Post-Game Talk: Habs lose Blackhawks in a Shootout. Fail to clinch Playoffs.

[Kosseca]

Newhook had like 5 great scoring chances on his stick
A good offensive players would have easily buried 3.

That's why Demidov can't play with Laine, he'll set up players that are going into trafic for quick shots.

Also, I know the players are exausted from playing so much at such a high level recently, but the D-zone system remains a massive problem for me. When you have zero energy, you can't chase you man and have even less gaz to go on offense. The mid-ice flip is just a killer strategy against MTL right now.

 

[sampollock]

so many excuses than winning
tired is a excuse.

then dont tell KH not to trade guys away. its on the players, I hope they can do it
now they say diff team tomorrow. ok let's go then

 

[JianYang]

It happened so quickly. From the refs reaction, I honestly thought the puck deflected into the crowd. It wasn't until the camera showed the puck lodged in the net. That I realized what was happening.

Yeah, my first thought when I saw the confusion was that the blckhawks didn't follow their shootout card.

Crazy stuff

 

[sampollock]

Yeah, my first thought when I saw the confusion was that the blckhawks didn't follow their shootout card.

Crazy stuff

monty must have known the puck was in the net. lol

 

[Ozmodiar]

Before the shootout, MSL asked Demi a question and he answered by holding up 3 or 4 fingers. Might have asked him when he wanted to shoot.

There it is

 

[Guy Larose]

Kev made the Hawks PGT lol

 

[Mats NAslund]

When he has extra good players to move in and out of the lineup this post would be relevant.

You have to be joking right ?

David Savard could not crack an AHL lineup right now yet he's in the op 6 when Xhekaj is sitting in the stands for 3 weeks (Anyone that doesn't see this as wrong and over favoritism to a vet is blind as f***)

How about Playing Pezzetta when even if "INJ" a guy like Heinemann is WANTING to play according to media sources or Roy for that matter. Jesus Xhekaj would be a better option on the 4th line.

ITs as clear as day MSL has a hate on for Xhekaj because he's a 1000% upgrade on both Pezz and Savard and anyone that cant see it is just as full of shit as MSL is.

Jesus if you hate Xhekaj that much call up Logan Maillloux, he was not horrible in the limited time he got to play for Montreal and again is a far superior option to Savard. The old man is done, finished, fini a la corde!

Playing Matheson 27 to 30 minutes a game is ludicrous he's not good at anything except for turnovers and skating fast in a straight line WITHOUT the puck (That thing is like a hot potato on his stick) shooting on his on goalie and poor defensive coverage...Maybe lower his minutes to 20 and spread the other 7 to 10 through to a D on their game on that particular night but no MSL is so god damn fixated on not upsetting his vets he'd rather f***ing lose than make the right changes.

Jesus Christ Matheson has a hard enough time not having brain farts on the ice at 15 minutes a game and MSL gives him 30 to reward him.

Could you imagine if Xhekaj made the same brain farts Matheson does night after night or gets blown by to the outside like Savard does on a shift to shift basis ? They would send him back to the OHL let alone the AHL

Anyone that cant see the mis management of players and the lack of in game adjustments (afraid to make a vet cry) is absolutely blind and a MSL homer.

I think MSL does has done a lot of good but down this stretch he's been to loyal to his vets to the detriment of this team and they will NOT make the playoffs unless Columbus helps them out and MSL only has himself to blame.

Don't get me started with not replacing Slaf last night on the 1st line. I love Slaf but he needs to get his dam legs in gear he's starting to look like a younger Laine in the sense where he doesn't move or use that massive frame. A guy that size should be using speed and size and cut to the damn net !

Demidov was on fire and come the 3rd period he should have been the go to guy on that 1st line and on the 1st PP wave and a top 3 shooter in the shootout but again MLS stuck to his vets because that's been working great lately !


You start games with your best players and as the game progresses you make adjustments and reward and utilize those players that are firing on all cylinders not sit there and think well we'll get some last minute heroics from Matheson or Savard




I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THE MSL DOESNT HAVE BETTER OPTIONS BULLSHIT!

Wake up there are better options you just have your rose colored MSL glasses on!

 

[Mats NAslund]

There it is

Ya I saw it in game when MSL went to him and said you're shooting 4th

 

[Mats NAslund]

We're on the same page. Though a lot of the issues you pointed out. I saw more of when he was at center. While on the wing, he seemed more comfortable and much more engaged in the play.

It's easy to say now that we should have stuck to the rebuild. At the time, we were in a position, where it was worth the risk IMO. At this point, I'm hoping that less chances are taken.

100% agree on Lekh. Damn he'd be such a nice fit on our team now.

Add Romanov to that list

How nice would it be to have Romanov in over old man Savard.
Stay home hard hitting D

 

[Lycanthrope]

Words can’t even describe this. All that hype. The crowd was nuts. Demidov delivers. Hutson breaks a record. And they lose to a bottom feeder on home ice!!!!
3 power play goals against! Monty stinks in the shootout! Laine can’t skate or win a puck battle to save his life!
I’m so disgusted right now.

While we’re at it, Monty is not championship calibre and Dobesh might actually turn out to be the better goalie.

 

[Tyson]

I can understand Hughes promising Suzuki not to trade off any players. What I don't understand is not using a few draft picks, to pick up some depth for the team.

That will be something they reflect on after the season ends.

