Post-Game Talk: Habs defeat the Caps in OT

[HuGo Burner Acc]

No, thats Carey Price, and hes the best since Roy arguably maybe Lafleur. And I doubt well get something better.

I'd say since Lafleur but exciting Carey is not. That's just his style tho. Been that way since juniors. Subban and Caufield are definitely the most exciting players of the last 30 years at least

 

[Runner77]

So this is what we missed by not attending the game …

 

[ChesterNimitz]

I expected a win as Washington is a really slow team.
We will struggle badly against the faster teams.

All teams struggle against a faster team.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Didn't like the comeback
Habs Pp allowed that
Caufield - Monahan - good tonight
Mathison better tonite
Allen no bad goals - Solid

I thought Suzuki had his best game of the season and seemed to have found his speed again. Also the line of Newhook, Anderson and Slaf was dangerous all night. Great combination of speed, size and skill.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

He’s been good the past couple of games actually. Glad to see.

No stamina (that ship has sailed) but for those first 30 seconds of his shift he was giving it his all.

 

[JianYang]

Agreed, though he did let in a couple of softies against the Leafs. Tonight he was solid. I don't really blame him for either goal he gave up.

Thats jake Allen. You don't know what you're gonna get but he's capable of being bad to great and everything in between.

 

[RationalExpectations]

I am the only one thinking it is worrisome that the Habs can t control the game against the weakest team in the East ?

People are very hard with Barron but I felt he was better than Harris Savard Kovacevic Matheson tonight.

Regarding the PP, something needs to change.

I hope they can show improvement next week because BUF NJD CBJ are better than CHI and WSH

 

[ReHabs]

Both goals against were disappointing defensive breakdowns. Made the Caps look better than they were. For his own sake, I hope MSL shows some growth as a coach.

 

[Skip Bayless]

I am the only one thinking it is worrisome that the Habs can t control the game against the weakest team in the East ?

What do you expect when our first Dman is Mike Matheson and we only have two players with proven top 6 capability?

 

[ReHabs]

What do you expect when our first Dman is Mike Matheson and we only have two players with proven top 6 capability?

Matheson is in over his head and it shows. He's on the receiving side of too many goals against. It's not all his fault, our structure kinda doesn't exist. Matheson wasn't on the ice but I think it was RHP who didn't track the backdoor play for the Caps' tying goal. Things like that.

 

[RationalExpectations]

What do you expect when our first Dman is Mike Matheson and we only have two players with proven top 6 capability?

Suzuki Caufield Monahan Newhook are all supposed to be top 6 players, CC should be a 30 to 50 goal scorer depending who you ask. Slaf is supposed to be a future top 6 player and is (imo) showing signs of improvement in his D+2.

Evans Pearson Ylonen RHP are good bottom 6 players. Gallagher is washed up but can still be a 4th line player making sure the puck stays on the other hand and everybody tells me how good Anderson is because of size and speed.

Barron is their best puck mover and they shelter him because of his defensive mistakes but imo Matheson also makes some. Harris is a good puck mover, and so is Xhekaj.

For me coaching is partly responsible.

 

[MadMslm]

Both goals against were disappointing defensive breakdowns. Made the Caps look better than they were. For his own sake, I hope MSL shows some growth as a coach.

Not just that, Allen had to make some really nice saves after some bad defensives breakdowns.

This team won’t win many games if they can’t clean up their act defensively. So many errors that could have been avoided all night.

They are lucky to get out with those two points.

 

[RationalExpectations]

Matheson is in over his head and it shows. He's on the receiving side of too many goals against. It's not all his fault, our structure kinda doesn't exist. Matheson wasn't on the ice but I think it was RHP who didn't track the backdoor play for the Caps' tying goal. Things like that.

I think they put him under pressure last year outlining how great he had been, giving him the A and presenting him as their 1D, whereas he is a good 2nd pairing puck moving D but by no means an elite one. He wants to do well but I feel like he wants to do too much by himself.

 

[ReHabs]

I think they put him under pressure last year outlining how great he had been, giving him the A and presenting him as their 1D, whereas he is a good 2nd pairing puck moving D but by no means an elite one. He wants to do well but I feel like he wants to do too much by himself.

Reminds me strongly of Jeff Petry, whenever he was in over his head his play would crater.

But I can't blame Matheson for anything when the defensive structure around him is so flimsy and the goalies he plays for are not even half of Carey Price.

 

[HuGort]

Hated to see the comeback against us but it did allow for Caufield goal. Something positive anyway.

Allen had good game. After couple soft goals against Toronto he's played solid.
Matheson is outstanding in overtime. But in regulation he looked nothing like the Matheson of last season.
Gallagher had second decent game in a row. Looks like Gallagher of old.
Barron I thought had good game. He needs to play. Potential there
Anderson should never play powerplay. At least not first powerplay unit. He can't handle the puck nor hit the net. He is a big strong fast north crasher and banger.
Evans good game. Solid fourth line center.
Monahan steady eddy. Brings us a first at deadline. Newhook play center next season. Roy be here on wing. Hughes trade the pick at draft for another Newhook type, or a young goalie.

