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I’m not sure about the rest of you, but this weekend flew by. Two games packed in between family gatherings and other errands. So when it actually came time to drop the puck for Game 1, I was too caught up in other stuff to get nervous.
Not so for Game 2. I was a nervous wreck to put it mildly. I didn’t want to come home with an OT loss and a regulation loss, and the more the game went on scoreless, the more worried I got. Not to mention that we’re all trying to keep an eye on things as the game progresses. Who’s playing well, who’s not? Who’s logging the icetime, who’s making the plays.
So it comes down to digesting it all and looking back on the two games.
In Game 1 I saw what Craig Hartsburg had tried to do in so little time. He was trying to make the Sens forecheck and backcheck like demons - and I had to admire the way he had put the scheme together. The team was all over loose pucks, winning a lot of the board battles. You love to see a guy like Donovan bank a goal in from McAmmond, it gets the season off on the right foot for sure. Then the big stars take over and Heatley and Spezza pot nice goals. Everything was fine for the most part. I thought Brian Lee looked a little uncomfortable in both games, but specifically in this one, but I think, like most of you, that he’s going to quietly and steadily grow into a confident NHL D-man. Give it until game 20 or so. I actually thought Kuba looked pretty uncomfortable at times as well, but caught his rhythm as the game wore on.
What I didn’t understand was why Chris Kelly seemed to be taking some of the more important draws when he was being clearly beaten - and more importantly - had one of the league’s 10 best face-off men standing beside him in Antoine Vermette. Very, very curious. Was this something that had passed Hartsburg? Unlikely, so what was he doing? I actually have no answer to that to be honest, it certainly cost us valuable puck possession time.
Gerber played as average as average can be. He didn’t help his case with a goal 40 clicks in - nor did he help anyone with the OT goal. Spezza especially. The town’s buzzing, the media’s running around in excitement. Spezza gave it up again! Spezza does it again! Spezza loses the game! Get bent...really. This is an exciting player, one of the best in the NHL at making plays and generating offense. And he had a goal and an assist, so he definitely created offense in a tight-checking game, without him, we’re nowhere close to OT. He makes a play that he probably shouldn’t make regularly, but I wouldn’t want him to stop doing it completely. He loses the puck and it’s basically a 2 on 2 the other way. No damage done, right? Wrong, Gerber flat out misses it.
What are the chances of Spezza making that move, having it backfire with the correct number of players back and then have your goalie flat out miss it? 1 in 100? 1 in 500? Probably somewhere close to that. It’s really rare and if he’s gonna make that play, that was the time and space to make that play.
So...in honour of all the people on here that have already commented on the game - and commented with genuine knowledge, I put a grade system on the players (also because we don’t have another frickin game for a week!)
Jason Spezza - Game 1 A, Game 2 A-
He played with confidence with the puck and played hard without it. He made one mistake, which cost the game because of shaky goaltending, but at least he was in the middle of things, where star players should be.
Dany Heatley - Game 1 A, Game 2 A+
Heatley looks to have become even bigger and more powerful. There’s something there that wasn’t really there before. Maybe it’s hunger, maybe it’s drive, but it’s damn fine to watch. Back-checking, scoring and playing an integral part of the game. Superstar
Daniel Alfredsson - Game 1 B+, Game 2 A
He’s lucky to get a B+ to be honest, but he did his usual board domination a few times and controlled the play nicely. One stinging play that he made a mental error on was when Crosby crossed our blue line and saw two Ottawa D coming at him. At this point Alfredsson pulled a hard right bearing down on Crosby. What he should have done is skated directly into the slot area - where the pass went right through to Scuderi, who scored another questionable goal to be honest. But to allow Crosby to see that much ice before making a pass...the only thing you can do is hope you block it - and he didn’t. Still, as mentioned, he can control a game - and a few times he came close to swinging it back to Ottawa for good.
