GAME DAY: Phoenix Coyotes @ Ottawa Senators - 7:00pm Oct. 17th, 2008

I'm at work and getting updates from my fiance. I love the win, but there's no way we should be getting outshot 18-4 in the 3rd period.

Lovely, but it's high time to tighten the noose when we can.

Gerber must have been unbelievable in the 3rd for us to win that one.

They started coasting in the 3rd and the Coyotes had some jump in their game. They've got to stop letting up like that.

I would expect Hartsburg to be all over them for that.

Just got back home from the game. Spezza may have gotten the 4 points and the 1st star, but Gerber was awesome. At one point the shots were something like 7-2 for the Coyotes and it was not a fluke. They were buzzing all around and the only Sen playing well was Gerber. Bryzgalov was weak on the first goal (Ruutu) and Spezza's firs kinda went through him.

I was up in the nosebleeds (row O -- there's just P and Q and R and the standing room higher than us) and loved it. The only spoilers were a few Leafs fans who cheered whenever Phoenix scored. Not cool.

504Heater wrote:I would expect Hartsburg to be all over them for that.

I just got back from the game ten minutes ago. Spezza was fantastic at BOTH ends of the ice.

Hartsburg should also take some responsibility for the third period as well. This is the second straight game where the team has gone into a defensive shell in the third to protect a lead and not performed. Clearly, the team is awful at this, though they will get better.

Gerber let in three, had his usual rebounds, but he was very good. You can't blame him on any of the goals, though the first goal was the usual top-shelf, glove side goal that gets in. It was still a good shot, and after a terrible giveaway. Gerber was square to the shooter and made some good saves when the Sens were flat as a pancake in the first ten minutes. Phoenix was awful through most of the game.

The defense did not have their best night. There were lots of cases of weak passes up the middle; two of them ended up behind Gerber. Picard did not distinguish himself -- at least not in a good way.

A-Train crashing the crease and digging one out just like a forward -- awesome.

If anyone listening to the game heard a "What do we want? Pizza! When do we want it? Now!" chant toward the end of the game, that was my guys and their buddies having a hoot.

Awesome game by the refs, by the way. Although I think Spezza got away with a hold early on.

dennycrane wrote:
I just got back from the game ten minutes ago. Spezza was fantastic at BOTH ends of the ice.

Hartsburg should also take some responsibility for the third period as well. This is the second straight game where the team has gone into a defensive shell in the third to protect a lead and not performed. Clearly, the team is awful at this, though they will get better.

Gerber let in three, had his usual rebounds, but he was very good. You can't blame him on any of the goals, though the first goal was the usual top-shelf, glove side goal that gets in. It was still a good shot, and after a terrible giveaway. Gerber was square to the shooter and made some good saves when the Sens were flat as a pancake in the first ten minutes. Phoenix was awful through most of the game.

I'd say that Phoenix was awful defensively. Offensively they outplayed the Sens for much of the game, but had some really soft plays in their own zone. Bryzgalov got outplayed by Gerber through most of the first two periods and that was pretty much it. I think they were missing Carcillo more than they thought they would.

By the way, why was Spezza wearing #15? I counted three pretty bad giveaways by Heatley (although one of them turned into a goal -- the Phoenix player over-committed going for the puck and that led to the odd-man rush).

That goal he scored though -- whoosh. I think Heatley had his arms in the air celebrating it before Bryzgalov saw it zing past him. It barely left Alfie's stick on the pass and then it was in.

wprager wrote:By the way, why was Spezza wearing #15? I counted three pretty bad giveaways by Heatley (although one of them turned into a goal -- the Phoenix player over-committed going for the puck and that led to the odd-man rush).

That goal he scored though -- whoosh. I think Heatley had his arms in the air celebrating it before Bryzgalov saw it zing past him. It barely left Alfie's stick on the pass and then it was in.

Heat reminds me so much of bret hull it's scary.

Tukker wrote:Heat reminds me so much of bret hull it's scary.

Unfortunately I never got to watch much of Hull during his best years. But I see where you're coming from. Just so unbelievably fast on the trigger. He's pretty good on the draw as well -- not surprising. I think he was actually best (percetnage wise) on the Sens last year. Sometimes I just wonder how the heck he does that. Although tonight's goal was also nice for Alfie's pass -- that was pretty slick in itself -- soft and smooth, yet almost as fast as the shot.

Despite Gerber letting in 3 goals I thought he had a fantastic game and none of those goals were of the soft variety. Now the question is do they play him back to back or give Auld a game since he's been on the bench for a while? What would you guys do? I personally would give Gerbs the back to back game if he wanted it. Let him decide.

That first goal on Gerber was a little soft. He went down early, puck over the shoulder. I groaned on that one.

shabbs wrote:That first goal on Gerber was a little soft. He went down early, puck over the shoulder. I groaned on that one.

I groaned as well, about a half second before the goal on that brutal up-the-middle softie. That was not a soft goal.

By the way, Spezza had two hits in one shift, and I only remember seeing on semi-giveaway. Used the boards and the corners well (shoot-arounds and shoot-ins).

That cough up was pretty bad. Just goes to show, a couple of brain farts and the opposition is back in the game. Gerber should have had it. I did say it was a "little" soft.

shabbs wrote:That cough up was pretty bad. Just goes to show, a couple of brain farts and the opposition is back in the game. Gerber should have had it. I did say it was a "little" soft.

OK, you've changed my mind -- sort-of. Gerber should realize that he's got a young defensive corps out in front of him, and always be ready for a shot.

As for him going down early it's pretty much his style/strategy. He's not a big goalie so he's going with percentages -- butterfly covers where most goals go in. It's quite frustrating at times. That's why I like big, stand-up goalies. Emery's size is one of the things I liked about him over Gerber (the other being his confidence).

These boys have to play - and I hate to say this - like the Leafs.

put in a full 60minutes like your mother's life depends on it....