Race for First
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The Habs have temporarily lost their 1st place seed in the Eastern Conference. With a game in hand, they have a chance to retake it tonight.
The only thing we know is the Conference title will probably come down to the last day of the regular season which has the Devils, Penguins and Rangers all in action. The Habs having finished the day before.
The Northeast however, could be clinched earlier. And with it, a guaranteed #2 seed and home ice advantage throughout the playoffs.
The Habs still hold a 4 point lead and game in hand against the Senators. Two weekend wins against two non playoff teams would make for cushy lead before playing the final game against the Senators on Tuesday.
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- goalie : I can't type.... what a faux pas on my behalf...
- goalie : I just realized what I said adn didn't say yesterday. What a fayx as on my behalf. Regarding coaching Randy Cunnyworth MUSDT stay as an assistant- he deserves at least that after the tremendous job he did in the latter part of this past season. I'd still mlike to have Robinson, Carbo adn Allard on the staff also.
- Avatar37 : I agree Senet, my choice if we can't have Cunneyworth would be Crawford, Robinson on defense, Cunneyworth for offense, and Carbo as offense/faceoffs .
- Senet1 : I think if I had my choice it would be Crawford and see if he could get Carbo and Robinson as assistants. That would be my idea coaching team.
- goalie : I witnesed Marc Crawford MANY times when the Avs, etc. played against Oilers and let me tell you - he is constantly on the referees asses virtually game after game. He is the complete OPPOSITE of J. Martin. Crawford is calm on TSN but he is one excited coach behind the bench. A friend of mine who was an NHL linesman for 26 years said they dreaded Crawford he was so tough on the officials!
- goalie : You know, I've bee thinking about the coaching situation. I'd be really excited if the Habs had Hartley as head coach and Carbo adn Robinson as his assistants. I also read it somewhere about a month ago that Toronto's goalie coach Allard (?) wants to relocate back to Montreal where he has his goaltending school/business. Add him to the mix and I'd say the Habs would be in great shape coaching wise.
- Avatar37 : Well, from what I recall, Hartley didn't do all that well with the Thrashers. But, I don't know enough about him to judge one way or the other. Crawford I do know, and he always seemed to be a good, level headed coach to me.
- Senet1 : even Pacioretty two years ago did not impress any of us. Younger players have to play and make mistakes and learn from those mistakes. If they sit in the press box they are learning nothing.
- Senet1 : Of course if he have some good assistants like a Larry Robinson to teach the young defence and someone like Carbo to teach faceoffs etc. then your coach does not have to be as good at teaching. If Hartley fits the bill you get no argument from me. My only previous point is that if he is impatient with your younger players to the point that he does not play them, then we are right back where we were with Martin. Martin was a good coach too, but how he handled Emelin, PK and even Pacioretty two
- goalie : I would like to see the Habs sign a coach who realizes that our team isn't tough enough (we need to get bigger and somewhat more nastier),the coach needs t be a great TEACHER and be a coach who can get the players to understand and buy into his system. Other than that I couldn't care what lingo he speaks. I wnat to see our team become a ligitimate contender fast!
- HabsLoseAgain : Well we dont know if he is or is not a teaching coach. I woukd just hate to paint Hartley something that he is not. There will always be questions but if Hartley was hired as the habs new bench boss i for one would not be overly upset.
- Senet1 : My thoughts are not that he is or is not a good coach but rather that when he won the cup he had an experience team of superstars on that team. Where as we have a group of young inexperienced players, is he a teaching coach or a tactical coach or both? I am not question whether he is a good coach, but my question therefore is he the coach for us at this point in the deveopment of our team?? Not sure we are all purely speculating at the moment?
- Senet1 : Something happened to my first post. I will try again.
- Senet1 : That is why I said I am not sure he is the coach for us at this time? Right now we are all speculating including yourself, because non of us know for sure?
- HabsLoseAgain : Crawford also won a cup with Patrick Roy so would you say he is a good coach or did he just have great players and one of the best goaltenders of alltime?
- HabsLoseAgain : Senrt so please give me some reasons why you think Hartley is not the coach the habs need right now. What is it that you do not like about him or his coaching style?
- HabsLoseAgain : Well all great coaches had great players playing for them so i guess you you add a a pile of other coaches to that list including Bowan......
- Senet1 : Hartley, was he a good coach or did he just have great players and one of the best altime goaltenders of all time. I am not sure that he is the type of coach that this organization needs right now. Unless of course we sign a ton of free agents.
- Avatar37 : However, my feelings may completely be wrong, Hartley may turn out to be a good fit.
