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Post by CentreHice on Apr 29, 2015 21:09:18 GMT -5
Still not sure what I think about this one.
Stamkos without a goal in Round 1.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2015 21:12:03 GMT -5
Gonna be a long one. At least I hope.
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Post by CentreHice on Apr 29, 2015 22:02:21 GMT -5
Hrudey already on the Bolts' bandwagon. The topic was Stamkos not scoring. Hrudey (paraphrased): He made a real nice dump-in to the corner on their 1st goal….it was a really nice play! He was involved. Before going into Montreal--if I'm Jon Cooper--I'm finding every clip of Stamkos doing things like that and showing them to him (or to the team) just to remind him (everybody) how great he is. Keep that confidence up.
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Post by Willie Dog on Apr 29, 2015 22:07:33 GMT -5
Does anyone on this board expect the yahoos we've had to listen to for years on end are going to change their tune?
Let them keep yakking...
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Post by Anardil1 on Apr 29, 2015 22:24:47 GMT -5
I might get banned for this, but I took Tampa in 5. Nothing in this season's series against Tampa, and the way the Habs played in the first round give me much hope. Then again, Ottawa has sort of had the Habs number as well... Go Habs Go!
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Post by seventeen on Apr 29, 2015 23:14:06 GMT -5
Can't decide whether to go with my heart or my head. As they're 2 totally different outcomes. Sigh.
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Post by stoat on Apr 29, 2015 23:22:44 GMT -5
Still not sure what I think about this one. Stamkos without a goal in Round 1. He could yake it out with a vengeance on the Habs.
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Post by Douper on Apr 30, 2015 4:57:44 GMT -5
Hate this matchup. One team wants revenge and can score in bunches. Our team tends to lack emotion sometime.
Hate to say it gut says tampa in 4.
Heart says Montreal in 6.
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Post by franko on Apr 30, 2015 5:51:50 GMT -5
My Western conference picks were terrible! My Eastern conference picks were bang on (picks, not games needed).
Over-confidence in picking something I have no control over has me sticking with Montreal in 6 (and Washington in 6 or 7).
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Post by BadCompany on Apr 30, 2015 7:11:17 GMT -5
Ugh, don't like this matchup. And not because of the regular season record. Bishop doesn't have to beat Price... he just has to beat the Montreal pop-gun offense. If he can't do that, if he allows three goals per game, then we should win. But can we score three goals per game? I picked Tampa in 6.
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Post by Boston_Habs on Apr 30, 2015 7:57:28 GMT -5
I'm searching for reasons to feel confident in this series.... and I can't find any.
The Bolts just owned us in the regular season and it wasn't because of luck, injury or other circumstances. They were just better across the board. Better scoring, better PP, better possession, deeper, and Bishop was able to play Price to a draw. But like BC said, Bishop doesn't need to outplay Price as much as he just has to be good enough against our rather weak offense.
Something is going to have to change for us to have a shot. Either Price pulls a Halak and we are able to flat out steal a couple of games or Pacioretty or someone steps up and has a monster series.
Ugh. Bolts in 5.
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Post by Tankdriver on Apr 30, 2015 8:48:50 GMT -5
Not a lot of confidence on this board. Unfortunately I feel the same. It feels like Tampa in 5, but I haven't clicked it in the poll yet. I said Montreal in 7 in the previous round and we pulled out the series win, so being superstitious, Montreal in 7!
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Post by franko on Apr 30, 2015 9:20:22 GMT -5
Not a lot of confidence on this board. not at all surprised. there hasn't been much confidence all year -- especially in the coach and this methods (does he have any). no reason for any confidence either. the team just broke all expectations in earning 110 points and finishing first in the division and then beat the so-called bigger and stronger and hotter Sens -- despite having a non-existent power play, and face a team that it swept in last year's playoffs.
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Post by Boston_Habs on Apr 30, 2015 9:20:30 GMT -5
The coaching staff needs to be a BIG part of this. I hope they watched the Tampa-Detroit series closely because the Wings for the most part really found a way to keep the Bolts from playing their run and gun style. And it's not like DET has unique personnel that we don't, but I thought they back checked extremely well in that series and their team defense was very aggressive in swarming Tampa and limiting quality scoring chances.
Here were Tampa's shot totals in the 5 regular season games against the Habs: 44, 34, 36, 36, 41
If that pattern repeats itself, we are doomed. Therrien and the staff need to game plan a way to keep Tampa's shot totals in the mid 20's. I'm not saying we play a purely defensive game but we simply cannot allow the Bolts to come at us in waves and generate a lot of chances. We can't win that way.
