Two Games Remain
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The Habs will finish no worse than 2nd in the Eastern Conference.
How important is it to reach 1st in the Conference?
Do you rest your men, knowing that the real battle begins April 9th?
Or, do you go all out to win the regular season Conference title? Guaranteed home ice being the only real spoils it comes with, other than meaningless bragging rights.
The Sabres will be ready to play, their playoff hopes depending on it. The Habs, coast through or go after the crown?
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April 3rd, 2008 at 2:30 pm
As of today were going for it stated Carbo… Straight out loss makes the game against the laffs is insubstantial… other than bragging rights, it’s Big only to those playing they’re last game of the season trying to find a roster spot next year… mostly for our opponent and could equal avoidable injuries or an exclaimation point to a brilliant season for the Habs. Take your pick…
April 3rd, 2008 at 2:35 pm
look at this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNXYkSGF3uw
April 3rd, 2008 at 3:07 pm
This video says it all:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSmzujGIr8o
April 3rd, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Hey Ice man, the second video is mine. MONTREAL CANADIENS 2007-2008 PREVIEW. I actually thought I did a bad job on the video, but I made someone cry and I made someone get shivers that it was so good.
April 3rd, 2008 at 3:35 pm
STUO11, your video is excellent. Since you introduced us in this blog, I watched many times. You chose the magic background music: Fix You !!!
Good job!!!
April 3rd, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Laying back with second overall secure seems a logical thing to do with several players being beat up and the playoffs just around the corner. On the other hand…
You don’t want to sit back and lose your focus and/or your motivation with the playoffs just around the corner. After all, no one can predict injuries. They are part of the game, and they could occur in Game 1 of the first round just as easily as they could in games 81 or 82 of the regular season. And wouldn’t it just suck to rest key players now only to come out flat in Round 1 as a result?
So I say go for it. And the Habs appear to agree according to what I’ve been reading.
April 3rd, 2008 at 4:28 pm
And I’d add that it doesn’t even matter if they come up short in their effort to catch Pittsburgh for first overall. What matters is the effort, the focus, the motivation, the hunger.
April 3rd, 2008 at 4:39 pm
I really liked the video. makes me proud to be a habs fan. It’s been a while since this team was considered as 1 of the elite teams, at the top of the heap. I hope we go beyond the 1st round. just not ready for an early exit. I can wait till June 1st!
April 3rd, 2008 at 4:47 pm
If we win tonight, the game on Saturday would be huge, and I read that Raycroft will be in nets on Saturday. Leafs are excited about eliminating sens from the playoffs. I guess they think of it as their stanley cup. what a bunch of losers!
April 3rd, 2008 at 4:54 pm
They should try and win the conference title to the best of their abilities. The reason is the #1 seed in the east will have home-ice advantage through to the Cup final, granted that they get there. If Montreal wins the conference title, they will have home-ice advantage through to the final. They should try and win it. Go Habs Go!!
Ziman
April 3rd, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Well boys here it is………Pit wins their last game the race is over, if they don’t have us with points, they got us with wins.
Pit loses in regulation, 3 points in our last 2 games will give us the conference crown.
Pit loses in OT, we need 2 wins in the last 2.
So it really depends on what Pit does Sun night with Philly, but it would be good to take the 4 points the next 2 games are offering anyways…we lose tonight, the race is also over. GO HABS GO !!!
April 3rd, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Can`t believe the Sens face elimination!! Wow!!!!
The Buf/Toronto shootout was cool……Raycroft had an easy time compared to Miller,but still blew it…..
Leafs will be up for Saturday night….they always play their best against the Habs and the Leaf nation of losers will hit the streets with a pre-cup parade if they win!!!(It is truly a joke to be around Leaf fans)
Who will the Habs face after this weekend???
GO HABS GO!!