Antoine Vermette - Game 1 B+, Game 2 A-
He didn’t score in game 1, but he was everywhere as a penalty killer. And let’s face it, if you’re not going to score and remain in the top 6, you have to kill penalties - and do it well. In Game 2 he got his goal and played another amazing PK game. He’s competing hard, now all he has to do is use his speed in a 5 on 5 situation. It would be nice if maybe the Sens could cut down on their penalties so we can really see what Vermette’s capable of. Good weekend though.
Chris Kelly - Game 1 B+, Game 2 B+
Great defensive game from Chris Kelly this weekend. He, Vermette and Foligno ate up the Crosby line in head to head match-ups - plus Kelly had an awesome run in penalty killing. His stick was active and he pressured the point really well. Excellent game from Chris, keep it up!
Nick Foligno - Game 1 B, Game 2 B+
Is this kid a buzzsaw, or what? He was everywhere in both games, making his presence felt, hitting, getting to the net. Can’t ask for much more - well a goal, but that’ll come. When Hartsburg put him out as the forward on the 5 on 3, I thought that could've destroyed his confidence when he fluttered a pass past Kuba on the point to eat up precious time and almost cost a short handed goal, but he didn’t shy away from the game at all from that point. In fact, he may have found some more aggression to take out on Pens.
Jesse Winchester - Game 1 A, Game 2 A
This is an NHL player. Don’t mistake him with Branden Bochenski anymore please. He was so physical with Pens players winning a massive battle along the boards against two Pens - and drawing a penalty, then laying some guy out at our blue line and reversing the puck up ice for an assist. I have a great feeling that this kid will continue to blossom - and I think a date with Vermette and Fisher might be in the cards. If not even top line duty. He can handle himself physically and he can put pucks either on guy’s sticks or in the net. Very impressed.
Jarkko Ruuto - Game 1 A, Game 2 A+
Look out. This guy is a vicious, ferocious player who’ll do anything it takes to win. I love his character and how smart he is. This is something I never knew before, but I know it know. Boy...don’t we all? Knows he’s being called for a penalty, so he ‘falls’ on Crosby, giving him a jock face wash for almost a minute. Then Crosby falls right in front of Ruutu behind the net and Ruutu falls over him, bending him over like a chair. This is what you want, just don’t get called too often Jarkko, but this was the defensive, shot-blocking agitator that we will love this year (and for the next 2!)
Chris Neil - Game 1 B+, Game 2 B+
I can’t say enough about Neil and the way he’s turned his game around in this early season. I don’t believe he had a scoring chance in either game to speak of, but he certainly made his presence felt. He and Ruutu are demons along the boards as well. Perhaps Neil’s best moment was laughing off Godard’s attempts to fight and drawing a penalty - which the Sens scored on.
Dean McAmmond and Shean Donovan - Both Games B+
Great games by Deano, but he didn’t get much time, so the grade is a little premature. I liked what he did killing penalties and I like the spirit in which he played. He was buzzing whenever Hartsburg let him hit the ice. Same thing applies for Donovan who played even less than McAmmond. He was in the right place at the right time to deflect a nifty pass from McAmmond to open the Sens’ season. Say what you want about these guys, but veterans like this are needed on all teams. Now...where to put them when Fisher comes back and they decide to play Bass. But that’s another story completely.
Christoph Schubert - Game 1 C, Game 2, B-
I’m not liking what I’m seeing here. But it’s so early and Hartsburg is playing him so little that it’s another case of McAmmond and Donovan. Except Schubert screwed up really large when clearing the front of our crease - like...a minute after the whistle was blown. That’s a penalty Schubie - and they’ll call it every time. I know Jason Smith is rubbing off on you (he’s rubbing off on everyone), but he’ll be the first to tell you to pick your spots.
Anton Volchenkov - Game 1 A, Game 2 A+
Shutdown D indeed. He was punishing, blocked shots, kept the Pens to the parameter and was surprisingly nimble getting up the ice and into scoring areas. There’s nothing much you can say about this kid’s game. He’s refined it to a science, he’ll punish you, keep you to the outside, and if you manage to get a shot, he’ll block it.
