GAME DAY: Ottawa Senators @ Los Angeles Kings - 10:30pm ET - Thu. Dec. 3rd, 2009 PLUS post game thoughts

Flo The Action wrote:just goes to prove were a ways from being a contender.

Most of us have been saying that.

Wow...no question, Elliot has to be much better. 18 saves on 24 shots is unacceptable. These next two games are pretty much must wins if we want to stay in the race for the division lead. Put Brodeur in against the yotes and please, Leclaire...get back quickly!

That's three losses in a row... gotta get out of this.

we're at least a top four defenceman and a top-six forward away from making a little noise. haven't heard this one before...

by the way, i missed the third period. what happened? why is everyone ragging on spezza (moreso than usual)

Clouston post-game presser:

http://bit.ly/91L7hb

Vandelay wrote:Wow...no question, Elliot has to be much better. 18 saves on 24 shots is unacceptable. These next two games are pretty much must wins if we want to stay in the race for the division lead. Put Brodeur in against the yotes and please, Leclaire...get back quickly!

He does, but that 6th goal last night, well the game was over. I have trouble faulting Elliott for any of those goals last night, which one was he supposed to save of the 1st 5? Hell, he stopped a break away and could stop 2nd or 3rd chance there on the 3rd goal.

Seriously? Goal 1, no shot, goal 2, penalty shot, goal 3, did everything he could, goal 4, 4 guys in front screening, goal 5, well, that about the closest Spezza came to getting a point all night. Goal 6, sure, we'll put that one on Elliott.

Elliott is the only reason they have ONE point on this road trip, the only reason.

I have a hard time believing that Elliott should shoulder that much of the blame. I only watched the first half of the game.

The fact that some of the hardest working Senators were the only ones to produce kind of fills in the blanks for me.

Am I wrong?

Kovalfie wrote:by the way, i missed the third period. what happened? why is everyone ragging on spezza (moreso than usual)

4-3 game, Spezza picks it up behind the net and starts to wheel, forchecking coming in on him, he avoids this hit by dropping it back to Carkner who is maybe 2 feet away into his skates with the same forchecker in on him and Carkner coughed up the puck. All Spezza had to do was chip it off the boards or take a little bump to avoid that... not only did he do nothing all game, he burried any hopes of a come back.

He's honestly the most selfish player in the league in terms of what happens on the ice... always wants to be Mr. Hero... he's far from it.

SeawaySensFan wrote:I have a hard time believing that Elliott should shoulder that much of the blame. I only watched the first half of the game.

The fact that some of the hardest working Senators were the only ones to produce kind of fills in the blanks for me.

Am I wrong?

Nope, not at all. Phillips was rock solid all game along with Carkner but they didnt show up on the score sheet. Cheechoo played his best game as a Sen and his game seems to be coming together a little, Kelly was good, Ruutu was effective... Elliott played ok and was huge on the 26 min 5 on 3 The Sens had. (and 100% rightfully so, no blamming the refs here)

People who are blamming Elliott or actually throwing any of the blame really for that loss are just looking for a scape goat. Elliott has been good all year for the most part and kept The Sens in games (especially on the road) they have no business being in.

Sens wont make the playoffs at this rate, way too many holes and the guy that has to produce for The Sens to actually make some noise is utterly useless.

N4L wrote:

Vandelay wrote:Wow...no question, Elliot has to be much better. 18 saves on 24 shots is unacceptable. These next two games are pretty much must wins if we want to stay in the race for the division lead. Put Brodeur in against the yotes and please, Leclaire...get back quickly!

He does, but that 6th goal last night, well the game was over. I have trouble faulting Elliott for any of those goals last night, which one was he supposed to save of the 1st 5? Hell, he stopped a break away and could stop 2nd or 3rd chance there on the 3rd goal.

Seriously? Goal 1, no shot, goal 2, penalty shot, goal 3, did everything he could, goal 4, 4 guys in front screening, goal 5, well, that about the closest Spezza came to getting a point all night. Goal 6, sure, we'll put that one on Elliott.

