yyys123
Joined: 08 Jul 2019
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 Posted: 22.02.2009 Post subject: th just over a minute le |
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| BOSTON - It started with a torrent of hate. But P.K. Subban was feeling the love after the Canadiens disposed of the Boston Bruins. The charismatic Montreal defenceman, the target of racial abuse after his winning goal in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series, planted a kiss on broadcaster Pierre McGuire to wrap up their post-Game 7 interview Wednesday night. "Yeah baby," said a jubilant Subban after McGuire congratulated him for reaching the Eastern Conference final, which starts Saturday in Montreal against the New York Rangers. More than a few hockey fans may have fallen for the underdog Habs after their performance against the big bad Bruins. The Canadiens are hard-working, proud and tenacious. "Its definitely a special team and if we didnt know it before the playoffs, we definitely know it now," said forward Max Pacioretty, who bounced back from a slow start in the series. "I said when I got here, I just feel like this is a special team," echoed forward Dale Weise, acquired from the Canucks on Feb. 3. "I was on Vancouver the year after they went to the Cup final, we won the Presidents Trophy — theres something about this team thats just special. "Were real resilient. When our backs are against the wall (and) we need a big performance, our big players show up. And weve got so much depth. I really like our team." The Canadiens work ethic was eloquently voiced by coach Michel Therrien prior to Game 2, in words most saw as a prod at Thomas Vanek and other underachieving forwards. "One thing thats not negotiable with our team ... work ethic is not negotiable, attitude is not negotiable and competing is not negotiable," he said. "This is something we ask from every player on our hockey team. We have to make sure that everyone brings those elements to every single shift and every single game." Therrien was rightly proud Wednesday. "This is a great accomplishment from that group. We just beat the best team in the league. We were down 3-2 (in the series) and we showed a lot of character, a lot of passion. To be able to win the series here in Boston, its a tough place for teams to come and play here. Im really proud about the performance of our players." Carey Price was majestic in goal, with ice water in his veins. His rebound control was exceptional, he declined to bite on any of the Bruins forwards shake and bake, and he was there to clean up when a mess was left in front of him. He was unflappable. When the zombie apocalypse finally hits, those nearest Price will likely be thanking their lucky stars. The Habs star had plenty of help. Price faced 230 Bruins shots during the series with his team blocking another 146. Mike Weaver, all five foot 10 of him, stopped 20 of those. "A human wall," said Weise. But as Price and Therrien noted, the Boston series win will be yesterdays news come the Eastern final. Montreal faces another Original six rival in the Rangers, who are coming off an emotional win of their own over Pittsburgh. And having survived Vezina Trophy finalist Tuukka Rask with Boston, the Canadiens now face Rangers stopper Henrik Lundqvist who strapped the Rangers on his back in the elimination game against the Penguins. Price and Lundqvist met at the Olympic final in Sochi, where the outclassed and depleted Swedes were beaten 3-0. King Henrik has a 13-11-2 career record against the Canadiens and has struggled in Montreal where he is 4-5-2 with a 3.87 goals-against average and .876 save percentage. That may explain why backup Cam Talbot played the two games at Montreal this season. Lundqvist has not played at the Bell Centre since a 4-3 shootout victory in March 2009. His last regulation victory there was a 5-3 decision in February 2008. His career save percentage against the Habs is .897. Price, meanwhile, is 8-5-1 with five shutouts and a .934 save percentage against the Rangers. Montreal finished four points ahead of New York in the regular season. The Canadiens blanked New York 2-0 in the Rangers home opener on Oct. 28, lost 1-0 at the Bell Centre on Nov. 16 and edged the visiting Rangers 1-0 in overtime on the final weekend of the season. Its the first playoff meeting between the two since 1996 when the Rangers defeated Montreal 4-2 in the Eastern Conference quarter-final. It marks their 15th post-season meeting, with each team having won seven times. And its the third playoff series between the two since the 1979 Stanley Cup final, won four games to one by Montreal. Adidas Neo Lite Racer Canada .com) - Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer were among the third-round winners Friday at the French Open. Womens NMD Shoes Canada . Kripps, of Summerland, B.C., and Edmontons Barnett used a terrific second run to move up two spots, putting the Canadian duo in medal contention with the final two runs set for Monday (11:15 a.m. ET, streaming live at cbc. http://www.nmdshoescanada.com/nmd-xr1-cheap-canada.html . On Wednesday night, they showed that stellar defence and a little small ball can get the job done too. With pinch-runner Kevin Pillar aboard after Dioner Navarro opened the bottom