Game Day, Pre-Season Edition Sept 16, 09 Florida @ Ottawa

TheAvatar wrote:
First of all, you don't need to apologize for agreeing with me

Second, I disagree that it's "still early". Mike Fisher is pretty well a known variable in Ottawa. He's played his whole career here. Don't get me wrong, I admire Fish, I think he's an awesome player and I totally respect him. I like your evaluation of Regin but is he ready?

:^^^^: I was apologizing because there's been a longstanding debate/argument over it and I never wanted to add a log to the fire, but I see Fish as being the ULTIMATE 3rd line center, who can play in the top 6 if need be. I've always like Regin a lot because he wins faceoffs, can pass the puck and is actually quite a gritty little dude.

As Neely said, we'll wait until Friday and Sat. to see how he does, but he's an option. And it also sounds like Kelly's becoming the odd man out. Who else can Murray trade?

So, when are our forwards going to score?

asq2 wrote:

wprager wrote:

cloverleaf wrote:N4l, that makes it easier because I couldn't find that comment anymore. But I did find in this thread that you are also the one that said there is NO WAY that ottawa would lose his game. They did. You predicted a win by 3 goals and then jokingly switched it to by 6. Once they lost, I see you said big deal its preseason. Take off those rosy glasses and taper your expectations little. Like I said 10 minutes ago, your D is bad and your goaltending is worse.

Sorry, our D is bad and our goaltending worse? You do realize that we lost 2-1, and one of the goals scored against was a PP marker, if I am not mistaken.

So please explain how our D is bad and our goaltending worse. We expected 5-6 goals and only got 1 (well, 2 if you want to be picky), which -- to me, at least -- is a finger pointing toward our forwards. And wihle we still have a good bunch, we were missing Michalek, and for most of the top-six they were playing in their first game with new linemates.

Both goals were PP (Spezza in the box for both).

I harp on the guy, but that wasnt a penalty (the 1st one) it was a solid back check in a pre season game. That will pay off in the regular season and down the line. Glass 1/2 full there.

Just Dung luck being in the box for both.

asq2 wrote:So, when are our forwards going to score?

Yeah really. Open the floodgates please! I don't want to score 190 goals or whatever again this year.

Well, for once the Senators absolutely dominated teh face off circle. That's rather promising.

I think we all agree that Fisher is not the best 2nd line center in the game, but at this point in time, he is the best option for us, unless we consider moving Foligno there. Failing that, and given the cap/contracts situation, it cannot be Regin, and it shouldn't be Kelly.

So, to me at least, until we have some room and Regin shows he's ready (which, by the way, I am not ruling out for this year, so long as he shows he's ready and a move is made to clear the room), the two options are Fisher or Foligno. Since we already have Cheechoo, Michalek, Alfredsson and Kovalev as top-six wingers, that pushes Fisher to be a third-line winger, which is wrong. The only way I see Fisher on the third line is if it's really the 2nd line (behind 1a/1b, or as 2b) and we keep the FFS line intact. But then we still don't have a 2nd line center (not Kelly, not Kelly, not Kelly).

Confused yet? I'm not. For the time being, until Regin (or someone else) is ready, Fisher is our 2nd line center.

Cheechoo-Spezza-Alfredsson
Michalek-Fisher-Kovalev
Foligno-Kelly-Shannon
Ruutu-Winchester-Neil

How does that look? Am I missing anyone of interest? Cheechoo/Michalek are interchangeable, in a way. I'd still like to see Michalek on the top line, although Cheechoo does have experience on his side.

N4L wrote:

asq2 wrote:

wprager wrote:

cloverleaf wrote:N4l, that makes it easier because I couldn't find that comment anymore. But I did find in this thread that you are also the one that said there is NO WAY that ottawa would lose his game. They did. You predicted a win by 3 goals and then jokingly switched it to by 6. Once they lost, I see you said big deal its preseason. Take off those rosy glasses and taper your expectations little. Like I said 10 minutes ago, your D is bad and your goaltending is worse.

Sorry, our D is bad and our goaltending worse? You do realize that we lost 2-1, and one of the goals scored against was a PP marker, if I am not mistaken.

So please explain how our D is bad and our goaltending worse. We expected 5-6 goals and only got 1 (well, 2 if you want to be picky), which -- to me, at least -- is a finger pointing toward our forwards. And wihle we still have a good bunch, we were missing Michalek, and for most of the top-six they were playing in their first game with new linemates.

Both goals were PP (Spezza in the box for both).

I harp on the guy, but that wasnt a penalty (the 1st one) it was a solid back check in a pre season game. That will pay off in the regular season and down the line. Glass 1/2 full there.

Just Dung luck being in the box for both.

All kinds of bad luck on that 2nd goal. We put in our AHL goalie to start the PP. Talk about trial by fire. I was 100% unsurprised we got scored on that time.

The first PP goal happened because we had Foligno out there and, I'm sorry to say, he was waaaay out of position. He bit on the bait offered by the D standing at centre, and left the the other D/winger closer to the boards wide open. That's just the mistake of a guy who doesn't play much PK, tho'.

The only concern I had coming out of that game was.... are these guys gonna be able to develop any chemistry to score goals?

It's a little early to tell, tho', granted, but still. Alfie, Spezza, and Kovalev on the ice together late in the game, and they didn't do much...

I want goals aplenty this year please.

SpezDispenser wrote:I want goals aplenty this year please.

any cuts today?

DirtyDave wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:I want goals aplenty this year please.

any cuts today?

Not yet, but there'll be like...8 this aft.

That was most guys first game, again, dont care about the no goal, dont care about the positioning, so on.

On another note, is Brian Lee hurt? He hasn't been in a game yet, has he?

2 games and 50 something players. I'd start to wonder if he's not in the next game that's for sure.

jamvan wrote:On another note, is Brian Lee hurt? He hasn't been in a game yet, has he?

1 I think - and he was a non-factor.

I hear the bus calling. Bingo bound IMO.

SpezDispenser wrote:

jamvan wrote:On another note, is Brian Lee hurt? He hasn't been in a game yet, has he?

1 I think - and he was a non-factor.

I hear the bus calling. Bingo bound IMO.

opens room for Picard to stay, he had a hell of a first game and should show us the potential Murray saw in him when he saw this trade possibility.

SensFan71 wrote:
opens room for Picard to stay, he had a hell of a first game and should show us the potential Murray saw in him when he saw this trade possibility.

Yeah, Lee literally no longer has any chance of making this lineup IMO. Nice call up for injuries - and he can further work on his game in Bongo.

SpezDispenser wrote:

jamvan wrote:On another note, is Brian Lee hurt? He hasn't been in a game yet, has he?

1 I think - and he was a non-factor.

I hear the bus calling. Bingo bound IMO.

After watching Karlson play last night I would have to agree. If it comes down to Lee or Karlson it's Karlson by a mile. Even if it's Picard or Lee I would take Picard.

strachattack wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

jamvan wrote:On another note, is Brian Lee hurt? He hasn't been in a game yet, has he?

1 I think - and he was a non-factor.

I hear the bus calling. Bingo bound IMO.

After watching Karlson play last night I would have to agree. If it comes down to Lee or Karlson it's Karlson by a mile. Even if it's Picard or Lee I would take Picard.

They play a different style, but after last night, I would keep Karlsson for the PP alone. Damn that boy has a fricken' laser beam.