Ottawa was sloppy in the second period last night and it cost them. You can't make the defensive mistakes they did against a team like Detroit because they will make you pay every time. Pretty easy to chalk a lot of those mistakes up to rust though.
The good news is the Sens played a strong final 20 and have something to build on tonight in Toronto.
One line up change expected for the Sens as Zenon Konopka will draw in for Ottawa and take Bobby Butler's place in the line up. Interesting decision by MacLean on this one. Butler started camp as the first line right winger and now finds himself in the pressbox. Interested to see how he responds to this.
Rundblad will spend a second game on the sidelines.
It has been well documented that in each of the six head to head match ups between these two teams this season, the Sens will be playing the second game of a back to back. A bizarre bit of scheduling that the Sens are not at all pleased with.
Puck drop is scheduled for just after 7:00 PM tonight with all the action on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada.
http://217.23.9.194/~sportsb1/channel1.html
You are awesome! Thanks again!
Yea I'm a little confused by this move too. I actually thought Butler looked ok last night.
Thanks!
Good for nothing when you weigh his pros and cons
You cant be coasting like he did on the Bertuzzi goal...
Strictly a fighting strategy move to add Konopka, and sit
Bobby Butler, who will be back in the lineup on Tuesday night in Sens Home opener .
Rockin Robert
I hope you are right and even if you are is there not someone else he could have benched to bring Konopka in?
Really liked Da Costa's game last night. Wow. He's going to be a good player one day, great hands and vision and doesn't seem to mind the physicality of the game.
Maybe they should sit Alfie (not because of his play)... but because you know the Leafs are going after his back. Won't take Colby Armstrong long before he crosschecks him. Sooner him miss this one game than more because of a cheap shot... and you know it will be coming.
Feel bad for Butler... Gonchar should be out... Rundblad in. What do they have to lose?
Yeah Gonchar deserves the bench for sure for floating last night on that goal. I hope Cowen fights Phaneuf again tonight that was epic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0fjgWJ8-WM
Rundblad would have been in tonight if it had been Lee or Cowen with the lazy effort yesterday...
Very true
even Kuba is borderline un-sittable for some odd reason
But it was 40mins of rust, a team getting use to a new coaching style and one another. Give this team a few games to gel.
The Sens have been playing McLean's style for about a month.. with only the vets playing in a couple of pre-season games. So it will take time to get it set.
Not trying to make excuses for them... but that is part of the problem.
The other is the defense which has to be fixed. Tell me Phillips knows better than to backhand a pass towards the slot... But what pissed me off most was the lack of effort by Gonchar on that first goal against. That is totally unacceptable.
Konopka should play only because it's vs the Leafs and it's going to be a rumble and tumble game.
Here's hoping BB16 can bounce back Tuesday and pot a few in.
Want him healthly for the season opener...
Were they ludicrous?
The comments against Jim Thomson certainly seem to be valid. That guy DOES blame his own personal weakness/proble ms against his role as a fighter.
It remains to be seen whether Nilan or Grimson made similar claims, despite what they said on OTR yesterday. Don't hear much of Grimson, but Nilan is on 990 in Montreal all the time. Wouldn't surprise me in the least if he's made comments on there about the subject.
Fighting doesn't produce people with manic drug-addicted personalities. It's just those type of personalities sometime make good fighters. So it's not surprising there would be some of those types in the NHL as enforcers.
Nope.
His contract doesn't slide so it makes no difference. He has 2 years left on his ELC according to capgeek.
I think the plan was to sit DaCosta in this game and bring Kanopka in, but how do you sit DaCosta after the way he played last night? So out goes butler.
Not only shutup all the doubters, but all the Leaf fans.
GO.SENS.FRIKIN. GO.
Off topic... trouble brewing in Washington? Vokoun is the backup tonight.. Neuwirth is starting. Vokoun's agent is pissed off. He was brought in to be the #1. His agent -- who I believe is Allan Walsh (not positive on that however) says it is like a slap in the face... he stated that on twitter.
Apparently Colorado is retiring Peter Forsberg's # tonight.
JMO
Stream is up thanks so much!
