GAME DAY: Nashville Predators @ Ottawa Senators - 7:30pm ET - Thu. Oct. 22nd, 2009

N4L wrote:Umm, what did Shannon do? He has looked awful EVERY game this year. Starting to worry a bit about Clouston starting to play favorites... Shannon is getting way too many chances right now. If he is on the point on that 1st PP unit Sat night instead of Karlsson, I actually might lose it. IT DOESNT WORK. Shannon is no threat from back there and does a crappy job running that PP.

Shannon's speed mixed with Michalek's speed and Spezza's play is an interesting mix. As for Shannon on the point on the PP, I was stunned it wasn't Karlsson, I mean, why else do we have this guy? He's the guy who should be QBing. Really messed up decision by Clouston.

Vandelay wrote:

N4L wrote:What was the score last time they played us at home... They wont get 5 goals from their D every night so that was a rarity we saw. Weber is the man though, best Canadian D man on the planet.

Yeah, Suter's no slouch either!

But Suter's American.

The dive to try to clear the puck was late in the third on a 5 on 3. Sidstu was talking about the OT.

I don't really recall what happened, but I hate penalties in OT because they are already playing 4 on 4. Also the Sens started short handed in OT already. Any decent human being reffing the game would not make that call.

There is talk about shortening the penalty minutes in OT. I'm not sure about that, but I do know that a 4 on 3 is easier to score than a 5 on 4. So as much as I often say a penalty should be a penalty regardless of the time clock, I really hate them in OT.

SensGirl11 wrote:

sidstu wrote:i have to say that i'm impressed so far on how the sens are playing--opposing teams need to work in order to win and also most admit that they are playing better than i thought they could

however, i'd bench fisher for a period next game--i really like fisher but he played greedy and it costed the sens the overtime--he is at the opposing blue line--they are short hand and instead of him just dimbing it in the corner he tries to burn the defenceman --what happens--he loses the puck they come down and bang the game is over--thats selfish hockey and fisher knows better

It was a 4 on 3 at that time he dove to try to get the puck out and it unfortunately hit the defenseman. I wouldn't say he was being greedy there at all, he was trying to save the team from being scored on. He did the best he could to get the puck out, it was an unfortunate bounce. Fisher has been amazing this season, there is no chance in hell he'd get benched.

SpezDispenser wrote:

N4L wrote:Umm, what did Shannon do? He has looked awful EVERY game this year. Starting to worry a bit about Clouston starting to play favorites... Shannon is getting way too many chances right now. If he is on the point on that 1st PP unit Sat night instead of Karlsson, I actually might lose it. IT DOESNT WORK. Shannon is no threat from back there and does a crappy job running that PP.

Shannon's speed mixed with Michalek's speed and Spezza's play is an interesting mix. As for Shannon on the point on the PP, I was stunned it wasn't Karlsson, I mean, why else do we have this guy? He's the guy who should be QBing. Really messed up decision by Clouston.

I've been saying all Summer that I loved Shannon on the point. Last year. He really hasn't done much this year, though. With Karlsson and Campoli in the lineup we really don't need a forward manning the point. I'd seriously put Alfie there on the 2nd unit ahead of Shannon. And you all know how I feel about Alfie on the point. So, yeah, things are not at all the same for him this year. Maybe it's the concussions.

Point to all this is Shannon is a bad mix on The Sens. They have too much depth up front for Shannon to be a useful cog unless injuries occure.

Cheechoo should be on that top line, that's when they have been the most effective. Donovan should be on that 4th line because all they have done has click, produce, and make the other teams life a living hell. Karlsson should be QBing the PP, it's pretty obvious why and it's been obvious for a little while now. Regin should be that 3rd line center and the results there are obvious as well.

Shannon should be a healthy scratch, 100%. When Winchester comes back, who gets taken out? Kelly? Ruutu, the answer should be neither... but we'll see.

Clouston has better get this in check because his personal feelings on Shannon hurt the team last night. He brought nothing where Donovan and that 4th line could have.

Maybe last night will have finally convinced Clouston that he made a mistake. While I still don't think Donovan can play at that level for a full schedule, there is no way he should have been taken out *yet*. Give him 7-10 games then let him sit one or two and put in Winch to give him some ice time. Meanwhile keep working the phones to move some of our 1-way contracts for picks.