April 3rd, 2008 at 5:54 pm
actually, if the sens lose tonight in regulation, there’s still a chance they could get in, but would need help from other teams. so, for tonight,because I really want to see the sens blow up, go laffs go!
April 3rd, 2008 at 6:06 pm
Unlike many Sens fans, I want the Sens in the playoffs. It’s bad for hockey when only one or two of the Canadian franchises actually compete in the playoffs.
I have a feeling that Philly will take Pittsburgh in their final game. It’s just a feeling though.
April 3rd, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Ice man…don’t scare me like that..i thought it was going to say..HABMAN predicts Stanley cup!…if we stay off the injury board..it will come true!
Not like my pathetic ‘big mouth’ last game calling for an Ottawa win….I need to get it from you guyz for that…Im coasting in from here..lets enjoy this and have fun..we have waited long enough…I have my Hieniken mini keg, yes im drinking it now..and im not gonna get all,
mushy any more!..lol
April 3rd, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Oh yes..i hope my Washington prediction come true…PLEASE!
April 3rd, 2008 at 6:23 pm
ICE MAN..thats one hell of a video you turned me on to there..GOOd..f–ck it “GREAT CALL!!!!!!
April 3rd, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Thank guyz, for making me watch that video and shed a tear!..yes i did !, don’t even go there with that!…Just one request…PLEASE MR.KOIVU, freeze your foot, and just “sit’ on the bench..we all will “ALL” be there for you…you made the team, you won our hearts..don’t walk away on us now!!!!
Captains sink with the ship!..and we aint sinking anywhere!
April 3rd, 2008 at 6:39 pm
All my Hab friends, ive met , weather trough animosity or arrogance(like mine..lol) ..bless all and their families, we are in a free country..and we are lucky to be HAB FANS!!!!!
April 3rd, 2008 at 7:05 pm
Well as much as I hate to see anyone get injuried in the last two games, I think we have to at least try to win the last two games. We have brought up a couple of guys from Hamilton and the injured guys are staying out of the game, so I say lets go for it tonight, if we loose then give a few of the boys a rest on Saturday.
I do think it is important to be playing well going into the playoffs. Losing two in a row is not a good confidence boaster. That’s what I think anyway and does it really matter, they are going to do what they are going to do regardless of what I or anyone else thinks.
April 3rd, 2008 at 7:08 pm
I still say that I would rather see Ottawa in the playoff than Washington especially if Washington ends up in 7th or 8th place. I am telling you guys theres a team I do not want to play in the first round at least not until we are healthy. Besides as much as I am a habs fan I am also a Canadian and I like to see as many Canadian teams in the playoff as possible. I am tired of seeing the cup go south of the border every year.
April 3rd, 2008 at 7:37 pm
In the last Blog a lot of you guys were running down sid the kid, well I for one would take him on my team anytime. I guess many of you do not remember Gretzky in his younger days, he wined too and he had someone looking after him whereas Crosby takes a lot of abuse because of his talent and no enforcer to stop the other team from taking runs at him. Malkin is starting to get that same abuse the only difference is he is a little tougher than Crosby. I for one would take Crosby on my team any day. The problem with these yound guys like Crosby is they come into the league on the weakest team and they have no mentors to take them under their wing and say listen if you wine everytime someone touches you the Refs are going to let a lot more go because of the wining. Unfortunately for Crobsy, that has been his problem, and Malkin has had a easy ride coming on the team where all the other teams concentrate on checking Crosby. When Crosby went down to the injury Malkin had to step up and he did but initially the other teams were caught off guard with Malkin. In the last 10 games or so Malkin has had more to deal with. Now he is tougher than Crosby but in the long run I will take Crosby over Malkin to build a team around. One knows what the Cup means and the other still has to learn what it means because he is not Canadian.
April 3rd, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Stuo11, great job on that video.
April 3rd, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Im gonna puke watching MSG do a game on Montreal…Harry Neil, who ,in my opinion, hates Mont. and the bias reporting on the two makes me PUKE!!!
