GAME DAY #73: Canadiens @ Senators - 7:00 pm - Saturday, March 19 2016

Bahaha, I'm not watching, but there's been 3 short handed goals apparently by the Sens.

Watched the whole thing live (although I was in the kitchen for the Methot and Chiasson goals so saw those in replays only).

That was not an NHL-level lineup. Emelin is a 3rd pairing D-man to begin with, and he was promoted to the top pairing (not sure of ice time, but he was playing with Markov) and on his wrong side, to boot.

Eller, on the Pageau goal, was watching Stone carrying the puck; as were Plekanec and Markov. By the time he realized the Sens had more than one forward on the ice Pageau was too far ahead of him to catch up.

Lazar's goal was a beauty, top shelf blocker side (guess that's the book on Scrivens).

Methot's goal, still not sure how it went it. It's not like he banked it in the conventional way off the goalie's butt, skate or back. He wasn't quite at the post and the puck went between the post and his skate, through his legs, then hit something (his left pad? his stick?) and back into the goal. Watch a replay because I'm sure by description doesn't give it justice. It was an awful goal to give up.

Chiasson's was not pretty but it was a breakaway, I guess, after Markov fluffed it at the blueline. Still, that was a stoppable shot.

Zibanejad's was a bad giveaway and good hand-eye coordination on Mika's part to tip it with the shaft of his stick mid-air. Not much Scrivens could do on that one.

So two stoppable pucks, two or three bad defensive plays. You'd think the Sens were just opportunistic but they did manage 44 shots on goal.

The Habs have *never* given up 3 shorties in the same game. Ever!

Ya know, it's just one game and all, and the Habs *are* missing three regular D-men, but apart from the 3 shorties last night the Sens were already leading the NHL. Meanwhile the penalty kill itself is 29th in the league.

Just spitballin' here, but maybe those two are related?

Lost in all that is the Hamburglar's shutout. I appreciate very much that Jim Hughson did not mention the "S" word until after the final horn. He was good when he had to be, lucky when needed, 30 saves on the night.

Hammond didn't have a great start to the season getting injured in camp, then he had the concussion, and he had some bad bounces. But he's been playing better of late. Looking at goalies with 10-25 starts he sits 15th of 25 in SV%. 5-8-4 with one shutout and a .913 SV% -- those are pretty decent numbers for a backup on a bad defensive team.

Cameron's comments after the game:

Curtis is a great example of a guy who benefits with bringing in a player like Scott Gomez.

He's got to go.

wprager wrote:Cameron's comments after the game:  

Curtis is a great example of a guy who benefits with bringing in a player like Scott Gomez.

He's got to go.

Those comments are probably 100 percent right.

Agreed. Veterans do make a difference

Wouldn't hurt zibanejad either.

Veterans?

Anderson, Phaneuf, Methot, Karlsson, Neil, Ryan, MacArthur, Smith. Plus Alfie is still around.

Gomez was signed the day after MacArthur failed his baseline. I get it, they were still a 4-5 game winning streak from being in a playoff spot, so they got a veteran to play center. Except at that point in time Pageau was already centering the new first line and Zibanejad has been the 2C for a while. Do you really think the difference between Lazar/Paul as your 3C/4C versus Gomez/Lazar is the difference between winning 5-6 more games in the last 20? IMO Gomez is not an upgrade even over Lazar as 3C (I thought that before the trade and I still think so now; at the time I honestly though they brought him in to play on the wing).

Anyhow, fast forward a few games and the Sens are out of it. Puempel was brought up,, presumably, to show them what he's got down the stretch, and he is scratched 7 out of 9 games. And can anyone explain why Kostka is here instead of Claesson? Claesson wasn't great when he came up but he was ok, he just shouldn't have been playing on the top pairing. Kostka was actually pretty good against the Habs but overall I think he has been bad, much worse than Claesson was in his earlier callup.

Kostka's been solid overall through some ups and downs like most. Based strictly on stats he was by far the best D in Bingo.

How does the discussion go from Gomez has helped Lazar to Gomez isn't an upgrade over Lazar? Two entirely different discussions.

wprager wrote:Cameron's comments after the game:  

Curtis is a great example of a guy who benefits with bringing in a player like Scott Gomez.

He's got to go.

Sorry Walter, you're continuing your long history of being totally wrong.

Sweet game. Nice to demolish one of the worst teams in the NHL.

SeawaySensFan wrote:Kostka's been solid overall through some ups and downs like most. Based strictly on stats he was by far the best D in Bingo.

How does the discussion go from Gomez has helped Lazar to Gomez isn't an upgrade over Lazar? Two entirely different discussions.

I explained how I thought he was brought in to help on wing when CMac failed his baseline. Instead, he is playing 3C, Paul is playing on the wing and Lazar is the 4C. I'd much rather have Lazar/Paul as the bottom-six centers.

The season is done (I hope I get to eat those words but I doubt it). No need to see what a 36-year-old cast off can do. Time to see what we've got down on the farm. I know it's not much, but I'm still curious.

tim1_2 wrote:

wprager wrote:Cameron's comments after the game:  

Curtis is a great example of a guy who benefits with bringing in a player like Scott Gomez.

He's got to go.

Sorry Walter, you're continuing your long history of being totally wrong.

Sweet game. Nice to demolish one of the worst teams in the NHL.

Wrong in what? That Gomez is not helping this team? He's not. If you disagree, show me in which ways he is helping. Are they playing better since he arrived? Are they giving up fewer shots per game? Are they winning more face offs? Show me *something* more than a head shake and eye-roll.

Oh, Donny, you're killing me:

The Senators have scored more shorthanded goals this season, a league-leading 15, than they have potted power play goals on Canadian Tire Centre ice (14). Next time they are awarded a power play at home, they should offer to send one of their own to the box instead …

Just saw this on twitter -- the Habs gave up a shortie on their last PP against Buffalo, so they actually have given up a goal on four consecutive power plays. That's gotta be some kind of record.

wprager wrote:Veterans?

Anderson, Phaneuf, Methot, Karlsson, Neil, Ryan, MacArthur, Smith.  Plus Alfie is still around.

Gomez was signed the day after MacArthur failed his baseline.  I get it, they were still a 4-5 game winning streak from being in a playoff spot, so they got a veteran to play center.  Except at that point in time Pageau was already centering the new first line and Zibanejad has been the 2C for a while.  Do you really think the difference between Lazar/Paul as your 3C/4C versus Gomez/Lazar is the difference between winning 5-6 more games in the last 20?  IMO Gomez is not an upgrade even over Lazar as 3C (I thought that before the trade and I still think so now; at the time I honestly though they brought him in to play on the wing).

Anyhow, fast forward a few games and the Sens are out of it.  Puempel was brought up,, presumably, to show them what he's got down the stretch, and he is scratched 7 out of 9 games.  And can anyone explain why Kostka is here instead of Claesson?  Claesson wasn't great when he came up but he was ok, he just shouldn't have been playing on the top pairing.  Kostka was actually pretty good against the Habs but overall I think he has been bad, much worse than Claesson was in his earlier callup.

No veteran c there though, that's the point. Smith is kinda a vet I guess

Smith is for sure, though he was playing wing. Pageau's been playing like a vet. And Zibanejad has been in and around the league for 4 years.