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Series ‘slipped away,' Koivu says

TIM WHARNSBY

From Monday's Globe and Mail

Latest comment posted at 3:30 PM EST 21/04/08

The Canadiens now find themselves at the end of their rope in a seventh and deciding game at home ...Read the full article

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  1. Badges? We don't need no stinking badges from Canada writes: Alright Habs...time to leave it all on the ice. Go big, or go home. Nothing in the past matters. Just one game.
    Alexei Kovalev has 4 points in the five game 7's he's been involved with, and all 5 were victories. Maybe his sixth game 7, tomorrow, and the pressure to succeed will haul him out of the current funk. The Captain's back to handle face-offs. A top-drawer goalie will be in the crease. If the "D" is solid....it's on to round two...I hope.
    Habs are 10-8 in game 7's...........7-3 on home ice
    B's are 9-7 in game 7's.............0-3 on the road
    Now if the stars align correctly, and the universe unfolds as it should....
  2. Tom Sawyer from Canada writes: I think Boston is going to take this...pressure is all on Montreal. It will be a good lesson for young Habs team and they can rely less on Kovalev next year. Will be a good game regardless of outcome.
  3. H. G. Wells from Canada writes: Montreal won't lose tomorrow. I just came back from the future and it's a Sharks/Canadiens Cup final this year....Really!
  4. R Miller from Halifax, Canada writes: Wise of Carbonneau to not call out Kovalev.... Calling out Kovalev doesn't actually work because he sometimes seems to sulk if he gets called out...

    But Kovalev does need to play like he is capable of... Scoring from Koivu's and Kovalev's line is needed and a little desperation from everyone else....

    Now, with their backs against the wall, the Habs can win this...

    History is also on the Habs' side... This should be a very exciting game...

    Cheers.
  5. D M from Canada writes: I'm a big Habs fan, but I gotta say, after watching last game I think Boston is going to take it. Once Boston gets the zone, Montreal just runs around trying to catch up. Boston is too big and can circle the puck too well - they just wait for their chances.

    The last 3 goals were maybe against Kovalev's line, but the first two were against Koivu's, and both times, it was Saku's man that scored. Both times he couldn't keep up - maybe he's not 100%?
  6. brad maddigan from Canada writes: I remember a quote from Ken Dryden's book when they were playing the Bruins in 1971. He said how could the series be over after losing game 5, when just hours before, tied at 2-2 it was anybody's to be had? Yes, the Habs have lost 2 straight, and they have been outscored badly. But this team has never lost 3 in a row all year, and I don't think it will happen tonight. The ghosts from the Forum will appear at the Bell Centre, and all will be well.
  7. Tom Sawyer from Canada writes: I never understood how history plays in sports. This game will be decided by the players on the ice and who wants it more. I think pressure is on the Habs as they have clearly been reading too much of their own press clippings. Momentum is on the Bruins side as they are missing two of their key players which has them gelled as a team and they now believe and know they can beat Montreal. Will be a good game!
  8. Chadwick Minh from Canada writes:
    Koivu sounds defeated.

    Kovalev is back to the Kovalev we all know.

    Can the Bruins pop another five behind Price tonight?

    Carbonneau looks for answers... Stay tuned.
  9. . . from Canada writes: Our Rocket, who art in heaven,
    hallowed be thy 9
    Thy kingdom come,
    thy will be done,
    At the Bell as it was in the Forum.
    Give us this day our needed W.
    And forgive us our losses,
    as we thank those who lost against us.
    And lead us not onto golf courses,
    but deliver us the Cup.
    For thine is the heritage,
    the power and the glory.
    For ever and ever.
    Amen.
  10. Popeye Dillon from North Vancouver, Canada writes: Whoever wins tonight the "Gods" of good hockey will be smiling. Montreal hasn't played that badly the Bruins have forced them to.
  11. Paul I from Rochester NY, United States writes: Koivu another outstanding example of why you NEVER appoint a Euro as captain. Can anyone imagine a Canadian captain saying "Oh well, it looks like we let this slip away" Messier, Roberts, Gilmour et al would say "OK boys, it's time to rip off some Bruins head and pi$$ in it." Maybe the Habs could borrow the male stripper the Sens used to get their mojo back.Er-on second thought...

    "History is bunk"- Henry Ford
  12. steve allan from Welland, Ontario, Canada writes: This Canadiens team was built for the 'new' NHL. The problem is the NHL has reverted to form in this year's playoffs, with clutch and grab and neutral zone traps the order of the day.

    You can't beat those defensive systems by playing fancy, skill-based hockey, you have to grind it out, and with so many east Europeans on the team, that's going to be difficult. Playoff hockey is 15% skill and 85% character. Does this team have character? Sure, when you look at guys like Komisarek, Higgins, Lapierre, Koivu, Dandenault and a few others, but there's too many fairweather players.

