GAME DAY: Washington Capitals @ Ottawa Senators - 7:30pm EST - Mon. Nov. 23rd, 2009 PLUS post game thoughts

Gohan wrote:I think people (media) continually asking Spezza about his chances and how his production might hurt those chances had a far more detrimental effect on him---assuming he's given up, and not just hurt. He could be hurt...I hope he's hurt...if not, this team has 5+ more years of aggravation ahead...or a trade for a sub-par return...again...

I think Edmonton would give up a lot to get him to be honest. Prob a 1st or Eberle, MSP, and perhaps Cogliano.

Anyways, long season, it's been an off game for him for sure, we'll see what is happening a month from now with him and The Sens.

A bright spot tonight, in my opinion is Peter Regin. He's playing brilliantly. Making gorgeous, crisp passes. He's playing much more physically than usual; is strong defensively and creates offensively. And I feel Shannon is feeding off of that, and is probably playing his best game of the year, which doesn't say much since he's been pretty brutal.

We need more from Michalek tonight though. And from all of our top 6 guys.

Also this Caps team is playing much better against us than they did against the Leafs, but that would be expected.

Lastly, if we have another game where the other team does not get a penalty, I'm going to flip out. How the Diddle is the most penalized team also the team with the fewest powerplay chances. Absolute garbage. They need to call games fairly.

going to have to have a ginormous third period if the sens want to win this one

N4L wrote:

Sens19 wrote:

Gohan wrote:

Sens19 wrote:

N4L wrote:Starting to agree with that... was REALLY trying to see the positive side of his game but if he's useless offensivly then what's the point?

Long story short, doesnt matter what your view on Spezza is, Fisher is now the number 1 center on this team for a lot of reason and you can't pay your number 2 guy, 7 mil. Spezza has to prove he is the guy here or Murray will deal him to Edmonton, garenteed.

I don't think Murray will deal Spezza now that Heatley is gone, at least not anytime soon. I agree about the second line center not supposed to being paid so much but like I said once Spezza starts rolling (and I truly believe he will) we will have two top centeres rolling and I highly doubt anyone will care about their payroll

Also, it seems we're having another "hot" goalie tonight

Had Heatley not requested a trade, Spezza would have been gone by the draft.

I know, which is why I think now that Murray was forced to deal Heatley he won't deal to stars in such a close period of time. If it happens and we get a really great return (nothing the Oilers can really offer though) I'd go for it but for now I think this isn't the regular Spezza and he will come around this season.

I actually think the Olympic orientation hurt him more than do him any good, everyone knows he has no chance on that team and they gave him hope and he came in thinking he actually has a chance/was good enough for it and now his confidence level is close to 0.

Edmonton is 100% looking for a "big time" player and it is no secret that Spezza was seconds from going there 2 years ago at the draft.

With Fisher playing like he is, Regin learning the ropes, and Edmonton's wealth of forward prospects which The Sens are lacking... well, I'll just say it like this, you dont pay your number 2 center, 7 million a year.

Still if we're trading Spezza it better be for more than anyone on that Edmonton team, even if its Penner. I'm not overestimating Spezza's value because it's Dung at the moment but in the end he's a star on this team and we need that type of return (even if its on a marginally lower level) of return. I don't know if I'm making any sense now but the issue of paying two centeres big money isnt always the main issue imo

Gohan wrote:

N4L wrote:Ive liked Fisher's game tonight for sure, man. He's skating well, getting in on the forecheck, putting pucks towards the net. Playing decent IMO.

Regin is playing solid though, really like his game.

yeah, llike I said, not playing well, not playing bad...just not worthy of praise, Imo. He's playing a decent game, but it's not like the Fisher from the past couple games.

No, but hey, I dont expect Fisher to produce at a PPG clip honestly. The guy is going to get 60 points this year, that's more then enough. The nights he isnt producing he is still effective which is what you need in a number 1 center.

N4L wrote:

Sens19 wrote:

Gohan wrote:

Sens19 wrote:

N4L wrote:Starting to agree with that... was REALLY trying to see the positive side of his game but if he's useless offensivly then what's the point?

Long story short, doesnt matter what your view on Spezza is, Fisher is now the number 1 center on this team for a lot of reason and you can't pay your number 2 guy, 7 mil. Spezza has to prove he is the guy here or Murray will deal him to Edmonton, garenteed.