And Game 1 is huge. We need at least a split but the Habs really need a win (preferably a quality win and not Price stealing one) to give them confidence that Tampa can be beaten if we play a certain way.
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Post by franko on Apr 30, 2015 9:32:52 GMT -5
Here were Tampa's shot totals in the 5 regular season games against the Habs: 44, 34, 36, 36, 41 If that pattern repeats itself, we are doomed. in spite of my optimism, I agree wholeheartedly see previous comment see previous comment here I disagree. we need to take both games in Montreal or we are toast. (there's my wavering bravado showing through).
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Post by Polarice on Apr 30, 2015 9:38:23 GMT -5
Meh, Tampa is not built for playoff Hockey, sorta like us a couple of years ago. I have the Habs in 5, I have zero fear of Tampa.
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Post by frozone on Apr 30, 2015 10:24:37 GMT -5
I'm with you, Reaper. I don't think Tampa is built to win it all, although they're still good enough to beat us. Tyler Johnson doesn't strike me as a playoff guy, but he sure was a factor in Round 1, so anything can happen. Their D is bigger and stronger than it was last year, but I think we hold the edge in character and will. I really think this could go either way.
Just 1 player getting hot for a single round can tip this series either way imo. Can Desharnais come up big? If we play him on a lower line, I think he could be the dark horse. I like his game when he gets away from the tough matchups.
I'm going Habs in 7, but it could take the entire tank to get it done.
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Post by franko on Apr 30, 2015 10:29:47 GMT -5
can we score a freakin' power play goal?
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Post by seventeen on Apr 30, 2015 10:32:36 GMT -5
I went with my head and Lightning in 5. Without going into an analysis of every aspect of the series, IMO, the biggest difference is behind the bench. I've always liked the system Cooper uses to both get out of his end and to forecheck at the other. It's the kind of system that gets you out of your end consistently and takes time and space away from the other team in their end. We could play that system with the talent we have, but choose a more defensive, 'safer' system which tries to cut down on the 'big' mistake, by allowing constant changes of possession. In order to generate offense, our forwards are located further away from our D than in Tampa's system. This puts pressure on the D to make long, difficult passes. Lesser skilled or lower D can't do that often enough and the puck changes hands, often in our own zone, which means chasing and then tiring. Carey's great year has negated that against most teams, but it hasn't worked against the Lightning. It's too late to change the system and I don't think MT would in any case, even if it were possible.
Babcock and his team exposed Tampa's warts, but that's what a good coach does. He sets up tactics that work against the other team and gets his team to execute them well. I was absolutely shocked to see how well the Wings played in game 7 despite missing Kronwall and Zidlicky. How may Tammpa souls were sold this week?
There's a difference between persistence and stubbornness. Persistence is when you do the right thing and keep at it, even if it doesn't succeed at first or second, or third. Stubbornness is doing the same thing over and over, believing it's the right thing. I guess we'll see which it is in this next series.
I sure hope there are a lot of beaten up players on the Lightning and that we squeeze through. I may not like MT's style, but I love the Habs.
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Post by Tankdriver on Apr 30, 2015 10:35:09 GMT -5
can we score a freakin' power play goal? That's the key. Last year versus Boston, they were going in. Against the Rangers, not so much. They key for Montreal is getting that first goal. I wish we had a Mike Cammalleri in our line-up, a guy who could score lots in the playoffs. I see this round going as a Pittsburgh/Washington series a few years ago.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Apr 30, 2015 10:54:34 GMT -5
I read we are working on our PP today, so I pick Tampa in 6.
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Post by Forum Ghost on Apr 30, 2015 11:14:42 GMT -5
This should be a close series. Bolts want to avenge last year's playoff sweep and the Habs want to avenge this year's regular season sweep. I'm not a believer of Bishop as a money goalie and I think that the Habs' playoff experience from last year gives them the edge. Not to mention that they seem to play their best when the outside world has already written them off as losers. Needless to say, Game 1 will be huge. A Tampa win will make it 6 wins in a row this season and that will probably get into the Habs' heads. A Habs win will give them some much needed confidence to reverse the slide. All in all, it should be a dandy series, but I'm picking the good guys to win in 7.
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Post by Tankdriver on Apr 30, 2015 11:34:45 GMT -5
Scary Fact: Tampa is 32-8-1 at home this year. Granted Montreal was 26-9-6, So maybe starting Price for game 82 did mean something after all?
