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Post by Jacques_in_FL on Mar 2, 2002 22:15:59 GMT -5
This is a defeat to get under my skin (perhaps under Savard's too.
What is worst on this night:
1) we lost physical battles in the second 30 minutes. caronlina took advantage of the Habs having only one coherent, committed line. -- as an aside, the more i see of berezin, the more i like doc's suggestion that we trade him to Tampa.
2) once the roof caves in, MT has Traverse and Quintal on the ice with one minute remaining. Sure, those guys are a dynamic puck-moving duo.
3) MT continues to find excuses to play Robidas. Let us see, Robidas is a better wing than Poulin, Chouinard, Ward or Belanger...favouritism is about the last we need down the stretch.
4) pressure was in the air tonight. MT did not seem able to inspire or, most importantly, calm the troops at critical moments.
Monday is must win.
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Post by BadCompany on Mar 2, 2002 23:10:03 GMT -5
This is a defeat to get under my skin (perhaps under Savard's too. What is worst on this night: 1) we lost physical battles in the second 30 minutes. caronlina took advantage of the Habs having only one coherent, committed line. -- as an aside, the more i see of berezin, the more i like doc's suggestion that we trade him to Tampa. 2) once the roof caves in, MT has Traverse and Quintal on the ice with one minute remaining. Sure, those guys are a dynamic puck-moving duo. 3) MT continues to find excuses to play Robidas. Let us see, Robidas is a better wing than Poulin, Chouinard, Ward or Belanger...favouritism is about the last we need down the stretch. 4) pressure was in the air tonight. MT did not seem able to inspire or, most importantly, calm the troops at critical moments. Monday is must win. The worst part is, you could see it coming. Why we insist on playing for ties, I will never know. 1) Perrault and his line have just been terrible for literally monthes now. Easy to blame Berezin, but aside from that three goal outburst, what has Yanic done? I like Perrault, and I have always loved guys who win faceoffs, but that line has to get going if we want to go anywhere. It just has to. 2) Down by a goal, you don't call a timeout and you put Stephane Quintal and Patrick Traverse out there with a minute left in the game. Memo to Therrien - Quintal's goal in the Chicago game was a FLUKE - he is not an offensive defenceman. 3) Yes, we really needed Robidas' 2:46 seconds of ice time. That was crucial. I think that was a petty, stick it to Odjick move. You sure showed him Michel. Course, we couldn't play our 4th line at all, but you showed Odjick he can't tell you how much ice time he deserves. What's the point of having depth if you aren't going to use it? 4) I am really starting to think Therrien just hopes his team wins, rather than actually doing anything about it. We were being pounded the entire 3rd period, and to me anyways it was obvious we were about to lose. Yet Therrien kept trotting out the same old lines, in the same predictable pattern, desperately hoping time would speed up or something. He doesn't help his team dictate the flow of a game, he just kind of goes with it. Hurt us again tonight. Other notes: Markov was +1, the only plus player on the team. Any bets he doesn't play Monday? Betcha Theo really wants that 3rd goal back. Where did the Carolina defence go on Van Allen's shorthanded goal? You know when you allow Shaun Van Allen to score a shorthanded goal on a clear breakaway from his own blueline, that you just aren't doing your job. This "referee putting away their whistles in the 3rd period" thing has just got to stop. I know it has been around for ever, but after watching the Olympic play, we have all been spoiled, and this mugging, hooking and outright tackling is just pathetic. They always say they don't want to affect the outcome of a game, but isn't that what they are doing? By not calling penalties that clearly affect the way a play is developing? Terrible. Big loss tonight. The Rangers won, Canes won, the Capitals won, the Islanders won and the Sabres tied. This wasn't just a four point game against the Hurricanes, it cost us valuable points against 5 other teams in this playoff race. Huge loss in a game we should have won. I don't get this team. Every time it looks like they should be able to put something together and finally pull away from the pack, they just tank it and look terrible. The Habs control their own destiny - other teams have injury problems, we have an easy schedule, everybody else has a tough schedule - we should in theory, cakewalk into the playoffs. And yet, after watching tonights game, you just get the feeling they aren't going to make it easy on themselves. Oh well. Another "must win" game against Atlanta on Monday. There is a good chance Hackett will get the start, but it seems to me he never plays well against the Thrashers. Here's hoping the boys show up to play. |
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Post by seventeen on Mar 2, 2002 23:20:00 GMT -5
Quintal got the most ice time tonight. He's one of the last guys I'd have on the ice in the last minute, ahead or behind. In fact, if he wasn't cut, I'd have him patrolling the boards, the seat side. As I've said, the greatest advantage our opponents have is our coach. Frustrating isn't it? Why is Savard playing this game?
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Post by habwest on Mar 3, 2002 5:30:46 GMT -5
Well, contrary to Bad Co I'm not surprised, as the only consistent thing about this team all year has been their inconsistency. That's why I think that they're not going to cash in on the soft schedule this month.
A finish in about 10th or 11th spot is looking more likely all the time.
You're right Bad Co, this is now a one line team. Neither Perreault's nor Juneau's lines are doing much, neither is the 4th. Juneau (bad back I gather) and company are getting ground down by playing against opposing teams' monster forwards and so are becoming less effective. We need that big center! Perreault never seemed to recover from Therrien moving things around when Gilmour arrived on the scene.
An of course our defence, and our entire defensive zone coverage, showed once again that it is vulnerable to pressure. Carolina spent 7 minutes more in the Habs zone than the Habs in theirs- that's a lot and as Bad Co said you can see it coming, just a matter of time until the other team scores.
