GAME DAY: Ottawa Senators @ Buffalo Sabres - 7:00pm - Fri. Oct. 4th, 2013

True, Michalek had 2 SOG in the third (I thought the Event Summary page would auto-refresh, but it seems to update only portions -- like the score and game time/status, but not the stats without a manual refresh).

Also true that SOG can be misleading.

However two players combining for 12 SOG through two periods and their linemate getting just 1 is, at the very least, curious. And those two players getting *zero* shots in the third, well, curious as well.

Bottom line, I don't think anyone would disagree with me when I say Michalek was less than inspiring, and Spezza-Ryan are still working to build some chemistry (understandable, given their lack of playing together).

We broke Miller, a little:

Bill Hoppe ‏@BillHoppeNHL

Ryan Miller (lower body) is questionable for tonight. #Sabres used goalie exemption for Hackett. Not serious, Regier said.

spader wrote:

wprager wrote:Spezza and Ryan have 7 and 5 SOG (respectively) through 40 minutes; Michalek had 1.  Plasma failure?  Line shuffling in the  3rd?

The top line ended up with 15 shots. I don't care who had how many, that's a nice little shot count.

How many from in close vs outside? (Didn't see the entire game.. but heard a lot of shots by the Sens from the outside). They need to get to the net for rebounds..

sandysensfan wrote:

spader wrote:

wprager wrote:Spezza and Ryan have 7 and 5 SOG (respectively) through 40 minutes; Michalek had 1.  Plasma failure?  Line shuffling in the  3rd?

The top line ended up with 15 shots. I don't care who had how many, that's a nice little shot count.

How many from in close vs outside?  (Didn't see the entire game.. but heard a lot of shots by the Sens from the outside).  They need to get to the net for rebounds..

I was saying this in the 1st and 2nd (tweeting it as well) that even with the fairly large shot advantage it was Anderson who was making the more difficult saves. On many of those shots Miller didn't even move. They need to go hard to the net, more. Garbage goals and deflections.

wprager wrote:True, Michalek had 2 SOG in the third (I thought the Event Summary page would auto-refresh, but it seems to update only portions -- like the score and game time/status, but not the stats without a manual refresh).

Also true that SOG can be misleading.

However two players combining for 12 SOG through two periods and their linemate getting just 1 is, at the very least, curious.  And those two players getting *zero* shots in the third, well, curious as well.

Bottom line, I don't think anyone would disagree with me when I say Michalek was less than inspiring, and Spezza-Ryan are still working to build some chemistry (understandable, given their lack of playing together).

Who cars, they won the game.

LeKing wrote:Our 4 centers were just spectacular offensively.

Da Costa still needs work if he's gonna stick though IMO. He was overpowered a few times and some of the time didn't seem to work with Neil and Smith. There was one chance he had from the slot that was excellent but I can't recall noticing him too much other than that.

Nit-picking for sure in game 1. Gryba was lost a lot of the time too. So those two need more time to get the flow of the game down, but I'm sure it'll come.

Ev wrote:

wprager wrote:True, Michalek had 2 SOG in the third (I thought the Event Summary page would auto-refresh, but it seems to update only portions -- like the score and game time/status, but not the stats without a manual refresh).

Also true that SOG can be misleading.

However two players combining for 12 SOG through two periods and their linemate getting just 1 is, at the very least, curious.  And those two players getting *zero* shots in the third, well, curious as well.

Bottom line, I don't think anyone would disagree with me when I say Michalek was less than inspiring, and Spezza-Ryan are still working to build some chemistry (understandable, given their lack of playing together).

Who cars, they won the game.

Meh, if Michalek has issues he could be replaced sooner rather than later is I think the point. But if he can crash the net and help Spez and Ryan then great. It's about duos I think with Mac, so I would imagine Spez and Ryan is the duo.

sandysensfan wrote:

spader wrote:

wprager wrote:Spezza and Ryan have 7 and 5 SOG (respectively) through 40 minutes; Michalek had 1.  Plasma failure?  Line shuffling in the  3rd?

The top line ended up with 15 shots. I don't care who had how many, that's a nice little shot count.

How many from in close vs outside?  (Didn't see the entire game.. but heard a lot of shots by the Sens from the outside).  They need to get to the net for rebounds..

Lots. The Sens were buzzing all night. They'll score a ton of goals this year. They had a pile of chances. Buffalo is gonna have a long season, methinks.

SpezDispenser wrote:

Ev wrote:

wprager wrote:True, Michalek had 2 SOG in the third (I thought the Event Summary page would auto-refresh, but it seems to update only portions -- like the score and game time/status, but not the stats without a manual refresh).

Also true that SOG can be misleading.

However two players combining for 12 SOG through two periods and their linemate getting just 1 is, at the very least, curious.  And those two players getting *zero* shots in the third, well, curious as well.

Bottom line, I don't think anyone would disagree with me when I say Michalek was less than inspiring, and Spezza-Ryan are still working to build some chemistry (understandable, given their lack of playing together).

Who cars, they won the game.

Meh, if Michalek has issues he could be replaced sooner rather than later is I think the point.  But if he can crash the net and help Spez and Ryan then great.  It's about duos I think with Mac, so I would imagine Spez and Ryan is the duo.  

Spezza is a RHS and Michalek a LHS -- easier to get those two passing to each other.  Milo's been awful (skating in sand tonight) but until Spezza builds some chemistry with Ryan it'll be Spezza/Michalek as the duo.