Chris Phillips - Game 1 A, Game 2 A
Savvy veteran that Phillips is, he’s already caught on to what he can and can’t get away with. He came to the aid of Alfie knowing full well he was going to the penalty box for it and being okay with that decision. But earlier, in a much tighter game, he waited until there was a full out scrum before he planted his lumber on Orpik. He’s really picked up his offensive game as well. He’s moving the puck crisply out of the zone and he’s committing himself much more in the offensive zone - he even had a back-door play happen but Spezza couldn’t connect the dots. It was close though - and if we have to lean a little heavier on Phillips for offense from the backend, it’s good to know that he can do it. And not at the expense of his defensive play.
Philip Kuba - Game 1 B+, Game 2 A
I thought he was timid and uncomfortable in Game 1, but I thought he rounded into a smooth-skating machine in Game 2. He was the victim of two turnovers that come to the top of my head in Game 1, but one of them was the dump in that nailed Neil and resulted in the Malkin SH goal. That’s gonna happen from time to time. He’s showing us Sens’ fans how adept he is at making strong, long, stretch outlet passes and is actually tied for the league lead in points (LOL). His instincts appear to be what separated him and Meszaros. Where we were used to Mez folding in the corner, Kuba has an innate way of getting himself out of trouble and leading a rush out of the zone with either a pass or his long strides. He’s growing on me, slowly but surely.
Brian Lee - Game 1 C, Game 2 B-
For some reason Brian Lee isn’t showing the same flash he showed last year. You’d think it’d be reversed, he’d have struggled when called up in pressure filled situations last year and into the playoffs - and he’d thrive in the pre-season and early on, but Lee hasn’t been able to find his feet yet. And I definitely mean ‘yet’. He’s gonna put it together very soon and he’ll be very good. I saw him get knocked off the puck a few times too - another thing I can’t understand seeing as how he bulked up in the off-season. Patience will have to be exercised with young Lee, but it’ll pay off.
Alexandre Picard - Game 1 B+, Game 2 A-
Picard started kind of slowly, then high tailed it, hitting with aplomb, shooting missiles from the point and showing some nice speed. Because he was paired with Lee, they both struggled a lot in Game 1, but Picard seemed to shake it off better and play to a higher level after that. It might be the age factor, or it might be that Brian Murray really did see something in this kid when he insisted on him as part of the deal for Meszaros. Whatever it is, I’m intrigued and will continue to watch with keen interest.
Jason Smith - Game 1 A+, Game 2 A+
The best for last. The single best UFA acquisition the Sens have ever made - hands down. This guy is absolutely as advertised. He crushed Crosby and Malkin repeatedly, cleared the crease whenever someone dared to go in, smiled a psychotic smile to guys who felt the need to oppose him (you guys must remember that, it was classic), has an excellent first pass and has a pretty good shot too. You know how Daniel Alfredsson was pasted by Mark Bell last year with no consequence? Not gonna happen this year - and this is one of the main reasons why. And to anyone who doesn’t agree that this is the only player to get duel A+s, tell me, can you identify anything Smith didn’t do right?
Martin Gerber - C-
One game is not gonna put Martin Gerber out of the running for the starting job here in Ottawa. He had a stellar pre-season and is a great team player, so everyone needs to settle down a little here. However...the first and last goals of the game - and maybe even the Scuderi goal - all HAVE to be saved. This is the NHL, if you give away free goals, you lose. It’s that simple. If his head had been in the game for the first goal, who knows what might have happened? Not impressive in the least, but I’m willing to give him a little slack here.
Alex Auld - A
What more do you want than this? Nice, simple game from Auld, kept rebounds to a minimum, made the saves he needed to make. Never let the team down, nor did he deflate them. Essentially Auld pitched a shutout in the first real start he got in an Ottawa Senators uniform, saving 30 of 31. Very impressed. Great back-up to have...and perhaps...well you know.
