GAME DAY: Philadelphia Flyers @ Ottawa Senators - 7:00pm ET - Sat. Apr. 27th, 2013

a must MUST win tomorrow. I want to face the habs!

It doesn't really matter who we play IMO. I understand the sentiment to get away from the Pens, but other than that, I'd say we have a team absolutely built for the playoffs with great team D and great goaltending. Nevermind that the Crosby of defence came back for us right before. The issue is goalscoring, as in, can Karlsson help us score enough? Because right now, we're viciously good defensively, let's focus on some timely goalscoring and you really never know what can happen. We'll be tough.

SpezDispenser wrote:It doesn't really matter who we play IMO. I understand the sentiment to get away from the Pens, but other than that, I'd say we have a team absolutely built for the playoffs with great team D and great goaltending. Nevermind that the Crosby of defence came back for us right before. The issue is goalscoring, as in, can Karlsson help us score enough? Because right now, we're viciously good defensively, let's focus on some timely goalscoring and you really never know what can happen. We'll be tough.

They have like 10 rookies... how are they built for the playoffs at all? The Sens are in a lot of trouble, you can't just clip the switch... they are dead tired and if they do play Pitt, that series is done in 4, won't even be close.

Good goaltending and good D won't be enough to win in the playoffs. At some point they need to score goals.

Too bad the Rangers are playing Washington. NYR vs. Pittsburgh would have been the most compelling 1 vs. 8 possibility.

I think if the Sens win the first game of their series against whomever they face, they will have a good chance as that will give them some confidence.

No matter who Pittsburgh plays, if Fleury lets in 5 in the first game, there will be drama. Same goes for Chicago.

Flo The Action wrote:a must MUST win tomorrow. I want to face the habs!

This game was a MUST win and they dropped it. No sense in hoping for anything better than 8th.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Flo The Action wrote:a must MUST win tomorrow. I want to face the habs!

This game was a MUST win and they dropped it. No sense in hoping for anything better than 8th.

Bah. Still pissed this morning. Oh well. It is what it is.

Interestingly, if they face the Pens I can easily see Bylsma resting some players. I don't think Crosby will be ready (nevermind that he'd still be the second best payer on the ice even at 80%). Who knows how Neal will play after that concussion? Malkin has had quite a few injuries this season -- is his shoulder fully healed? And Iginla missed their last game with flu-like symptoms. If they get the flu going through the room it could be like one of those Pro-Line ads.

Ottawa hasn't done anything the easy way all season. This is pretty much do-or-die time, as I think we can all agree that a matchup with the Pens is certain death. Gotta beat Boston in their house.

Like I said a week ago, going into the playoffs against the Pens having won 1 of their last 5 is about as bad as possible. Only thing that might keep it a series is Fluery. They want Montreal that's for sure.

Must win tonight. Take Montreal over Pittsburgh and Boston all day. Take Boston over Pittsburgh all day.

NEELY wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:It doesn't really matter who we play IMO. I understand the sentiment to get away from the Pens, but other than that, I'd say we have a team absolutely built for the playoffs with great team D and great goaltending. Nevermind that the Crosby of defence came back for us right before. The issue is goalscoring, as in, can Karlsson help us score enough? Because right now, we're viciously good defensively, let's focus on some timely goalscoring and you really never know what can happen. We'll be tough.

They have like 10 rookies... how are they built for the playoffs at all? The Sens are in a lot of trouble, you can't just clip the switch... they are dead tired and if they do play Pitt, that series is done in 4, won't even be close.

Good goaltending and good D won't be enough to win in the playoffs. At some point they need to score goals.

I said that Pittsburgh would get us in trouble, but other than that it's up in the air. This team is very tight defensively and they like to grind games out, that's why they're a perfect playoff team. With Karlsson coming back I can see them scoring more than they did, so again, this is a team that's perfectly built for the playoffs.

Will they win round one? Who knows, but I wouldn't really want to play us in round one.

