Round 1, Game 1: Boston @ Montreal | Apr. 10 2008 | Final: 4-1 Habs

[Guest olddude]

i have a bad feeling to

I have no doubt that Boston needs very much, to make a statement in game 1 and will be comming at us flat out. So the boys need to bring their A game for the full 60, which I believe they will. I would love to be at the Bell Center tonight, the atmosphere will be amazing. If that doesn't pump the Habs up, nothing will. I think Kovy will enjoy it and I can't wait to see his response.

[Guest Greek Hab]

RDS or CBC...I'm in a dilemma.

[Guest keithman]

I hope the habs make a statement tonight.

[Guest Waiting for Cup 25]

RDS or CBC...I'm in a dilemma.

Lucky you. For me, it's CJAD.com, nhl.com audio (which is the CJAD feed), or XM204 (which is also the CJAD feed). I'll live though.

[Guest captainjack22]

RDS or CBC...I'm in a dilemma.

I cant speak a lick of french and I'll probably be watching it on RDS, I love the announcers on there, even though I cant understand one word they are saying I can pretty much determine what they are saying just from watching the habs so much.

Ya cant beat when montreal scores and the announcer screams every time like we just scored the ot winner or something, cant wait to hear the ol' al a booooooooouuu!!! or what ever it is.

Go habs GO!!!!!!

[Guest habs_fan1160]

My sweet husband is a Habs fan .... JUST SHOOT ME

Well then I can see why you married him.

[Guest kinot1]

"Oh man, I have 7 hours and 45 minutes of work to go through, and then a 30 minute commute home. Darn, darn, darn. I wish the game was starting NOW! "

If it started now,,,,you would be working

[Guest WindsorHab#10]

i have a bad feeling to

Hey guys, this is the first game of the playoffs so please no negative posts or thoughts. Cheer on the team and GO HABS GO!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest habs_fan1160]

Hey guys, this is the first game of the playoffs so please no negative posts or thoughts. Cheer on the team and GO HABS GO!!!!!!!!!!

I agree. I don't have bad feelings so much as I'm nervous/anxious to get this going. Only 8.5 more hours!!

[Guest sanman]

I'm VERY JEALOUS for my fellow HABS fan's that live in Montreal. Apparantly the city is buzzing and here I am in Laugh land hearing about the Jays and Raptors.

Sounds like the city has emraced our team and so now it's just up to the boys to execute.

from all the quotes - Carbo, Kovy, Komisarek - everyone has said it's a new season and no one is taking Boston lightly. Carbo even said he expect everyone on the B's to play even Bergeron so you know he's expecting a full court press (oh my, all the basketball hype around here is permeating into my speech!).

I think this could be close game but we will win.

GO HABS GO THE DRIVE FOR 25 IS ALIVE!!!!

[Guest Greek Hab]

^^^^^

Team990.com

It will help ease the pain immensely!

[Guest habs_fan1160]

I'm VERY JEALOUS for my fellow HABS fan's that live in Montreal. Apparantly the city is buzzing and here I am in Laugh land hearing about the Jays and Raptors.

They finally stopped talking about the Leafs in Toronto? lol.What makes me nervous is how many times we've beaten boston out when they were in first and we were in 8th...I hope no tables are going to turn here.

[Guest moe181]

ahhhhhhh

8 hours and 13 minutes till game time.

I've never been so anxious before.

GO HABS GO!

[Guest habtalk]

Despite our stellar 8-0 record vs Boston this year, don't expect this game or this series to be easy. The Bruins have some injured guys coming back into the lineup ... and they'll be looking to erase the memory of the Habs owning them this season.

That said, the Habs are younger, faster, and more talented. Let's hope they light up Tim Thomas like Gordie Howe's birthday cake!

[Guest Bruin Fan 4]

Well then I can see why you married him.

wow, good one Habs_fan1160 ... I suppose this works both ways ! He's just so thankful I'm not a Leaf fan ...

all together now "da da da da da, da da da da da ...."

[GIJAYNE]

Here is my thought on the wide spread fear about Boston coming out hard, with everything they have, and beating us when it counts.

Our last two games against each other came at a critical time when Boston was trying to hold on to a playoff spot. They played desperation hockey knowing they had to take the two points, and undoubtedly their last two games against us were their best.

