GDT - Game #30: Sharks @ Sens, Dec 14, 2016, 7:00pm

All that said, Hoffman took a very selfish penalty, there, absolutely unnecessary. Couture didn't do anything remotely questionable, just a little shove on a puck carrier. Was it late? Don't think so.

No. Not late at all. Hoffman still had the puck, and a very light cross check to the back. He was probably trying to do the same in return except Couture didn't have the puck and he went too high.

Wow, a lot happened in that game. Good effort overall, but it sucks to give up the late lead and then lose the extra point.

On Hoffman: I always have said he reminds me of James Neal. He has a great shot, and is a total bunghole. That was an incredibly selfish move, and he deserves the suspension that is coming to him (minimum two games). Such a stupid play. Thank goodness we got that PP goal overturned due to the offside.

On the Karlsson/Vlasic thing: Well, Hoffman got 5 minutes, Vlasic should've got 5 minutes too. Obviously missed by the refs, and then Turris getting himself removed for 17 minutes sucked, as he's maybe our best forward.

On Turris fighting/Neil in the shootout: Neither of these things helped us win the game, but the bigger picture thing here is that it helps bring a team together. Boucher putting Neil in the shootout shows everybody in the Sens locker room that the coach legitimately cares about his players. It was a great move, and the timing after the "tough practice" was perfect. Love it. Same on Turris...Vlasic needed to pay, and Turris was showing why he has the "A" on his jersey. Again, love it.

Anyway, hopefully this is a bit of a rallying point for the team and we can demolish New Jersey on Saturday.

Dillon's stick hooks Hoffman's arm up at the last second.  I don't think Hoffman was really trying to do damage like that.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

wprager wrote:Mendes had an interesting take given Boucher's screaming practice (TSN had the video).  If they respond and do well, this could be a turning point.

And if they fire back at the coach by laying an egg... it could also be turning point. Did Mendes figure that out as well?

Of course. This was one of those moments.

PTFlea wrote:Dillon's stick hooks Hoffman's arm up at the last second.  I don't think Hoffman was really trying to do damage like that.

I agree that he didn't try to bang him in the head, but I don't know if that excuse will work. It was predatory and not a hockey play -- the puck was nowhere near him, he had his back turned, Hoff went out of his way to go after him, and he was just dumped by Couture; looks pretty bad. But I saw the replays from different angles and, first of all, he does not hit him in the back of the neck like some said; second, it wasn't even the back of the helmet, it was more to the top; third, it looks like he's just tapping him as his arms do not drive through the motion, instead it is a glancing blow and his arms go up immediately after contact.

So it's entirely possible that the intent was to hit him in the back, Dillon's stick changed his trajectory, and as soon as he saw that he was hitting the head he pulled up.

But they say Couture did not return to the game. I find that really odd as it was not a hard hit at all. On the other hand, he went down very quickly (could have been selling it) and then Hoffman tripped over him and maybe that added to the impact with the ice?

Bah, hate losing Hoffman but that was a selfish move no matter what and if he doesn't get suspended I'd be OK with Boucher sitting him a game or two.

Boston lost in OT so we didn't lose any ground on them, and although Tampa won, we lost just one point and still are 3 ahead. Tied with the Bruins but have one game in hand, but the most important thing here is to stay top-three and we are 3 points up on that.

In January we should get a couple shots in the arm with Andy and Mac coming back, and Ryan looked a lot better, and Lazar is skating well.

PK was 7 for 7. On the one hand that's excellent. On the other hand -- 7 more penalties? Refs missed the spear from Vlasic but had no issue giving Turris not only the extra 2 but 5 and a misconduct. A little over the top given that there weren't any punches truly thrown (maybe tossed underhand). And eagle eyes spotted a Sen player late to the bench in OT, but they missed the same play on the Sharks a couple times. Remember when Harpur was barrelling in and it looked like he might have a clear lane to the net? Then all of a sudden two Sharks jump over the boards in their own end and so much for the partial breakaway. But if you look you can certainly see 7 players in white and the two trying to get to the bench are not really close (and closer to the center ice line than their blue line -- in other words, two guys are caught deep in the other end, barely make it to center ice and their replacements jump on at their own faceoff circle, cutting off Harpur -- talk about cheating on the change).

