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http://www.crashthecrease.com/2010/04/12/a-look-at-the-senspens/
Breaking down the Pittsburgh/Ottawa series.
FORWARDS:
So much can be made about Crosby, Malkin and Staal, that perhaps not enough is made about the Pens depth on offense. Are they good? Sure they are, they’re defending Stanley Cup Champions, they’re not only good, they’re awesome. So why is it that when looking upon their depth at forward, one might come across as being underwhemled?
Let’s look at the Pens vs the Sens in that regard:
THE PENS:
Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin
Feds-Malkin-Poni
Cooke-Staal-Kennedy
Dupuis-Talbot-Rupp
Not too bad. The depth is there only because Jordan Staal is not your typical third liner. They play a tight structure though, one that has beaten a lot of teams at their own games. Dan Blysma will utilize his roster to the best of his abilities, moving guys like Talbot and Dupuis up if anyone falters and throwing in Craig Adams if necessary. The big thing for the Pens is that their 2nd line is highly underrated and their 3rd line features two excellent players in Staal and Kennedy. Cooke is an agitator, but he can’t produce offensively - at least no more than his counterpart Jarkko “The Shark” Ruutu.
The point of this team isn’t to have gobs and gobs of talent laced throughout the lineup, it’s to have the top 3 centers in the game and to sprinkle their wings with capable players, players that won’t slow them down and won’t compromise their styles. Sidney Crosby is arguably the best player on the planet and he plays the center position. Behind him on the depth chart is Malkin, last year’s Art Ross and Conn Smythe winner and a heck of a player in his own right. These two guys spearhead the Pens’ attack and make the a little harder than the normal team to check. Crosby’s playmaking abilities are second to none in the NHL, his awareness staggering, his ‘clutch factor’ off the chart. If the game is tied, you want him out there representing your team.
Guerin and Kunitz. What’s the first thing that came to your mind? For me it was old and annoying. Guerin is still effective, no offense there, but he’s getting up there. Does he still have what it takes to score during the grind of what will be a very physical playoff series? Probably, but he certainly doesn’t strike fear into the hearts of defenders all over the NHL. Kunitz, while a good player, isn’t a sniper by any means either. Fedotenko and Ponikarovsky are Malkin’s wingers. Do you see the trend here? Again, no offense to Fedotenko and Ponikarovsky, but they’re like the potatoes next to a beautiful steak. Not too bad to look at and nothing to scoff at, but certainly nothing to write home about.
THE SENS:
Regin - Spezza - Alfredsson
Foligno - Fisher - Shannon
Michalek - Cullen - Winchester
Ruutu - Kelly - Neil
While the Sens don’t have the marquee star power of Crosby or Malkin, they do have a very serviceable forward group. Led by Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza, this team now scores by committee. Long gone are the days of the CASH line of Spezza, Heatley and Alfredsson, instead, replaced with guys who play a solid, grinding, fast-paced style. Milan Michalek had a down year by any statistical estimation - not to mention he missed close to 20 games through various injuries - however, he still would rank 2nd on the Sens in goals. He just returned from injury, taking the spot vacated by the injured Kovalev, so while the Sens lost one big gun, they receive one back. Peter Regin might be the story here, since his promotion to the top line - oddly enough, just as Michalek first went down to injury, he’s been a fixture on the top line. He carried a six game point streak into the 2nd last game of the season, has a great set of wheels and an excellent hockey sense. What this has done so far is allow Matt Cullen to play third line center, a position that he excels at.
Now there are wildcards on the Sens forward roster. For example, with Kovalev down and out, does Ryan Shannon draw in? Last year, he was a part of one of the better Sens’ lines with Foligno and Fisher. Can Foligno turn a disappointing season into playoff success? Can Milan Michalek turn an injury depleted season into playoff success? Does the craft veteran Donovan draw in? One thing’s for certain: the Ottawa Senators boast one of the most powerful weapons a team can have: a 4th line that can hit, grind and score. The triple threat of 4th lines in the NHL. They’ll be there to frustrate the heck out of Sid the Kid and co.
