Game Analysis: Pregame And Postgame Discussion

[Guest FREDDYBEACH HAB]

I expect huge chnages come Saturday night. As was mentioned above, Saturdays game isn't a must win and a huge shake up may do the trick and bring the lads out of their funk. If we lose you go back to what brought you to the dance for the last game. If I really wanted to shake things up I would start at net and put Halak in, that should wake everyone up. No slight on Price he's the man but everyone can use some help at times. We have 3 centers sitting in the press box now, one of them needs to be used so that Higgins can go to the wing where he belongs, because this isn't the time to try and learn how to be a centre again. We have enough bangers on the ice so I say go with the speed. Grabs in at center Ryder sits and Higgins goes back to the wing where he belongs. I'd also like to see Stewart in for Lats. Lats is a big finesse player he isn't a mucker, why put him in a situation where he can't succeed. Carbs, Muller, and Jarvis have to take some responsibility for this, once again as was mentioned above. Boston has changed it's game we need to do the same. Really only have two choices, we go with all out speed and try and out skate them, or we go as big as possible and try and beat them up as I see it. Something has to change though because what we are doing certainly isn't working.

[Guest bigsby]

Higgins centering the second line is proving to be an abysmal failure. They aren't big enough to consistently establish presence in the offensive zone, and don't seem to have any chemistry. Higgins isn't a good enough playmaker to feed his linemates, Sergei is struggling big-time with penalties, and Ryder is not shooting or even getting himself in a position to shoot. At this point, I do not see how inserting Grabovski and removing Ryder could be anything but an improvement.

sadly, i agree. ryder could not have played worse - when he had the puck he kept getting pushed back into our zone. it was as though the bruins were using him to get their offense going. it was not pretty. so, why not use grabs? maybe he can do something out there...the rbruins won't know his game plan at least.

for the record i'm not saying ryder was the only player who was bad out there, a lot of them were bad: komo, markov, higgins, sergei (man, did he make some bad decisions), pleks, price...all had games to forget and i'm sure i forgot a couple of guys on that list. kovy finally did everything he could to get the game going and his team let him down.

can someone please explain to me what's happening out there? i have faith that this team will find its footing and that these are the moments that build winners but i need something i can work with other than faith. why is this happening? (that's not rhetorical).

edit: i'm also not panicking either. there's no reason for it. we were by far the better team in the first period last night and in the last game...which is why i'm asking: why do we suffer these meltdowns?! i don't get it.

[Guest Innis_Mor]

Well, our power play is still absymal, ....

What I noticed last night was that the synchronization of the dump-in with the wingers giving chase seems to be off. On a good PP, the dump-in is made while the forwards are in full stride at the blueline, allowing them maximum acceleration to regain control of the puck. Currently, the player doing the dump-in hesitates for a fatal second, forcing the rest of the unit to come to a stop to stay on-side, so that when the dump-in actually occurs, they have no momentum to enable them to beat the defenders to the puck.

Correct! And then one time at the blue-line face-off dot on the PP, the Habs won the face-off and proceeded to try to carry the puck across the blueline to keep possession with four Bruins lined up right there!! What a disaster that was! . The players aren't even thinking anymore, and their playing intuition is gone because they are afraid of getting hit, afraid of losing, afraid of making a mistake, just plain afraid. I don't know what the answer is. Well, I do, it's get the forward lines back in synch by getting everyone in their regular position -- there's too much that is "different" from the regular season and the guys aren't comfortable. At this point the team really needs Koivu or Grabovski at centre, and soon.

[Guest Innis_Mor]

I do not see how inserting Grabovski and removing Ryder could be anything but an improvement.

Yup. MiG54 centering the AK's, give Pleks a break at 2nd line centering Higgy (at his proper left wing position!!) and SK74. Done.

