Who has the more rabid fans, Canadiens or Sabres?

0:00 We're now joined by Carlo Kakovo.

0:02 Carlo, the Savers and Canadian series begins Wednesday night.

0:05 So, let's break it down.

0:06 And the first question for you is who's the best player in this series?

0:12 Well, Sarah, you can make a case for both goalenders

0:14 being the best players in this series because without them,

0:17 who knows if both Buffalo or Montreal we would even be in this spot.

0:21 But the one player I'm really focused in on is Nick Suzuki.

0:23 Nick Suzuki is 101 point player in the regular season.

0:27 He didn't find that same amount of offense in round one,

0:30 even though it was a pretty gritty series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

0:33 You're talking about seven onegoal games where every game was close,

0:37 every every inch was hard to find.

0:40 But six points in seven games, you know, the top line of him,

0:47 Slavoski, and Caulfield only produced 13 points in that seven games.

0:52 So, if you're looking for a player to lead by example,

0:54 and I do believe this is a lot more of a favorable

0:56 matchup for the Montreal Canadians and that top line, Nick Suzuki,

1:00 I think this could be a series where you could see

1:02 that top line break out just because there's no Anthony Celli,

1:06 you know, playing as a shutdown center iceman

1:08 that the that the Tampa Bay Lightning offered him.

1:10 So, the focal point for the Montreal Canades and their success,

1:13 they got by with some really good depth scoring.

1:15 Time for their top players to lead the way, including Nit Suzuki.

1:18 Okay, we'll see if they can do that against the Sabres.

1:20 Carlo, we've also got an interesting coaching matchup here.

1:23 Lindy Ruff has been in the league for what

1:26 kind of feels like forever while Marty St.

1:28 Louis is fresh off his first series win.

1:31 So, does the experience give the Sabres the edge here or do you think St.

1:34 Louis can keep up with the WY vet?

1:38 Well, if we were focused on experience, then Marty St.

1:41 Louis would have probably lost against John Cooper,

1:43 who is labeled as probably one of the greatest coaches in today's game.

1:47 And he won that chess matchup.

1:49 And even though they talked about uh you know the the the sort of cat

1:53 and mouse type of games that they were playing in that series, I think Marty St.

1:56 Louis come a long way as a head coach and to the point where

2:00 what I really admire about him is how he's able to adjust on the fly,

2:04 make the necessary adjustments in games and what he what

2:06 I really value about him is that he understands his players.

2:09 So when you're talking about going against a matchup against Lindy Ruff,

2:12 the players play the game on the ice.

2:14 There's only so much that the coaches can do

2:16 with decisions on roster and decisions on, you know,

2:19 stuff that happens in the game.

2:21 But Marty St.

2:21 Louis clearly proven that he can go up against the best

2:24 and h and right now he's found success against the best.

2:27 So I don't look as this as u, you know,

2:30 too much uh too much of something that Marty St.

2:32 Louis should be worried about going against Lindy Ruff.

2:34 Yeah, it's an excellent point.

2:35 Now you say the players play the game,

2:37 but there's another great head-to-head battle in this series

2:40 that we can't forget about the fans.

2:42 And Carlo, you've played in both barns.

2:44 So, who has the more rabid fan base, the Canadians or the Sabres?

2:49 Well, we're learning about the Buffalo Sabres because it's been

2:52 a long time since we've seen this rabid fan base in Buffalo.

2:56 And look, the that that place, you know, it it gets rowdy inside of there.

3:01 The Montreal for the Bell Center, we know it gets electric.

3:05 We've seen many times even through regular season games where

3:08 that place is one of the best atmospheres to play.

3:11 And if there's one thing that really excites me about

3:13 this series is you've got seven games of pure electricity

3:17 with both teams playing with young energy and both fan

3:21 bases playing like they want to win the Stanley Cup.

3:24 And so that's going to provide some incredible hockey.

3:27 And look, when you're talking about the the advantages,

3:30 I don't know if there actually is a home ice advantage in this series,

3:33 but I do know one thing.

3:35 Players are probably going to need hearing aids after this seven

3:38 game series because of how loud both buildings are going to be.

3:41 Ears are going to be ringing for everyone involved.

3:44 Now, finally, Carlo, before the puck does drop on this series,

3:48 you got to tell us who do you think has the edge?

3:52 Well, I do agree with FanDuel as this being a pick them series.

