GAME DAY: Ottawa Senators @ Dallas Stars – 2:00PM EST, Saturday, March 20, 2010

GAME DAY: Ottawa Senators @ Dallas Stars– 2:00PM EST, Saturday, March 20, 2010.



Afternoon delight?

Ottawa (37-29-5, 79 pts, 2nd in the Northeast and 6th in the Eastern Conference) visit the Stars (30-27-13, 73 pts, 12th in the Western Conference) Saturday afternoon, 2:00PM EST. The Sens are now mired in a 4 game losing streak and all signs point to them matching their season high five game slide. Michalek went down hard after tripping over Hedberg, left the game and did not return. It didn't look good for sure.

Ottawa still has only one win since the Olympic break and take their dismal road record to Dallas to face a struggling Stars team. Don't be fooled though as the Stars have a very nice 19-10-6 record on home ice. The Stars are the clear favourites if you consider the Sens record on the road, the Stars record at home and the overall play of the Sens since returning from the Olympic break. On the bright side the Sens did show some signs of life when they stormed back in the second period to tie the game at 3. It's too bad they couldn't keep it together long enough to at least grab a point. It's like they totally collapsed and forgot how to play the game.

Game Coverage
TV: SNET-E
Radio: Team 1200
Web: check ATDHE.net and Justin.tv

Latest updates:
Michalek out with an apparent leg injury (no word on severity yet) is on the ice practicing and looks fine according to Ian Mendes of Sportsnet.

Lineups

Ottawa
Dallas

Ottawa Key Injuries

Milan Michalek (leg??)

Dallas Key Injuries

None

Game Day Previews:

ESPN Preview

ESPN Stats Comparison


Media Links:

Official Sens Twitter
Elliot following the loss
Clouston after the game
SensTVOnline

GO SENS GO!!!

Added a couple of media links and side-by-side.

The Elliot post-game was a little disturbing. He talked about how they didn't do a good job breaking out, and when asked about his own game he said they did not block a lot of shots. Is he starting to lose it? I had the kids bickering in the foreground so maybe I didn't heart it exactly right. Someone else please give it a listen.

Clouston's take on things a bit more balanced. When asked if scoring three goals he still that's still not enough because he needs production from his top 6-7 (I guess with Michalek down the top 6 now include 7). He also felt the turning point of the game was the elbowing call (which he pretty strongly suggested was a bad call), the missed short-handed chance and the ensuing power play marker.

I don't recall him mentioning the power-play. Again, kids, noise, maybe I missed it. Damn March Break!

Here's a recap of the game: http://senators.nhl.com/club/recap.htm?id=2009021045

But it must have been written by someone who didn't watch the game. First, he says that Hedberg was irate because Ruutu interfered with him on the second goal (it was Kelly who was standing in the crease and prevented him from getting the paddle against the post to stop Ruutu); then he said that on the tying goal Phillips intercepted an errant clearing attempt. Umm, yeah, those assists to Spezza and Alfie just came from thin air.

Anyone have a video of that elbowing call on Sutton?

wprager wrote:Here's a recap of the game: http://senators.nhl.com/club/recap.htm?id=2009021045

But it must have been written by someone who didn't watch the game. First, he says that Hedberg was irate because Ruutu interfered with him on the second goal (it was Kelly who was standing in the crease and prevented him from getting the paddle against the post to stop Ruutu); then he said that on the tying goal Phillips intercepted an errant clearing attempt. Umm, yeah, those assists to Spezza and Alfie just came from thin air.

If you watch the replay on the goal you can clearly see Ruutu interfering with Hedberg and in fact you even catch a little elbow shot to his head. Being that it was Ruutu you have to believe it was on purpose.

Thats not a good sign from Elliott and Im totally shocked. Sounds like there is just no effort in front of him, sounds like A Train is starting to play like he needs a contract for next year and doesnt want to get hurt.

Oh, my. Just watched the highlights. Elliott was a little weak on one of the goals, but that was still a breakaway. The rest, he was given no support from his supposed defensemen. Hedberg stopped two breakaways (why didn't Spezza shoot -- he has a great wrist shot and a so-so back-hand move that hasn't worked since Souray, and that one was in slow motion compared to the breakway); Elliott had a breakway shot along the ice go through this legs -- I hate those ones.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

wprager wrote:Here's a recap of the game: http://senators.nhl.com/club/recap.htm?id=2009021045

But it must have been written by someone who didn't watch the game. First, he says that Hedberg was irate because Ruutu interfered with him on the second goal (it was Kelly who was standing in the crease and prevented him from getting the paddle against the post to stop Ruutu); then he said that on the tying goal Phillips intercepted an errant clearing attempt. Umm, yeah, those assists to Spezza and Alfie just came from thin air.

If you watch the replay on the goal you can clearly see Ruutu interfering with Hedberg and in fact you even catch a little elbow shot to his head. Being that it was Ruutu you have to believe it was on purpose.

