CFN – It’s showtime! Tonight les boys take on those pesky Ottawa Senators in game one of their NHL play off series.
The Leafs were whupped by Boston 4-1 with former Sen Wade Redden notching a goal and assist.
There is always hope when the play offs start. Aberrations happen. People eat their Wheaties and magic strikes. Or good teams and players do the things that got them there.
Mr. Price agreed to a top dollar contract and it’s now time that he earns his coin.
This series and play off season will determine his legacy in many ways. Ottawa is not a team blessed with snipers. Their best goal scorer will not be playing in Jason Spezza. Their best player is miraculously on the ice when he probably shouldn’t and still was productive on his return in Erik Karlsson.
For GM Marc Bergevin it’s a huge window to look at the team he inherited.
Is Price really the Habs franchise player? Will he regret forcing a two year contract on PK Subban who’s amped it up this year? Does Captain Gionta have anything left in the gas tank? Will Max Pacioretty step it up? Can Brendan Gallagher make it work? This team has too many small forwards and some change will need to happen in the off season.
Of course a long and deep playoff run can really make a lot of ills not be noticed. Montreal’s depth and talent are not question; their stones however…..
Speaking of stones if I’m Montreal I take as much pressure off of Andrei Markov as possible. And as much as the Sens will be targeting Markov Mr. Karlsson needs to be targeted as well. Not cheap shotted, but hit, hit hard, and hit frequently.
And at the end of the day it has to be your big money players that make or break you. You can’t count on a 4th liner popping in goals.
This series will be about puck control and spending time in the other guys zone. Ottawa has some pups who can get pucks on net, Cory Conacher, Jakob Silfverberg, and even Guillaume Latendresse… for either team to have an edge they have to get the puck into the offensive zone consistently.
Players to watch this series for Montreal: Carey Price, Max Pacioretty, Michael Ryder, and Rene Bourque.
Ottawa: Erik Karlsson, Guillaume Latendresse, Cory Conacher, Jakob Silfverberg.
Hockey fans you can p0st your comments below.
