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ECF: (A3) Montreal vs. (M2) New York

I really can't see the Rangers holding up against Chicago or LA.  Both Western conference teams have the size and skill to disrupt that Rangers trap system.  Game 7 was pretty darn boring to watch.  But, long live boring hockey.
 
Manson said:
No, game 1 was all about still living off the Boston high - they looked terrible and Price injured for half the game.  I never said goaltending was the problem, Tokarski was excellent.  But it didn't matter how great he was, the team lost their mojo when Price went down...there's not a lot of time to regain it.

Yup, they totally lost this guy.

Mojo_Jojo.gif


Or, maybe, it was this guy:

Mojo_png.png


Definitely why they lost.
 
well if price is the reason they lost ...then i guess bishop was the reason they got by the lightning ....goaltending wasn't the issue ..well at least not their goalie ..and in that last game..what..4 shots in the third period only trailing by one goal?  ..i guess i just don't see Price changing that
 
L K said:
I really can't see the Rangers holding up against Chicago or LA.  Both Western conference teams have the size and skill to disrupt that Rangers trap system.  Game 7 was pretty darn boring to watch.  But, long live boring hockey.

I wouldn't count the Rangers out though - goaltending can be a big equalizer and Lundqvist easily outpaces either goalie from LA or Chicago in these playoffs.  Add to that the fact that the NYR were a very strong possession team as well (like I mentioned earlier, 6th best compared to LA/CHI who were 1/2) and got better as the season went along.  Maybe some of that is caveat-ed by playing in a weaker conference, but I still think they're underrated here.  They've also made it this far with few contributions from Rick Nash.

I think it will be a close Final no matter which opponent they face.
 
The Rangers put on a clinic in that 3rd period. The Habs had one chance if that. I hope Randy took notes. Thats how you defend a lead. To top it off, the Rangers had more chances than the Habs in that 3rd period.
 
Deebo said:
"Mojo" is a pretty lame excuse but the minute Price went down, we knew that his injury would be the go to excuse for habs fans.

Is it an excuse or is losing your starting goalie, best player and heart and soul of the team just a big reason why they lost and weren't the same team?  The kid could make as many saves as he did but he's not going to replace all the other things Price brings and means to the team.  They even did a bit on how their breakout was different with Tokarski, didn't flow, miscommunication etc.  He was also out of position after making some saves and didn't have the same rebound control.  He ultimately made the saves but losing Price changed the dynamic of the entire team and how they played. 
 
Manson said:
Zee said:
Nik the Trik said:
Madferret said:
kind of hard to chirp / make fun of a team that was 2 games away from playing for the Cup when your team doesn't make the playoffs.

It's actually remarkably easy.

Bingo.

Lots of practice, I guess.

Oof, you're hitting me right where it hurts. In the relative hockey ability of a team that, despite rooting for, I literally have no control over.
 
Manson said:
Deebo said:
"Mojo" is a pretty lame excuse but the minute Price went down, we knew that his injury would be the go to excuse for habs fans.

Is it an excuse or is losing your starting goalie, best player and heart and soul of the team just a big reason why they lost and weren't the same team?  The kid could make as many saves as he did but he's not going to replace all the other things Price brings and means to the team.  They even did a bit on how their breakout was different with Tokarski, didn't flow, miscommunication etc.  He was also out of position after making some saves and didn't have the same rebound control.  He ultimately made the saves but losing Price changed the dynamic of the entire team and how they played.

Hey Manson, I hear what you're saying.  We've seen the same thing in recent years with the Leafs.  They play well for one goalie, showing more confidence and producing a higher GF/G than with the other goalie.
 
Happy for Lundqvist and Moore. The Rags really bore down defensively and supplied more evidence to the notion that you need a good 4th line to have success in the playoffs.

I don't buy the loss of 'mojo' for the Habs, if anything they deflated after a huge war with Boston and couldn't keep up. Sure, losing your starter hurts but Tokarski looks like the real deal and supplied more than enough goaltending to give them a chance.

...incidentally the Leafs don't have a Tokarski in the system, all due respect to MacIntyre...
 
AvroArrow said:
Hey Manson, I hear what you're saying.  We've seen the same thing in recent years with the Leafs.  They play well for one goalie, showing more confidence and producing a higher GF/G than with the other goalie.

Yeah, exactly.  Some of it's tangible, some of it's intangible. You can't lose the foundation of your team and then think it's not going to have a ripple effect.  I know a lot of you agree despite what a few on here post.

Tigger makes a good point too though, it could have been burnout after the Boston series, it definitely was in game 1.  I think they would have regained their form and taken over the series with Price though, but who knows.
 
Tigger said:
...incidentally the Leafs don't have a Tokarski in the system, all due respect to MacIntyre...

I guess, although Sparks had pretty comparable numbers to Tokarski in the AHL this year and is 4 years younger.
 
Nik the Trik said:
Tigger said:
...incidentally the Leafs don't have a Tokarski in the system, all due respect to MacIntyre...

I guess, although Sparks had pretty comparable numbers to Tokarski in the AHL this year and is 4 years younger.

Missing his line in the Calder this year, but, I'll take the dream and hope right along with you.
 
Manson said:
Yeah, exactly.  Some of it's tangible, some of it's intangible. You can't lose the foundation of your team and then think it's not going to have a ripple effect.  I know a lot of you agree despite what a few on here post.

I don't think anyone would disagree with the idea that losing Price could have an impact above and beyond what he might bring just in terms of saves, I just don't agree that it should be attributed to "mojo" or some sort of unfortunate and insurmountable concept that the Habs were victim of. If losing Price was some sort of intangible loss then mental fortitude is the intangible ability to withstand that sort of thing. When Leafs fans talk about what Gary Roberts was able to do in '02 it's because of that very attribute they were able to show when that team was without their foundation.

So it's not that people doubt that losing a very good player can affect a team, just that some teams are able to overcome that sort of loss and the inability to do so is a reflection of the team in question.
 
Nik the Trik said:
I don't think anyone would disagree with the idea that losing Price could have an impact above and beyond what he might bring just in terms of saves, I just don't agree that it should be attributed to "mojo" or some sort of unfortunate and insurmountable concept that the Habs were victim of. If losing Price was some sort of intangible loss then mental fortitude is the intangible ability to withstand that sort of thing. When Leafs fans talk about what Gary Roberts was able to do in '02 it's because of that very attribute they were able to show when that team was without their foundation.

So it's not that people doubt that losing a very good player can affect a team, just that some teams are able to overcome that sort of loss and the inability to do so is a reflection of the team in question.

That's a good point and I agree, the fact that they couldn't overcome it does not reflect well.  But I wasn't saying it was insurmountable or that they're an unfair victim, I was saying it was a big factor why they lost despite getting lots of saves from Tokarski.  Potvin is saying it's all reflected in the stats, which it's absolutely not.  That's what started this.
 

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