Slumping Rangers

Two weeks ago the Canadiens went into MSG and played a strong game against the Rangers, only to lose the extra point on a give away in overtime.

Since then, the Rangers have lost 5 straight games. Their goaltending is shaky and their confidence rattled. They have quickly fallen to last place in the Atlantic Division and currently sit out of the playoff picture.

Not the position many people predicted for the fully loaded team.

The Habs look to continue their 7 game point streak with another strong road effort at MSG.

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39 Comments

#1 Sam says:
January 12, 2008 at 6:34 pm

wrong logo for the Strangers…besides if everything goes as per regular, we should win but we’re going to have one of those games where we give it away, and of course Huet will play with more spunk (right?)…Now I’m hoping I’ve got this backwards and more in line with what would have been last year’s results…but we’ll see this year’s a whole different story. Kovalev’s producing and they young guns have come out of their shells. Where’s Ryder? Has anyone given him the message that this is his third year with arbitration and maybe he’s working towards a demotion or a reduction in pay as per his play. Hoping we take every advantage and get the big W….Sure would be a nice surprise. Go Habs Go!

#2 Chris says:
January 12, 2008 at 6:58 pm

I won’t be surprised, we’re on fire and I think it will take more then the Rangers to stop us. 5-3 Habs win

#3 Ben says:
January 12, 2008 at 7:43 pm

Hey all, I know that I posted the same message previously but got no answers. Interested in knowing if anybody agree.

Here is my little resume of a few of the Habs, let me know what you think.

Kovalev: Playing as expected when traded to Montreal and I think he’s doing even more.

Koivu: Disapointing with all the penalties that he’s getting. I would expect more than that from him. Some games he’s nowhere to be found. So games, he’s outstanding.

A. Kostynsin: Much better since his brother moved up.

S. Kostynsin: Confident, but hi game result depends of Koivu.

Latendre: Big chicken ****… But at least he doesn’t miss too many open nets. Bu honestly, should not be on the first line.

Markov: He has one bad game out of 10, almost cannot ask for more and he deserves the all start.

Komisarek: Wow, wow, wow, Hope he get at least a 6 Milions $$$ contract cuz he’s worth it.

Bouillon: Heart.

Hamerlik: He’s up there, he had max 3 bad games but all around stable. Brought a much better deffensive since he came to Montreal. I don’t care if he can’t score on powerplay, since Kovalev, Plakanec, Streit picked it up.

Brisebois: Only player in the NHL that can score a goal like he did against Chicago. But from what I can see in most of the games that he plays, more turnovers and plus.

Higgins: Always gives a second and third effort.

Lapierre: Good 3rd liner, works hard 90% of the time.

Streit: Very surprising and wish that he will remain with Montreal and get even better.

Huet: Don’t know what to say anymore. Some game, he is amazing and does amazing saves and keeps the team in the game. And some other game, he’ll let in the ugliest goal possible and brings the team spirit down and could cause a lost. But in general, I think we are a little to hard on him.

Carbonneau: Not sure yet. Last game against Boston or the one right before, there was lots of fights, Bruins were going after our good players and last night, Carbo leaves him out of the allignement. Pretty stupid if you ask me.

In general, Montreal is playing much better than we probably all thought they would do but most games, I love what I’m seing.

#4 Dave says:
January 12, 2008 at 9:20 pm

5 goals coming up.

#5 Sam says:
January 12, 2008 at 9:48 pm

just hearing the game and give a short handed goal, goal w/ 22 seconds left in the second, not sure what Huet was doing. No power in the power play of two 5-3…not surprised of a 4-0 score. It’s just a sign of what we don’t want…sure it’s one game…but this was too good to lose. Oh what a position to be in and let this get away….Let’s wake up in the third…generate some scoring opportunities and finish, finish, finish!!!

#6 Xtrahabsfan says:
January 12, 2008 at 9:53 pm

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again….Huet SUCKS!!!

