PLAYOFF GAME DAY: Game 5: Ottawa Senators (1) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (3) - 7:00pm ET - Thu. Apr. 22nd, 2010

N4L wrote:How many have come back 3-1 against the cup champs? Usually the teams that come back are the ones that are favoured to begin with.

There is no chance Ottawa wins this series. I'm not telling people something they dont already know.

You know, at the end of the day, I don't care that the don't have a shot at winning (well, I do but that's for another day). At this point, all I'm hoping for is that they go down fighting.

PKC wrote:I have a weird feeling that Ottawa wins tonight. Seems quite improbable given the last four games, but something just tells me we win tonight. No idea why.

I kinda do as well, but I'm fully prepared to be disappointed.

shabbs wrote:Donovan in for Cheechoo.

Cheechoo can't do anything right for Clouston.

TheAvatar wrote:

N4L wrote:How many have come back 3-1 against the cup champs? Usually the teams that come back are the ones that are favoured to begin with.

There is no chance Ottawa wins this series. I'm not telling people something they dont already know.

You know, at the end of the day, I don't care that the don't have a shot at winning (well, I do but that's for another day). At this point, all I'm hoping for is that they go down fighting.

It would be nice to see a spirited effort tonight... show us that they care. And I'm looking at you Spezza.

maybe the defence will play with more focus and urgency knowing Pascal "get your free rebounds here" Leclaire is in nets.

shabbs wrote:Lines at practice:

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

No Alfie... and yes, no Brodeur.

No Alfie for the game at all?

No, he will probably be in the game. He hasn't practiced since the Crosby hit.

Dash wrote:No, he will probably be in the game. He hasn't practiced since the Crosby hit.

Ok cool.

Again, if people didn't think Cheechoo's days were over here in Ottawa, look no further than him being yanked for Donovan. Wow.

Oh, and good chance tonight is Volchenkov's final game as a Sen I guess.

Ditto Sutton and Cullen. Ditto Donovan - oh, now I realize why he's in.

shabbs wrote:LECLAIRE TO START TONIGHT!

WHAT?

I'm seriously shocked. Oh well.

Well played, Mauer.

Can Leclaire borrow Elliott's pads for tonight, I'm so tired of seeing his small striped pads.

Big Ev wrote:Well played, Mauer.

Who's Meower?

Oops, I'm not done ranting, I thought I was.

Why are we starting some dude who's done nothing for us all year? What message does that send to Elliott? Thanks a lot for going 19-6-1 with a 2.19 and a .921 down the stretch, now take a seat for some dude!

Why? Elliott's mental make-up is awesome thank goodness, but this could easily hurt his development if he starts to doubt himself. What kind of a Diddling idiot move is this?

Was this really Clouston behind this? He loves Elliott and knows the importance of going with the guy who's gotten you to where you are, is Murray behind this?

Furthermore, if we're gonna put some random goalie in, why not Brodeur? Afraid to lose?

Not pleased.

SpezDispenser wrote:Oops, I'm not done ranting, I thought I was.

Why are we starting some dude who's done nothing for us all year? What message does that send to Elliott? Thanks a lot for going 19-6-1 with a 2.19 and a .921 down the stretch, now take a seat for some dude!

Why? Elliott's mental make-up is awesome thank goodness, but this could easily hurt his development if he starts to doubt himself. What kind of a Diddling idiot move is this?

Was this really Clouston behind this? He loves Elliott and knows the importance of going with the guy who's gotten you to where you are, is Murray behind this?

Furthermore, if we're gonna put some random goalie in, why not Brodeur? Afraid to lose?

Not pleased.

Clouston saw how we played down 4-0. Starting the game with Leclaire is tantamount to being down 4-0. WIN!

I'm not sure why LeClaire is in, but he must have a reason. If LeClaire is confident and relaxed, he will play well. The thing is he has the skill, but when he sucks he REALLY sucks!

So I say, 2 goals in, pull LeClaire immediately.

They have also put in Donovan on the fourth line, and looks like in practice Alfie and Foligno are swapped. Making practice lines:

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

Odds are Elliott will be put into the game at some point anyway

It doesn't matter what goalie is in nets because our defence has been hanging them out to dry all series. Miller, Rask you name it would be pulled the way we're playing.

I don't think Elliott lets stuff like this get to him, he'll come back better next year and the #1 job will probably be his to lose at the start. Either way, both goalies will have a shot at it.

Brodeur, from what I hear has sucked in Bingo all year and seemed to have gotten really lucky in his brief time with the Sens. I have yet to hear anyone call him a good goalie.

So much like Cheechoo, Leclaire gets a shot at redemption, I'm sure Elliott knows where he stands in the organization.

The team played much better when Leclaire got put in but that's probably the goalie change itself not who the goalie was.

In any case, I don't see why Leclaire would suddenly start playing well when he's stunk most of the year.