GAME DAY: Ottawa Senators @ Toronto Maple Leafs - 7:00pm ET - Tue. Oct. 6th, 2009

spader wrote:Alright all, I realize we won, so it's all just info, but how was the game? I listened to the last period on the Team, but didn't get to watch more than a few seconds on the streaming sites.

Breakdown?

Started slow, both teams kinda scared (normal after what happened saturday night for both teams). Sens starting getting dirty in the 2nd and scored 2 fast goals. Foligno with Kovalev looks good in the 3rd. Spezza line invisible, but they get Volchenkov and Philips every time... 4th line did the job. Leclaire very solid.
I say good coaching from Clouston, and the guys starting to find some good chemistry. We need someone to step up as a sniper htough. Many good plays but still very peripheral.

Leclaire sounded really solid in the 3rd, especially in the last minute. Thoughts?

Sens19 wrote:

N4L wrote:Seriously, even when Shannon and Winchester come back, no way Donovan should be taken out. That guy works hard, creates chances, he does what's asked.

I heard he's an amazing locker room guy too. I absolutely love this guy, can't we have all three dressed up?

I noticed him right away. He's playing like he's posessed , I love it.

When Cuthbert said that the last play looked a whole lot like the last play of game 7 SCF, did anyone say: thats as close as either of these teams is getting to game 7 SCF...?

spader wrote:Leclaire sounded really solid in the 3rd, especially in the last minute. Thoughts?

N1 Goalie.

Sens19 wrote:few second left

Volchie seems to really want that contract extension

Amazing, the difference a game makes. I guess we are off the trade him to make room for Lee train now?

hemlock wrote:

Sens19 wrote:few second left

Volchie seems to really want that contract extension

Amazing, the difference a game makes. I guess we are off the trade him to make room for Lee train now?

I hope you're ready to jump 80 more bandwagons

Solid game, still a lot to work on but things but that was a solid road game and Clouston defently learned his lesson.

A Train was unreal tonight, obviously he didnt like his play last game to play with that kind of desire. Hopefully he can keep it up.

Leciare, WOW.

Spezza was good, he doenst have to produce to be effective, and he was. Kovalev same deal.

marakh wrote:

hemlock wrote:

Sens19 wrote:few second left

Volchie seems to really want that contract extension

Amazing, the difference a game makes. I guess we are off the trade him to make room for Lee train now?

I hope you're ready to jump 80 more bandwagons

I figure there will be alot of flip flopping on this team as the days go by this season, myself included. This trading Volchie after game one was never a bandwagon I was on however.

I finally got to see a hard-working, tenacious Senators team. It's been a few years guys, it's been a few years...

No one was saying trade A Train, at least I wasnt. I said it's possible he gets traded this season and with his play from last game it would be a fairly easy call.

N4L wrote:No one was saying trade A Train, at least I wasnt. I said it's possible he gets traded this season and with his play from last game it would be a fairly easy call.

I wasn't accusing anyone of suggesting it, rather the general mood was incredibly sour on Volchenkov after the first game. I'm guessing that's over, until his next bad game of course.

And for the record, yes, people were saying trade Volchenkov.

thoughts:

-Kovalev looked like Dung for 55 minutes.
-Foligno seemed to spend an extended period on the bench in the middle of the game.
-If Michalek had finish, he'd have about 6 or 7 points by now.
-Spezza has the slowest acceleration in the NHL. I said the mofo should spend his entire summer working on it and I thought he did when watching the preseason, but apparently I was very very wrong.
-Alfie was good but not great.
-Ruutu had an awesome game. Very solid.
-Dono, Neil, and Fisher were exactly what they're supposed to be (minus the pricetag...)
-Phillips was strong, but had some dangerous lapses. Not many, but too much...
-Volchenkov had a big bounce back game. Very impressed.
-Carkner was good again, but seemed to be stepping out of his box---trying to do to much...
-Picard was pretty bad. Not awful, but definitely showed why he sat in the pressbox for the opener.
-Campoli was hit-and-miss.
-Karlsson looked more comfortable, but obviously has a ton of work to do. Good to see him get those kinds of minutes...
-Leclaire played a solid game, but Spez you were right that he loses his positioning a little too frequently.
-Well coached by Clouston. Pretty risky to go back to that Karlsson-Campoli combo, but he showed faith in them and they only made him lose a few hairs...