I cant believe that a turn coat like Harry Niel would cheer for Buffalo, not that I don’t like the Sabres, but its a mistake when MONT scores!..f–in JOKE!!!!
April 3rd, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Sid the who?// and who ran him down??/,,im OVECHKIN
April 3rd, 2008 at 8:33 pm
Neale doesn’t have a bias toward Toronto. He has both good and bad things to say about all teams. And to his credit, he said that Montreal is the best hockey city, the best hockey environment in the world.
No, I can think of a lot worse than Harry Neale when it comes to CBC coverage.
On another note, Miller and McGuire were talking about the Leafs-Sens match-up during last night’s Pens-Flyers games, and McGuire said how that game would be Toronto’s ‘Stanley Cup’. To which Miller replied, ‘Well, they’re certainly not going to get the other one.’ They laughed, I laughed, everyone laughed. It was fun.
April 3rd, 2008 at 8:36 pm
I respect your analysis of the Crosby situation, Senet 1, but I still can’t stand him. He’s a prima donna, an absolute *****. Malkin has taken his fair share of abuse as well. Believe me, I’ve watched. The only difference is that Malkin doesn’t cry or scream foul when it happens to him. He gets up, skates it off and plays… like a man.
April 3rd, 2008 at 9:11 pm
I am not saying Malkin doesn’t do what he does he is great, and I can respect the fact the you dislike Crobsy because of his temperment but if I am going to pick a player to build a team around it is going to be a Canadian Super star because he understands what the Stanley Cup means, there are very few superstars from Europe who really understand this. Malkin and OVECHKIN are both great players with great skill but I will take the canadian boy every time. If the habs don’t win the conference playoffs and Pittsburgh does my money is on Crosby leading the way.
April 3rd, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Sometimes because we overlook ones personallity trates as being prima dona, but you get Crobsy off the ice and it is not I, I, I, it is we we we. He is a team player and he is pastionate about his team and the game. Most superstars take a lot of abuse and Crosby has been taking it every since he was a kid in minor hockey much like Gretzky did. So he may wine a little because he gets roughed up but it does not affect his game that is what makes him great.
April 3rd, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Crosby’s got the wrong coaches,the Habs would make a true superstar out of him!
April 3rd, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Harry Neil has never been a favourite of mine, he does show a lot of bias against Montreal when they are playing Toronto mainly because he coached in Detroit back when Montreal always cleaned their clock. I only agree with about 40% of what he says, however, I will admit once in a while he will say something nice about Montreal in order to appease us habs fans.
April 3rd, 2008 at 9:26 pm
Riddle me this:
Why does Pittsburgh with Crosby out of the line-up and Malkin leading them?
And why is Pittsburgh’s goals for average 2.58 with Crosby in the line-up and 3.5 with him out of it and Malkin leading the charge?
That being said, I do understant the ‘Canadian Factor’ as it is always required to win a championship.
Anyway, the Sens are destroying Toronto right now, 5-1, but Alfredsson and Fisher have left the game with injuries. I didn’t see the Fisher injury as I was watching the Blue Jays blow another lead when it happened, but the Alfredsson injury was a result of a shoulder to head shot by Bell. A nasty one too.
April 3rd, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Xtrahabsfan you are correct there and that was exactly my point, he came into the league without any mentors and the Pittsburgh coaches never took him aside and expressed their disatisfaction with his wining. Had he been in Montreal one of the coaches or the team captain would have tuned him in when he first broke into the league. What did Pittsburgh do they made him their captain too early in his career.
April 3rd, 2008 at 9:27 pm
The first part of the riddle should have read…
Why does Pittsburgh have a better winning percentage when Crosy is out and Malkin is leading?
April 3rd, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Well the goals against average is rather obvious, then crosby was in the lineup the team did not have to play as defensive.