I don't think Murray will deal Spezza now that Heatley is gone, at least not anytime soon. I agree about the second line center not supposed to being paid so much but like I said once Spezza starts rolling (and I truly believe he will) we will have two top centeres rolling and I highly doubt anyone will care about their payroll

Also, it seems we're having another "hot" goalie tonight

Had Heatley not requested a trade, Spezza would have been gone by the draft.

I know, which is why I think now that Murray was forced to deal Heatley he won't deal to stars in such a close period of time. If it happens and we get a really great return (nothing the Oilers can really offer though) I'd go for it but for now I think this isn't the regular Spezza and he will come around this season.

I actually think the Olympic orientation hurt him more than do him any good, everyone knows he has no chance on that team and they gave him hope and he came in thinking he actually has a chance/was good enough for it and now his confidence level is close to 0.

Edmonton is 100% looking for a "big time" player and it is no secret that Spezza was seconds from going there 2 years ago at the draft.

With Fisher playing like he is, Regin learning the ropes, and Edmonton's wealth of forward prospects which The Sens are lacking... well, I'll just say it like this, you dont pay your number 2 center, 7 million a year.

AND...Edmonton just demoted Horcoff. Imo Gagner isn't ready to centre the top line...not sure he ever will be...I like him, but I think he's more of a 1b kind of centre. Spezza can and has been a 1a

Still no guarantee thats where he's going. And if he's hurt, he'll have more leeway from management and the coaching staff than he does from us.

He better be hurt honestly. If he isnt this game is that much worse.

Poor Leclaire, the guy has the worst luck. Who gets injured sitting on the bench? Yeah, him. We need him back ASAP, 'cause he is clearly our #1. I know you cannot lay all the blame on Speedle, those giveaways were brutal, but he should have robbed the shooter a few times.

Regin with another great shift.

Bass Destruction wrote:A bright spot tonight, in my opinion is Peter Regin. He's playing brilliantly. Making gorgeous, crisp passes. He's playing much more physically than usual; is strong defensively and creates offensively. And I feel Shannon is feeding off of that, and is probably playing his best game of the year, which doesn't say much since he's been pretty brutal.

We need more from Michalek tonight though. And from all of our top 6 guys.

Also this Caps team is playing much better against us than they did against the Leafs, but that would be expected.

Lastly, if we have another game where the other team does not get a penalty, I'm going to flip out. How the Diddle is the most penalized team also the team with the fewest powerplay chances. Absolute garbage. They need to call games fairly.

-Michalek has had a few beauty chances but couldn't convert. He's played well otherwise, but it would have been real nice if he'd potted one of them.

-The Leafs just played better than we are. There's a desperation a 3 win team has that a team on a 3 game winning streak just doesn't...Also the Leafs are better than their record...not good, but better...

-League mandate, my friend. This is a business. Ottawa is no longer a team in trouble, nor are they a team expected to do well. This is what happens to teams like that...

Neil scores assisted by kuba

Nice energy from that line there.

Spezza is just giving the puck away on demand tonight. Green looks like a norris candi... oh ya...

omfg nothing pisses me off more than when the team has possession looking to re-enter the zone (or any similar situation) and a player coasts out of the zone. Diddle Spezza. wtf.

the sens need to keep the play in the caps end

Gohan wrote:omfg nothing pisses me off more than when the team has possession looking to re-enter the zone (or any similar situation) and a player coasts out of the zone. Diddle Spezza. wtf.

No clue what he's trying to do out there.

sens to the pp need to score on this one

N4L wrote:

Gohan wrote:omfg nothing pisses me off more than when the team has possession looking to re-enter the zone (or any similar situation) and a player coasts out of the zone. Diddle Spezza. wtf.

No clue what he's trying to do out there.

At least I'm not the only one who sees it.

whatever. Thats one of those forced calls where the ref knows he has no choice but to appease the fans.

a PP's a PP, I guess. Go Sens.

Like wtf...? A lot of these are mental mistakes, has nothing to do with being injured or not.

MICHALEK!!!

sens score and tie the game up

Gohan wrote:

Bass Destruction wrote:A bright spot tonight, in my opinion is Peter Regin. He's playing brilliantly. Making gorgeous, crisp passes. He's playing much more physically than usual; is strong defensively and creates offensively. And I feel Shannon is feeding off of that, and is probably playing his best game of the year, which doesn't say much since he's been pretty brutal.

