Post-Game Talk: Great effort in shootout loss to Dallas!

[Trabdy2]

Proud of the way this team has been playing, great effort. Getting 3 out of 4 points on a back to back against two very good teams is the sort of thing we'll need to do to stay in the playoffs conversation, and we did it.

Monty was great. Was fun to see Laine score another!

 

[nhlfan9191]

The team is playing great and can beat anyone at this point.They have already proved that the last few weeks.Everyone is working hard.They have cleaned up the defensive part of the game.The goalies have been awsome.They are playing physical.Even Slaf the last couple of games has been skating better and actually carrying the puck instead of passing 2 seconds after he gets it.It's like they flipped a switch.If someone would have told me a month ago that the team are on this stretch beating most of the good teams in the league i would have said they were dreaming.

I don’t know if this play is substInable, but this is a super important step in the rebuild. It’s nice to see Suzuki, Caufield and some of the other guys actually playing for something again.

 

[Deus ex machina]

That’s true - he said he found media & drama in Toronto too much & wanted a quieter market, however, he doesn’t have any trade protection

Friedman said yesterday on HNIC that Nashville is treating ROR like he has full trade protection even if he technically doesn't.

 

[Rapala]

Went to check the standings. Currently there are 25 teams in DA MIX.
The NHL must love having so many bad teams hanging around half way through the season.

 

[JianYang]

Generally speaking, I think if you are something like 4-5 points out with a bunch of teams to jump over, you are right on the edge of the mix.

I mean, it doesn't sound like alot of gap, but it's so hard to make up points in this league and jumping over many teams is really hard too.

I think any logical person would have concluded that the Habs would be cooked by now since their murderer's row of games starting around the holiday season.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

The fact we don't look out of place at all against the cream of the crop teams with a roster that's still far from being a finished product is kinda nice, ngl.

Dvorak in OT is a big no-no from me tho, please stop that crap MSL.

Yeah I keep thinking we won’t match up well with at least one of them but all of them we’ve looked terrific in. Not depending on goalies bailing us out.

I just don’t remember a stretch like this in the past 25 years. Hugely impressive.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

I don’t know if this play is substInable, but this is a super important step in the rebuild. It’s nice to see Suzuki, Caufield and some of the other guys actually playing for something again.

If it is sustainable we’re Cup contenders.
No other way around it.
The forward depth is great. I think our D COULD be exposed.

We’re still an adventure in our own end. Mostly from line 2. Otherwise we look fantastic.

 

[CHfan1]

I know it's a faceoff thing but I still think he's a plug and shouldn't see the ice in a 3v3 OT scenario.

55 fo% vs 50% and 49% for Evans and Suzuki. The difference isn't significant enough to justify playing him when he serves no other purpose, just play your best players.

The other thing to take into consideration is that Dvorak is Montreal’s only left handed centre and both of the faceoffs he took were on his strong side. Against Washington, when Montreal was the visiting team, Evans took the opening faceoff when it was on his strong side.

 

[JianYang]

If it is sustainable we’re Cup contenders.
No other way around it.
The forward depth is great. I think our D COULD be exposed.

We’re still an adventure in our own end. Mostly from line 2. Otherwise we look fantastic.

I think it's more of catching lightning in the bottle. They certainly aren't contenders yet.

I'm hoping they can extend it all the way through like Nashville did last year.

The team is growing which is most important right now but the playoffs would be icing on the cake.

 

[The Real Timo]

Man, rest of Jan schedule doesn't get any easier. Other the Utah, who I don't have a good feeling about, they are playing, Rags, Leafs, Dallas, Peg, Devils, Tampa, Mini and Detroit. That is a murderous schedule.

 

[Kennerback]

If it is sustainable we’re Cup contenders.
No other way around it.
The forward depth is great. I think our D COULD be exposed.

We’re still an adventure in our own end. Mostly from line 2. Otherwise we look fantastic.

This is sustainable but this team was built to be in the mix not be a Cup contender. Working backwards by 2027 this team will be tweaked for the Cup. 2026 a bona fide playoff team. This year is just a bit of a surprise. There are things left to iron out.

 

[Beendair Donedat]

It’s been a long time since I’ve been this proud of the team. They went into enemy territory on Friday and came out with the hard fought win in overtime, then came home immediately and played a very tough Dallas team the next night and gave them everything they could handle and more.

It’s so refreshing to actually have a team that’s punishing the other physically instead of being pushed around. At one point I believe the hits were 22-2 in the Habs favour, and some of them were massive.

Much appreciation for all the usual suspects but I gotta say that Emil Heineman has quietly been playing some terrific, hard nosed hockey. Leading the way in hits, plays within his abilities and manages to finish pucks. Just a terrific young player with a lot of versatility and upside. He’s kind of gotten lost in the wake of the phenom that is Lane Hutson, but he’s, I think, 5th overall in rookie scoring in the league. That’s really impressive and I see him as a key bottom six guy moving forward.