April 3rd, 2008 at 9:32 pm
I don’t think it had anything to do with Malkin leading the coaching staff forced them to play a better defensive game, this was something that had to do and mose team always start to playing a more defensive game in the second half than the do in the first. The successful ones usually improve in the standings and start winning more games. I think you are attempting to analyze something that has nothing to do with either Crobsy or Malkin leading the team.
April 3rd, 2008 at 9:35 pm
You have to remember one other thing, one player does not a team make, and it does not matter whether it is Crobsy or Malkin. Pittsburgh would have had to tighten up their defensive play eventually anyway.
April 3rd, 2008 at 9:38 pm
Our habs are a prime example, when we started playing a better defensive game we started winning more consistently. Our goals against average has improved, our penalty killing has improved and our team has improved.
April 3rd, 2008 at 9:48 pm
Goals for average, Senet 1.
8-2, Ottawa.
April 3rd, 2008 at 9:49 pm
Meaning that they’ve been a better offensive team, by nearly a goal per game, with Malkin leading and Crosby out altogether.
April 3rd, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Speaking of our Habs, Wooooooooooooooo-hoooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!
Buh-bye, Buffalo.
April 3rd, 2008 at 9:56 pm
WOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
April 3rd, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Well look at Montreal since we tighten our defense we have actually improved our offense and lead the league in goals for, one last comment, Malkin was raised in Russia where it is not exactly the place where you express your opinion. I don’t think you are going to convince anyone the Pittsburgh is a better offensive team without Crobsy. Lets just face it you do not like him, but you can put him on my team anytime. Good topic though while we were wait for our habs to finish off the sabres.
April 3rd, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Well it looks like we will have to try and beat the leafs on sat. I thought the sabres played a pretty chippy game tonight. Poor Hamrlik was getting cross checking in the back all night. And was that our friend brisecrap that took the penalty that put us down 5-3 on the sabre power play and cost Price his shutout.
April 3rd, 2008 at 10:35 pm
Just know that this is all meant as healthy discussion, Senet 1.
Havind said that, just about everyone I talk to in Pittsburgh feels that Malkin has made them a better offensive club thsi season. And the numbers I posted don’t lie. In fact, they voted Malkin team MVP before their last game.
As to THIS Habs team, I think that Malkin would be a better fit than Crosby. And it’s somehting that might–I emphasize ‘might’–actually be possible, whereas the Penguins have locked up Crosby, likely for his career. Ask Lemieux. So it’s best to concentrate on the maybes rather than the nevergoingtohappens.
Wanna hear something hilarious? Now, the talk in Toronto is that the Leafs are playing to lose for draft positioning. What a mind-boggling train wreck that organization is.
April 3rd, 2008 at 10:37 pm
The Habs have either lead the league in goals for or have been right up there for most of the season. Even before they tightened up defensively.
April 3rd, 2008 at 11:35 pm
Ottawa’s win was costly. Alfreddson injured, out at least 1 week or more, and Fisher also injured. life is good!
April 3rd, 2008 at 11:57 pm
Bad Karma …
April 4th, 2008 at 2:00 am
..great video
April 4th, 2008 at 6:22 am
yea guys that MONTREAL CANADIENS 2007-2008 PREVIEW is my video lol.(STUO11)
April 4th, 2008 at 8:42 am
Thank you STUO11
April 4th, 2008 at 11:38 am
awesome video STUO11!!
April 4th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Woooooooooooooooooooooooooo Hoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
April 4th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
Is anyone else a little worried now that the Capitals have a playoff spot?
Not sure if as many of you recall as i do how Ovechkin single handedly embarrased us is a four goal affair?
Or that Cristobal Huet would love nothing more than to steal a series from us?
It will be interesting to see who will grab that last seed in the East, I have a feeling that Washington will actually finsih with the third seed beating out the Canes for the win of their division, which would drop Carolina to eighth place and possibly missing the playoffs all together.