#7 East Coast Habs Fan says:
January 12, 2008 at 10:05 pm

ouch. kinda glad i’m seeing the sens/detroit game instead. one game. and the Rangers were due for a break out game

#8 HJ says:
January 12, 2008 at 10:41 pm

shows what happens when you don’t show up. It’s not the loss that bothers me, but not competing…..

#9 Chris says:
January 13, 2008 at 12:00 am

A tough loss but we’ll get it back. Not sure what to think about Huet at this point, he’s up and down. I’m looking forward to seeing Carey Price fresh and back with us – let Halak get a game in the meantime, he was solid in the third tonight.

#10 HJ says:
January 13, 2008 at 12:37 am

I heard that Price was pulled in his game in Hamilton after allowing 5 goals on 19 shots.So I guess it’s going to be a while. I would like to see Halak pay.I know I’ll be crucified on this blog for saying this,but I think Halak could be better than Huet.

#11 patrick says:
January 13, 2008 at 1:18 am

Halak could very well play as good as Huet or better, but Huet’s goaltending is pretty far down on the list for why we lost this game:

1) Rangers simply wanted it more, faster to the loose pucks, more aggressive forechecking made clearing the zone difficult (more desperate team)
2) Habs powerplay frustrated early, tried to force it later on, blowing the 5 on 3 sealed the deal
3)Out checked
4) bad passing and puck handling from the defense
5)not enough shots getting to the net

#12 Xtrahabsfan says:
January 13, 2008 at 1:19 am

HJ, there is no doubt about it Halak is better than Huet.And don’t worry bout speaking your mind cause the people that can’t tolerate other view points on a blog site are wannnabe control freeks that have very low self esteem..

#13 Chris says:
January 13, 2008 at 1:37 am

Price let in 5 goals on 13 shots today in Hamilton – not looking good. Hopefully he gets things back on track soon. I don’t know about Halak being better than Huet but I’d like to see him get a shot to prove it as long as he’s in Montreal and Price is in Hamilton.

#14 DTD says:
January 13, 2008 at 1:58 am

I was at the Builldogs game tonight.

Price will not be up in Montreal anytime soon. Unless Huet and Halak get hit buy a BUS………….

#15 HJ says:
January 13, 2008 at 2:09 am

The only things that softs the loss tonight is, leafs lost also. yahoo!
I want to bury the leafs, and won’t be satisfied till leafs are in dead last place. now 1 point out of last place. C’mon TB win,and move ahead of the leafs. Back on the habs, I’m getting concerned about our goaltending. At the beginning of the season everything looked so rosy with Huet and Price, and now not so good, and both goalies pulled tonight in their respective games. So am I correct or alittle paranoid?

#16 Xtrahabsfan says:
January 13, 2008 at 3:21 am

Halac is the new Hasik and Price is the new Roy ,let those two do their thing in net for the Habs and TRADE HUET AND USE HIM AND OTHERS FOR A POWER FOWARD THAT WILL TAKE US TO THE BIG SHOW AND BEYOND FOR IT IS WRITTEN SO SAYTH A BIG TIME HABS FAN…OH LAY OH YAY OIE VEY

#17 patrick says:
January 13, 2008 at 12:25 pm

Halak the new Hasek? Price the Roy? that’s pretty lofty talk for two goalies that have accomplished squat at the NHL level. They’re prospects.

#18 Stuart-SB77 says:
January 13, 2008 at 12:34 pm

Nice game guys.lol just when I was starting to get extcited for the habs this happens. Halak will start next game.WATCH!!!

#19 marvel660466 says:
January 13, 2008 at 6:16 pm

how the hell does mtl look like a stanley cup contending team one game, and a last place team the next game???!!!???

