Saturday, May 8, 2010

Habs vs. Pens Game Five: Hit 'Em With Your Best Shot

Notes on the third and OT:

-The Habs need to win this series because I can't bring myself to cheer for the Bruins. Yet, I hate the Pens. So, go Habs, go!

-If Fleury gets another shutout, I'm going to be extremely unhappy.

-The kid's getting a baptism by fire, and the stupid DOG penalty must have really made him feel like crap.

-Credit where it's due: MAB's playing decent defence tonight.

-It's hard for a goalie to steal a game when he gets no goal support. Kostitsyn and Pouliot aren't the wingers this team needs. I thought Pouliot was, but now I see why Minny traded him.

-Has anyone noticed Muller's actually coaching the team? He talks, and Martin just stands there with his arms folded, nodding. I think he's just there for French translation.

-I'm thrilled Cammy got one to break the shutout. Fleury did not deserve that much credit tonight.

-Beautiful. Crosby couldn't nail the coffin shut in the empty net. Even his Tim Horton's millions couldn't buy him a goal.

-Oh well, I guess the Habs will have to take this in seven.


Notes on the second:

-Even Cherry says Guerin dove on the Gorges penalty.

-It's almost not fair that a series can be won on the powerplay. Without their stacked PP, the Habs are beating the Pens in this series.

-Oh, it's tough when you have those kinds of chances to start the period and can't score. That's going to haunt them later.

-I wonder if Halak's been in Malkin's head ever since 2003, when he stoned him in the world under-18 tournament? That was a helluva save on him.

-Ouch. That Gonchar goal hurts. Especially after our guys had so many chances.

-The Habs are trying hard, but it feels like it isn't their night.

-I'm loving the work of the third and fourth lines. They're down to their last dime, and they're putting it in the collection plate.

-I sense years of bitter hatred between Crosby and Subban. We forget they're only two years apart in age and they already can't stand each other.

-You have to give Moore credit. He's not huge, but he wins his battles. He's ferocious.

-If the Habs win this, it'll have to be in OT. Chances are limited and Fleury's playing well.



Notes on the first:

-Uh oh...Russians out, North Americans in for the Pens. I'm expecting lots of dirty crease action. Jaro will have ring-around-the-collar before this is over.

-Bergeron really does look like a curious emu.

-My dad had Martin's tie in the '70s. Now I know what happened to it after we dropped it off at Goodwill.

-I hate to criticize a guy as courageous as Gill, but man, he struggles with the puck!

-The Habs' playoff life flashed before my eyes when Halak went down like that.

-Some good chances, but No Goalov playing for the Habs.

-I'd love it if Gill scored. That would be a triumph of epic proportions, literally and figuratively.

-It's good there's no set "playoff beard" rule this year. I like that the Habs are picking their own thing, from Cammalleri's clean face to Pleks' heavy goatee. It just makes them look so much smarter.

-Damn that call on Gorges! I knew as soon as he went to the box the Pens would score.

-O'Byrne is playing some terrible defence. Soft and slow as a lullaby.

-What I don't understand is why Crosby can corner the refs at the end of every period and yap at them, yet they favour him. You'd think they'd hate his guts for all the whining.

-Lousy break on the PP goal. This game is going to be tough to win.

10 comments:

iRiRi said...

"Has anyone noticed Muller's actually coaching the team? He talks, and Martin just stands there with his arms folded, nodding. I think he's just there for French translation."

First, I literally just LOL'ed at this.
Second, I noticed that too. It's scary yet relieving. Scary that JM can't come up with a strategy to get a goal. Relieving in that Muller probably has a better idea anyway.

Keep up the good work, J.T.

Anonymous said...

How bad is Gill's injury? He never returned and the clowns on Versus never mentioned it. I'm sick of hearing how great the Penguins are and how Bylsma handles his bench. The only solution is to win game seven and close the Mellon Arena with a loss to the 8 seed. I really believe the Habs will do it.

Rookie said...

"I sense years of bitter hatred between Crosby and Subban. We forget they're only two years apart in age and they already can't stand each other."
I think I love PK Subban more with each passing day. If ever there's a mural of his face painted outside my house, the Internet will know why.

Anonymous said...

And to think that many "connaisseurs" thought that a second round pick was too much for Dominic Moore...

