Carolina Hurricanes (2) vs. Montreal Canadiens (7)

Game 1 - Raleigh
Game 2 - Raleigh
Game 3 - Montreal
Game 4 - Montreal
Game 5 - Raleigh (if necessary)
Game 6 - Montreal (if necessary)
Game 7 - Raleigh (if necessary)

Regular Season:

Carolina - 52-22-8, 112 points, 1st place, Southeast Division, 2nd place, Eastern Conference
Montreal - 42-31-9, 93 points, 3rd place, Northeast Division, 7th place, Eastern Conference

Carolina - 31-8-2 at home, 21-14-6 on the road
Montreal - 24-13-4 at home, 18-18-5 on the road

Season Series: Carolina 4-0

Who to watch for:


Alexi Kovalev, right wing, led the Canadiens in scoring with 23 goals and 42 assists


Saku Koivu, center, team captain, second in scoring with 17 goals and 45 assists


Andrei Markov, defense, leader in +/- with +12, leading defensive scorer with 10 goals and 36 assists


Cristobal Huet, goaltender, 3rd among NHL goalies with 2.14 GAA, 1st in SV% with .930, and tied for 2nd in shutouts with 7

Looks like game 1 is Saturday at 7 PM at the RBC Center. Guess I'll be out there early enough to tailgate during the afternoon game on NBC if we can find a TV to take.

4/18/2006 11:02:39 PM

Wait...Raleigh has a hockey team?

4/18/2006 11:06:14 PM

there we go

4/18/2006 11:06:58 PM

I can't let you forget to point out that Huet has those seven shutouts in under forty appearances.

4/18/2006 11:08:48 PM

be sure to post game times and network broadcasts when available


oh...and post the average number of goals that we have scored against them.

[Edited on April 18, 2006 at 11:16 PM. Reason : 2354kk]

4/18/2006 11:12:22 PM

I'm assuming they will post all of that tomorrow morning. Looks like 7 PM Saturday is Game 1 on either FSN South or OLN.

Hurricanes/Canadiens season series:

December 31, 2005 (Raleigh)
Carolina 5, Montreal 3

January 23, 2006 (Raleigh)
Carolina 7, Montreal 3

January 31, 2006 (Montreal)
Carolina 8, Montreal 2

March 16, 2006 (Montreal)
Carolina 5, Montreal 1

And just to look back on the past for a brief moment:
5/3/02: Carolina 2, Montreal 0
5/5/02: Montreal 4, Carolina 1
5/7/02: Montreal 2, Carolina 1 (OT)
5/9/02: Carolina 4, Montreal 3 (OT)
5/12/02: Carolina 5, Montreal 1
5/13/02: Carolina 8, Montreal 2
Carolina wins series 4-2

4/18/2006 11:25:03 PM

i mean, those are fairly vicious beatings


losing to them in the first round would be unforgivable.

[Edited on April 18, 2006 at 11:31 PM. Reason : 0234kj]

4/18/2006 11:30:37 PM

go canes!

4/18/2006 11:35:17 PM

this is what i call a quality thread

here's to a

4/18/2006 11:39:27 PM

at least they dodged tampa bay

4/18/2006 11:56:12 PM

Yes, they dodged Tampa Bay in favor of the hottest goalie in the league.

4/18/2006 11:58:59 PM

the hottest goalie in the league gave up 3 goals in 10 minutes tonight, mr weakside strikes again. he is a very good goalie as bandit and I have discussed, but i think after tonight, he may very well be riding the pine to start the series

4/19/2006 12:19:21 AM

he was hot against washington, isles, toronto, and other non-playoff teams. whoopdee-shit.

4/19/2006 12:30:57 AM

4-2 Habs

4/19/2006 12:31:47 AM

If David Aebischer is allowed to start a playoff game, every member of the Habs' coaching staff should be fired.



[Edited on April 19, 2006 at 12:33 AM. Reason : d]

4/19/2006 12:32:45 AM

Divealanche is an awesome site

4/19/2006 12:38:25 AM

OH NO ITS boobsR_GR8 coming to be contrary! Where is Beardawg when you need him?