Not so for Game 2. I was a nervous wreck to put it mildly. I didn’t want to come home with an OT loss and a regulation loss, and the more the game went on scoreless, the more worried I got. Not to mention that we’re all trying to keep an eye on things as the game progresses. Who’s playing well, who’s not? Who’s logging the icetime, who’s making the plays.
So it comes down to digesting it all and looking back on the two games.
In Game 1 I saw what Craig Hartsburg had tried to do in so little time. He was trying to make the Sens forecheck and backcheck like demons - and I had to admire the way he had put the scheme together. The team was all over loose pucks, winning a lot of the board battles. You love to see a guy like Donovan bank a goal in from McAmmond, it gets the season off on the right foot for sure. Then the big stars take over and Heatley and Spezza pot nice goals. Everything was fine for the most part. I thought Brian Lee looked a little uncomfortable in both games, but specifically in this one, but I think, like most of you, that he’s going to quietly and steadily grow into a confident NHL D-man. Give it until game 20 or so. I actually thought Kuba looked pretty uncomfortable at times as well, but caught his rhythm as the game wore on.
What I didn’t understand was why Chris Kelly seemed to be taking some of the more important draws when he was being clearly beaten - and more importantly - had one of the league’s 10 best face-off men standing beside him in Antoine Vermette. Very, very curious. Was this something that had passed Hartsburg? Unlikely, so what was he doing? I actually have no answer to that to be honest, it certainly cost us valuable puck possession time.
Gerber played as average as average can be. He didn’t help his case with a goal 40 clicks in - nor did he help anyone with the OT goal. Spezza especially. The town’s buzzing, the media’s running around in excitement. Spezza gave it up again! Spezza does it again! Spezza loses the game! Get bent...really. This is an exciting player, one of the best in the NHL at making plays and generating offense. And he had a goal and an assist, so he definitely created offense in a tight-checking game, without him, we’re nowhere close to OT. He makes a play that he probably shouldn’t make regularly, but I wouldn’t want him to stop doing it completely. He loses the puck and it’s basically a 2 on 2 the other way. No damage done, right? Wrong, Gerber flat out misses it.
What are the chances of Spezza making that move, having it backfire with the correct number of players back and then have your goalie flat out miss it? 1 in 100? 1 in 500? Probably somewhere close to that. It’s really rare and if he’s gonna make that play, that was the time and space to make that play.
So...in honour of all the people on here that have already commented on the game - and commented with genuine knowledge, I put a grade system on the players (also because we don’t have another frickin game for a week!)
Jason Spezza - Game 1 A, Game 2 A-
He played with confidence with the puck and played hard without it. He made one mistake, which cost the game because of shaky goaltending, but at least he was in the middle of things, where star players should be.
Dany Heatley - Game 1 A, Game 2 A+
Heatley looks to have become even bigger and more powerful. There’s something there that wasn’t really there before. Maybe it’s hunger, maybe it’s drive, but it’s damn fine to watch. Back-checking, scoring and playing an integral part of the game. Superstar
Daniel Alfredsson - Game 1 B+, Game 2 A
He’s lucky to get a B+ to be honest, but he did his usual board domination a few times and controlled the play nicely. One stinging play that he made a mental error on was when Crosby crossed our blue line and saw two Ottawa D coming at him. At this point Alfredsson pulled a hard right bearing down on Crosby. What he should have done is skated directly into the slot area - where the pass went right through to Scuderi, who scored another questionable goal to be honest. But to allow Crosby to see that much ice before making a pass...the only thing you can do is hope you block it - and he didn’t. Still, as mentioned, he can control a game - and a few times he came close to swinging it back to Ottawa for good.
