GAME DAY: Buffalo Sabres @ Ottawa Senators - 7:00PM EST, Saturday, April 10, 2010

wprager wrote:I've got to say, this is going to be an interesting series. Pittsburgh has been playing like a .500 team for a while. The Sens a little better, but not much. Kuba and Kovalev are gone; Michalek may not be 100%. My kid tells me Carkner went down (but I thought he got cut). What's up with that?

Clouston said in an interview that they were not nursing any injuries. I thought Michalek had a pretty bad strain -- he[s probably not quite there. Volchenkov took off two games -- just resting? Or still recovering from that Sutton hit (which he said he doesn't remember).

Carkner returned and finished the game...

Michalek is the only one I didn't see in the third period

That would be very serious. I hope he's not hurt.

I really don't think he would make a differnece anyway. Michalek has been very slow these last two games, and I think he is definately still injured.

-so we have a slow possible injured michalek
- an injured kovalev
- a dazed and confused volchenkov (so we think)

man those are some key players if we want to go far.

I think Volch will be fine, he seems to get hurt every game but just comes right back out and blocks shots.

and I agree what was said earlier this week, these avatars are confusing me!

Devo wrote:

wprager wrote:I've got to say, this is going to be an interesting series. Pittsburgh has been playing like a .500 team for a while. The Sens a little better, but not much. Kuba and Kovalev are gone; Michalek may not be 100%. My kid tells me Carkner went down (but I thought he got cut). What's up with that?

Clouston said in an interview that they were not nursing any injuries. I thought Michalek had a pretty bad strain -- he[s probably not quite there. Volchenkov took off two games -- just resting? Or still recovering from that Sutton hit (which he said he doesn't remember).

Carkner returned and finished the game...

Michalek is the only one I didn't see in the third period

The game was over midway through the second. No sense in putting Michalek in a situation where he could re-injure himself..

SensGirl11 wrote:

wprager wrote:

SensGirl11 wrote:Wow...I can't believe we just lost that game. If we can't play a complete game on our Captain's 1,000th game celebration, I'm not sure what to expect in the playoffs. Very scary stuff.

Those "celebrations" usually have this kind of effect. It's nothing to do with playoffs.

Does it usually happen? It just seems so odd to me.

Gainey's and Robinson's jersey retirements were both Habs losses, I think. The whole feel of the game is different for the players. The *all* have their pre-game rituals and many of those were pertty much thrown out the window. Alfie had to write a speech (and read it -- he's not exactly a comfortable speaker, is he), all the players had to put on those extra jerseys. All the media, and other fancy stuff. For the Sabres, all they had to do was stand around and wait, and that usually makes the players pi$$ed off.

If they play like this in the post-season I will definitely change my attitude, but not for this game. As bad as it is for Alfie, I'm sure it's not a precursor of what to expect in the post-season.

Devo wrote:

wprager wrote:I've got to say, this is going to be an interesting series. Pittsburgh has been playing like a .500 team for a while. The Sens a little better, but not much. Kuba and Kovalev are gone; Michalek may not be 100%. My kid tells me Carkner went down (but I thought he got cut). What's up with that?

Clouston said in an interview that they were not nursing any injuries. I thought Michalek had a pretty bad strain -- he[s probably not quite there. Volchenkov took off two games -- just resting? Or still recovering from that Sutton hit (which he said he doesn't remember).

Carkner returned and finished the game...

Michalek is the only one I didn't see in the third period

Michalek didn't have a shift in the 3rd.

Resting him?

Was at the game last night, and really it was waay more about the aflie celebration factor than the game itself. Its not like the senators played bad, but they weren't giving it their all. From what I saw, it was a pretty relaxed game by the sens, no urgency, and really I was fine with it. I'm not disappointed in that one bit though, considering the real news of the day was Kovalev's injury. Why go full board in a meaningless game?

On a note about the fans...they were great at the start and end of the game. However, we're such bandwaggoners. So many ppl started to leave after the 5th goal, it was awful and embarassing. Mock cheers for Leclaire as well (how the hell was it his fault?). Our fans are friggin' stupid. It's the LAST GAME of the season, and its meaningless! I get that its Alfie night, but when you go most of the night trying to get Alfie a goal, well ur not going to win much. Hope Michalek is okay....

One neat exchange I should mention at the end of the game was with Patrick Lalime and Alfie. Lalime came all the way to the sens bench (which got him a huge pop) to hug alfie. Alfie then proceeded to skate with Lalime back to the sabres bench and he was congratulated by Miller and Rivet I believe. Classy stuff from the Sabres, especially to show up during the opening ceremony. Take it for what it is...it was a meaningless game for Ottawa and somewhat Buffalo, but the sabres are battling for 2nd spot and they got NJ today, so they needed the points big time.