Obviously the best case scenario is to face Boston in the first round as we are undefeated against the Bruins all year long. However facing Carolina would be a well deserved pay back to them for stealing the series against us two years ago with their rookie phenom goalie Cam Ward. This time around we have our own young phenom goalie in Carey Price, whom looks like every much of a long term winner to me.
Alfredson is now done with the Sens which just cements their odds of either missing the playoffs or bowing out very early. Look for the Penguins and Devils (if Brodeur plays his best) to be other contenders in the East.
The unfortunate part of Montreal’s wonderful season is that even if they get all the way to the Stanley Cup Final (which in itself would be an amazing feat) it is going to be extremely difficult to be the West to win the cup. With teams like Detroit, San Jose, Minnesota, Anaheim, Dallas, Colorado and even Calgary…it goes to show how much stronger the West is than the East….and really the Eastern Conference is wide open…any team could reach the final, which makes Montreal’s odds that much better to be the fourth Canadian team in as many years to reach the Stanley Cup Final
April 4th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
This song will be played in Montreal in June 2008.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCdwARaak1w
April 4th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
I’m not really worried that the Caps are in. If we’d play them then the habs would win in 6 games, I t would just be a longer first round that’s all. Their best player is a rookie, yes he’s the man, but If montreal’s D plays really good on Ovechkin, the capitals won’t even end up scoring more than 1 goal a game.
April 4th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Washington, Washington, Washington…
You cannot leave your fate in the hands of others. When Ottawa handles Boston, Carolina the Panthers, and Philadelphia the Devils and Penguins, you are going to be kicking yourselves for not playing better earlier on.
As to regular season series, I wouldn’t put all that much stock in them as history has shown that they are often meaningless in the playoffs. As I stated before, Ottawa owned the Leafs throughout the regular season for several years, only to lose miserably to them in the playoffs each of those years. On that note, I wouldn’t be begging for a first round match-up against Boston, based on the assumption that the Habs will just roll over them. Don’t get me wrong, the Habs might end up rolling over them, but nothing is guaranteed. After all, there is a lot of history there.
Anyway, they’ll play who they’ll play, and I, for one, will watch and enjoy! It’s been a great season!
April 4th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Just looking at the standings and if OTT. lose tonight and WASH. wins then WASH will get a playoff spot over OTT because of the wins WASH has over OTT.
A lot of ifs but the way the teams are playing that are involved it can very well happen….
(4-0 against OTT this year)And that will leave PHILY. to only need one win in there last two games and OTT is out of the playoffs….
GO HABS GO
April 4th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Hooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo…..Woooooooooooooooooooooooo Hooooooooooooooo Hooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
April 4th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
So much for predictions, hey?
April 4th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
Ottawa is in the playoffs. They backed in, because they lost, and Florida beat Carolina. Looks like we’re playing the Sens. If Boston wins tomorrow at home vs the sabres, (and they will) at we win, it’s the sens. we can beat them, no problem. Without Alfreddson and Fisher they’re not the same, and they lost at home to the bruins. What does that tell you? I think Pitt plays Philly. that will be a blood bath. good! they’ll beat each other up for us.
April 4th, 2008 at 10:40 pm
Hey Joseph, I never said that Malkin didn’t make Pittsburgh a better offensive team who wouldn;t like to have either of them ontheir team. Their both great players and that is a fact. I also never said I wouldn’t like Malkin on my team what I said was I would take the Canadian over the European. As for either of them ending up in Washington, you are right Crobsy will never be any place else but Pittsburgh and if we had a chance at Malkin I would certainly take it. One thing you have to understand, I would never run down Malkin but then again it is not in my nature to run down any great player. YOu are right about one other thing this has been a good friendly discussion and I think we should have more of them where two guys can disagree without using deflamatory comments to ridicule the other person. Lets face it we disagree but that is what makes us both great hockey fans.
Thanks for the discussion, sorry I could not get on the blog earlier.
