Carolina Hurricanes @ Ottawa Senators - 5:00 PM, Nov.27th, 2011

Michallica wrote:all that said, I do think the sens were still lucky that it didn't go to OT. Huge miss by Ruutu and then again when the whistle blew very quickly while the puck squeezed through anderson's legs. And the number of penalties sens took.....dear god. Surprised we won at all but carolina played a good game (except on special teams)

Meh, the Canes are a pretty bad team. The only way they're in that game is because of the 9 PPs they had. That said, we took soooo many penalties, that we were very lucky to get out of there with a W in regulation.

Was at the game as per normal it seems.

1. Karlsson is the best player on the ice 95% of the time when he isn't playing anyone not named Crosby. He may not have been first, second, or third star, but he domiantes the game when he's playing. Wonder what he will be like when he's 25... kid is only 21. Unreal. Best D man in the game under 25 for sure.

2. Daugavins/Smith/Condra, right now could be one of the best 3rd lines in the NHL. All of them are defensivly responsible to say the very least. All of them have a little offensive touch. All of them know their role and play it to a "T". That could very well be the third line for the Sens for the next 5 years.

3. Spezza. No idea what to take from that game.

4. Anderson. Still "meh" hockey. Made some nice saves but was pretty lucky a few didn't slip by him. He seems to lose his net a lot and is never in position to make a 2nd save. If he does it has to be spectacular which is a bad sign. Anyways, got the win, made 30 plus saves, hopefully he can build on that.

5. Rundblad got his first, nice to see. He still has to learn when to pinch in and when to back off. Comes with experience obviously but needs to learn that in a big way.

6. Filatov... thought he was pretty good. Like Ev said, playign 4 games in 4 nights is about as tough a thing you can do. The 4th game being an NHL game makes even tougher. Despite all that he played pretty well, had his legs, got some scoring chances, and looked like an NHL player. If he keeps getting chances he will score and produce. Looked a little lost at times playing with Spezza but if they keep him there he should be able to find some chemistry. A couple dump ins and he didn't know what to do but soon enough he will figure out he needs to get the puck because Spezza won't.

7. Alfi... esssh, looks old. Still gets some chances though and can contribute, glad he's off the PK though.

8. The PK. Unreal. It's the best in the NHL right now bar none. Since Daugavins has been called up they just don't let in a goal.

9. Foligno. Turning into a pest. GOOD! Ottawa needs a guy that pisses the other team off that can play a regualr shift. Foligno has finally found a role.

10. The team played well and that always seems to be the case with a win. Top to bottom everyone contributed.

SpezDispenser wrote:

Michallica wrote:all that said, I do think the sens were still lucky that it didn't go to OT. Huge miss by Ruutu and then again when the whistle blew very quickly while the puck squeezed through anderson's legs. And the number of penalties sens took.....dear god. Surprised we won at all but carolina played a good game (except on special teams)

Meh, the Canes are a pretty bad team. The only way they're in that game is because of the 9 PPs they had. That said, we took soooo many penalties, that we were very lucky to get out of there with a W in regulation.

I didn't watch much of the game, but some of those calls were weak. When Spezza took the hooking penalty the guy went down pretty easy from a stick that was waived around his middle -- always cute how the *feet* go flying up even though the principle point of contact is around the waist. Filatov's hook was also a little weak as I definitely saw most of it being stick on stick. The interference callon Foligno I just didn't understand. Sure, there was contact with the defenseman, and the defenseman bumped into Ward, but the Sens had possession of the puck and the whistle didn't blow until 1-2 seconds later. But the cream of the crop for me was the misconduct on Winchester for shooting a puck a split-second after the whistle. Meanwhile Gleason (and others?) jump him after and all they get is coincidental roughing minors. Winch was just defending himself.

The past couple of games the refereeing has not been good.

Who was the 2nd line center last night? Foligno took 8 face offs while Smith led the team with 23 (Spezza -- the league leader in face offs taken -- had 17).

Will be interesting to see what Filatov can do with a full day's rest and against Winnipeg.

wprager wrote:Who was the 2nd line center last night? Foligno took 8 face offs while Smith led the team with 23 (Spezza -- the league leader in face offs taken -- had 17).

If people want to get technical, at this point that Condra/Smith/Daugavins line is the second line.

Foligno played up the middle with Alfi and Michalek for a lot of the night, though.

NEELY wrote:

wprager wrote:Who was the 2nd line center last night? Foligno took 8 face offs while Smith led the team with 23 (Spezza -- the league leader in face offs taken -- had 17).

If people want to get technical, at this point that Condra/Smith/Daugavins line is the second line.

