Game Thread for all 4 playoff games tonight!

[Jas0nMacIsaac]

GARON GARON GARON

[Weekes Head]

According to TSN.ca:

McKenzie: Kovalev a tale of black and white

TSN.ca Staff

4/14/2004

Hockey is an extreme game. It's an extreme of black and white issues, right or wrong with no in-between.

When Montreal Canadiens forward Mike Ribeiro went down late in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal against the Boston Bruins, people saw him writhing around on the ice and made an immediate determination - he was either faking it or not faking it.

More people than not thought he was faking it.

So let's fast forward to the second overtime period of Game 4 in the series. Alexei Kovalev was the last man back with the puck when he took a slash on the right hand from Boston's Travis Green.

He then skated past the puck, shaking his hand in pain, and then collided with teammate Sheldon Souray, who was racing back for the puck.

That allowed Glen Murray to go in on a partial breakaway and beat Jose Theodore with a low shot to win the game.

It doesn't get any more black and white than that.

Now in this game, your reputation is everything. And the fact of the matter is that Kovalev - as splendid a talent as he is - has a reputation of doing things like this over the history of his career.

Let's go back to 1995, when Kovalev and the New York Rangers met the Quebec Nordiques in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Defenceman Craig Wolanin took down Kovalev with a one-handed chop. Kovalev stayed down on the ice and didn't move.

Meanwhile, Joe Sakic streaked down the other end of the rink and scored, but the whistle had gone because referee Andy Van Hellemond asked Kovalev to get up - and when he didn't move, he blew the whistle. That incident cost the Nordiques the game and the series. A lot of people thought Kovalev was faking then, and a lot of people thought he was embellishing this time.

It almost doesn't matter - because Montreal coach Claude Julien and Souray - the man who bumped into Kovalev - basically pointed at the newest Canadien and said whether it's a penalty or not, he should have kept playing and he didn't.

The blame for this one - at least from the dressing room - is being pointed right at Alexei Kovalev.

For TSN.ca, I'm Bob McKenzie.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?ID=80066&hubName=nhl

[ice dog]

He got clipped of the wrist, what he did was wrong but Souray shouldn't have turned into him. Kovalev was the best forward all game. Give him credit for a good game....till that slash.

I watched the play several times frame by frame on a DVR and it looked like the stick blade hit just above the knuckles on the back side of the glove...regardless Kovalev really blew it. Plus he is Notorious for faking injury "soccer style"

Habs suck, Kovalev sucks, Ribiero sucks Dagenaise...

Sheldon Rules!!!

['7']

but of course, no criticism for that overrated goof Souray who was way out of position.

[Weekes Head]

but of course, no criticism for that overrated goof Souray who was way out of position.

Can't admit when you're wrong?

[Don]

but of course, no criticism for that overrated goof Souray who was way out of position.

I'm thinkin' there was a far worse mistake on that play.... as my dad used to say, "For a goal to be scored, there are usually 6 mistakes made before it goes in."

[NJDF]

but of course, no criticism for that overrated goof Souray who was way out of position.

7, not sure if you saw the game or were just watching the highlights on this play, but I didn't see Souray out of position on this play. Kovalev was hauling the puck out of his own end and then crossed over the middle. Souray could have easily have just come off the bench or was adjusting to Kovalev's quick change in direction. Either way the way i saw this play NO ONE was to blame but Kovalev.

GO DEVILS!!!

[CRASHER]

I still think Theodore is getting off WAY easy on this one... he's GOT TO stop an

unscreened snap shot from the dot in double overtime... no excuses about that too

[Nieuwy25]

You know what's the worst about this whole situation for Montreal, IMO? It's the comments that are coming out of the dressing room. A team that's playing as a team, with any hope of going far in the post-season, is not going to be playing the blame game. And that's what I'm hearing right now. It's one thing for the Coach to call out a player - it's entirely different when another player (Souray) calls out a teammate. That ain't good, folks. This series is probably over. And too bad, because I was hoping les Habs would have a good run.

[El Diablo]

BAD KARMA

[CRASHER]

I agree Nieuwy... butttt... if you're out there busting your ass taking the hits and

giving your body and MORE to do what you can to win and you see bullsh!t antics

like Kovalev and Riberio not only costing your team but embatrrassing not only

themselves, but the WHOLE TEAM as an athelte and professional... when does

pride kick in and you want to turn and strangle this guy !!

[MaddDog]

How about THIS...

From ESPN:

"There's nothing you can say about that," said Kovalev, whose right hand was wrapped in a bag of ice. "We ended up in the middle of the ice, and Sheldon ended up losing the puck."

Uhm, if I'm not mistaken, didn't YOU cause Sheldon to lose the puck by skating around trying to draw a penalty and NOT looking where you were going, Alex?? If I were Souray, I wouldn't be too pleased with Kovalev at this point!

I agree with Crasher that Theodore could have stopped that goal and he's getting a free ride becaues of the Kovatwit debacle.

[redruM]

Pls tell me Kovy didnot really saythat??? That was one of the most pahetic moments I have seen, Kovy should be apologizing to the entire country of Canada...