Antoine Vermette - Game 1 B+, Game 2 A-
He didn’t score in game 1, but he was everywhere as a penalty killer. And let’s face it, if you’re not going to score and remain in the top 6, you have to kill penalties - and do it well. In Game 2 he got his goal and played another amazing PK game. He’s competing hard, now all he has to do is use his speed in a 5 on 5 situation. It would be nice if maybe the Sens could cut down on their penalties so we can really see what Vermette’s capable of. Good weekend though.
Chris Kelly - Game 1 B+, Game 2 B+
Great defensive game from Chris Kelly this weekend. He, Vermette and Foligno ate up the Crosby line in head to head match-ups - plus Kelly had an awesome run in penalty killing. His stick was active and he pressured the point really well. Excellent game from Chris, keep it up!
Nick Foligno - Game 1 B, Game 2 B+
Is this kid a buzzsaw, or what? He was everywhere in both games, making his presence felt, hitting, getting to the net. Can’t ask for much more - well a goal, but that’ll come. When Hartsburg put him out as the forward on the 5 on 3, I thought that could've destroyed his confidence when he fluttered a pass past Kuba on the point to eat up precious time and almost cost a short handed goal, but he didn’t shy away from the game at all from that point. In fact, he may have found some more aggression to take out on Pens.
Jesse Winchester - Game 1 A, Game 2 A
This is an NHL player. Don’t mistake him with Branden Bochenski anymore please. He was so physical with Pens players winning a massive battle along the boards against two Pens - and drawing a penalty, then laying some guy out at our blue line and reversing the puck up ice for an assist. I have a great feeling that this kid will continue to blossom - and I think a date with Vermette and Fisher might be in the cards. If not even top line duty. He can handle himself physically and he can put pucks either on guy’s sticks or in the net. Very impressed.
Jarkko Ruuto - Game 1 A, Game 2 A+
Look out. This guy is a vicious, ferocious player who’ll do anything it takes to win. I love his character and how smart he is. This is something I never knew before, but I know it know. Boy...don’t we all? Knows he’s being called for a penalty, so he ‘falls’ on Crosby, giving him a jock face wash for almost a minute. Then Crosby falls right in front of Ruutu behind the net and Ruutu falls over him, bending him over like a chair. This is what you want, just don’t get called too often Jarkko, but this was the defensive, shot-blocking agitator that we will love this year (and for the next 2!)
Chris Neil - Game 1 B+, Game 2 B+
I can’t say enough about Neil and the way he’s turned his game around in this early season. I don’t believe he had a scoring chance in either game to speak of, but he certainly made his presence felt. He and Ruutu are demons along the boards as well. Perhaps Neil’s best moment was laughing off Godard’s attempts to fight and drawing a penalty - which the Sens scored on.
Dean McAmmond and Shean Donovan - Both Games B+
Great games by Deano, but he didn’t get much time, so the grade is a little premature. I liked what he did killing penalties and I like the spirit in which he played. He was buzzing whenever Hartsburg let him hit the ice. Same thing applies for Donovan who played even less than McAmmond. He was in the right place at the right time to deflect a nifty pass from McAmmond to open the Sens’ season. Say what you want about these guys, but veterans like this are needed on all teams. Now...where to put them when Fisher comes back and they decide to play Bass. But that’s another story completely.
Christoph Schubert - Game 1 C, Game 2, B-
I’m not liking what I’m seeing here. But it’s so early and Hartsburg is playing him so little that it’s another case of McAmmond and Donovan. Except Schubert screwed up really large when clearing the front of our crease - like...a minute after the whistle was blown. That’s a penalty Schubie - and they’ll call it every time. I know Jason Smith is rubbing off on you (he’s rubbing off on everyone), but he’ll be the first to tell you to pick your spots.
Anton Volchenkov - Game 1 A, Game 2 A+
Shutdown D indeed. He was punishing, blocked shots, kept the Pens to the parameter and was surprisingly nimble getting up the ice and into scoring areas. There’s nothing much you can say about this kid’s game. He’s refined it to a science, he’ll punish you, keep you to the outside, and if you manage to get a shot, he’ll block it.