Foligno played up the middle with Alfi and Michalek for a lot of the night, though.

That was my point. Earlier I said that the 2nd and 3rd line could be switched, ice-time wise. Feel sorry for Michalek because, in a way, he got demoted to the 3rd line.

wprager wrote:

NEELY wrote:

wprager wrote:Who was the 2nd line center last night? Foligno took 8 face offs while Smith led the team with 23 (Spezza -- the league leader in face offs taken -- had 17).

If people want to get technical, at this point that Condra/Smith/Daugavins line is the second line.

Foligno played up the middle with Alfi and Michalek for a lot of the night, though.

That was my point. Earlier I said that the 2nd and 3rd line could be switched, ice-time wise. Feel sorry for Michalek because, in a way, he got demoted to the 3rd line.

Nah, he's the best forward in Ottawa right now, an argument for Smith could be made too. Who ever Michalek is playing with will get going.

If Ottawa is serious about bringing in a 2nd line center you can get Michalek will be playing with him. This opens up a lot more space for Spezza and who ever he is playing with. Good move by MacLean. It's not like prime minutes have been taken away.

NEELY wrote:Was at the game as per normal it seems.

1. Karlsson is the best player on the ice 95% of the time when he isn't playing anyone not named Crosby. He may not have been first, second, or third star, but he domiantes the game when he's playing. Wonder what he will be like when he's 25... kid is only 21. Unreal. Best D man in the game under 25 for sure.

2. Daugavins/Smith/Condra, right now could be one of the best 3rd lines in the NHL. All of them are defensivly responsible to say the very least. All of them have a little offensive touch. All of them know their role and play it to a "T". That could very well be the third line for the Sens for the next 5 years.

3. Spezza. No idea what to take from that game.

4. Anderson. Still "meh" hockey. Made some nice saves but was pretty lucky a few didn't slip by him. He seems to lose his net a lot and is never in position to make a 2nd save. If he does it has to be spectacular which is a bad sign. Anyways, got the win, made 30 plus saves, hopefully he can build on that.

5. Rundblad got his first, nice to see. He still has to learn when to pinch in and when to back off. Comes with experience obviously but needs to learn that in a big way.

6. Filatov... thought he was pretty good. Like Ev said, playign 4 games in 4 nights is about as tough a thing you can do. The 4th game being an NHL game makes even tougher. Despite all that he played pretty well, had his legs, got some scoring chances, and looked like an NHL player. If he keeps getting chances he will score and produce. Looked a little lost at times playing with Spezza but if they keep him there he should be able to find some chemistry. A couple dump ins and he didn't know what to do but soon enough he will figure out he needs to get the puck because Spezza won't.

7. Alfi... esssh, looks old. Still gets some chances though and can contribute, glad he's off the PK though.

8. The PK. Unreal. It's the best in the NHL right now bar none. Since Daugavins has been called up they just don't let in a goal.

9. Foligno. Turning into a pest. GOOD! Ottawa needs a guy that pisses the other team off that can play a regualr shift. Foligno has finally found a role.

10. The team played well and that always seems to be the case with a win. Top to bottom everyone contributed.

Great post.

1) Karlsson is indeed amazing, and only getting better. I don't think he'll ever get the recognition he deserves because he plays for Ottawa.

2) Amazing how we replaced the Ruutu-Kelly-Neil line which was so good for us with Daug-Smith-Condra

3) I'm giving Spezza a flyer for the year. MacLean has shown to be very good at handling the bench(and the various personalities on it) I think he'll get Jason to the next level. He's definitely the best at bench management since Murray ran the team.

4) Anderson has always been a first save goalie (at least that is what Jamie MacLennan says). Nothing wrong with that (so is Tim Thomas). His rebound control was excellent last year so there was rarely a second chance and when there was the D were really good at clearing it. I think he's changed his style somewhat, he doesn't look like contract year Anderson (not just talking numbers here). Still for every game he's cost us he's made key saves to keep us in games. MacLean seems to be handling him and his confidence very well so I think Andy will be good throughout the season. He is far better than anyone we had the past few years.

5) Yeah Rundblad is still a work in progress, much like EK was in his first year.

6) Yeah I think Filatov played his best game in Ottawa, I just wonder if he'll develop any chemistry with Spezza. Both players play best when the have the puck, Filatov doesn't seem as good at getting open. I only saw the first period but he'd frequently park himself in the slot surrounded by Canes defenders and make little effort to get open, which is why Spezza rarely (if ever) dishes the puck to him. He may be better off on the 2nd line, that line could use a passer/playmaker.

7) I'm not sure if it's Alfie's age or the fact we don't really have a #2C right now that's making him ineffective.

