Agreed Pactum…you only have to watch a few games to see theres not alot of heart or desire there..nuts, as you put it. Never really did solve that problem from last year. I don’t know if everyone thought it would just “go away”….if somehow, other teams would get weaker.

We have too many guys who don’t wanna get dirty, don;t wanna take that hit or rub out, and basically don;t wanna work. Higgins did something last game you don;t see much here…he got in over the blue line and cut TOWARDS the slot, not away from it. This high traffic area where you might take a poke and our guys don;t like to go, Higgins went there…and scored. Work ethic goes hand and hand with no balls, and our work ethic sucks also.
Just notice this guys….it just out at me during the TB loss…they show Kovy and a few more on the bench, they’re not even winded, hair not wet, no sweat….THEN, the flash to Vinnie’s face…he’s trying to catch his breath, sweat running down his face and dripping off his nose…and you can see this with almost any team in the league…funny that they are in the same league.

I’m also sticking to my theory that rolling 4 lines through thick and thin is eventually gonna catch up with you. Your best players have to get more ice time than the others, this is not rocket science. Certain players should not be on the ice at certain times….this is basic coaching isn’t it ? Sad part is, theres no quick fix….our top guys are so used to the time they get that I don;t think they are conditioned to play more now. Thats why I think getting Vinnie would have been interesting…were we gonna get this star who plays 25 mins or more a game and give him 15 and says ” do the same thing you did in TB Vin”? Or were we gonna sit him there on the bench with Kovy and the boys, watching Begin, Kostop, and a few more getting the same ice time as him? Would have been interesting to see if we were gonna rally this team around Vinnie or possibly be his ruination, because of our system. Anyway, sounding like broken record, but I treally hate rolling 4 lines in ANY situation…up, down or tied…thats not coaching folks. Need a big game against the Bruins !!!

Tony:

None of us will ever know if Price is still less than 100%, but I think that he’s still scraping off a bit of rust and regaining his form. Look at Luongo in Vancouver. He’s been anything but spectacular since his return. It takes a little time.

As to the Habs, they’re pretty much in the same situaion that they were last season, yes. They didn’t address their physical needs like they’d hoped as Laraque has been injured most of the season. Even healthy though, he’s not going to score you many goals, so a power forward is still in need indeed.

At any rate, Bruins fans have a lot to be excited about this season (save for that trap **** which I’ve always hated). I wish I could say the same for Habs fans.

As to today’s game, I think it safe to say that Komisarek’s brain cramp in the final seconds of the first period cost Montreal the game. This is not to suggest that Montreal played well enough to win, as they looked uninspired to me most the game, nor is to take anything away from Boston who is obviously the better team this season, but it is what it is. If that goal, which certainly never should have happened, ends up being the difference between a 2-1 loss and a shot in OT.

All that said, the Habs aren;t going to win anything this season. Probably not even one round in the playoffs. It would take something huge to make me change my opinion.

When you bench your “best player” for the 3rd in a big game, it kinda tells you how things are going. But why now Guy, Kovy has been playing like this all year..the guy looks like he just doesn’t want to play hockey…he takes a couple of lazy penalties almosy every game because he doesn’t wanna skate…and the 1 game he stood out in all year was the All Star game….a game with no hitting, no contact, and where floating is expected….it’s just not good enough from Kovy and so unfair to all Hab nation, esp. in this 100th year celebration.
In my opinion, this game was lost when we had the 5 on 3 for 1:05 and everyone refused to shoot. Just kept passing the puck around the perimeter, killing the penalty for the Bruins…ugly, ugly display.
Without the very lucky 4-3 win against LA, we’d be 0 for our last 6…since the return of Koivu and Higgins. Carbo can do nothing more really…he’s after having every possible number of line combos you can imagine. There’s a real problem here…they don’t wanna skate, shoot, grind it out and go to the net…no desire epitamizes this team this year.
We scored goals and were winning last year and still got bounced outta the playoffs on our as*es…this year we’re not even having a good regular season run…where are we going in the playoffs ?
The goal we got today was due to a very rare screen in front of Thomas, and the goal Higgins got against LA was because he cut TO the net, not to the boards to looks for a pass…why can’t we do this all the time…look at the tapes Carbs..the proofs right there !!!
I’m a huge fan of this organization, but guys, this team is just not good enough…period. Time to face facts and admit it before becoming like dellusional Leafs fans. No heart, no grit, the lack of toughness issue was not addressed, and at this point, I don;t even think a major move by Gainey would help. There’s just too many areas we are weak in. Look for a house-cleaning session next season..this squad are just too weak and stale to compete.

For the most part I gotta agree with you Donnie. I’m glad Carbo finally found the parts to bench Kovalev, it’s not his fault we’re losing but when he’s on the ice, the team cannot play like a team, he will not pass that puck unless he has to and by then everyone is out of position and it’s too late. Every time he touches, he loses it.

I like our PP, it gives me a chance to grab a beer or get some laundry done or whatever, it’s not like I’ll miss much.

Maybe we aren’t good enough or maybe we’re not good enough to play the style we’re playing, I still think all is not lost and that we have talent, just doesn’t seem like Carbo knows how to channel it. Like I said before, I don’t think the blame solely rest’ with him but any fool can shuffle lines all day, it’s going to take a hell of a lot more than that to turn this around.