I hope souray rips him a new a-hole...thats is a joke...

Hell Mont should ask NY for a refund!!!

[MaddDog]

Pls tell me Kovy didnot really saythat???  That was one of the most pahetic moments I have seen, Kovy should be apologizing to the entire country of Canada...

I hope souray rips him a new a-hole...thats is a joke...

Hell Mont should ask NY for a refund!!!

Red,

sadly, Kovy really DID say this, unless he was misquoted by the reporter. Pathetic, I know!! He is taking NO responsibility for his actions and I would not blame Souray for being pissed off at him.

Here's the link and text below:

http://nhl.com/onthefly/scoreboard/recaps/124_3_recap.html

MONTREAL (AP) _ Glen Murray took advantage of his good fortune and made a goat out of Montreal's Alex Kovalev.

Murray pounced on Kovalev's mistake to score on a breakaway 9:27 into the second overtime Tuesday night, giving the Boston Bruins a 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens.

Boston, which took a 3-1 series lead, tied it when Mike Knuble scored with 30.7 seconds remaining in regulation.

Murray beat goalie Jose Theodore with a wrist shot after Montreal's Kovalev _ who scored his third goal in two games in regulation _ collided with teammate Sheldon Souray in the neutral zone.

``The puck was just laying there for me,'' Murray said.

Kovalev was shaking his hand after appearing to be slashed on the glove by Travis Green and lost sight of the puck _ and Souray and Murray.

``There's nothing you can say about that,'' said Kovalev, whose right hand was wrapped in a bag of ice. ``We ended up in the middle of the ice and Sheldon ended up losing the puck.''

Canadiens coach Claude Julien felt Kovalev made a bad decision.

``I think that when the referees don't call a penalty on a play, you can't stop playing,'' Julien said. ``They decided not to call it and then they collided. Murray got the breakaway and he doesn't miss many of those.

``It's a crappy way to lose a game''

Souray also felt Kovalev should have been more concerned about playing the puck.

``It's crazy,'' Souray said. ``I was just caught by surprise that he left the puck there and there was no one behind me. It's frustrating that it happened right now, in a game that was so important.''

Green wasn't surprised no penalty was called on the play.

``If I double-handed slashed him, I'm sure his arm would be broken,'' Green said.

Bruins goalie Andrew Raycroft made 42 saves. Theodore stopped 40 shots.

Michael Nylander and Jiri Slegr also scored for Boston, which won its second overtime game of the series. Bruins rookie Patrice Bergeron scored 1:26 into overtime Friday to give Boston a 2-1 home win, its second straight to open the first-round series.

``Whoever comes out of this game with a win has a lot of momentum going with them,'' Raycroft said. ``To close out and get a split here in Montreal was huge for us.''

The Bruins can end the series with a win in Game 5 Thursday in Boston.

Knuble tied the game in the final minute of the third period, though he had to wait several anxious moments for a video review to award the goal.

Knuble put a backhander past Theodore's left pad from the edge of the crease, though play continued for another eight seconds.

Play was stopped with 22.1 seconds remaining and video replay officials reviewed the play. The replay showed Knuble put the puck just across the goal line inside the left post before it quickly rebounded out of the net.

``It was a hope and a prayer,'' Knuble said.

The Bruins' bench erupted in cheers and the sellout Bell Centre crowd of 21,273 moaned its disappointment when referee Mick McGeough pointed to center ice to signal the goal. The clock was reset to 30.7 seconds remaining.

Mike Ribeiro scored twice and Kovalev had his third goal in two games for Montreal, which scored just once while losing the first two games in Boston.

Ribeiro, who many Bruins accused of faking an injury late in Montreal's 3-2 win in Game 3, found a much better way to get under their skin. He scored his first career playoff goal 4:41 in before the Bruins could lay a hand on him. By the time Boston forward Brian Rolston knocked him to the ice, Ribeiro had already deflected a bouncing puck backward past Raycroft's right leg and inside the left post.

He got his second of the game early in the second period to put Montreal up 3-1. Kovalev had given the Canadiens a 2-1 edge with 4.9 seconds remaining in the first period.

Ribeiro, who didn't practice Monday, writhed in pain on the ice with less than a minute remaining in Sunday's game after what appeared to be an innocuous collision with Knuble. He remained on the Canadiens' bench through the end of that game and smiled while trading barbs with the Bruins, drawing the visitors' ire.

Nylander returned and scored his third goal of the series in the first period. Nylander, who has five points in three games, missed Game 3 because of flu-like symptoms.

Slegr drew Boston within 3-2 when his shot deflected off Montreal defenseman Francis Bouillon's skate and past Theodore midway in the second period.

Edited April 14, 2004 by MaddDog

[NJDevs4978]

I agree Nieuwy... butttt... if you're out there busting your ass taking the hits and

giving your body and MORE to do what you can to win and you see bullsh!t antics

like Kovalev and Riberio not only costing your team but embatrrassing not only

themselves, but the WHOLE TEAM as an athelte and professional... when does

pride kick in and you want to turn and strangle this guy !!

Here's the thing though...I didn't see ANY of the Habs picking on Ribero for HIS nonsense and it was every bit as bad as what Kovalev did.