There was another play and it was just before one of the Sharks goals, where the guy coming off (their door was in our zone) was not 100% off the ice when the puck carrier brought the puck across the line -- I've seen that one called offside, if not too many men.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

wprager wrote:Mendes had an interesting take given Boucher's screaming practice (TSN had the video).  If they respond and do well, this could be a turning point.

And if they fire back at the coach by laying an egg... it could also be turning point. Did Mendes figure that out as well?

No sir.

SeawaySensFan wrote:Tough loss for the Ottawa Sens.

Tough loss for the whole City Ottawa.

PTFlea wrote:Dillon's stick hooks Hoffman's arm up at the last second.  I don't think Hoffman was really trying to do damage like that.

He really wasn't. He was retaliating for the Couture cross check on him, seconds earlier. He certainly was attempting to cross check him, in the shoulder blades, but the stick crept up to Couture's head somehow. Expect the NHL to treat it as intentional and to use this opportunity to set an example (shut people up for a little while). 30 games for The Hoffer.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:Tough loss for the Ottawa Sens.

Tough loss for the whole City Ottawa.

Smilin' Hank agrees, old friend.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

PTFlea wrote:Dillon's stick hooks Hoffman's arm up at the last second.  I don't think Hoffman was really trying to do damage like that.

He really wasn't. He was retaliating for the Couture cross check on him, seconds earlier. He certainly was attempting to cross check him, in the shoulder blades, but the stick crept up to Couture's head somehow. Expect the NHL to treat it as intentional and to use this opportunity to set an example (shut people up for a little while). 30 games for The Hoffer.

Tough but fair.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

PTFlea wrote:Dillon's stick hooks Hoffman's arm up at the last second.  I don't think Hoffman was really trying to do damage like that.

He really wasn't. He was retaliating for the Couture cross check on him, seconds earlier. He certainly was attempting to cross check him, in the shoulder blades, but the stick crept up to Couture's head somehow. Expect the NHL to treat it as intentional and to use this opportunity to set an example (shut people up for a little while). 30 games for The Hoffer.

It crept up because Dillon hooked the Dung out of Hoffman. This'll be interesting to watch how many games Hoffman gets. 1? More?

PTFlea wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

PTFlea wrote:Dillon's stick hooks Hoffman's arm up at the last second.  I don't think Hoffman was really trying to do damage like that.

He really wasn't. He was retaliating for the Couture cross check on him, seconds earlier. He certainly was attempting to cross check him, in the shoulder blades, but the stick crept up to Couture's head somehow. Expect the NHL to treat it as intentional and to use this opportunity to set an example (shut people up for a little while). 30 games for The Hoffer.

It crept up because Dillon hooked the Dung out of Hoffman.  This'll be interesting to watch how many games Hoffman gets.  1?  More?

Pete McGuire sez 5.

Here's a frame by frame look at the cross check. In the back and rides up, as we already knew. A 5 minute penalty was more than enough.

But it's the Sens, so evidence doesn't matter. I will be shocked if he gets fewer than 2, or if Pickles gets more than zero.

Strange that they haven't announced whether or not The Hoff or Vlasic will have a hearing?

The idiots on 690 are cackling at the possibility of Ottawa missing by one point because Neil had a shot before the likes of Brassard, Stone, Pageau, etc.  Idiots don't understand that three others went before and failed just like Neil did (I'd argue Neil's attempt was better than Turris or Karlsson).  Idiots don't understand that there is absolutely no guarantee that another player would have done any better or, more specifically, scored.  Stone was 0 for 3 last year. Pageau was 0 for 1. Brassard had no attempts - wonder why.  Idiots never watched a Sens practice and seen Neil practicing his shootout move.

Also idiots have no idea of the goodwill and team building intangibles.

Idiots!