GAME DAY: Washington Capitals @ Ottawa Senators - 7:00PM EST. Thur. Feb 11, 2010

marakh wrote:Man, a MTL player enters the Caps zone, and the crowd goes on screaming. I would love to have a crowd like that at SBP.
As I type this, the streak ends at 14...

I certainly would love a more lively crowd but cheering because your player has the puck and he's headed away from your own net just seems g@y to me.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:I've got a good feeling about tonight. The Caps are playing free wheeling hockey and the Sens are playing tight D (For the last 12 games overall). Combine that with the Sabres (2-6-2 in their last ten) facing the suddenly hot Canes (7-3-0 in their last ten) on a 3 game winning streak and it's a recipe for the Sens being in first in the division by the end of the night.

It's going to be a short night if we play a first period anything like we did against TOR or CGY. We can't afford to spot WAS 5-6 big, juicy turnovers that lead to prime offensive chances, because they will bury most of them.

Sens have to come out ready tonight, right from puck drop -- play smart, play hard, play disciplined. I wish we had Karlsson back for this one.

rooneypoo wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:I've got a good feeling about tonight. The Caps are playing free wheeling hockey and the Sens are playing tight D (For the last 12 games overall). Combine that with the Sabres (2-6-2 in their last ten) facing the suddenly hot Canes (7-3-0 in their last ten) on a 3 game winning streak and it's a recipe for the Sens being in first in the division by the end of the night.

It's going to be a short night if we play a first period anything like we did against TOR or CGY. We can't afford to spot WAS 5-6 big, juicy turnovers that lead to prime offensive chances, because they will bury most of them.

Sens have to come out ready tonight, right from puck drop -- play smart, play hard, play disciplined. I wish we had Karlsson back for this one.

I totally agree with all of that. I'm hedging my bet on the other 32 periods of excellent Defensive play to shine through on this one personally. I'm more of a glass 89% full kinda guy.

if anything lately dictates the Sens play is that we raise our game to the level of the better teams, the Caps are the best team in the league, so let's hope that trend continues and we knock off another division leader like we did to Jersey, Chicago, and Vancouver, en route to being a division leader ourselves.

SensFan71 wrote:if anything lately dictates the Sens play is that we raise our game to the level of the better teams, the Caps are the best team in the league, so let's hope that trend continues and we knock off another division leader like we did to Jersey, Chicago, and Vancouver, en route to being a division leader ourselves.

It definitely seems to be a huge motivating factor for the Sens when they face the top teams lately anyway. The Chicago game and the Vancouver game showed me just what this team is capable of but lets also not forget we had a red hot Foligno and an emerging Karlsson during those games so it will be much tougher against a much tougher opponent but I'm with ya still.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

marakh wrote:Man, a MTL player enters the Caps zone, and the crowd goes on screaming. I would love to have a crowd like that at SBP.
As I type this, the streak ends at 14...

I certainly would love a more lively crowd but cheering because your player has the puck and he's headed away from your own net just seems g@y to me.

it may be happy but I'm pretty sure the players are getting pumped by that kind of things. Kovalev surely is.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SensFan71 wrote:if anything lately dictates the Sens play is that we raise our game to the level of the better teams, the Caps are the best team in the league, so let's hope that trend continues and we knock off another division leader like we did to Jersey, Chicago, and Vancouver, en route to being a division leader ourselves.

It definitely seems to be a huge motivating factor for the Sens when they face the top teams lately anyway. The Chicago game and the Vancouver game showed me just what this team is capable of but lets also not forget we had a red hot Foligno and an emerging Karlsson during those games so it will be much tougher against a much tougher opponent but I'm with ya still.

Habs just beat the Caps with 5 D and 6 AHL-ers, so no Karlsson or no Foligno should be no prob.

shouldn't be no prob? Is that a Freudian slip?

After watching the Habs game last night I feel pretty good about the game tonight as Washington was having problems when the Habs were forechecking and we all know the Sens are doing a great job of that recently. Let's just make sure we have the right defensive pairing out there when Ovie steps on the ice.

