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Post by CentreHice on May 10, 2011 10:06:11 GMT -5
Thanks for the report, 24. While it's great the Dogs keep going.....it doesn't bode well in terms of future game-breakers in the Habs' organization. That leaves us grand-total of ONE.....and he's on defence.
All these years and still not a Cup contending #1 line. Lots of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th line players, though. We're a great farm system for those types.
Look at what Lappy and Higgins are enjoying now that they're on a team with elite forward talent.
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Post by 24in93 on May 10, 2011 10:20:34 GMT -5
They have to go the trade or tank route to get elite level talent as I don't see it at all in Hamilton. Palushaj is the closest thing we have and colour me unimpressed. At least we're developing a bit of needed grit though.
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Post by 24in93 on May 10, 2011 14:28:43 GMT -5
www.hamiltonbulldogs.com/video/index?id=490&autostart=trueThey've put up a highlight vid of last night's game. Worth a watch. Note the Conboy hit at about the 4:40 mark. Also, I remembered Lack coming out a bit further to try to play that puck on the game-winning goal but the vid doesn't really highlight that. I think it threw him off enough to cause him to over commit to the butterfly and allowed Boyd to chip it top shelf.
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Post by CentreHice on May 11, 2011 14:39:23 GMT -5
Thanks for the link.
But the lack of an offensive game-breaker in our system really bothers me....especially after watching the Red Wings the past couple of games....man, do they have skilled guys and a supporting cast who will go through walls. From top to bottom....just a solid team. Don't know if they have anyone of equal value to replace their stars...but they're a treat to watch.
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Post by Boston_Habs on May 11, 2011 15:38:03 GMT -5
They have to go the trade or tank route to get elite level talent as I don't see it at all in Hamilton. Palushaj is the closest thing we have and colour me unimpressed. At least we're developing a bit of needed grit though. It's a little unfair to say that given that right now our best, young players are in Montreal: Subban, Price, Eller, Pacioretty, Desharnais. The talent level in the AHL will always ebb and flow based on who is coming in (Louis Leblanc next year, maybe Danny Kristo) and who is being called up to the NHL (Pacioretty, Subban, Desharnais). If MaxPac and Subban were in Hamilton right now we'd be drooling over having a stud blueliner and a potential power forward in the system. But WE DO have those guys, they just happen to be in Montreal. So it can be a nice problem to have. But the fact remains we haven't drafted and developed an elite offensive talent since Guy Lafleur.....maybe you could count Stephane Richer (two-time 50-goal scorer), but either way that's a LONG time.
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Post by seventeen on May 11, 2011 23:45:20 GMT -5
Thanks for the link. But the lack of an offensive game-breaker in our system really bothers me....especially after watching the Red Wings the past couple of games....man, do they have skilled guys and a supporting cast who will go through walls. From top to bottom....just a solid team. Don't know if they have anyone of equal value to replace their stars...but they're a treat to watch. The Wings are kinda like us. Their best young playes are Helm and Abdelkader, good 3rd line guys. Unless they get lucky again with late picks like Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Lidstrom, the shine will come off that franchise. They are a classy, competent organization, but those three guys made them the team they are were today.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on May 13, 2011 9:38:07 GMT -5
Dogs versus Houston Aeros, final four, conference final...starts tonight!! A really nice article in the Spec about Coach Cunneyworth. www.thespec.com/sports/bulldogs/article/530687--all-cunneyworth-does-is-winThe Habs also signed Raphael Diaz to a one year two way deal as well. He is a 25 year old Swiss defender who plays a good two way game. Expect him to start in the Hammer next fall, but he was a main stay with the national team and is very similar in size to Weber - so not a huge guy. Some pretty positive reports from Swiss posters over on HF, but at worst he adds some good depth to the defense depth chart in the system. Never a bad thing. canadiens.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=562687&navid=DL|MTL|home
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Post by seventeen on May 13, 2011 9:43:17 GMT -5
Those video clips seem to show someone a lot like Weber. Smart. One goal he banked off the goalie's back from a bad angle and he did it deliberately. Good shot, too. Let's hope it translates well enough to the NHL level.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on May 13, 2011 9:47:52 GMT -5
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Post by seventeen on May 13, 2011 23:46:42 GMT -5
Dogs lose game 1 of the semi-final, despite outshooting the Aeros 38-27. They probably were getting the rust out and I bet they're much better next game. theahl.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1008624As usual, the homer pickers managed to avoid picking anyone from the visiting team as a star of the game in a case where probably the Aeros goalie was the only Houston player deserving a star.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on May 14, 2011 0:53:27 GMT -5
Hackett was great, especially in the last 35-40 minutes when the Dogs were by far the best team. Once again, this series is a battle of really good goaltenders. For those wondering, yes he is Jeff's nephew.
A rare slow start for the no-name Dogs this post-season, but they did finish full of P&V. Not sure what Coach Cunnyworth has in their bottles, but it does seem to work. This series is far from over IMO.
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Post by franko on May 18, 2011 8:12:30 GMT -5
what in the world has happened and why have the wheels fallen off?