 

[Runner77]

Sean Munchahan.



Now take the next step and order a pair of these beauts from McDavid:

 

[Doc McKenna]

Congrats on the win. First game in Bell Center and it was electric. Definitely a bucket list for me. Fans were really into it and super nice. Good luck on the rest of the season.

I was hoping for ovie to get the ball rolling on the habs this year. I wanted him to get just one more 50 goal season. He should have had a couple more if not for coivd and lockouts etc. Bit surprised you guys are struggling this much, but perhaps its for the best when you need some talent for the future. Good/bad(if you are in the tank) luck for the rest of the season!

 

[Runner77]

 

[OldCraig71]

It was a boring game until halfway through the second period, Gallagher scored the most Gallagher goal ever lol. The PP is too easy to defend, everyone knows they are trying to go to CC and it doesn't work.

I haven't been very vocal about Slafkovsky but outside of his game against the Leafs, he looks lost, especially in our end of the ice, the pace is too much for him(just my opinion, yours might be different but we can still be friends) and he is basically trying to survive. I think that a stint in the AHL is on the way for him and it won't be a bad thing. Allen was very good and so was Caufield, the little guy is throwing a hit here and there and dancing with the puck on his stick, I read the Naslund comparisons and I agreed with it.

 

[Kriss E]

Suzuki Caufield Monahan Newhook are all supposed to be top 6 players, CC should be a 30 to 50 goal scorer depending who you ask. Slaf is supposed to be a future top 6 player and is (imo) showing signs of improvement in his D+2.

Evans Pearson Ylonen RHP are good bottom 6 players. Gallagher is washed up but can still be a 4th line player making sure the puck stays on the other hand and everybody tells me how good Anderson is because of size and speed.

Barron is their best puck mover and they shelter him because of his defensive mistakes but imo Matheson also makes some. Harris is a good puck mover, and so is Xhekaj.

For me coaching is partly responsible.

Try to take a step back and re-read your post.
I'm way less involved with Habs and this board these days and the roster you listed is a bottom 5 imo.
Caufield-Suz-Mona are the only legit top 6 guys...
The rest are bottom 6, the defensive unit is terrible, and we have two back up goalies.

Did St-Louis make mistakes? Of course. Could he have taken different decisions? Of course. Would it have changed anything? Nope.

This team is a lottery pick one.

 

[RationalExpectations]

Try to take a step back and re-read your post.
I'm way less involved with Habs and this board these days and the roster you listed is a bottom 5 imo.
Caufield-Suz-Mona are the only legit top 6 guys...
The rest are bottom 6, the defensive unit is terrible, and we have two back up goalies.

Did St-Louis make mistakes? Of course. Could he have taken different decisions? Of course. Would it have changed anything? Nope.

This team is a lottery pick one.

I overall agree with you on the result i.e. That this team is bottom 10, which is why I am speaking of content.

I have mentioned it in other posts but this team has not scortched earth to rebuild. Their leaders are in their D+4 (Guhle) to D+7 (Suzuki) and they have a 1 OA in his D+2 who should start having a positive impact. This may not be a contender but this should be a team who has the ability to keep the puck in the ozone, to score on PPs given the supposed talent they have.

When you trade picks for Dach, Newhook, acquire Barron to speed up the rebuild and overpay to keep Allen, it means you want to improve sooner than later right ?

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

He’s not a just our first liner, he’s a superstar. We underrate our stars and overrate our suspects.

I agree he has superstar potential. But he has to prove it with results. So far so good in terms pacing for close to 50 goals but he’ll have to improve on his numbers to get to superstar status and he’ll have to do it consistently.

But the talent IS there. If he starts putting up 50 goals every year… it will be an interesting conversation to have.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

For sure - Subban was arguably more electrifying than Kovalev but Caufield is right there. He’s really good.

I’m impressed by his ability to use his body this year. Idk if it’s added strength or weight but he’s not as easy to push around.

Subban was a legit superstar and actually better than Kovalev. PK was easily a top three blueliner in the league. Carey Price was a superstar too as he was at one point one of the absolute best players in the league.

 

[Non Player Canadiens]

I am the only one thinking it is worrisome that the Habs can t control the game against the weakest team in the East ?

not really, this is a young, rebuilding team that just lost their 1C for the season

 

[RationalExpectations]

not really, this is a young, rebuilding team that just lost their 1C for the season

Youth can explain mistakes I am fine with it, not the lack of system and skill that we have seen since the start of the season.

I also hate the youth thing as a key argument given the fact that Suzuki has been drafted 2017, CC Newhook RHP 2019 and Monahan 2013, Anderson 2012. Slafkovsky is the only one with the excuse of age in the top 6/7. That does not mean CC and co are not developping just that they are not that far away from their potential anymore.