In the name of the Alfie, the Spezza and the Stalwart Anderson.
Amen.
Just watch it on CBC.
When is Steckel being inducted into the Hall? I've never heard a 3rd liner receive so much praise before, insane.
As for the high stick, it absolutely was a high sticking penalty to Cowen. But what the refs missed was the 2 minute unsportsmanlike conduct to Armstrong for an Oscar winning performance just afterward.
Side-note, is anyone else noticing that Healey and the CBC boys are being.....compl imentary....tow ards the Sens. Like talking very nicely about them even?
it was a PP goal..
On a positive note, Da Costa looks great again tonight!
Konopka is great on the face off circle. it looks that karlsson and gonchar are able to work on the PP together and Zibanejad/DaCos ta Vision...I got to get pair of those!
on the minus
Phillips.
I was right, you were wrong.
Kuba, Phillips, Gonchar, Karlsson now in his third year, even Mr Anderson on a couple; these are the guys that are actually causing us to be down in games [so far]. I haven't seen Smith, Greening, Condra, Lee, Zibanejad messing up. Their the one's that are actually playing well.
I hope Maclean is different than Clouston in that he isn't afraid to send some of these suckers to the press box.
I wouldn't hesitate to sit Kuba all damn season long and try Rundblad. Or even Borowiecki. IMO any of the two are better.
Good thing is it's only the first period.
Still pissed though
nah man i was with you i didnt want him back, without the A-train he's useless.. gtfo and make room for players that can actually play
+1 my friend. See above post.
They really need to play a full 60 minutes to even have a chance at winning games this year.
I was wondering why they did not keep Benoit & Derek Smith.. at least they play better than these 2..
Clearly an elbow to the head. Even if it was the shoulder, principle point of contact was the head.
Atta boy Neil.
How many times do people here need to realize that the team is rebuliding. There are going to be many nights where they are going to be shit like this. Don't give that "it's would be embrassing to loose to the Leafs" junk. As for people saying that the vets need to be scratched. Clouston listened to guys last year only to make the problem worse which ended him and his staff to lose their jobs. Maclean has played in the NHL and has been coaching at the NHL level as an assistant for almost 10 years. I think he knows what to do and he doesn't to take your stupid advice.
it doesn't help when two double minors are issued. one not showing any blood on armstrong. they usually show armstrong or anybody with new stitches or even bleeding when a high happens. and neil with a double minor. fucking bias shit.
And the Leafs are better than the Senators.
Sure, the Neil penalty was wrong, but still. Sens need to play better.
I agree with what you said about the penalties since Cowen should've gotten 2 as well as Armstrong for his soccer like an antics. Second was just complete BS.
Not even if he bolts for the SEL?
It's truly and utterly brutal the extreme bais on pretty much everything.
I feel real sorry for the loyal fans who made it to T.O. and have to experience this. And to think I was so close to buying tickets to this game. *phew* I'll save that $250 thank you very much.
Guys, please don't revert to making excuses about the game. Cassie Campbell said this... the schedule maker did that... Glen Healy said this... Grow up.
The team is playing bad. Plain and simple. Don't let the broadcast ruin the watching experience. If anything, you should be blaming the team for its mistakes.
I'm sure if it were the Sens winning 5-0 there wouldn't be any complaints.
Personally, I hope MacLean is the coach I think he is and sit some bodies in the press box that need to be sit. And maybe some of the lines could use a bit more tweaking, too.
I'm not a hockey coach, but I do know what bad hockey looks like.
sit him and put in rundblad
why doesn't the cbc just admit they are leafs tv.
oh well, the leafs will not make the playoffs and get a shit pick
I know it sucks watching the Leafs kick our asses. I know it sucks listening to Glen Healy jack off the Leafs players. I know it sucks seeing the Leafs target our inexperienced players in vulnerable positions. I know it sucks that the completely objective and random scheduling program the NHL uses somehow managed to have us face off against the Leafs on the 2nd night of a back to back all 6 times. I know it sucks watching Gonchar and Kuba coasting up and down the ice.
