Canadiens Vs Wild | October 30th, 2008 | 8:00 Pm Est Options

[Carey_Price31]

- Starting Goaltenders -


Canadiens


CAREY PRICE # 31
Wins: 4
Losses: 1
OT: 1
Save Percentage: .932
Goals Against Average: 2.06


Wild

NIKLAS BACKSTROM # 32
Wins: 6
Losses: 0
OT: 1
Save Percentage: .932
Goals Against Average: 1.98


- Team Leaders -

Canadiens


Goals: Alex Tanguay (6)
Points: Saku Koivu & Andrei Markov (10)
Assists: Andrei Markov (10)
Plus/Minus: Saku Koivu (+8)
Power Play Goals: Alex Tanguay (3)

Wild

Goals: Antti Miettinen (6)
Points: Mikko Koivu (13)
Assists: Mikko Koivu (12)
Plus/Minus: Mikko Koivu (+5)
Power Play Goals: Antti Miettinen (2)

Television/Radio Broadcasts for tonight's game

RDS (HD), CJAD, CKAC (French)





*I can't be arsed to wait for the Wild to play before I can add the game day thread, so their statistics are from Oct. 29, 3:45PM*

[ColRouléBleu]

great thread and great idea not to wait until their game is played tonight just one thing though, the time of the game is 8pm EDT, not pacific

[minikostitsyn al...]

i dont have a good feeling for this one

[Carey_Price31]

i dont have a good feeling for this one

If the boys play all 60 minutes with their best effort we should be fine.

[hablover]

well, the way things have been going lately.//
if we play terrible, we can expect 2 points
if we actually show up....0 maybe 1 point.

[Tuom]

Driving down to Minn for the game tomorrow! With the scheduling, we don't get to see them near us often. I'm very excited to see this year's version of the Habs play.

[Carey_Price31]

Driving down to Minn for the game tomorrow! With the scheduling, we don't get to see them near us often. I'm very excited to see this year's version of the Habs play.

Neither do I, but hopefully I'll be able to go this year when the Habs come here to Vancouver.

[Bumblebee]

Minnesota is playing ex-Minnesota (Dallas Stars) right now. Stars appear to be winning, which is miraculous considering how they've been playing lately. It's end of the 2nd, 4-1 Dallas, and if Dallas can pull through the 3rd then it will be the first loss the Wild has received in regulation. Maybe there's hope for Les Boys yet!

[dthayer]

Minnesota is playing ex-Minnesota (Dallas Stars) right now. Stars appear to be winning, which is miraculous considering how they've been playing lately. It's end of the 2nd, 4-1 Dallas, and if Dallas can pull through the 3rd then it will be the first loss the Wild has received in regulation. Maybe there's hope for Les Boys yet!

i was actually thinking if they beat dallas tonight we'd have better luck tommorow, because then they'd be on even more of a high - and there would probubly be less of a chance that they continue on a high note. if that makes any sense...

either way, i think we deffinantly have a shot at beating them. if we play 60 minutes there is no reason why we shouldn't win it.


GO HABS GO!!

[Flying Lion]

i was actually thinking if they beat dallas tonight we'd have better luck tommorow, because then they'd be on even more of a high - and there would probubly be less of a chance that they continue on a high note. if that makes any sense...

either way, i think we deffinantly have a shot at beating them. if we play 60 minutes there is no reason why we shouldn't win it.


GO HABS GO!!

I agree 100%. Cliche it might be, but 60 full minutes is absolutely essential if there is to be any success tomorrow night. If I had the time (and the skills ) to make one, I'd be outside tomorrow wearing a sandwich board that says "GO HABS GO! 60 Full Freakin' Minutes Already!!!"
I try not to abuse exclamation marks but it seems necessary in this situation.