    Oh well, back to the drawing board for Gainey and Co.
  13. W R from Stratford, PE, Canada writes: When the smoke clears on Wed. morning the only Canadian team left will be Montreal and it will have been really close. After all the TPTB have to give one of the three bones to Canada.
  14. Andrew Bisson from Ottawa, Canada writes: Steve Allan - I was waiting for someone to start offering excuses for the Habs. Neutral zone trap and clutching and grabbing? LOL!
    The Bruins have had many ridiculous calls on them, many of them aided by Montreal diving. Please cite some clutching and grabbing examples for us that weren't called.
    As for the neutral zone trap, just what would you call Montreal's technique in game five when they got the early lead? One forechecker, four players in the neutral zone. Even Habs and especially Kovalev-lover Greg Millen called them out for it. The Bruins have been using two forecheckers through most of the series, but somehow they are playing the trap and the Habs aren't?
    Every team plays their own version of the trap.
    The problem with the Habs, just like the Senators, is that their leading scorers in the regular season don't have the character and grit to perform in the playoff grind. It is great when your third and fourth lines are playing so well, but you need the scoring from your top two lines, and not just on the power play.
    No matter the result tonight, it has been a great series.
  15. Gogh Forit from Canada writes: H G Wells: The Canadians in the final. Surely you jest. Montreal will be lucky to eke out this series win. They took a big gamble on Carey Price and while he has played very well, he's given to cracking big time under sustained pressure as was the case in games five and six in the current series. After the Habs took all eight regular season tilts, they were expected to breeze through the first round the same way.
    The Sharks could make it to the finals unless what happened Sunday night happens again in San Jose on Tuesday.
  16. J K GALBRAITH from Canada writes: .from Canada writes: a wonderful piece! How often do you think Guy Carbonneau will be praying that version today?
  17. keith warnock from Kitchener, writes: Here is something to ponder when picking your playoff pool teams next year:
    Winners of Stanley Cup:

    2005-6 Anh - Captain Scott Nedemyer - CDN
    2004-5 CAR - Captain Rod Brindamour - CDN
    2004 - No Winner
    2003-4 TB - Captain Dave Andruchuck - CDN
    2002-3 NJ - Captain Scott Stevens - CDN
    2001-2 DET - Captain Stevie Y - CDN
    2000-1 COL - Captain Joe Sakic - CDN
    1999-2000 NJ - Captain Scott Stevens - CDN

    The outcome of this game doesn't really matter... niether team has the moxy (or the captain) to win the cup!
  18. steve allan from Welland, Ontario, Canada writes: Andrew Bisson - it's a case of - if you can't beat'em, join'em. It's certainly not the Habs who want to play that style, they've been forced to by Bruins. Clude Julien is known for this - it's his trademark.

    Montreal scored 50 goals more than the Bruins this year.....that's right FIFTY! The Habs had a goal differential of plus 40 whereas the Bruins were a minus 10. Now let me ask you - what team benefits from clutch and grab???

    Case closed.
  19. Rob C from Canada writes: ...it is the habs series to win or lose - If they come out flying and score first, I think they'll win - If the bruins weather the early storm, I see the wind coming out of the Habs' sails and the bruins being a serious threat to win - If that is the case, there will be blood on the floor after this off season...
  20. Alberto Bayo from Canada writes: Coach Guy Carbonneau confirms that he will indeed wear the "lucky tie" tonight. It's been worn twice already. Once when Montreal clinched a playoff berth, and again during game 1 of this series. Also, Lats, Ryder and Rhino Burn are healthy scratches....GO HABS GO
  21. EJ Ravensbud from Canada writes: The Hab fans should start to sing now because there may not be an opportunity later on tonight.
  22. Pat Billings from CDN, Canada writes: Habs win in a blowout.

    Boston has been playing over its head for the last 2 games. The law of averages catches up to them. Like a leaf, Tim Thomas crumbles under pressure.
  23. Swifty J from Mtl, Canada writes: The Bruins completely earned their three wins, no question about it. Kudos to them for stepping it up. And yes, the Habs have played that badly.

    So, I won't be surprised if the Bruins take tonight's game. Saddened, but not surprised. The Habs, as someone aptly said, have been reading too much of their own press. I also have the impression that after Game 1 a lot of the rookies figured it was all going to be easy and fun. Maybe now that they're underdogs, they'll smarten up.

    To the person who says Price has cracked: in Game 5, I saw Price crack and crumble in the third period. Four stoppable goals.

    In Game 6, though, I saw him recover well for the first 40 minutes. Then I saw a team meltdown in the third period, as the Bruins found a level that the Habs haven't come close to approaching since the first period of the first game. Hard to blame any of the goals on the goalie -- he was completely hung out to dry.

    The Habs can win tonight if Carbonneau can counter some of Julien's adjustments and find a way to get some kind of transition game working again. Even if not, they might still squeak out a sloppy win.

    If the Bruins win, Claude Julien will have pulled off a remarkable feat: leading the same two teams to 1-3 series comebacks against each other. I wouldn't even know where to look it up, but I'd be surprised if anyone's ever done that. Here's hoping that tomorrow, we can say no one ever has!
  24. george simko from Canada writes: Odds dictate that Boston will prevail. I believe the Habs have
    not lost three successive games until tonight. If I was to hazard
    a guess, Boston in overtime. The Habs have silenced their skeptics
    by having a better than expected hockey sason.
  25. Swifty J from Mtl, Canada writes: The Habs actually lost three in a row a couple of times this season. The impressive stat is that they were the only team not to lose more than three in a row all year. A meaningless stat now, though.
  26. Paul I from Rochester NY, United States writes: Keith Warnock- Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury I rest my case. If your captain has a European passport you will never win a Cup. Give me a stout ontarian or alberta boy and we will drink your milkshake!

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