GAME DAY: Calgary Flames @ Ottawa Senators - 7:30 PM Tuesday, Feb. 9 2010

dennycrane wrote:Cheechoo is the most snakebitten player I have ever seen. He should have about 7 more, which would also reduce the ugly +/- by said 7.

With Cheechoo playing like that, this looks like a very deep team.

I've actually never seen anything like that. Perhaps it's worth the risk of keeping this slow footed dude up there on the top line. Unless he's done something really bad to the hockey gods, those are bound to go in at some point.

SpezDispenser wrote:

PKC wrote:
Who do you think has the harder two games coming up?

Buffalo: Carolina, San Jose
Ottawa: Washington, Detroit

I don't know man, Carolina's playing some pretty good hockey right now.

I know. That's why I'm asking people who they think has the tougher two games coming up. I still think the Sens have the tougher two games just because Washington and Detroit are going to be really tough teams and Carolina - although playing well recently - is still a last place team.

PKC wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

PKC wrote:
Who do you think has the harder two games coming up?

Buffalo: Carolina, San Jose
Ottawa: Washington, Detroit

I don't know man, Carolina's playing some pretty good hockey right now.

I know. That's why I'm asking people who they think has the tougher two games coming up. I still think the Sens have the tougher two games just because Washington and Detroit are going to be really tough teams and Carolina - although playing well recently - is still a last place team.

The team that plays the New Red Army and the Old Red Army teams IMO.

SpezDispenser wrote:

PKC wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

PKC wrote:
Who do you think has the harder two games coming up?

Buffalo: Carolina, San Jose
Ottawa: Washington, Detroit

I don't know man, Carolina's playing some pretty good hockey right now.

I know. That's why I'm asking people who they think has the tougher two games coming up. I still think the Sens have the tougher two games just because Washington and Detroit are going to be really tough teams and Carolina - although playing well recently - is still a last place team.

The team that plays the New Red Army and the Old Red Army teams IMO.

If we can go into the break on a winning note against those teams, I don't have any doubt that we can challenge Buffalo for the division.

Can't wait for Washington.

marakh wrote:Can't wait for Washington.

I'm really nervous. Those guys are running over everyone in the East.

PKC wrote:

marakh wrote:Can't wait for Washington.

I'm really nervous. Those guys are running over everyone in the East.

Meh. The good news is that there's no shame to losing to that team right now.

We played a strong game tonight, from about 8 minutes into the second right till the final buzzer. Messy, sloppy first half. Loved that in-game adjustment from Clouston, and for more than just the obvious reason that Kelly-Fisher-Alfie really slowed down that Ignila line. This team plays great when you spread out the scoring and give other guys chances to produce. Three key pairs -- Spezza/Michalek, Fisher/Alfie, and Regin/Kovalev -- make it work, and make us a hard team to check against. We've seen this before, during the streak, and we've see it work. I hope it sticks this time. That's a mean-Donkey line with Ruutu-Winchester-Neil.

Great game by Spezza, too. Hard on the puck, very few turnovers or soft plays. Man, I hope he can keep this up. I (want to) believe.

rooneypoo wrote:

PKC wrote:

marakh wrote:Can't wait for Washington.

I'm really nervous. Those guys are running over everyone in the East.

Meh. The good news is that there's no shame to losing to that team right now.

We played a strong game tonight, from about 8 minutes into the second right till the final buzzer. Messy, sloppy first half. Loved that in-game adjustment from Clouston, and for more than just the obvious reason that Kelly-Fisher-Alfie really slowed down that Ignila line. This team plays great when you spread out the scoring and give other guys chances to produce. Three key pairs -- Spezza/Michalek, Fisher/Alfie, and Regin/Kovalev -- make it work, and make us a hard team to check against. We've seen this before, during the streak, and we've see it work. I hope it sticks this time. That's a mean-Donkey line with Ruutu-Winchester-Neil.

Great game by Spezza, too. Hard on the puck, very few turnovers or soft plays. Man, I hope he can keep this up. I (want to) believe.

You're right, and at the same time, we were pretty hot too - and far superior defensively during our recent stretch (omit Saturday vs the Leafs from that statement). I'm completely on board with the Kool-Aid that Clouston is selling, he's got this team humming his tune and believing in their abilities.

As for Spezza, the guy is on fire. Pretty simple.

PKC wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:

PKC wrote:

marakh wrote:Can't wait for Washington.

I'm really nervous. Those guys are running over everyone in the East.

Meh. The good news is that there's no shame to losing to that team right now.

