Ann 22008 NHL Playoffs - Round 1: Montreal Canadiens vs. Boston Bruins Game 7 Preview
April 21st 2008 18:49
This is it. This is what people mean when they talk about classics. A Game 7 confrontation between the speedy, skilled Montreal Canadiens and the hard-working, physical Boston Bruins.
Tonight, however, one team has the mental advantage. The Bruins are coming to Montreal after having scored ten goals in two games on Iceman, Carey Price. They have blanked the Habs' number one powerplay. And they have reduced the Artist – Kovalev - to a simple blip on their radar, effectively containing Montreal's most threatening forward. Boston is now looking to achieve something they have never done before: come back from a 3-1 deficit to win a series.
In the City of Saints, excitement has been replaced by doubt. The fans are qestioning their team's abilities. In everyone's mind, the Habs were supposed to sweep the Bs in four. Heck, we could've given the Bruins one game and win it in five; give them some sort of consolation. Now, the teams are tied at 3-3 and Boston is outplaying Montreal. Still, there is hope. If Kovalev wakes up from this trance that he has fallen into, if Plekanec's line comes back to life, if the powerplay starts working again, if the defense stays focused and organized, we could win this game. But, as you can see, that's a lot of 'ifs.'
Forwards Latendresse and Ryder are out. So is defenseman Ryan O'Byrne. Carbo is going with the same line-up as Game 6. Montreal has never lost a series in which it had a 3-1 lead. Go around the city and the pessimists will tell you: there's a first time for everything. Desperate times call for desperate measures, Carbo has even made the announcement that he will wear his undefeated tie. When the coach's clothes are mentioned before a game, you know that it doesn't look too good for the home team.
Will history prevail or will Claude Julien prevail? Will the real Habs show up or will they rather start golfing early? Will the 7th man show up like it did in February when the Habs came back from a 5-0 deficit against the Rangers to win it in a shootout? Will Carbo's tie go 3-0? So many questions. They will all be answered tonight.
Note: I have a final exam tomorrow (see the complexities of having playoff hockey in the same period as finals, I'm doubly stressed today) so the review might take a while to come out. I'll post it as soon as I can.
Tonight, however, one team has the mental advantage. The Bruins are coming to Montreal after having scored ten goals in two games on Iceman, Carey Price. They have blanked the Habs' number one powerplay. And they have reduced the Artist – Kovalev - to a simple blip on their radar, effectively containing Montreal's most threatening forward. Boston is now looking to achieve something they have never done before: come back from a 3-1 deficit to win a series.
In the City of Saints, excitement has been replaced by doubt. The fans are qestioning their team's abilities. In everyone's mind, the Habs were supposed to sweep the Bs in four. Heck, we could've given the Bruins one game and win it in five; give them some sort of consolation. Now, the teams are tied at 3-3 and Boston is outplaying Montreal. Still, there is hope. If Kovalev wakes up from this trance that he has fallen into, if Plekanec's line comes back to life, if the powerplay starts working again, if the defense stays focused and organized, we could win this game. But, as you can see, that's a lot of 'ifs.'
Will this tie lead the way to victory?
Forwards Latendresse and Ryder are out. So is defenseman Ryan O'Byrne. Carbo is going with the same line-up as Game 6. Montreal has never lost a series in which it had a 3-1 lead. Go around the city and the pessimists will tell you: there's a first time for everything. Desperate times call for desperate measures, Carbo has even made the announcement that he will wear his undefeated tie. When the coach's clothes are mentioned before a game, you know that it doesn't look too good for the home team.
Will history prevail or will Claude Julien prevail? Will the real Habs show up or will they rather start golfing early? Will the 7th man show up like it did in February when the Habs came back from a 5-0 deficit against the Rangers to win it in a shootout? Will Carbo's tie go 3-0? So many questions. They will all be answered tonight.
Note: I have a final exam tomorrow (see the complexities of having playoff hockey in the same period as finals, I'm doubly stressed today) so the review might take a while to come out. I'll post it as soon as I can.
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