By Stevo, AllHabs.net
MONTREAL, QC. — Although I have been unable to trace the source, a hot rumour is that the Montreal Canadiens could be throwing hockey games in order to drop in the standings for a more ideal playoff matchup. The rumour was talked about enough that even the Team 990’s Mitch Melnick made mention of it earlier today on his radio show.
It kind of makes sense when you think about it, right? The Montreal Canadiens currently sit sixth in the Eastern Conference, and if the playoffs were to start today, they would battle off against the Boston Bruins who sit in third position. Although the Habs have won four of their six games against the Bruins this season, they’ve lost their last two games in Boston, were clearly intimidated and gave up 15 goals in the process. Without home ice advantage in the playoffs, it would make sense that they’d not want to face the Bruins.
Now if the Habs drop to seventh, that would put them up against the Washington Capitals who are in second position. Much better matchup, right? Well, the Habs lost three of their four games to the Caps this season and were shutout twice.
Maybe this rumour has more to it, oh, I see now!
The Capitals are on fire, they’ve won eight of their last ten games and are about to takeover the Philadelphia Flyers who hold the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Only two points currently separate them but the Flyers do have one game in hand.
This would put the Habs up against the Flyers and THAT would be a great matchup, right? Well, the Habs lost three of their four games to the Flyers this season, could not win in Philly, and their only victory came when Carey Price pushed back 41 shots in a three to nothing shutout. Maybe not that great of a matchup after all.
Oh but wait, the Penguins have also won eight of their last ten games! I get it now, are you keeping up? Recap. The Habs are now in seventh position after purposely throwing games. The Washington Capitals now sit in first, having passed the Flyers, who are second. Now let’s just say the Penguins overtake the Flyers and sit second . The Habs are now matched up against the Penguins! (Even I’m having trouble keeping up!)
We have a winner! The Habs have won three of their four games against the Penguins this season, and two of those wins were in Pittsburgh! This is the matchup they want!
I hope that by now, you’ve realized I’ve been totally sarcastic over this whole subject. These rumours never have a source because people wouldn’t dare attach their name to them. Would it make sense that the Habs hope for a more ideal playoff matchup? Of course it does, but they wouldn’t put the team at a risk in the process.
What’s important at this time of the season, with only six games remaining is for the Habs to enter the playoffs with focus and confidence. Right now, they have neither. Their last three games all lost by shutout is something unseen in the Canadiens’ organization for over 50 years. This is not scripted and neither was the punitive practice held by Jacques Martin on Sunday. Not any of this scripted, it’s simply hockey, and sometimes things don’t go your way for a multitude of reasons.
For someone to throw out there that the Habs would be throwing games for a more ideal playoff matchup, of course not, that’s sillier than silly putty.
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(Graphic: The Canadian Press/Graham Hughes)
I hadn’t heard that yet, but it’s pretty damn funny! No professional sports team would throw games in such a manner.
I think what’s really afoot here is people trying to make up reasons as to why this Canadiens team has been so utterly flat in the past week. This is something that our fathers don’t even remember. A 3 game losing streak is common and totally normal. But being shut out in those 3 games, AND being as lifeless as the Habs were…that is NOT normal, especially considering the importance of the games.
The truth is that the Canadiens are probably going to play somebody they’d rather not see at this point. Philly has always been a bad matchup. Washington has learned their lessons from last year, and Boston has stolen the psychological advantage from the Canadiens.
The Canadiens best chance was to try and hunt down Tampa for the 5th slot and try to play Pittsburgh, but even that seems like a pipe dream now.
That was a good read Stevo, even I hadn’t heard the rumor as of yet, but of course, it wouldn’t make sense like you put it so nicely. If anything, in my opinion, Habs would prefer to meet the Bruins than the Capitals. Washington is playing excellent hockey this season and at least with the Bruins, you know you have a chance. Sure the momentum is with the Bruins, but Montreal can still beat them if they just get their minds into the game, and the last game, for some reason, they were just not there. The 8-6 defeat can be arguable, Montreal did score 6 goals.
So if we had to pick out of Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, I’d say Habs have a better chance against the Bruins. Psychological advantage as Kyle said is definitely in favor of the Bruins, but I have a feeling it won’t take long for that to shift in favor of Montreal.
I agree that out of the Flyers, Caps and Bruins, Bruins are probably the better matchup. A few Bruins players have already publicly spoken out about how they don’t want to play the Habs in the first round, as the rivalry has become very distracting. If I were the Habs, I’d be saying how they hope, and how they want to face the Bruins in the first round, get into their heads right away, show your not scared. At the same time, I do understand that they have bigger things to worry about then the Bruins.
Thanks guys!
What the Habs need to do is hang up their skates and uniforms in order to avoid the embarassment that is forthcoming to them.
Spreading a rumour that the Habs are throwing games is the most ridiculous statement I’ve read this entire hockey season. A team has to be good in order to “throw” a game and not be so obvious as to be booed right out of the arena, and the Habs are NOT A GOOD TEAM!!!
It doesn’t matter what team they end up being “matched” with, they are going to be knocked out in four straight. A guy from Haiti has this little stuffed doll with a Habs uniform and four pins sticking in it. I think that means something.
They do not have to throw the games, sadly we do not have the big players we need right now……….maybe next year we will be better, if Gauthier is still hear for the trades or the drafts sorry but I have my doubts about his choices. Sorry for Randy he has tried with what he has been given.Let’s face it we are not going to make the playoffs so no need to throw the games, all the players know this I’m sure.Habs fan for over 60 yrs.& IBELEIVE
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