Kuch played over 16 mins in game 7. Maybe banged up but he can still play. He's got 2 days to rest up.
2020-21 Canadiens Thread
- Thread starter gcostanza
- Start date
glamphotographer said:
I'm calling Tampa in 7.
It has worked out pretty well for me (and the Hab's) so far - may the magic (not luck as it has not been that) continue.
I'm calling Tampa in 7.
And I am sticking with my mantra of the Hab's don't have a hope in in hell to beat (insert Toronto, Winnipeg, Vegas, and Tampa here) ______________________________
It has worked out pretty well for me (and the Hab's) so far - may the magic (not luck as it has not been that) continue.
The Montreal game plan is actually quite simple. The question is how well they can execute that plan against Tampa.
1) It all starts with the goalie and Price is as good as they come.
2) Then the defense clears the garbage in front of the net and forces opposing forwards toward the boards. The "Big 4" as a group are probably as good as any 4 on any team.
3) The forwards forecheck and play a 200 foot game.
4) PK has been amazing.
Travis Yost: Historically impressive penalty kill helps Montreal Canadiens reach Cup final - TSN.ca
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Some observations. This lucky or did not deserve to make the playoffs narrative by the usual suspects is par for the course for them in terms of inaccuracy.
1. Let’s start with they finished 4th in the worst division.
How do we know the North is the worst division when nobody played anybody else? The North had 5 of its 7 teams legitimately make the 2020 playoffs (I.e were top 8 in conference in reg season). No other division had more than 4 legit 2020 teams. The other two teams Montreal and Ottawa significantly improved themselves in the off-season. It is easy to make the argument that the North was the deepest. Other divisions had shittier teams which of course will inflate the point total for the 4th place team in the division. In the North the worst team to start (Ottawa) admirably kept progressing and pushing while in it other divisions the bottom feeders tended to give up. Which leads us to ..
2. They did not deserve to make it or were lucky because they had the 18th best record in the league.
a) one of those teams that finished ahead of them was the Stars.. by one point. What happens when one division distributes 61 loser points and one division distributes 35 loser points. Here is a stunner... each average team in the division with more loser points will have of average 3 more loser points. Of course teams in those divisions will have more points — but it hardly means that division is better. Let’s also remember that even with the extra loser points the central had 2 teams worse than anybody in Canada.
b) Next is the Rangers. They got to play the worst team in the league Buffalo 8 times. That is an advantage of at least one point. They also played New Jersey 8 times who is worse than anybody in the North. They also played in a division that issues 15 more loser points.
3. The Habs go 5-1 in overtime in the playoffs. That means they are lucky. But the Habs go 4-11 in the regular season in overtime and they are also lucky? Make up your fucking minds. You can’t have it both ways.
4. The Canadiens had a COVID break and as a result had to play an arduous 25 games in 43 days. That apparently is “lucky”
No team in the league had that difficult a stretch. How lucky ! When Vancouver had to end its season with 19 games in 31 days Montreal didn’t even get to play them. Again very lucky.
In that same 43 day stretch Toronto played 5 less games. Winnipeg and Edmonton 6 less games, and Calgary played 10 less games. And you wonder why the Lucky Habs struggled down the stretch against those teams.
It meant they could barely practice the system of the new coach. How lucky!
It meant more injuries. Price, Weber, Gallagher, Drouin, Danault were all injured by the end of the season. All very lucky!!
It’s stunning that after their very lucky 4-11 overtime record and their very lucky and beneficial 25 games in 43 days, they were able to benefit from a real rest, practice time and actual 5-5 overtime play.
1. Let’s start with they finished 4th in the worst division.
How do we know the North is the worst division when nobody played anybody else? The North had 5 of its 7 teams legitimately make the 2020 playoffs (I.e were top 8 in conference in reg season). No other division had more than 4 legit 2020 teams. The other two teams Montreal and Ottawa significantly improved themselves in the off-season. It is easy to make the argument that the North was the deepest. Other divisions had shittier teams which of course will inflate the point total for the 4th place team in the division. In the North the worst team to start (Ottawa) admirably kept progressing and pushing while in it other divisions the bottom feeders tended to give up. Which leads us to ..
