EHM The Blue Line

Alex the Tall wrote:Holy s***... Some good hockey tonight:

HABS VS PREDS
OTT VS BUF
ISL VS ???

Don't forget NJ @ NYR!

CatchUp wrote:Here you go batdad, some Habs comments for ya...

I can't believe my ears right now! I'm listening to the Habs-Preds right now and the Habs have just completed their 4TH comeback to tie it at 5 with 40 seconds left!

Incredible game. Halak has looked awesome AGAIN, and that's without any help from the rest of his team. 2 of the Nashville goals went in off Habs D-men.

Ryder also scored again, which makes him the hottest hand on the team. He has certainly stepped it up at the right time.

Go Habs!

I really dont know how they do it, but the Habs seems to be specialist in coming back!!! Winning or tying the game in the last minute and deciding close games in their favour!!

That makes them pretty dangerous in the playoffs IMHO!! (if they reach it of course...but it seems they are back on track!!)

Flea??? Habs in the playoffs? is it April 1st? Yeah they have won two games...now time for another 10 game losing streak. Sorry but this Halacka backa guy...not Patrick Roy, not Ken Dryden, not even Steve Penny.

batdad wrote:Flea??? Habs in the playoffs? is it April 1st? Yeah they have won two games...now time for another 10 game losing streak. Sorry but this Halacka backa guy...not Patrick Roy, not Ken Dryden, not even Steve Penny.

Well, as a B's fan I surely hope they dont reach it!!!

But well, think its gonna be pretty tight....who knows??

Anyway, u are right: time for another ten game loosing streak!!!

batdad wrote:Flea??? Habs in the playoffs? is it April 1st? Yeah they have won two games...now time for another 10 game losing streak. Sorry but this Halacka backa guy...not Patrick Roy, not Ken Dryden, not even Steve Penny.

Here we go - this seems more familiar - batdad ripping the Habs. To be honest, I was starting to feel a little weird agreeing with you so much.

And unfortunetly, I do have to agree with you here as well. I don't think the Habs are making the playoffs with the lineup they have at this moment. If they do sneak in, they're gone in the first round. I am really surprised that Gainey hasn't made a move before now. I guess what they're saying is true and the asking prices around the league are astronomical. That's the only reason I can see for Gainey not making a move to shake this roster up.

That being said, I like what I've been seeing/hearing in the last 3 games. When Kovalev and Huet went down I thought for sure we wouldn't win another game. Aebischer has been so-so all season and I was sure he would crack under the pressure of a playoff push. Then the Habs surprise me and call up Halak to start over Abby. Wise move, Bob. While he may not be the next Roy, he's been a stud, picking up 3 straight wins when his team needed them most. Hard-fought wins at that. His numbers are not good (3.26GAA .878SV%) over those three games but he has made HUGE saves to keep the Habs in it. Especially last night - Forsberg should have had his first 2 goals as a Pred in the first period last night, but Halak shut the door.

Again, I don't think the Habs are doing anything this year without a major roster move. And to be honest, I'd much rather see them sell off their unsignable assets (Souray) for prospects and sign some big names in July. Remember, Bob still has 3 years to win the 25th Cup before the Centennial.

Cheers.

Habs out in the first round if they make the playoffs? I agree. And same for the Flames. Best record of the league at home, but worst one away.

I don't understand why though Anyone has a clue? Such a huge difference between home and away games is striking me.

Shadd666 wrote:Habs out in the first round if they make the playoffs? I agree. And same for the Flames. Best record of the league at home, but worst one away.

I don't understand why though Anyone has a clue? Such a huge difference between home and away games is striking me.

I dont see the Flames out in the first round!!! In fact, I think they gonna be pretty hard to beat and I see them going deep in the PO's...
...but well, it depends a lot on Mikka!!

As far as I can see the Flames have one of the most terrific crowds of the NHL and they really act like a seventh player sometimes by cheering. I guess it must be great to play as a hometeam there!!

flea wrote:it depends a lot on Mikka!!

It depends too much on him...

