Ottawa vs Montreal - Playoff Series Talk

sandysensfan wrote:Most Sens/Habs games this season were played without some of the Sens best players in the lineup and the Sens managed to stay competitive against them.

Any more updates on Spezza?

Michalek is saying he is not 100%. I don't know what's bothering him... but it had better not be his knee.

Go Sens..

Unfortunately it's always been his knee.

First two games the Sens were missing Spezza and Cowen; last two games they were missing those two plus Karlsson, Michalek and Anderson. Those were the SO games (each team won once).

Truth of the matter is all of the games, with the exception of the 5-1 blowout with Budaj in goal were one-goal games, and two went to the SO. Very, very close. On the one hand, with Cowen+Karlsson+Michalek back it should not even be close; on the other hand, even if those players were all PPG, that's (typically) still just one more goal per game (1G + 2A = 3 points). And the 3 players being replaced include Wiercioch, who had .75 PPG against Montreal. So, at best, you may be looking at getting 1 more goal every couple games. Not enough to turn a close series into a sweep.

It'll all come down to goaltending an special teams.

Hey, it's GAME DAY!!!!!!

OK, time for a pre-game nap.

wprager wrote:

sandysensfan wrote:Most Sens/Habs games this season were played without some of the Sens best players in the lineup and the Sens managed to stay competitive against them.

Any more updates on Spezza?

Michalek is saying he is not 100%. I don't know what's bothering him... but it had better not be his knee.

Go Sens..

Unfortunately it's always been his knee.

First two games the Sens were missing Spezza and Cowen; last two games they were missing those two plus Karlsson, Michalek and Anderson. Those were the SO games (each team won once).

Truth of the matter is all of the games, with the exception of the 5-1 blowout with Budaj in goal were one-goal games, and two went to the SO. Very, very close. On the one hand, with Cowen+Karlsson+Michalek back it should not even be close; on the other hand, even if those players were all PPG, that's (typically) still just one more goal per game (1G + 2A = 3 points). And the 3 players being replaced include Wiercioch, who had .75 PPG against Montreal. So, at best, you may be looking at getting 1 more goal every couple games. Not enough to turn a close series into a sweep.

It'll all come down to goaltending an special teams.

This kind of analysis doesn't make any sense to me. You speak as though the players are being inserted into a vacuum. I don't think it's quite that simple. If you add a couple of PPG players, that doesn't mean that they only add their point for each game. Is Karlsson just a point a game, or is he going to create a ton of offense that will make everyone around him better? If he came on the ice, notched a point, then didn't play for the rest of the game, I'd understand your position, but it doesn't work like that.

Adding Karlsson equates to so much more than adding one assist in the game, period.

It also scares the Dung out of the opposing team who immediately changes their gameplan when he's on the ice from full out offense/forecheck to a more tempered approach. Basically the way the Rangers keyed on him last year, except I don't think the Canadiens can do the same thing.

I think they'll try to map out a game plan for him 30 minutes tonight, but it's MUCH easier said than done - same with any of the top players in the world.

spader wrote:

wprager wrote:

sandysensfan wrote:Most Sens/Habs games this season were played without some of the Sens best players in the lineup and the Sens managed to stay competitive against them.

Any more updates on Spezza?

Michalek is saying he is not 100%. I don't know what's bothering him... but it had better not be his knee.

Go Sens..

Unfortunately it's always been his knee.

First two games the Sens were missing Spezza and Cowen; last two games they were missing those two plus Karlsson, Michalek and Anderson. Those were the SO games (each team won once).

Truth of the matter is all of the games, with the exception of the 5-1 blowout with Budaj in goal were one-goal games, and two went to the SO. Very, very close. On the one hand, with Cowen+Karlsson+Michalek back it should not even be close; on the other hand, even if those players were all PPG, that's (typically) still just one more goal per game (1G + 2A = 3 points). And the 3 players being replaced include Wiercioch, who had .75 PPG against Montreal. So, at best, you may be looking at getting 1 more goal every couple games. Not enough to turn a close series into a sweep.

It'll all come down to goaltending an special teams.

This kind of analysis doesn't make any sense to me. You speak as though the players are being inserted into a vacuum. I don't think it's quite that simple. If you add a couple of PPG players, that doesn't mean that they only add their point for each game. Is Karlsson just a point a game, or is he going to create a ton of offense that will make everyone around him better? If he came on the ice, notched a point, then didn't play for the rest of the game, I'd understand your position, but it doesn't work like that.

Adding Karlsson equates to so much more than adding one assist in the game, period.

Oh, really. I keep saying how on paper it should be a sweep, but in reality the teams are very, very close. Tonight Anderson stopped 48 of 50 while price let in 4 on 31 shots. The Sens had a 5 minute major with a second penalty thrown in half way and gave up a goal -- they bent but didn't break.

Goaltending and special teams.

Sounds like Eller will be fine...

Renaud: No reason to be worried about Lars Eller health right now.

https://twitter.com/RenLavoieRDS/status/330313347784376320

Good news.

shabbs wrote:Sounds like Eller will be fine...

Renaud: No reason to be worried about Lars Eller health right now.

https://twitter.com/RenLavoieRDS/status/330313347784376320

Good news.

He may be fine, but he's not playing again this year.