[Guest 77Bourque77]

sadly, i agree. ryder could not have played worse - when he had the puck he kept getting pushed back into our zone. it was as though the bruins were using him to get their offense going. it was not pretty. so, why not use grabs? maybe he can do something out there...the rbruins won't know his game plan at least.

for the record i'm not saying ryder was the only player who was bad out there, a lot of them were bad: komo, markov, higgins, sergei (man, did he make some bad decisions), pleks, price...all had games to forget and i'm sure i forgot a couple of guys on that list. kovy finally did everything he could to get the game going and his team let him down.

can someone please explain to me what's happening out there? i have faith that this team will find its footing and that these are the moments that build winners but i need something i can work with other than faith. why is this happening? (that's not rhetorical).

edit: i'm also not panicking either. there's no reason for it. we were by far the better team in the first period last night and in the last game...which is why i'm asking: why do we suffer these meltdowns?! i don't get it.

i feel the same way, and find myself asking the same questions. bruins showed that they werent playing the physical game last night, and what did we do...nothing, we continued (or tried) to play the physical when they players know that is not their style. i really hope somone has stood up in that locker room after that game and let everyone hear it. we arnt playing out game, we arnt smart with the puck and we have lost that killer instict. trying holding onto a 1 goal lead for 40 minutes? did they think they were playing providence out there...i hope the players can get their act together because right now we are lokin like ottawa. players are taking things for granted and hopeing that others will pick up the slack. i would think after last night boston might go back to being physical, or a mix between.

come on boys, lets set things straight and close this thing already....

[Guest Innis_Mor]

i would think after last night boston might go back to being physical, or a mix between.

Yup. Julien will mix things up again on Carbo, as he has since after Game 1.

[Guest bigsby]

i feel the same way, and find myself asking the same questions. bruins showed that they werent playing the physical game last night, and what did we do...nothing, we continued (or tried) to play the physical when they players know that is not their style. i really hope somone has stood up in that locker room after that game and let everyone hear it. we arnt playing out game, we arnt smart with the puck and we have lost that killer instict. trying holding onto a 1 goal lead for 40 minutes? did they think they were playing providence out there...i hope the players can get their act together because right now we are lokin like ottawa. players are taking things for granted and hopeing that others will pick up the slack. i would think after last night boston might go back to being physical, or a mix between.

come on boys, lets set things straight and close this thing already....

i noticed that too. that's why they kept getting beat to the puck. i'm not sure where or when they forgot that possession was the aim of playing physical hockey?!

likewise. man, do we miss koivu out there but a team with this much depth shouldn't fall apart like they did. and let's not forget that we dominated the second half of the last game and the first period last night. why they chose to coast through the last two last night is completely beyond me but it's over and they know better than we do what it'll take to win. they just have to make it happen.

[Guest Innis_Mor]

i noticed that too. that's why they kept getting beat to the puck. i'm not sure where or when they forgot that possession was the aim of playing physical hockey?!

I've been saying this since Game 2. Yet, so many posters just want more/improved "pluggin'" -- "put Stewart in", "get Chips in there", "the guys need to go out and knock the Bruins around"

That's not the hockey that won them 1st place in the Conference.

Julien has got the Habs playin' that hockey now, and his guys are playing Canadiens hockey (skating, getting the puck and scoring).

Signed -- Me of the famous: "Just go get the danged puck" line.

[fourtrax]

At this point, almost all our problems are confidence-related. This isn't the same team that skated and scored circles around the Bruins all year long. They don't believe in themselves so they aren't making the plays. They need to remember who they are, and regain their team identity.

[Guest caperns]

I've been saying this since Game 2. Yet, so many posters just want more/improved "pluggin'" -- "put Stewart in", "get Chips in there", "the guys need to go out and knock the Bruins around"

That's not the hockey that won them 1st place in the Conference.

Julien has got the Habs playin' that hockey now, and his guys are playing Canadiens hockey (skating, getting the puck and scoring).

Signed -- Me of the famous: "Just go get the danged puck" line.

I think your point is spot on. We are spending to much time trying to convince he bruins that we will not be pushed around that we are forgetting what makes us succesful. Most say it is our skating and I belive we are a quick team. But when we have success its the quick movement of the puck.

I think right now we are skating as well as ever but it has become more of a one men show each time someone has the puck. Lets get back to short quick passes and keep the feet moving. Forget about trying to take someones head off let the Bruins worry about that.

Its more about having puck possesion than it is about taking the body and we have to find that game again.

[Guest Innis_Mor]

I think your point is spot on. We are spending to much time trying to convince he bruins that we will not be pushed around that we are forgetting what makes us succesful. Most say it is our skating and I belive we are a quick team. But when we have success its the quick movement of the puck.

I think right now we are skating as well as ever but it has become more of a one men show each time someone has the puck. Lets get back to short quick passes and keep the feet moving. Forget about trying to take someones head off let the Bruins worry about that.

Its more about having puck possession than it is about taking the body and we have to find that game again.

