Game Thread: Habs and Panthers Close Out 2011
by Kevin van Steendelaar on Dec 31, 2011 5:00 PM EST
in Habs Game Threads
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PrintMontreal Canadiens at Florida Panthers, Dec 31, 2011 7:00 PM EST
This is the second meeting between the Florida Panthers and the Montreal Canadiens this season.
The Panthers have certainly been the surprise team of the NHL this season, currently sitting 3rd in the Eastern Conference. It's a remarkable feat considering their goal differential is at minus 5, which is 7th amongst the top-eight teams in the Conference. Those 7 "losing points" (tied for most in the league with Montreal) really makes a difference in the Southeast Division.
In the last encounter between the two clubs, Jacob Markstrom stole the show with a 40 save performance. Think it will happen again? No it won't, as Markstrom is getting further seasoning in the AHL.
In the meantime the Habs will see and old face in Jose Theodore. The former Hart Trophy winner was to have Friday night off, but was pressed into service when Scott Clemmensen was pelted for three first period goals, in a 4-1 loss to the New York Rangers. Theo hasn't had a lot of success against the Habs, going 2-2 (4.81, .858) with a shutout.
Panthers Winger Tomas Kpecky received a $2500 fine for punching the Rangers' Michael Del Zotto Friday night, but was not suspended. Del Zotto also received a fine.
Jason Garrison leads NHL defenseman with 10 goals. SunMedia's Chris Stevenson reported that his weapon of choice is a Bauer Apex stick with a 110 flex and a bit of a toe curve.
None of the Canadiens skated today, with Randy Cunneyworth keeping the team at the hotel.
Some pre-game reading from the Miami Herald's George Richards
Did You Know?: Panthers coach Kevin Dineen and Habs interim coach Randy Cunneyworth were both winers of the AHL's Coach of the Year Award. Dineen won with the Portland Pirates in 2006, with RC winning the season prior with Rochester. Both played for the Hartford Whalers.
MONTREAL CANADIENS PROJECTED LINEUP
Forwards
Travis Moen - Tomas Plekanec - Andrei Kostitsyn
Max Pacioretty - Lars Eller - Erik Cole
Louis Leblanc - David Desharnais - Mike Cammalleri
Mike Blunden - Petteri Nokelainen - Mathieu Darche
Defense Pairings
Goalies
FLORIDA PANTHERS PROJECTED LINEUP
Forwards
Tomas Kopecky - Stephen Weiss - Kris Versteeg
Tomas Fleischmann - Shawn Matthias - Matt Bradley
Krys Barch - Tim Kennedy - Bill Thomas
Michal Repik - Mike Santorelli - Evgenii Dadonov
Defense Pairings
Brian Campbell - Jason Garrison
Ed Jovanovski - Erik Gudbranson / Keaton Ellerby
Dmitry Kulikov - Mike WeaverGoalies
Jose Theodore - Scott Clemmensen
Canadiens vs Panthers coverage
Scratching the posts at Litter Box Cats
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Florida is still an above .500 possession team at score tied even strength (Fenwick .523). Huge increase from last year. They are a brutal -14 at true even strength plus minus due to bad shooting. The Campbell-Garrison pairing seem to be leading the way for them. Very solid numbers.
Writer for http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/
I can’t remember… was Florida’s spending spree this summer an effort to just reach the cap floor?
by Hunter Durfee on Dec 31, 2011 7:09 PM EST up reply actions
I’m really impressed. Never thought that spending spree would pay off.
The Panthers are basically of the same caliber as the Bruins or the healthy Habs. Very tough game for a Habs team that almost only wins games if they dominate and even then have trouble.
by MathMan on Dec 31, 2011 7:09 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
Montreal’s current biggest issue at even strength is the goaltending/defensive system. They are at .914 save percentage with Price playing most games. That’s a mark of the huge difference in the positional defensive play of the old Czechs. Kaberle and Gill being the greatest offenders there.
Getting another defenseman that can be above even in shots at even strength other than Subban, Gorges and Emelin would also be a big boost.
Writer for http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/
Gudbranson in, ellerby in the press box. Cullen is in as Dadonov was sent back to the AHL today
by Rob PKane McMahon on Dec 31, 2011 7:18 PM EST reply actions
Did I see Cammy with Nokelainen and Blunden?
