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Game 76: Blackhawks/Habs

  • The return of Cristobal Huet and a rare visit from the Blackhawks at a crucial point in the season.

    The Habs are on a very slippery slope. It’s safe to say the Canadiens need to play above .500 to stay in 8th or better. A loss tonight wouldn’t give any team in the Eastern race the added points but with every other team in the race winning, the Habs need every point they can get.

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11 Comments
  1. #1 Joseph says:
    March 31, 2009 at 5:44 pm

    I think that anything short of a 5-2 record over the final stretch will fail to secure them a spot in the playoffs. Florida is going to keep coming. They played well earlier on before falling into a funk, and have seemingly rectified that funk in recent games.

    Take care of your own business, Habs, and everything else will take care of itself.

    Of course, Boston will likely destroy us in the first round before going on to lose to another team. They’ve got that trap **** down pretty well, and they’ll exploit the Habs’ defensive weaknesses every time.

  2. #2 Joseph says:
    March 31, 2009 at 6:38 pm

    I just wish that Gillett had been honest (ha!) when asked about his intentions to sell the team for some much needed profit. Is the drama really necessary? Was he protecting his players from the truth? How ridiculous. Enough of the smoke and mirrors.

  3. #3 Mats Naslund says:
    March 31, 2009 at 8:37 pm

    4-3 will get them in. We’re a point up on Florida and have an extra game. 4 wins would give us 94 points. Florida would have to win 5 of their final 6 games to beat that record. Given that they are 3-4-3 in their last ten I’m thinking Florida is in trouble. Not that Montreal’s 4-3-3 is much better..

  4. #4 Senet1 says:
    March 31, 2009 at 10:20 pm

    The only thing that worries me is that 5 of our last 7 are away and we do not exactly have a great road record.

  5. #5 Mats Naslund says:
    April 1, 2009 at 1:12 pm

    I want to start this post by talking about a guy who I didn’t even have a roster space for when the season opened. Since that time he has done nothing but impress and I would say he is one of the FAs that Gainey should ABSOLUTELY go out and resign if even for one season next year. Mathieu Dandenault is so valuable to this team it amazes me sometimes. Because of the call-ups and his natural status as a 4th line forward, Dandenault has had a rough season. I don’t like the fact that he made it public that he wanted a trade at the deadline, but I DO love the fact that he is a competitor and just wanted the chance to go to war with some team.

    Dandenault’s versatility is his best strength. We all witnessed his potential earlier in the year when he moved from the healthy-scratch list back to defense. He was fantastic, and really helped the Habs get through some tough times while Komisarek and other D were banged up. Last night we got another taste of why Dandenault is such a valuable piece of this Canadiens team.

    After injuries to Sergei Kostitsyn (wow did MA and PA Kostitsyn ever pick a bad game to come watch the boys), and Roman Hamrlik, Dandenault was moved from his 4th line to defense immediately to defend a penalty for interference that Hamrlik had received as he got hurt. Dandenault didn’t miss a beat. The Habs killed the penalty thanks to hard forechecking by Higgins, Kostopoulos and solid defensive play by Dandy et al. The emergence of these types of players has really been something to behold, which brings me to my second point – it is all about roles.

    Under Carbo, the lines became so blurry between grinder and goal scorer etc. The most important task that Gainey has accomplished has been to set everyone straight in what he expects from them. Carey: make the saves you should make. Kovy, Koivu, Tanguay: create scoring chances and be the players you’re paid to be. Kostopoulos, Lapierre, Metro etc: Give the team hard work and sustained pressure.

    In the past four games Gainey has his players all playing to their strengths. He’s not trying to fit square pegs into round holes. The players are relaxed, they are making plays and finally the Canadiens are getting the results they need to be taken seriously as we near the playoffs. While the GM has taken more than his fair share of criticism for the team’s troubles, I’d also like to give him some credit. Just at the right time the Habs seem to be coming together.

    My final point comes with regard to the playoff race. The Habs finish this season with games against the Islanders, Leafs, Senators, Rangers, Bruins and Penguins. There are no guarantees or automatics in hockey, but the first three games of the final six are against teams well below them in the standings. The opportunity to control our own destiny is there. Not only this, but Montreal sits only 1 point behind the Rangers and 1 point ahead of the Panthers. While most are focused on the team behind, I think the Habs need to focus on the team in front. With a game in hand on the Rangers there is an opportunity to move into the 7th spot. The Rangers have been playing better of late, but are in tough with their schedule. They finish playing Carolina, Boston, Montreal, and Philadelphia X2. That is a tough stretch. All playoff teams and only Boston has little to play for at this point in the season.

    If Montreal can use their game in hand and seemingly ‘easier’ (no game is easy at this time of year), schedule to their advantage they could avoid a first round match-up with the Bruins and have the possibility of playing Washington. Even though every team is dangerous come playoff season, I think Montreal’s odds against Washington are better simply because they can match their speed and physicality. While the prospect of facing Ovechkin in the playoffs is daunting, I like our chances against Theodore, Backstrom etc once the games get tighter. We finally have a top line that can compete with others and Washington still has issues on defense as they’ve allowed 30 more goals than New Jersey and 40 more than Boston on the season.