#20 Donnie says:
January 14, 2008 at 2:47 pm

Did I see that right? Against the Rangers on Sat. night. Down 3 – 0…..a second 5 on 3 advantage (this one for 1:41)…..top PP in the league and a chance to get a couple and make a game of it….was that really Smolinski and Brisebois on the ice? Tell me it isn’t so…..this is the most idiotic move I have even seen in hockey. I got poisoned when Carbs put Smolinski back in the line-up, with the sucess they’ve been having with him out….but to put this guy on a 5 on 3 PP with the game at stake was absolutely ridiculous. Guy, lost all respect for you old buddy….was there a reason you wanted to lose this game???? Don’t wanna get too close to Ottawa do we??? Most brutal move I’ve seen in a loooooong time. First time I turned a Habs game to watch another all year.
A guy with 2 goals who brings nothing to this team since he’s been brought here…no offense, can’t pass, can’t shoot, can’t skate on the ice at this time??? Gimme a break. Hey Guy…when your lines don’t score a goal for 3 or 4 shifts, it doesn’t mean you gotta split em up…they’re not gonna score every shift, and bad games are a given…but you single handedly took away any chance they had at a comeback or to gain any momentum whatsoever.
In a situation as this one…no other team in this league would have a 4th liner on the ice…no one !!! What you did there can only be seen as sabotage and I’m sure alot of people other than me are wondering why. Talk about takin the wind out of everyones sails.
Streit on the bench with Brisebois on the ice. Smolinski on the ice with…take your pick on the bench…..Higgins, Plekanec, either of the brothers who are playing very well. Disheartening Guy. Ottawa in our sights…not to mention they are having their own injury troubles now….alot of respect for you is gone. I was just starting to think of you as a good coach with this run we were on. The players on the bench had to be questioning this call to themselves. People are starting to mention your name when they’re talking Jack Adams award…..how about Jack *** award?
For the rest of the team who are trying to have a great year with stupid calls like this one from a coach being made….GO HABS GO !!!

#21 Brian says:
January 14, 2008 at 3:04 pm

i love the montreal gazzete article, bashing the rangers, and madison square garden. its ammusing to say the very least. i love the habs fans who think that the canadiens are gods gift to hockey. what have the canadiens done since the end of the “50 mile” rule? 2 cups in 27 years, thats what. not to mention underachieving team after underachieving team, and racist ownership who would kill to get mediocre french players, rather than getting good players. the canadiens had a huge unfair advantage in the 30′s – 70′s and that is the only reason why they have so many cups. there was no draft, and the canadiens just signed all the young talent out of juniors because of the “50 mile rule”. it was a joke back then, but its even funnier now seeing racist frenchies boo there captain because he cant speak french. who gives a rats behind what language he speaks. i would take any player of any nationality here in new. york as long as they’ll help us win, i could care less if they speak english or not. you canadien fans ran off one of the best goalies in nhl history. im sick and tired of obnoxious racist canadien fans who think the habs are awesome, mean while there a team that self destructs every year. get off your high horses and smell the fresh air. the era of the canadiens unfair dominance is well over, and i bet they dont win another stanley cup for another 20+ years. you have a team that has no concept of team defense and it seems like every time i watch the habs they’re giving up 30- 40 shots. but you all blame it on the goalie, its laughable. the canadiens try to play like its 1984 and try to build a team like its 1964. wake up and come into the twenty first century. oh by the way quebec never was and never will be its own country. YOU’RE ALL CANADIEN. your not french. if you want to be french, than do us all a favor, and take your snobby racist a$$es back to france.

#22 Ice Man says:
January 14, 2008 at 4:26 pm

I agree with you Donnie 100%.

Brian:

It is 2 cups in 22 years for your info. there Sir.

Not everyone in Quebec wants to separate from Canada.

What goalie did the fans run off Brian?

Do I sense a bit of jealousy and dislike of the Habs from you Sir?

#23 Aurel1 says:
January 14, 2008 at 4:35 pm

I have to agree with Donnie. One bad period and Charbonneau starts splitting up the lines that have recently worked so well. What’s the panic. Also, Smolinski on the power play?????. Why would you give up so quickly on a power play lineup that was working so well. As for Brian, the less said the better.

