GAME DAY: Ottawa Senators @ Montreal Canadiens– 7:30PM EST, Monday, March 22, 2010

I'm hopeful of the Sens putting their @$$-kickin' boots on tonight and taking it to the undersized Habs.

Put Sutton and Carkner together full-time and enjoy.

I'm hopeful that our dominance over the Habs this season is similar to our dominance over the Sabres in that it doesn't seem to matter how poorly the Sens are doing at the time they just seem to pull off a win anyway.

Michallica wrote:is anyone else scared of this Atlanta surge? Boston has a game in hand, if they win that, we could see teams 5-8 seperated by a single point. Its now a three way tie between Philly-Ott-Mtl @ 79 points and with 10 games remaining, we get 5th place due to tie-breaker.

Man, what an important game tonight! c'mon Senators!!! Its playoff time!

I'm not scared of any team. I'm only concerned about the Ottawa Senators. If they want to continue with some of the piss-poor efforts they showed us recently, we know what the result will be. The season is truly in their hands.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Michallica wrote:is anyone else scared of this Atlanta surge? Boston has a game in hand, if they win that, we could see teams 5-8 seperated by a single point. Its now a three way tie between Philly-Ott-Mtl @ 79 points and with 10 games remaining, we get 5th place due to tie-breaker.

Man, what an important game tonight! c'mon Senators!!! Its playoff time!

I'm not scared of any team. I'm only concerned about the Ottawa Senators. If they want to continue with some of the piss-poor efforts they showed us recently, we know what the result will be. The season is truly in their hands.

How about Filip "I can't play because I have paper cut" Kuba stepping up, getting back in there and being our number 1 D?

Hey man, paper cuts hurt

TheAvatar wrote:Hey man, paper cuts hurt

Indeed. Maybe I judged him too harshly?

dennycrane wrote:I'm hopeful of the Sens putting their @$$-kickin' boots on tonight and taking it to the undersized Habs.

Put Sutton and Carkner together full-time and enjoy.

Carkner is too slow and Habs don't play one on one often, they make very quick passes.
Karlsson would be more suitable against the Habs, like during the last game against the Habs.
If you wanna go physical, do it on the forecheck.

marakh wrote:

dennycrane wrote:I'm hopeful of the Sens putting their @$$-kickin' boots on tonight and taking it to the undersized Habs.

Put Sutton and Carkner together full-time and enjoy.

Carkner is too slow and Habs don't play one on one often, they make very quick passes.
Karlsson would be more suitable against the Habs, like during the last game against the Habs.
If you wanna go physical, do it on the forecheck.

It's just too bad that Karlsson sucks noodles right now. He needs to be better, but alas....us depending on a 19 year old is the real tragedy

It's going to take a stronger effort and some reliable goaltending. Like Prages said we're playing like a team ready to bust out of this slump.

7 goals in the last two games, 2 PP goals last game against a team that, despite it's regular season woes, is quite good on home ice and a 4 point outburst by our 1st line center that included a hat-trick are all signs pointing to the end.

Throw in our record vs. the Habs this season as well and I'm at least hopeful.

Michallica wrote:

marakh wrote:

dennycrane wrote:I'm hopeful of the Sens putting their @$$-kickin' boots on tonight and taking it to the undersized Habs.

Put Sutton and Carkner together full-time and enjoy.

Carkner is too slow and Habs don't play one on one often, they make very quick passes.
Karlsson would be more suitable against the Habs, like during the last game against the Habs.
If you wanna go physical, do it on the forecheck.

It's just too bad that Karlsson sucks noodles right now. He needs to be better, but alas....us depending on a 19 year old is the real tragedy

Depends on the expectations I guess. Mine are not as high as those who want to win the division.
In fact, with our defense (and goaltending, sometimes) I am suprised we were contending for it a few weeks ago. Carkner, Campoli, Kuba etc are not cornerstones, they're just filling the gaps while we develop the future.
Not a coincidence we look at best when Karlsson 1/ leads the team in TOI AND 2/ never lose the puck in our zone.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Michallica wrote:is anyone else scared of this Atlanta surge? Boston has a game in hand, if they win that, we could see teams 5-8 seperated by a single point. Its now a three way tie between Philly-Ott-Mtl @ 79 points and with 10 games remaining, we get 5th place due to tie-breaker.