Hobiesens wrote:After watching the Habs game last night I feel pretty good about the game tonight as Washington was having problems when the Habs were forechecking and we all know the Sens are doing a great job of that recently. Let's just make sure we have the right defensive pairing out there when Ovie steps on the ice.

Carkner and his D partner are going to have a long night too, Washington has so many weapons, you can't just shut down the Ovie line, you need to shut down their # 2 line as well.

SensFan71 wrote:

Hobiesens wrote:After watching the Habs game last night I feel pretty good about the game tonight as Washington was having problems when the Habs were forechecking and we all know the Sens are doing a great job of that recently. Let's just make sure we have the right defensive pairing out there when Ovie steps on the ice.

Carkner and his D partner are going to have a long night too, Washington has so many weapons, you can't just shut down the Ovie line, you need to shut down their # 2 line as well.

And #3 and #4.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SensFan71 wrote:

Hobiesens wrote:After watching the Habs game last night I feel pretty good about the game tonight as Washington was having problems when the Habs were forechecking and we all know the Sens are doing a great job of that recently. Let's just make sure we have the right defensive pairing out there when Ovie steps on the ice.

Carkner and his D partner are going to have a long night too, Washington has so many weapons, you can't just shut down the Ovie line, you need to shut down their # 2 line as well.

And #3 and #4.

and that Mike Green guy, I hear he can score, anyone that can substantiate that?

Slightly off-topic:

Bruce Garrioch wrote in today's Sun that Gordie Howe would be attending the game and taking pictures & signing autographs for minor hockey players. Can anyone confirm this personally or through a better source than Brucie? I'd love for my nine-year-old son to meet Mr. Hockey; that alone would be worth the drive from Cornwall.

Thanks.

It's going to come down to how sharp Elliott will be and if he can keep his cool with #8 bearing down on him.

With Picard in the lineup they're going to get turnovers for sure.

marakh wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SensFan71 wrote:if anything lately dictates the Sens play is that we raise our game to the level of the better teams, the Caps are the best team in the league, so let's hope that trend continues and we knock off another division leader like we did to Jersey, Chicago, and Vancouver, en route to being a division leader ourselves.

It definitely seems to be a huge motivating factor for the Sens when they face the top teams lately anyway. The Chicago game and the Vancouver game showed me just what this team is capable of but lets also not forget we had a red hot Foligno and an emerging Karlsson during those games so it will be much tougher against a much tougher opponent but I'm with ya still.

Habs just beat the Caps with 5 D and 6 AHL-ers, so no Karlsson or no Foligno should be no prob.

One pretty critical difference between the Montreal team last night and the Ottawa team that will play tonight is Markov, though. The Habs were able to keep it in Washington's zone in large part because they were able to transition the puck effectively.

If we can do the same, we'll be fine, because our forward lines are pretty significantly better. But that's going to depend on how well guys like Picard and Campoli play.

Spirou wrote:Slightly off-topic:

Bruce Garrioch wrote in today's Sun that Gordie Howe would be attending the game and taking pictures & signing autographs for minor hockey players. Can anyone confirm this personally or through a better source than Brucie? I'd love for my nine-year-old son to meet Mr. Hockey; that alone would be worth the drive from Cornwall.

Thanks.

.

It might be best to contact Gordie himself...

http://www.mrandmrshockey.com/Contactus.php

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SensFan71 wrote:

Hobiesens wrote:After watching the Habs game last night I feel pretty good about the game tonight as Washington was having problems when the Habs were forechecking and we all know the Sens are doing a great job of that recently. Let's just make sure we have the right defensive pairing out there when Ovie steps on the ice.

Carkner and his D partner are going to have a long night too, Washington has so many weapons, you can't just shut down the Ovie line, you need to shut down their # 2 line as well.

And #3 and #4.

You make us sound like we're chump change. Our cycling game is far superior to theirs, and with guys like Spezza, Michalek, Alfredsson, Kovalev, Fisher, etc. in the lineup, it's not like we don't have any firepower of our own.

They said on Team 1200 this morning that it's just a photo op, no autographs.