And yeah, Flames crowd is noisy But the team is great on the paper, they should have a decent record even when they're playing away! But no, they suck away!

Maybe they can't handle the pressure of opponents' crowd... This way, they'll never handle the pression of a playoff rush!

For those reasons, i don't think they'll go very far this year. Maybe passed the 1st round if they manage to win their division (and so battle against the 6th seeded with the home advantage), but else... Battling one of the top-two teams of the conference without the home advantage while struggling away? I don't see them do that.

The Flames are stuck in the middle ground between being an offensive team, and a defensive hard working team. They have always had to bring their lunch buckets to the rink, and now they are looking around the room and seeing: Iginla, Tanguay, Langkow, Huselius, Conroy, Lombardi, Phaneuf, Hamrlik, Stuart, Amonte, et al and wondering if they are a defense first hard working team, or an offensive juggernaught.
Problem sound familiar? About 3 or 4 years ago Vancouver faced this issue as well..and went with the offensive talent laden juggernaught idea...where did it get them?
Flames are struggling on the road because they cannot match lines, and the players are not making the required effort. They are not as talented as they seem to think they are. They can't get Regehr out against #1 lines, they can't get Iginla away from the Mitchell's of the world on the road...and they just are not trying.

Or....it could be the homer reffing in visiting barns???

NOT!

Well, those past years, they were clearly a defensive team, no doubt on that one! And they were out in the first round because they were absolutely unable to score goals, leading to the deal with the Avs to land Tanguay for Leopold. So they started a more offensive, or at least less defensive, era. Maybe the change was too brutal... The offensive numbers are good this season, but the defense is painfull, which is a shame, with all the talent and depth on the blue line, and such an impressive goalie.

I agree with you Batdad on the fact that they don't have what's needed to match lines. Well, they just have to play their usual game which works well home instead of loosing time trying to do something they can't!

For their lack of efforts, i'm not sure, but can't really judge as it's a pain for me being able to watch full-games. Highlights on nhl.com are good, but you can't judge anything just with that

Ah but Shadd, at home you always see Paheuf-Hamrlik or now sometimes Phaneuf-Regehr against the other team's top line. They do match at home...dpair to forward line. Problem is...Hamrlik should not match with anyone but a 4th line.

They do well at home because of last change, and the matchups. Except for the most part against...well you know!!

Bah, don't care about the line matching! Run full-offense and let Kipper justify his salary alone!

Shadd666 wrote:Well, those past years, they were clearly a defensive team, no doubt on that one! And they were out in the first round because they were absolutely unable to score goals, leading to the deal with the Avs to land Tanguay for Leopold. So they started a more offensive, or at least less defensive, era. Maybe the change was too brutal... The offensive numbers are good this season, but the defense is painfull, which is a shame, with all the talent and depth on the blue line, and such an impressive goalie.

I agree with you Batdad on the fact that they don't have what's needed to match lines. Well, they just have to play their usual game which works well home instead of loosing time trying to do something they can't!

For their lack of efforts, i'm not sure, but can't really judge as it's a pain for me being able to watch full-games. Highlights on nhl.com are good, but you can't judge anything just with that

Well, I think there are two main reasons the Flames suck so much on the road.

1. At home, they go after loose pucks with a vengeance. On the road, they watch the other team skate around them.

2. They aren't physical enough. Guys like Regehr need to make it hell for other teams. You know you have a problem when Tanguay is your most physical forward on some nights. I think this is one reason Sutter brought in Stuart and Primeau.

Also, if you want to watch some past Flames games, go Here.

Krieger99: Thanks for the link, but i already had it But last Flames game available is from 14th December I'd like some more recent stuff

Shadd666 wrote:Krieger99: Thanks for the link, but i already had it But last Flames game available is from 14th December I'd like some more recent stuff

Shadd!!! Be happy that u can watch it atleast!!!

France and Spain are not very popular for showing hockey on TV

I think its really great that we can watch full games on google-videos and the nhl.com highlights....I just hope they remain for free as I dont wonder if they make us pay for that in a couple of seasons....unfortunately!!

I have seen plenty of Flames games. And slept through more, liekly 20-30 games this season alone.

