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

I think Leclaire is being put in to throw a fresh look at the Penguins. Leclaire is a skilled goaltender. I don't know why people Dung all over the guy all the time. Much like every goaltender that plays in this city. We had a playoff performer for years in Lalime and yet all people can remember is the two game 7s the TEAM lost, not the ridiculous 1.77 gaa, .926 sv% in 41 games.

I have faith in Leclaire. He's atheltic and fast enough to fluster the Penguins. He bobbled that puck on the Jordan Staal goal, but I think that was a little more nerves than anything else. You guys might be pleasantly surprised with Leclaire tonight.
If the rest of the team can play with some fire and get a stop when they need it, we could win tonight for sure.

As an aside, how does the NHL not keep track of time of possession stats? What kind of an amateur third-world league is this?

For the love of all things holy... let's push this to 6 games... and last longer than the Habs.

PLEASE!!!

WOW, Im shocked here... guess Clouston is desperate enough to try anything at this point. I wouldnt be shocked if this game was done after the 1st 10 mins. We'll see if Leclaire is actually a big game goaltender.

Not sure why everyone is so surprised Elliott isn't in tonight. Quite frankly it doesn't matter who we put in, we still haven't found a number 1 goalie between Leclaire and Elliott. Fire away!!

We shall see. I really think Clouston is simply trying to shake things up. Hopefully things got well :D Lets bring this home!

SDH89 wrote:Not sure why everyone is so surprised Elliott isn't in tonight. Quite frankly it doesn't matter who we put in, we still haven't found a number 1 goalie between Leclaire and Elliott. Fire away!!

Elliott was the number 1 all year on a playoff team... not sure what else people expected of a rookie goaltender. Ive always maintained I like leclaire and think there is a ton of potential there but he hasnt done anything this year to say that this game isnt going to be an absolute blowout of epic propotions.

Clouston presser from today:

http://senators.nhl.com/v2/ext/Audio/100422_Clouston.mp3

I gotta feeling...
That tonight's gonna be a good night...
That tonight's gonna be a good night...
That tonight's gonna be a good, good night...

PKC wrote:I think Leclaire is being put in to throw a fresh look at the Penguins. Leclaire is a skilled goaltender. I don't know why people Dung all over the guy all the time. Much like every goaltender that plays in this city. We had a playoff performer for years in Lalime and yet all people can remember is the two game 7s the TEAM lost, not the ridiculous 1.77 gaa, .926 sv% in 41 games.

I have faith in Leclaire. He's atheltic and fast enough to fluster the Penguins. He bobbled that puck on the Jordan Staal goal, but I think that was a little more nerves than anything else. You guys might be pleasantly surprised with Leclaire tonight.
If the rest of the team can play with some fire and get a stop when they need it, we could win tonight for sure.

As an aside, how does the NHL not keep track of time of possession stats? What kind of an amateur third-world league is this?

Too many media darlings on the team to protect so let's roast the uncool french guy.

I think Leclaire is a different story but I've always said the raw talent and reflexes are there too. I don't think the last 2 losses are all on Elliott but I don't think it hurts to try this out either. It's really up to the rest of the team no matter who's in goal.

SDH89 wrote:Not sure why everyone is so surprised Elliott isn't in tonight. Quite frankly it doesn't matter who we put in, we still haven't found a number 1 goalie between Leclaire and Elliott. Fire away!!

But SD, Elliott went 19-6-1 with a .921 down the stretch. He's the guy that got us to the post-season.

PKC wrote:I think Leclaire is being put in to throw a fresh look at the Penguins. Leclaire is a skilled goaltender. I don't know why people Dung all over the guy all the time.

Only Toskala had worse numbers this year I think.

He seems to look like a skilled athletic goalie but then he gets beaten time and time again. I think his athleticism makes easy saves look more spectacular than they actually are.

Either Clouston/Murray seemed to think Leclaire looked more focused and fired up in practice or this is a desperate plan to scare our defence into actually playing well instead of hanging the goalie out to dry.

N4L wrote:WOW, Im shocked here... guess Clouston is desperate enough to try anything at this point. I wouldnt be shocked if this game was done after the 1st 10 mins. We'll see if Leclaire is actually a big game goaltender.

I suspect it works out as well as Price did for the Habs last game sadly.

Leclaire being thrown in there is probably not a bad idea, might as well see what you have in the guy in a game that matters before you make a decision on a guy you thought was going to be your franchise goaltender.

SpezDispenser wrote:

SDH89 wrote:Not sure why everyone is so surprised Elliott isn't in tonight. Quite frankly it doesn't matter who we put in, we still haven't found a number 1 goalie between Leclaire and Elliott. Fire away!!

But SD, Elliott went 19-6-1 with a .921 down the stretch. He's the guy that got us to the post-season.

He was great in that stretch, but to me he only went when the team was going. I'm not saying he played badly in our rough patches, but it's not like he stole games for us. Don't get me wrong, I like Brian, but I just question if he's a true #1. I'm not just saying this because he's played like crap in the playoffs, I've always had my reservations on him .....

N4L wrote:Leclaire being thrown in there is probably not a bad idea, might as well see what you have in the guy in a game that matters before you make a decision on a guy you thought was going to be your franchise goaltender.

Well, you never know. Leclaire may see this as his time to shine and take the ball and run with it. Who knows. We'll find out tonight.

Beers on ice.

N4L wrote:Leclaire being thrown in there is probably not a bad idea, might as well see what you have in the guy in a game that matters before you make a decision on a guy you thought was going to be your franchise goaltender.

Yep, no harm.

I think the choice to go with Leclaire does a few things.

1 - Media are talking about him and not the crap fest the Sens put forward or the 2 goal 4 point night by Crosby. They're also not talking to Elliott about being pulled and what his confidence is like right now.

2 - It can either blow up in their face and they lose the series in 5 or it can go spectacularly well and they bring it back to SBP and maybe pull off a miracle. Either way the series is pretty much already over so why not? As the saying goes: Go big or go home! This is like going all in with a pair of 2s or betting your life savings on 21 black.

3 - It gives Leclaire some playoff experience because I doubt anyone would touch him in a trade right now anyway.

SDH89 wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

SDH89 wrote:Not sure why everyone is so surprised Elliott isn't in tonight. Quite frankly it doesn't matter who we put in, we still haven't found a number 1 goalie between Leclaire and Elliott. Fire away!!

But SD, Elliott went 19-6-1 with a .921 down the stretch. He's the guy that got us to the post-season.

He was great in that stretch, but to me he only went when the team was going. I'm not saying he played badly in our rough patches, but it's not like he stole games for us. Don't get me wrong, I like Brian, but I just question if he's a true #1. I'm not just saying this because he's played like crap in the playoffs, I've always had my reservations on him .....

He's just a child in relation to being an NHL starter. Rask is amazing, absolutely a stud, but that team knows how to calm a game down and play D - it is Claude Julien after all. With the Sens this year it feels like the year we got swept, they're running around, chasing the Pens around until finally they find an opening and beat Elliott with a great shot.

He's let in some stinkers, but at the same time, he's only gonna get better and better and better. This would have been yet one more step towards him learning for next year and for next playoffs, but no, we have to start Leclaire who is the worst goaltender in the playoffs period.

Diddle...sometimes I don't understand. I guess Clouston wants to see both Leclaire and Elliott, because Leclaire won't last two periods IMO. And if he does, don't anyone get excited, it's blind luck.