The coaching doesn't impress but let's face it; this team is just plain short of talent. They need 3 first line forwards and 3 first line defencemen. Perreault's probably a 3rd line center, the pressure of being more than that may be too much for him to carry. Really what we're seeing here is a jerry rigged contraption of a team to hopefully hold the fort until the real talent starts to arrive. They obviously miss Koivu terribly but even he should probably be looked at as a good second line center rather than as a true number 1 star center.
There's a lot of work to be done before I'll be ready to be optimistic. Until then, just enjoy when things go right and if they get lucky and make the playoffs great. But don't be surprised if they don't.
And if they don't I would hope to see new coaches and a real shot given to the long shots-Ward, Chouinard, play 'em on the first two lines- and would expect to see Hainsey and Hossa and Garon with the team. Ribiero needs to do a lot more to really stick. And why, when he was scoring, didn't Therrien ride Asham? He sat him and of course he's lost the roll he was on.
Oh well, here's hoping for those new coaches.
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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Mar 3, 2002 10:07:02 GMT -5
another poster in another post mentioned that therrien seems distrustful of the young players on the club. well, perhaps i'm over-reacting here but have shown a high level of commitment and brought some much needed spunk to the team. and there's no doubt that we miss koivu and audette, who also bring those qualities in spades to the rink. as it is the team just looks tired, listless and unfocused too much of the time. i do believe that can, in good measure, be laid at the feet of the coaches. i get the feeling that therrien, while he is doing the best he can, is in over his head. why aren't the d-men carrying out their assignments? or perhaps they're just following rick green's instructions to the letter. i just feel a lot more comfortable with the image of pat burns flanked by carbonneau and robinson behind the bench right now. but it seems we have no choice but to endure michel therrien's baptism by fire. now, i know andré promised the patrons and patrons we'd make the playoffs this year and that was apparently to be accomplished by a veteran-laden lineup. however, that chimera has truly become a test of loyalty and patience for the hab faithful. the state of the team and its fans puts me in mind of the greek myth of tantalus, who was doomed to eternal thirst while standing in water up to his neck. every time he bends down to drink the water would recede just out of reach of his parched lips. |
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Post by MPLABBE on Mar 3, 2002 11:42:33 GMT -5
This is a defeat to get under my skin (perhaps under Savard's too. What is worst on this night: 1) we lost physical battles in the second 30 minutes. caronlina took advantage of the Habs having only one coherent, committed line. -- as an aside, the more i see of berezin, the more i like doc's suggestion that we trade him to Tampa. 2) once the roof caves in, MT has Traverse and Quintal on the ice with one minute remaining. Sure, those guys are a dynamic puck-moving duo. 3) MT continues to find excuses to play Robidas. Let us see, Robidas is a better wing than Poulin, Chouinard, Ward or Belanger...favouritism is about the last we need down the stretch. 4) pressure was in the air tonight. MT did not seem able to inspire or, most importantly, calm the troops at critical moments. Monday is must win. 1:physical d-man needed before Kommie arrives.Souray and Rivet have to be these guys.Or else they have to be shipped out.We need a monster on D.I know this may sound crazy.But the Sharks need to make room for Jeff Jillson and this may mean Bryan Marchment could be expendable(I think he is a UFA after next year).IF the price is low,I'd go after him.He maybe a guy who has been suspended in the past,but he is a physical d-man and we need one BADDLY.As for Berezin...man,thank god Savage isn't lighting it up in Phoenix because Perreault and Berezin is one horrible duo to watch! 2:Traverse and Quintal at the end of the game.What can you say,dumb Therrien. 3:Robidas at forward..LMAO!!!! 4:Therrien did nothing on the bench to pump his team or settle them down...it was terrible. |
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Post by MPLABBE on Mar 3, 2002 11:48:32 GMT -5
Other notes: Markov was +1, the only plus player on the team. Any bets he doesn't play Monday? Betcha Theo really wants that 3rd goal back. And Markov made a nice play to keep the puck in on the Gilmour 1st goal.I guess Therrien will find an excuse to use midget Bouillon on Monday.I can just see Heatley or Kovalchuk beating him out like Neil did to win the game.  As for the 3rd goal,who gave away the puck before Malik got it?? Quintal.One of the laziest clearing attempts I have ever seen.Why is this bum getting so much ice time? |
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Post by MPLABBE on Mar 3, 2002 11:52:40 GMT -5
another poster in another post mentioned that therrien seems distrustful of the young players on the club. well, perhaps i'm over-reacting here but have shown a high level of commitment and brought some much needed spunk to the team. and there's no doubt that we miss koivu and audette, who also bring those qualities in spades to the rink. as it is the team just looks tired, listless and unfocused too much of the time. i do believe that can, in good measure, be laid at the feet of the coaches. i get the feeling that therrien, while he is doing the best he can, is in over his head. why aren't the d-men carrying out their assignments? or perhaps they're just following rick green's instructions to the letter. i just feel a lot more comfortable with the image of pat burns flanked by carbonneau and robinson behind the bench right now. but it seems we have no choice but to endure michel therrien's baptism by fire. now, i know andré promised the patrons and patrons we'd make the playoffs this year and that was apparently to be accomplished by a veteran-laden lineup. however, that chimera has truly become a test of loyalty and patience for the hab faithful. the state of the team and its fans puts me in mind of the greek myth of tantalus, who was doomed to eternal thirst while standing in water up to his neck. every time he bends down to drink the water would recede just out of reach of his parched lips. No,not Burns!!! he is a defensive minded coach.Look at how Boston has exploded offensively since he has left.Look at how Thornton,Samsonov,Rolston have done since he has left.Keenan and Ftorek this year have played a style that fits the Bruins roster much more than the syle Pat demanded.We need a guy who will understand we have offensive talent that has to be given a chance to flourish.I am tired of the trap. |
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