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

[Kennerback]

Demidov is our best player. Not just last night. If you consider Suzuki an elite player already, just do the math how good Demidov already is.

 

[imnothere]

"We're desperately needing a 2C"
"Dach not good enough"

Meanwhile Frank Nazar....

Not a fan of Newhook but Nazar is absolutely not ready to be a 2C on a playoff team.

 

[Tyson]

I have come to the realization that this team is running on fumes which is understandable when you overachieve. The lack of depth and over playing your best players has caught up with them. They are simply spent.

 

[sandviper]

We were hemmed into our zone and then stuffed in the neutral zone by a 2nd string lineup fielded by the team that's picking #2OA and is in the middle of a scorched-earth rebuild.

Yes, the Hawks did their homework and yes, their rookies were full of energy and up for it.

However, both the coach but more importantly the players themselves need to see what's going on and find ways to assert their superior experience and skill.

I think a lot of the team is very worn down.

It’s not just last night.

Even before our losses to Ottawa and Toronto (and now Chicago), we were on a worrisome trend.

Detroit took it to us and we very well could had lost that game without Monty playing in his head.

Dobes prevented a loss versus Nashville who also gave us a handful.

Flyers was a tough win, another where we trailed after 1.

We’ve been scraping by a couple weeks and our offense, despite 3 goals yesterday, is completely gone.

 

[yianik]

I have been critical of MSL not playing Xhekaj , and I know he is no saviour, but man does the D look tired as a whole. The D isnt playing good D and is also not helping offensively.

Yeah, that was a must win game well within the abilities of the team to win it. Offence was not there at all either.

 

[sandviper]

I have come to the realization that this team is running on fumes which is understandable when you overachieve. The lack of depth and over playing your best players has caught up with them. They are simply spent.

Agreed and if we make it to the playoffs, I am also worried about this being an issue. We can’t rest anyone tomorrow either like I was hoping. That means Monty likely plays, and Armia, Anderson, Gally, Savard can’t rest.

I think Laine is hurt also. I’m positive Suzuki is as well, especially after running into the boards the way he did.

 

[Deluded Puck]

I think the team have hit a wall ; this doesn’t mean anything negative on the future or a criticism of MSL, but they have outpaced their development curve. A playoff race was a pleasant surprise this year, but it has taken a lot of emotional energy from a roster that still has glaring holes in it.

 

[StCaufield]

It's not so much that, but rather how they look like shit and can't compete for a full period let alone a game.

I’m talking about people saying they won’t make it. Maybe they won’t but to make it sound like they’re 100% not going to make it is hysteria.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

My only issue is that the vets looked tight and nervous. I'd have pushed one of laine or caufield 4th.

Demidov didn't seem uptight...Maybe too naive to the moment.

Fair enough. I get wanting Demidov to shoot. But MSL is hardly an idiot for choosing guys who’ve been awesome in the shootout before. Just because Laine hasn’t been playing well at 5 on 5 doesn’t mean he hasn’t been lethal in shootouts.

 

[Kennerback]

Fair enough. I get wanting Demidov to shoot. But MSL is hardly an idiot for choosing guys who’ve been awesome in the shootout before. Just because Laine hasn’t been playing well at 5 on 5 doesn’t mean he hasn’t been lethal in shootouts.

Yes, to me the shootout is such a trivial issue yesterday. It’s often just a coin flip. They shouldn’t have needed to go to OT in the first place. That’s much more of a problem.

 

[schwang26]

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.

 

[schwang26]

Fair enough. I get wanting Demidov to shoot. But MSL is hardly an idiot for choosing guys who’ve been awesome in the shootout before. Just because Laine hasn’t been playing well at 5 on 5 doesn’t mean he hasn’t been lethal in shootouts.

I do agree. He was 2for 3. Not using him would’ve been dumb.

 

[ThaDevilGirl]

They're burnt out... So why isn't Columbus in the same boat then?

After a few losses in a row now, it's time to insert Xhekaj back in the lineup for the last game of the season.

They've had a bunch of injured key players coming back... Monahan, Jenner... Kinda helps. What they've been doing is pretty amazing, no doubt.

 

[ahmedou]

All the NHL beat the Chicago Blackhawks this season.

Only one NHL team didn't beat the Chicago Blackhawks this season. And that's the Montreal Canadiens.

 

[Natey]

He also had a pretty nasty move to get around the D and then tried to pass when he probably should have just shot.

Despite Newhooks goal, I still think he was the main reason for the loss. He could have easily had a 5 point game if he wasn’t so f***ing useless.

Crazy. Newhook was f***ing flying.

Laine was turning the puck over every other possession. Newhook was making defensive plays, scoring a goal, and was part of our limited offensive chances.