ADVANTAGE: EVEN
DEFENCE:
PENS:
Gonchar-Orpik
Eaton-Letang
Leopold-Goligoski
McKee
Once again, this is a group that is sturdy, but isn’t going to intimidate many people. Shero’s acquisition of Leopold at the deadline was quite astute however and he lends a steady influence on the Pens’ 2nd pairing (or third depending). Always dangerous, Gonchar has finally started to slightly show his age and injuries might be starting to slow him down a little, but when he has the puck at the point, he can make things happen. Funnily enough, the Pens powerplay, much like the Sens, suffered most of the year, going through hot and cold patches and finding itself in the unfamiliar bottom third of the league. Orpik is the key to the Pens defensive game, he can shut down some of the better players in the league if given the opportunity. Letang and Goligoski are smaller, but fast, slick D-man who can move the puck with aplomb. They can break neutral zone traps and they have some of the most skilled center men in the league to pass to. They cannot be taken lightly.
SENS:
Phillips - Volchenkov
Karlsson - Sutton
Campoli - Carkner
Lee
Now here is a squad that isn’t flashy in the least, nor do they want you to believe they are. Phillips and Volchenkov have held Crosby to an amazing 2 goals career. They know when to move off each other, when the pressure him and his linemates and where the exits are for clearing the puck from harm’s way. They play a lot of the league’s top players like this, but rarely to this degree of success. Odds are this has to change at some point, but as of now, the onus is on Crosby to find a way around it. Having last change for the first two games of the series might help, but expect Phillips and Volchekov to be logging massive minutes come Wednesday night. Problem for the Sens is, these two aren’t very offensive minded.
Sutton is a beast. Already this year he’s send in the area of 10 guys to the infirmary with his lightning fast hip check that ends up making opponents stare up at the rafters. There’s nothing illegal about what Sutton does, except that at 6'6", he’s at opponent’s heads a lot of the time. Acquired at the deadline for insurance, he sure became useful in blocking shots (2nd in the league) and hitting with a ferocity not seen since the days of Big Z (Zdeno Chara). Sutton’s skill set also includes a really nice outlet pass and a hard shot that he’s not afraid to use.
Erik Karlsson is the wildcard for the Sens. Sent to Binghamton midway through the year, that sparked confidence in the flashy young D-man. Since coming back up Karlsson has made some outstanding plays offensively, becoming a cog in the Sens PP which has improved dramatically. Brian Burke tried his best to move up and nab Karlsson at the 2008 entry draft in Ottawa, but was trumped by Bryan Murray who beat him to it. Asked why he wanted a little D-man like this, Burke was frank in saying it would be to replace Neidermayer. Scott Neidermayer? Absolutely. This kid has ‘it’ and it will continue to get better and better. It’s a little unfair that he’s stepping right into the fire in these playoffs, but at the same time, he holds the key for the Ottawa Senators some might suggest.
ADVANTAGE: SENS
GOALTENDING:
Hmmm, well, Marc-Andre Fleury got pulled the last two times I watched the Pens play. Mentally, we all know he has it, having led the Pens to a championship last year, but his performance is off, to that there’s no question. Going into the playoffs struggling is never something positive, but Fleury has done it before and done well. Is this year any different? Time will tell, but one thing’s for certain, Cup Champ or not, this is one tender who does not intimidate opponents.
For the Sens, it’s relative newcomer Brian Elliott. Elliott’s an unknown for the most part, but he has excellent pedigree. He was drafted dead last overall by the Senators in the 2003 draft, but then went on to win the Frozen Four championship for Wisconsin. His first season he posted a .903 save % and a 2.77 GAA, this year it’s down (or up) to .909 and a 2.57 GAA - which is always a positive when you can begin improving your numbers that early in a career. His last 29 starts? 19-6-1 (3 no decisions), a .921 save %. If you’re thinking that he’s on one looooong hot streak, you’re right.
However, you just can’t say enough about playoff experience.
ADVANTAGE: PENS
Intangibles:
It’s simple: the Pens have won a championship and the Sens have not - however, to think that this is going to be a cakewalk for the Pens is a dire mistake. Both teams are coached by young, smart hockey guys, both have excellent PK s, both underwhelming powerplays, both young goalies. Where the Pens trump the Sens is down the middle, where the Sens have an advantage over the Pens is on the wings. Defence is very close, but again, one squad has won a Cup. So who wins...
It’s anyone’s guess, but I’ll tell you what: the Pens should know what they’re getting themselves into here. This is a tough, tough round one and the Sens are a completely different team than the last time they went at it. This is more like 06/07 when the Sens advanced to the Cup Finals.
I'll tell you one other thing...this team is close-knit - and we all know how important that is.
ADVANTAGE: SENS
Senators in 6.