Yeah, Kovalev was pretty much on the point yesterday, saying their intuition and timing was off. One of these days it will be back (hopefully by Game 6 or 7) and then we'll have a 5-6 goal Habs game.

I think your intuition and timing can go off (in part) when you are overly concerned about hitting and getting hit. If the Habs get their minds back to playing their game (skating, getting the puck, and moving the puck quickly), then their game will follow.

[Guest habfanforlife_85]

Koivu and Bouillon in Tonight!!!!!!!!!

HUGE boost for the habs!!!!!!!

http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/250169.html

[Guest bigsby]

At this point, almost all our problems are confidence-related. This isn't the same team that skated and scored circles around the Bruins all year long. They don't believe in themselves so they aren't making the plays. They need to remember who they are, and regain their team identity.

qft. i think that's been their main problem when they've played poorly. boston and julien are not that good. but a sweet confidence boost is on the way (see below)

Koivu and Bouillon in Tonight!!!!!!!!!

HUGE boost for the habs!!!!!!!

http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/250169.html

WOOOHOOOOO! you made my day by posting that link

[amp73]

If the boys play on Staurday like they have the last 4 games , see you all at the Bell Centre Monday night

If not for Price this series would have been won by Boston already

Bell Centre here we come .

Tiem for Price to step up and steal a game

Not looking good

They are getting beaten to the puck , out muscled in the corners and look afraid ( see Andre K )

[Guest thefooligan5]

Bell Centre here we come .

Tiem for Price to step up and steal a game

Not looking good

They are getting beaten to the puck , out muscled in the corners and look afraid ( see Andre K )

Tell me though Regis, What are the benfits of Price stealing game seven? He's already done that in this series and yet the rest of the team remains anemic. Sure, having Price steal the next game and thus enabling the habs to move to the next round would look good on paper, but both you and I know that if the habs continue playing the way they have been (and after 6 games of a 7 game series we have not seen any change in the boys) they are going to get smoked in the second round. So as much as I would like to see the habs advance, I just don't think they have it in them to win a second series. UNLESS, carbo and the boys decide to make a change, but as I already said, we are 6 games into a 7 game series and we have seen very little from the habs except for the final minutes of tonight's game. But you aren'tgoing to win the cup with last ditch efforts. You have to come to play from the opening puck drop.

[Guest habsfan#08]

At this point, almost all our problems are confidence-related. This isn't the same team that skated and scored circles around the Bruins all year long. They don't believe in themselves so they aren't making the plays. They need to remember who they are, and regain their team identity.

Maybe this IS who they are..... :unsure:

[Guest thefooligan5]

Maybe this IS who they are..... :unsure:

I'd say at present, that may be the case. But you should remember that a lot of these guys are still defining themselves inthis league. So although they are having a tough go this post-season, it can all be filed as lessons learned and these young guys will come back next season wiser and with more drive come playoff time.

[Guest ComeBackStanley]

I'd say at present, that may be the case. But you should remember that a lot of these guys are still defining themselves inthis league. So although they are having a tough go this post-season, it can all be filed as lessons learned and these young guys will come back next season wiser and with more drive come playoff time.

When did we become last years habs? (though really they were pretty good untill christmas break). But yes, hopefully this will just make them even better for next year. I do believe we can win game 7 and i hope they do. I think part of the problem is relying on price a little too much. Sure he's a good goalie bu you can't have him play the game alone. And no more boston breakaways. BAD! lol. annnnnddd keep the puck out and bring it into bosons zone...yes...easier said then done...cause i can't skate lol But...i believe we will win game 7. we must...i just want to go through round 1 lol.

[Guest Onzeee]

Big trouble

posted by Mike Boone at 14h14 EST on Apr 19

Canadiens come home reeling in a series they led 3-1.

The Bruins scored four – FOUR! – third period goals to even the series and force Game 7 Monday night.

If there are ghosts in the Bell Centre, they'd better suit up because Boston has taken control of this series.

Canadiens tried. Saku Koivu played well in his return, Christopher Higgins scored twice, Francis Bouillon got one.

Tomas Plekanec played his heart out and scored Canadiens' second goal.

But the team in white blew leads of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2. As was the case in Game 5, Canadiens couldn't seal the deal.

Don't blame Carey Price for this debacle. Canadiens defensive zone play was pathetic in the third period. Marco Sturm scored the winner after an extended period of territorial domination, which began with Alex Kovalev's failure to clear the zone.

Kovalev and Andrei Kostitsyn were minus-3 on the game. Brutal.

