GAME DAY: Los Angeles Kings @ Ottawa Senators - 7:30pm ET - Tue. Feb. 3rd, 2009

This game will certainly garner some attention. Newly appointed head coach of the Sens Cory Clouston will get his first NHL game tonight as the Sens host the Kings at SBP. Hartsburg was let go by the Sens yesterday and Cory has taken over the reigns. Cory was the coach for their AHL affiliate in Binghamton and word on the street is he delivers accountability, which is something the Sens need badly. Whether or not this move comes too late does not matter... it's happened and the Sens will have to move forward. The Kings have been an exciting team to watch lately as their youth start to find themselves. These are two teams heading in opposite directions with the Kings' future looking pretty bright and the Sens' future.. well... who knows at this point.

Clouston will be the Senators fourth head coach since the Senators appeared in the Stanley Cup Final against the Ducks in 2007

Starting goalies from: http://goaliepost.com/
- Jonathan Quick is listed as probable for LA
- Brian Elliott is listed as firm for Ottawa

Game Day info from: http://www.ottawasun.com/Sports/Senators/2009/02/03/8241841-sun.html

BLACK AND BLUE REPORT

KINGS: RW Oscar Moller (fractured clavicle) could return to the lineup this week C Marc-Andre Cliche (separated shoulder), out until at least late February.

SENATORS: RW Shean Donovan (lower body) is skating, but not yet with the team D Alexandre Picard (upper body) did not practice.

NOTEWORTHY

New coach Cory Clouston wouldn't name his starting goalie yesterday because "I haven't told him yet." Brian Elliott, an all-star for Clouston in Binghamton, was yanked after allowing four goals on 16 shots in Washington. The mild-mannered Elliott displayed a wicked temper at the bench. Thankfully, no member of the Senators equipment staff insisted on him wearing a cap. "You never want to get pulled," Elliott said. "That's obviously what ticks you off." ... The Kings hired Bryan Murray's brother, Terry, as coach on July 17, 2008 ... Also returning home as Kings are C Derek Armstrong (Ottawa), D Sean O'Donnell (Ottawa) and C Brad Richardson (Belleville) ... Ex-Senator D Tom Preissing has seven points and is a minus-7 with the Kings.

Where to watch and hear the game:

TV: SNET-E (HD) - NHL CI has the game

RADIO: Team 1200, CJRC 1150 AM, Star 96 FM (Pembroke), The Jewel 1220 AM (Cornwall), The Lake 88.1 FM (Perth), KIX 93.5 FM (Kingston).

Is the game only on SNET-E HD or can the poor folk get it as well?

SNET-E SD as well, though you have to be in Sens Region (which it appears you are) to get it. I'm not so fortunate.

TeamRenzo wrote:Is the game only on SNET-E HD or can the poor folk get it as well?

The HD in brackets means it will also be available on the corresponding HD channel. SD will always be provided.

Just in from Sportsnet....

Brian Elliott will make the start in goal against the Los Angeles Kings tonight.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2009/02/03/sens_kings_gameday/

Giddyup! Let's see what Clouston's boys are made of. If he benches a star (as Carbo did with Kovalev) then maybe they're made of brass after all.

Coach changes, but nothing else... we have had 4 different coaches in a year, this wont make a like of difference in the long run. Might short term, like tonight, Thursday is a loss.

I still stick with my guess of a 4 game skid starting in Columbus last week.

Neely4Life wrote:Coach changes, but nothing else... we have had 4 different coaches in a year, this wont make a like of difference in the long run. Might short term, like tonight, Thursday is a loss.

I still stick with my guess of a 4 game skid starting in Columbus last week.

From the info trickling out about Hartsburg and how "stubborn" he was, it seems that Murray and/or Melnyk will have this issue until they find a coach that this team can play for or overhaul the team. It sounds as if Hartsy was trying to ram a system down their throats that they had no interest in playing.

To be honest, that sounds really stupid and childish. These players should be able to adjust to a coach's system, and the coach should also be able to adjust and make the system fit the players if it was not working.

What sort of communication is going on between the captains, the coach and the GM? If the system is not working, there has to be a way to address that.

I wonder if we'll start seeing an immediate change in the big 3. Alfie as much as the other 2 need to step it up big time.

You would think... The fact is, if Alfie wasn't getting along with Hartsy and then herego if the rest of the players weren't liking Hartsy's system or his tactics, at what point are the players being fair and then when do you say: "look, we're paying you gobs of money...is there a middle ground here" or do you just tell them to STFU and play the system and make it work?!?

How many more coaches will have to suffer Paddocks, Hartsburg and maybe even Clouston's fate before people realize maybe it's the guys on skates that aren't playing ball, so to speak!?

Cronenbergfan wrote:You would think... The fact is, if Alfie wasn't getting along with Hartsy and then herego if the rest of the players weren't liking Hartsy's system or his tactics, at what point are the players being fair and then when do you say: "look, we're paying you gobs of money...is there a middle ground here" or do you just tell them to STFU and play the system and make it work?!?

How many more coaches will have to suffer Paddocks, Hartsburg and maybe even Clouston's fate before people realize maybe it's the guys on skates that aren't playing ball, so to speak!?

But isn't this the essence of being a good coach? Knowing your player's strengths and weaknesses, when to utilize them properly, how to lay down a system that will work, instill a good work ethic, foster team pride and chemistry, have accountability etc...

It sounds like Hartsy was not able get this kind info on the players, was not utilizing them properly and would not adjust his system to work with the players he had.

Were the players being unreasonable? Hard to say, but if Alfie was having issues, I'd be very concerned. Sure, each team has prima donna's that will need to be brought back in line, but if a lot of the team was having issues with the system, you gotta look at the coach if things are not working out.

good point(s) Shabbs. I was merely trying to see it from every vantage point.

At the end of the day, while coaches are usually the fall guys, the motivational and system-base that the players were supposed to adhere to rests on the coach's shoulders; thus Hartsburg was promptly ushered to the guillotine and dispatched.

Cronenbergfan wrote:good point(s) Shabbs. I was merely trying to see it from every vantage point.

At the end of the day, while coaches are usually the fall guys, the motivational and system-base that the players were supposed to adhere to rests on the coach's shoulders; thus Hartsburg was promptly ushered to the guillotine and dispatched.

The flip side of this is that the team is so broken and don't care at all that no matter what coach is brought in, they won't get anything out of the players. The GM would need to recognize this and begin the blow up.

I hope we're not there.

big gulps eh... well... off to the game

Neely4Life wrote:big gulps eh... well... off to the game

Got your paper bag ready?