Post Game Thread: Montreal Canadiens at Buffalo Sabres – 11 Nov 2024

35 comments

1. takeaways in no particular order:
   – well that was fun/stressful! win or lose, if we play games with the energy we played with today, i’m happy with wherever we end up in the standings. a bunch of mishaps defensively for sure, but the energy was where we need it to be. and at least it was entertaining to watch! much better game than as of late
   – MSL put Hutson on with the first PP unit and we score???? off a sick Hutson pass that threads the needle to Caufield in a way that Matheson is simply incapable of doing???? i’m shocked, utterly shocked, flabbergasted really. please, please, please put Hutson on PP1 full time. he’s so good. i beg of you MSL, i beg
   – multiple instances of quick Sabres goals in succession after we scored was rough. immature team, immature defense, i know that’s what happens, but god its frustrating to watch. i wish we had a true stabilizing D-man. Savard is too old to be that and Matheson, while a good vet, is too much of an offensive D (considering the rest of our young D) to be a stabilizing force while playing 25 minutes a night. i know he’s the whipping boy lately and i’m really not anti-Matheson, but i think a lot of our D woes are due to him being relied on as a 1D, which is not his fault, but just isn’t working
   – Slafkovsky-Suzuki connection is THE DUO. all love to Caufield but even at the end of last year, it was clear to me that Slaf-Suzuki was the duo driving 5v5 play. Suzuki skating noticeably faster today, finally seeing Slaf play hard, drive the forecheck, and look at the result. 2g1a for Suzuki, 3a for Slaf, Dacher gets 2a — let’s keep that line together
   – speaking of Slaf, i hope they hammer into him that how he played today is how he’s going to have success in this league. his drive on Suzuki’s second goal manhandling Power was crack to me. he needs to barrel in with his big body and create turnovers/chances for his linemates, which we saw today. good upswing out of a slump for him
   – the corollary to the above is that i’m really not sure Dach is a centre. he seems to be playing a lot better on the wing without defensive responsibilities, and so be it if that’s the case — we just now need to turn our attention to a 2C, which maybe we need to get through a trade at this point
   – Caufield with two goals back in the lead for goals on the season. we absolutely love to see it. will say though that he is struggling a bit at 5v5, but if he keeps scoring like this, we’ll have to take the good with the bad. if we keep line 1 as is, we’re going to have to find a better solution than Evans as a 2C for him, even if i do really like him stepping up lately. may have to be a trade market solution, imo
   – all in all, very fun game with lots of scoring isn’t a bad way to break a 6-game losing streak. i’m still pro getting a top pick again if the year keeps going as it’s going standings wise, but this was a good step in the right direction, and we love to see a win finally. onward!

2. Slafkovsky 😍😍😍

   Caufield 🤩🤩🤩

   Suzuki 🥰🥰🥰

   ​

   ^^(Primeau​​📉📉📉)

3. Finally a win

4. After six miserable games this feels fucking good. I don’t even care how sloppy this one was, it’s just nice not to lose

5. Random monday afternoon banger game is very appreciated

6. Was that not an assist for Nick on the empty netter?

7. We may never lose again!

8. We really really need an enjoyable game to watch.

   Regardless of the win. Although that is nice too.

   We needed this.

9. game starts with andy goal and devo pass and ends with devo goal with andy pass all is well and balanced. also they need to stop stealing hutsons goals at the last minute poor kid

10. Ah yes, a fun hockey game where I don’t come in the PGT with a feeling of existential dread. We should do this more often.

11. A great game for shooting percentage enthusiasts on both sides, a terrible game for save percentage enthusiasts on both sides.

12. Last place team with the league leading scorer. I think we’re going to start getting some W’s tbh. Hope that game was good for confidence.

13. This is 7-2 with Montembeault in net.

14. SOMEBODY SHOULD FUND ME TO GO TO MORE HABS GAME LIVE

15. *GOOD*

    – Fun game win or lose. Fine with that. Woo entertainment. Habs get the win.