The Canadiens' leading scorer was invisible tonight ... and unless Kovalev shows up Monday ...

[Guest hablover]

our D is brutal

our 1st line is brutal

our PP is brutal

our hustle is brutal

our breaking out of the zone is brutal

our passing is brutal

our forcheck is brutal

we are blowing numerous opportunities to get the puck out (which ended up costing us)

[Guest minikostitsyn]

The Canadiens' leading scorer was invisible tonight ... and unless Kovalev shows up Monday ...

kovy revenge!he will play his best monday!!!just watch!i belive!

[Guest Snal]

Must be willing to take the hit to make the play, this is not happening, defensemen allowing the Boston forwards to the puck first, geoges pushed off the puck way to easy in Habs end. Skating is lost, Power play is non-existant?

Where has all the Europeans gone?

[Guest Grabovsky's friend]

Everybody only hopes on Kovalev or Price or ASAP Saku return. We can over with Boston (objectively the weak rival) rely upon only these factors. So then what?!

What's happened (IMO):

1) Kovalev had another BAD play in series (It's obvious he's very very tied physically and morale)

2) Price was good, but didn't save Habs (It was fondly hoped that this very young talented (no playoff experience) goalkeeper could save Habs each next game)

3) Thanks God, Koivu returned. But IT WASN'T ENOUGH to win

I think Habs had good luck with 4-5. They could get 1-5. All scores except 1-st (Higgins) were due to B's accident (Bouillon) or rudest B's mistakes (Pleks, 2-nd Higgins). B's goals were all deserved due to hard work and grit.

Carbo must COACH (change something). Boston has already got accustomed and knows how to play and win TODAY’S Habs. Carbo has to:

1) shake up and kindle players’ passion (while Koivu is absent, and Kovalev can't do it instead)

2) of cause change lineup, mix players, insert new power – talented rookies, wishing to prove and be able to be great . I don’t mean Grabs (Misha of couse able!!!!!, but Carbo never give him a chance). Why not try to insert Stewart, Chipchura or somebody else? It is necessary to make unexpected reshuffles and changes to Boston.

I didn't see COACHING: NO shake up and kindle players’ passion. Only thanks to GREAT HABS' Saku Koivu we have perfect line play of Higgins - Koivu - Sergey. (note: what do you think what would be if Carbo insert Grabs (somewhat like Saku) to this line after 1-2 series games when Koivu was out? We would finished with Bruins in 5-th or 6-th game.)

We didn't see Stewart, Chipchura (Grabs is far from Habs and Playoff) or somebody else and Boston knew how to play and win Habs.

Carbo doesn’t have enough experience OR may by enough courage? But he still could risk, we have 1 handicap game. If this will take us nowhere in 6 game, could turn back in 7 and win at home. If it will just great in 6, we have a chance to strength play and to face the future (raund 2 vs Rangers/Flyers)

Now Carbo can't risk with reshuffles and changes. Now PLAYERS must win the 7 game in spite of Boston is "on-the-run" after strong-willed Sat. win.

It will be very difficult...

I hope A LOT on Koivu as captain, who can shake up the Team.

P.S. It's pleasant to watch Capitals struggling with Flyers. Look at Ovechkin (as small Backctom, veteran Fedorov and others). He (they) is fighting as if it's his last game in the life. While Caps got to playoff hardly last moment and few people expected (-ing) them winning the Cup and even get the 2-nd round.

And Ovechkin is already super-star and has "unclouded" future and not need to prove anything...

[Guest Grabovsky's friend]

I think your point is spot on. We are spending to much time trying to convince he bruins that we will not be pushed around that we are forgetting what makes us succesful. Most say it is our skating and I belive we are a quick team. But when we have success its the quick movement of the puck.

I absolutely agree. We are very worried about physical play and one more - FACEOFFS. We didn't think about importance of speed, creative, clever pass play. Therefore Grabs (for example) was out by Carbo before playoffs started. Yes, Misha was not good in circle and not big player. Carbo did not need Grabs .

And what we have now: physical play and good in faceoffs (look at stats last game - 60 %!!!)... and... 7-th game...

[Guest old-time Habs fan]

our D is brutal

our 1st line is brutal

our PP is brutal

our hustle is brutal

our breaking out of the zone is brutal

our passing is brutal

our forcheck is brutal

we are blowing numerous opportunities to get the puck out (which ended up costing us)

Really? Methinks that the BRUINS are BRUTAL!