Hedberg didn't even flinch when Ruutu went past him. It barely brushed him. Kelly, on the other hand, stood in the crease and put his stick down in front of Hedberg's arm, preventing him from getting the paddle to the side. It was pretty clear that Kelly was the one he was upset at.

And Alfie's pass may have been a little errant, but nicely deflected by Spezza to Phillips. It was in no way an errant clearing attempt.

Meh, Elliott needs to make a save at some point in that game, cant make any excusses for him. Im his biggest supporter and he has to do something to help the team when they break down.

N4L wrote:Thats not a good sign from Elliott and Im totally shocked. Sounds like there is just no effort in front of him, sounds like A Train is starting to play like he needs a contract for next year and doesnt want to get hurt.

Must have caught him at a bad time.

Sutton bobbles the pick at his own blue line when he was the last guy back. Partial breakway, goal.
Phillips hands the puck over at the blue line. Quick blast, goal.
Kuba inexplicably moves toward the puck carrier when Karlsson is too far away to take on the guy in front. Quick pass, deflection, goal. (No excuse to Karlsson either, since he has speed to burn and should have been there; Foligno gets a pass because he's playing wing and it's only his third game after breaking a leg; still would've been nice if he took a hooking penalty *there* instead roughing at the end of the game).

Karlsson has had several weak efforts lately. What's going on?
Phillips has had some brain farts lately, as well, and just doesn't seem to be playing with much intensity. Kuba is Kuba, just not a good Kuba right now. Maybe A-Train only wants to block Ovechkin's shots. Maybe it's like Neely said -- doesn't want to risk injury because of contract situation.

N4L wrote:Meh, Elliott needs to make a save at some point in that game, cant make any excusses for him. Im his biggest supporter and he has to do something to help the team when they break down.

Well, I did say that Hedberg stopped his two breakaways, and Elliott didn't. Because it was only a partial breakaway, and because Sutton did keep him to the outside, it really was not a great position to shoot from. Paddle on the ice and it's an easy stop. That, plus the goal on the Phillips giveaway, it looked like he was not ready, and that could be mental fatigue.

wprager wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

wprager wrote:Here's a recap of the game: http://senators.nhl.com/club/recap.htm?id=2009021045

But it must have been written by someone who didn't watch the game. First, he says that Hedberg was irate because Ruutu interfered with him on the second goal (it was Kelly who was standing in the crease and prevented him from getting the paddle against the post to stop Ruutu); then he said that on the tying goal Phillips intercepted an errant clearing attempt. Umm, yeah, those assists to Spezza and Alfie just came from thin air.

If you watch the replay on the goal you can clearly see Ruutu interfering with Hedberg and in fact you even catch a little elbow shot to his head. Being that it was Ruutu you have to believe it was on purpose.

Hedberg didn't even flinch when Ruutu went past him. It barely brushed him. Kelly, on the other hand, stood in the crease and put his stick down in front of Hedberg's arm, preventing him from getting the paddle to the side. It was pretty clear that Kelly was the one he was upset at.

And Alfie's pass may have been a little errant, but nicely deflected by Spezza to Phillips. It was in no way an errant clearing attempt.

I can't say who Hedberg was mad at but, in the replay I watched, you actually see Ruutu give Hedberg a shot to the head and Hedberg's head jolt as he's falling down. I'd say that's more than a flinch.

Like I said back in Jan, if The Sens are depending on a 19 year old kid to carry the load, they are in trouble. He's going to be a star, but he is a 19 year old rookie and plays like one. Elliott is still basically a rookie. Those are the two guys that were carrying the team on the back end during that 11 game streak.

The future is bright for Ottawa and Ive never lost sight of that, but this team was never as good as that winning streak and they are not as bad as this losing streak. Right now though, it's a bad time to go on that losing streak.

wprager wrote:

N4L wrote:Meh, Elliott needs to make a save at some point in that game, cant make any excusses for him. Im his biggest supporter and he has to do something to help the team when they break down.

Well, I did say that Hedberg stopped his two breakaways, and Elliott didn't. Because it was only a partial breakaway, and because Sutton did keep him to the outside, it really was not a great position to shoot from. Paddle on the ice and it's an easy stop. That, plus the goal on the Phillips giveaway, it looked like he was not ready, and that could be mental fatigue.

Putting the teams hope and dreams on a guy that's been in the NHL for just over a calender year, tough to play like that.

Like I said, the leadership has to do something, Spezza, Kovalev, Alfi, Fisher, and Phillips (A Train is as good as gone, at this point I couldnt be happier about it). They need to step up in a large way.

A Train is starting to show his true colours, gutless efforts so he doesnt risk getting injured and can get his big pay day.

wprager wrote:Anyone have a video of that elbowing call on Sutton?

Do a search on youtube. "Horrible call" should do it.