From the Pressbox

the boston second goal WAS offside not at the bench side but on the penalty box side.

Ive watched hockey for many years, and have been a Montreal fan for many years. Now once the playoffs start, the two most important things you need to win are a hot goalie, and heart. Right now Boston wants this far more than Montreal, they are winning most of the faceoffs, and always ..always seem to be the first one to a loose puck. Its simple, they want it more. The only way Montreal will win is if Thomas, the Bruin goalie, has a bad game.

I may be a Canadien but that doesn't mean I have to cheer for Montreal!!! Have been a big Boston Bruins fan since I was 10 years old, I love this hard working Bruins team hope we have some luck of the Irish on our side.

Hey Glen Murray wake up we need you tonight!!!

Habs are going to pull through, no worries. Funny how the bashing starts with Price and fingers are pointed. Don't forget this is Montreal. A very unforgiving city to play in especially if you are a goalie, so Price will face the adversity and play a successful game. And to Ron with the insightful comments and great spelling: your ignorance is common of Boston Bruins fans.

The one thing that has impressed me has been Price's unflapability. Nothing seems to rattle him. He reminds me at times of another twenty-year-old who turned some heads by the name of Vladislav Tretiak. Montreal's power-play needs more motion away from the puck. It's awful hard to generate offence if your teammates are standing motionless with a checking Bruin by their side. I've been a Habs fan all my life, but kudos to the Bruins for hard work. Has anybody else noticed who the Boston coach is? The same guy Lou Lamierello axed last year from his then-top flight team. This perhaps explains the Bruins tactics. They look very much like the old Devils. Wedge-trapping at their own blueline, clogging things up and waiting for their chances to come. Perhaps drop-passes and multiple lane changing from the Habs attacking forwards would force the Bruin defenders to choose a man and get them out of their block-the-slot formation which is getting Montreal nowhere.

I don't get these Boston Fans. After all is said...all the "Boston is playing better" comments, all the "the Habs are in trouble" comments and "Price has been shaken" comments, the Habs are still up 3-2. Boston has to win - not Montreal. The pressure is on them at home. The only reason Boston looks good is because they are so bad...any kind of challenge to the first place Habs is considered good. Big Deal. Habs in 6.

Agree with Geoff's comment. The '71 7-5 comeback win against Boston is the greatest Hab game I have ever heard (on the radio) and would love to finally see on DVD.

First of all, I'm a Habs fan, though one with some perspective. I'm a real fan of the 70s Habs who were beautiful to watch. I had watched the current edition during the regular season and thought that while, several of them would have struggled to crack the Nova Scotia Voyageurs' lineup in the late 70s I thought the 07-08 played entertaining hockey with some nice passing and a very composed rookie goaltender.

However, I watched game 1 against Boston and came away convinced that they would be lucky to get past the first round. Sure they won 4-1 but they looked mediocre doing it; their power managed on a 2 minute 5 on 3 to look utterly harmless. They may outdo a revived Bruins squad but they have almost no chance against the Rangers. Should Price steal that series I can't see them winning even one game from the Penguins.

The team, except Kotstopulous and Brisebois looks unmotivated and overly satisfied. The ugly Kovalev has come back. Head up his you know what, hanging on to the puck too long, making stupid stupid plays etc. The formerly exceptional power play is horrible and Coach C has shown no ability to respond. If they win the series it will be because Price steals a game.

Luckily, many of the players are young and next year they might, as the Penguins have done this year, learn how to win in April and May. Not this year though,

the canadians have one advantage over all the others the advantage is,guy carbo,bob gainey,jean beleveau,kirk mueller and *my favourite grey haired alternate coach.. these guys have the best hockey sense to pass along to the team.. i challange anybody to tell me who is better to guide a team to win the stanley cup than these guys..

If the Habs lose this series they should be issued body armour...the backstabbing will be brutal, it has already started.

I say the Bruins have darn good chance. they have fought all year. Unravel is weak term. I think the Bruins realize the Habs are human and just another tream as all 30 are it amouts to how bad you want it. I think they want it. Harry Sinden layed it all out. Spoke his mind this week. No sugar coating what the issuses are. Hence a real Reality Show! And one other note I watched the CBC feed last night. The announcers need to take a page from the Best announcers in NHL on NESN out of Boston when there team is playing bad they call it like it really is. No excuses just the facts Edwards and Brickley could set an excellent standard for the CBC announcers.

