12/03/24
May 12, 2010
What The Halak !?!? (The Sequel): Habs end Penguins' reign as Stanley Cup champions with 5-2 victory in Game 7 to move on to Eastern Conference final
posted by tommytrump to hockey at 09:55 PM - 24 comments
Regular season stats:
Habs were 5-1 vs Bruins and 2-2 vs Philly
San Jose was 3-1 vs Hawks
posted by cixelsyd at 10:27 PM on May 12, 2010
An improbable Bruins/Canadiens ECF would be great if the Bruins could just remember that that little black round thing is supposed to be directed towards the net instead of taken on a grand tour of the boards. Of course, even if the Bruins can forget that they weren't the worst scoring team in the NHL, B's fans are probably just looking at another heartbreaking defeat by the Habs in the playoffs.
posted by kokaku at 10:48 PM on May 12, 2010
Holy crap - I give up. Seven vs. Eight or Six in the East. Remind me why the regular season should even be recognized again?
Fuck it - I'm picking the goddamn Habs to win the whole thing. Stupid fucking universe.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 11:37 PM on May 12, 2010
'10 Habs look suspiciously like the '95 Devils
posted by tahoemoj at 11:44 PM on May 12, 2010
Or the '93 Habs.
But you know what they don't look like?
Any version of the Leafs in my lifetime. Stupid, stupid Leafs.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 11:47 PM on May 12, 2010
Someone in the NHL front office should investigate to see if the Russian mob has been in contact with Gonchar and Malkin (like they were with the Kostitsyn boys a couple of years ago). Malkin was absolutely useless for the entire series, and Gonchar was WAY too obviously tanking it when he pulled that "Ole" maneuver on the shorthanded goal.
"No, I won't touch you. Just go right by me and take a shot."
Of course, I'm only kidding.
Sort of.
posted by grum@work at 11:50 PM on May 12, 2010
Yeah. Gonchar's crap is enough to get you sent out of town on a rail. That was so soft it was embarrassing. I couldn't believe it. Off to the KHL, Sergei.
And was Malkin hurt most of this year? I mean, is that not a theory? That or there was a different guy wearing his sweater this year.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 11:55 PM on May 12, 2010
Someone in the NHL front office should investigate to see if the Russian mob has been in contact with Gonchar and Malkin (like they were with the Kostitsyn boys a couple of years ago).
Knowing the NHL, they'll put the same crack squad on that investigation as they did on the Washington Capitals steroid issue.
posted by tommybiden at 12:30 AM on May 13, 2010
if the Bruins could just remember that that little black round thing is supposed to be directed towards the net instead of taken on a grand tour of the boards
I'd settle for just fucking skating forward. Half the time the Bruins D does your forechecking for you. "Oops, guy at the red line. I better turn around, skate behind the goal and then pass across the goal mouth to the even less competent defender I'm paired with just as that guy arrives."
posted by yerfatma at 08:08 AM on May 13, 2010
And in the aftermath, Montreal celebrates in wonderful and criminal fashion.
I thought the same thing about Gonchar and Malkin. Gonchar looked like he was trying to squeeze through a tight door -- "Don't touch me!" -- and Malkin, well, I didn't know they stacked shit that high.
I also gained and lost an equal amount of respect for Crosby in this series. The guy bitched and whined, got away with a bunch of penalties and was called for one hugely stupid one ... and also busted his ass night in and night out working for the puck and trying to feed teammates while Hal Gill covered him like red paint covers a barn.
And I feel badly for Fleury. To have the rep he has for high-profile mistakes, I don't blame him for Game 7, but he'll still get some of the crap for it.
posted by wfrazerjr at 08:37 AM on May 13, 2010
if the Bruins could just remember that that little black round thing is supposed to be directed towards the net instead of taken on a grand tour of the boards
If the Caps and the Pens couldnt get the puck in the net, What are the Flyers and Bruins going to be able to do. Both are far from being offensive Juggernaughts.
posted by Debo270 at 09:01 AM on May 13, 2010
Debo - I'd just like to see the B's finish off the Flyers - that's the part about shooting the puck. One game at a time. Either team will be hard-pressed to beat Halak the way he's playing (I think he has the spirits of Dryden and Roy helping him out). Flyers probably have a better chance because they're more physical (as long as the refs continue not calling the regular interference and holding they get away with), but the Bruins have the rivalry and maybe that'll put some spark in their batteries.
posted by kokaku at 09:34 AM on May 13, 2010
And I feel badly for Fleury. To have the rep he has for high-profile mistakes, I don't blame him for Game 7, but he'll still get some of the crap for it.