of the ninth with a single, Anthony Gose dropped down an excellent bunt along the first-base line. NMD R2 Sale Canada . Rosbergs time of 1 minute, 33.185 seconds at the Bahrain International Circuit was a quarter of a second faster than Hamilton, who had to abandon his final flying lap after running wide at the first corner. Ultra Boost Uncaged Canada . LOUIS -- To stay a step ahead of goaltenders, T.TORONTO - Although no one cared to admit it, on either side, at the outset of the evening, Mondays divisional grudge match in Brooklyn meant more to the Raptors than the game that preceded it or the one to follow. The stakes were higher, the competition more fierce and the atmosphere was that of a playoff game - something the young, upstart Raptors have five weeks to better prepare themselves for or the result will be eerily similar. If they looked out of place in that environment, its probably because they were. Torontos starting five features a fifth-year star that has yet to make a playoff appearance. Theyre the only team currently in a playoff position that starts two sophomores and its been five years since either their point guard or power forward has experienced postseason basketball. Combined that lineup accounts for 24 games of postseason experience. Staring them down in the final minute of a one-possession, high stakes game was a Nets unit that has collectively participated in 268 playoff contests. Paul Pierce alone is responsible for 136 of them while Kevin Garnett and Andrei Kirilenko - both out with injuries - would have added another 176. The Nets took a five-point advantage into the fourth quarter and, for all their hardships this season, they had only lost one of 30 games in which they held the lead after 36 minutes. Thats the difference experience makes. The Raptors, despite a valiant effort, showed up to a knife fight armed with plastic forks. "This team here in Brooklyn is a championship-caliber team," Dwane Casey said following his teams 101-97 loss. "They know the plays to make to win games. Weve still got to learn that. Were on our way but we still have some learning to do." Although the Raptors remain the NBAs best fourth-quarter team, outscoring opponents by 158 points in the final frame this season, their late-game execution continues to be a work in progress. When ahead or behind by five points or less in the final three minutes, Toronto shoots 37 per cent, the ninth-lowest mark in the league. Theyre 15-18 in games that come down to that scenario. On Monday, Pierce hit what may have been the biggest shot of the night - a cold-blooded three to break a tie with just over a minute left and the shot clock ticking down - while the Raptors wilted in the moment. Down one, 30 seconds later, Toronto got the stop it needed, leading to a five-on-four break the other way. In the midst of a brilliant second half, Kyle Lowry found DeMar DeRozan in transition, believing he would continue to go hard to the bucket.dddddddddddd Met by Pierce in the lane, DeRozan lateraled back to Lowry, who wasnt expecting the pass and turned down the shot. John Salmons, receiving the ball from Lowry, also hesitated on an open look from the elbow, which ultimately led to Terrence Ross fumbling the ball as he looked to salvage the broken play. It was a possession mired in indecision and it sealed Torontos fate. The Nets - 10-for-14 from three-point range after the first quarter - hit big shots and made winning plays. They looked like the desperate team, and rightfully so. Had they won, the Raptors would be sitting pretty in the Atlantic Division, five games up on Brooklyn with the season-series tiebreaker in hand. Instead, Brooklyn has pulled within three games of the division lead. "[The atmosphere] was definitely a notch higher because of what was at stake," DeRozan admitted after the game. "Theyre chasing us and were leading in the division. It was just a big game overall. Theyve been playing well, trying to make a playoff push and were trying to sustain our position so it definitely was a big game." While the loss stings, the Raptors are still in the drivers seat, controlling their own destiny with 20 games to go. "It was a disappointing loss in the fact that theyre a team thats battling us for the division," Casey said. "Theres still a lot of basketball left to play. Weve got to stay positive. Its not the end of the world. We werent going to go undefeated the rest of the way. We knew that." Should Toronto and Brooklyn share the same record atop the Atlantic when its all said and done, with the season series now even, the tiebreaker would go to the team with the most wins within the division. The Raptors are currently 8-3 with five games left to be played against Atlantic opponents while the Nets are 7-5 with four remaining. Each of those games could be crucial - including two meetings with New York in the final week of the season - for the Raptors who are hoping to win their second division title in franchise history. Sink or swim, that will be determined by what theyre able to take out of Mondays squandered opportunity. "Its a learning experience," DeRozan said. "It was a heck of a game that we can learn from and possibly could be a team we could see in the playoffs." ' ' ' |
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