However, that is as good as they get...period. If anything, they will play even more reserved in the playoffs, trying to limit our offensive chances. They will try and fore-check, but will fall back immediately when we make the first pass to 3/4 way out of our zone. This is Julien's style, and this has been the Bruins all year. They score a one or two and try and shut down the other team. I don't see them changing this style at this point in the game, since they simply do not have the offensive fire power to compete in an open ice match against us.

So all this to say, Boston will play a defensive game, but will try and fore-check hard and fast. Our success in the early stages of the period (which will outline the remainder of the series) will be based on our transition play. Our tr5ansition play has been our weak link, and as any coach worth half his salt would do, Julien will try and attack that within the perimeters of his game.

If we can counter it in the early stages in the game, and then in spurts as Boston gains momentum, we will have our selves an easy (relativelly speaking by post-season standards) win, and an easy series. With Carey Price playing confidently behind the net and making key passes to help our transition play play out smooths as silk (as has been the case late in the season), this early "danger" should be mitigated fairly quickly and efficiently.

And once Boston falls back and tries to contain us, it's like shooting fish in a barrel.

[Guest Greek Hab]

Lines for today(team990)

Andrei - Plekanec - Kovalev

Sergei - Higgins - Ryder

Begin - Smolinski - Kostopoulos

Latendresse - Lapirre - Dandenault

Markov - Komisarek

Hamrlik - Brisebois

Streit - Gorges

O'Byrne is out???

[Guest ryanrdt]

Tonights lineup

Andre, Pleks, Kovy

Higgins, Sergei, Ryder

Begin, Smokes, Kousto

Dandi, Lapierre, Latendresse

Markov, Komi

Hammer, Brisebois

Streit, Gorges

Price

according to team 990

[Guest BeginTheMan]

Why the heck is O'Byrne out? This is crazy!

[Guest Greek Hab]

Why the heck is O'Byrne out? This is crazy!

Because Briebois has playoff experience.

[Guest captainjack22]

I just saw our lines for tonite, well our practice lines anyways, and I like what I see, except for the fact that Koivu wasn't in there, but we have to move past that, he'll be back eventually. Ya gotta love our first line of course, they will be hounded by the bruins checkers but hopefully they can draw some penalties and our powerplay can get to work early. I think our second line is still a bit scetchy but if Higgins, S. Kost., and Ryder can pull it together then they can be a very good line for us, maybe get a few goals through out the series, and our third line I think can bang and crash with any line the bruins have and thats Dandy, Lapierre, and lats, although I still not a big fan of Lats, and our fourth line of Begin, Kostopolous and Smokes has come around to be a decent checking line, and can score the odd goal. Komiserik is goin to be back with Markov, Obyrne and Hamrlik and Brisbois and Georges, I wish Boulion was back there with georges but soon enough I supose.

And then our boy Price will be manning the net, like they say this guy doesn't get nervous( I find that a lil' hard to believe) but Im sure he will fight through the pressure, they say its his first NHL playoffs and I understand that but the boy has been the playoffs before, as young boy, in the juniors, in international hockey and the AHL so I think this first NHL playoffs is a lil' overrated.

Anyways I hope the habs play like thay have in the last few weeks(or months for that matter) and take it to the B's, come on boys I believe in ya's, make us proud.

Go habs Go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest HabSteve]

I'd have prefered O'Byrne's physical presence over Brisebois "experience" but we'll see how that goes, maybe he didn't want to see a nervous O'Byrne and might play him in Boston, the good news is to see Komisarek back in the lineup, altought you just know that Boston will have him in their target.

GO HABS GO!!!!!!!!

[Guest QbGamer]

K what am i missing here,

Why who when where Did gorges get injured?

[ColRouleBleu]

I think it's a good idea to go with experience over youth for the 1st game ... lets minimize the risks of being over excited, specially on D

Habs Loving Dag: great post! just one little thing though, I'd rather have Price play in front of the net than behind it and I particularly like your last line !

[Guest Greek Hab]

I'd have prefered O'Byrne's physical presence over Brisebois "experience" but we'll see how that goes, maybe he didn't want to see a nervous O'Byrne and might play him in Boston, the good news is to see Komisarek back in the lineup, altought you just know that Boston will have him in their target.

GO HABS GO!!!!!!!!

Honestly, Briebois has been playing well as of late. As long as he doesn't abandon his position and is too aggresive with the puck, I think he'll do well.

What we lose from O'Byrne's physical presence, we gain faster puck movement from Patrice.