GAME DAY: St. Louis @ Ottawa, 7:30PM, Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Another bad start... how many is that?

This team is not playing well.. that is very evident.

But look at the teams they have lost to:

Anaheim, LA, Phoenix, Boston, Islanders, Leafs, St. Louis.

For an example, take a look at the Leafs last 7 games:

Islanders x2, Pitts x2, Edmonton, Ottawa, Winnipeg.

Now what team has had the harder schedule the last 7 games?

Based on where this team is in a re-build/re-tool... they were not going to win games against LA, Boston or St. Louis. Anaheim & Phoenix were playing great hockey. The Sens have always done poorly on that western road trip.. and in Phoenix they were back-to-back and the 3rd game in 4 nights.. The should have been better against both the Islanders & the Leafs... but they were not.

There were supposed to be at the bottom of the standings almost the entire season.. but they sit in 8th. We realized it would take at least 3 yrs before this team could compete with the better teams.

We all knew there would be good games & bad games this season... that's what happens during a re-build/re-tool.

Nashville is up next. Now if the Sens could not do well against Elliott, Reimer, Nabocov, M Smith.. they how in hell will they be able to score 1 if any goals against Rinne... the best goalie in the NHL... This streak will hit 8 losses after tomorrow night.

Starting Sat and through next week... Sens play Edmonton, Florida, Tampa & Islanders. If they don't win 3 or 4 of those games then they don't belong in the playoffs... then it is best.. they head to the bottom instead of finishing 9th.

This will prompt Murray to be a seller at the trade deadline for draft picks... which would not be a bad thing as to where this club is now. Maybe Ryan Murray is not a longshort afterall.

Start Auld against Nashville. With the Preds very good D and goaltending so Sens won't win that one either. So what have they got to lose by starting Auld?

I agreed to an extent. After Nashville we need to start putting it together.

SpezDispenser wrote:I'm not sure how well it translated on TV, but the Blues are a CUP contender and we're not there yet. That is a hell of a team.

When is the last time a tandem team was a Cup contender? You *have to have* a #1 and they don't. Sooner or later someone's got to be given the reins. And as much as I like Elliott, I don't think he will handle the pressure well. Which means it's Halak. Can he handle it?

wprager wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:I'm not sure how well it translated on TV, but the Blues are a CUP contender and we're not there yet. That is a hell of a team.

When is the last time a tandem team was a Cup contender? You *have to have* a #1 and they don't. Sooner or later someone's got to be given the reins. And as much as I like Elliott, I don't think he will handle the pressure well. Which means it's Halak. Can he handle it?

Yeah, I thought of that, but I think it might be like a Thomas/Rask-light. I'm sure Halak will carry the mail in the playoffs, but the Blues play a stifling system, so if Elliott needs to play, he'll be well insulated (cue the Hitchcock jokes).

SpezDispenser wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:I'm not sure how well it translated on TV, but the Blues are a CUP contender and we're not there yet. That is a hell of a team.

I'd say that, after the first four minutes, OTT had the better of the play -- more zone time, more chances, & more shots.

That said, STL plays a solid defensive game, no doubt.

I agree, the Sens found their legs and took it to them in the 2nd and 3rd, but they also got really frustrated. Tons of blocked shots by the Blues and tons of angles being taken away. Hard to describe the feeling at that rink, but it wasn't very positive.

The Sens finally leaned on Oshie and Backes a bit towards the end of the 1st and on, otherwise we would have been run out of the building by those two alone. Backes is a star, he just plays in a place that no one watches.

Sens had great chances early on. I don't think you (RP) even need to say "after the first four minutes". Then a really low percentage shot goes in (yes, it was tipped, but it was still not a hard shot, from right up against the boards, and tipping it out of the air like that is a bit of a fluke). The second one was a horrible rebound that Anderson didn't react to quickly enough (should have grabbed it or at least batted it away), and then our soft-as-butter defense let Perron just walk in, grab the puck, skate out in front of the crease and put it in far corner. And the announcers *still* blamed it on Anderson for not poke checking it. I blame him for not controlling the rebound, sure, but our D has to start remembering that this is not the ASG.

And speaking of shot blocking, are we ever going to? Remember Chara's blast and Cowen jumping to get out of the way? I know he's got a hard shot and all but still. The reason we're giving up 30+ every night is because we are blocking 8 while the other team blocks 20 (those aren't the numbers from last night unless it's a freaky coincidence).

wprager wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:I'm not sure how well it translated on TV, but the Blues are a CUP contender and we're not there yet. That is a hell of a team.

I'd say that, after the first four minutes, OTT had the better of the play -- more zone time, more chances, & more shots.