Breaking down the Pittsburgh/Ottawa series.
FORWARDS:
So much can be made about Crosby, Malkin and Staal, that perhaps not enough is made about the Pens depth on offense. Are they good? Sure they are, they’re defending Stanley Cup Champions, they’re not only good, they’re awesome. So why is it that when looking upon their depth at forward, one might come across as being underwhemled?
Let’s look at the Pens vs the Sens in that regard:
THE PENS:
Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin
Feds-Malkin-Poni
Cooke-Staal-Kennedy
Dupuis-Talbot-Rupp
Not too bad. The depth is there only because Jordan Staal is not your typical third liner. They play a tight structure though, one that has beaten a lot of teams at their own games. Dan Blysma will utilize his roster to the best of his abilities, moving guys like Talbot and Dupuis up if anyone falters and throwing in Craig Adams if necessary. The big thing for the Pens is that their 2nd line is highly underrated and their 3rd line features two excellent players in Staal and Kennedy. Cooke is an agitator, but he can’t produce offensively - at least no more than his counterpart Jarkko “The Shark” Ruutu.
The point of this team isn’t to have gobs and gobs of talent laced throughout the lineup, it’s to have the top 3 centers in the game and to sprinkle their wings with capable players, players that won’t slow them down and won’t compromise their styles. Sidney Crosby is arguably the best player on the planet and he plays the center position. Behind him on the depth chart is Malkin, last year’s Art Ross and Conn Smythe winner and a heck of a player in his own right. These two guys spearhead the Pens’ attack and make the a little harder than the normal team to check. Crosby’s playmaking abilities are second to none in the NHL, his awareness staggering, his ‘clutch factor’ off the chart. If the game is tied, you want him out there representing your team.
Guerin and Kunitz. What’s the first thing that came to your mind? For me it was old and annoying. Guerin is still effective, no offense there, but he’s getting up there. Does he still have what it takes to score during the grind of what will be a very physical playoff series? Probably, but he certainly doesn’t strike fear into the hearts of defenders all over the NHL. Kunitz, while a good player, isn’t a sniper by any means either. Fedotenko and Ponikarovsky are Malkin’s wingers. Do you see the trend here? Again, no offense to Fedotenko and Ponikarovsky, but they’re like the potatoes next to a beautiful steak. Not too bad to look at and nothing to scoff at, but certainly nothing to write home about.
THE SENS:
Regin - Spezza - Alfredsson
Foligno - Fisher - Shannon
Michalek - Cullen - Winchester
Ruutu - Kelly - Neil
While the Sens don’t have the marquee star power of Crosby or Malkin, they do have a very serviceable forward group. Led by Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza, this team now scores by committee. Long gone are the days of the CASH line of Spezza, Heatley and Alfredsson, instead, replaced with guys who play a solid, grinding, fast-paced style. Milan Michalek had a down year by any statistical estimation - not to mention he missed close to 20 games through various injuries - however, he still would rank 2nd on the Sens in goals. He just returned from injury, taking the spot vacated by the injured Kovalev, so while the Sens lost one big gun, they receive one back. Peter Regin might be the story here, since his promotion to the top line - oddly enough, just as Michalek first went down to injury, he’s been a fixture on the top line. He carried a six game point streak into the 2nd last game of the season, has a great set of wheels and an excellent hockey sense. What this has done so far is allow Matt Cullen to play third line center, a position that he excels at.
Now there are wildcards on the Sens forward roster. For example, with Kovalev down and out, does Ryan Shannon draw in? Last year, he was a part of one of the better Sens’ lines with Foligno and Fisher. Can Foligno turn a disappointing season into playoff success? Can Milan Michalek turn an injury depleted season into playoff success? Does the craft veteran Donovan draw in? One thing’s for certain: the Ottawa Senators boast one of the most powerful weapons a team can have: a 4th line that can hit, grind and score. The triple threat of 4th lines in the NHL. They’ll be there to frustrate the heck out of Sid the Kid and co.
