GAME DAY: Ottawa Senators @ Boston Bruins - 1:00pm ET - Sat. Jan. 23rd, 2010

wprager wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

wprager wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Great work pragues. I made a couple minor edits to clean it up but all in all fantastic.

In case you're curious:

Edits included changing 23st to 23rd and changing Boston @ Ottawa to Ottawa @ Boston (Images were reversed)

I originally thought this was a home game. I changed the text but forgot the title/images. Thanks for fixing it up.

As for st/rd I think Shabbs should just put the number there (government style -- Sat. Jan. 23). It'll save a couple of keystrokes.

Government style would be 2010-01-23.

I didn't say Canadian government

Ya got me.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Seriously though, Philly is a top notch defender who can play in all situations. Throw in another 5 or 6 goals and another 15 assists and it would be hard to justify not putting him on a Norris trophy ballet at the end of the season.

It's quite possible that his offensive production is being stymied by A-Train. I love what Volchenkov brings, but I cringe whenever he's out there with the top line. He's just not very good at passing or shooting with accuracy. Maybe he needs glasses.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:I added a poll. Don't forget to vote people.

That was a no-brainer for me. Toronto still sucks.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Seriously though, Philly is a top notch defender who can play in all situations. Throw in another 5 or 6 goals and another 15 assists and it would be hard to justify not putting him on a Norris trophy ballet at the end of the season.

Phillips is a great D, no doubt, but, with all due respect, he's a bit of a trainwreck on the PP (last night withstanding -- we've tried him there on a number of occasions, especially during the Hartsburg era) and he's never going to get Norris consideration.

That latter point has a lot more to do with the fact that the Norris usually goes to high-scoring defencemen who are also (usually) defensive presences. Steady #2/3s like Phillips, Ohlund (before TBL), Beauchemin (before TOR) -- guys who can put up 30 points and play sturdy all-around D games -- rightly or wrongly are never considered for the Norris.

People have long recognized a need for an award that recognizes guys like Phillips, but the reality is that we just don't have it yet.

But haven't most of us been pushing the idea of having one defensive D with one Offensive one? IF Phillips is offensive then A-train, in theory, should be a good fit right?

wprager wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Seriously though, Philly is a top notch defender who can play in all situations. Throw in another 5 or 6 goals and another 15 assists and it would be hard to justify not putting him on a Norris trophy ballet at the end of the season.

It's quite possible that his offensive production is being stymied by A-Train. I love what Volchenkov brings, but I cringe whenever he's out there with the top line. He's just not very good at passing or shooting with accuracy. Maybe he needs glasses.

He uses that stick in the same way a mobster would...for bushwhacking. Honestly, have you ever seen him handle that stick, he looks like he's confused by it. Doesn't even understand in the least that you can use it to corral the puck and smoothly deliver a pass.

He'd probably be just as effective out there if he was playing with a baseball bat.

Made some more minor updates, added a couple more links. Clouston said A-Train is questionable (but I think Clutch had already updated the "Latest" with that). Clouston spoke to the meda following the morning skate. Changed the lineup link to Boston (it was still St. Loo).

It's all in the first post.

From Chirp:

Spezza is looking like he could return tomorrow. A-train skated and is likely to play.

Z. Smith was sent down to Bingo.

http://www.senschirp.ca/

Cap'n Clutch wrote:From Chirp:

Spezza is looking like he could return tomorrow. A-train skated and is likely to play.

Z. Smith was sent down to Bingo.

http://www.senschirp.ca/

Wow, turning the lineup upside down for Spezza = a super bad idea.

Play him with Michalek and Cheechoo on your "fourth" line. Leave all the other lines alone. Problem solved. No need to overthink this, Clouston.

The last time the Sens had a 6 game winning streak was December 5-18, 2007. The team they beat for the 6th win in a row? Boston Bruins, 3-2.

Incidentally, 2007-08 is also the year in which they set the franchise record of 8 straight wins. During that streak they got their 6th win against, you guessed it, the Boston Bruins. The score? 3-2.

Maybe we should make 3-2 one of the options in the poll.

P.S. During that 8 game winning streak, that 3-2 win against Boston was the first of a home-and-home series. The won the second game (on the road) 2-1 in a shoot out.

rooneypoo wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:From Chirp:

Spezza is looking like he could return tomorrow. A-train skated and is likely to play.

Z. Smith was sent down to Bingo.

http://www.senschirp.ca/

Wow, turning the lineup upside down for Spezza = a super bad idea.

Play him with Michalek and Cheechoo on your "fourth" line. Leave all the other lines alone. Problem solved. No need to overthink this, Clouston.

