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

shabbs wrote:Lines at skate today:

Michalek-Winchester-Alfredsson
Regin-Fisher-Kovalev
Ruutu-Kelly-Cheechoo
Campoli-Hennessey-Shannon

Campoli? What? Where's Foligno?

Hmmmmm...

Dash wrote:Maybe that's his (Campoli's) problem - he's a forward that has been playing defence all his NHL career.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Predictions people. Kovalev and Foligno score tonight. In the last two games I've gone 3 for 4 on the goal scorers so...

Gohan wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Predictions people. Kovalev and Foligno score tonight. In the last two games I've gone 3 for 4 on the goal scorers so...

Alfie pockets 1, sets up Mich for 1. Winch in on both

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.

N4L wrote:

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.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:It was nice to hear John "The Man of the Fecal" Rodenburg crap all over Elliott this morning as he is prone to do and The Name Dropper basically say that Winchester can't cut it on that line with Michalek and The Alfie.

I want a W for Elliott and a multi-point game for Winchester, badly.

Winnie is the pooh. Too bad it's on TSN2 or I would have said Elliott should try to send one if his "bad rebounds" over to Name Dropper's shiny head.

It gets worse. The Name Dropper said that Fisher couldn't fill Spezza's skates and that Clouston would have to consider moving Kovalev to Center.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:It was nice to hear John "The Man of the Fecal" Rodenburg crap all over Elliott this morning as he is prone to do and The Name Dropper basically say that Winchester can't cut it on that line with Michalek and The Alfie.

I want a W for Elliott and a multi-point game for Winchester, badly.

Winnie is the pooh. Too bad it's on TSN2 or I would have said Elliott should try to send one if his "bad rebounds" over to Name Dropper's shiny head.

It gets worse. The Name Dropper said that Fisher couldn't fill Spezza's skates and that Clouston would have to consider moving Kovalev to Center.

strachattack wrote:Campoli-Hennessey-Shannon



That's a crazy 4th line. Will they play more than 5mins?

TeamRenzo wrote:Look at Fisher's career and look at Spezza's, until this year Fisher was an over paid 3rd line center. He has heated up but how long will this last?

If I would have told you that Fisher will be our #1 centre for a portion of the season at the start, people would have penciled us into the 12th spot in the EC

What I can't understand is how everyone craps on the pros opinion but takes peoples opinion from the freaking internet at face value.

You guys may not like Pierre but man know more about the game then anyone on this site, that is a fact! Doesn't mean he isn't occasionally wrong