I beg you... please be patient. Our team HAS to go through this and they need our support. We all knew things were going to get worse before they get better. The fruits of our rebuild will be all the sweeter than the Leafs'.
give me a break, stop crying over something i said and watch our team play like crap. haha jokes bro yeah i know it shouldnt ruin our viewing experiance but hopefully maclean actually talks some sense into some of our guys and we actually move our legs
After all of our disadvantages, everyone thinking we are crap, in a few years we will be top in the league and our prospecst will turn out it will all be worth it. BTW SICK GOAL BY GREENING
And I am willing to suffer a bad year in a rebuild... but for the love of god I cannot, and will not watch our "Experienced Leaders" Gon-bad-char, Phill-of shit-ips, and Kuba-a acrap- lead our young defenseman!
Those 3 are the worst defenseman in the NHL. and it reminds me of when I used to laugh at the leafs for overpaying for their embarrassing d-men.
Poor Anderson, the pundits are rights, we will be a very bad team... pathetic powerplay, lacklustre offence, and other than Konopka... no one gives a rats ass...Fuk it used to be the battle of ontario, it is now... WoW the leafs are great!
FUK!!!
If they continue to play those 3 d-men, then they will force me to get into Dancing with the Stars, for the rest of the year.
And this really pains me but... Tookie it looks like you were rrrr..rrriii... RRRIIGGHHTTT!!! FUK!!!
s!
Mika Z hit the bar
My thoughts exactly.
ALFIE ALFIE ALFIE
Our defense is shit.
Why don't those commentators just suck Kessels
phaneuf bear hugs spezza so he cant pass and no penalty
400 toronto power plays
this league is a joke
why dont they just give toronto the two points and save ottawa the energy of showing up
pathetic
Costa is really impressive!!! Hail alphie, should shut some critics up.
If we can only tighten up our D, we could start getting some wins :)
HELL YAH!
they sat him the rest of th third period, he could have walked for nothing last year, and we are on the hook for 3 more years at over 3 Mil... really one of the stupidest signgings ever!
Love the fact that they never gave up.
Nonetheless, the team still played poorly the first 40 minutes. Games are won in the first 40.
The team that deserved to win won. Gonchar could DEFINITELY see some time in the press box. Murray isn't playing 5.5 million for this shit.
That should have been a holding penalty of Faneuf at the end there, however.
I'd like to see BB16 back too for Konopka.
loveed the play of da costa again tonight. Anderson is trying to do too much out there. Im sure
Maclean and staff will have enough video to go over the next few days.... Lol
We are paying these overpaid BUMS over $12 Million for this year,
they are worth more sitting on the bench...please McLean Murray do the right freakin thing! If they continue to play them...we as sens fans need to threaten them with a boycott of attending the games! They are simply the worst d-men that I can remember.
I will not stomach it no more! last year it was kuba, gonchar, kovalev, leclaire... this year again kuba gonchar and now phillips! I would rather put my money into those who care... ie 67's!
let then take there money and ride the buses in the AHL dammit!
LOL mn your soo right ahaha Cowen and Lee are our best. Gonchar can fucking go back to Russia. And Kuba can get injured like ffs.
Defensive game needs to be worked on, but thankfully its the guys who won't be around much longer who are making the mistakes.
Kuba, Gonhar and Phillips are making me hate the Sens!
12 Million...for the love of god give the 13 million to get the fuk out of ottawa!!!!
AHAHAHAHA man I love you my friend this is the best post. I'm with ya.
ahahaha man youre actually cracking me up lool keep em coming im 100% with ya
What a piece of shit.
I hope he and Gonchar get the flu or some shit. Gonch gets paid 5.5 to play... hell I'll pay him 6 to stay at home and drink beer.
AHAHAHAHAHA oh man this is jokes.
To be straight up honest with you, I actually thought David Hale was probably our best and most consistent Senator last season in the games that he played.
Fuck man, I'd rather have a guy like Hale who you know will bust his ass every game to stay in the league and pay him 1 mil and some change [If that], then pay 5.5 for a lazy overpaid old piece of Russian shit
Bad news: but only in the 3rd period...