ADVANTAGE: EVEN
DEFENCE:
PENS:
Gonchar-Orpik
Eaton-Letang
Leopold-Goligoski
McKee
Once again, this is a group that is sturdy, but isn’t going to intimidate many people. Shero’s acquisition of Leopold at the deadline was quite astute however and he lends a steady influence on the Pens’ 2nd pairing (or third depending). Always dangerous, Gonchar has finally started to slightly show his age and injuries might be starting to slow him down a little, but when he has the puck at the point, he can make things happen. Funnily enough, the Pens powerplay, much like the Sens, suffered most of the year, going through hot and cold patches and finding itself in the unfamiliar bottom third of the league. Orpik is the key to the Pens defensive game, he can shut down some of the better players in the league if given the opportunity. Letang and Goligoski are smaller, but fast, slick D-man who can move the puck with aplomb. They can break neutral zone traps and they have some of the most skilled center men in the league to pass to. They cannot be taken lightly.
SENS:
Phillips - Volchenkov
Karlsson - Sutton
Campoli - Carkner
Lee
Now here is a squad that isn’t flashy in the least, nor do they want you to believe they are. Phillips and Volchenkov have held Crosby to an amazing 2 goals career. They know when to move off each other, when the pressure him and his linemates and where the exits are for clearing the puck from harm’s way. They play a lot of the league’s top players like this, but rarely to this degree of success. Odds are this has to change at some point, but as of now, the onus is on Crosby to find a way around it. Having last change for the first two games of the series might help, but expect Phillips and Volchekov to be logging massive minutes come Wednesday night. Problem for the Sens is, these two aren’t very offensive minded.
Sutton is a beast. Already this year he’s send in the area of 10 guys to the infirmary with his lightning fast hip check that ends up making opponents stare up at the rafters. There’s nothing illegal about what Sutton does, except that at 6'6", he’s at opponent’s heads a lot of the time. Acquired at the deadline for insurance, he sure became useful in blocking shots (2nd in the league) and hitting with a ferocity not seen since the days of Big Z (Zdeno Chara). Sutton’s skill set also includes a really nice outlet pass and a hard shot that he’s not afraid to use.
Erik Karlsson is the wildcard for the Sens. Sent to Binghamton midway through the year, that sparked confidence in the flashy young D-man. Since coming back up Karlsson has made some outstanding plays offensively, becoming a cog in the Sens PP which has improved dramatically. Brian Burke tried his best to move up and nab Karlsson at the 2008 entry draft in Ottawa, but was trumped by Bryan Murray who beat him to it. Asked why he wanted a little D-man like this, Burke was frank in saying it would be to replace Neidermayer. Scott Neidermayer? Absolutely. This kid has ‘it’ and it will continue to get better and better. It’s a little unfair that he’s stepping right into the fire in these playoffs, but at the same time, he holds the key for the Ottawa Senators some might suggest.
ADVANTAGE: SENS
GOALTENDING:
Hmmm, well, Marc-Andre Fleury got pulled the last two times I watched the Pens play. Mentally, we all know he has it, having led the Pens to a championship last year, but his performance is off, to that there’s no question. Going into the playoffs struggling is never something positive, but Fleury has done it before and done well. Is this year any different? Time will tell, but one thing’s for certain, Cup Champ or not, this is one tender who does not intimidate opponents.
For the Sens, it’s relative newcomer Brian Elliott. Elliott’s an unknown for the most part, but he has excellent pedigree. He was drafted dead last overall by the Senators in the 2003 draft, but then went on to win the Frozen Four championship for Wisconsin. His first season he posted a .903 save % and a 2.77 GAA, this year it’s down (or up) to .909 and a 2.57 GAA - which is always a positive when you can begin improving your numbers that early in a career. His last 29 starts? 19-6-1 (3 no decisions), a .921 save %. If you’re thinking that he’s on one looooong hot streak, you’re right.
However, you just can’t say enough about playoff experience.
ADVANTAGE: PENS
Intangibles:
It’s simple: the Pens have won a championship and the Sens have not - however, to think that this is going to be a cakewalk for the Pens is a dire mistake. Both teams are coached by young, smart hockey guys, both have excellent PK s, both underwhelming powerplays, both young goalies. Where the Pens trump the Sens is down the middle, where the Sens have an advantage over the Pens is on the wings. Defence is very close, but again, one squad has won a Cup. So who wins...
It’s anyone’s guess, but I’ll tell you what: the Pens should know what they’re getting themselves into here. This is a tough, tough round one and the Sens are a completely different team than the last time they went at it. This is more like 06/07 when the Sens advanced to the Cup Finals.
I'll tell you one other thing...this team is close-knit - and we all know how important that is.
ADVANTAGE: SENS
Senators in 6.
That's what happens when you're starting to get tired.