Grim start for the Habs, Panthers with all the possession….
by MathMan on Dec 31, 2011 7:22 PM EST via iPhone app reply actions
Of course if Theo blows the game then all bets are off…
by MathMan on Dec 31, 2011 7:24 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
…did Randy replace Leblanc with Blunden?
by MathMan on Dec 31, 2011 7:30 PM EST via iPhone app reply actions
Apparently. Not even Darche or Weber. Blunden. WTF. Just when his lines finally made sense.
Writer for http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/
by Stephan Cooper on Dec 31, 2011 7:36 PM EST up reply actions
So much for the thought he was improving.
Although swapping Plekanec and Eller is interesting.
by MathMan on Dec 31, 2011 7:42 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
Habs pretty lucky to be up one at the break.
by MathMan on Dec 31, 2011 7:57 PM EST via iPhone app reply actions
Panthers outshooting but Montreal had more chances according to NHL.com. Don’t know for sure since I barely saw any of it because CBC.ca is terrible.
Writer for http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/
Montreal did do a good job of keeping the Panthers from high-percentage shots but Florida essentially owned the puck.
by MathMan on Dec 31, 2011 8:08 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
Cats are playing fiesty, theyre they’ve been sitting back a lot and letting things slide. Not happening in this game
by Rob PKane McMahon on Dec 31, 2011 8:00 PM EST reply actions
Tremblay said blowing a lead shows lack of character. Funny considering the 96 Habs choked a 2-0 lead vs. the Rangers.
by Chris Boyle on Dec 31, 2011 8:13 PM EST via mobile reply actions
@OnFrozenPond
Linesman Darren Gibbs reported the racial slur from #FlaPanthers Krys Barch toward #Habs PK Subban at scrum at end of 1st period
by Rob PKane McMahon on Dec 31, 2011 8:29 PM EST reply actions
I’m a florida fan incase you all hadn’t noticed and it upsets me that this happened. I know people get emotional during games and talk shit to get under peoples skin etc but there’s no place for that.
I am at least thankful that if it did happen it was a 4th line plug we can easily replace rather then a fan throwing a banana, we get shit on enough as it is and wouldnt need that negative attention
by Rob PKane McMahon on Dec 31, 2011 8:38 PM EST up reply actions
Article already up about Barch incident
by Rob PKane McMahon on Dec 31, 2011 9:28 PM EST reply actions
Thanks.
Glad to see Cliff Viner’s reaction there. I hope that’s the line Florida takes rather than a Liverpool Football Club-esque defend the player no matter what. Easier to do with a plug rather than an actual player, but it’s still nice to see.
Our ownership now that it’s solid is pretty firm when it comes to things like this, we have a lot of events at our arena through out the season for families and other such events as well as a Haunacha (sorry for potential poor spelling) game on the first night of the holiday.. they’re def not going to just sit back and defend the actions.
Tallon also makes it known that he’s not affraid to drop someone, especially if he’s going to cause trouble
by Rob PKane McMahon on Dec 31, 2011 9:54 PM EST up reply actions
I decided to stay away because well, it’s a game against Florida (those are rarely exciting) and I saw the Blunden comment earlier. Didn’t want to get to negative.
That said…
I’m assuming Leblanc has the flu or something, but over 13 minutes of ice-time for Blunden, in a close game, when Gill, Weber, Darche, and Nokelainen (and I’m not a fan of Nokelainen) all have less than 10?
I liked Cunneyworth getting Cammalleri off of Plekanec’s line. Other than that and playing Budaj most of his line alignments have been lottery-calibre or dubious. I haven’t watched a game this week but the win and then a loss when they played well gave me some optimism that they might be able to muddle through but that probably isn’t going to happen without a new coach in addition to some health.
Well, at least they managed to make it exciting?
Need a 109 point pace or thereabouts from here on to make the playoffs, not bloody likely. Best Habs team in at least a decade and we’re now shooting for a draft pick. :(
Here’s to a craptastic first half of 2012 and a much more successful second half.
by MathMan on Dec 31, 2011 9:51 PM EST via iPhone app reply actions
Didn’t help that you had Martin behind the bench for most of the first half. Would probably be a good 10 points ahead of where you are if the change was made sooner
by Rob PKane McMahon on Dec 31, 2011 9:56 PM EST up reply actions
We liked Martin. Cunneyworth is terrible.
Puck Worlds: Chasing Pucks from here to Turku.
For Twitter Updates on Puck Worlds, follow @puckworlds. For updates plus additional witty banter from yours truly, follow @saskhab.
