Ottawa @ Boston - Sept. 29th, 2011 - 7PM

Da lil Guy wrote:

NEELY wrote:Don't care if it's pre-season, last year that team quits.

...because it's 6-0.

That's also true. Well played.

NEELY wrote:

Big Ev wrote:

NEELY wrote:The Sens are doing all the little things right as a team. You can see MacLean's influence already right now.

Why are people crying about Kuba again...? He's been more than solid as far as I can see.

I think he's been pretty bad once again but w/e.

How has he been bad? Being asked to play a defensive role and being even on the night is bad? He was pretty steady all night long. Guess everyone needs a whipping boy.

Really couldn't care less about +/-. He's just a guy that doesn't give you a ton of confidence. Gonchar, Rundblad, and Cowen were better. Lee too.

My whipping boy is Carkner, not Kuba. I actually am hoping Kuba has a bounce back, and I will not judge him by pre-season games.

Anderson robbed the Bruins high and dry. Straight out rape there, with no lube.

Da lil Guy wrote:

NEELY wrote:Don't care if it's pre-season, last year that team quits.

...because it's 6-0.

Very true.

Big Ev wrote:

NEELY wrote:

Big Ev wrote:

NEELY wrote:The Sens are doing all the little things right as a team. You can see MacLean's influence already right now.

Why are people crying about Kuba again...? He's been more than solid as far as I can see.

I think he's been pretty bad once again but w/e.

How has he been bad? Being asked to play a defensive role and being even on the night is bad? He was pretty steady all night long. Guess everyone needs a whipping boy.

Really couldn't care less about +/-. He's just a guy that doesn't give you a ton of confidence. Gonchar, Rundblad, and Cowen were better. Lee too.

My whipping boy is Carkner, not Kuba. I actually am hoping Kuba has a bounce back, and I will not judge him by pre-season games.

Kuba's job is to keep things simple and help out the 3 rookies on the blueline, he did that. He did his job, not sure what else you can ask of a player besides doing what is asked of him.

Carkner is the number 7 D man, no doubts there.

Rundblad is still a long way off, GWG or not.

Kuba has been okay, but he doesn't look comfortable at all.

BTW, it would have been ZIbanejad's 4th goal in what, 5 games?

Ended up watching the rest of this. Obviously some heart-stopping defensive break-downs (or they would be if I was concerned about the result) but otherwise I thought Rundblad was magical in the third period.

Our powerplay could win us some games this season IMO. But I still think our forward depth is too paltry to make any kind of noise in the conference.

At least we've moved on from the days of Brendan Bell QBing the man-advantage.

Anyway, hurray for a win that even the pro-tank part of me can celebrate! I'm pretty sure that means Boston cedes the Cup to us.

Also I thought this was Zibanejad's best game of the pre-season although obviously there's still work to do. Was he like this against Toronto?

Yeah, a lot like that Asq, not quite as physical, but he played a similar game and seems to be getting better nightly.

asq2 wrote:Ended up watching the rest of this. Obviously some heart-stopping defensive break-downs (or they would be if I was concerned about the result) but otherwise I thought Rundblad was magical in the third period.

Our powerplay could win us some games this season IMO. But I still think our forward depth is too paltry to make any kind of noise in the conference.

At least we've moved on from the days of Brendan Bell QBing the man-advantage.

Anyway, hurray for a win that even the pro-tank part of me can celebrate! I'm pretty sure that means Boston cedes the Cup to us.

Also I thought this was Zibanejad's best game of the pre-season although obviously there's still work to do. Was he like this against Toronto?

Spezza, Alfi, Michalek, and seemingly Filatov isn't a bad start. Once Filatov gets one and finds his stride, I think he just breaks out into a 20 goal man. He's doing everything right, getting the chances, he will burry one. You can tell he's just getting comfortable.

If Butler does something eventuall as well, the forwards are not in bad shape IMO. I think the puck movement from the back end is key in all this though so maybe that's why they keep Rundblad around if they have that much confidence in Anderson.

SpezDispenser wrote:Rundblad is still a long way off, GWG or not.

