Post-Game Talk: Habs 4, Sens 3 (SO)

[Shec8576]

Eh. I'm choosing the devil I know over the devil I don't.

Alfie goes top shelf on a 3 on 3.

The Montreal Canadians score 2 of 3 on uncontested breakaways and get an extra point.

Which is more gimmicky?

 

[Gus Fring]

I'm not Alfie is awesome. you guys need to chill.

BTW Turris is 50% in the shootout this year and scored monday the only guy to. how quickly we forget.

Might have came off as if I was ragging on the guys but my point was mostly about how daugys creativity wasn't really such a big deal.

 

[benjiv1]

Why is it a vs game for so many Lehner fans?

Seriously time to stop putting Alfie and Turris out in the shootout.

I'm not picking sides, I was just pointing out that Bishop has also struggled in the shootout in the past.

Lehner said it best on the Team.

He is giving the players in the NHL to much respect in terms of skill set, and as a result he is over committing.

He just needs to relax and play his game.

 

[YNWA14]

That was the "best team in the east"?

Yikes. Once again they couldnt flat out beat a team missing their top 2 forwards, their top 2 D men, and playing their AHL starter.

Things dont look so hot in Habland

I think it just means that Ottawa is a much stronger team than people give them credit for.

Would we be a legit cup contender if you plug Spezza, Karlsson, Cowen, Michalek and Anderson back into this team?

 

[YNWA14]

I'm not picking sides, I was just pointing out that Bishop has also struggled in the shootout in the past.

When did Bishop struggle in the shootout? He's 4 - 3 lifetime and has a top 30 sv% among active goalies (in the shootout).

Anderson isn't much better than Lehner at the shootout tbqh.

Doesn't really matter...we need to stop going to the shootout in the first place.

 

[starling]

All in all, Sens played a solid game all around. Gryba continues to impress me. He should not be this good.

Must be the wrong Gryba. My Gryba was awful today. Could never clear the puck, scored at least 3 giveaways and half of those undisciplined plays you are talking about were on him.

 

[BK201]

Might have came off as if I was ragging on the guys but my point was mostly about how daugys creativity wasn't really such a big deal.

that happens no worries

 

[benjiv1]

When did Bishop struggle in the shootout? He's 4 - 3 lifetime and has a top 30 sv% among active goalies (in the shootout).

Anderson isn't much better than Lehner at the shootout tbqh.

Doesn't really matter...we need to stop going to the shootout in the first place.

I didn't know the stats off the top of my head, I just remembered him looking bad last year.

 

[BonkTastic]

I didn't know the stats off the top of my head, I just remembered him looking bad last year.

I posted the stats on the first page of this thread. In case people missed them.

He went 3-for-6 in the shootout last year. Two losses.

 

[Bileur]

Montreal typical

 

[Niv]

Danny Zuko, stay out of my territory.

 

[Gus Fring]

Danny Zuko, stay out of my territory.

I don't believe fear to be an effective motivator

 

[Slack]

This makes no sense. The only reason we have an opportunity to get than extra point after OT is the shootout.

I'm not following you...?

No need to get specialist, just give someone besides Alfie a chance in there. 0 for 6 now in the shootout this year. I love the guy but that's brutal.

Eitherway, glad we got the point. Here's hoping that diving list that was being discussed comes out soon and it's dominated by the entire habs roster.

Yeah, I'm with you there. No more Alfie in the SO please. If we were finding more success I guess I wouldn't be wanting Jussi right now, but we're actually going on a SOL streak as it stands. It's great that we're still in every game but we're also on the losing end of most shootouts.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

I'm not following you...?

You said we're throwing points away because of a "stupid skills competition". I assume you don't like the shootout.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Gutsy comeback to tie the game from the guys, great effort

The Habs were falling all over the place all the time, it was a bit sad; however we deserved most of the penalties that we were called for.

Lehner will likely get better at shootouts as he participates in more of them, I'm not worried

Sucks losing to the stinkin' scabs but hey, we got a point so it isn't all bad

 

[BankStreetParade]

The NHL just needs to get rid of the shootout. It's a ridiculous gimmick that has way overstayed. If MLB can play unlimited OT, and so can the NBA and ties in the NFL almost never happen, then why can't the NHL settle their games the right way? Why do we have to be the stupid fringe pro sports league that has a skills competition at the end of games to decide the winner? Come on. We deserve better. Just keep going with OT until someone wins. Fans get more value for their dollar when watching in the arena. Games are settled with a true team win rather than a meaningless 1 v 1 shootout. And most importantly, the NHL stops looking like an amateur hour mickey mouse club who don't know how to properly market a game that should, by reason, be right behind football in terms of popularity.

