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Post by Raven on Mar 11, 2002 12:16:45 GMT -5
All year long I've never jumped off the wagon. Not even after blowing leads and not after pulling hair outta my head over Therrien's stupidities. This game is *IT*. If we lose this game (even if there will still be a chance) I think the boys will just let go. The race is tight, too tight. By losing to Buffalo we practically put them in the race and after giving it to the Red Wings last night they're ontop of the world. If we don't win tonight I seriously doubt we'll have any hopes of making the playoffs barring a 3 or 4 game win streak. In this season if there's anything our team did consistantly, it's play .500 hockey...they did show at times that they can win 4 point games iike taking out Washington 2-0 and blanking Jersey 1-0 but with a race this tight .500 isn't gonna be good enough. It's time to crank it up a notch and start ignoring what the coaching staff is telling you and play like you used to when you were a little kid on an outside rink...pretending that this is it and everything is riding on you and just give it all untill you drop. It's do or die tonight boys...show those arrogant reporters from Sportsnet that said in the beginning of the season that you had no chance just how meaningless their lives are if they have to make their living by criticizing people who have more money and much bigger hearts than they can ever hope for. If Koivu can beat cancer and make the playoffs, surely you guys can.
On another note, I was just thinking about Donald Audette.
this guy played 5 games for us and led the team in power play points for over a month after he was injured...god how I miss him. No use start crying over the injuries at this point though.
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Post by MPLABBE on Mar 11, 2002 14:58:48 GMT -5
can you say 4 point game? man, this is probably a 6 point game.
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Post by Ryan on Mar 11, 2002 15:09:53 GMT -5
There's a lot of hockey left to play...but I know as a fan I want this game to put my mind at rest.
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Post by Doc Holliday on Mar 11, 2002 16:07:15 GMT -5
You're right Ryan there is plenty of games left so on the math side of things losing tonight is not a catasrophe. I actually felt the game in Buff was more important. If we would have taken the Sabres then, their season would have been almost over, but now they're back in, kickin' and roarin'
Win or Lose tonight, the boys have to come down hungry and play an emotional game. If they come out flat, it'll be a pretty good indication of how much they really wanna play in May.
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Post by Ryan on Mar 11, 2002 16:10:08 GMT -5
I just get so sick of watching a flat, lifeless effort from a team that's battling for their playoff lives. Very annoying to watch as a fan anyways.
Come out, win tonight, and put together a string of good games. Looking at just schedules, this is out playoff spot to lose. Koivu...what more motivation do you we need???
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Post by hab1fan on Mar 11, 2002 16:39:03 GMT -5
AFter watching the last few games, they need to do two things well tonight to win. 1. Beat the Forecheck!! Man, the coaches should be running breakout drills until they can can get right during a game. Can't score goals if you play in your end for 75% of the game. 2. Shoot the Puck!! Too many teams don't shoot enough in this league. Montreal is always being outshoot and it's starting to show on Theodore. Yes, he's got a great save precentage but the Goals-Per-Game are creeping up. Oh, and put the shot on net, too!  I hope to catch some of the game tonight between bowling frames. Besides, there's bragging rights between me and my Dad, a diehard Rangers fan.  |
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Post by MPLABBE on Mar 11, 2002 17:56:24 GMT -5
AFter watching the last few games, they need to do two things well tonight to win. 1. Beat the Forecheck!! Man, the coaches should be running breakout drills until they can can get right during a game. Can't score goals if you play in your end for 75% of the game. 2. Shoot the Puck!! Too many teams don't shoot enough in this league. Montreal is always being outshoot and it's starting to show on Theodore. Yes, he's got a great save precentage but the Goals-Per-Game are creeping up. Oh, and put the shot on net, too! I hope to catch some of the game tonight between bowling frames. Besides, there's bragging rights between me and my Dad, a diehard Rangers fan. We need to shot 30+ times tonight IMO. Getting the puck out of our zone quickly will be a huge factor IMO. The Rangers have played terrible, lifeless, who cares about defence hockey for the past few weeks.We can beat this team. |
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Post by habwest on Mar 11, 2002 19:08:08 GMT -5
I'm of the Raven school of thought on this one. He's absolutely right in saying that the only thing that this team has proved this year is that:
1) it's terribly inconsistent, losing points, no blowing, points it absolutely shouldn't have;
2) it's basically a .500 hockey team and no better. Extrapolate that out to the end of the year and you get 83 points. Give them a break and you get 85.
Now I was thinking earlier that 85 might just do it but things have changed a bit since then. The Devils are winning a bit more and the Caps and Sabres have come alive, so I'm thinking it looks more like 90 now. And I don't think that this club can get 24 points out of 17 games. That would be .705 hockey.
And I disagree with Doc about the season being almost over if the Habs had beat the Sabres since the Caps have come on strong since the break. They are a significantly better team than the Habs who really do have the potential for playing at a high level. They're a much better bet than the Habs for taking the final spot away from the Rangers. Plus, in the end, the Devils and the NYI will have enough to hang onto a spot. Again more talent.
So my prediction still is for the Habs to finish at about .500, in about 10th spot.
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Post by Doc Holliday on Mar 11, 2002 20:00:05 GMT -5
HW, if we would have taken the Sabres, they would have been 8 points away from a playoff spot at the time, though you can't predict how things will turn out or how motivated they would be, it would have been like pouring a buckett of ice down their pants.
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Post by habwest on Mar 12, 2002 2:55:50 GMT -5
Doc, I'm not arguing with your logic about if we'd beaten the Sabres. My point was that the Caps are likely to pass the habs and the Rangers to grab the last playoff spot anyway.
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Post by MPLABBE on Mar 12, 2002 15:45:47 GMT -5
Doc, I'm not arguing with your logic about if we'd beaten the Sabres. My point was that the Caps are likely to pass the habs and the Rangers to grab the last playoff spot anyway. Probably, but with the number of points we have given away this year.We could be leading our division! I count 12!!!!2 against TB when MT played Hackett when he was still recovering 2 against FLA when MT put Hackett in there for no reason 2 against Carolina when we blew that 3 goal lead 2 against Edmonton when we blew another 3 goal lead 1 against Phoenix when we gave up a goal with 3 minutes to go to tie the game, when Burke was not even playing! 1 against Atlanta, blowing a 3 goal 3RD PERIOD LEAD! 1 against Detroit, playing Traverse with 30 seconds to go against Shanahan, Fedorov, Lidstrom, Chelios,etc. The one last night. 12 POINTS! |
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