#24 Brian says:
January 14, 2008 at 4:52 pm

no i dont dislike the habs. i dislike habs fans and dumb habs journalists who bash the rangers,and madison square garden for no good reason, when they should take a look at the state of their own orginaztion. the fans had just as much to do with running of roy, the sole reason for those 2 cups, as the ownership, gm, and coach did. when the rangers play badly, we the fans, and the journalists bash our team, no one else. and why would i dislike the habs? we’ve owned you guys the last 2 seasons. what are we 5-1 over the last 2 seasons? its something along those lines, i dont have the time to look it up right now. like i said i love the huet bashing and all the other goalies who have gotten it since roy left. what do you guys expect when you consistantly put out one of the worst defensive teams in the nhl. the habs try and play like its still the run and gun, no defense, high scoring games of the 80′s and thats your teams problem. right now you guys are 27th in the nhl in shots against per game. give up 30- 40 shots a night and your not going to win many games. its surprising that you guys are actually doing well right now in the standings, but it wont last. the rangers have there problems(lack of scoring, lundqvuist playing badly, and lack of team defense) and this is what our fans focus on. that is what our journalist write about. we dont go off bashing other teams, fans, or ownership for no good reason. we have enough to worry about with our team, and dont need racist snobby french-canadiens basing us as well.

#25 superfan says:
January 14, 2008 at 5:05 pm

smolinski and brisebois do not belong on the ice, yet alone on the powerplay.

#26 HJ says:
January 14, 2008 at 6:47 pm

sounds like BRIAN is angry because the habs are ahead of the rangers.Oh, and BRIAN: STOP BASHING HAB FANS! oh, and I guess rangers fans NEVER bash their own team. You’re pathetic! get a life or go on ranger blogs only.

#27 Ice Man says:
January 14, 2008 at 10:01 pm

Don’t hate Brian. The Habs CH is the most recognized symbol in the world of proffesional Hockey.

You wish the Rangers were half the team the Habs were and will be…….

#28 Ice Man says:
January 14, 2008 at 10:07 pm

Oh & Brian the so called “50 mile rule” could have been used by the Rangers as well. Oh yes not much in the US of A are worth signing anyway. Is it the Habs fault that French Canadians are some the best hockey players in the world. I should say Canadians are the best players in the world.

#29 Izzy says:
January 14, 2008 at 11:00 pm

toronto…..what a class organisation…lmao…..how would you like to go to work for someone who publicly posts a job before telling the incumbent he was done?….maybe a little apprehensive?…..lmfao….

#30 Donnie says:
January 15, 2008 at 1:09 pm

Well, we got the Islanders tonight. I wonder which Carbo is gonna show. The good decision Guy….or the, lets try something that no other coach in the league would try because they don’t have their buddy sitting in the GM chair and no matter how stupid a move is that I make, I’ll be somewhat protected Guy. Sorry fellow bloggers…still not over that PP in the Rangers game when a couple of guys who are questionable to be even dressed are on the ice. But I’ll get over it I guess, lol.
It’s just that we are far from safe…even with that nice run we were on, we’re still only 5 points from not even having a playoff spot, and we all remember what happened last year after the all-star break. Anyways.
Yeah, aren’t the Leafs a fine organization, lol…..Bottom of the conference, and what happens when Sundin leaves? Are they gonna be demoted to the AHL? Can’t really go any lower in this league. All their hopes and dreams put in the hands of Wellwood and Steen….the next Gretzky and Lemieux, lol Gimme a break…these 2 kids are 2nd line players at best, and everyone is still waiting for their big “breakout” seasons where they rule the league offensively….like the Leaf scouts say is gonna happen.
We are having more sucess that the Leafs, but the problems that either team is having, ironically enough, have to do with having legions of loyal fans. Heres how….management wants $$$ to be made….and ***’s in seats brings in this $$$. We got 2 stadiums here that are sold out every night no matter what. So the guys in upper management, you know, the businessmen, not hockey fans are seeing that no matter what kind of product you put on the ice, the ***’s are still gonna be in those seats…and thats all that matters to them…as sad as that sounds…why build a winner when you got loyal fans who are gonna show up and watch the game, even if you got donkeys in helmets on the ice….it’s a business now boys…a big business…and the rest of the league would love to have what we have….a sold out arena, no matter how poorly we play. God, look at Detroit…this team defines success. No matter what…they succeed…they’ve proven this over the last decade…what a system they must have there….but…..half full and 3/4 full arenas every night are all they get. It was the 2nd round of the playoffs last year before they had their first sell-out….isn’t that ridulculous? A team this consistently powerful in Montreal or TO, and they’d have to build bigger arenas to hold the fans every night. But, for the record…this is the ONLY similarity between the Habs and the dirty Leafs, lol.
Before I go, I just wanna say to Brian…the only team I bash is the Leafs(cuz i hate em, lol)…I admire what the Rangers do…fill up on top-notch players. You can see that management there wants to win for the fans, and thats an attribute to them. It’s just it doesn’t work, for whatever reason. Once again, a team full of all-stars who should be leading the league with the talent there, but lingering around the middle of the conference again. Not being able to score with this lineup means the team doesn’t gel…..got too many of these guys…everyone wants and needs the puck to be productive, and 6 players can’t have the puck at the same time….too many chiefs and not enough indians so to speak. And I think everyone bashes them somewhat for the underachieving they way they do with the lineup they have…but once again, cudos to the Rangers mngmt. for at least trying….Christ, you guys went out and got Drury and Gomez, to put with Jagr, Shanny, and Stratka in the offseason….as a Habs fan, I almost threw-up when I compared this to our big signings of Smolinski and Brisebois, lol…anyways….GO HABS GO !!!