The only difference between the two acting performances was that the Kovalev play led to a crucial goal against while the Ribero one led to a bogus penalty in favor of Montreal. NOW they get all indignant just because the acting hurt them this time? Peesh, talk about a double standard

[NJDevs4978]

How about THIS...

From ESPN:

"There's nothing you can say about that," said Kovalev, whose right hand was wrapped in a bag of ice. "We ended up in the middle of the ice, and Sheldon ended up losing the puck."

I guess Kovalev hung around Holik too much in New York

Geez, that locker room is a mess now, what with everyone picking on Kovalev and Kovalev trying to act like he had nothing to do with the whole mess. You know at this point there's no way Kovalev can go back there next year.

['7']

No, souray didn't lose the puck but he was up ice trying rub out a player while Kovalev carried it out of the zone. There probably should've been somebody between Kovalev and the goal, but wasn't. So here's Souray, 0 goals 0 assists and a -1 in this series, can't even carry Kovalev's jock. Will he show up in the playoffs? for once in his career?

[halfsharkalligatorhalfman]

No, souray didn't lose the puck but he was up ice trying rub out a player while Kovalev carried it out of the zone. There probably should've been somebody between Kovalev and the goal, but wasn't. So here's Souray, 0 goals 0 assists and a -1 in this series, can't even carry Kovalev's jock. Will he show up in the playoffs? for once in his career?

wow...ridiuclous.

[MaddDog]

Here's the thing though...I didn't see ANY of the Habs picking on Ribero for HIS nonsense and it was every bit as bad as what Kovalev did. 

Has, that is a good point, and one I thought about after I posted the stuff on Kovalev. I couldn't recall if any Hab had blasted Ribeiro for his putrid "acting" job, and apparently they hadn't. So, to blast Kovalev for trying to the same thing as Ribeiro does seem a little ODD to me. Either way, both Ribeiro and Kovalev acted very selfish with those tactics and that's what I didn't care for.

I noticed some people are angry at Souray for speaking out, but I personally thought what his COACH Julien said was more scathing!!!!! Didn't he basically call out Kovy and say he should NOT have stopped skating even if he thought a penalty should have been called?? Did he diss Ribeiro for HIS childish antics?? Is this a case of giving preferential treatment to the player who's been around longer?? I don't quite get it. It makes me think that the coach and locker room have not warmed to Kovy in general, disregarding his bonehead play last night. Perhaps he's moody or aloof or doesn't get along with them, who knows?

[SueNJ97]

Here's the thing though...I didn't see ANY of the Habs picking on Ribero for HIS nonsense and it was every bit as bad as what Kovalev did.

The only difference between the two acting performances was that the Kovalev play led to a crucial goal against while the Ribero one led to a bogus penalty in favor of Montreal. NOW they get all indignant just because the acting hurt them this time? Peesh, talk about a double standard

I agree, the Habs should have been equally as angry at Ribeiro for his nonsense. In fact, Kovalev may actually have had more of a legitimate injury than Ribeiro (at least from the ice pack on his wrist afterwards) but he had to at least keep his head up and stay out of the way. Blaming Souray was uncalled for.

But the Habs need to look at the way they approach "overacting" and "apportioning blame" in general. And they should do it across the board and do it soon.

[gizmo]

looking at the replay kovalev was hit on his glove

[NJDevs4978]

Here's the thing though...I didn't see ANY of the Habs picking on Ribero for HIS nonsense and it was every bit as bad as what Kovalev did.

[Derek21]

The Habs have no one to blame but themselves. Theodore has had a lousy series. He's given up a half dozen soft goals in the four games. And he was the reason Boston had a chance to tie it late last night. If Theodore is sharp, Montreal's up 3-1.

But he's been severely outplayed by Raycroft. Raycroft makes huge saves when his team needs it. Game Two, he was unbelievable in stealing it. Even when he gave up the rebound goal to Kovalev, he bounced back. He is like Brodeur in that he can give up a goal and comeback. That says a lot about his character. Let's see if he can finish the series.

Also, nobody is pointing the finger at Julien for not putting Yanic Perreault out to take that face-off with 35 seconds to go. Perreault is the best face-off guy in the league and instead, Dowd took it and lost it. What the hell did the Habs dress him for?

Rivet also didn't take Knuble on the inside and it cost them dearly.

I'm appalled at Kovalev for not taking responsibility. He could have gained back some respect. But now, he looks even worse for pointing the finger at Souray.

[Weekes Head]

No, souray didn't lose the puck but he was up ice trying rub out a player while Kovalev carried it out of the zone. There probably should've been somebody between Kovalev and the goal, but wasn't. So here's Souray, 0 goals 0 assists and a -1 in this series, can't even carry Kovalev's jock. Will he show up in the playoffs? for once in his career?

Boy oh boy, 7, I....just don't even know what to say.

I think you're the only person, other than Alexei Kovalev, in the entire world, who's blaming Souray for what happened.

Wow.

[Weekes Head]

Man, if he's just taping his hand to prove a point, then I feel sorry for him, he's more of a pansy than I thought...