  6. #6 Joseph says:
    April 1, 2009 at 3:49 pm

    I would have to agree with all of your sentiments, MN. I’ve noticed the value of Dandenault but have failed to mention as much as I should have. Further, Gainey does know what he’s doing. And we’re finally beginning to see some of the bad habits being broken as not only has the team’s offensive players come back to life but it also played better defensively in last night’s game. Of course there are still some quirks that need to be worked out but no one is a miracle worker. Half a dozen more games and Gianey should have his players playing at least somewhere close to the way he wants them to be playing. We are seeing improvement on a game-by-game basis.

    And if they keep playing the way that they have been, then they certainly should be able to win the next three games, and in the process, provide us all with new hope.

    Also, I too have been focused on the teams above the Habs in the standings. And let us not forget that 6th place, although a bit of a long shot with the way that the Penguins and Carolina have been playing, is still possible as well. At any rate, all they can try to do is ensure that they don’t have a first round matchup with Boston as Washington and New Jersey are too close (a single point apart) to predict how 2nd and 3rd are going to sort out. So play for 7th, avoiding Boston in the first round, and let the chips fall as they may.

  7. #7 Joseph says:
    April 1, 2009 at 3:54 pm

    That was incredibly incoherent.

    Summary:
    - Dandenault valuable.
    - Gainey good.
    - Team showing improvement in all areas.
    - Optimism returning.
    - Play for 7th to avoid Boston in round 1.
    - Never mind trying to avoid New Jersey as it’s too close to predict where they’ll be seeded at season’s end.

  8. #8 Donnie says:
    April 1, 2009 at 4:56 pm

    What a game for my first live outting. All the way up to the Bell Centre from Nfld…sat 6 rows from the glass in the end we warmed up in, and we got a 4-1 win over the Hawks…I’m sure some of you already know…watching this game live is an entirely different beast than on TV…great experience and great outcome….woohoo !!!

  9. #9 Mats Naslund says:
    April 1, 2009 at 7:27 pm

    Donnie its good to hear you had a great time. I wish I could have been there.. although I seem to jinx the team every time I watch them live..

  10. #10 Donnie says:
    April 2, 2009 at 10:28 am

    It was amazing Mats….it is the treat of treats for someone who is a huge hockey/Habs fan, and who doesn’t have easy access to live games. An always memorable experience, and hoping it’s gonna become an annual event.
    Toured the Bell Center before the game….came home with lots of pics and Habs memorabilia…should have gone years ago….so glad I finally did.

  11. #11 Joseph says:
    April 2, 2009 at 12:42 pm

    I’m glad you were able to see a winner, Donnie. Definitely much better than sitting amongst a chorus of boos.

    It’s inexcusable that I’ve never been to a Habs home game in all my trips to Montreal.