3:55 It's hard to really pick an edge,

3:57 but if I'm going to make a prediction, I'm going to go with Montreal.

4:00 I've been on on the Montreal train right from the start of the season.

4:03 I said that they would beat Tampa.

4:04 They did it in dramatic fashion.

4:06 I just like what they got going for them,

4:08 you know, especially with the way Dolvish is playing.

4:10 Their depth players, their star players hopefully showing up.

4:12 I'm going with Montreal in six games to close it out in the Bell Center.

4:16 Okay, the Bell Center.

4:17 You know what?

4:18 I think they have the most rabid fans there.

4:20 And you were right, FanDuel does have this series as a pickum.

4:23 Both teams are listed at minus 110.

4:27 And now with more Habs content, let's check in with TSN 690 in Montreal.

4:33 Welcome back.

4:33 Habs Lunch.

4:34 Campbell versus Gallow.

4:36 Mitch, can Cole Coughfield find his scoring touch in round two?

4:41 I believe it's going to be one of the biggest factors in this series because we

4:45 could probably expect more goals in the Sabres

4:49 series than we did in the Tampa series.

4:52 I don't know if that's going to be happen, but that's my expectation.

4:55 And Cole Cfield's got to be a big part of that for Montreal.

4:58 Yeah, Campbell.

4:59 No doubt about it.

5:00 And uh what I'll tell you is Cole Coughfield is going

5:05 to find his scoring touch in this series against the Buffalo Savers.

5:09 Cole Coughfield is too talented of a player not

5:13 to find his scoring touch in this playoff series.

5:17 We're talking about the player who scored

5:18 the most even strength goals this past year

5:21 in the National Hockey League and somebody who

5:23 is in the running for the Rocket Rashard Trophy.

5:25 Fact of the matter is he's going to have to adjust.

5:27 He's going to find a way.

5:29 He's going to have to find a way to get to areas

5:31 where you have to get to to score goals in the postseason.

5:35 But really, if I look at the way that first round playoff series went for him,

5:40 there was some double clutching.

5:42 There was a breakaway opportunity that was missed.

5:44 There was a couple uh chances from the left

5:46 side on one tease that he did not convert on.

5:49 Yeah.

5:49 When short side just couldn't get He loves that short side.

5:52 I I do believe, you know,

5:54 you're also shooting on what I believe is

5:56 the best goalender in the National Hockey League, Vasileles.

5:58 It makes someone like Coughfield just adjust who is so good at his shots.

6:03 Adjust it an inch or two and you're trying to just go

6:07 into that so small of a margin that makes you hit a post or miss.

6:10 Especially in the playoffs, you know,

6:11 beating goalies from farther out is going to be

6:14 more difficult when you have a goalie like Andre

6:15 Vasileleski and the Tampa Bay Lightning doing such

6:18 a good job at protecting the middle of the ice.

6:20 But Campbell, much like I will no longer

6:23 question Lane Hudson and his ability to perform

6:25 in the playoff based solely on size because he's shown us he can do it.

6:29 I feel the same way about Cole Coughfield.

6:31 Now if I look at expected goals in that first

6:34 round playoff series through the seven games that we saw,

6:39 Cole Caulfield was actually third on the Canadians in expected goals.

6:45 The only players that had higher expected goal rate than Cawfield,

6:48 Uri Slavkovski and Ivon Demidov, that is the list.

6:54 So Kawfield got looks, got chances to score.

6:58 He just didn't convert.

7:00 When I have a goal scorer like Cole Cfield and I'm

7:02 looking at all those chances that did not go in, well,

7:05 eventually things are going to swing the other way

7:08 and I would bet they come in bunches for Caulfield.

7:12 The one area Mhm.

7:14 that I want to see change when I'm looking at those stats is shot attempts.

7:20 All right.

7:21 And I'll look at shot attempts per 60 minutes.

7:24 To put it even kind of with everybody on the Montreal Canadians.

7:27 Cole Cfield shot attempts per 60 minutes ranked sixth

7:30 on the Canadians in that first round playoff series.

7:33 To me, he's got to be one or two.

7:35 He's your best shooter.

7:36 He should be the uh guy shooting the puck the most.

7:39 So, give me more attemp attempted shots by Cole Coughfield.

7:42 give me a couple breaks on that expected goal stat that things are

7:45 going to bounce his way and I think 100% he produces against Buffalo.