Hi Ron,
"Eccuses?" How about first learning how to spell, maybe then your comments will be taken seriously.

funny how when montreal looses a game,..how the eccuses come out,...think about the Bruin`s for a sec and there injuries,...one of there best players is out with a concusion,...if not for price and the Bruin`s injuries the Bruin`s would be up 3 Games

Great stuff Elliotte.
I always enjoy your pieces throughout the game, and miss them now that I switched to RDS - I just couldn't take Cherry anymore, the others aren't great either, except Hrudey.
Anyway, thanks for the heads up and I'll still check your stuff on the site.

I don't think Price will be effected by this wether he wins or lose his next game.

Can't wait for that DVD to come out.

My favorites although there is many to chose from. Obviously the good friday massacre and the 5-0 comeback this year. I choose those two because I remember watching the good friday massacre and I was only 8 years old at the time. But I remember the game and exactly what happened. Me and my buddy were playing little hockey in the basement and watching the game while are dads were watching upstairs. A classic.

The 5-0 comeback, well it was a classic and it happened very recently. would usualy change the channel but Komisarek layed a big hit and the crowd want nuts. There was still 15 minutes left in the 2nd period and said to myself, if they make a comeback and lose like 5-4 it would still be something to watch.

I also remember Claude Lemieux OT goal vs Hartford.

Elliotte,
Any reason why 1971's 7-5 comeback against the Bruins (from 5-1 down) isn't on the list? I wasn't even born, but I do know that it's certainly the greatest comeback ever (including the 6-5 shootout win vs. NYR).

I have been following the Montreal Canadians for 40 yrs. or more, and have watched some impressive games to say the least, but the past 4 games against the Bruins have been a disaster, only for Price they would out of the playoff race now!! I am hoping that they can regroup and play there style of game on Sat night, a speed game not bump and grind and sitting on 1 goal lead. My other comment is this, during last game against the Leafs they played a rookie by name of Stuart,I belive that's correct spelling, and he had 2 break aways on Raycroft and almost setup another goal on smart pass out from behind Leafs net..I don't understand the coaching staff, why they play guys that are doing nothing and sit out this rookie, he was impressive on his first 3 or 4 shifts. Anyway hoping for a big win on Sat night, cheers Bill.

way to go, elliott. nice work. enjoyed this. i too own the nords dvd, altho i bot it on the interweb as a bootleg (2 discs) the way i have bot many rare hockey games. dig around and you won't believe the games you can get!
But more importantly, when are they ever gonna release the film Face Off (1971)? one of, if not the greatest hockey-based film (drama) ever made?? i own that too on bootleg.

Every goalie has an off day. Yes he was not at the top of his game, however, most goalies don't make the same mistake twice in a row. Canadiens will take game 6 in Boston. You watch.

Price may have given up a goofy goal but where the hell was the rest of the team after the goal.
Same old Canadiens are showing up these days. It may just be that the
Gods of hockey have decided the winners of the series will go to the
ones who play their hearts and souls out. Apart from the young Price
who plays like a champ, the rest of the team should be ashamed of themselves. They thought Boston would be just easy prey . Sorry to
disappoint you Habs but learn to respect your opponent and start playing real hockey or else I believe Boston may just show you a lesson in humility. As for the Bruins, they are playing like champions already, their fans should be proud and as a hockey fan ,i love watching teams that play with heart.

To your point, Elliotte, about people being unaware of Price's earlier successes, I will add that most are also unaware of his early failures, and how well he's bounced back from them. Remember, this is a kid who was a last minute cut from the Canadian Jr. team for two years in a row before he finally made the team. And how well has he bounced back from those early failures ...World Jr. gold and tourney MVP ...AHL Calder Cup and tourney MVP ...'nuff said. He'll close the door next game.

Rather than rejoicing that Price is rattled, Boston fans should be shaking in their boots. Would not surprise me at all if Price follows up a bad outing with a brilliant one. The Canadiens may only need one more goal to take this series.

My votes would be for the 89 Cup final (losing the Cup on home ice for the first time), the Patrick Roy "I 'ave play my last game 'ere" meltdown, last night's 5-1 loss, and any game in which Guy Lafleur and his "floppy stick" got made into a puddle, and he was -4.

That's a DVD worth buying. Special bonus feature: A simulation of the Bell Centre being imploded.