    – Suzuki with two. He does that and it’s a good thing you kinda go oh we need more from Suzuki and then poof you get more from Suzuki.

    – So with Suzuki Slaf got some points and Dach did start the play so that’s positive.

    – Hutson just is incredible.

    – Cole continues scoring. Really want him to hit 50.

    *BAD*

    – Primeau isn’t a NHL calibre goalie. Yes he has some decent games but it so inconsistent and that doesn’t work as a backup.

    – Matheson defending just a lot of mistakes.

    – Just a little more attention to detail. Overall, Habs played well but those breakdowns they get can’t happen that routinely.

16. that is exactly what we needed

    Huge for Suzuki after a few down games, Slaf was finally involved and 3 big assists, Cole took back the scoring lead, and Lane got two assists

    some defensive issues but they battled back and won it. Fun game.

17. Slaf with Just great passes and being strong on the puck. Still wish he could find the back of the net though.

    It’s insane CC is tied for the lead in goals in the NHL while playing for the worst team in the league.

    Great effort today from most of the team outside Primeau who should at this point sit unless it’s a back to back. Or just send him down

    Fun game

18. I wish I could have watched this game. Good ‘ol 80s hockey! 🙂

19. It’s official, all Habs games will be at 12:30 from now on.

20. Offense finally clicking is giving us a reason to watch. It was awesome. Also, Lane Hutson

21. That went exactly how we drew it up

22. The guys that needed to show up did.

    Wasn’t pretty but I don’t care they got the much needed W.

23. Imagine only mustering up like 10 5v5 shots vs the Montreal Canadiens

    Theres your game from the big guys. Excited for next game where we tear them to shreds again!

24. On top of the goal scoring being awesome, the defense was way better than people are acting like it was. We allowed 1.6 expected goals! A few breakdowns but they all ended in the back of the net, it really wasn’t too bad of a job by the skaters. Primeau had a bad night which made it look closer than it was.

25. i hope i never see that ugly ‘longest losing streak since march 2023’ banner ever again

26. Listening on Buffalo Radio. “Slafkovsky puts it in the empty net” Me -> 😁 “Correction, that was Dvorak who scored the empty netter” Me -> 😠

27. Splitting Suzuki and Caulfield was the play turns out

28. I don’t like saying it, and you probably don’t like hearing it, but next year Dvorak is gonna make like 1.25 – 2 and play exactly like this with no baggage and that team is going to be very happy.

    Also, if Dach isn’t going to be a solution at centre, then Habs are uhhhhhh kinda boned? Time to use those draft picks and trade for one

29. Should we give up on the Primeau experiment and try someone like Connor Hughes? It sure seems like he’s a more solid option in net than Cayden right now.

30. Thank god our top players finally woke up, what a difference it makes when they’re on point

31. cole caufield is the nhl scoring leader! GHG

32. Well well well I almost got it right i just needed one more goal by cole assisted by slaf and Monty going for it

    https://preview.redd.it/yb6u5ws50c0e1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3dcbd772df43fd3feb10bd024f352cf4199a8ba5

33. I’ve seen enough, give Hutson the Calder

34. Well what was pure chaos but at least the chaos is fun when you win.

    Hutson is incredible, I don’t know how he didn’t score today, but it’ll happen eventually, who cares that much when he’s eating minutes, piling up assists, and bamboozling opponents at the blue line. Wizard.

    Nice to see the team come together and find offense even with the lines mixed up. Dach might just have to be a winger at this point. We really need a legit 2C. Props to Evans for stepping into the role and doing great, but he’s a really good 3C and that’s where we need him.

    Primeau man, I’ve been a believer in him for so long but it’s getting hard to watch. Tbh I actually think he plays so little that it’s fucking up his game when he does play, but he’s been so bad they don’t trust him with more starts. That’s a vicious cycle and I dunno if there’s a way out.

    Slaf, what can I say, I continue to be so damn glad we picked him, he’s a beast. He’s gonna be unstoppable when Laine and Demidov are around just watch.

35. Time to call up Hughes and give him a game or two. Completely unacceptable performance by Primeau