CFN – It’s said in sports that excuses are for losers. Surely when the Ottawa Senators lost their best players it would be acceptable to most fans for them to fold the tent; but with a fiercely tenacious work ethic and some amazing coaching they now are up 1-0 in their first series play off against the Montreal Canadiens.
The Habs by contrast are looking for excuses everywhere. As I watched the game last night I actually typed on Facebook “Habs need to pick it up and close the deal….”
The Habs had overcome a 1-0 deficit and were leading 2-1 with about half a period of hockey left.
Instead of pouring it on and getting that extra goal to close the deal they were playing D on a team that not only isn’t built to do so; but with a goalie that is a huge question mark.
That’s not good coaching. Literally within 30 seconds of my typing those words above Ottawa tied up the game before scoring the game winner.
Ottawa tried to close the deal because even us that never played NHL hockey know that it’s a lot easier to keep the puck out of the net when it’s in the other guys end.
The fallout from the game is a lot of gnashing of the teeth over the Lars Eller injury and Brandon Prust calling Sens Coach Paul Maclean a Fat Walrus.
Glad to see Brandon showing some energy. He and PK Subban both showed it on the ice last night and that’s where it has to be.
Excuses are for losers. Game plans are for winners. I’m not sure what Michel Therrien’s was for game one; but I have a hunch that Guy Boucher would have had a better one.
Even if the Habs are swept by the Sens, especially after it was announced today that Max Pacioretty and Brian Gionta are out tonight Montreal fans can be happy for a great season that saw their team make the play offs.
Teams are never as bad or as good as media guys make them out to be and there are some talented players in Montreal; especially looking forward.
The Gyrba hit was clean. No matter what decade you played in you’re always taught not to skate with your head down and frankly Diaz putting the pass there was a suicide pass. While every hockey fan and viewer hopes that Lars Eller recovers quickly and nobody wanted to see him hurt; it’s hockey. You’re allowed to hit in hockey. You’re supposed to hit in hockey. If Eller had scored a goal on that play because Gryba didn’t take the body he’d get his ass chewed out. He didn’t lift his elbow or jump into him to try and hurt him.
The NHL, run by Americans who don’t get hockey; but do politics gave Gryba a 2 game suspension this afternoon.
If you want foo foo sports perhaps watch Volleyball or Badminton. Or perhaps fly a kite.
Excuses are for losers. All anyone will remember is who won the series and who wins the cup.
Tonight the Habs get to show what kind of team they are. If Carey Price can pull a Craig Anderson perhaps he can redeem himself and get the team back into the series. If he can steal a game it can give his team mates some extra confidence which they surely need right now.
Watch out for Brendan Gallagher and Mr. Galchenyuk for the Habs. For the Sens Jakob Silfverberg is looking like the most dangerous player on the ice for Ottawa. Chris Neil also will be looking for some magic after taking a huge hit from PK Subban last night.
Montreal needs to up the ante. They need to hit hard and often and keep shooting the puck at the net with traffic in front.
It’s hockey. It’s simple. It’s Canadian.
You can post your comments below.
I agree with your article; however, I felt the jab at Americans was petty, pointless, and wrong. Shannahan got to set the punishment and he was born/raised in Ontario. What disappoints me is that the NHL isn’t run by the NHL offices, it is run by the owners — which arguably are primarily American, BUT they are businessmen and have a different sent of expectations.
I’d like to see the NHL run the league. If an owner doesn’t want a team in the league, then GTFO. To me the NHL should “LISTEN” to the owners AND players, but do what they think is right. It doesn’t work that way, sadly.
I AGREE WITH A STATEMENT IN THIS REPORT, EXCUSES ARE FOR LOSERS. SO I SAY THAT THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THAT HIT. NOR IS THERE NO EXCUSE FOR THAT PASS.EVRRYONE IS TRYING TO WIN THE GAME.MY QUESTION IS AT WHAT COST DO YOU DRAW THE LINE.? THE FANS PAY BIG MONEY TO WATCH THESE SUPERSTARS PLAY HOCKEY. THE OWNERS PAY BIG MONEY TO HAVE THESE PLAYERS REPRESENT THEIR HOME CITIES. DON’T YOU THINK ITS ABOUT TIME THE LEAGUE DO SOMETHING TO PROTECT THE OWNERS AND THE FANS INVESTMENT? TWO YEARS AGO CHARA DID THE SAME THING TO PACORETTI AND THE LEAGUE DID THE SAME THING TO CHARA AND PACORETTI AND TO THE FANS. ( THE LEAGUE SAID IT WAS AN UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT. HOW MANY GAMES DID CROSBY PLAY THIS YEAR? WHAT I SEE IS THERE ARE NO WINNERS ,
..some people play the game while others watch the highlights on TSN..Danny clearly watches safely from his living room..the hit was CLEAN..anyone who has ever played serious contact hockey would and has agreed…typical Canadians fan to pull Pacoretti out their ass.