4/19/2006 12:40:52 AM

Quote :

"4-2 Habs "

its not even close to funny/amusing

4/19/2006 12:43:05 AM

I'm just telling the truth

4/19/2006 12:43:37 AM

well it would be a bit early to be the "truth", on the outset it is more of an opinion, just as valid as anyone who called a sweep

4/19/2006 12:47:24 AM

imagine that

boobs trolling a hurricanes thread

4/19/2006 12:48:00 AM

i have made my case in the other hockey thread throughout the course of the year

I am just reaffirming it in this one


^imagine that, you adding no significant value with your posts

[Edited on April 19, 2006 at 12:49 AM. Reason : .]

4/19/2006 12:48:22 AM

Defense was all over the place tonight, I'll give him that.

Props to Aaron Ward for not pinching on a lot of plays that could've turned out worse.

Anti-props to Eric Staal for not going after loose pucks between the circles and the blue line, because he didn't play defense, either. I really got pissed when he was a stride and a half from a puck and he just half-assedly flailed at it, but when it was time to get the rush going fifteen seconds later, he had full gallop.

Props to Chad LaRose for as much hustle as usual, and props to Laviolette for giving him a ton of shifts as a result.

[Edited on April 19, 2006 at 12:50 AM. Reason : d]

4/19/2006 12:50:05 AM

Quote :

"4-2 Habs"

is this what you call significant value?

worthless troll

4/19/2006 12:50:19 AM

i think the team wanted to lose tonight

4/19/2006 12:51:33 AM

^^ again you fucking homo,

I made my point in the other thread, I just made my series prediction in this one


mebbe you should make another alias, then people would again actually give a shit what you say for a week or two

4/19/2006 12:54:08 AM

hurray for playoffs now lets see these guys play with a mission

my prediction 4-1 canes win it

4/19/2006 12:55:38 AM

should be an interesting series...think carolina's got this one in 5

4/19/2006 12:57:44 AM

hating on pack bball is one thing, but fucking come on, the canes had two 9 game win streaks, lead the league, and clearly are one of the best teams in the league. to have them losing to the habs is beyond reason.

[Edited on April 19, 2006 at 12:58 AM. Reason : 2342rt3]

4/19/2006 12:57:57 AM

you guys dont know shit about hockey if you think it is going to be that easy

IF the canes win it, it will be in 7 games and most likely take them coming from down 3-1, 3-2 in the series

4/19/2006 12:59:16 AM

Quote :

"5/9/02: Carolina 4, Montreal 3 (OT)"

Isnt this the game we were trailing 3-0?

I fell asleep in my bed at UT watching it (down 3-0 and drunk)and woke up when the horn went off for the game tying goal...

4/19/2006 1:00:23 AM

I will give you my unbiased reasoning if you would like

but how is it beyond reason. Montreal has one of the hottest lines in the league, and Huet has been playing phenominal in goal

how is unreasonable for this team to beat a sloppy, underachieving Hurricanes team in a 7 game series

4/19/2006 1:01:20 AM

^^Yep. That was the 'Miracle at Molson'.

[Edited on April 19, 2006 at 1:01 AM. Reason : .]

4/19/2006 1:01:21 AM

that was a great game

4/19/2006 1:02:21 AM

Quote :

"December 31, 2005 (Raleigh) Carolina 5, Montreal 3 January 23, 2006 (Raleigh) Carolina 7, Montreal 3 January 31, 2006 (Montreal) Carolina 8, Montreal 2 March 16, 2006 (Montreal) Carolina 5, Montreal 1 "

how teams match up is more important then one hot player

[Edited on April 19, 2006 at 1:03 AM. Reason : hj890]

4/19/2006 1:03:04 AM

not to mention when the hot goalie hasnt played a full game vs. said team

Huet came in for Aebischer in the March game i believe

4/19/2006 1:04:02 AM

I know Erik Cole is really going to be wishing he was on the ice during this series, since he's been notorious for completely dominating Montreal.