You dont need to move anyone especially with guys on the LTR. If last night didnt convince Clouston that Shannon is the guy to come out, nothing will.

N4L wrote:You dont need to move anyone especially with guys on the LTR. If last night didnt convince Clouston that Shannon is the guy to come out, nothing will.

No, you're right, no need to move anyone, but it won't hurt to keep working the phones. You never know, the Burke-Flu may be spreading.

The whole thing with Shannon is that he's got speed, great puck smarts and can finish. He proved all of this last year where he, Fisher and Foligno made up a great line. So why not make a concrete line of Foligno - Regin - Shannon? How great would that line be?

The issue now is that Cheechoo is struggling on the top line. Do you go back to him? Probably, yeah, I thought he looked good before last night's game. So Neil's on line 4 and Donovan's still sitting.

It's a tough decision on how to make the most effective lineup, but that's how I'd do it. Donovan knows the score, he knows there's be injuries and that he'll be counted on throughout this schedule. It's not a punishment.

Ill take Neil 100% of the time over Shannon. He's getting more chances, making it tough for the other team in their own zone, so on and on.

Shannon isnt a top 9 forward in Ottawa.

There is no one up front I would take out of that lineup to make room for Shannon, not one. He has easily been the season's biggest dissapointment so far for Ottawa, even Campoli has stepped it up a bit.

The team suffered without Donovan. Doesnt matter how professional he is, The Sens are a better team with Donovan playing and it would matter 0% if Shannon was out. You take Shannon out of that lineup what are you giving up? Energy? Nope. Scoring? Nope. Toughness? Nope. Leadership? Nope. Expierence? Nope.

Shannon is a player who can add depth to a team lacking some scoring forwards, that's about it. He brings no intangibles and the couch right now refuses to let him sit. Pretty upsetting really when it's clear Shannon has been the worst forward on The Sens.

Basically what they are doing is scrambling to find a spot to put Shannon in after Regin stole his job. It's not working, he got out worked on a one way contract by a kid who is on his 2 way entry level.

Good to have around at 600K if someone in that top 9 gets injured, but otherwise, he's pretty useless. Im sure Cheechoo will get the bump though if it comes to that.

Also, are the people at HF really as stupid as they sound? That is easily the dumbest group of Sens fans I have ever seen for the most part.

Why are they always talking about brining up Lee? The guy has 4 points in 7 games... Cant hold his +/- against him because apparently the goaltending has been awful.

N4L wrote:Also, are the people at HF really as stupid as they sound? That is easily the dumbest group of Sens fans I have ever seen for the most part.

Why are they always talking about brining up Lee?

Picard has one bad night and they go insane.

Ya, pretty sad really. Worst game from a defenseman I have ever seen in Ottawa's history last night, but still, it was one game.

N4L wrote:Ya, pretty sad really. Worst game from a defenseman I have ever seen in Ottawa's history last night, but still, it was one game.

Clouston defended him in the scrum today after practice saying his stick should have been in the lane on that first goal but it was just a crazy bad bounce. But yeah, one game only. Settle down everyone.

I appriciate this site so much more reading that crap. Really, people have about zero objecivity and just make Dung up... Lee is a better outlet passer then Karlsson? He moves the puck more efficiently?

Really hope one of those kids gets hit a puck right in the chops.

N4L wrote:I appriciate this site so much more reading that crap. Really, people have about zero objecivity and just make Dung up... Lee is a better outlet passer then Karlsson? He moves the puck more efficiently?

Really hope one of those kids gets hit a puck right in the chops.

Well at least the Cole talk had died down, hasn't it?



We've got two right-hand-shots now with Karlsson and Carkner, right? And you're not going to sit A-Train and Volchenkov. Other than that (right-hand shot) Lee doesn't bring much to bump anyone else off.

Although if Campoli -- his decent game last night notwithstanding -- continues to struggle, and Kuba is nowhere to be seen, I wouldn't mind seeing Lee here over him.

We keep talking about internal competition, but the truth is that with Kuba doing his best Hasek imitation (yeah, I went there) there is no-one pushing Campoli or Picard. Ideally we'd have two guys being healthy scratches each game -- one forward and one defenseman. But that's not the case now.