Overall a great game to watch, incredibly entertaining overtime and it all comes down to penalty shots. Seems ridiculous, but the Habs played great, especially in two tough back to back games.

 

[Kennerback]

The only team that’s really surprising me is the BJ. Even with no Moneyhands who’s injured. They found these two Giant unfrozen cavemen somewhere in the Ural Mountains that are killing it.

 

[BLONG7]

It’s been a long time since I’ve been this proud of the team. They went into enemy territory on Friday and came out with the hard fought win in overtime, then came home immediately and played a very tough Dallas team the next night and gave them everything they could handle and more.

It’s so refreshing to actually have a team that’s punishing the other physically instead of being pushed around. At one point I believe the hits were 22-2 in the Habs favour, and some of them were massive.

Much appreciation for all the usual suspects but I gotta say that Emil Heineman has quietly been playing some terrific, hard nosed hockey. Leading the way in hits, plays within his abilities and manages to finish pucks. Just a terrific young player with a lot of versatility and upside. He’s kind of gotten lost in the wake of the phenom that is Lane Hutson, but he’s, I think, 5th overall in rookie scoring in the league. That’s really impressive and I see him as a key bottom six guy moving forward.

Overall a great game to watch, incredibly entertaining overtime and it all comes down to penalty shots. Seems ridiculous, but the Habs played great, especially in two tough back to back games.

All of a sudden in the last month, there is an entirely different feel to watching this team play......how can anyone not be happy eh......


Go Habs Go!!!

 

[The Real Timo]

This is sustainable but this team was built to be in the mix not be a Cup contender. Working backwards by 2027 this team will be tweaked for the Cup. 2026 a bona fide playoff team. This year is just a bit of a surprise. There are things left to iron out.

As much as I want it to be, I don't think they can sustain their record in the last 10 games. Some correction is going to occur soon. It's like my RRSP... was doing awesome until January... then it all went to shit. Hope I am wrong, but one can't help but think that the team is overachieving. And you can't overachieve forever.

But, for what it's worth, I've been impressed (with some exceptions) with their play since sometime in December. At least at this point it looks like team needs a handful of scpedific pieces, not 15 new players.

 

[Paddy17]

I like Evans and all but he doesn’t belong on the ice in OT.

Marty needs to put Slaf in OT.

 

[Tyson]

I am still trying to figure out if Patrick Laine is capable of decent 5 on 5 hockey. Maybe it's his line mates or maybe it's him or a combination of both.
I gotta say that I don't trust him other than on the PP.

 

[SlafySZN]

Marty needs to put Slaf in OT.

You and me are thinking alike.

 

[Tyson]

Man, rest of Jan schedule doesn't get any easier. Other the Utah, who I don't have a good feeling about, they are playing, Rags, Leafs, Dallas, Peg, Devils, Tampa, Mini and Detroit. That is a murderous schedule.

Parity

 

[SlafySZN]

I am still trying to figure out if Patrick Laine is capable of decent 5 on 5 hockey. Maybe it's his line mates or maybe it's him or a combination of both.
I gotta say that I don't trust him other than on the PP.

Dach has been looking good for a while. So the linemates thing doesn’t stand anymore.

Laine is trying to do too much when he has the puck. He tries to deke like 4 guys everytime, at his slow pace. He needs to let Dach carry the puck. He’ll need to simplify his game to have more success 5 on 5.

 

[The Real Timo]

I am still trying to figure out if Patrick Laine is capable of decent 5 on 5 hockey. Maybe it's his line mates or maybe it's him or a combination of both.
I gotta say that I don't trust him other than on the PP.

Well... one of his linemates has started playing better in the last 2-3 weeks or so... So perhaps just needs a bit of time. THe other, Newhook, is completely useless no matter who he plays with. I think Laine needs a center that can make space for him and he can just wire shots at the net. Or... I think for Laine , who has some decent ability to enter the zone and create plays too, have a linemate that can finish. Lol... either or... this line doesn't really work 5 on 5.

 

[morhilane]

I am still trying to figure out if Patrick Laine is capable of decent 5 on 5 hockey. Maybe it's his line mates or maybe it's him or a combination of both.
I gotta say that I don't trust him other than on the PP.

He was always on the slow side skating-wise, but I think it's more like Dach, where Laine missed a year of hockey (and got a knee injury) which means he's going to take ~30 games to ge back in actual "game shape". He played 14 so far.

 

[Subban signed e5]

Newhook on pace for close to 4th line production getting 2nd line and PP minutes is embarrassing at this point

I know they dont want to break up certain lines but its just not acceptable

Emil deserves his icetime

 

[The Real Timo]

He was always on the slow side skating-wise, but I think it's more like Dach, where Laine missed a year of hockey (and got a knee injury) which means he's going to take ~30 games to ge back in actual "game shape". He played 14 so far.

So we're thinking end of Feb or so is when Habs can open the second front a-la allies in 1944?

 

[morhilane]

So we're thinking end of Feb or so is when Habs can open the second front a-al allies in 1944?

Maybe, but that's also near the deadline (March 7th).