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Game 32: Habs/Penguins

Who knows whether the move to pick up Jeff Halpern will pay a large dividend for the Montreal Canadiens, but for a team that is so bad a faceoffs, this low-risk, low-cost addition really can’t hurt. Halpern was decent player for the Habs in his first go, scoring 26 points and winning over 56% of the faceoffs that he took that season. The Habs have been so good with the puck this season, that you have to figure that starting with the puck on a more consistent basis will help more than hurt.

Halpern steps into the lineup tonight as the Habs face the crazy-good Pittsburgh Penguins. Guaranteed win night anyone? Ya right.

Go Habs Go!!!

~Mats
Game 31: Habs/Sabres

Looking at the schedule last week I made a mental note to comment on the fact that the Habs had to gain a significant amount of points from 2 games against the Sabres and 1 against the Islanders in order to have a shot of hanging around with the Pittsburgh Penguins at the top of the Eastern Conference. It feels too early to be talking about playoff positioning – but in this strike-shortened season it is becoming apparent that winning the Eastern Conference would make a critical difference in terms of quality of competition in the playoffs. Because of the silly NHL playoff structure that forces the top 3 seeds to be divisional winners, regardless of points, Montreal could wind up facing far better competition with a 2nd or 4th place finish than if they finished in 6th for example.

Currently the Winnipeg Jets lead (ironically) the South East division with 34 points. They occupy 3rd place in the conference. Boston trails them in the standings, yet hold a 9 point lead. The difference that makes in terms of playoff matchups is actually very substantial. If the playoffs were to start today, Boston would play the 5th seed Ottawa Senators in the first round. Winnipeg would play the Toronto Maple Leafs. I pose the question to you: Who would you rather play in the first round – Ottawa or Toronto?

My answer is a definite Toronto. Ottawa is a team that has been so resilient during the season, and have given Montreal such difficulty that I would want no part in a series with them as a first round opponent. The irony in all of this is that its actually the 6th seed Toronto Maple Leafs who would benefit the most from first round matchups. Toronto would get the opportunity to face Winnipeg in the first round of the playoffs. As I mentioned earlier, Winnipeg has 34 points which ties them with Montreal’s first round opponent (were the playoffs to start tomorrow): The 7th seed New Jersey Devils.

I ask you again: Who would you rather face in the first round of the playoffs – the inexperienced Winnipeg Jets, or the previous year’s Cup finalists led by notorious Habs-beater Martin Brodeur – playing in what will probably be his final season in the NHL? There is simply no question that Montreal would be better off finishing in 6th place this season than doing anything but winning the entire Conference and gaining the first round matchup with the 8th seed Carolina Hurricanes.

That is why Montreal is in a suddenly critical stretch of games against weaker competition, where it is imperative that they accumulate points, and not slip further back from the red-hot Conference-leading Penguins. Gutting out a point against the Sabres was huge. Finding a way to solve the Islanders late int he game was very big. Tonight’s game once-again against the troubled Sabres will be important, as the competition gets stiffer next week as the Habs face Pittsburgh, Boston and the Rangers. Points will be more difficult to accumulate against those teams – and a loss in Pittsburgh could provide the separation in the standings that allow the Penguins to start to leave the pack behind.

Can you feel it? Its starting to get fun isn’t it? We’re getting to that point in the season where its time to ratchet up the intensity! Barring an historic collapse your Montreal Canadiens will be playing playoff games this season – and this year they might just have as good a shot as anyone. Gaining points in games like tonight’s matchup against teams outside of the playoffs will be extremely important from here on in.

Go Habs Go!!!