PKC wrote:I finally got to see a hard-working, tenacious Senators team. It's been a few years guys, it's been a few years...

Refreshing to see. They'll need to adopt this identity and keep it to compete for a playoff spot imo.

hemlock wrote:

N4L wrote:No one was saying trade A Train, at least I wasnt. I said it's possible he gets traded this season and with his play from last game it would be a fairly easy call.

I wasn't accusing anyone of suggesting it, rather the general mood was incredibly sour on Volchenkov after the first game. I'm guessing that's over, until his next bad game of course.

And for the record, yes, people were saying trade Volchenkov.

He was AWFUL last game and aftr last year it was a cuase for concern. People should be pissed with that performance last game.

Gohan wrote:thoughts:

-Kovalev looked like Dung for 55 minutes.
-Foligno seemed to spend an extended period on the bench in the middle of the game.
-If Michalek had finish, he'd have about 6 or 7 points by now.
-Spezza has the slowest acceleration in the NHL. I said the mofo should spend his entire summer working on it and I thought he did when watching the preseason, but apparently I was very very wrong.
-Alfie was good but not great.
-Ruutu had an awesome game. Very solid.
-Dono, Neil, and Fisher were exactly what they're supposed to be (minus the pricetag...)
-Phillips was strong, but had some dangerous lapses. Not many, but too much...
-Volchenkov had a big bounce back game. Very impressed.
-Carkner was good again, but seemed to be stepping out of his box---trying to do to much...
-Picard was pretty bad. Not awful, but definitely showed why he sat in the pressbox for the opener.
-Campoli was hit-and-miss.
-Karlsson looked more comfortable, but obviously has a ton of work to do. Good to see him get those kinds of minutes...
-Leclaire played a solid game, but Spez you were right that he loses his positioning a little too frequently.
-Well coached by Clouston. Pretty risky to go back to that Karlsson-Campoli combo, but he showed faith in them and they only made him lose a few hairs...

I cringe reading that. How many guys have we said that about in the past for the Sens???

You make some good points.

Gohan wrote:thoughts:

-Kovalev looked like Dung for 55 minutes.
-Foligno seemed to spend an extended period on the bench in the middle of the game.
-If Michalek had finish, he'd have about 6 or 7 points by now.
-Spezza has the slowest acceleration in the NHL. I said the mofo should spend his entire summer working on it and I thought he did when watching the preseason, but apparently I was very very wrong.
-Alfie was good but not great.
-Ruutu had an awesome game. Very solid.
-Dono, Neil, and Fisher were exactly what they're supposed to be (minus the pricetag...)
-Phillips was strong, but had some dangerous lapses. Not many, but too much...
-Volchenkov had a big bounce back game. Very impressed.
-Carkner was good again, but seemed to be stepping out of his box---trying to do to much...
-Picard was pretty bad. Not awful, but definitely showed why he sat in the pressbox for the opener.
-Campoli was hit-and-miss.
-Karlsson looked more comfortable, but obviously has a ton of work to do. Good to see him get those kinds of minutes...
-Leclaire played a solid game, but Spez you were right that he loses his positioning a little too frequently.
-Well coached by Clouston. Pretty risky to go back to that Karlsson-Campoli combo, but he showed faith in them and they only made him lose a few hairs...

Kovalev was fine IMO. He played a smart road game and control the play quite a bit.
Spezza was strong I thought, nothing special but he def helped with the win.
Love Carkner.

Everything else I agree with for the most part.

N4L wrote:

hemlock wrote:

N4L wrote:No one was saying trade A Train, at least I wasnt. I said it's possible he gets traded this season and with his play from last game it would be a fairly easy call.

I wasn't accusing anyone of suggesting it, rather the general mood was incredibly sour on Volchenkov after the first game. I'm guessing that's over, until his next bad game of course.

And for the record, yes, people were saying trade Volchenkov.

He was AWFUL last game and aftr last year it was a cuase for concern. People should be pissed with that performance last game.

Well people can be pissed, or they can relax a little and realize that it was one game (the opener, no less). Volchenkov (obviously) isn't immune to bad games, just like anyone else. I agree with what you say about the first part of the schedule being critical, but to expect 82 solid efforts from any one player, even Alfie, is somewhat unrealistic.

Why do I get the feeling that Volchenkov is assuming the role of lightning rod criticism?