I guess all I'm trying to say is from what I saw in person last night, no need to be disheartened at all

Oh, I completely forgot that Buffalo can still get 2nd. Yeah, it wasn't exactly a nothing game for the Sabres. Finishing second means they keep home ice at least in the first two rounds. They could not slip below 3rd but they certainly still had 2nd in mind.

Michallica wrote:Was at the game last night, and really it was waay more about the aflie celebration factor than the game itself. Its not like the senators played bad, but they weren't giving it their all. From what I saw, it was a pretty relaxed game by the sens, no urgency, and really I was fine with it. I'm not disappointed in that one bit though, considering the real news of the day was Kovalev's injury. Why go full board in a meaningless game?

On a note about the fans...they were great at the start and end of the game. However, we're such bandwaggoners. So many ppl started to leave after the 5th goal, it was awful and embarassing. Mock cheers for Leclaire as well (how the hell was it his fault?). Our fans are friggin' stupid. It's the LAST GAME of the season, and its meaningless! I get that its Alfie night, but when you go most of the night trying to get Alfie a goal, well ur not going to win much. Hope Michalek is okay....

One neat exchange I should mention at the end of the game was with Patrick Lalime and Alfie. Lalime came all the way to the sens bench (which got him a huge pop) to hug alfie. Alfie then proceeded to skate with Lalime back to the sabres bench and he was congratulated by Miller and Rivet I believe. Classy stuff from the Sabres, especially to show up during the opening ceremony. Take it for what it is...it was a meaningless game for Ottawa and somewhat Buffalo, but the sabres are battling for 2nd spot and they got NJ today, so they needed the points big time.

I guess all I'm trying to say is from what I saw in person last night, no need to be disheartened at all

Yeah, not worried at all. Pitts played a poor game last night too anyway.

Michallica wrote:Was at the game last night, and really it was waay more about the aflie celebration factor than the game itself. Its not like the senators played bad, but they weren't giving it their all. From what I saw, it was a pretty relaxed game by the sens, no urgency, and really I was fine with it. I'm not disappointed in that one bit though, considering the real news of the day was Kovalev's injury. Why go full board in a meaningless game?

On a note about the fans...they were great at the start and end of the game. However, we're such bandwaggoners. So many ppl started to leave after the 5th goal, it was awful and embarassing. Mock cheers for Leclaire as well (how the hell was it his fault?). Our fans are friggin' stupid. It's the LAST GAME of the season, and its meaningless! I get that its Alfie night, but when you go most of the night trying to get Alfie a goal, well ur not going to win much. Hope Michalek is okay....

One neat exchange I should mention at the end of the game was with Patrick Lalime and Alfie. Lalime came all the way to the sens bench (which got him a huge pop) to hug alfie. Alfie then proceeded to skate with Lalime back to the sabres bench and he was congratulated by Miller and Rivet I believe. Classy stuff from the Sabres, especially to show up during the opening ceremony. Take it for what it is...it was a meaningless game for Ottawa and somewhat Buffalo, but the sabres are battling for 2nd spot and they got NJ today, so they needed the points big time.

I guess all I'm trying to say is from what I saw in person last night, no need to be disheartened at all

The man can't stop a beach ball, but that's a classy move by Patty.

Still a feel good game. Was cool to see the former senators speaking about alfie. Everyone got a good reaction (except Sundin...but he gave props to Ottawa so he eventually got cheers)

wprager wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:Terrible.

Relax. They got him the win on his *real* 1000th game. This was just for the suits and the cameras. We played our back up and had A-Train out of the lineup. And the refs certainly had an off night as well.

What about the fans? I guess there are never too many excuses for this team.

Leclaire looked pretty solid but I guess it's OK to hang him out to dry too? I'm sorry, but just like the Isles game, this was unacceptable.

The team just doesn't seem to play well for Leclaire, which obviously makes him look bad. It's a real shame.

With like 5 mins left in the game there was a lot of empty seats on camera side, all in the lower bowl. This is one game where you at least stay for the 3 stars.

Dash wrote:The team just doesn't seem to play well for Leclaire, which obviously makes him look bad. It's a real shame.

With like 5 mins left in the game there was a lot of empty seats on camera side, all in the lower bowl. This is one game where you at least stay for the 3 stars.

Instead of the usual 5 min rush it was the 10 min rush after the 5th goal. It's too bad the fans couldn't stay to show some love for the final game of the season.

Also side note, did anyone else see Alfie launch his stick into the crowd after being named 3rd star, Sundin would have been proud. It got almost half way up the first bowl. (just to clarify he was giving to a fan in case that was not obvious)