The improvement he's shown in the pre-season has been remarkable, though. Again he was magical in the third. I love how he barely has to skate to elude fore-checkers -- he just head-fakes the **** out of them. Reminds me a bit of Redden in that regard, actually.

I would have no qualms with him playing in the NHL -- I don't think we should be too pre-occupied with being competitive this season. Although Cowen must certainly be ranked ahead of him on the depth chart and there's no question DR'd be better served as the #1 in Bingo rather than the #7 in Ottawa.

NEELY wrote:

asq2 wrote:Ended up watching the rest of this. Obviously some heart-stopping defensive break-downs (or they would be if I was concerned about the result) but otherwise I thought Rundblad was magical in the third period.

Our powerplay could win us some games this season IMO. But I still think our forward depth is too paltry to make any kind of noise in the conference.

At least we've moved on from the days of Brendan Bell QBing the man-advantage.

Anyway, hurray for a win that even the pro-tank part of me can celebrate! I'm pretty sure that means Boston cedes the Cup to us.

Also I thought this was Zibanejad's best game of the pre-season although obviously there's still work to do. Was he like this against Toronto?

Spezza, Alfi, Michalek, and seemingly Filatov isn't a bad start. Once Filatov gets one and finds his stride, I think he just breaks out into a 20 goal man. He's doing everything right, getting the chances, he will burry one. You can tell he's just getting comfortable.

If Butler does something eventuall as well, the forwards are not in bad shape IMO. I think the puck movement from the back end is key in all this though so maybe that's why they keep Rundblad around if they have that much confidence in Anderson.

Just get a good PP going, you will get in the top 8 easily.
Montreal has made the playoffs (and done well) the last 3 years with Price/Halak and the PP.

I think Ottawa is in the hunt for a playoff spot until the last week of the season. The Sens were not as bad as they seemed last year and a lot of fat has been trimmed. We'll see what good goaltending, a new approach, and hopefully a healthy season from most will do.

Personally, I'm happy with the way things are going because I think they are right in the thick of getting that 7th or 8th spot.

asq2 wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:Rundblad is still a long way off, GWG or not.

The improvement he's shown in the pre-season has been remarkable, though. Again he was magical in the third. I love how he barely has to skate to elude fore-checkers -- he just head-fakes the **** out of them. Reminds me a bit of Redden in that regard, actually.

I would have no qualms with him playing in the NHL -- I don't think we should be too pre-occupied with being competitive this season. Although Cowen must certainly be ranked ahead of him on the depth chart and there's no question DR'd be better served as the #1 in Bingo rather than the #7 in Ottawa.

I think he and Da Costa would both benefit greatly from short stints in the AHL. I just want him to learn the NA game defensively without it being an NHL game. I love when he does the write fake though, the guy is unbelievably talented...wow.

Also I'd like to know why Foligno looks so scared to go to the inside.

http://twitter.com/#!/Steve_Lloyd/status/119584418015875072

Lost in #Sens win. Filatov essentially benched in 3rd period. Not a good way to cap pre-season for a kid getting a 2nd chance.

Not looking good

sandysensfan wrote:

wprager wrote:

SensGirl11 wrote:Here were the lines at the Senators’ pre-game skate:

- Colin Greening-Jason Spezza-Nikita Filatov
- Milan Michalek-Mika Zibanejad-Daniel Alfredsson
- Nick Foligno-Zack Smith-Bobby Butler
- Erik Condra-Zenon Konopka-Chris Neil
- Mike Hoffman-Stephane Da Costa-Kaspars Daugavins

EDIT: I'm about 8 hours late on this one...

Also, B's are icing basically their full NHL lineup tonight - should be an interesting game.

Yes, but we are going with *five* lines. If we need that extra push to go over the cliff ...

Have you seen the defensive pairings:

Gonchar-Cowen
Kuba-Rundblad
Lee-Borowiecki...

You were saying we are going over a cliff? 2 experienced D -- one of them is useless. Basically a 2nd yr pro.. and 3 rookies... Anderson better be a wall in net.. or this could get real ugly..

You should watch This is Spinal Tap -- the "extra push to go over the cliff" is from the "This goes to eleven" bit.

But the rest, you were spot on.