Robyn Regehr=the new Darian Hatcher. The reason you do not see him hitting anyone Krieger is because he can't get there.

And the same thing will be discovered with Stuart. I know what Sutter is trying to do, however it does not work. And will not work with Playfair as his coach. Playfair is not a strong coach. The Flames are not as strong as they should be. And they won't be as good as they should be, unless Sutter coaches them. Even then, if you watch Regehr, Hamrlik, Stuart, Warrener close enough you will soon realize that they are too slow. I do not mean slow with straight away speed I mean slow at stop and start, pivot, turning, angling...anything with change of direction. Hatcher=Regehr.

Anyone in Europe having trouble watching hockey should go to www.nasn.com

I subscribe, it's hockey heaven

Oh, and shadd666, Calgary are on tonight

Batdad: I agree with you on the fact that most of Flames D-men are too slow in their changes of direction. But what makes you say that Playfair is not the man? We can't expect him to be perfect on his first NHL year, but he proved earlier in his carreer that he can win...

Crosby87: Heh heh! Thanks a lot! I won't see the Flames tonight... 4am here in France is a bit late unfortunately to watch a game Furthermore, the suscription on CanalSat to get NASN (in France) would be a nightmare as canalsat site is awful, so it would need a long time before finding what i'm looking for Dirty french sites! Thanks anyhow! If i can afford it, you'll be my god!

You're welcome.... they usually repeat full games the day after, so if you can't stay up till the small hours you can see the whole thing next day!

Wow! That's great! I'm looking it with more details tommorow

Shadd: Playfair is not the man for precisely the reason you list. The team does not respect him. He tries to be the "mini-Sutter" but it does not work. The guys laugh and call him the mini-Sutter.

Also, he just has no idea how to set things up to match lines, and keep his best on the ice for the appropriate length of time, at the appropriate points in the game. Several times I see the Flames with Iggy-Tanguay-Langkow (or Conroy) with Phaneuf-Hamrlik out for 15-20 seconds before TV Timeout of 2 minutes....then when they drop the puck after the break...they are on the bench.
In a game where they are losing 2-1, or 3-2 in the third, doing this is horrible bench management. If you watch any other team in the league...after the TV Timeout (unless an icing) you will invariably see the right line/d-pair out for the situation at hand. Not so with Calgary, especially on the road.
Come back from break in a game down by a goal, and you often see Ritchie-Yelle-and spare part forward, Warrener-Regehr. Not exactly a threat to score. I get that Yelle can win draws, but last time I checked Langkow and Conroy (as is Iginla) were pretty good face off men. Not to mention that Phaneuf-Hamrlik should be the number one defence pair to be on the ice when down a goal after a TV timeout. (Should not be, as Hamrlik is at best a #3, but Phaneuf is comfortable with Roman)

Now, far be it from me to tell a coach how to coach. But when you see this game in and game out with a team, you know something is not right.
Same as I see with Montreal that the boyz are not listening/respecting the ranting of Monsieur Carbonneau....AT ALL.
Honestly it could change though as Playfair learns. AV in Vancouver was making the same mistake with bench management before Xmas--Now he is not, and the change in the Canucks (11-1-1 in last 13 road games) since Xmas has been dramatic. Anyone notice where the Canucks are in the overall standings? At Xmas 25 points behind the Mighty Ducks...now...4. Where is that Minty thread from way back anyway?

I'm not the only one who thinks Calgary should find a new coach, am I?

Time for the Sens-Sabres re-match, gonna be exiting!

Honestly, I think if Calgary goes into the playoffs with him as coach...they are done. They should put Sutter behind the bench for game 1 to send a message.

However, I hope they don't.

As for Ott-Buf...I bet McGrattan goes once with Peters, early...and then it is just a usual within division game.

No matter who coaches the Flames, they won't go far in the playoffs this year... If they go into the playoffs, which i think they will, but not as easily as initially expected...

My Flames will do great in the playoffs. That is.... if they buy tons of tickets from scalpers and bring as many fans as possible to re-create the home atmosphere