GAME DAY: Nashville Predators @ Ottawa Senators :: 7:30pm ET :: Mon. Mar. 10th, 2014

NEELY wrote:At the end of the day the Sens grabbed a point last night but there is something serious missing from their game at this point.  I have no idea how a team with that much skill can be so buttery soft with and without the puck, teams simply out muscle and out-will the Sens in all 3 zones and there is really no push back.  This team is just begging for a player like Lazar to come in and come in soon.

This leads me to my next comment... wtf has happened to Zack Smith?  Where has his game been lately and what's he accomplishing out there on the ice?  I like Smith a lot but he needs to figure something out right now and be a difference maker.  His entire line needs to get something going on a more regular basis.

They are missing the contribution from the Turris line.

The coaching this year has been questionable and you are starting to see it now, most teams have a clear system and identity and the Sens are still searching for anything aside from "throw sh*t and hope it sticks".  MacLean needs to figure this out because at the end of the day his team is rarely ready to play.

wprager wrote:

NEELY wrote:At the end of the day the Sens grabbed a point last night but there is something serious missing from their game at this point.  I have no idea how a team with that much skill can be so buttery soft with and without the puck, teams simply out muscle and out-will the Sens in all 3 zones and there is really no push back.  This team is just begging for a player like Lazar to come in and come in soon.

This leads me to my next comment... wtf has happened to Zack Smith?  Where has his game been lately and what's he accomplishing out there on the ice?  I like Smith a lot but he needs to figure something out right now and be a difference maker.  His entire line needs to get something going on a more regular basis.

They are missing the contribution from the Turris line.  

Hoffman and Turris both scored against the Jets and have been producing most of the year.

One player that has completely fallen off the map is Zibanejad.  He has 1 goal in his last 22 games and 6 points total in that time frame.  Not saying it's time for him be sent down but it might be time for him to sit a couple games and the Sens bring up Da Costa.

Not last night.

NEELY wrote:One player that has completely fallen off the map is Zibanejad.  He has 1 goal in his last 22 games and 6 points total in that time frame.  Not saying it's time for him be sent down but it might be time for him to sit a couple games and the Sens bring up Da Costa.

He seemed to have a bit of chemistry with Conacher but he's been quiet for way longer than Conacher has been gone. I'm still not sold on DaCosta, though. At this point (with Mac out) I would have played Zibanejad on the wing in the top-six and shortened the bench. They shortened the bench in the third and scored three goals. It really isn't rocket science -- when you give your best players the ice time they score.

The defensive mistakes and inability to clear the puck are mind-boggling this year. We had the best PK in the league last year, and now are 3rd worst? How does that even happen when the personnel are all the same? Quite strange.

tim1_2 wrote:The defensive mistakes and inability to clear the puck are mind-boggling this year.  We had the best PK in the league last year, and now are 3rd worst?  How does that even happen when the personnel are all the same?  Quite strange.

Very simply, Anderson set a new record last year; this year his SV%, which is pretty bad for a #1 as it is, is actually worse on the PK.

wprager wrote:

NEELY wrote:One player that has completely fallen off the map is Zibanejad.  He has 1 goal in his last 22 games and 6 points total in that time frame.  Not saying it's time for him be sent down but it might be time for him to sit a couple games and the Sens bring up Da Costa.

He seemed to have a bit of chemistry with Conacher but he's been quiet for way longer than Conacher has been gone. I'm still not sold on DaCosta, though.  At this point (with Mac out) I would have played Zibanejad on the wing in the top-six and shortened the bench.  They shortened the bench in the third and scored three goals.  It really isn't rocket science -- when you give your best players the ice time they score.  

Why?  Hoffman has been way better than Zibanejad.  Zibanejad hasn't earned much of anything in Ottawa aside from maybe a full time roster spot and even then that's stretching it.  He certainly hasn't earned top 6 mins so saying "that's where he should be" is completely wrong.  Ottawa's top 6 are the only ones scoring right now.  Zibanejad is far, far, far away from being the Sens best player or anywhere near it at this point and he needs to do something to justify his spot on the team.

tim1_2 wrote:The defensive mistakes and inability to clear the puck are mind-boggling this year.  We had the best PK in the league last year, and now are 3rd worst?  How does that even happen when the personnel are all the same?  Quite strange.

PK is nothing but effort.

wprager wrote:

tim1_2 wrote:The defensive mistakes and inability to clear the puck are mind-boggling this year.  We had the best PK in the league last year, and now are 3rd worst?  How does that even happen when the personnel are all the same?  Quite strange.

Very simply, Anderson set a new record last year; this year his SV%, which is pretty bad for a #1 as it is, is actually worse on the PK.

Save % should always be worse on the PK. Better quality scoring chances equal lower save %. You can't tell me that the PK drop off is all goaltending. Look at how the team plays team defence 5 on 5...it's pretty horrific...the carries through to the PK as well.

The PK drop off is because guys simply are not working like they were working before.  Goaltending has nothing to do with guys blocking shots, staying within the structure, and getting in the lanes.  I don't know if players have stopped listening, are injured, or just don't have the ability to kill penalties at this point but something is seriously wrong.  PK is just out working the other team and that's it.

IMO there is too much comfort on the Sens right now, guys like Condra, Greening, Smith, have forgotten what it took to get them to the NHL and it's time to ship one of them off (Condra is the obvious and easy choice) if for no other reason than to open up a spot and send a message.  There needs to be more talent on the PK because there is certainly no threat of short handed goals or the play going the other way right now which allows the other team to take more risks which end up working out.

Oh and it should be mentioned Cowen was excellent last night.

NEELY wrote:The PK drop off is because guys simply are not working like they were working before.  Goaltending has nothing to do with guys blocking shots, staying within the structure, and getting in the lanes.  I don't know if players have stopped listening, are injured, or just don't have the ability to kill penalties at this point but something is seriously wrong.  PK is just out working the other team and that's it.

IMO there is too much comfort on the Sens right now, guys like Condra, Greening, Smith, have forgotten what it took to get them to the NHL and it's time to ship one of them off (Condra is the obvious and easy choice) if for no other reason than to open up a spot and send a message.  There needs to be more talent on the PK because there is certainly no threat of short handed goals or the play going the other way right now which allows the other team to take more risks which end up working out.

I'm a big believer that speed is the key to a good PK. We saw it up close when young Vermette was here.

Anywho, I think Hoffman would be a great candidate for this role as well as The Hemsker.

Yeah it's speed and hardwork, you're both right.
Also, if the CTC was louder in general, the players would feel less entitled. They need to be booed louder and cheered even more louder.

Cowen has been unbelievable in the last two games. He is getting it, and it's gonna pay off big for this club. With his play we can play Phillips less.

Yah, I am on the same page there too.  Add work ethic to the PK for me though because if you don't have the speed to be a threat you better have the will to block shots and take a hit to make a play and clear it.  I was saying before I think a guy like Mike Hoffman is the ideal PKer like yourself... put him along side a guy like Turris and that's a threat to score each and every time they are killing a penalty... but baby steps with Hoffman.

Not sure about Hemsky though, think guys who don't get as much PP time or ES time should be out there too.

Ev wrote:Cowen has been unbelievable in the last two games. He is getting it, and it's gonna pay off big for this club. With his play we can play Phillips less.

Cowen is keeping his game simply and it's paying off.  Not running around, playing big, not overly aggressive (lunging), putting pucks off the glass and he has stopped rushing the puck so much and started to move it a little quicker.  Him sitting for those 3 games was super important.  You just hope it translates to Phillips playing in his correct role which is the #6 guy.