We played a strong game tonight, from about 8 minutes into the second right till the final buzzer. Messy, sloppy first half. Loved that in-game adjustment from Clouston, and for more than just the obvious reason that Kelly-Fisher-Alfie really slowed down that Ignila line. This team plays great when you spread out the scoring and give other guys chances to produce. Three key pairs -- Spezza/Michalek, Fisher/Alfie, and Regin/Kovalev -- make it work, and make us a hard team to check against. We've seen this before, during the streak, and we've see it work. I hope it sticks this time. That's a mean-Donkey line with Ruutu-Winchester-Neil.

Great game by Spezza, too. Hard on the puck, very few turnovers or soft plays. Man, I hope he can keep this up. I (want to) believe.

You're right, and at the same time, we were pretty hot too - and far superior defensively during our recent stretch (omit Saturday vs the Leafs from that statement). I'm completely on board with the Kool-Aid that Clouston is selling, he's got this team humming his tune and believing in their abilities.

As for Spezza, the guy is on fire. Pretty simple.

Yeah, loved the way we played that game, defensively, after about the midway point. Some disconcerting plays in the first half. It's not something we could have said 2 months ago, but we miss Karlsson huge. He's not producing at a remarkable clip for us, granted, but he does a lot of little stuff very well.

here we goooooo, here comes the new streak

rooneypoo wrote:
Meh. The good news is that there's no shame to losing to that team right now.

We played a strong game tonight, from about 8 minutes into the second right till the final buzzer. Messy, sloppy first half. Loved that in-game adjustment from Clouston, and for more than just the obvious reason that Kelly-Fisher-Alfie really slowed down that Ignila line. This team plays great when you spread out the scoring and give other guys chances to produce. Three key pairs -- Spezza/Michalek, Fisher/Alfie, and Regin/Kovalev -- make it work, and make us a hard team to check against. We've seen this before, during the streak, and we've see it work. I hope it sticks this time. That's a mean-Donkey line with Ruutu-Winchester-Neil.

Great game by Spezza, too. Hard on the puck, very few turnovers or soft plays. Man, I hope he can keep this up. I (want to) believe.

Not enough people are commenting on the in-game coaching that Clouston did. He outcoached an excellent coach tonight and got the matches he wanted. That line is VERY effective in checking. It kind of wastes Alfie a little offensively, but we all just want to win.

It was Florida and the Rangers I heard.

Big names involved. Horton, Weiss, Leopold, Dubinsky, Callahan, Gilroy, Sanguetti (sp)?

I think someone mentioned that EK had broke that rumour and that it had legs, but who really knows?

Clouston won the game for The Sens tonight. Spezza's worst period of hockey in about 2 months was that first period and Cheechoo was flying and getting chances, 20 mins later, game winner.

Kelly was solid again along with Kovy.

Elliott, well that guy is The Sens number 1 and will be for a very long time.

Good overall win for sure. Clouston coached a heck of a game.

N4L wrote:Clouston won the game for The Sens tonight. Spezza's worst period of hockey in about 2 months was that first period and Cheechoo was flying and getting chances, 20 mins later, game winner.

Kelly was solid again along with Kovy.

Elliott, well that guy is The Sens number 1 and will be for a very long time.

To be fair, it was an awful period of hockey from our whole team, especially our D. Both teams, actually. Hard to single out Spezza on that one.

That first goal was def on him, Alfi had his man on the zone, D were in good position, Hagman was Spezza's guy on the back check and he was left screaming down the middle, I was at the game and was furious because it was just a lack of effort. A lot of blind passes that were made in some nasty area's of the ice. It wasnt pretty for a lot of reasons. To his credit he turned it around in the 2nd and 3rd when Cheechoo got thrown on his line.

I really do think Clouston won that game for The Sens because of how he got Spezza's game turned around a bit there. (along with Elliott)

N4L wrote:That first goal was def on him, Alfi had his man on the zone, D were in good position, Hagman was Spezza's guy on the back check and he was left screaming down the middle, I was at the game and was furious because it was just a lack of effort. A lot of blind passes that were made in some nasty area's of the ice. It wasnt pretty for a lot of reasons. To his credit he turned it around in the 2nd and 3rd when Cheechoo got thrown on his line.

I really do think Clouston won that game for The Sens because of how he got Spezza's game turned around a bit there. (along with Elliott)

Fair enough, but really our whole D played a god-awful period there. And Spezza certainly did get his head on straight thereafter. That was a really strong second period from him (which, again, I would be saying even if it wasn't him who buried the empty-netter on that play).

There was another play where Spezza glided around the net and just layed his stick on the guy during a forcheck that was pathetic at best... after that you didnt see him gliding the rest of the game. Clouston def bit into him after that 1st because he was the worst player out there for The Sens. But again, to his credit he came back and played solid and scored the winner for his efforts.

Cant get over the play Kovy made on Iginla right at the end there, Kovy is awesome to watch and glad he is here another year at least. He's easily worth that 5 mil.