Elliott is the only reason they have ONE point on this road trip, the only reason.

Hey, I'm not putting this loss solely on Elliot. I'm just saying, wins will be hard to come by if your goalie is only stopping 18 of 24. Goal 1 was a beautiful shot but Elliot didn't even react on the shot and he had a clear view...again, perfectly placed shot. Goal 4 looks questionable. You say he was screened...fair enough. Either way, that's two games in a row for me where I thought the team played alright and if not for some very untimely goals against, we might have won.

N4L wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:I have a hard time believing that Elliott should shoulder that much of the blame. I only watched the first half of the game.

The fact that some of the hardest working Senators were the only ones to produce kind of fills in the blanks for me.

Am I wrong?

Nope, not at all. Phillips was rock solid all game along with Carkner but they didnt show up on the score sheet. Cheechoo played his best game as a Sen and his game seems to be coming together a little, Kelly was good, Ruutu was effective... Elliott played ok and was huge on the 26 min 5 on 3 The Sens had. (and 100% rightfully so, no blamming the refs here)

People who are blamming Elliott or actually throwing any of the blame really for that loss are just looking for a scape goat. Elliott has been good all year for the most part and kept The Sens in games (especially on the road) they have no business being in.

Sens wont make the playoffs at this rate, way too many holes and the guy that has to produce for The Sens to actually make some noise is utterly useless.

I just don't see Spezz bouncing back at any point this year. I mean at least Cheechoo is looking a little better every game. Hell, even Kovalev has looked a lot better of late. Spezza's play has just regressed to the point where he can't even make a simple pass or a move around a defender. I remember watching him pass the puck back to Carkner in the second last night and he completely missed him, and now you're saying he did it again in the third? I'm worried about having him on this team for the next five years.

Vandelay wrote:

N4L wrote:

Vandelay wrote:Wow...no question, Elliot has to be much better. 18 saves on 24 shots is unacceptable. These next two games are pretty much must wins if we want to stay in the race for the division lead. Put Brodeur in against the yotes and please, Leclaire...get back quickly!

He does, but that 6th goal last night, well the game was over. I have trouble faulting Elliott for any of those goals last night, which one was he supposed to save of the 1st 5? Hell, he stopped a break away and could stop 2nd or 3rd chance there on the 3rd goal.

Seriously? Goal 1, no shot, goal 2, penalty shot, goal 3, did everything he could, goal 4, 4 guys in front screening, goal 5, well, that about the closest Spezza came to getting a point all night. Goal 6, sure, we'll put that one on Elliott.

Elliott is the only reason they have ONE point on this road trip, the only reason.

Hey, I'm not putting this loss solely on Elliot. I'm just saying, wins will be hard to come by if your goalie is only stopping 18 of 24. Goal 1 was a beautiful shot but Elliot didn't even react on the shot and he had a clear view...again, perfectly placed shot. Goal 4 looks questionable. You say he was screened...fair enough. Either way, that's two games in a row for me where I thought the team played alright and if not for some very untimely goals against, we might have won.

If Spezza or Alfi do anything last night, that is a tie game, maybe a win. San Jose, Elliott had a rough game IMO as well, but last night, nothing to do with Elliott. It was 4-3 until Spezza mad that enormous gaf which killed any hope. That was a 4-3 game, not a 6-3 game on the score sheet.

Kovalfie wrote:

N4L wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:I have a hard time believing that Elliott should shoulder that much of the blame. I only watched the first half of the game.

The fact that some of the hardest working Senators were the only ones to produce kind of fills in the blanks for me.

Am I wrong?

Nope, not at all. Phillips was rock solid all game along with Carkner but they didnt show up on the score sheet. Cheechoo played his best game as a Sen and his game seems to be coming together a little, Kelly was good, Ruutu was effective... Elliott played ok and was huge on the 26 min 5 on 3 The Sens had. (and 100% rightfully so, no blamming the refs here)

People who are blamming Elliott or actually throwing any of the blame really for that loss are just looking for a scape goat. Elliott has been good all year for the most part and kept The Sens in games (especially on the road) they have no business being in.