He did fine last year in Detroit in the deciding game. He just stunk last night. It happens to the good ones, too.
posted by grum@work at 10:09 AM on May 13, 2010
Regardless of the outcome (of the Flyers/ Bs series), I have to say I'm impressed by Daniel Briére. Maybe it's just the Bruins' lackluster D, but he looks like he could skate between raindrops without getting the puck wet.
posted by yerfatma at 10:34 AM on May 13, 2010
He did fine last year in Detroit in the deciding game. He just stunk last night. It happens to the good ones, too
Having watched 95% of the pens games this season, my biggest worry about Fluery is his consistancy. He was pulled this season 9 times. He posted 2 shutouts all year,(maybe only 1) and he just loves to let in the soft ones. I really worry if he just got hot at the right time last year(ala Halak) or if the Fluery we saw this year is really the player he is.
posted by Debo270 at 12:43 PM on May 13, 2010
he looks like he could skate between raindrops without getting the puck wet.
I don't know if that's a fatty-original or not, but it's a beaut of a line.
posted by Ufez Jones at 01:14 PM on May 13, 2010
The between the raindrops bit is definitely not— it was used to describe an athlete in some other sport (football?). The second part was pretty easy given the first.
posted by yerfatma at 01:36 PM on May 13, 2010
I have to say I'm impressed by Daniel Brire
I've been really impressed by the Habs' Subban. Hard to believe he's gone from not being good enough to make the team to being on the ice for every important shift.
Perhaps the reason he was in the AHL is that he was learning to speak French?
posted by cixelsyd at 02:12 PM on May 13, 2010
I've been really impressed by the Habs' Subban.
Not as much as CBC/TSN seem to be.
They heap a LOT of praise on the kid for performing even simple tasks on the ice.
They even showed a clip of him practicing something mundane with Kirk Muller before a game, and they couldn't stop babbling about how he's "working hard". As if none of his teammates are working on their fundamentals, or "giving it their all" on the ice.
posted by grum@work at 03:07 PM on May 13, 2010
As if none of his teammates are working on their fundamentals, or "giving it their all" on the ice.
grum, you seem to have hit the nail on the head here. You see, it's this little thing called "new racism". You have noticed how the double or different standard works. And contrary to popular opinion, this is not "progressive" in any way ... it actually traps us in racialized ways of thinking.
It's also linked directly to the kind of attitudes that hold there's nothing wrong with this (apologies for the link to my own blog).
posted by Spitztengle at 03:22 PM on May 13, 2010
grum / spitz,
Points taken, but the guy is on the ice for all powerplays, all big penalty kills, and at the end of the game. I know the Habs are short on D right now but they do have other bodies they could play instead.
I don't buy the "new racism" angle at all. The core of the story is the guy is a good hockey player cashing in on his opportunity.
posted by cixelsyd at 03:55 PM on May 13, 2010
Actually, Spitztengle, I wasn't referring to Subban's race.
If anything, it's his history as a star for Canada's junior team at the World Championships that CBC/TSN love. He won 2 gold medals for Canada, and he's now playing for "Canada's team" (the only one left) at age 20 (well, 21 as of today).
You'll soon see the same extra praise being lumped onto Jordan Eberle at the World Championships (now that he has a chance to play), and the same thing was done with Eric Lindros when he played for Canada at the Olympics in 1992.
Canadian hockey media LOVE their junior stars when they start playing with the big boys.
posted by grum@work at 04:28 PM on May 13, 2010
Yeah, I don't see anything that resembles "new racism". Subban has played well and he's a media favorite for being a good interview (he is a good interview - thoughtful guy) and an interesting guy, as well as his track record with Canada on his sweater. Not to mention that he's the classic underdog Hockey player - not too long on talent, but huge on "heart".
It's mostly bullshit, but I don't see the whole "it's because he's black", because Ray Emery, and Jerome Iginla (he gets murdered in the press from time to time for his long goalless stretches) didn't really get that treatment.
In fact - I think you're projecting that.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 05:53 PM on May 13, 2010
We're 4 periods from the West Final being the 1-2 seeds, and the East Final the 7-8 seeds...crazy...