It's all Carey Price (aka Baby Sexy #1)'s fault
Don't belive me?
Well I'm sorry to disappoint. Price was amazing in the first three games against Boston, and then, somehow, he lost it. He made some great saves while give up some craptastic goals, and when I say craptastic, I mean craptastic.
Throughout the regular season, Price looked like the second coming of Patrick Roy. Despite my love of Hip Hip Huet, I let myself believe. I thought that we could win with Price between the pipes.... after all the kid had gone from the Dub, where he lost out, to a Calder Cup the year before. He should have been ready for the show.
Of course, that's easy for me to say. I've never played pro in Montreal. I've never had to deal with the media scrutiny. I've never had to deal with the St. Patrick comparisons. After all, the last second coming of Patrick Roy was Jose Thedore (SEXY #1), and despite taking back the starting gig in Colorado this season, Theo disappointed fans in Montreal before.
20 years old is too young for a goalie in today's NHL.
I am not making excuses for my team and the fact that they failed to make it to the Conference Championships.
I am stating a fact.
In 1999 a nearly 20 year old Roberto Luongo led Team Canada at the World Juniors. We lost in a heart breaker to Russia. Luongo still hasn't made an impact to ANY post-season team, and he's now 29.
His back up that year was Brian Finley. I had to Google him to find out who he is. Last season he played 12 games. 2 in the show for the BOOuirns and 10 for their AHL affiliate. He's 26.
In 2000, Maxime Ouellet started for the Red and White. He's 26 now. He played 6 games in the ECHL this year. Brian Finley was his back up.
In 2001, Maxime was back between the pipes for the Red & White. We finished third for a second year in a row. Alex Auld was his back up. He split this year between Phoenix, San Antonio (AHL) and Boston. He's 27.
In 2002, Team Canada was led at the World Juniors by Pascale Leclair. We place second, and it took him until this season, as a 25 year old, to make a difference for Columbus. His back up, Olivier Michaud, had to be Googled. He's playing in some league called the LNAH for the St. Jean Chiefs. (For the record, 2002 was the year that Hottie McHottie from Fort McMurray, Scotti Upshall was el Capitaine!)
In 2003, Canada took home silver again and began developing a complex. This was also the year that Crosby was like, a stick boy or something in Halifax. He would have been like 15. Upshall once again wore the "C" for Canada, only this time, MAF (Marc-Andre Fleury) was between the pipes for the Red and White. He's really making noise as a star goalie now - at 23.
His backup, David LeNeveu, had to be Googled, and all he did was play 39 games in the AHL for 2 teams this season.
MAF was back in 2004 when Team Canada (AKA MAF) gave up a lead to the Americans (led by Hottie McHottie Zachie Parise) and eventually the game in the third period in Finland. His back up that year? Josh Harding. Hards, a dirty Regina boy if ever there was one, played 29 games as the Wild back up this year. He's 23.
In 2005, the Red and White finally won Gold. (First time in like, forever for Canadian hockey fans). They were led in goal by Jeff Glass. As a 22 year old, he played 45 games for the Baby Sens. His back up Rejean Beauchemin (SEXY #1's Doppleganger) played 43 games in the ECHL at the same age.
In 2006, Team Canada was Golden again. This time we were led by a Laffs draft pick named Justin Pogge. He went on to be a Bootlegger Spokesmodel. Well, mainly model, and at 21 he's still playing for the Baby Laffs. His backup, Devan Dubnyk, was a backup in the AHL this year, after a year in the ECHL.
Finally, in 2007, the Super Series Team was led to Gold against Team Russia by Jonathan Bernier, Steve Mason and Leland Irving. Mainly, Bernier was in the minors, despite a great start for the Kings, and a few games in the AHL. He's 19. Mason, also 19, was back in the OHL all season. Irving was back in the Dub.
Carey Price led the 2007 edition of Team Canada to World Junior Gold. He went on to be eliminated in the Dub playoffs, only to lead the Baby Habs to a Calder Cup. His backup, was Irving who toiled in the Dub this year.
The fact is, 20 is simply too young for a goalie in today's NHL, and if anyone wants to argue with me, you just have to look back at the Great Goalies of the World Juniors to see what I mean... and I didn't even look at Russia's goalies!
So Baby Sexy #1 was too young, but he's formidable as it is. Give him a couple of year. The Habs will be the next Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup. Trust me...
Saturday, May 10, 2008
I have accepted it
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6 comments:
no never (sometimes, maybe a little, like that time he was just standing there) but no never. NO NEVER!!!! He just couldn't get back on his horse because the Habs refused to fly it from BC to Quebec for him.
coo
You gotta admit though, it wasn't all Price's fault. Montreal looked like a team who lost confidence, who all of a sudden had a problem scoring on the PP when they were very scary on the PP all year.
And just to throw it out there, there was a lot of vemon spewed towards people who were against the Huet trade by people who supported Price. Price is a great goalie, I have no doubts, but Huet should have been Montreal's starter for this playoff run. Which is what so many people said and got stepped on for. (Please note this is a general statement not directed at anyone at this blog; I just saw it happen elsewhere, and it annoyed me.)
And there are some who argue that if Kolzig would have played for the Caps... Very different playoffs we would have, hm? (Although I wouldn't agree Kolzig would have made a difference, because I thought the Flyers were going to win anyway.)
It's a shame for Montreal, because this is a weak Eastern Conference. No offense to the Flyers, but they made it to the Eastern Finals?! Come onnn.
Price fell apart and the time followed. HOWEVER they were still scoring goals. Price was just letting them in and a lot of them were WEAK.
I don't think they should have traded Huet. All young goalies need a veteran on the team to help them out. I still think Price should have started, but with Huet to fill in if Price had trouble....
Its nothing against Halak, but no team has ever won with two rookie goalies. However, I agree that the Eastern Conference final is weak. Philly? Philly? Really? Philly?
*It should say TEAM not TIME. Sunday mornings are not my friends.
I still think trading Huet was an okay move.
I love Kolzig, but I don't see how anyone could claim that Kolzig might have been better in net than Huet.
Goaltending played a role, but the Habs weren't shooting enough with the man advantage, always looking for that pretty play. If the powerplay had stepped up it could've been different. And Steve Begin screwed up bigtime. Price would have to get playoff experience sooner or later as it didn't seem like they were going to re-sign Huet.
I would still disagree with trading Huet. Trade Huet next season, if Price carried the Canadiens through this years playoffs, IMO. His value wouldn't go down unless he played poorly, which was the senerio, anyway. There is ALWAYS a demand for a starting goalie.
I still don't want to put all the blame on Price, however. He's a rookie goaltender who had a couple bad playoff games. Meanwhile Montreal wasn't scoring like they used to (yes, there were goals, but not like during the regular season), defensive breakdowns that led to goals (goalies can't steal everything), a problem with special teams. Where were the coaches, or Koivu or Kovalev? Yeah, Kovalev showed up throughout the playoffs, but when you wear a C or an A, you need to motivate your team, and bring confidence to them. Having a solid goalie helps with confidence, but the poor kid's a rookie. And he's being asked a lot of, and the media attention can't help.
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