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• At a Glance: The Montreal Canadiens dominated the shot clock against the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night, but they came up against one of the NHL’s best goaltenders in Ryan Miller, someone who always seems to win against the Canadiens. Montreal lost for the third straight game, this time 3-1 in front of their Bell Centre fans.
After a goalless first period, Montreal opened the scoring in the second period when rookie defenceman Raphael Diaz scored the first goal of his NHL career.
He accepted a pass from Max Pacioretty, who is playing a strong game, and make Sabres goalie Ryan Miller commit before going around him and shooting into the top corner 2:08 into the period.
The Sabres got that back at 12:11 when Jordan Leopold gathered a rebound in front of Carey Price and fired it home.
Thomas Vanek gave the Sabres a 2-1 lead with only 3 seconds to play off a faceoff in the Canadiens zone.
Christian Ehrhoff scored into an empty net to seal the Buffalo win.
• Keys moments: The Canadiens failed to capitalize on the power play, going 0-for-5 as their struggles with the man advantage continue.
• What It Means: The Canadiens have lost their first three games at home, the first time that has happened since 1938.
• What’s Next: The Canadiens hit the road and visit the Penguins on Thursday, then return home to host the Maple Leafs on Saturday.
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It had to happen sooner or later.
Habs have lived off the PP for the past few years – being one of the lowest scoring teams 5-on-5.
The now anemic power play has caught up to the Habs anemic team scoring (something that has plagued the Habs for most of the past 30 years) and they are what they are…….at this point not much of a hockey team.
The patch job of rebuilding has never gotten this team beyond mediocrity – wonder if Geoff Molson will eventually opt for a complete rebuild?
habs played a better game saturday, it was price who blew sats game. price needs to get it together.
GO HABS GO
2 fast teams, 2 great goalies, should be a fun one!
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Dooooooooooooooomed!™
Spacek and Cammy skate alone after the practice, Markov stays a week more in Florida for off ice training, AK46 on the point for the second wave of PP.
No news on White.
If you don’t grok it, drokk it!
Thanks for the update.
@jimlaplante
been reading hi/o for a while now, but ive never posted. figured i couldnt keep this to myself..
i met ryan white at eggspectation on saturday in montreal. had a quick chat with him. he was walking with some difficulty, but seemed to be in good spirit. great guy, seems he’s really eagar to get back into the game asap.
thats my two cents..
Indeed… but more importantly, what did he have for breakfast?
What’s your problem? Personally, I enjoy hearing accounts of how Habs players interact with fans on a 1-1 level.
His post certainly contributed to this site more than your petty response. If you’re that disinterested in his post, move on. There are hundreds of post on here every day. I’m sure you can find something that amuses you. Or are you one of those people who rips people because they have nothing better to do?
In Price we Trust
A well coached team (something we wish we had) will face off against our Habs tonight. It will take a hard fought 60 minutes for us to have a chance. A statement game for the boys. We’ll see.
“Hate Bruins like a sickness”
Sabers tonight,
Off to Pittsburgh Thurs night,
Saturday night Toronto in our barn!!!
6 points. how many do we get?
I say we go on a winning spree … 6 points Ian!
“Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing”
Chalk me up for four points.
The hardest test will be tonight, I believe.
The way the team has played so far, I’ll take 3pts.
“Hate Bruins like a sickness”
8 points. I am unreasonably optimistic.
I would love for 6 points but the way the team is decimated with injuries and not playing goos I would hope for 3 points. The big test is tonight if they can start the week off wih a win at home build some mo for Pitt and TO on Saturday.
The Scott Gomez line………..where wingers go to die.
I say Habs will accumulate as many points as Gomez gets over these next 3 games,i.e. 0.
I won’t be happy with anything but 6, since I am never happy when they lose.
3
One tonight, 2 on Thurs. and, of course, the usual against the Leaves.
Sabres are not taking any time to gel. The chemistry is there. Montreal is a work in progress. Injuries and poor play have prevented players from having consistent linemates. On one hand for montreal, the cupboard is bare, there is no one to call up to jolt the lineup nor is there anyone to replace an injured player. On the other hand, Montreal will get a boost when several regulars return to the lineup. I think this adds up to a wait and see. This is a big chance for some of the younger players to make a claim to more important spots in the lineup. A goal scoring streak by Pax or Eller or some better play from a young dman would go a long way at the moment.
Blue, blanc et rouge. Red and White for Canada. Blue for Smurfs.
“Injuries and poor play have prevented players from having consistent linemates”.
Not the case really.
If the Habs had a full team with no injuries Martin would juggle the lines in a slump. That is all martin knows how to do is juggle, juggle, juggle. He should be in the Circus.
Let the lines be & let them work it out. let the players get used to one another… it is hard to gel when they are changed 10 times a game!
“Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing”
He formed and ran with the same lines on saturday.
And it’s reported that he practiced the same lines, but changed his D.
Let’s see if he keeps that going.
But I’m with you, his constant juggling really gets on my nerves.
he only did that to psych out buffalo. he’ll change the lines one the boys are on the ice
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hip-check!
It’s not so much the Habs’ record that worries people, I think it’s the lack of cohesion and committment that the players have shown thus far. I believe the team will take a little more time coming together as a result of the injuries that plagued not only since the start of the season, but also during the pre-season. You’ll recall that we didn’t see anything close to the current line-up until the last game of the 8 pre-season games.
On the topic of Gomez, I think he’s a good fit for the third line. Until he proves otherwise, he should stay there, irrespective of his bagillions.
Sigh…
we didn’t see anything close to the lineup because our fearless coach kept a 40+ roster instead of making up his mind earlier…
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hip-check!