- Avatar37 : I didn't say Hartley was unknown, I said we demoted a good coach in Cunneyworth and now have an unknown quantity because we don't have a coach. I don't have that great a feeling about Hartley, I'd be much more comfortable with Crawford.
- HabsLoseAgain : In my opinion i think he might be a good fit in montreal. Oh and he also likes to have a tough team.
- HabsLoseAgain : Also this year he coached the ZSC Lions to the swiss championship title.
- HabsLoseAgain : lol the so called "unknown" won a cup in 2000-2001 with the colarado avalanch.
- HabsLoseAgain : lol Bob Hartley is not an unknown lol.....sheesh.
- Senet1 : I think he has until the trading deadline to show us that he deserves to be on this team. If he does not get back on track then he could be simply a 2nd round draft pick to whoever we can trade him to.
- Avatar37 : Bourque reminds me of Pouliot, size, skill, and invisible. He needs to get back to playing a physical game and bang people around and maybe he'll start getting some of those garbage goals again. Need to get to the front of the net. I hope he can find his game again.
- Avatar37 : We had a good coach in Randy Cunneyworth. Now we have an unknown, with Bob Hartley rumoured to be the front runner. I'd rather have Cunneyworth.
- goalie : A player like Rene Bourwue has al the physical attributes of what would be a beter than average player. Hwever, he certainly didn't play that well especially after being in Montreal about three weeks. We NEED players like Rene to play hard AND produce points on a REGULAR BASIS in order for us to be competitive.
- Senet1 : MONTREAL – Rene Bourque had a rocky start to his career as a Hab, but he’s planning on using the next four years to make up for it. After arriving in Montreal under less-than-ideal circumstances in January, Bourque spent the following 38 games hoping to find the spark he needed to rekindle his offensive production. Despite flanking Tomas Plekanec on the team’s second line to close out the season, the 30-year-old sniper suddenly found himself firing blanks in his new NHL home.
- Senet1 : I think we have to be patient and not expect too much too soon. Let's get a strong management team in place, make a good choices in the draft get a good coach and then see what we need at the free agent market. I will not be too disapointed if we miss the playoffs again next year if it means a long term team success. We have the opportunity to make some major strides over the next two years at the draft table. Then we fill in the holes.
- goalie : I certainly agree that we need to get some impact forwards who will sign for 5 years, not for a season then walk away. That's not going to help us.
- goalie : I wouldn't trade PK for Ovetchkin no matter what. He is a coach's NIGHTMARE and a poor team player.
- Senet1 : I believe he will as we graducally put better players around him and build this team.
- Senet1 : Goalie I agree with Avatar. PK is the present and future of this teams defence. I would not even take Staal from Pittsburg unless I had him tied up in a long term contract of a Minimum of 5 years. Also once has to consider the salary difference. Pk is on the move up probably 3M plus for his next contract and then eventually 4-5M if he keeps on improving. He has moved his game up two gears since he came into the league 2 years ago. He now has to move to the next level and I believe he will as w
- Avatar37 : pressure playing in Montreal, since he has problems with the expectations in Washington and Montreal isn't any easier. Then again, the media were very easy on Kovalev, so maybe it's a Russian thing? No idea. Anyway, yeah, it would have to be an established star that gives us an immediate drastic upgrade at forward, that's the only way I'd trade PK, because we'd be giving up a potential QB on our blueline for the next decade.
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Copyright © 2010 montreal canadiens hockey - habs blog
March 28, 2008 at 2:04 pm
That would be to cool to finish first but I’M MORE THAN HAPPY EITHER WAY.GO HABS GO…
March 28, 2008 at 7:21 pm
Buffalo, is always tough to play against and they are playing for their playoff lives right now, heres hoping we come out with our A game tonight. someone said Halek is playing tonight, hope he has is form and the defense give him some protections.
March 28, 2008 at 7:27 pm
I am not sure it might be better to finish 2nd overall so that we dont catch Washington in the first round…
March 28, 2008 at 8:27 pm
I predict 2-1 habs
March 28, 2008 at 8:29 pm
If anyone here likes my hab vids from youtube, I’ll be making NHL PLAYOFF PREVIEW 08 on April 6th.
I really hope Carey can get some shutouts over the next while so that we can say that Montreal has good goaltending. Because Price is good but not the best ad Goaltending is the most important thing!!!
March 28, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Goal Higgins !!! in his own net LOL
March 28, 2008 at 8:36 pm
I see Higgy’s been taking scoccer lessons from our Euro’s on the team.