4/19/2006 1:04:30 AM

Quote :

"how is unreasonable for this team to beat a sloppy, underachieving Hurricanes team in a 7 game series"

haha how is 3 in points overall ever underachieving

[Edited on April 19, 2006 at 1:05 AM. Reason : damnit]

4/19/2006 1:04:54 AM

While I certainly think Boobs is exaggerating (as I often do), to say that it's beyond reason that they'd lose to the Habs is ridiculous.

Joshnumbers, you always claim to have all this experience with and knowledge about hockey...you should know that very rarely are playoff series mismatches, and even when they are, that doesn't necessarily dictate the results.

The first game is going to matter more than any of us want to admit. If the Canes can jump on Montreal on the forecheck early, make some pressure, and get a clean goal (and I emphasize CLEAN), it'll make a world of difference. If they don't, even though it's only one game, it can give the Habs a literal edge and give Huet a mental edge that'll be hard to shake. Granted, an edge like that can be broken down (the Miracle destroyed Theodore), but right now I don't know if this team has the heart to do it.

...and when "one hot player" is a starting goaltender, it's completely feasible to throw matchups out the window. Ask any number of Q-fly goalies with French names.

[Edited on April 19, 2006 at 1:07 AM. Reason : eegad]

4/19/2006 1:05:29 AM

Quote :

"Joshnumbers, you always claim to have all this experience with and knowledge about hockey...you should know that very rarely are playoff series mismatches, and even when they are, that doesn't necessarily dictate the results."

mismatches arent rare

4/19/2006 1:07:35 AM

^^I dont think they need a clean goal they just need to score
throw the puck at the net hustle and I i think we can take em

[Edited on April 19, 2006 at 1:07 AM. Reason : .]

4/19/2006 1:07:39 AM

I go overboard because I have to cut through the blind optimism on here. I mean it is great to support one's team, but to be like OMG WE ARE GOING TO WIN THE CUP AND STAAL WILL HAVE 49834789 GOALS over and over is a bit ridiculous. And as a knowledgeable bystander I couldnt take reading that stupid shit anymore, so I began to post my unbiased thoughts (unbiased except for talking about the red wings) in the other hockey thread. I held out most of the season

[Edited on April 19, 2006 at 1:09 AM. Reason : .]

4/19/2006 1:08:56 AM

bottom line is that the canes have a lot of heart and spirit, big trades were made for the playoffs, they are expected to do a lot, and an 'underachieving' team thats at the top of the east must be a damn good one.

4/19/2006 1:09:29 AM

^^ thanks for admitting that your opinion is complete bullshit

[Edited on April 19, 2006 at 1:10 AM. Reason : .]

4/19/2006 1:10:04 AM

I suppose it depends on what we call "rare". I'd say that one or two series in any given year could be characterized as true mismatches.

4/19/2006 1:10:19 AM

^^^they are underachieving because of the nice ass-in job they did there at the end of the season

the sens were fucking awful and you guys played yourselves out of possibly home ice in the conference finals and the #1 seed


^^thanks for proving again that you are a moron and that you have nothing to add to any conversation but a lame ass trolling attempt



[Edited on April 19, 2006 at 1:12 AM. Reason : .]

4/19/2006 1:11:26 AM

The Sens won't be in the conference finals, so no worries there.

4/19/2006 1:13:06 AM

^^now lets be fair just because you dont win games doesnt mean you underacheive

at the end of a season with the playoff in the bag you dont play 100%
you play to NOT GET HURT, get the team to really bond and then play to win and get the ice

winning a game isnt everything at the end of a season

[Edited on April 19, 2006 at 1:14 AM. Reason : .]

4/19/2006 1:14:18 AM

^^this is true

but you know what I meant

I still think it will be NJ vs PHI and DET vs CGY

[Edited on April 19, 2006 at 1:15 AM. Reason : .]

4/19/2006 1:14:53 AM

Quote :

"^^^they are underachieving because of the nice ass-in job they did there at the end of the season"

so becuase they lost their final game, they are an underachieving team?

do you know how fucking rediculous that sounds?

4/19/2006 1:15:01 AM