GAME DAY: Ottawa Senators @ Winnipeg Jets :: 3:00pm ET :: Sat. Mar. 8th, 2014

Scratches did Cowen good.

Looks better but baby steps with Cowen. He needed a week off.

Well lets hope that's a start of a 10 game winning streak.

NEELY wrote:Oh Hemsky with 4 points.

Okay. I may have been wrong. I hope so anyway.

NEELY wrote:Columbus is solid... Tampa is going to fall out IMO though, they are in tough.  Lightning were dealt a crappy hand there.

Marty is as big a piece of Dung as Heatly. Trade me now, but my list is only 1 team.

Oglethorpe wrote:

NEELY wrote:Oh Hemsky with 4 points.

Okay. I may have been wrong.  I hope so anyway.  

Yah, I wasn't. Dude can skate, smart with the puck, GOES TO DIRTY AREA'S, and looks to have something with Spezza. He's a guy Ottawa needs to resign along with Michalek.

Feels good, man.

So the Jets are closer to a playoff spot in the much better West, then the Sens are in the East, and this game really wasn't as close as the 5-3 score would indicate. Could it be they finally found a winner for Spezza?

The Kassian effect. when Kassian plays the Sens win a lot more than they lose. Why? Could it be because with Kassian on the fourth line that line only gets to play 5 minutes?

wprager wrote:Feels good, man.

So the Jets are closer to a playoff spot in the much better West, then the Sens are in the East, and this game really wasn't as close as the 5-3 score would indicate.  Could it be they finally found a winner for Spezza?

Still getting hemmed in their zone but they have the puck a lot more with Hemsky on that line. It's an old cliche but the best defense is a good offense and if Hemsky can use his speed and skill like he has with Spezza they will be in their zone a lot less even if they struggle without the puck. I along with everyone else hopes Spezza has a winger he can play with. This is the last one he will get.

49 shots. wow.

One journalist actually asked Hemsky how it felt to play with so much firepower up front...  

Fun fact spezza and hemsky were drafted 12 picks apart. Probably already well known but stil...

Ev wrote:I don't see Hoffman as a regular to be honest. If he doesn't produce he won't have a job, just the harsh reality.

I must admit, last year and even earlier this year, I was not of the opinion that Hoffman would ever make it. But this last call up I feel he's been playing a lot bigger than in the past. Leaning into people to take away space (or to keep his), not afraid to put the shoulder down and cut in front (or go behind the net as he did on his assist). Basically he is overcoming his main limitation, his size, by playing bigger. I'd been a bit disappointed he hadn't gotten on the scoreboard but felt it was just a matter of time -- if he got enough. The injury to MacArthur was a gift, pure and simple, but he manufactured that Turris goal (yes, it was a great shot by Turris, but that play was all Hoffman) and was in the right place to get that perfect feed from Spezza. I think even when MacArthur is back Hoffman will keep getting his time on Zibanejad's side and on the PP.

Nice to see some fire in their eyes today, and guys having other's backs.

Hopefully that continues. Still gonna need a miracle down the stretch...

wprager wrote:The Kassian effect. when Kassian plays the Sens win a lot more than they lose.  Why?  Could it be because with Kassian on the fourth line that line only gets to play 5 minutes?

All hail The Mighty Kassassin.

You can't argue with that stat...

Is this adrenaline with hemsky or what? Dude looks fantastic.

I'm sure that's a big part of it. Good news is, either way, playing this well builds his confidence and his line's confidence. It's a quick way to ramp up some chemistry. We still need to temper expectations. The issues with Hemsky are not about skill and although he disappeared a bit in edmonton, he is a big game performer. The issue is staying healthy. This is what scares me moving forward with three top 6 guys (Spezza, Michalek, and Hemsky) that are great if they're actually 100% healthy but how often, at this stage in their careers, are they 100%?