Chris Phillips - Game 1 A, Game 2 A
Savvy veteran that Phillips is, he’s already caught on to what he can and can’t get away with. He came to the aid of Alfie knowing full well he was going to the penalty box for it and being okay with that decision. But earlier, in a much tighter game, he waited until there was a full out scrum before he planted his lumber on Orpik. He’s really picked up his offensive game as well. He’s moving the puck crisply out of the zone and he’s committing himself much more in the offensive zone - he even had a back-door play happen but Spezza couldn’t connect the dots. It was close though - and if we have to lean a little heavier on Phillips for offense from the backend, it’s good to know that he can do it. And not at the expense of his defensive play.
Philip Kuba - Game 1 B+, Game 2 A
I thought he was timid and uncomfortable in Game 1, but I thought he rounded into a smooth-skating machine in Game 2. He was the victim of two turnovers that come to the top of my head in Game 1, but one of them was the dump in that nailed Neil and resulted in the Malkin SH goal. That’s gonna happen from time to time. He’s showing us Sens’ fans how adept he is at making strong, long, stretch outlet passes and is actually tied for the league lead in points (LOL). His instincts appear to be what separated him and Meszaros. Where we were used to Mez folding in the corner, Kuba has an innate way of getting himself out of trouble and leading a rush out of the zone with either a pass or his long strides. He’s growing on me, slowly but surely.
Brian Lee - Game 1 C, Game 2 B-
For some reason Brian Lee isn’t showing the same flash he showed last year. You’d think it’d be reversed, he’d have struggled when called up in pressure filled situations last year and into the playoffs - and he’d thrive in the pre-season and early on, but Lee hasn’t been able to find his feet yet. And I definitely mean ‘yet’. He’s gonna put it together very soon and he’ll be very good. I saw him get knocked off the puck a few times too - another thing I can’t understand seeing as how he bulked up in the off-season. Patience will have to be exercised with young Lee, but it’ll pay off.
Alexandre Picard - Game 1 B+, Game 2 A-
Picard started kind of slowly, then high tailed it, hitting with aplomb, shooting missiles from the point and showing some nice speed. Because he was paired with Lee, they both struggled a lot in Game 1, but Picard seemed to shake it off better and play to a higher level after that. It might be the age factor, or it might be that Brian Murray really did see something in this kid when he insisted on him as part of the deal for Meszaros. Whatever it is, I’m intrigued and will continue to watch with keen interest.
Jason Smith - Game 1 A+, Game 2 A+
The best for last. The single best UFA acquisition the Sens have ever made - hands down. This guy is absolutely as advertised. He crushed Crosby and Malkin repeatedly, cleared the crease whenever someone dared to go in, smiled a psychotic smile to guys who felt the need to oppose him (you guys must remember that, it was classic), has an excellent first pass and has a pretty good shot too. You know how Daniel Alfredsson was pasted by Mark Bell last year with no consequence? Not gonna happen this year - and this is one of the main reasons why. And to anyone who doesn’t agree that this is the only player to get duel A+s, tell me, can you identify anything Smith didn’t do right?
Martin Gerber - C-
One game is not gonna put Martin Gerber out of the running for the starting job here in Ottawa. He had a stellar pre-season and is a great team player, so everyone needs to settle down a little here. However...the first and last goals of the game - and maybe even the Scuderi goal - all HAVE to be saved. This is the NHL, if you give away free goals, you lose. It’s that simple. If his head had been in the game for the first goal, who knows what might have happened? Not impressive in the least, but I’m willing to give him a little slack here.
Alex Auld - A
What more do you want than this? Nice, simple game from Auld, kept rebounds to a minimum, made the saves he needed to make. Never let the team down, nor did he deflate them. Essentially Auld pitched a shutout in the first real start he got in an Ottawa Senators uniform, saving 30 of 31. Very impressed. Great back-up to have...and perhaps...well you know.
