Game 12: Habs/Pens

This is one of those can’t miss games. Anytime the defending champs are on your schedule you circle it in thick red. Montreal is shooting for their fifth straight – but there aren’t many of us who believe the hype yet. Beating the Isles twice, the Thrashers and the Rangers isn’t exactly bragging territory. Still, a good result tonight will go a long way to showing what this team is made of.

The Pens are 9-2, and are really playing some good hockey in this young season. Malkin has 13 points and Crosby has 11. They will also be very fresh and motivated as they last played (and lost) last saturday.

The Habs play tonight in Pittsburgh, Friday in Chicago, and Saturday back home against the Laffs.

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5 Comments

#1 PACTUM SERVA says:
October 28, 2009 at 4:20 pm

Big test to say the least,i think after tonight we will all have a better idea what this team is made of playing the elite teams. I have some Guinness lined up and a grease wheel, cant wait for game time. GO HABS GO.

#2 Senet1 says:
October 28, 2009 at 7:16 pm

I agree this is a big test and it is hard to say if we are ready for it just yet. Our defence is still adjusting to each other and as we have seen against the less offensive teams they can get into trouble at times. It would always be nice to win every game but to me it is not win or lose tonight but how we play the game. If we wind great but if we loose by a goal or even two we cannot hang our heads and cry that I team did not perform well. Firstly they are not going to perform as well against the best team in the league as they have the last four games. We have to know that going into this game. So at this stage of the season the important thing is can we complete and stay with the Pittsburgh if we can then win or lose we should be encouraged that we will eventually beat them this season.

#3 Senet1 says:
October 28, 2009 at 9:08 pm

To me of the four defenceman that we have added to our team this year Spacek is the biggest disappointment. He seems to be fighting the the puck and has not taken advantage of his scoring opportunities. So far tonight he has had to good passes in close range and could not find the handle to shoot the puck.

#4 Senet1 says:
October 28, 2009 at 9:59 pm

Looking at the positives, Pac Man is playing well. So is Plex, Chipchura. The smurf line played well again tonight but they were also checked closely, so we need to get that second line going to take the pressure off them.
Our forecheck was very good tonight too and we caused a lot of turnovers but Pittsburg collapses so well down low that there is not much ice to get a good shot on goal.
Goaltending has not been a problem so far this year our biggest problem has been our defensive zone coverage. Part of this is the lack of chemistry of our defensive pairings but for the most part I think we require a better system for getting the puck out of our end and our defence have to think defense first when the puck is in our own end and for that matter so do our forwards. Good teams make their own breaks and our team is getting all kinds of chances but the breaks are not going our way especially against teams line Pittsburg.

#5 Mats Naslund says:
October 29, 2009 at 11:08 am

Last night I had the opportunity to watch the pre-game interview with Dan Bylsma on the Penguins coverage. He spoke candidly about the Pens plans to break down the Canadiens’ defense by getting the puck in deep and pressuring our forwards as soon as they got the puck in order to cause turnovers in the offensive zone. I believed him then and I am amazed at the Pens ability to execute their game plan. Montreal was helpless to stop them, and gave up some back-breakers.

I dont care about losses. They happen. No team goes through their season without losing their share of games. What is concerning about the Habs is that they continue to have games in which they completely melt down. Losing 6-1 is not ok at all. And although most teams get blown out every once in a while, the good ones are able to make those games few and far between. Until the Habs can learn to fight for some pride they are going to be a middling, playoff bubble team. Lets hope they can figure some things out for Friday night in Chicago or we could be in some trouble when we come back home on short rest to face the Leafs.

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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
stuo11 : maybe try and get steve begin back
stuo11 : we wouldve kicked out all other teams but pens, sens,
stuo11 : pens have alot of forwaRDS same with us but we have better goaltending
stuo11 : theres styles of play goalie. Sens played us good, but lost games to southeast teams florida and tampa and get crushed by leafs EVERYTIME. sens and leafsd cant beat bruins but we do frequently
stuo11 : Diaz weber and our 1st for their first edm
goalie : SEns beat us 4 games to 1. Pens had last night's game under their control. What does that mean if we were up vs the Pens in a series. I think the Habs have a way to go before we're competing for Lord Stanley's Cup!
Senet1 : If he could score goals like Lucic and we could sign him to a four year contract then I would consider it too. However, NOT if we only have him for one to two years.
Senet1 : So we went from 27th pick to 21st pick.