GAME 4 - 2010 Stanley Cup GAME DAY: Ottawa Senators (1) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (2), Tuesday Apr. 20, 2010 - 7:00PM EST.

The biggest thing for me about Spezza is that he turns the puck over and doesn't get it back. The best playmakers in the league are also the guys who turn the puck over the most, but the difference between being 'really good' and being great is the work ethic and drive to lose the puck and use your speed/hockey sense to snatch it back and turn it the other way.

Too many times Spezza has lost the puck and meandered to the Sens bench for a nice change. No deal man, you lock into where you lost the puck and you take it back, then you turn it around and make something happen or you dump it in softly and change (quickly bunghole!).

So bloody frustrating. Wake up Spezza (and Alfie, and Fisher etc.), but specifically Spezza.

We're going to turn into the San Jose Sharks soon if Spezza doesn't get his Dung together in the playoffs. What good are you if you can't produce in the playoffs? It's all fine and dandy to be awesome during the regular season, but if you can't do it in the playoffs, it's not worth the money. We need hard workers out there all the time. He has been blind passing all throughout this series, turning the puck over. Blind passes during an
F'ING powerplay!!! COME ON!!! He was doing so much better with his two-way play during the season and now the old Spezza is rearing its ugly head. It's very concerning.

Also, tell me what the difference between Gryba and Sutton is right now? Anything? Sutton has 7 playoff games of experience, 6 of them losses, he's been complete Dung, there are still changes to be made IMO. I'm not saying you throw Gryba into the fire, just repeating my nervousness about Sutton in particular sucking wind.

Hey gang! First of all, I'm a Sens fan but I consider myself more of a hockey fan.

I just wanted to say that these guys are doing their best and sooner or later we'll see Fish get back to his old ways and Alfie and Spez will be lighting the lamp like usual.

No need to hit the panic button here. The playoffs are a marathon, not a sprint.

SeawaySensFan wrote:Hey gang! First of all, I'm a Sens fan but I consider myself more of a hockey fan.

I just wanted to say that these guys are doing their best and sooner or later we'll see Fish get back to his old ways and Alfie and Spez will be lighting the lamp like usual.

No need to hit the panic button here. The playoffs are a marathon, not a sprint.

I actually agree with this - even if it was done tongue in cheek. This is good for the Sens, if they're meant to move on, then they'd put games 2 and 3 behind them and go at Pittsburgh real hard in Game 4. If they're just Diddling around, we'll know by about 8:30 on Tuesday night when it's 4-1 Pittsburgh in the 2nd period.

It's not even about producing for Spezza, it's about doing what his team needs him to do. If he goes out and scores 3 goals, but is the reason 4 of them went into the back of the net, who cares what the score sheet says?

Spezza needs to start playing like a winner (something I have said time and time again he isnt, so im not holding my breath) and do what his team needs him to do. Play hard, do things he isnt used to doing or doesnt want to do.

Im holding out a small amount of hope that he can turn it around, but short of him turning into Lemieux in the next 2 games, you will never hear me talk about his regular season performance again or the fact he is a PPG guy, anyone who used those arguements can just shove them right up their Donkey.

I'm not seeing the aggressive fore check and no holds barred offensive play.

We're playing like Montreal, conservative defensive play, hoping for a 1-goal lead that we can protect until the clock runs out.

Sensgirl is right though, you see what Thornton is in SJ, that's what Spezza is as well, only worse.

N4L wrote:Sensgirl is right though, you see what Thornton is in SJ, that's what Spezza is as well, only worse.

Disagree. No one is worse than "Jumbo" Joe. I agree that Spezza needs to step it up but if about a dozen of his teammates were stepping it up, Spezza would be less of an issue.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

N4L wrote:Sensgirl is right though, you see what Thornton is in SJ, that's what Spezza is as well, only worse.

Disagree. No one is worse than "Jumbo" Joe. I agree that Spezza needs to step it up but if about a dozen of his teammates were stepping it up, Spezza would be less of an issue.

Your number 1 center being a complete no show and costing your team defensivly is an issue, doesnt matter how the other 19 guys are playing.

As for Jumbo Joe, the guy has a few more championships then Spezza does whether he deserves them or not. Spezza actually has nothing. Not one thing. He's the biggest loser in The NHL and you are seeing why.

SpezDispenser wrote:The biggest thing for me about Spezza is that he turns the puck over and doesn't get it back. The best playmakers in the league are also the guys who turn the puck over the most, but the difference between being 'really good' and being great is the work ethic and drive to lose the puck and use your speed/hockey sense to snatch it back and turn it the other way.