Can Kuba not be waived? If we waive Kuba, what are the financial implications? Anybody know? Waiving him means him going down to the AHL, right?
What happens if somebody picks him up? [I freakin doubt it]
Just wanted to know why in the good Lord's name has it not been done yet, is all. Edmonton did it to Souray for goodness sakes.
Did not see the whole game.. but saw the replay on a couple of goals.. especially that 6th one by Toronto. Gonchar is not even trying. What a crappy play... it's like he does not give a damn.
Well sit his ass in the pressbox McLean. Get Rundblad out there.
This team has to play a full 60 min. I will hate to sit there on Tuesday and watch them lose to douchebag Dany Heatley & the Wild.
What has me concerned is 11 goals against in 2 games... 9 of them on Anderson. How can a guy who played so well against Boston -- do so badly. I know it's not his fault as that D is really bad. How can Cowen & Rundblad learn to play D.. when they have just horrible mentors to lead the way.
Any decent free agent D out there to sign? Even Brian McCabe would be an upgrade at this point.
Even though our bread got buttered, I'd like to point out that Phillips ended the game +1.
Karlsson had 3 assists and still ended up -2.
We just need to relabel all of our periods "The Third" and we'll be ok.
I would like to point out that Karlsson was paired with Kuba.
karlsson had a great 3rd period to make up for the plays he missed on,anderson still needs some maintenace, philips and gonchar showing the kids how not to play so that mclean has video on how to correctly play in that situation. i'm still positive and we dont give up thats great! the last 2 years we have blown our leadsand gave up every 3rd period, i'm happy with where this team is heading but i was expectingthe mistakes to be madeby the kids and not vets. mclean just needs time.
Barney the Dinosaur said that everybody is good at doing at least one thing. Kanopka's is face offs. Toronto commentator's is mouthing off.
Other than Spezza Alfie Michalek Neil we traded all our decent vets and we are left with the ones we could not move.
Da Costa has been great and I was not fully convinced about him making the team until tonight.
Fully behind him now.
Murry needs to keep going with cleaning house.
Anderson should not have been pulled, he was left out to dry.
Gonchar Kuba need to go.
Quoting simple jack:
what kindof tablet do u have?
i seem to remember numerous people on this site proclaiming him to be a legit top 4?
the only thing I'm genuinely disappointed in is the play of Gonchar,
this version of the Sens isnt supposed to score 5 goals in a game but they did...that's something to get excited about.
please stop with the Maclean should bs.... it's his second game and he's doing just fine...
Don't think too many people are crying out for MacLean's head (except the HNIC cameramen who showed him and Murray closeup after every Leaf goal). The number one thing he said he was going to try to fix was the offense. He's been successful at that so far.
The defensive game will come, the young guys just need to get more experience and the older guys need to actually care.
Unless he doesn't mind sitting in the pressbox until April, then fine. It'll hurt us for a short time but totally worth it if I don't get to see him on the ice for the rest of the season. Maybe then he'll consider retirement or join his lazy counterpart, Kovalev. Ha! And we all here want Yakupov.... Fuck drafting 1st overall in June. Sit Gonchar for the rest of the year and we're good.
start with the 3rd comment and 9th...
ive been pretty happy with the rislience of this group. spezza, alfie and michalek have been fantastic so far.
phillips and gonchar, not so much.....
Gonchar has to be sat next game for runblad
This is a true reduild and if you don't show up every shift this is the time to play someone who will, regardless of seniority or paycheque. Make it known from the start there is no free ride on this team.
Sad to see another Kovalev on our team earning even more
than Kovalev did, who also is not having a "bounce back start" ??
Rockin Robert
I feel bad for Cowen having to play with Gonchar. He looks like he is completely disinterested. I get it.. it's really Kovalev in disguise. How can Cowen develop properly when he is playing with Gonchar. Time to shift the defensive pairings. Sit Gonchar -- get in Rundblad... he can't be worse than Gonchar.
Did not see the whole game.. but the highlights showed me enough that they could have come back all the way except for a couple of bad and lazy plays by Gonchar.
Will McLean have the guts to sit him out. He needs a wake up call.
Also get this team to play a full 60 min.