I don't know what to make of this one. I think the Habs definitely are capable of beating the Wild, hands down. At the same time, Minnesota only took their first reg. loss tonight and that's a pretty good streak they had going. There's no way they're happy about it. Will they bounce back and be on their game tomorrow? Or are they in the midst of struggling for a bit? It happens to almost every team. Either way, I think it's a crapshoot. It all depends on what happens on the ice tomorrow.

I think, though, 2 important things need to happen:
- hit the wide open nets
- score on the PP. Lots. Passing is pretty but pays no points.

Just my 5 eggs worth ...

GO HABS GO!

[Habs_Mania]

We will not walk into the Excel Energy Center and get a win if we play the same way as we did with Crapolina or we'll get eaten alive. If the boys decide to skate hard and shoot shoot shoot the puck, we'll win. It's only a matter of time for the Pleks line to gel.

[axnguyen]

Driving down to Minn for the game tomorrow! With the scheduling, we don't get to see them near us often. I'm very excited to see this year's version of the Habs play.

I just drove down today from Thunder Bay as well! Went and blew some cash at Mystic Lake Casino, and now i'm ready for the game tomorrow! Any idea of after game parties??

[Dintrox12]

go habs go...

I'm hoping to watch the game on NHL.com gamecenter live as its a freebie night. I'm off tomorrow night ( a rare thing indeed) and hope to catch the game.

GO HABS GO

[Ricochet]

Minnesota has done their homework on this team and the only way we emerge from this one with a win is if they are off their game or we do something differently. Since we can only control one of those factors, these are my suggestions of what we can do to ensure a victory :

- Play simple hockey. The Wild were all over our passes and lanes last time. While they are focusing on that aspect of our game, we hit them hard with tight forechecking, dump ins, crashing the net, setting up a man in front and pounding the shots through. The old rope and dope. Show them a couple of shiny automatic rifles and then hit them hard with sticks and stones.

- Play a full game. Each player only has to play roughly a period, perhaps a period and a half if you are on defense, as far as minutes go. So it is technically impossible to play a full game, but it would be a pleasant change to see someone at least make the attempt.

- When you have a chance at a wide open net, put the puck in it. There honestly are few excuses for someone who spends their life with a stick in their hand to have that much difficult smacking an oversized oreo into a net that is hundreds of times larger than the cookie itself. It doesn't mean you can't miss on occasion, it just means you have to hit it a decent number of times.

- When your goaltender is within 25 feet of you and/or the puck. You are on defense. Often, you are on defense outside of that range, but that is a discretionary call that is yours to make. When the puck falls within this area and you are in that same area, the choice is taken away from you. Pay attention and get that puck outside of that area before you start thinking about offense. If the puck is within 25 feet of your goaltender and you are not, you are either moving towards your goaltender or the puck with a sense of urgency, heading to the bench, or you are incapacitated.

That should be all it takes.

Four goals against this team is enough to count as a blowout and is only necessary if we allow them more than one or two goals. Keep them low on the board and we should be able to do more than enough to put this game away.

Go Habs Go!

[MTL]

I would really enjoy a full 60minutes of good hockey. Boys its time to show what this team is made of!

[Le Gros Bill]

I will be there tonight guys! I am so amped for this!

Look for me on RDS - to the left and about 10 rows behind the Habs bench - White #84 Lats sweater!

[Stanley25]

interesting to see how our mediocre special teams do against their #3 pp & #1 pk. might need to win it in the 5 on 5 play. hope saku puts little bro in his place tonite !

[Dutch]

The Wild are not a easy team to play against, especially when you want to play a offensive game.
I do believe with the right effort and 60 minute hockey we can win this one.

GO HABS GO!!!

[jennifer_rocket]

Going on the road. Good time to bond and get their game together! Let's see a dominant performance in Minnesota tonight, boys!

[2VP]

The key is to score a couple of quick goals and force the Wild to open up their game. They are pretty disciplined, but if the Canadiens knock the crap out of Miko, and Miettinen, then that will slow them down.

Score on Backstrom and run him from the crease.

We’ll take this game. We are the better team.

Go Carey Go