That said, STL plays a solid defensive game, no doubt.

I agree, the Sens found their legs and took it to them in the 2nd and 3rd, but they also got really frustrated. Tons of blocked shots by the Blues and tons of angles being taken away. Hard to describe the feeling at that rink, but it wasn't very positive.

The Sens finally leaned on Oshie and Backes a bit towards the end of the 1st and on, otherwise we would have been run out of the building by those two alone. Backes is a star, he just plays in a place that no one watches.

Sens had great chances early on. I don't think you (RP) even need to say "after the first four minutes". Then a really low percentage shot goes in (yes, it was tipped, but it was still not a hard shot, from right up against the boards, and tipping it out of the air like that is a bit of a fluke). The second one was a horrible rebound that Anderson didn't react to quickly enough (should have grabbed it or at least batted it away), and then our soft-as-butter defense let Perron just walk in, grab the puck, skate out in front of the crease and put it in far corner. And the announcers *still* blamed it on Anderson for not poke checking it. I blame him for not controlling the rebound, sure, but our D has to start remembering that this is not the ASG.

And speaking of shot blocking, are we ever going to? Remember Chara's blast and Cowen jumping to get out of the way? I know he's got a hard shot and all but still. The reason we're giving up 30+ every night is because we are blocking 8 while the other team blocks 20 (those aren't the numbers from last night unless it's a freaky coincidence).

Cowen's tired. Although I thought he looked good the rest of the game (including destroying D'Agostini along the boards - he's hurt now I believe), that 2nd goal was on him.

I agree though, we need to block more shots - which was what Carkner/Phillips was supposed to be good at...

SpezDispenser wrote:

Big Ev wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

LeKid wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:I'm not sure how well it translated on TV, but the Blues are a CUP contender and we're not there yet. That is a hell of a team.

I would say they have the perfect players to play their system.
Not sure they would win a round in the playoffs though, but then again if Halak shows a 2010 like performance

I think they have the perfect players and system to Diddle a lot of Dung up in the West. I think they could go long - same with Nashville.

Try playing that current incarnation of the Blues if you're the Canucks...you shant win a 7 game series.

probably don't have the scoring in the end.

Yeah, I think that's a major issue. One more sniper needed - and we all know that's hard to get.

I'll ask again -- can Turris play wing? He's got a great shot and a quick release.

Also, I'll ask *this* again, too -- is Stone ready for the NHL?

SpezDispenser wrote:

wprager wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:I'm not sure how well it translated on TV, but the Blues are a CUP contender and we're not there yet. That is a hell of a team.

When is the last time a tandem team was a Cup contender? You *have to have* a #1 and they don't. Sooner or later someone's got to be given the reins. And as much as I like Elliott, I don't think he will handle the pressure well. Which means it's Halak. Can he handle it?

Yeah, I thought of that, but I think it might be like a Thomas/Rask-light. I'm sure Halak will carry the mail in the playoffs, but the Blues play a stifling system, so if Elliott needs to play, he'll be well insulated (cue the Hitchcock jokes).

Rask didn't get any starts, did he? Certainly not in the Finals.

P.S. Hitch looked awful in HD. Bad skin or good spirits.

SpezDispenser wrote:

wprager wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:I'm not sure how well it translated on TV, but the Blues are a CUP contender and we're not there yet. That is a hell of a team.

I'd say that, after the first four minutes, OTT had the better of the play -- more zone time, more chances, & more shots.

That said, STL plays a solid defensive game, no doubt.

I agree, the Sens found their legs and took it to them in the 2nd and 3rd, but they also got really frustrated. Tons of blocked shots by the Blues and tons of angles being taken away. Hard to describe the feeling at that rink, but it wasn't very positive.

The Sens finally leaned on Oshie and Backes a bit towards the end of the 1st and on, otherwise we would have been run out of the building by those two alone. Backes is a star, he just plays in a place that no one watches.

Sens had great chances early on. I don't think you (RP) even need to say "after the first four minutes". Then a really low percentage shot goes in (yes, it was tipped, but it was still not a hard shot, from right up against the boards, and tipping it out of the air like that is a bit of a fluke). The second one was a horrible rebound that Anderson didn't react to quickly enough (should have grabbed it or at least batted it away), and then our soft-as-butter defense let Perron just walk in, grab the puck, skate out in front of the crease and put it in far corner. And the announcers *still* blamed it on Anderson for not poke checking it. I blame him for not controlling the rebound, sure, but our D has to start remembering that this is not the ASG.

And speaking of shot blocking, are we ever going to? Remember Chara's blast and Cowen jumping to get out of the way? I know he's got a hard shot and all but still. The reason we're giving up 30+ every night is because we are blocking 8 while the other team blocks 20 (those aren't the numbers from last night unless it's a freaky coincidence).