On the contrary: Martin did an amazing job dealing with the worst injury situation and his unnecessary firing pretty much killed the season. We’d be in better shape if we’d kept him IMHO.
Without Martin we wouldn’t have been within shouting distance at this point. Cunneyworth, so far, hasn’t been able to hold a candle to him.
by MathMan on Dec 31, 2011 10:00 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
Martin`s firing is when this went from a rough patch to a complete collapse, they haven`t played better than a team they`ve faced since.
Writer for http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/
by Stephan Cooper on Dec 31, 2011 10:05 PM EST up reply actions
looking past all the stuff Martin did in Florida that made us fans hate him… overall this season when Montreal was expected to do well they’ve under performed and some of it fell on Martin for sure. The guy just lost control behind the bench and when that happens youre not going to win games. Plus Im sure youve had a lot fewer “too many men” penalties then in the past since he’s been gone
by Rob PKane McMahon on Dec 31, 2011 10:09 PM EST up reply actions
They underperformed because they had 17+ million in cap hit on IR all year. Nothing to do with losing the bench, that never happened; just a coach dealing with a salary floor team about as well as could be hoped.
by MathMan on Dec 31, 2011 10:27 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
And the power-play issue.
The biggest thing is that they structured the team with the expectation that Markov would be playing, the defense corp is built to leverage having two top defenders to carry the top-4 and hold together the line matching game and they need a powerplay playmaker.
Writer for http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/
by Stephan Cooper on Dec 31, 2011 10:35 PM EST up reply actions
Also didn’t help that there was very little NHL ready forward talent in the minors. Which is part of the reason Gauthier should be replaced at this point.
That was largely un-avoidable. It was the concequence of graduating so many players last season and a low point in drafting in years 2008-9.
Writer for http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/
by Stephan Cooper on Dec 31, 2011 10:43 PM EST up reply actions
Also its not like there are many teams that can stash a top nine ready player in the AHL. These days if you can play at that level you`re in the NHL already.
Writer for http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/
by Stephan Cooper on Dec 31, 2011 10:44 PM EST up reply actions
You really are at the wrong place if you’re going to make arguments like these. The Canadiens were playing probably better than they should have considering the injury situation. Martin was salvaging the wins he could from this mess, and was keeping us on track for a top-8 finish.
by Hunter Durfee on Dec 31, 2011 10:30 PM EST up reply actions
Martin was a terrible GM, but I thought he was a decent coach in Florida.
Puck Worlds: Chasing Pucks from here to Turku.
For Twitter Updates on Puck Worlds, follow @puckworlds. For updates plus additional witty banter from yours truly, follow @saskhab.
by Bruce Peter on Dec 31, 2011 10:47 PM EST up reply actions
#FlaPanthers Dineen says Krys Barch ‘broken up’ and ‘upset’ on allegations of racial slur toward #Habs Subban
P.K. Subban said in post-game interviews that he did not hear any slur directed his way.
by Rob PKane McMahon on Dec 31, 2011 10:19 PM EST reply actions
#Habs PK Subban says he didn’t hear a slur from #FlaPanthers Barch; E Cole said he heard something; ‘could have been about his mom or dad.’
by Rob PKane McMahon on Dec 31, 2011 10:20 PM EST up reply actions
This will be interesting to follow, as the linesman made the call here.
It shouldn’t matter whether Subban heard it or not.
Colin Campbell will make any disciplinary decisions on this one, so who knows what happens.
Kevin van Steendelaar
http://www.twitter.com/kvansteendelaar
but don't forget...
http://www.twitter.com/HabsEOTP
by Kevin van Steendelaar on Dec 31, 2011 10:35 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Yeah if the linesman heard something then thats what it comes down to. And chances are they’ll be at any type of hearing to speak up
by Rob PKane McMahon on Dec 31, 2011 10:38 PM EST up reply actions
I’ll feel bad if Barch didn’t say it, but someone else did, and didn’t own up to it, letting him take the blame.
by Hunter Durfee on Dec 31, 2011 10:41 PM EST up reply actions
Josh Gorges re-signs. For six years. For less than four million per.
This is one bit of excellent news, at least!
Good deal. I’d hate to look at how much replacing him would cost. Getting it down to 3.75 might be more ideal but there is the tax issue.
Writer for http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/
by Stephan Cooper on Jan 1, 2012 8:02 PM EST up reply actions
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