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Post by 24in93 on May 18, 2011 8:52:37 GMT -5
They've all been 1-goal games. Haven't seen any of them but sounds like Hackett has been the difference for the Aeros. Deep hole now. I figure they'll win tonight and hopefully get some momentum going.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on May 18, 2011 23:16:01 GMT -5
The big line woke up tonight. Five goals from Boyd, Dawes and Palushaj. Final score 8-1!! Game five in two nights on Friday night in Hamilton. Games six and seven, if necessary, switch back to the Lone Star State. www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJqpNGP_2ys&feature=player_embeddedCheck out Palushaj's goal. It is sweet. Dumont's is nice too.
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Post by seventeen on May 18, 2011 23:52:31 GMT -5
What stood out to me in the box score was the 29 minutes for White. Two misconducts and a fight. White's two points were on the 3-1 and 4-1 goals, when the game was still a game. The big line got their points when the game was more or less over.
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Post by 24in93 on May 19, 2011 12:58:39 GMT -5
Wow what a beatdown. Hopefully they have some more in the tank to pull off the comeback.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on May 20, 2011 21:02:24 GMT -5
Dogs get another win tonight, 4-2, on the backs of goals from Conboy, Palushaj, Russell and Zanette.
Back to Houston they go, trailing 3-2 in the series but carrying some good momentum.
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Post by seventeen on May 21, 2011 0:47:25 GMT -5
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Post by NWTHabsFan on May 21, 2011 9:35:40 GMT -5
He was a big part of the "key" goal last night. Dogs were clinging to a 2-1 lead and on the PK, he blocked a shot and sent Ryan Russell away, who then scored a shortie to make it 3-1. He played a lot and was always involved. Hope he is enjoying this run with Hamilton, he won't be there any longer after these playoffs.
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Post by seventeen on May 21, 2011 11:53:00 GMT -5
I agree, NWT. White is one of those guys who doesn't impress you with his skating, or his shooting, or his moves, but without guys like him in your line-up, you don't win any championships. He has a tremendous amount of heart and it rubs off on his teammates.
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Post by Gogie on May 22, 2011 19:47:39 GMT -5
Well, it took double OT and they were outshot 60-38, but Nigel Dawes put it away half way through the 5th period to take the Dogs to game seven. Only the third time in AHL history a team has been down 3-0 and come back to take it to a seventh game.
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Post by 24in93 on May 22, 2011 21:53:30 GMT -5
They're a scrappy bunch with a ton of fight in them. I'm not surprised they were able to come back from 3-0. Let's hope they get the job done now.
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Post by franko on May 23, 2011 8:29:23 GMT -5
whoever wins will be in tough against a well-rested baby-Sens team . . . if for no reason than fatigue.
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Post by CentreHice on May 23, 2011 9:18:53 GMT -5
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Post by seventeen on May 23, 2011 12:23:12 GMT -5
What a great experience that would be for the kids, to come back from a 3-0 deficit. Got my fingers and toes crossed.
PS.
It's really uncomfortable, walking anywhere, with your toes crossed.
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Post by CentreHice on May 23, 2011 13:00:53 GMT -5
Wonder if Maclean and Cherry will mention it on Tuesday night in Vancouver.
Seeing as how:
--it's a Canadian-based pro team coming back from an 0-3 deficit. --Cherry played and coached in the AHL. --they'd mention it for sure if it was the Marlies.
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Post by canadien1313 on May 23, 2011 16:20:14 GMT -5
What are the chances to see MacIntyre instead of Auld as Price's back up next season ? is he good enough for NHL hockey ?
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Post by NWTHabsFan on May 24, 2011 9:18:59 GMT -5
What are the chances to see MacIntyre instead of Auld as Price's back up next season ? is he good enough for NHL hockey ? That's an interesting question. I would say though, that Auld did a pretty good job for a $1M cap hit and a guy who only played 10 games all season. Pretty hard to imagine anyone doing much better. As for MacIntyre, it is actually quite the story for a guy who obviously needed a change of scenery. For most of the season up to his surgery, Curtis Sanford was one of the top two goalies in the league. It was an astute trade deadline move by the Goat to firm things up in net for the Dogs. By my count, he has now started 38 straight regular season and playoffs games. That should be 39 sometime tonight in Houston, TX. Hard to say whether he would be a good NHL backup, but he sure has put on a show in his time in Hamilton. If nothing else, his stock sure has risen big time as a good depth goalie to have in one's system. Hard to imagine that the Habs will sign both Sanford and MacIntyre next season as they need to give Peter Delmas some playing time, although they may leave him in the ECHL one more year. Robert Mayer has been so inconsistent (except for that consistent habit of giving up a bad goal), that I figure they don't want to pin too much hope on him being the next big thing. They may look at both Sanford and MacIntyre and say they both can battle for the back up job in Montreal with the consolation prize being the starter job in Hamilton.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on May 24, 2011 9:19:50 GMT -5
Yeah, nice move and pass by Palushaj. That guy sure has cranked his game up a notch or two in the playoffs.
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Post by blny on May 24, 2011 12:55:58 GMT -5
I'm not a fan of MacIntyre's rebound control. I think he's a good AHL goalie, but not likely more.
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