#31 patrick says:
January 15, 2008 at 1:23 pm

Don’t get me wrong, I am a HUGE HABS fan, but Ice Man do your homework!

Koivu, Kovalev, Kostytsins, Higgins, Komisarek, Plekanec, Huet, Hamrilik,
not Canadian. (sorry for the spell job)

#32 Ice Man says:
January 15, 2008 at 1:28 pm

Those above players you mentioned are good, but not the best. Please read what I said Pat.

#33 patrick says:
January 15, 2008 at 3:16 pm

the best french canadian players play nowhere near montreal, infact whose the best canadian player on the habs? not much to choose from. I agree that Canada produces (on average) the best players, but they don’t play for us.

#34 Stuart-SB77 says:
January 15, 2008 at 4:13 pm

No mtl players in the youngsters All star Game. WTF!!! Marc Luicic makes it over Andrei Kostistsyn? Lucic only has nine points! Kostitsyn has more goals then lucic does points!Andrei would be the guy with the most points if he was on that east team. The selector was probably a leaf fan.

#35 patrick says:
January 15, 2008 at 4:32 pm

Kostitsyn got ripped off! If Price was still up he’d be in the game for sure.

#36 MrBigTime says:
January 15, 2008 at 4:39 pm

Anyways…

GO HABS GO… Get to DiPietro early and the game will be over… come on strong early like we did against Florida~

Is Halak starting tonight? Would be a good game to showcase him, and to give Huet a break…

#37 Ben says:
January 15, 2008 at 5:41 pm

Huet played too good accordingly to Carbo last game. lol. What a pitty. I honestly think that Carbo is the worst coach that the Canadiens have had in years and years. On the under side Gainey, not too sure he’s a great GM either. Don’t get me wrong, they were very very very good players, but as management at this point, we should do like the Chiefs. Have Koivu as a coach player lol. Anyhow, I think we all see it happening once again, the fall of the Habs in the second part of the season. Go Guy Go…

#38 Michael Gosselin says:
January 15, 2008 at 7:58 pm

Hey Bob & Carbo, don’t you see we need a policeman on our team, we need to stop Chara and other goons from pushing our smaller players around. we look like a bunch of whimps that can’t drope the gloves, Brisby needs to go bye bye for a tough guy ! after all, you both had Lupien, Bouchard, Nilan, and the list goes on that protected your ASSES….whats the problem now!

#39 Habs Babe says:
January 17, 2008 at 3:46 pm

Go Habs Go(y)
Habs The Best Then The Rest;)
Dont You Be Haten On The Habs:)

Hockey Freak Was Here;)