GAME DAY: Buffalo Sabres @ Ottawa Senators - 7:30pm ET - Wed. Dec. 16th, 2009 - Sens win 2-0!

N4L wrote:Should be a solid game. 1 thing is for sure, there will be complete effort in every zone from every center man on that team with turn overs at a minimum. Really excitted to see this team without Spezza.

We'll see. Was Kelly giving complete effort in every zone last game? Or is it just that he sucks? This team will not be better with Hennessy replacing Spezza. They have a chance if some of the others start playing like they should: Kovalev, Cheechoo, Kelly, Regin (what's going on with him?) even Alfie.

Maybe this injury is the best thing that could happen to Spezza -- give him a chance to rest whatever is ailing him and refocus -- but it's not going to help the Sens in the short term.

Like I said, I fail to see how this team changes at all in terms of their PP (awful) PK (non factor) the system Clouston plays, their goaltending or team defense. The only thing that might change is team defense and that will be an improvement.

Spezza being out of the lineup doesnt hurt The Sens much, if at all.

If someone wants to tell me how the dynamic of this team changes, please, enlighten me.

Just watch Michalek and Alfresson get 3 points each.

N4L wrote:Like I said, I fail to see how this team changes at all in terms of their PP (awful) PK (non factor) the system Clouston plays, their goaltending or team defense. The only thing that might change is team defense and that will be an improvement.

Spezza being out of the lineup doesnt hurt The Sens much, if at all.

If someone wants to tell me how the dynamic of this team changes, please, enlighten me.

Our post game interviews have less goofy giggles.

There you have it.

Gohan wrote:Good because I expect better from you

Updated. Heh heh.

N4L wrote:Like I said, I fail to see how this team changes at all in terms of their PP (awful) PK (non factor) the system Clouston plays, their goaltending or team defense. The only thing that might change is team defense and that will be an improvement.

Spezza being out of the lineup doesnt hurt The Sens much, if at all.

If someone wants to tell me how the dynamic of this team changes, please, enlighten me.

Someone already tried to enlighten you but you chose to remain ignorant. I forget who posted this, but with Spezza out of the lineup it *will be* more difficult on Fisher's line since the opposition's #1 defensive pairing and best checkers will most definitely be zeroing in on him. Say what you will about Spezza's poor play, but he is a better faceoff guy against the other team's best. He also carries the puck a lot, so someone will have to do that as well. I'm not saying they will be better or worse, but you asked how the dynamic will change. It will, and saying that it won't is just silly, and you *know* it. It's a bit of a domino effect (no, not the swirling type) and a lot of people are going to be asked to do stuff they didn't have to do before (or do more of it). If they all step up, the Sens could get much better. If not, they could get *a little* worse.

Clouston mentioned in an interview with team 1200 that Brodeur will play in the next few games. that means:
a) Leclaire's injury isn't healing up as quickly and he's slated to be out a bit longer
b) Elliot is getting tired and sloppy....like Avery's ex-gfs
c) Clouston is Diddling with our minds and deviously wants us to envision a brodeur vs brodeur matchup this Friday

wprager wrote:

N4L wrote:Like I said, I fail to see how this team changes at all in terms of their PP (awful) PK (non factor) the system Clouston plays, their goaltending or team defense. The only thing that might change is team defense and that will be an improvement.

Spezza being out of the lineup doesnt hurt The Sens much, if at all.

If someone wants to tell me how the dynamic of this team changes, please, enlighten me.

Someone already tried to enlighten you but you chose to remain ignorant. I forget who posted this, but with Spezza out of the lineup it *will be* more difficult on Fisher's line since the opposition's #1 defensive pairing and best checkers will most definitely be zeroing in on him. Say what you will about Spezza's poor play, but he is a better faceoff guy against the other team's best. He also carries the puck a lot, so someone will have to do that as well. I'm not saying they will be better or worse, but you asked how the dynamic will change. It will, and saying that it won't is just silly, and you *know* it. It's a bit of a domino effect (no, not the swirling type) and a lot of people are going to be asked to do stuff they didn't have to do before (or do more of it). If they all step up, the Sens could get much better. If not, they could get *a little* worse.

No they wont, Alfi and Michalek are a lot more dangerous as a pair then Fisher/Kovalev. The best player gets checked and that's Alfi. Teams dont check Spezza, hate to tell people that, the focus on Alfi in a big way. You can pretty much ask anyone, you shut down Alfi, you shut down The Sens, teams know this and with or without Spezza, that's where teams number 1 pairing and top checkers will be.

What's with you and faceoffs? I agree its important but if you turn the puck over as much as Spezza does kind of cancels out in a lot of aspect. Also the times he wins the draws are not part of that %age.

Carries the puck way to much, it's actually a fault and a lot of times a liability.

Who's going to be doing more then they have been asked to? At this point the only reason The Sens have a winning record is because what the others are being asked to do is working in spite of Spezza and his dismal season. Winchester stepping up onto the top line is about as extreme as it will get and even then, you can argue he deserves that chance anyways.