 

[sampollock]

MSL never had these guys up for the game
came in to loose and no live or die feeling

 

[Tyson]

MSL never had these guys up for the game
came in to loose and no live or die feeling

Inexcusable to throw away a 2-0 lead

 

[Lycanthrope]

Yes…. and the reason they haven’t rolled 4-lines is because of injury. Heineken is a key element for that 4th line, who BTW were starting many games, and sum of all parts team which the Habs are.

I’m expecting Heineken will be in the lineup vs Canes as his 10-day concussion protocol ends today

I’ll take him chilled in a mug

 

[Captain Mountain]

I can understand Hughes promising Suzuki not to trade off any players. What I don't understand is not using a few draft picks, to pick up some depth for the team.

Montreal was out of a playoff spot with one of the worst goal differentials in the East. Deadline prices were sky high. I don't see any serious argument for the team to have been buyers at the deadline.

 

[Lycanthrope]

That dummy move by Ghule -

Yeah, there’s no question. That was the turning point but like others have said on here it shouldn’t have been enough to lose the game man, no way. Maybe against a tough playoff opponent, but not against the Hawks.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Kev made the Hawks PGT lol


View attachment 1014349

I mean can you blame Kev , after watching Demidov play I'm also questioning some things...

 

[habinthepeg]

Yeah, there’s no question. That was the turning point but like others have said on here it shouldn’t have been enough to lose the game man, no way. Maybe against a tough playoff opponent, but not against the Hawks.

I disagree. I like Guhle's heel turn and physical play lately. Adds another dimension to the defense. There's always risks with it of course, but missing the timing of a nice hit by a second or less sometimes is a small price to pay.

 

[Lycanthrope]

They weren’t going to win against Washington regardless. I still have a feeling that they’ll make it, but that will be a sweep. Anyone thinking this team is strong enough for an upset is crazy. It’s still a huge accomplishment just to make it though.

You know I can see that point for sure but then you think of how they played against Florida this year for example and you wonder.

 

[Lycanthrope]

He put him on PP1 with 18 seconds left in the second period but then didn't start him on it to start the third.
That had me scratching my head. Demidov should have been a permanent fixture by that point in my mind.
The players can check there egos at the door this is about playing winning hockey.

That’s exactly what Maguire said on Marinaro last night. Essentially check your egos you wanna win or what and put him the first line too, NOW. Let’s see. If he doesn’t, then I don’t care what anybody says the loss will have been on him for not trying everything in his power.

 

[Halberdier]

I don't understand how you can just go back and retroactively change a ruling like that after the next player already took his shot.

It'd be like if at 15:00 of the 3rd period, they stopped the game and said "oh, by the way, it was determined there was a goal at 8:20 of the 2nd period."

Even if they did that, they'd just say "and the clock wont be adjusted".

I am OK for checking the goal and retroactively make it count, but at that point Laine should have been allowed to make an another shot, so I think there should be "clock reset" to that point where the goal happened.

 

[Mats NAslund]

You know I can see that point for sure but then you think of how they played against Florida this year for example and you wonder.

Historically at a least in the Ovechkin era, aside form the Halak series and correct me if I'm wrong I think Montreal has struggled vs the Caps

 

[Lycanthrope]

Good question. I dont think the whole issue is on MSL, but as a coach he bears a big part of the responsibility.

For me, bringing MSL as coach was a fantastic move, a breath of fresh air. No longer playing offensive rookies on 3rd and 4th lines, giving players a chance to make mistakes. Having a coach who's career just recently ended, bringing him closer to the players, and most importantly having an underdog who went on to prove everyone wrong. A fantastic leader. I don't think Caufield and Hudson are where they are without MSL. Can you guys imagine Hudson dancing around with the puck like he does with Therrien?? He was exactly the kind of coach this team needed, but in time his limited strategic mind started to show. I noticed some old school tactics that I don't think I've noticed with him before. The same approach that previous dinosaur coaches used to be penned for.

1. Keep vets that are struggling in the lineup, no matter what they cost us in terms of goals or wins.

But more importantly :

2. Don't adjust your team, even slightly, especially when they are clearly struggling. Win or lose.

I remember listening to an interview after one of those low shot games, Marty was saying he liked how the team played, and the team energy. They shot 7 times in 2 periods that game if I recall, and this happened 5 games in a row or so. How can any coach, win or lose, see this and say, cool guys, keep it up lets not change a thing. Maybe it was different in the locker room I have no clue, but they did it again the next game, and the next game against teams we should be outplaying. Again we played that way in the past, with a much worst team, but we had a huge X factor helping us, Carey Price. With Price gone and many more players capable of shooting, they need to shoot and get pucks to the net. For some reason we stopped playing that fast pace game we played and now its the Therrien dump and chase all over again every game. Sure we had some secret weapons but other teams are going to figure out Laine's one timer in the PP or Hudson's style of play, a good coach will understand this, change it up a bit while trying to retain those advantages.

Again, I wouldn't go as far as to want him gone, I still think he's great for the team, but he needs a strategist to help him.

Excellent post and essentially my main gripe against him too. The question is regarding a strategist is, would he be able to deflate his ego enough to listen.

 

[Lycanthrope]

I disagree. I like Guhle's heel turn and physical play lately. Adds another dimension to the defense. There's always risks with it of course, but missing the timing of a nice hit by a second or less sometimes is a small price to pay.

Did you read my post? I essentially said they should’ve been able to get over that penalty.

 

[Mats NAslund]

Even if they did that, they'd just say "and the clock wont be adjusted".

I am OK for checking the goal and retroactively make it count, but at that point Laine should have been allowed to make an another shot, so I think there should be "clock reset" to that point where the goal happened.

Agreed