March 28, 2008 at 8:42 pm
this is what happens when you have 2 dAYS OFF. YOU DON’T SHOW UP!
March 28, 2008 at 8:51 pm
6 shots so far, Pretty bad for a division leader!!!! Pick it up boys.
March 28, 2008 at 8:59 pm
shots 9-Habs
25- Sabres
Period- 2
How pathetic is that. How can you win games with no shots?
March 28, 2008 at 9:09 pm
it is not a matter of showing up, the puck is not bouncing there way and they have spent have the time in the penalty box. Is it me or are the refs looking for reasons to call penalties.
A couple of bounces are way and we would have been up 2-0 in first period.
Finally got a break different game now. Watch
March 28, 2008 at 9:11 pm
habs are lucky to be tied after 2 periods. They were totally outplayed in the 2nd period. Thanks to Price were tied. Need to pick it up in the 3rd period.
March 28, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Can’t be too negative it is hard to get shots on goal when you are killing penalties. What was that call against Ryder, he shoots the puck some guy checks him from behind and he hits a buffalo player into their goalie. We get the penalty, then same thing happens in later in second period buffalo nearly takes our goalies head off (helmet) they don’t get a penalty???
Hard to get any momentum with calls like that.
March 28, 2008 at 9:17 pm
the boys seem like they are skating but this is the way Buffalo always plays against us, they skate and check and hit. They get a lucky goal and the game turns in their favour. Price played well considering the penalties. I believe we said the same thing last game against Ottawa. First two period we did the same thing. Buffalo is a hard team to play against because they do not give you any ice. It is a good thing they have very few proven goal scorers this year or they would be in the playoffs for sure. Good team with no scoring, they just work hard.
March 28, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Les Boys just idling too many days thanks to the f*** schedule.
March 28, 2008 at 9:43 pm
Nothing seems to be working tonight, just one of those games they cannot seem to get on track the passes are just off and buffalo’s check hhas them off their game. this is a desperate team and they are playing like it, just like in Ottawa the other night.
March 28, 2008 at 9:43 pm
the truth is, the habs look awful. the thing is, the sabres are the tired team, and we’re the rested team, but we look horrible. Just gave away 2 points that will cost us finishing 1st place in the conference, and if the habs don’t play better tomorrow and win, then you can probably forget about finishing 1st in their division. What I can’t understand, is how you come out so flat in such an important game? And why can Higgins only score for the opposition?
Somebody needs to show him how to score on the breakaway!
March 28, 2008 at 9:51 pm
What more can Price to do to keep them in this game?
Montreal with a 3 day rest can’t show up and out play a team that played 3 games in 4 nights. Miller has not worked up a sweat. Shameful.
Really how Montreal got where they did this year is beyond me.
These Refs should be dragged out into the street and SHOT in the Head.
Way to go Habs, way to help out Price.
March 28, 2008 at 9:56 pm
well we have on team that has no tomorrow playing a team that seems to be satisfied in making hte playoff. Buffalso sure do not look tired, they have skated and hit all.
Score still have a outside chance.
March 28, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Ice man…hows the brain?….you aint worth bitching about…(dumb!)
Now every body complains, Halak plays next game, of course!..and the veterans will play next game, Dandenault,Begin. Brisebois, they will play a lot next game,…..LOSS, its all good, Hahahahahahahahahah!
March 28, 2008 at 10:00 pm
Here we go either 3-3 or 4-2.
March 28, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Here is where we need a faceoff man
March 28, 2008 at 10:02 pm
3-3
March 28, 2008 at 10:02 pm
woooooooow
March 28, 2008 at 10:03 pm
This is a sign of a good team, they don’t play their A game and still have a chance to win.
March 28, 2008 at 10:04 pm
unbelievable! maybe this is why the sabres aren’t a playoff team!
March 28, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Oh yet have little faith, it is never over until it is over, didn’t you guys every play sports.
March 28, 2008 at 10:10 pm
win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!4-3
March 28, 2008 at 10:10 pm
yyyeeeeehhhaaaaaaa
March 28, 2008 at 10:11 pm
did someone say Higgins needs to learn how to score??? he had a quick lesson.
March 28, 2008 at 10:12 pm
I can’t believe it. ok I forgive higgins tonight. he made up for his miscues.
Wow! I really didn’t think habs were going to win! way to go boys!
March 28, 2008 at 10:13 pm
I’m wipped the egg of my face.
Why do the Habs have to put my blood pressure to the brink of a near stroke?
Sorry for my earlier comments.