Again, the top shutdown pairing will still be on Alfi and Michalek, Spezza happens to be in there with Alfi. When Spezza was taken out of the middle and put with Kovy, it was still Alfi being checked by the top D men. Seriously, who says or comes up with this stuff that teams are going to focus in on Fisher now? I love Fisher's game and think he's the teams number 1 center (he's a better player then Spezza) but Alfi is still this teams most tallented player and biggest offensive threat. Kovy and Fisher will be going as is.

That's where Spezza gets waaaaaaaaay too much credit by Sens fans and a lot of people who follow The Sens. Teams check Alfi, not Spezza. Spezza is a pretty predictable players and if the center of the ice is clogged up it's just a matter of waiting for Spezza's turn over, doenst matter who is on the ice.

You chose to have your blinders on, that's OK, it's your choice. Like it or not, whether he's played that was or not, this was our #1 center and when you lose a player like that a lot of people will be playing in different situation than they were before. 2nd becomes 1st; 3rd becomes second, and so on. Dynamics *will* change, that's a certainty. What's not certain is how all those players will adapt to the changes. It could be great, it could be not so great. The good part is that Spezza wasn't playing anywhere near "well" for him, so the downside for the team is (IMO) quite limited. But it's still there.

wprager wrote:You chose to have your blinders on, that's OK, it's your choice. Like it or not, whether he's played that was or not, this was our #1 center and when you lose a player like that a lot of people will be playing in different situation than they were before. 2nd becomes 1st; 3rd becomes second, and so on. Dynamics *will* change, that's a certainty. What's not certain is how all those players will adapt to the changes. It could be great, it could be not so great. The good part is that Spezza wasn't playing anywhere near "well" for him, so the downside for the team is (IMO) quite limited. But it's still there.

Who's going to be playing in a different situation besides Winchester? That's the only guy who moves up, that's it.

It has nothing to do with "blinders" it has to do with the fact The Sens play a system that actually makes Spezza a way less effecitve player then he would be in a lot of other places and losing him will be a minimal loss at this point.

Spezza might have been playing on the number 1 line but he isnt the number 1 center, he hasnt been since about Feb of last year.

Spezza will never be as effective as he once was and people that are expecting him to or hoping he "turns it around" are either just ignorant or nieve. A team oriented system kills Spezza in terms of his overall worth. He doesnt have the snipped on his left side anymore, Alfi is aging, and he doenst make players around him better.

The Sens without Spezza will be fine and I actually think they will be better. Spezza has 1 even strength goal this year and 2 of his 5 are with 3 players on the ice. ES play will be improved without Spezza. (Thats where about 80% of the game is played, give or take)

Michallica wrote:Clouston mentioned in an interview with team 1200 that Brodeur will play in the next few games. that means:
a) Leclaire's injury isn't healing up as quickly and he's slated to be out a bit longer
b) Elliot is getting tired and sloppy....like Avery's ex-gfs
c) Clouston is Diddling with our minds and deviously wants us to envision a brodeur vs brodeur matchup this Friday

That would be the game to play Brodeur. That or Minny - no, Minny is perfect. Low shot count, tight checking, hopefully less opportunities on net.

Brodure, IF he plays, will be against Minn. Elliott is almost dead at this point.

The only way only one person gets affected is if Hennessy comes in a replaces Spezza on the top line and the top PP unit. That's *not* going to happen but even if it did, it would affect the dynamics of that line. The only reason that Spezza's loss will (most likely) have a minor negative effect on the team's performance is because he has been playing badly.

Oh, and check the numbers. There's got to be an average of 10 minutes each team plays short-handed, that's a total of 20 out of 60. So ES accounts for about 67% of a game, not 80%. Ottawa is averaging over 14 minutes of PK time per game, so that 67% could go even lower. What was it you said you did for a living? An accountant?

wprager wrote:The only way only one person gets affected is if Hennessy comes in a replaces Spezza on the top line and the top PP unit. That's *not* going to happen but even if it did, it would affect the dynamics of that line. The only reason that Spezza's loss will (most likely) have a minor negative effect on the team's performance is because he has been playing badly.

Oh, and check the numbers. There's got to be an average of 10 minutes each team plays short-handed, that's a total of 20 out of 60. So ES accounts for about 67% of a game, not 80%. Ottawa is averaging over 14 minutes of PK time per game, so that 67% could go even lower. What was it you said you did for a living? An accountant?

Stats hound.

It's mother Diddling game day! Let's get this party started!

GO SENS GO!!!

shabbs wrote:It's mother Diddling game day! Let's get this party started!

GO SENS GO!!!

Cut and Paster.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

shabbs wrote:It's mother Diddling game day! Let's get this party started!

GO SENS GO!!!

Cut and Paster.

More like delete and re-post in correct thread.