So as i look at this page, I see an advertisement saying Essential Hockey Books for Hockey Fans, and I see a picture of Gord Stellick on the cover of a book. Isn’t that False Advertising?
Scott Thornton, Rob Pearson and Steve Bancroft would probably agree with you.
Isn’t he (or wasn’t he) an executive with the Laffs?
Guys last year we were 2W 1L 1OTL. This year 1W 2L 1OTL so even though all games count in the end we are only 1 win behind last year. Last year we were 7W 3L 1 OTL in October. Lets make it to the end of Oct before we start throwing people under the Zamboni if our record is worse.
Mr. Biter
Please Mr. Biter, this is a “no logic” zone. We’re DOOMED! DOOMED I tell you!!1!!1!
lol! let’s not get the Zamboni involved. it did nothing wrong
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hip-check!
Ahh, yes. Only one worse. Such as small population to sample from.
If we had lost 3, we would only be 2 behind last year, which is still not that bad.
Now if you look at it another way, we have lost 25% more games this year. That is bad.
Or,
If we project it out, our record will be 20- 41-21 (ish), which is horrible!!!!
We can’t destroy the team or plan the parade after 4 games
So you are right. Lets wait until n>15 or 20 for heavens sake.
A very STRONG defensive effort is needed tonight. First goal will be very important.
Agreed.
But I think the second goal will be far more important…. but not as important as the game winning goal.
Norman Flynn just called out Gomez on 990. My thoughts on this guy keep being confirmed.
@jimlaplante
Gomez should call Norman Flynn out. Who the eff is he anyhow?
He’s an occasional analyst on RDS. His pedigree comes from covering QMJH for a number of years. I don’t put much stock in what he has to say. He’s not as bad as Engels, but he’s in that group.
Thanks, Bri- these “experts” keep popping out of the woodwork.
yes!
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hip-check!
CP GETS THE SHUTOUT
PK SCORES A HUGE GOAL
“Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing”
No free wings tonight I bet.
Watched the game on Avs T.V. and the announcers were also predicting a low scoring affair and look what happened.
Mr. Biter
Last game I was at was an afternoon game against Miller and a 1-0 loss. It’s what I expect. Although this defence has been making things interesting. Miller doesn’t give many easy ones and I’m confident that JM has pointed this out. I expect either 1: Get the first one early then button down and hold on, or 2: Don’t play for 50 minutes, let the Sabs lull you to sleep while they grind out a goal on you, then play the last 5-10 minutes like it’s the SCF, resulting in too little too late.
I like your optimism. And here I was thinking you were from the dark side.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOpva_iit-8
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Go! Hockey! Go!
WHO ME?
“Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing”
he also was bumped down to the third line last game. I hope it continues
Agree. They gotta stop multiplying the mistake by cutting his ice time. I have seen enough. Disappointed in Gill too. If true.
@jimlaplante
How could a guy change that much in 3 months? Let’s ask Guy Lafleur, whose first three years saw totals of 64, 55 and 56 points…then 119 the next year. Although back then it may have been 4 or 5 months?
Martin St. Louis had 95 points in 200 games (his first 3 and a bit seasons), with 35 points in 01-02. Then 02-03 he had 70pts (plus 12 in the playoffs), 03-04 he had 94pts (plus 24 in the playoffs). How did he change so much?
How about Patrick Sharp? 19 goals in his first 155gp, then the next season he gets 20. The season after that he gets 36.
How does Johan Franzen go from 0.5 pts per game throughout the regular season, then suddenly becomes a point per game player in the playoffs, merely days later?
How did Kovalev record 47 points in 73gp (06-07), but then 84 in 82gp (07-08)? Oh sure, he was a good player before, but how did he change so much in just 3 months?
Am I saying Gomez has changed? No, I haven’t seen enough (only managed to watch ~2.5 games). But don’t pull out stupid arguments about how much time is necessary…players can change overnight, and often do. That’s why you’ll have someone play fantastic one night, horrible the next, and then fantastic again.
sorry, I must have missed something what is the comment on Gill, if true mean?
Thanks, for clarifying.
I don’t see Gill being that type of player. He has been a leader on every team he has been on and shown that ever since he came here. I think the Radio hosts may be just stirring the pot as usual. It is crazy how quick the fans jump on a team when they lose a few games.
Gill might be losing a little sleep from just having a new born boy, but apart from that I don’t think it’s fait to question his commitment, especially from such a reliable source as some random radio show.
If you don’t grok it, drokk it!
If Normand Flynn was the one who criticized Gill, then I’m not surprised. If he’d been a french-Canadian player, he’d be far more generous.
I’m bilingual, so this isn’t a separatist rant. But RDS have their share of such individuals, and he’s one of them. Don’t put much stock in what he says.
Agreed. MacLean has become so gutless in recent years.
When Cherry was less confused and blatantly ethnocentric (there was a time, ok?) in the years past, MacLean did a better job of keeping Cherry honest and evening sparking some debate with him, albeit still one sided.
Recently, it seems like MacLean has just rolled over and let Don run wild. This could be my misconception, but Ronny hasn’t impressed me at all in the last 3-4 years.
Continues to waiver then Hamilton. I’ll keep my fingers crossed.
“Hate Bruins like a sickness”
yea, only took what, a full season + off season?
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hip-check!
You call that an “apology”? He said he was wrong not sorry. I’d still sue.
I haven’t watched CC in a few years… but I still like Ron. Maybe, it is because I remember Don used to steam roll him all the time and I always felt bad for him.
Met him last year and he was a really nice guy (who can talk forever if you let him).
I dunno… I still like him.