Post-Game Talk: Jacques Alain and the Habs win in Buffalo

[WinterLion]

We will see.. I think Allen stole the last two games. Don't expect him to continue that long term.

All the vets are playing great. They are carrying the team right now. That's good news in many ways, but I don't think it will effect where we end in the standings much. It's a looooong season.

 

[WeThreeKings]

All the vets are playing great. They are carrying the team right now. That's good news in many ways, but I don't think it will effect where we end in the standings much. It's a looooong season.

Yeah, no one should panic yet.

Detroit fans flexing they'll finish with less than 90 pts.

 

[Nico Cauzuki]

every year i say this is the year Buffalo explodes and every year they disappoint Lol

still plenty of time to wake up tho

 

[morhilane]

every year i say this is the year Buffalo explodes and every year they disappoint Lol

still plenty of time to wake up tho

They don't have a NHL goalie, even for backup.
Their young Ds still need work in the dzone.
Many of them avoid contact despite having big body.

They are good moving around the ozone and can protect the puck (at least against the Habs), but don't take shot on net unless the line is clear of bodies so they just move and shot around the perimeter*. It looks better than the Habs patented shot-on-the-shin-pads technic, but that's about it.

*Habs had 13 high danger chances vs 4 for the Sabres at 5v5 despite the Habs spending the majority of the night in their own zone and getting out shots badly (according to naturalstattrick).

 

[Redux91]

Face off numbers last night

Monahan 14 W 6 L
Evans 7 W 4 L
Newhook 3 W 9 L
Suzuki 3 W 7 L

Freakin Mohahan man lol what a machine

 

[Guy Larose]

Every fantasy league, OOTP, EHM etc. league

They all have that GM who always tanks and finishes in the bottom.. the Buffalo Sabres are that team.

What a pathetic start for that franchise... again.

That's because it takes more than tanking to win championships. It takes good trades, drafting, and fixing issues. It's an overall mix. Somebody should tell this to the geniuses in the tank thread.

 

[MXD]

Do you usually revert to French when you're this upset?

My frustration tends to sound more visceral in French. To me at least.

 

[Runner77]

 

[salbutera]

Looks like the very first shot hit his hand/arm and hurt him - then proceeding shots simply added insult to injury

 

[BLONG7]

Most penalized team in the league? Have to cut that out, our PK is insanely terrible.....worse than our PP I think....
5 on 5 is fantastic, but the special teams are brutal.....

 

[VirginiaMtlExpat]

Face off numbers last night

Monahan 14 W 6 L
Evans 7 W 4 L
Newhook 3 W 9 L
Suzuki 3 W 7 L

Freakin Mohahan man lol what a machine

Newhook and Suzuki need to put in the work. They need to pick Monahan's brains. And Monahan, if he stays out of the infirmary, needs to be signed. He's only 28, while other players have also emerged from injury-riddled starts. Patrice Bergeron had one concussion after another early on. If we are honest, if Monahan keeps up like this, he plays like the 1C.

 

[JianYang]

Newhook and Suzuki need to put in the work. They need to pick Monahan's brains. And Monahan, if he stays out of the infirmary, needs to be signed. He's only 28, while other players have also emerged from injury-riddled starts. Patrice Bergeron had one concussion after another early on. If we are honest, if Monahan keeps up like this, he plays like the 1C.

Monahan is a good player. Out of all the injuries that the Habs had last year, monahan's was the one that started the free fall in my opinion.

Him and dach are the glue guys for this club where they provide quality depth and flexibility behind the defacto top guys in suzuki and caufield.

If I had any confidence in him staying healthy, I'd have no problem paying a premium for him at the deadline if I was a contending club.

 

[Leon Lucius Black]

Newhook and Suzuki need to put in the work. They need to pick Monahan's brains. And Monahan, if he stays out of the infirmary, needs to be signed. He's only 28, while other players have also emerged from injury-riddled starts. Patrice Bergeron had one concussion after another early on. If we are honest, if Monahan keeps up like this, he plays like the 1C.

Suzuki's faceoff percent is 57.8% this year lol.

 

[VirginiaMtlExpat]

Suzuki's faceoff percent is 57.8% this year lol.

Good catch. Still looks disinterested though.

 

[Skip Bayless]

Habs are actually decent 5v5 for now (albeit against weaker opposition). Midpack with 53% xGF and a positive differential.

The real problem for now is the penalty differential. 39% share of PP time is atrocious. It’s the 3rd year in a row that Habs are around 40%. Brutal.

The reason why we're on the PK a lot is because were not that good at 5 on 5 either. We run after the puck too much.

Can't break the cycle in our own end, can't establish the forecheck in the offensive end.

 

[Conflicted Habs fan]

Amazing. He took three blocked shots and forced them to the outside all the while with one functional skate, no stick for a brief time and in pain

 

[Runner77]

Amazing. He took two blocked shots and forced them to the outside all the while with one functional skate and in pain

Contending teams ought to take note. He remains a reliable playoffs horse.

 

[Cournoyer12]

Not as long as Pegula’s maintains interest, he’s very committed to keeping the team in Buffalo.

Similar to Lord Thompson in Winter-peg, once either / both gets fed up the teams gonzo

I personally would hate to see Buffalo move, unless it was to Hamilton

 

[Cournoyer12]

Face off numbers last night

Monahan 14 W 6 L
Evans 7 W 4 L
Newhook 3 W 9 L
Suzuki 3 W 7 L

Freakin Mohahan man lol what a machine

Monahan definitely found money, if he can stay healthy Habs have a chance at 82 points team wise, Pearson also. Those 2 70’s guys, him and Toffoli don’t owe us anything!

 

[Hansman]

If you've ever been in Buffalo, you would understand.

Watching the game on T.V. last night I was surprised at all the empty seats.

 

[OldCraig71]

Watching the game on T.V. last night I was surprised at all the empty seats.

12 years with no playoffs and the current insane cost of living in Canada and yes I know it's an American city but how many of the fans occupying the seats are from Ontario?

 

[habdynasty]

Amazing. He took three blocked shots and forced them to the outside all the while with one functional skate, no stick for a brief time and in pain

He’s like a tree out there.

 

[Hansman]

12 years with no playoffs and the current insane cost of living in Canada and yes I know it's an American city but how many of the fans occupying the seats are from Ontario?

I would bet half.

 

[Habs Icing]

My frustration tends to sound more visceral in French. To me at least.

I totally understand what you mean. I instinctively revert to Italian when I'm really upset. My friends made me feel like I was strange. So you can imagine when I saw your post. Another strange person in the world.

 

[LaP]

All the vets are playing great. They are carrying the team right now. That's good news in many ways, but I don't think it will effect where we end in the standings much. It's a looooong season.

We all know Allen. It wont last.