Cote) and it was a strength for the Kings as well, a part of why they made the final that year too.

Again and as I pointed out elsewhere, the 93 Habs also benefitted from good playoff match-up's after the first round. They got to play Buffalo instead of Boston and the Isles instead of the Pens. Without those favourable match-up's they probably fall short in 93.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

If you think your goalie is better than theirs.. then you need to put pressure on that, create an open game trading chances.

A defensive system should be used to insulate a bad goalie.

That's what I'd do. Run and gun. Let your goalie carry the load and try to score.