2. They did not deserve to make it or were lucky because they had the 18th best record in the league.
a) one of those teams that finished ahead of them was the Stars.. by one point. What happens when one division distributes 61 loser points and one division distributes 35 loser points. Here is a stunner... each average team in the division with more loser points will have of average 3 more loser points. Of course teams in those divisions will have more points — but it hardly means that division is better. Let’s also remember that even with the extra loser points the central had 2 teams worse than anybody in Canada.
b) Next is the Rangers. They got to play the worst team in the league Buffalo 8 times. That is an advantage of at least one point. They also played New Jersey 8 times who is worse than anybody in the North. They also played in a division that issues 15 more loser points.
3. The Habs go 5-1 in overtime in the playoffs. That means they are lucky. But the Habs go 4-11 in the regular season in overtime and they are also lucky? Make up your fucking minds. You can’t have it both ways.
4. The Canadiens had a COVID break and as a result had to play an arduous 25 games in 43 days. That apparently is “lucky”
No team in the league had that difficult a stretch. How lucky ! When Vancouver had to end its season with 19 games in 31 days Montreal didn’t even get to play them. Again very lucky.
In that same 43 day stretch Toronto played 5 less games. Winnipeg and Edmonton 6 less games, and Calgary played 10 less games. And you wonder why the Lucky Habs struggled down the stretch against those teams.
It meant they could barely practice the system of the new coach. How lucky!
It meant more injuries. Price, Weber, Gallagher, Drouin, Danault were all injured by the end of the season. All very lucky!!
It’s stunning that after their very lucky 4-11 overtime record and their very lucky and beneficial 25 games in 43 days, they were able to benefit from a real rest, practice time and actual 5-5 overtime play.
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In 2019 Montreal missed the playoffs with 96 points, while 3 teams in the West made it with less including Colorado with 90.
Do you Remember those classic threads from spring 2019, where superstar88 and FFA went to bat for Montreal and claimed they were unlucky and deserved to make the playoffs? No? Neither do I.
Do you Remember those classic threads from spring 2019, where superstar88 and FFA went to bat for Montreal and claimed they were unlucky and deserved to make the playoffs? No? Neither do I.
Well - we all know that FFA views the world through a "the Hab's are more evil than the Taliban" filter, and superstar88 (a very modest handle btw) is always right - just ask him, he will gladly tell you about his infallibility related to all things hockey.
I would cut FFA some slack as I think he is just messing with us and I have actually seen him with my own eyes bashing one or more of the "usual suspects" on occasions.
I suspect the "usual suspects" (no pun intended) never actually played hockey and that is why they are such lousy judges of hockey on ice talent, however, one of them can spot a typo 100 miles away and can tell you to the exact penny Marner's cap hit. Yes, they are a noisy bunch. Lots of noise with no substance.
I'd like to say that I think the Habs have chance in this series but on paper this should be a walk for Tbay.
Of course they were counted out in every series they've been in so far as well.
Price will actually have to be better than he has so far. Don't know if that's even possible for him.
So I'll say Tampa in 6.............Here's hoping I'm wrong again.
Of course they were counted out in every series they've been in so far as well.
Price will actually have to be better than he has so far. Don't know if that's even possible for him.
So I'll say Tampa in 6.............Here's hoping I'm wrong again.
I actually think the Habs have a better chance against the Lightning ( a skating team) than against the Islanders (a more physical defensive team).
You missed the more obvious scenario - those evil Montreal Canadiens force Gary Bettman to invoke the super secret "Hab's must win the Cup clause" in the NHL's bylaws.
Tonight at midnight (under the full moon) Bettman rules retroactively that Tampa has violated the salary cap and suspends the Bolts top 10 playoff scorers (and Vasilevskiy just because he can) from the Cup Final.
Then - the Hab's win Game 7 in OT after a questionable penalty call (they don't want it to look like they took advantage of the suspensions).
(And as a nod to the Hab's unmatched Stanley Cup success Gainey and Carbonneau come out of retirement - and "Carbo" scores the OT winner assisted by Gainey)
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