8) I was worried about the PK at the start of the year, not so much anymore, now I worry about the PP again.

9) Heh Murray kind of called him out when he chewed Crosby, Shanahan and Bylsma.

10) They played well, kinda wish they'd won without letting Carolina get within 1 goal in the 3rd.

Is The Cros getting suspended?

SeawaySensFan wrote:Is The Cros getting suspended?

Unpossible. He eats Dempsters bread.

tim1_2 wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:Is The Cros getting suspended?

Unpossible. He eats Dempsters bread.

Also, with Deputy Douchebag in "charge", it's Cussing open season on the Mighty Senatesnores.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

tim1_2 wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:Is The Cros getting suspended?

Unpossible. He eats Dempsters bread.

Also, with Deputy Douchebag in "charge", it's Cussing open season on the Mighty Senatesnores.

Ahhhh…we're obviously just overreacting to his elbow of Foligno. I mean Crysby was just trying to separate Foligno from the puc…oh wait, the puck wasn't there….oh, I see…Well, Foligno obviously wasn't getting the message from Crysby's crosschecks, so what else is a respectable hockey player to do…elbow to the face!!! Good thing Chris Kuntz was there to jump to Cindy's defence.

tim1_2 wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

tim1_2 wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:Is The Cros getting suspended?

Unpossible. He eats Dempsters bread.

Also, with Deputy Douchebag in "charge", it's Cussing open season on the Mighty Senatesnores.

Ahhhh…we're obviously just overreacting to his elbow of Foligno. I mean Crysby was just trying to separate Foligno from the puc…oh wait, the puck wasn't there….oh, I see…Well, Foligno obviously wasn't getting the message from Crysby's crosschecks, so what else is a respectable hockey player to do…elbow to the face!!! Good thing Chris Kuntz was there to jump to Cindy's defence.

It's a series of things. Douchebag Shanny is a Cussing douchebag.

Deputy Douchebag is the greatest nickname in the history of the world.

tim1_2 wrote:Deputy Douchebag is the greatest nickname in the history of the world.

Spank you very much!

NEELY wrote:Was at the game as per normal it seems.

1. Karlsson is the best player on the ice 95% of the time when he isn't playing anyone not named Crosby. He may not have been first, second, or third star, but he domiantes the game when he's playing. Wonder what he will be like when he's 25... kid is only 21. Unreal. Best D man in the game under 25 for sure.

2. Daugavins/Smith/Condra, right now could be one of the best 3rd lines in the NHL. All of them are defensivly responsible to say the very least. All of them have a little offensive touch. All of them know their role and play it to a "T". That could very well be the third line for the Sens for the next 5 years.

3. Spezza. No idea what to take from that game.

4. Anderson. Still "meh" hockey. Made some nice saves but was pretty lucky a few didn't slip by him. He seems to lose his net a lot and is never in position to make a 2nd save. If he does it has to be spectacular which is a bad sign. Anyways, got the win, made 30 plus saves, hopefully he can build on that.

5. Rundblad got his first, nice to see. He still has to learn when to pinch in and when to back off. Comes with experience obviously but needs to learn that in a big way.

6. Filatov... thought he was pretty good. Like Ev said, playign 4 games in 4 nights is about as tough a thing you can do. The 4th game being an NHL game makes even tougher. Despite all that he played pretty well, had his legs, got some scoring chances, and looked like an NHL player. If he keeps getting chances he will score and produce. Looked a little lost at times playing with Spezza but if they keep him there he should be able to find some chemistry. A couple dump ins and he didn't know what to do but soon enough he will figure out he needs to get the puck because Spezza won't.

7. Alfi... esssh, looks old. Still gets some chances though and can contribute, glad he's off the PK though.

8. The PK. Unreal. It's the best in the NHL right now bar none. Since Daugavins has been called up they just don't let in a goal.

9. Foligno. Turning into a pest. GOOD! Ottawa needs a guy that pisses the other team off that can play a regualr shift. Foligno has finally found a role.

10. The team played well and that always seems to be the case with a win. Top to bottom everyone contributed.

I agree with all of this. Z.Smith is C-ing one of the most proficient 3rd lines in the league - and Condra didn't even have his best game against the Canes. They're young, they have energy, but most importantly, they can read the play so well...I say the sky is the limit with Karlsson, but it also is with Line 2 in Ottawa, they can continue to develop into near elite bottom 6 players.

Since we lost Jarko Ruutu we really didn't have that pest roll filled and I'm glad to see a guy like Foligno can have the dual purpose of taking a regular shift and be a pest. Nice to see.