April 4th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
correction I had Washington on the brain I met Montreal.
April 4th, 2008 at 11:07 pm
If I understand the tie breaker the team with the most wins is the first fie breaker.Lets assume that Boston, Ottawa and Philly end up tied.Ottawa would be the 6th place then Boston and Philly? If Philly beats Pitts then they would move to 6th if Boston also wins then Ottaw is eigth.
It looks like Carolina is out unless Washington cannot beat or tie/SO/OT Florida.
This means we would play any of the three teams Bos, Ott or Philly. If we beat the leafs, and Philly beats Pitts then we are # 1 which changes the mix again. So I guess we are not going to know until Sunday night regardless of who wins on Saturday.
April 4th, 2008 at 11:07 pm
Just looking at the standings and if OTT. lose tonight and WASH. wins then WASH will get a playoff spot over OTT because of the wins WASH has over OTT.
(4-0 against OTT this year)And that will leave PHILY. to only need one win in there last two games and OTT is out of the playoffs…. A lot of ifs but the way the teams are playing that are involved it can very well happen….
GO HABS GO
Dude your way off here … Ott is in Canes are out …
April 4th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
Ottawa is already in by virtue of Carolina’s loss tonight
April 4th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
I was trying to understand the tie breaker. It looks like Carolina is out unless washington looses tomorrow night. If Washington looses then they are out.
April 4th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
I think the only way the Philly gets out of eigth is if they beat Pitts on Sunday.
April 4th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
If Boston loses the then they are 7th unless Philly loses. Bottom line is Ottawa has more wins and Boston and Philly cannot catch them in wins so they have to beat them in points.
April 5th, 2008 at 1:04 am
the only way we don’t play ottawa is if philly beats pittsburgh, and then we lose to the leafs
April 5th, 2008 at 7:50 am
who would you guys rather play against? The Sens,Flyers or Bruins? Just wondering.
April 5th, 2008 at 10:06 am
If D Alfredsson and M Fisher out for “Weeks” was true, Habs would have visible advantage against Ottawa. Without DA and MF, Ottawa just makes no Sense.
Anyway, whoever to meet, Go Habs Go!!!
April 5th, 2008 at 10:48 am
First let’s finnaly blow out the Leaf’s and end the regular season on a perfact note”blow them the f@ck up,lol” and then a new season commeth”playoffs!”.The east has got to face our beast…GO HABS GO !!!!!!
April 5th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Agreed XTRA, time to put that joke of an organization behind us for good.
April 5th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
No problem, Senet 1. I realize that there’s life outside of the internet.
As to our discussions, they’ll always be healthy, just as long as we respect one another’s opinions. And I re-iterate that these are opinions because I certainly don’t know everything about hockey. (I could easily prove to be wrong about most of what I think I know.)
Random thoughts…
All of this talk of match-ups is making my head hurt. Is it any wonder that civilized human beings are by far the most stressed animals on the planet? Analyze this, analyze that. Understand this, understand that. Relax and enjoy!
The word in Leafsland is that the Leafs are now losing intentionally to impove their draft positioning. If this is the case (unlikely), then perhaps we should thank them in advance for tonight’s victory?
April 5th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Ya, evidently Ottawa didn’t beat them 8-2 two nights ago but rather the Leafs allowed Ottawa to beat them 8-2 two nights ago… for the sake of the draft all of a sudden.
April 5th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Something’s rotten in Toronto (and I think it’s the Leafs):
http://www.thestar.com/Sports/Hockey/article/410553
April 5th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Joseph I enjoyed out discussion and you are right about these match ups. It sort of looks like we play Ottawa because if Philly wins that puts us in 1st and Ottawa in 8th. If Philly loses that leaves them in 8th and Ottawa in 7th. This is all assuming that Boston beats Buffalo. If Boston looses i think that pust Boston in 7th and Ottawa in 6th unless of course Philly loses???? Wow!!!