SpezDispenser wrote:

NEELY wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:It doesn't really matter who we play IMO. I understand the sentiment to get away from the Pens, but other than that, I'd say we have a team absolutely built for the playoffs with great team D and great goaltending. Nevermind that the Crosby of defence came back for us right before. The issue is goalscoring, as in, can Karlsson help us score enough? Because right now, we're viciously good defensively, let's focus on some timely goalscoring and you really never know what can happen. We'll be tough.

They have like 10 rookies... how are they built for the playoffs at all? The Sens are in a lot of trouble, you can't just clip the switch... they are dead tired and if they do play Pitt, that series is done in 4, won't even be close.

Good goaltending and good D won't be enough to win in the playoffs. At some point they need to score goals.

I said that Pittsburgh would get us in trouble, but other than that it's up in the air. This team is very tight defensively and they like to grind games out, that's why they're a perfect playoff team. With Karlsson coming back I can see them scoring more than they did, so again, this is a team that's perfectly built for the playoffs.

Will they win round one? Who knows, but I wouldn't really want to play us in round one.

Teams are licking their chops to play the Sens.

NEELY wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

NEELY wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:It doesn't really matter who we play IMO. I understand the sentiment to get away from the Pens, but other than that, I'd say we have a team absolutely built for the playoffs with great team D and great goaltending. Nevermind that the Crosby of defence came back for us right before. The issue is goalscoring, as in, can Karlsson help us score enough? Because right now, we're viciously good defensively, let's focus on some timely goalscoring and you really never know what can happen. We'll be tough.

They have like 10 rookies... how are they built for the playoffs at all? The Sens are in a lot of trouble, you can't just clip the switch... they are dead tired and if they do play Pitt, that series is done in 4, won't even be close.

Good goaltending and good D won't be enough to win in the playoffs. At some point they need to score goals.

I said that Pittsburgh would get us in trouble, but other than that it's up in the air. This team is very tight defensively and they like to grind games out, that's why they're a perfect playoff team. With Karlsson coming back I can see them scoring more than they did, so again, this is a team that's perfectly built for the playoffs.

Will they win round one? Who knows, but I wouldn't really want to play us in round one.

Teams are licking their chops to play the Sens.

I doubt that.

I mean....last I checked we were the stingiest team defensively in the entire league. I'm not sure where we are now, but we are really, really hard to score again - and in the playoffs, that means a lot. Are we a powerhouse? Of course not, but we're not an easy out.

SpezDispenser wrote:I mean....last I checked we were the stingiest team defensively in the entire league. I'm not sure where we are now, but we are really, really hard to score again - and in the playoffs, that means a lot. Are we a powerhouse? Of course not, but we're not an easy out.

We have not been playing good hockey for a good month now. I'm not talking about W/L records, or GF or GA, or anything else. We look tired and confused too often, there's not that hunger up and down the line up that was there in the face of all those injuries, and we just don't score enough.

They are not stingy defensively, they just relied on goaltending. They are not bas defensively either, and I think most of the East is on par without one true "defensive powerhouse".

NEELY wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

NEELY wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:It doesn't really matter who we play IMO. I understand the sentiment to get away from the Pens, but other than that, I'd say we have a team absolutely built for the playoffs with great team D and great goaltending. Nevermind that the Crosby of defence came back for us right before. The issue is goalscoring, as in, can Karlsson help us score enough? Because right now, we're viciously good defensively, let's focus on some timely goalscoring and you really never know what can happen. We'll be tough.

They have like 10 rookies... how are they built for the playoffs at all? The Sens are in a lot of trouble, you can't just clip the switch... they are dead tired and if they do play Pitt, that series is done in 4, won't even be close.

Good goaltending and good D won't be enough to win in the playoffs. At some point they need to score goals.

I said that Pittsburgh would get us in trouble, but other than that it's up in the air. This team is very tight defensively and they like to grind games out, that's why they're a perfect playoff team. With Karlsson coming back I can see them scoring more than they did, so again, this is a team that's perfectly built for the playoffs.

Will they win round one? Who knows, but I wouldn't really want to play us in round one.

Teams are licking their chops to play the Sens.

Not as much as the Caps.

On the other hand, how is 1-5 going into the post-season against the Penguins worse than losing Cowen then Spezza then Karlsson then Anderson then Michalek?