Yeah, I think it'd be dumb to break up FFA, SRK, or RKN.

I know your stance on Spezza, but assuming he's not moved and everyone's healthy, who plays alongside #s 9&19? Cheechoo, or Winchester?

wprager wrote:The last time the Sens had a 6 game winning streak was December 5-18, 2007. The team they beat for the 6th win in a row? Boston Bruins, 3-2.

Incidentally, 2007-08 is also the year in which they set the franchise record of 8 straight wins. During that streak they got their 6th win against, you guessed it, the Boston Bruins. The score? 3-2.

Maybe we should make 3-2 one of the options in the poll.

P.S. During that 8 game winning streak, that 3-2 win against Boston was the first of a home-and-home series. The won the second game (on the road) 2-1 in a shoot out.

Who was it they beat again? Oh and before I forget - what was the score?

As disappointing as it is, their cap situation requires them to send someone down. They have no room left to manoeuvre. Of course sending Cheechoo down would clear all those problems, but I guess that's not happening.

I like your idea of putting Spezza on the 4th line. He did that with Michalek and it worked out. Spezza isn't going to be in the best shape, so less ice time would certainly help bring him up slowly. He'd still get top-unit PP time, of course.

Not crazy about this move.

asq2 wrote:
Yeah, I think it'd be dumb to break up FFA, SRK, or RKN.

I know your stance on Spezza, but assuming he's not moved and everyone's healthy, who plays alongside #s 9&19? Cheechoo, or Winchester?

#91 would fit in nicely. Too bad we don't have one of them (Stamkos, Tavares, Savard). The ones we've had weren't all that great (Daigle, Saprykin).

There prages. I added a poll option just for you.

asq2 wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:From Chirp:

Spezza is looking like he could return tomorrow. A-train skated and is likely to play.

Z. Smith was sent down to Bingo.

http://www.senschirp.ca/

Wow, turning the lineup upside down for Spezza = a super bad idea.

Play him with Michalek and Cheechoo on your "fourth" line. Leave all the other lines alone. Problem solved. No need to overthink this, Clouston.

Yeah, I think it'd be dumb to break up FFA, SRK, or RKN.

I know your stance on Spezza, but assuming he's not moved and everyone's healthy, who plays alongside #s 9&19? Cheechoo, or Winchester?

Either or. Makes no difference, really, tho' Winnie is going to be out for a while.

I'm not advocating this as a long-term solution, btw. But in the short term, while the team is on a winning streak and the line arrangements are clicking, I think it's profoundly dumb to break all that chemistry up. Wait for a team-wide stinker or a bad game from a line or two before you do this.

Not that this is Spezza's fault, but this is part of the problem of having a guy like Spezza in your lineup. The message here for everyone is, "he doesn't have to earn his minutes or line assignments." That's the approach that got us into so much trouble in the first place, and it's the sort of thing that can throw your team out of synch. I hope the coaching staff monitors Spezza's performance closely and doles out ice time and assignments accordingly.

I find it odd to see Fisher pushed all the way to the third line but other than that I'm fine with the line combos.

rooneypoo wrote:

asq2 wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:From Chirp:

Spezza is looking like he could return tomorrow. A-train skated and is likely to play.

Z. Smith was sent down to Bingo.

http://www.senschirp.ca/

Wow, turning the lineup upside down for Spezza = a super bad idea.

Play him with Michalek and Cheechoo on your "fourth" line. Leave all the other lines alone. Problem solved. No need to overthink this, Clouston.

Yeah, I think it'd be dumb to break up FFA, SRK, or RKN.

I know your stance on Spezza, but assuming he's not moved and everyone's healthy, who plays alongside #s 9&19? Cheechoo, or Winchester?

Either or. Makes no difference, really, tho' Winnie is going to be out for a while.

I'm not advocating this as a long-term solution, btw. But in the short term, while the team is on a winning streak and the line arrangements are clicking, I think it's profoundly dumb to break all that chemistry up. Wait for a team-wide stinker or a bad game from a line or two before you do this.

Not that this is Spezza's fault, but this is part of the problem of having a guy like Spezza in your lineup. The message here for everyone is, "he doesn't have to earn his minutes or line assignments." That's the approach that got us into so much trouble in the first place, and it's the sort of thing that can throw your team out of synch. I hope the coaching staff monitors Spezza's performance closely and doles out ice time and assignments accordingly.

I would also rather start him on the 4th line and see how he play from there. So my 4th line would be
Mickalek spezza cheechoo