7:50 Well, that that shot total or attempted shots total that you're looking

7:53 at that has a lot to do with the way that Tampa prepped.

7:56 Yes, in the past, but this year you have a 50 goal scorer in the other team.

8:00 Tampa Bay will be ready and you were a priority number one not

8:03 to allow to shoot and you know the Canadians if there's someone in their way,

8:08 they try and change that angle or pass it off.

8:10 So, a lot of times Cfield got it and you could tell the Tampa

8:14 defenseman or front forward was really getting

8:17 in the lane and there wasn't a shot.

8:18 He didn't want to put it off shin pads or leg

8:21 or a knee or a body and just give up that shot.

8:24 He said, "Let's reset." So, uh, let's Well, by the way, Campbell, it's

8:29 that happened a lot against Tampa.

8:30 It's um it's it's it's it's a great thought and I'm going to tell you why

8:35 because I'm just going to give you another

8:36 stat to kind of back up what you're saying.

8:39 If you look at shot attempts per game for Montreal,

8:42 all right, I'm not doing per 60, but I'm doing per game.

8:45 Yeah.

8:45 If if you're looking at Montreal's top players and you're

8:48 going to concede the shot to one player on the team, who are you conceding to?

8:53 Uh, one like on the top line.

8:55 No, no, just on the team.

8:57 Who would you concede?

8:58 If you're Tampa Bay, you're like, "All right, I'm going to let him shoot."

9:00 Uh, probably Gallagher or, you know, Kerier.

9:05 I don't know.

9:06 See, Lane Hudson.

9:07 Lane Hudson, right?

9:08 If if I'm talking

9:08 Oh, you're talking I said I asked for top players and you said no.

9:11 Okay.

9:11 No, I meant not top.

9:12 Not not necessarily top of the line.

9:14 They especially on the power play, they're like slaf Hudson.

9:18 Exactly.

9:18 That's what I'm getting at.

9:19 Right.

9:20 If if you have all those weapons,

9:22 you're going to say we'll let Lane Hudson shoot from up top

9:26 because that's the least threatening player and we're going to guard

9:28 against Cole Coughfield shooting because he's the most threatening player.

9:32 And if you look at shots on goal per game or shot attempts per game,

9:35 Lane Hudson led the Montreal Canadians at 6.3 shot attempts per game.

9:40 Just some some stats to take a look at.

9:42 Funny enough, Campbell, you mentioned Gallagher.

9:44 If you look at shot attempts per 60 minutes.

9:46 Now, Gallagher only played in three games of the series,

9:48 but he actually led the Canadians in shot attempts per 60 minutes.

9:51 Per 60.

9:52 Uh, one of the other things is Cole Coughfield

9:54 in his last eight regular season games against the Buffalo Sabres.

9:57 As I heard on the morning show,

9:58 eight goals in his career against the Sabres, 16 points in 18 games.

10:03 It is a team he has success with.

10:06 I want him with Suzuki and Slovkoski.

10:09 I think that's another factor to allow him.

10:11 I think the line changes and the matching and the money.

10:13 I think I think you're going back to uh

10:15 to the original slate for for game one here.

10:18 It's a new series, new day.

10:19 Go back to what worked.

10:20 I I I truly believe that the mind games of M Martine St.

10:24 Louisie and John Cooper were going back and forth.

10:26 I know what the Canadians were doing.

10:28 I understand what the Canadians were doing when they were

10:31 doing that, but I think this series you go one, two, three, let's go.

10:35 Now, maybe you adjust as the series goes along,

10:38 but I think you trust those three.

10:40 You know what those three can do and you know what they can

10:43 do versus Savers because I even Nick Suzuki uh 26 points in 21 games.

10:47 Slovkoski has got nine points in his career against the Buffalo Sabres.

10:50 These are things that the Canadians can take advantage of.

10:53 There was a big game last year against Buffalo for your ice.

10:56 Slavoski, you have a four-point game against them.

10:58 So, yeah.

10:58 So, you and I both believe without a shadow of a doubt.

11:04 Cole Cfield will find his scoring touch against the Buffalo Sabres.

11:09 Can't believe he's among the best goal scorers on the planet.

11:12 I'm not going to take a sample size of seven games.

11:15 You give enough.

11:16 You give enough time to a player of that caliber,

11:20 eventually he's going to break through.