GAME DAY: Montreal Canadiens @ Ottawa Senators - 7:30pm ET - Tue. Dec. 8th, 2009 PLUS post game thoughts

So a lot of people are saying that coming off of road trips like ours usually results in a loss on the first game back. Is that the case with us?

What happened to the tough team we were to start the season? We battled all the time no matter what, then this happens...is it the loss of Neil? Did it mess us up that much?

SeawaySensFan wrote:Apparently his preferred position is right wing so, I'm not sure where he would fit since there only seems to be room on the left and he's damn good as a center. Still above 65 percent in the faceoff circle.

Stick him with Spezza. I'm 100% convinced that hard work and determination and net crashing would go a long way to shaking the cobwebs out of Spezza's game. I'm trying to refuse to believe that he won't rebound, maybe he can. But it's gonna take more than Kovalev and Foligno to do it.

SpezDispenser wrote:

SensGirl11 wrote:He isn't our number 1 anymore, it's Fish now. He's our 3rd now? behind Winchester maybe? That's the way it shoudl be. He should also warm up the seat in the pressbox for a few games. It worked wonders for Campoli.

Winchester actually works hard, put him with Spezza or Kovalev and try to get something out of them.


Michalek - Fisher - Alfredsson
Foligno - Kelly - Spezza (because, really, it couldn't get any worse)
Ruutu - Winchester - Kovalev (because, really, it couldn't get any worse)
Cheechoo - Regin - Shannon

I dont mind those lines at all. I would still put Winnie as 2nd line center with Spezza on his wing. Put Kelly with Kovalev.

I love Ruutu and Cheechoo together, not sure if I would take them away from each other.

SensGirl11 wrote:So a lot of people are saying that coming off of road trips like ours usually results in a loss on the first game back. Is that the case with us?

What happened to the tough team we were to start the season? We battled all the time no matter what, then this happens...is it the loss of Neil? Did it mess us up that much?

It happened exactly like most people said. I refused to believe that though, I thought they'd be so happy to get back from California that they'd nail the Habs to the ice, but the Habs survived the first two periods, then crushed our hopes by killing off the 3rd period penalties as well.

As I said earlier, one of the most disappointing and maddening games all year.

We can juggle the lines all we want, I'm not sure if it's going to happen but here's what I would do.

Michalek-Fisher-Alfie
Foligno(not sure if he deserves to be here either)-Winchester-Spezza
Kovalev-Kelly-Shannon (maybe it's time to put Kovalev on his wrong wing, it can't be any worse than it is now...)
Ruutu-Regin-Cheechoo

Then when Neil gets back you can put him in Foligno's spot.

We killed off our own penalties by sucking balls.

SpezDispenser wrote:

SensGirl11 wrote:So a lot of people are saying that coming off of road trips like ours usually results in a loss on the first game back. Is that the case with us?

What happened to the tough team we were to start the season? We battled all the time no matter what, then this happens...is it the loss of Neil? Did it mess us up that much?

It happened exactly like most people said. I refused to believe that though, I thought they'd be so happy to get back from California that they'd nail the Habs to the ice, but the Habs survived the first two periods, then crushed our hopes by killing off the 3rd period penalties as well.

As I said earlier, one of the most disappointing and maddening games all year.

Seriously, I was predicting the score to be reversed yesterday Sens 4- Habs 1 or 2.

I thought they'd be much better being at home too, it was such a brutal trip that I thought they'd welcome SBP with open arms. They threw everything they had at the net and only came otu with 1 goal...just brutal.

SeawaySensFan wrote:We killed off our own penalties by sucking balls.

+1

It was tough to watch.

SpezDispenser wrote:On a happier note, Michalek, Fisher and Alfie were amazing last night. As was Winchester, Shannon and Regin. And Campoli and Karlsson.

Those are bright, bright spots for us.

No kidding. Was that really a 19 year old defenceman in his 15th career game that we were watching?

asq2 wrote:
No kidding. Was that really a 19 year old defenceman in his 15th career game that we were watching?

Didn't look like it. And then someone posts that we need a PP QB on HF Boards. Okay...really? Perhaps we do, but Karlsson showing that with each passing game he can absorb more and more of the responsibility back there. Not to mention - as most of us thought - he and Kuba are fantastic together - at least on the PPs.

Now Diddle...we need to score on the diddling PPs.

asq2 wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:On a happier note, Michalek, Fisher and Alfie were amazing last night. As was Winchester, Shannon and Regin. And Campoli and Karlsson.

Those are bright, bright spots for us.

No kidding. Was that really a 19 year old defenceman in his 15th career game that we were watching?

What impressed me the most about Karlsson last night was that when he'd cough the puck up, more often than not, he'd recover and even steal the puck back.

The most impressive thing about Karlsson is he never makes the same mistake twice. Once this kid gains some major league confidence and major league wieght, he's going to be a stud.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:
What impressed me the most about Karlsson last night was that when he'd cough the puck up, more often than not, he'd recover and even steal the puck back.

Yeah, I noticed that twice I think. There was one particular decision where I remember saying to Mel that he'd probably never do that again. Like it's registered in the memory bank that that play won't work, can't recall what it was though.

Also, I feel Regin learned an NHL lesson last night - BIG time.

SpezDispenser wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:
What impressed me the most about Karlsson last night was that when he'd cough the puck up, more often than not, he'd recover and even steal the puck back.

Yeah, I noticed that twice I think. There was one particular decision where I remember saying to Mel that he'd probably never do that again. Like it's registered in the memory bank that that play won't work, can't recall what it was though.

Also, I feel Regin learned an NHL lesson last night - BIG time.

I think all he needs to do is watch the video on his play shooting the puck into Halak's glove along the ice and then compare it to Fisher's goal.

N4L wrote:The most impressive thing about Karlsson is he never makes the same mistake twice. Once this kid gains some major league confidence and major league wieght, he's going to be a stud.

I hope you're right because he just about covered all the different ways to cough up the puck last game. Thankfully none of them cost us and he was able to recover as I said earlier.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:
I think all he needs to do is watch the video on his play shooting the puck into Halak's glove along the ice and then compare it to Fisher's goal.

Pretty much, yeah.

What sucks about Neil coming back is that it's gonna be someone who probably doesn't deserve to be scratched that'll go. That's starting to dawn on me now. One of Cheechoo, Regin, Winchester, Kelly, Ruutu, Shannon, Foligno will be sat. Unless of course Clouston sits Kovalev down on his arse so he sees the light.