Man, what an important game tonight! c'mon Senators!!! Its playoff time!

I'm not scared of any team. I'm only concerned about the Ottawa Senators. If they want to continue with some of the piss-poor efforts they showed us recently, we know what the result will be. The season is truly in their hands.

How about Filip "I can't play because I have paper cut" Kuba stepping up, getting back in there and being our number 1 D?

Personally, I think Phillips is closer to being that all-around #1 D but they have him pigeon-holed into that shut down role. Old habits die hard but it would be nice for someone to open their eyes and see that Phillips doesn't need to be with Volchenkov and vice-versa. If anything, that mentality is holding Phillips back from his full potential.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Michallica wrote:is anyone else scared of this Atlanta surge? Boston has a game in hand, if they win that, we could see teams 5-8 seperated by a single point. Its now a three way tie between Philly-Ott-Mtl @ 79 points and with 10 games remaining, we get 5th place due to tie-breaker.

Man, what an important game tonight! c'mon Senators!!! Its playoff time!

I'm not scared of any team. I'm only concerned about the Ottawa Senators. If they want to continue with some of the piss-poor efforts they showed us recently, we know what the result will be. The season is truly in their hands.

How about Filip "I can't play because I have paper cut" Kuba stepping up, getting back in there and being our number 1 D?

Personally, I think Phillips is closer to being that all-around #1 D but they have him pigeon-holed into that shut down role. Old habits die hard but it would be nice for someone to open their eyes and see that Phillips doesn't need to be with Volchenkov and vice-versa. If anything, that mentality is holding Phillips back from his full potential.

I'd like to see a Phillips-Karlsson combination as a one-two. I think Volchenkov is vastly over-rated and BM knows it too. Kuba-Volch as 3-4, and Sutton-Campoli 5-6. Carkner has been playing terrible as of late, not that Sutton has been playing any better, but yeah.

Saw Z-Smith was called up for tonight. Anyone know what's up?

The problem is A-train struggles without Phillips and Phillips has made his career, thus far, as a shutdown D. I agree that he has more offensive abilities than a lot of people give him credit for but, I certainly wouldn't say he's #1 offensive D calibre.

I would like to see him get more opportunities offensively though since he was initially brought into the league to be that guy.

TheAvatar wrote:Hey man, paper cuts hurt

I got *two* yesterday, but I still put up the GDT. But, then again, I don't have the security of a long-term multi-million dollar contract either.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:The problem is A-train struggles without Phillips and Phillips has made his career, thus far, as a shutdown D. I agree that he has more offensive abilities than a lot of people give him credit for but, I certainly wouldn't say he's #1 offensive D calibre.

I would like to see him get more opportunities offensively though since he was initially brought into the league to be that guy.

My point is Kuba isn't #1 D defensive calibre either. I think Phillips brings enough of both elements to be the closest thing to a #1 D we have in our lineup.

By the way, Campoli is getting better by the game, lots of upside there.

Lines from practice:

Cullen-Spezza-Alfredsson
Foligno-Fisher-Kovalev
Ruutu-Kelly-Neil-Donovan
Smith-Regin-Winchester-Shannon.

Elliott to start; Smith is playing.

Michallica wrote:

marakh wrote:

dennycrane wrote:I'm hopeful of the Sens putting their @$$-kickin' boots on tonight and taking it to the undersized Habs.

Put Sutton and Carkner together full-time and enjoy.

Carkner is too slow and Habs don't play one on one often, they make very quick passes.
Karlsson would be more suitable against the Habs, like during the last game against the Habs.
If you wanna go physical, do it on the forecheck.

It's just too bad that Karlsson sucks noodles right now. He needs to be better, but alas....us depending on a 19 year old is the real tragedy

Depending on what happens in the next two weeks we could be depending on a lot more than just one sub 21 year old next year. If the Sens miss the playoffs this year, I wouldn't be shocked to see all the UFAs walk/rights traded: Volchenkov, Cullen, and Sutton, and some dead roster weight traded: Kelly, Ruuttu, Leclaire, Winchester, Kuba?? etc. If the Sens miss the playoffs or don't go deep I wouldn't be shocked to see some new faces here next year. I'm thinking along the lines of Cowen, Lee (guaranteed unless he's traded), Z Smith, perhaps one of Hennessey, Keller, or St. Pierre.