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Post by seventeen on Apr 30, 2015 11:35:22 GMT -5
I read we are working on our PP today, so I pick Tampa in 6. I think whichever coach is handling the PK should be given the task of improving the PP.
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Post by seventeen on Apr 30, 2015 11:39:51 GMT -5
This should be a close series. Bolts want to avenge last year's playoff sweep and the Habs want to avenge this year's regular season sweep. I'm not a believer of Bishop as a money goalie and I think that the Habs' playoff experience from last year gives them the edge. Not to mention that they seem to play their best when the outside world has already written them off as losers. Needless to say, Game 1 will be huge. A Tampa win will make it 6 wins in a row this season and that will probably get into the Habs' heads. A Habs win will give them some much needed confidence to reverse the slide. All in all, it should be a dandy series, but I'm picking the good guys to win in 7. Hi FG. Nice to have you check in again. 1. I think Tampa's desire to avenge the playoff sweep last year was satisfied by the regular season sweep this year 2. Agree about Bishop. I don't think he's a good goalie as much as a freaking big goalie. Reduce the size of the pads and he'll be back in the AHL. 3. Yes, which is why I'm writing them off in 5. Hear that PK, Galch, Gallagher, Patches, Price? I've written you off. You're losers. So there. 4. Yes, could make all the difference. A Montreal win would plant a seed of doubt in the Lightning, boost the Habs' confidence.
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Post by CentreHice on Apr 30, 2015 12:04:54 GMT -5
Well, I just heard Marinaro say that Eller was our 3rd line centre today at practice. I just don't know….if MT wants Max to produce, he's got to put bigger players with him. Don't know if it's DD or Pleks at this point. My Price-factor says Habs in 7. My Therrien-factor says Bolts in 5. If we don't win Game 1, Bolts in 4. Bishop has owned us the past 3 seasons: 9-1-1. .948 SV%…1.42 GAA. We have to find a way to score goals….and getting Max going is MANDATORY the rest of the way. The onus is on Max as well. =================================================== Beau will miss the first 4 games of the series…that makes 7 games out of the lineup. But it was a clean check…. How could the league not see that the head was the initial point of contact? The screenshots show Karlsson's body position starting off with what will be a clean shoulder-to-shoulder check. Beaulieu's body position does NOT change (until after the hit). Karlsson rises up and it's clearly shoulder-to-head. Seventeen pointed out that they'd been in a dust-up just before that….and that the hit was "revenge" so to speak.
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Post by CentreHice on Apr 30, 2015 12:23:18 GMT -5
I heard Marinaro also say that the team was practicing the PP, break-outs, and carrying the puck over the opposition's blue line--instead of dumping it in.
We shall see.
Also…Subban and Petry on the 1st PP wave. Gilbert and Markov on the 2nd. Not sure of forward PP units….except that Galchenyuk was rotating with PAP on Unit 2.
================================
Hughson, Simpson, and Healy for the broadcast crew.
But I won't hear them.
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Post by seventeen on Apr 30, 2015 12:26:44 GMT -5
I saw a tweet that said Eller will be taking Galchy's spot on the PP. DD is bulletproof under this coach, which is a shame, because it limits what he (Therrien) can do to get the PP going.
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Post by franko on Apr 30, 2015 12:28:38 GMT -5
Beau will miss the first 4 games of the series…that makes 7 games out of the lineup. But it was a clean check…. How could the league not see that the head was the initial point of contact? The screenshots that show Karlsson's body position starting off with what will be a clean shoulder-to-shoulder check. Beaulieu's body position does NOT change (until after the hit). Karlsson rises up and it's clearly shoulder-to-head. no, CH, you missed it . . . Beau put himself in a vulnerable position (when he didn't get off the ice when Karlsson was on).
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Post by CentreHice on Apr 30, 2015 12:31:16 GMT -5
Beau will miss the first 4 games of the series…that makes 7 games out of the lineup. But it was a clean check…. How could the league not see that the head was the initial point of contact? The screenshots that show Karlsson's body position starting off with what will be a clean shoulder-to-shoulder check. Beaulieu's body position does NOT change (until after the hit). Karlsson rises up and it's clearly shoulder-to-head. no, CH, you missed it . . . Beau put himself in a vulnerable position (when he didn't get off the ice when Karlsson was on). Right. If a Hab hits a Bolt like that….he'll get 2 games.
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