March 28, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Les Boys won like a Eastern leader!!!
Super happy to see Plekanec is BACK!!!
March 28, 2008 at 10:15 pm
what a great game, I almost had a heart attack there.
March 28, 2008 at 10:21 pm
I just seen the game highlites and had to wipe the happytears,lol
March 28, 2008 at 10:24 pm
I guess we should all learn that if we are true habs fans then we have to have faith, I learned a long time ago that the game is never over until it is over, Yoga Bera taught all us old timers that many years ago. It showed tonight that the team wanted to win but nothing seemed to work and Buffalo is a frustrating team to play against. However, if you guys remember last year, how many games did we blow that way? When you have a team that has to play strictly defense to win they tend to go into a shell to protect a lead and the next thing you know the game is tied.
March 28, 2008 at 10:27 pm
I guess the sky stopped falling, eh guys? Bunch of *******.
March 28, 2008 at 10:28 pm
you know, maybe this is fate. maybe it IS our year!
I feel total euphoria now. The same way I felt when we came from behind to beat the rangers. Are you guys getting that same feeling?
And I’m sure alot of us had them for dead when it was 3-1 for the sabres. right? But these guys could really do it this year! maybe we should call them the cardiac kids. no matter, I’m smiling big time!
March 29, 2008 at 2:07 am
A game like this really puts a bunch of stuff into perspective about this team. I don’t
know what happened to Carbo but he seems to be coming into his own behind the bench.
Personally, I would have blown a gasket on the Ryder call. I like how Carbo let the officials
have it, then put his attention on the game.
I’m going to go ahead and state the obvious. Our top line is a bona fide top line. These guys
F!@#N ROCK!
… in other news … the blues beat detroit 4 – 3 in overtime. Sound Familiar?
Enjoy tonight’s game!!
March 29, 2008 at 3:22 am
this game should have been a blow out if the habs were plaing at 100%. it looked like they were playing with toronto in mind. it was a great game, don’t get me wrong. it should have never came to OT though. they got the 2 points and now they have to hit toronto. Who can teach higgins how to deek??? if the boys were laid back tonight because they are thinking about the leafs tomorrow then that’s OK but if they think it’s gonna be a cakewalk in the playoffs then we are setting up ourselves for a defeat. rangers are no joke right now and they might help us acheive a conference title but if we have to face them in the first,second round then we might be in trouble. we seem to have a hard time taking the body instead of the puck. grabovski and lapierre have to start doing this. right now Carbonneau has to start telling the troops that this is a battle against the pens. the ultimate goal is to win as many games to stay ahead of them. get a conference title. we can do this, komi is coming back and we need to stay on top of ****, instead of thinking about who we are gonna play in the first round, let’s go boys. keep it going, great comeback tonight. GO HABS GO
March 29, 2008 at 7:24 am
It was 3-1 in the last 8 minutes of the game, or something and Buffalo had all the momentum and Montreal cames back after that! That’s unbelievable.
March 29, 2008 at 12:55 pm
where are all the guys that wanted Hossa on this team???
March 29, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Perusing the comments here is funny. They go from tearing the Habs a new a**hole to praising them for their character.
That being said, the Habs DO have character, and they showed it. Good times, friends!
“If anyone here likes my hab vids from youtube, I’ll be making NHL PLAYOFF PREVIEW 08 on April 6th.”
I do like them – they’re really good. I like this one too, by the way (if anyone knows who this is): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jph0SZZc0Gw&feature=related
March 29, 2008 at 1:00 pm
And I still can’t believe that Kovalev picked up his glove whilst controlling the puck… I’ve never seen anything like that before, and I watched Lemieux in Pittsburgh for years. Amazing.
March 29, 2008 at 2:42 pm
As I said earlier, a good team is a team that finds a way to win when they are not playing their best game. If kovalev played like this last year none of us would have wanted to trade him away. Likewise, Ryder has played really well since the first of the year. Basically he has almost all his goals since then and I have never seen him take the body as much as he is right now. I think he is playing for a new contract with either the canadiens or another team. If he continues to play this way I would like to sign him again. Carbo seems to continue to show confidence in him as well. To me it is like adding a new player to our team.
March 29, 2008 at 5:26 pm
Habz got it baby – dont you fret. Halak will show you tonight that one of our hidden weapons lies in our goaltending – you will be ‘wowed’ tonight my friends. Even with Koivu and Streit and Komi out we will take the cake and win our first division title in 15 years. Be proud my friends, by proud. We have been waiting for this for a LONG time. Be proud my friends. Be proud.