Cowen's tired. Although I thought he looked good the rest of the game (including destroying D'Agostini along the boards - he's hurt now I believe), that 2nd goal was on him.

I agree though, we need to block more shots - which was what Carkner/Phillips was supposed to be good at...

I just looked at the team stats and they are not as bad as I thought at blocking shots. Middle of the pack, really. Where they suck is a missing the net. Third worst in the league (behind Winnipeg and LA).
http://www.nhl.com/ice/teamstats.htm?fetchKey=20122ALLSAAALL&sort=missedShots&viewName=realTimeStats

wprager wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

Big Ev wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

LeKid wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:I'm not sure how well it translated on TV, but the Blues are a CUP contender and we're not there yet. That is a hell of a team.

I would say they have the perfect players to play their system.
Not sure they would win a round in the playoffs though, but then again if Halak shows a 2010 like performance

I think they have the perfect players and system to Diddle a lot of Dung up in the West. I think they could go long - same with Nashville.

Try playing that current incarnation of the Blues if you're the Canucks...you shant win a 7 game series.

probably don't have the scoring in the end.

Yeah, I think that's a major issue. One more sniper needed - and we all know that's hard to get.

I'll ask again -- can Turris play wing? He's got a great shot and a quick release.

Also, I'll ask *this* again, too -- is Stone ready for the NHL?

I doubt Turris can play wing...if he can, I've never really heard about him playing there. If he's not familiar, it may not work.

I also doubt Stone is ready for prime time yet. He needs to work again this summer on his skating, then see where he falls after pre-season. I've also thought about that though to be honest. It's Petersson who's the guy to plug in there, but for some reason they're not.

wprager wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

wprager wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:I'm not sure how well it translated on TV, but the Blues are a CUP contender and we're not there yet. That is a hell of a team.

When is the last time a tandem team was a Cup contender? You *have to have* a #1 and they don't. Sooner or later someone's got to be given the reins. And as much as I like Elliott, I don't think he will handle the pressure well. Which means it's Halak. Can he handle it?

Yeah, I thought of that, but I think it might be like a Thomas/Rask-light. I'm sure Halak will carry the mail in the playoffs, but the Blues play a stifling system, so if Elliott needs to play, he'll be well insulated (cue the Hitchcock jokes).

Rask didn't get any starts, did he? Certainly not in the Finals.

P.S. Hitch looked awful in HD. Bad skin or good spirits.

I thought he relieved Thomas a few times, but I could be wrong.

Rask played 13 playoff games in 2009/10 and none last year.

wprager wrote:Rask played 13 playoff games in 2009/10 and none last year.

Noticed that as well...Thomas played every second of every playoff game? I find that hard to believe....

No idea why you'd move Turris o wing. Sens now have a capable #2 center, let's keep it that way. Now they can go find wingers. Looks like they want to try from within first, but I think that experiment isn't working. Not sure they will be able to answer that question this season, perhaps next season?

Problem is you want to see what your own can do first, and you can't really get a good idea until pre-season, and by then it is too late to go shopping. And you don't necessarily want to go shopping when you have a capable player in the system. Catch 22.

Riprock wrote:No idea why you'd move Turris o wing. Sens now have a capable #2 center, let's keep it that way. Now they can go find wingers. Looks like they want to try from within first, but I think that experiment isn't working. Not sure they will be able to answer that question this season, perhaps next season?

Problem is you want to see what your own can do first, and you can't really get a good idea until pre-season, and by then it is too late to go shopping. And you don't necessarily want to go shopping when you have a capable player in the system. Catch 22.

The issue is that some of these fans want those wingers NOW. Why the rush?... Two are probably in the lineup next season in Zibanejad (who is being used as a winger in the SEL and also was at the WJC) and Silfverberg.

It may take them so time to adjust... but the Sens have the time... Stone is another option but he will need time in Bingo.

The Sens are not a contender this year -- we have to be patient.

No doubt the Sens have a lot of potential candidates in the system to vie for a spot on the top 2 line wing spots, but the issue is whether or not they can actually become legit top line players. We've seen lots try unsuccessfully.

I'm curious about Turris on the wing because I keep hearing about this fantastic shot and quick release, but he has no set-up guy to play with. Even if they just do it on the PP to try it out, put him on with Spezza.

wprager wrote:I'm curious about Turris on the wing because I keep hearing about this fantastic shot and quick release, but he has no set-up guy to play with. Even if they just do it on the PP to try it out, put him on with Spezza.

You haven't seen this for yourself? He's scored a couple goals while demonstrating that shot and release.