2004 NHL Playoffs: Round 1 (1 Viewer)

[Steeve Bergeron]

No kidding! Boston is very lucky to lead that series 3-1. Montreal has been outplaying them since the second game. The difference is that Raycroft is outplaying Theodore since the first game.

 

[NickSo]

 

[Richard Travale]

That along with the abysmal reffing. I don't mean that in a Pat Quinn way either. The refs were crap out there tonight.

 

[NickSo]

:frowning: The flames are really finding out what makes the Canucks tick.

 

[Mark Dubbelboer]

canucks got outworked, plain and simple.

plus kipper is starting to come into his own

i'm surprised something more violent didn't break out at the end of that game. especially after jovonovski went into the crease late just trying to start some trouble. i'm surprised sutter didn't answer with oliwa giving ohlund a little friendly reminder that his treatment of our boy jerome hasn't been appreciated.

officiating was a lot better. the goaltender interference on morrison was garbage, but the may call was justified. the refs also let a lot more interference go, which kept the flow going.

it was kinda amusing to see hedberg playing musical chairs, i'm not sure why they didn't just leave him out. not much for them to lose.

 

[Christ Reynolds]

sounds like some sportswriters dont even watch the games. kovalev's "mistake" was being slashed along the wrists by travis green. get it together kovalev :rolleyes

raycroft usually lets in a soft goal here and there, but he is playing pretty well in the playoffs so far. glad to see the line of samsonov bergeron and nylander do well. if not for them, the series may already be over. if the bruins want to go anywhere in the playoffs, the first line has to start scoring line one. at least they have more combined points than theodore now!

CJ

 

[Ron Pinsonneault]

Bruins playing badly and STILL WINNING!!! Wait until they get their act together.

What a "three stooges" move at the end by "Player of the Game" Kovalev. What comes around goes around.

The U12 girls team I help coach in Southern NH just shake that stuff off and they NEVER stop playing until the whistle blows. I hope none of my players will use Kovalev as an example.

Go Raycroft!!!

 

[Jeff Gatie]

 

[Scott Merryfield]

How about the abysmal coaching by Julian? That game should never have gone into overtime last night. If your strategy late in the game is to ice the puck, then you should be inserting the league's best faceoff man -- Perreault -- to take the subsequent draws in your own end. Hell, Montreal dressed Perreault for this game after sitting the last two just for that reason! Why was he sitting on the bench?

This Habs fan is placing the blame for the Bruins 3-1 lead squarely on the Canadiens. Theodore has not played well, the coaching late in Game 4 was terrible, the team failed on numerous scoring chances in OT, and the winning goal looked like something out of the Three Stooges. Montreal has clearly earned this 3-1 hole. Blaming the officiating is just plain wrong.

 

[Terry Hansen]

Arrgg! The Flames deserved that one, Canucks didn't respond well after the short-handed goal. Lot's of clutching and grabbing from the Flames and Canucks just didn't want to battle through it last night. I wish the Canucks would do the same instead of allowing the Flames to come off the boards unmolested, but of course we would get called for that. Game 5 should be a good one, go Canucks!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

I agree Terry, the Canucks seemed to be pussy footing around, rather than delivering bone crushing hits, or finishing checks. The front of the net was vacant, and not due to the Flames' D. The PK looked good overall, but the PP was a mess. The best of 3 should be an interesting one, but the Canucks need to stick with the original game plan if they expect to win.

As for the Montreal loss, that was the lamest play I have witnessed in recent history. They played 2 overtimes for that?

 

[Mark Paquette]

You took the words right out of this Habs fans mouth and I couldn't agree more. I think most of the blame for the game 4 loss should go to Julien for screwing up royally with 20 seconds to go in the third. Get your best face off man out there, ice the puck, the game is in the bag and the series is tied 2-2. Instead they're down 3-1 heading back to Boston

 

[Mark Dubbelboer]

i don't get why souray isn't getting a bit of heat for this.
as i saw the replay a couple times you've got to wonder a bit about what he was thinking. i mean even if he had just cleanly ran into kovalev without passing the puck backwards murray would not have been in all alone.
it seemed to me that if souray had simply stopped and controlled the puck instead of continuing to skate towards kovalev the disaster would have been averted.

maybe i'm out to lunch on this but those are my thoughts a day later.

 

[Kachi Khatri]

OK...I don't see any discussions in the Toronto-Ottawa series.

Anyway...we know that Eddie the Eagle's performance is primarily the reason why Toronto team is up 2 to 1 in the series. Toronto has been outplayed for the most part and if Pat Quinn thinks he can go with the momentum without tinkering the lineup for tonight...he's in for a surprise as the Sens will keep pounding back.

I think the pressure is on Pat, as the coaching style will dictate the tone of tonight's game.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

Mark, watch it again. Souray was playing the puck and looking at the play. He had no idea (and would not think) Kovalev was going to skate right into him. Kovalev had other things on his mind, such as looking at the ref for the call. Sure Souray should have ben more aware, but who expects to get taken out by your own player when it is the responsibility of the guy not making the play to avoid skating over the guy with the puck.

Bottom line, Kovalev gave up on the puck because he thought he could finagle a call out of a tap on the hand. He chose embellishment and poor sportsmanship over grit and heart and the Habs paid for it. Ribeiro did it the last game and Kovalev is well known to have done it before. It's a shame, cause Koivu played bruised and bloodied against a bigger man all night and (although he sometimes dives) you did not see him dive once.

 

[Terry Hansen]

I didn't care to admit it before but the Canucks really miss Bertuzzi. They really need a presence in front of the Flames net and a general physical threat 5 on 5. They really strayed from the controled physical game they played in games 1 & 3, they need to get back to that. They should have played the whole game the way they played the last 10 mins of the 3rd.

The OTT vs Tor series is a good one as well, I hope that Belfour doesn't steal the next one, it would be a shame.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Go Leafs Go!

Given the success the Leafs have had by resting their playoff hopes on a premier goalie the last couple of years - it boggles my mind that teams like Philadelphia, Ottawa etc don't pick up on this.

Given the parity in the league these days - a top notch goalie has more of an impact than ever.

 

[Tony Whalen]

Terry, how can a resident of Alberta be cheering for the Canucks over the Flames?

Just buggin' ya.

GO FLAMES GO!

 

[Terry Hansen]

I dunno? Just like 'em. Actually I cheer the Flames as well, just not against the Canucks! To bad two of the Canadian teams will be lost in the first round.

Go Canucks!!!!!!!

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

While the Canucks could use Bertuzzi, a team is not one man, which they showed by sweeping their last 6 regular season games. They need to adjust to the Flames' strategy, and play smart, defensive, physical hockey. They need to get in Kipprisoff's face as much as possible and crash the net. If the other team has the puck, hit 'em and make sure they feel it.

One question I have about all these interference calls - how come interference is never called on an icing? Players are routinely being blocked from reaching the puck in this situation, and it is never called.