GAME DAY #79: Senators @ Flyers - 1:00 pm - Saturday, April 2nd 2016

The Sens are riding a 2-game winning streak -- if they were not already mathematically eliminated this would be the "hope" part of that rollercoaster. With 2 points in the last game Erik Karlsson has 78 points in 78 games, sitting 4th in the league, 2 ahead of Jumbo Joe and 2 behind Sid the Kid.

28 days till the balls tumble. #GoBallsGo

Oh god, it's an afternoon game. Pretty sure I won't be watching this one!

It was a little less than a year ago that the Sens played an afternoon game in Philly, clinching the 1st wildcard spot on the last day of the season.  Stone scored twice, the second one to seal the 3-1 win after he took away the puck from Voracek.  Pageau had the eventual GWG in the second potting the rebound of a Methot shot after a nice end-to-end rush.  Hammond, though, was the 1st star stopping 34 of 35 shots on goal.

Enjoy.

Makes you remember how fun watching meaningful hockey was...

It also is a reminder that this team was playing almost the exact same way it is now, and we just had good luck and a goalie that was playing out of his mind.

I stole your video link for a tweet. Thanks Walter.

Hamburglar to start. Methot out with flu, Thor in.

tim1_2 wrote:Hamburglar to start. Methot out with flu, Thor in.

Let's see if the Cecer can show us what he's learned from Phaneuf and Methot.

So, from Murray's recent interview and the follow up talk on the radio it sounds like he's coming back as GM next year. At the same time, the heat turned up on the coaching staff may be shifting a bit to the assistants around Cameron. I still think that both Murray (as GM) and Cameron are gone next year but it sounds like the door is opened a bit for both of them to come back. If Cameron is back next year it's for these reasons:
1. He *is* an experienced NHL coach now.
2. With Cowen/Wiercioch gone he won't even be tempted to consider a Cowen/Boro top-PK unit.
3. He's still Melnyk's pick.
4. He's still getting paid, whether he coaches or not.

And if that's the case, then I think Wamsley will be one of the guys gone (as he would have been a big part of the "stupid decision" to start O'Connor in the home opener).

I could see some assistants changing, but we can't keep blaming the head coach given that we have a mediocre roster and didn't receive consistently amazing goaltending this season, and also we had key injuries.

1PM? So, this is on now?...

SpezDispensed wrote:1PM?  So, this is on now?...

Yup!

1st period over. Decent game. 0-0.

tim1_2 wrote:I could see some assistants changing, but we can't keep blaming the head coach given that we have a mediocre roster and didn't receive consistently amazing goaltending this season, and also we had key injuries.

Karlsson, Hoffman, Ryan, Turris, Stone should be a much better PP than 12% or whatever they are. Even replacing Turris with Zibanejad or Pageau. Special teams, in general, have been very bad. Insisting on playing Boro on his wrong side while Wideman sat on the bench for much of the first half. That's on the coaching as well.

We don't have a great roster but we have one that is good enough to get in the payoffs. Sure, injuries took their toll, but there was more to it than just that.

tim1_2 wrote:1st period over. Decent game. 0-0.

You spoke too soon. Flyers take a 1-0 lead on the PP. Simmonds, of course.

Hoffman can't score on the breakaway, just like in the shootout, his attempt was poor. He should always just shoot from the slot.

Chiasson playing with an edge, and actually looks like a player worth having around. But then if we resign him, I'm afraid he'll be invisible most of the year again.