~Mats

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goalie : If Rangers get swept I wonder if Tortorella will get his walking papers? Or Glen Sather? They have tons of 'talent' but zero wins in this series.
goalie : It's really too bad we lost to the Sens as we would have played the Rangers and the way NYR are playing we would have beat them too. If only. If only!
Senet1 : Actually I agree it was a good move for them to play a shorter season and get the experience. He could not have played in the minors this year he would have had to play junior or the NHL. However, he now has a year under him and knows what to expect next year and hopefully take a bigger responsibility on the team. Did you see those two goals in the bronze game? Wow.
muller93 : Good move by the Habs not having Galchenyuk play in the minors. Now Galchenyuk has 1 year in the NHL and playoff experience this is going to pay off big time come next year.
Senet1 : Galchenyuk scores to back to back goals in shoot out to help USA win Bronze metal. I did not see the second goal but the first was a beauty.
Senet1 : So we could pick anywhere from 25th to 23rd depending on who wins these quarter final series.
Senet1 : First, is the 14 teams in the lottery. Then there are 12 teams that did not make the semi finals in the order of the seasonal finish, Then there are the four teams in the semi final the first two eliminated pick in the order of the regular season points total and the last two based on who wins and who loses the cup. So as it stand now if say Detroit beats Chicago then Detroit moves up to pick after us. Boston or NYR will move up and pick after us. LA or San Jose will move up and pick after us
Senet1 : Basically, I was wrong about the draft pick situation. There are three groups of drafting teams within the 30 teams.
Senet1 : seriously ready to challenge for the cup. He will us win games but he will not be the difference between winning the cup and not winning the cup. You pick up players like that once you have the team ready to challenge,.
Senet1 : I am looking at the players to draft and there are a lot of big 6'3-6'5 forwards available ion the draft this year. If we could draft 3-4 big young players in the 2nd and 3rd round why would you want to give that up for a roster player who may have 2-3 years at best. If we are going to build a winner to have to build it with bigger players and there are a lot of good big players available this year. So you sign Ott and he is with us for the short run, but probably not when we are seriously re
Senet1 : Boullion is a great mentor for the young D-men
muller93 : Boullion is one of MBs great additions--Boull ion is a definite Keeper.
muller93 : Getting rid of Kaberle frees up a lot of cash. Boullion is small but is reliable and doesn't back down from anyone.
muller93 : Exactly Goalie any thoughts on a punishing D-man?
goalie : They;re showing determination adn skill vs Ducks and Blackhawks.
goalie : REd Wings could turn out to be the surprise team of this year's playoffs!
goalie : WE need to rid our team of Kaberle and Webber. Step two would be to then move Diaz. If we get that big d-man I believe that would push Boullion to # 7 on the chart. We'd then go with Georges, PK,Markov (to continue mentoring Ememlin) Tinordi as our starting six . THEN I'd be excited about our chances. We could then work on getting bigger forwards.
goalie : I too would gladly give up a 3rd round pick for Ott- the type of player we sadly lack. AND if we could get one more rugged, expeienced defenceman it would help immensely.
muller93 : Senet what you are saying makes sense but if we can get Ott for a 3rd round I'll take that all day.
muller93 : MB should be looking at a big D-man first, even though I like our blue line with the addition of Tinordi. We need that insurance just in case one gets injured. Also I'm a firm believer in starting with the goalie first then-defense-for wards-and we already have good goalie. We have all noticed when we have the lead Price is tough to beat.
Senet1 : So sometimes you have to sacrifice for one year or two to build that team in the draft. then add the finishing touches through FA and trades.
Senet1 : Muller, Detroit is another good example. They have been in the hunt every year with good well balanced teams yet only one or two cups to show for it. However, they have built a team that has a chance every years for the last 10+ years. That is what I think we have a chance to do this year with a good draft. It reminds me of the habs teams of the mid 80 and 90's we built a team then with sold draft picks and won the cup twice during that time period. So sometimes you have to sacrifice a one
muller93 : Very true Senet, you do need luck and we haven't had any luck it seems since the habs moved to the Bell Center. We had an incredible run in 2010 with some crazy goal tending from Halak. With Galchenyuk-Tinor di-Gallagher all in 1 year--not too bad, even with an early exit in the playoffs.
Senet1 : Muller I guess we all have our own ideas, but there has never been too many times that were successful when they traded their draft picks away. We have a chance to build this team so we have a shot at winning the cup over the next 10 years. Even as good as Pittsburgh has been they have only won the cup once since Crosby and Malkin have been with the team. That is because you not only need great players but you need luck to win, but one thing about Pittsburgh they have a chance every year. The
muller93 : Good point on Torres, he might be a liability. Torres has to tone it down a bit, but that's his game-very aggressive.
goalie : Though I don't condone what Raffi Torres did - thos shows you how repeat offenders or near offenders are going to be treated. His hit was NOT illegal BUT what the rap sheet adn reputation Torres has he got severly punished. Lesson to be learned by OTHER players because Torres dopesn't learn fromk his mistakes.
muller93 : Senet normally I would agree with you on not trading draft picks but we are not in a rebuilding stage. Sometimes draft picks can be a roll of the dice and it can take up to 3 years to be NHL ready. We have a good team and I agree with Stuo players like Clowe-Torres-Ott -Scott will make a big difference. Somebody has to protect Gallagher, he can't keep getting hit the way does--we need a tough forward so they think twice before going after Gallagher.
Senet1 : Really a heathly Habs team would probably win more games against the Pens that we did against the Sens. Reason they Pens would not play as physical against us as against the Sens. If we get good goaltending we win at least two games.
zpezada4ok : hello all «link»
stuo11 : hes a tougher big guy too! Just a minor adjustment but will help a bit
stuo11 : hes better than markov, and hes french who was in mention for defenceman of the year
goalie : Markov for Beauchemin - an injury prone d-man for an ;old timer'd-man. Beauchemin is NOT what the Habs need in my opinion. He is a HUGE defensive liability.
goalie : Stuo 11 I'd make that trade with Oilers fast BUT I doubt the Oilers will make that. Two marginal d-men at the best for a switch of first round picks - not a chance .
stuo11 : markov for beachemin?
stuo11 : let moen go