Sens wont make the playoffs at this rate, way too many holes and the guy that has to produce for The Sens to actually make some noise is utterly useless.

I just don't see Spezz bouncing back at any point this year. I mean at least Cheechoo is looking a little better every game. Hell, even Kovalev has looked a lot better of late. Spezza's play has just regressed to the point where he can't even make a simple pass or a move around a defender. I remember watching him pass the puck back to Carkner in the second last night and he completely missed him, and now you're saying he did it again in the third? I'm worried about having him on this team for the next five years.

What Spezza did in the 3rd period with 3 mins left is about as bad a play as you can make in that situation, at that time in the game, after a really hard working game by most. Just unbeleivable an NHL player makes that play, let alone a 7 year vet.

Also, dont look now but but The LEafs are only 7 points back... If The Sens drop these next two they are in A LOT of trouble. I would bet anyone that The Anahiem game will be the biggest blowout of the trip with a less then 24 hours turn around coming into a place where The Sens struggle.

I think both alfie and spezza are injured. I wasn't impressed with alfie's game either. I don't know what it is but it seemed there were more than a few moments where I thought clouston should call a timeout and regroup his players. It doesn't always have to be used at the very end of the game (granted it was close for the most part). The positives were plenty in this game, but waaaaay too many negatives.

+ives: Cheechoo, give yourself a pat on the back. Hell of a game, best as a senator so far. I just hope to god he can continuet this way. Fisher, Karlsson, Shannon, Phillips had great games. Phillips struggled at first but really picked it up. Came back from 3-1 deficit.

-ives: Elliot shoulda stopped that penalty shot...but props to simmonds. Kovy didn't cost the team, but I don't know if he's creating proper scoring chances or not. Actually the whole team didn't get quality scoring chances at all...when we did, we buried them. Terrible game, but it is somewhat comforting to know that sens can play so bloody crappy and still be in the game for the most part (am I right?)

ultra negative: SPEZZA! WTF man??? please stop with the drop passes, ur starting to cost the team dearly. I'm okay with mistakes if you can more than balance it with production at the other end, but there's nothing happening with spezza. Zilch. Nada. I think clouston needs to sit him out fo sho.

Finally, that Michalek-Spezza-Alfie line ain't working, and it hasn't for a while. Shuffle it up!

Michallica wrote:I think both alfie and spezza are injured. I wasn't impressed with alfie's game either. I don't know what it is but it seemed there were more than a few moments where I thought clouston should call a timeout and regroup his players. It doesn't always have to be used at the very end of the game (granted it was close for the most part). The positives were plenty in this game, but waaaaay too many negatives.

+ives: Cheechoo, give yourself a pat on the back. Hell of a game, best as a senator so far. I just hope to god he can continuet this way. Fisher, Karlsson, Shannon, Phillips had great games. Phillips struggled at first but really picked it up. Came back from 3-1 deficit.

-ives: Elliot shoulda stopped that penalty shot...but props to simmonds. Kovy didn't cost the team, but I don't know if he's creating proper scoring chances or not. Actually the whole team didn't get quality scoring chances at all...when we did, we buried them. Terrible game, but it is somewhat comforting to know that sens can play so bloody crappy and still be in the game for the most part (am I right?)

ultra negative: SPEZZA! WTF man??? please stop with the drop passes, ur starting to cost the team dearly. I'm okay with mistakes if you can more than balance it with production at the other end, but there's nothing happening with spezza. Zilch. Nada. I think clouston needs to sit him out fo sho.

Finally, that Michalek-Spezza-Alfie line ain't working, and it hasn't for a while. Shuffle it up!

Maybe he will get in in the next 7 years, hasnt figured it out in the first 7.

Michallica wrote:I think both alfie and spezza are injured.

I would not be surprised...