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  • Avatar37 : Apparently only one offer for Carter on the low side so far, I think Montreal would be foolish not to investigate the possibility of a trade for him, and if there is low interest, the deal might be able to include moving Gomez. Gomez/Darche/Cam poli and a third round pick? Maybe not, but I'd be in serious talks with Columbus right about now.
  • Avatar37 : «link»
  • Avatar37 : for him had we held on to him until now and created a bidding war. There are more buyers than sellers currently on the market and it would have been the perfect time to have traded him.
  • Avatar37 : Goalie - I'm not sure how we could have obtained more for Halak. We showcased him, everyone knew he was available for trade, and in the end, we took the best offer. Any asset is only worth what a purchaser will pay for it. The Halak trade wasn't like the Cammalleri trade where you had GMs afterwards saying they didn't even know he was on the market. The Halak trade was done properly, the Cammelleri trade was a knee-jerk panic move, and while my opinion is that we could have received more
  • Avatar37 : I saw the game, the Islanders first goal came from a shot that was clearly above the height of the crossbar. How is it possible for a play to go to review where they have the advantage of mulitple camera angles and the ability to pause and they STILL get the call wrong?
  • goalie : I agree don't get dilusional over our three game winning streak. Changes MUST be made. I am however, glad to see the effort being put forth by the players.
  • Mats Naslund : I just went to capgeek to see who the Avalanche might be dealing for a rental - and I see they have only 6 players signed for next season!!! There are a couple young D men on that squad who are RFAs who would do very nicely next season.
  • Mats Naslund : One thing I know - the 3 game winning streak had better not get PG thinking about holding onto guys for a PO run. Trade them, build the value and move on to next year.
  • Mats Naslund : How about Max Pac though.. 21 goals and on pace for 65 points this year. That is absolutely monster for a guy at his age/experience and especially coming after a horrific injury. Huge cornerstone moving forward. On pace for 33 goals.. could he get 35?
  • Mats Naslund : Didn't get to see it either - and while I don't really care about the win, I am very glad that Gomez scored so we don't have to endure all of the negativity in the media about him for the rest of the year. He still su@ks, but at least it won't be a topic every shift he takes.
  • goalie : Didn't get to see the game at all but it's great to see Pacs get a hat trick and fpor Cole to be + 3. When was the last time this team won three games in a row? Great victory -looks like they're giving 100% effort!
  • Senet1 : 4-2 win habs
  • Senet1 : Gomez scores, Yea!!!
  • goalie : As I said yesterday it will be interesting to see what our lame ass GM gets for players he ships out. Bourque is good and he'll help us but I still think we could have gotten more for him and for Halak when he was traded.
  • Avatar37 : round those picks occur (probably 3rd).
  • Avatar37 : An interesting article. If we slip to the 5th or 7th draft pick, a very interesting case could be made for drafting Galchenyuk. If we wind up with the second or third pick, I'm not sure who I'd draft, because clearly Yakupov is going to be drafted first overall. Our second round pick also becomes interesting, I know I'd take Vasilevski if he were still available. It will also be interesting to see if we can turn some of our veteran players (Moen, Gill, Campoli) into draft picks, and what
  • Avatar37 : «link»
  • Avatar37 : That is why PG should have waited on trading Cammalleri. Right now, there is a high demand for a top 6 forward, we could have gotten much more than Bourque in return. That isn't a knock against Bourque, but a knock against a knee-jerk reaction trade that didn't maximize our return on a top asset.
  • Avatar37 : «link»
  • Avatar37 : chips fall where they may. After all, the only difference between finishing 17th and 29th is how good a pick you get in the draft.
  • Avatar37 : We currently sit in 26th place in the league. We are 15 points ahead of Columbus, it's safe to bet at this point they will place last. We are, however, only 4 points ahead of Edmonton so it's still wide open as to who is going to finish second last. I still think that it's time to sit the veterans, play the youth, let them get experience, and regroup for next year. I'm not suggesting deliberately tanking like the Penguins, but give all our young players lots of playing time and let the c
  • Avatar37 : goalie - If it were not for the play of Cammalleri, we would never have made it out of round 1. Cammalleri played as big a part, if not bigger, than Halak did. Sure, Halak played well, but remember the team collapsed in front of him, making his job much easier. We had lots of blocked shots and the ones that got through were typically from the outside.
  • Senet1 : Goalie you are absolutely right, of course the one thing we had the two previous years that won the games that we are losing this year was our power play. If you look at say 10 games that we should have won had we had a similar power play, again we would not be having these conversations. When your PP goes from first to last in the league that is a lot of goals.How many games have we lost this year by one goal. Again poor management who did not prepare for Markov's possible absence.
  • goalie : I'll put it another way.... we need more players who are willing to get their noses dirty.
  • goalie : Two years ago when our goaltending stole series adn our players suddenly scored the coaches / GM believed that that was our true team . Well time has proven that was not. Though I was very glad to see the Habs knock off some very good teams we were very fortunate. And fortunate that spring was spelled HALAK!
  • goalie : The wrst mistake management could possibly make I believe is to say, we played well some games and we believe the team can play to that level more often in the future. This team CANNOT adnb DOES NOT play to a high enough level. Please do not kid yourself mamngement. hat is partially why we're in the lace we are.
  • goalie : Senet is correct when he says that if we had more games with a better efort this year we'd likely be in the playoffs. It has been very inconsistent effort but much more than that. We lack big, tough playing and finishing. Never mind fighting for a moment. We did not compete for the pucks nor along the boards nor in front of both nets enough this year. Thus we are in 29th. If the coaching staff doesn't see that then they shouldn't be there.
  • Senet1 : Surely Molson is not going to keep him as the GM?
  • Senet1 : when he knows he will be fired at the end of the season. Nothing really makes since in this whole process.
  • Senet1 : I am not sue why PG has not been fired by now. They could be waiting for another GM to come available at season end, but why would you not set up a committee to manage the team in the short run until a new GM can be named. There is no since in chaning coaches because whoever the GM is he will want to name his own coach. Gainey and a committe of other executives can manage the team through to the trading deadline and onward. What motivation does PG have to making any worthwhile trades when he is
  • Senet1 : I am too mch of a competitor to want my team to tank to. However, If these players played like they ae cabable of playing all year we would not be having this discussion right now, we woud be talking about the playoffs and who we would rather meet in the first round.
  • rocky : Exactly, and Senet nails it when he says we have not had an elite top 5 in the nhl player since lafleur.
  • goalie : I too want the Habs to get the best possible draft this June. We all need SOME hope!
  • rocky : He is persona non grata in habville, and a ghost in every sense of the term.
  • goalie : It remains a miracle how we have heard from our mighty GM twice since Christmas - the trades involving Spacek and Cammy and those comments were extremely brief. PG just does not cut it in my world. Part of a GMs job is to go public from time to time. PG never does that in fact he's a ghost GM!

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