Too many times Spezza has lost the puck and meandered to the Sens bench for a nice change. No deal man, you lock into where you lost the puck and you take it back, then you turn it around and make something happen or you dump it in softly and change (quickly bunghole!).

So bloody frustrating. Wake up Spezza (and Alfie, and Fisher etc.), but specifically Spezza.

Actually, I thought that despite not scoring (yeah, I know), Spezza had played well and had competed hard. For the hell of me though I don't understand why CC would want to play power on power in this particular instance. That completely baffles me.

Oh and I think that we are a far, far comparison from San Jose. We've certainly had our playoff struggles but not in the "Spezza era". You could make a comparison between SJS and the "Pre-spezza" senators (well, pre-SCF season); both elite teams that were not having success in the playoffs but I don't think you can count us in the "Elite team" category anymore (at least not in the last couple of years and probably not for the next few years either) which makes the compaison rather moot.

Spezza hasnt competed at all or even close to what he has to. How hard Crosby compete's is how hard Spezza should be. Im not saying he has to be as good or as effective as Crosby, but he doesnt have a snow balls chance in hell of doing anything worthy of anyone praise until he does. Hell, even Malkin compete harder.

N4L wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

N4L wrote:Sensgirl is right though, you see what Thornton is in SJ, that's what Spezza is as well, only worse.

Disagree. No one is worse than "Jumbo" Joe. I agree that Spezza needs to step it up but if about a dozen of his teammates were stepping it up, Spezza would be less of an issue.

Your number 1 center being a complete no show and costing your team defensivly is an issue, doesnt matter how the other 19 guys are playing.

As for Jumbo Joe, the guy has a few more championships then Spezza does whether he deserves them or not. Spezza actually has nothing. Not one thing. He's the biggest loser in The NHL and you are seeing why.

I have to agree with this too. He's bringing the other guys down and setting the wrong example with the way he's played.

Regin on the other hand has been absolutely fantastic! He's going to be a winner for sure.

N4L wrote:Spezza hasnt competed at all or even close to what he has to. How hard Crosby compete's is how hard Spezza should be. Im not saying he has to be as good or as effective as Crosby, but he doesnt have a snow balls chance in hell of doing anything worthy of anyone praise until he does. Hell, even Malkin compete harder.

I must have been watching different games. Anyways; we need to stop the power-on-power approach crap and try to give our 1st line room and time.

SensGirl11 wrote:

N4L wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

N4L wrote:Sensgirl is right though, you see what Thornton is in SJ, that's what Spezza is as well, only worse.

Disagree. No one is worse than "Jumbo" Joe. I agree that Spezza needs to step it up but if about a dozen of his teammates were stepping it up, Spezza would be less of an issue.

Your number 1 center being a complete no show and costing your team defensivly is an issue, doesnt matter how the other 19 guys are playing.

As for Jumbo Joe, the guy has a few more championships then Spezza does whether he deserves them or not. Spezza actually has nothing. Not one thing. He's the biggest loser in The NHL and you are seeing why.

I have to agree with this too. He's bringing the other guys down and setting the wrong example with the way he's played.

Regin on the other hand has been absolutely fantastic! He's going to be a winner for sure.

No matter what, I think we can all agree that "Jumbo Joe" is one of the most ridiculous nicknames in all of sports.

If Spezza's teammates are being brought down by his play, they're no better than he is. Everybody has to step it up.

The Sharks comparison is ludicrous. At least Spezza was the number one center on a team that went to the Cup Finals - not to mention Spezza was tied for the scoring lead in the playoffs. He just needs to remove his head from his arse.

If they could resign Cullen I wouldnt give a damn if they just waived Spezza next year if this is going to be the norm in the playoffs, which it looks like it is. Hell, Regin has just gotten better every step of the way, but he is probably more of a 2nd line center then anything.

Point being is this series would be no different without Spezza, much liek the regular season probably wouldnt have been either. Spezza is a passenger and always will be. Sure, he has a ton of tallent but at 7 million dollars, that money is better spent elsewhere while developing The Sens and their future from the back and out.

Lehner/Karlsson/Cowen/Wiercoich are the future, they have to build on that up front.

SpezDispenser wrote:The Sharks comparison is ludicrous. At least Spezza was the number one center on a team that went to the Cup Finals - not to mention Spezza was tied for the scoring lead in the playoffs. He just needs to remove his head from his arse.

Needs to do a lot more then that.