 

[Slack]

You said we're throwing points away because of a "stupid skills competition". I assume you don't like the shootout.

I don't, but I don't mean to open a debate about it. I've accepted that it's there, which is why we should possibly factor it into our decision-making. If we're a bad shootout team, let's address it before it costs us a playoff spot. Just a suggestion at this point.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

I don't, but I don't mean to open a debate about it. I've accepted that it's there, which is why we should possibly factor it into our decision-making. If we're a bad shootout team, let's address it before it costs us a playoff spot. Just a suggestion at this point.

Fair enough.

 

[starling]

Hits:
Ottawa 39
Montreal 18

But I thought we are soft and lose games because of that?
So let's bring some goons so our gassed 3 lines can play a little bit more.

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

Must be the wrong Gryba. My Gryba was awful today. Could never clear the puck, scored at least 3 giveaways and half of those undisciplined plays you are talking about were on him.

I'm not saying Gryba was some incredible stalwart tonight but the guy just played 21:52 against some tough competition. Montreal has a ton of speed in their lineup and he dealt with it. He's made plenty of mistakes since being called up but the guy has been huge for the team and is consistently playing top 4 minutes for the #1 ranked defensive team in the NHL. I seriously don't know who else in the organization could have stepped up in the role he's been asked to play.

If he eliminates some gaffs from his game and makes decision a bit quicker, he could have a career as a quality top 4 shutdown guy. Shoot, he's already playing the role and performing better than most guys around the league. I keep waiting for him to show he doesn't belong but he's not faltering. He had a bit of a rough stretch a week ago but it didn't get to him and he had strong back to back games against two of the best teams in the league.

The crazy thing about it all is that Gryba started off the year in Bingo playing some awful hockey. He looked so slow down there and was their worst D by far in the first games. That was bad for him considering how deep they were, but Luke showed confidence in him. Once Benoit, Wiercioch and Boro were all up with Ottawa he was the #1 down there and playing fantastic hockey at both ends if the ice. Ottawa needed a right hand shot and... the rest is history. This guy is not going to play another game in AHL unless its in a long playoff run this May/June. Biggest surprise of the season for me and a coup for the organization.

 

[Larionov]

I was fortunate enough to be at the game tonight. (Section 110 of the Bell Centre.)

That was a heck of a game to watch live. Great action, and perhaps the fastest game of the season. Guys were flying out there. What impresses me most is what a smart game we play - Ottawa plays a speed game, but generally manages to make smart plays with the puck 90% of the time. Usually if a team plays a speed game, as Edmonton does, you see giveaways all over the place. We have a few, obviously, but by and large it's pretty good. Guys like Condra, Smith and Greening all play very smart hockey.

To the extent we do make mistakes, it's usually young defensemen like Gryba, and occasionally Wiercoch, who make them. As my wife's Acadian relatives would say, "C'est kind of normal." These guys are getting invaluable experience right now that will set them up for future success.

On the negative side, Mark Stone simply doesn't skate well enough to play in the NHL right now. He looks terribly out of place, especially in a fast game like tonight. He needs to spend a summer hanging out with crazy Tony Greco and a power skating instructor if he ever wants to be an NHL regular. Latendresse is in a somewhat similar situation - he played a decent game tonight, and you can see that his hockey instincts are great, but again, his skating really limits him right now.

Finally, Ottawa was clearly the more physical team tonight. Haven't seen the final hit totals, but it sure looked to me like Ottawa was laying most of the ones that mattered. The Habs will have more than a few dudes in the trainer's room tomorrow.

 

[Slack]

OT: For anyone who missed the game, RDS is airing their abbreviated replay of the game right now.

 

[CamFan81]

hey all, hard fought game tonight...

 

[Hoople]

Good hard fought game tonight Senators fans.

You scored 2 goals on the PP. We scored 2 goals on the PP.

It came down to the lottery at the end and Montreal happened to get one more goal in the shootout.

Be better than the Bruins fans.

Look forward to playing the Sens in the playoffs. That would be a very competitive series.

 

[bishop12]

Hear Lehner nutting up on tsn?