MTL vs PHI
Posted on May 1, 2008 11:46 AM | Permalink
PHILADELPHIA - Now what?
Canadiens coach Guy Carbonneau has painted himself into a dilemma with his decision to start Jaroslav Halak in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinal against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Halak played well, and when you consider the circumstances under which he was making his first career playoff start, he was exceptional.
The game was played in about as hostile an environment as you will ever see with 19,872 orange-clad Flyers fans hurling obscenities in his direction at the Wachovia Center, and the Canadiens were in desperate need of a victory to knot up the series at two games apiece.
Halak made his coach look like the Jack Adams Award nominee he is right off the bat, stopping Jeff Carter on a clean short-handed breakaway about six minutes into the game, and he made a few more nice stops while his teammates were being stymied at the other by Martin Biron.
Good, but not good enough
But he couldn’t weather the storm forever, allowing R.J. Umberger to score a bit of a softy on the power play at 7:47 of the second with a wrist shot that got between Halak’s right arm and his body.
“He was good, obviously not good enough,” Carbonneau said after the game. “He was in a tough situation.”
But now, the tough situation is Carbonneau’s.
He has two days and a morning to decide who will start in his net in a game that could mark the end of the Canadiens season Saturday at the Bell Centre.
Many people were burned by thinking this before, but it’s hard to imagine Carbonneau not coming back with Carey Price in Game 5.
Halak definitely didn’t lose Game 4 for the Canadiens - their cross-eyed shooters handled that - but Halak didn’t win it for them either.
Who will start Game 5?
Price had never been in such a pressure-packed environment before Game 7 of the first round against the Boston Bruins, but that game proved to a certain degree how the young 20-year-old can respond to a big game situation.
Halak is an unknown commodity in that sense, because he has never played in a win-or-you’re-out NHL playoff game, so Price has the edge in experience by one game.
Considering that game was a 5-0 shutout victory - after he had surrendered 10 goals in his previous two games - it should tip the balance in Price’s favour Saturday night.
Whatever Carbonneau’s decision winds up being, he would be best served announcing it early and killing this brewing goalie controversy before it starts.
His strategy of wrapping his goalie choice in a shroud of mystery prior to Game 4 may have been good on the road. But at home, with the full gamut of the voracious Montreal media on hand, the question of who will play in goal will become a distraction the Canadiens simply don’t need.
Briere refuses invitation
Daniel Briere was handed a chance of making headlines across Quebec after his game-winner in Game 4, but he took a pass.
Briere’s goal with 3:38 remaining was his third game-winner out of seven Flyers playoff victories, and he said he wanted to make amends for being on the ice for both Canadiens goals within a 39 second span that allowed Montreal to tie the game in the third.
He was told by a reporter after the game that he had just proved his decision last summer was the right one, and Briere - obviously confused - just frowned and looked at the reporter curiously.
The reporter then explained the comment, invoking Briere’s justification last summer when he spurned the Canadiens’ offer to sign as a free agent with the Flyers that he felt Philadelphia was a better team than Montreal.
Once Briere understood the gist of the question, he rolled his eyes.
“I’m not going there,” he said. “It’s not even worth it to go there.”
Comments
I think what our Habs need to remember is to have some fun. Look at them! They are not enjoying themselves anymore. They have to remember why they played the game in the first place. Shake off the fact the referee's really suck this year, have fun and you will win. Look at what you have done for Monreal so far. After that winter we had, you gave us a reason to be happy. I have not seen this kind of solidarity in Montreal in years. We are behind you all the way. Just go out and have some fun on the ice. take it one period at a time -oh and remember -smile it will drive the news people nuts!!!!!
Posted by: Marlene Mathieu Montreal | May 1, 2008 12:57 PM
I said it before and I will reitterate the one simple thing the habs need to do.
Revisit the past 8 months and start doing the simple things.They should not treat this next game as a do or die situation. The simple fact of the matter is 2007-08 was one
of great success and a complete restoration
of "The Winning Spirit" in this great hockey city.
Remember overcomming a five to nothing deficit in the regular season.
Carbonneau had them beleiving in themselves
and believing is everything.
Posted by: John Thomas Sinclair | May 1, 2008 02:35 PM
If this series is to be about "where is (who is?) Montreal's saviour goaltender, so be it. But I don't think it is -- media loves the topic, and it appears Carbonneau is biting, but the fact of the matter is the Habs are scoring their first goal each game at an average of the 40 minute mark or so. Why is that? Not generating enough offense? Nope. Not getting any shots on net? Nope. Allowing the opposing goalie to see virtually every shot? Yes (except the shots on which the Habs actually score).
There's the connection, the answer, and the messiah all wrapped up into one simply little item: traffic in front of Biron. The state of the Habs (down 3-1) has very little to do with their own team goaltending; Carbo's busy trying to fix the thing that ain't broke, instead of addressing one simple little item, down at the other end of the rink.
Posted by: Terry Ontario | May 1, 2008 03:19 PM
Its over. Philadelphia is the new hockey mecca.
Posted by: smoke2210 philadelphia | May 1, 2008 08:46 PM
I have always been a Habs fan. Even though they probably won't get by Philly, they have had a respectable year and should get better.
The only thing that bothers me is that they tend to trade their goalies and get nothing in return. Gainey just has to make smarter trades in the future.
Posted by: Steve | May 1, 2008 08:49 PM
Ilya kovalchuk is the best!!!!!
Posted by: fatih Sundu | May 1, 2008 08:56 PM
why dont you get a better nomber one golie.
Posted by: yauz sundu | May 1, 2008 09:01 PM
I am a real habs fan but I think that the coach should put streitt back on defense permantly and give reider another shot at it. Things can't be any worse.
Posted by: stan | May 2, 2008 08:05 AM
Habs still has a slim chance. But it still is a chance. Habs did it in 2004. Let's do it another time.
1 game at a time, Habs. Make it happen tonight first for starting.
Go! Habs ! Go
Posted by: Anthony Quebec | May 2, 2008 08:14 AM
Montreal's goaltending woes seem to be just that...which netminder is Carbo to turn to? I truly felt that Halak actually gave his teammates a chance to win. Unfortuneately his friends in front of him failed yet again. If the Habs can find a way to win game 5, I think they can do what most teams would'nt be able to do...win this bloody series as they were touted to do. If not, this team really has nothing to be ashamed about as they were'nt expected to make the playoffs in the first place. For all of Canada...go Habs go!!!
Posted by: Leonard Kelly | May 2, 2008 09:48 AM
Hang in there you are not done yet! Marline is right Just go have fun! you have had a great season if you do loose give them something to remember.
Posted by: Sheldon Oilers Fan For Life !!! Indiana | May 2, 2008 10:28 AM