Patrick said...

I disagree with you about MAB: he truly was erratic in his own zone, and O'Byrne and him looked all night long like some bad incarnation of Laurel & Hardy, fumbling with the puck with a eery regularity.

God, please, give us ONE of our top D back! Just one! Please?

Habs in 7, but we need Gill back--and a Spacek or a Markov wouldn't hurt too.

Anonymous said...

Can someone hold my hand? I think I'm going to puke. My only consolation is that none of you seem worried about Monday night.

I got thinking about the date on Monday: 10/5/10. Add up those number and they make 25!!!! (As in 25 Stanley Cups...or did you already get that?). So let's see...suppose we win Monday night and go into Wednesday, that would be 12/5/10 which equals 27. Hmmmm...27...help me....what about 27?

Can you tell I'm desperate?

Anonymous said...

Moore played a gritty game. But his failure to clear the puck on the PP lead to a goal and he took a dumb tripping penalty. He has heart but hands of stone and the Habs way too many pluggers. Gomez? How can someone who passes like him have such hands of stone when trying to score?

Anonymous said...

What an odd thing to say, that Mueller is coaching the team! The team Web Site lists JM as the coach. Just because the team is playing like Mueller played, because he coaches the players, both forwards and D, and is sweating bullets while JM analyzes the game doesn't mean anyhting. Just because you see Mueller pointing out things to his players mid period then the team returns in the next period all adapted to what Mueller was pointing out...well that must be coincidence. I don't think Mueller's french is good enough to coach the Canadiens. He'll be in Jersey next season where the shame of his foreign upbringing won't matter:-)

Crosby I think can talk to the refs whenever he is on the ice. He wears a C for Chatter. He is an awesome player. That he has so far been contained is a credit to the Montreal Canadiens and Pleks. Sure they miss Pleks scoring. While he'd never outscore Crosby he can shut him down. I am realy impressed. I hope they resign him.

Funny though how things go. Lapierre makes the refs look bad, and smirks doing it. Then the game with the no calls, some of which should have been. Now Guerin crowding the goalie, beind pushed and shoved, always on his feet, in the way. But he crosses the center line and a stick comes near his foot, whoom, down he goes. Two minutes. Meanwhile, back at the farm AK tries it, looks mornfully at the refs, and is so far behind the play he might as well already have signed with Minsk. Lapierre could get cut in two on the ice, and the Habs would get two for too many men. You reap what you sow.

As for young PK and Crosby? I am hoping always that they become fast friends, playing for many successive Cup winners in Montreal. That is if the fans don't manage to turn his lifelong love affair with the team into an avid hate before he becomes a UFA.

Hang in there J.T., they salvaged a terrible three years. Another couple players and they'll be there.

New

Anonymous said...

Good work JT. It is very clear Muller is the brains behind the operation. Wonder if he is taking french lessons?! Because if someone picks up Boucher he would be a good successor to Martin.

Other notes: Subtract all the bit parts here and you come to the realization that apart from PK, Markov, the keepers, and Gorges that the cupboard is bare. It is a relief that the Habs can keep on par( parity) with the rest of the teams by simply outbidding for the services of FA's for years to come!Because the certainly haven't drafted worth a %$#@

MC said...

Too bad, I thought Montreal out-chanced the Pens, but could not catch a break, while both Pittburgh goals were a little bit lucky. It seemed like the Pens have adopted Montreal's gameplan and are sitting back playing defence and picking their spots for offence, which is going to make it tough.

Pouliot has been bad for sure, but I would not give up on him yet. I think he is not strong enough as he is always on his ass. He should hit the weights in the offseason and watch how Malkin uses his size to protect the puck.

I love Tom Pyatt, but putting him with Gomez and Gionta was a huge mistake as he does not have the offensive skills, nor is he big enough for a net presence or digging out dump-ins. Moen, Pouliot, Cammallari, even Darche would be a better choice on that line. Pyatt with Lapierre on an energy line wearing down the D is a much better choice.

I agree that MAB played well considering he played over 23 minutes. I thought Metro played well but only saw 9 minutes. The D is depleted and they are over-achieving, but I think the Habs could be getting more out of the forwards. Let's hope the coaches make some adjustments.