I'll take that over Laine doing the world's slowest spin trying to save the puck and then doing nothing. It's weird cause Laine had a good first period but then just stopped skating again. He had another really good shift near the end of the game defensively, but that's about it.

 

[Gaud]

I thought the shootout was interesting - I hadn't seen or considered that situation before where a player scores and no one notices, and the goal gets awarded after the next shot was taken.

It was definitely a goal (i mean the puck was still stuck between the post and the netting in the net). I wasn't sure if they would award the goal or not, if they were going to make Laine retake his shot.

In regular play, everything that would have happened following the goal would have been "erased", but that doesn't really matter in this case - the goal or no goal wouldnt have changed anything in terms of who plays or the strategy they use.

 

[Gaud]

God - if the habs play carolina and Suzuki gets a penalty shot with seconds left in the game to tie the game, ill know hockey is fixed so much hockey movie drama!

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

I see nothing but MSL hate, but is anyone willing to actually address and put into words what they think he got wrong?

I'm far from a MSL homer I just don't like seeing "MSL trash" posts with no substance behind them.

It's pointless to pick a fight over his shootout picks too

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

I thought the shootout was interesting - I hadn't seen or considered that situation before where a player scores and no one notices, and the goal gets awarded after the next shot was taken.

It was definitely a goal (i mean the puck was still stuck between the post and the netting in the net). I wasn't sure if they would award the goal or not, if they were going to make Laine retake his shot.

In regular play, everything that would have happened following the goal would have been "erased", but that doesn't really matter in this case - the goal or no goal wouldnt have changed anything in terms of who plays or the strategy they use.

The great Roger Neilson was the master at finding loopholes in the rulebook and making a mockery of it in games. Wish we had someone like him in today's NHL.

And to be fair to the NHL, you'd think they wouldn't need to account for such a situation. Good on Toronto for getting it right, but the refs blowing that sequence in such a horrid manner should indicate hey should never be put in a playoff game. What a flub.

 

[eklund the clown]

I see nothing but MSL hate, but is anyone willing to actually address and put into words what they think he got wrong?

I'm far from a MSL homer I just don't like seeing "MSL trash" posts with no substance behind them.

It's pointless to pick a fight over his shootout picks too

If you are a team that had an 8 point cushion with 4 games to go and lost the last 3 says it all .Then can't beat Chicago at home one of the worst teams in the NHL.The game should have not been close with playoffs on the line.Never should have to worry about who's chosen for a shootout. If the Canes don't rest players we are done.

 

[salbutera]

They're burnt out... So why isn't Columbus in the same boat then?

After a few losses in a row now, it's time to insert Xhekaj back in the lineup for the last game of the season.

CBJ would’ve been battling NJD for 3rd spot in Metro if Monahan hadn’t been lost for 2-months & Jenner for a long stretch.

They’re a bigger & deeper team who like VGK in their inaugural year are driven by an external collective motivator … Johnny hockey

 

[salbutera]

If you are a team that had an 8 point cushion with 4 games to go and lost the last 3 says it all .Then can't beat Chicago at home one of the worst teams in the NHL.The game should have not been close with playoffs on the line.Never should have to worry about who's chosen for a shootout. If the Canes don't rest players we are done.

Where did you predict the team would end up this year prior to game 1 ….battling for a wildcard spot on game 82?

 

[slybel]

I'm having a 2007 flashback......

 

[morhilane]

Yeah agreed. He also said Marty played that line way too much. We were getting cycled by a team of 20 year olds. The Defence needs to get bigger and faster to be able to handle the cycle because this group can’t. Reinbacher and Mailloux in please next year

Mailloux isn't going to help with handling the cycle...

Idk why people are so caught up over Laine's career shootout percentage. Doesn't really mean much when the guy clearly hasn't given a shit lately. Putting in the rookie with lights in his eyes and the hot hand that nobody has scouted with 1G 1A made too much sense I guess. But then again, I didn't go to the Tony Robbins school of coaching.

Old timer coaches used to run the hot hands in the shoot out and then go with their best players. Marty is only using pass seasons results without considering the player current state. Like, if Armia was a shootout king, he would have sent him there despite the guy current wrist injury.

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

Fair enough. I get wanting Demidov to shoot. But MSL is hardly an idiot for choosing guys who’ve been awesome in the shootout before. Just because Laine hasn’t been playing well at 5 on 5 doesn’t mean he hasn’t been lethal in shootouts.

MLS is in a tough situation. I understand his strategy : he wants the vets to feel respected because they are vets. Like everybody else I wanted Demidov to be the second shooter, or the first before Caufield. MLS gives candies like the one when he picked Dvorak to shoot. He wants to keep his vets happy. In a way, this is wrong and illogical but in another way this is how it works in real life. And it's logical after all.