We need more from Michalek tonight though. And from all of our top 6 guys.

Also this Caps team is playing much better against us than they did against the Leafs, but that would be expected.

Lastly, if we have another game where the other team does not get a penalty, I'm going to flip out. How the Diddle is the most penalized team also the team with the fewest powerplay chances. Absolute garbage. They need to call games fairly.

-Michalek has had a few beauty chances but couldn't convert. He's played well otherwise, but it would have been real nice if he'd potted one of them.

-The Leafs just played better than we are. There's a desperation a 3 win team has that a team on a 3 game winning streak just doesn't...Also the Leafs are better than their record...not good, but better...

-League mandate, my friend. This is a business. Ottawa is no longer a team in trouble, nor are they a team expected to do well. This is what happens to teams like that...

Michalek has had some chances, but they weren't created by him. I strongly feel this has been one of his worst games as a Senator. I think he is capable of so much more than the way he is playing.

Oh yeah, and... It's all tied up BABY!!!!! Still think we deserve more PPs. Stupid NHL and their politics.

shannon is playing like he did last year...caps going back to the box

Every line Fisher plays on, they just fire. AMAZING shift by Shannon!

Gohan wrote:

N4L wrote:

Gohan wrote:omfg nothing pisses me off more than when the team has possession looking to re-enter the zone (or any similar situation) and a player coasts out of the zone. Diddle Spezza. wtf.

No clue what he's trying to do out there.

At least I'm not the only one who sees it.

Dude when I think Spezza needs to benched for the rest of the game you know there's def something seriously and annoyingly wrong.
Whhoo tie game

shannon has had a very good night

HOLY Diddle SPEZZA! He is muffy up the PP now!

N4L wrote:Like wtf...? A lot of these are mental mistakes, has nothing to do with being injured or not.

His faceoff percentage is a good indicator of a poor mental game.

what the Diddle is Cheechoo doing out there again? What is Clouston thinking? He'd better not see the ice after that shift.

Gohan wrote:

N4L wrote:Like wtf...? A lot of these are mental mistakes, has nothing to do with being injured or not.

His faceoff percentage is a good indicator of a poor mental game.

He wasnt ready.

Again, I ask, how different of a record would The Sens have without Spezza right now? The guy just isnt a true number 1 center and has actually lost that spot in Ottawa, a team who lacks (or is supposed to) tallent up the middle.

Gohan wrote:what the Diddle is Cheechoo doing out there again? What is Clouston thinking? He'd better not see the ice after that shift.

Id say Spezza and Cheechoo should be playing together but man, that's scary.

Sens19 wrote:

Gohan wrote:

N4L wrote:

Gohan wrote:omfg nothing pisses me off more than when the team has possession looking to re-enter the zone (or any similar situation) and a player coasts out of the zone. Diddle Spezza. wtf.

No clue what he's trying to do out there.

At least I'm not the only one who sees it.

Dude when I think Spezza needs to benched for the rest of the game you know there's def something seriously and annoyingly wrong.
Whhoo tie game

Admit it though: You were the one giving minuses to me an N4L, right?

Shannon is going to score, you just see it coming.

N4L wrote:

Gohan wrote:what the Diddle is Cheechoo doing out there again? What is Clouston thinking? He'd better not see the ice after that shift.

Id say Spezza and Cheechoo should be playing together but man, that's scary.

They should be playing together...playing checkers together in the press box.

N4L wrote:Shannon is going to score, you just see it coming.

he would deserve it after how well he has played tonight looks like the player he was last year

Good call saying checkers, there is no way Spezza can play chess.

sens on the pk

huge save by elliot

Man, what a great save.

Gohan wrote:

Sens19 wrote:

Gohan wrote:

N4L wrote:

Gohan wrote:omfg nothing pisses me off more than when the team has possession looking to re-enter the zone (or any similar situation) and a player coasts out of the zone. Diddle Spezza. wtf.

No clue what he's trying to do out there.

At least I'm not the only one who sees it.

Dude when I think Spezza needs to benched for the rest of the game you know there's def something seriously and annoyingly wrong.
Whhoo tie game

Admit it though: You were the one giving minuses to me an N4L, right?

No I swear it wasn't. I like Spezza but I like the team even more and every word he said tonight about Spezz was 100% true. Plus, even if I didnt agree I wouldnt give him a minus lol

big kill

WTF? That whistle was ridiculously quick.