The mistakes were there again and the Senators found themselves in a hole for the third time this year. But as we saw in the two previous games, the Sens found a way to battle back.
A massive hit by Neil ended up being the spark the home side needed.
Neil laid out a Wild defender Clayton Stoner behind the net, picked up an assist on the Foligno goal and brought the home side within one half way through the third. Neil was at his best tonight and may have actually had one of his best games as an Ottawa Senator.
A power play goal from Colin Greening drew Ottawa even and ignited the home town crowd with plenty of time to go in the third.
You have got to admire the heart shown by this team through the first three games of the season. They refuse to give up and are giving fans in this city something to get excited about.
Michalek, Spezza and Alfredsson all buried in the shootout and sent the crowd into a frenzy. It may have been an early season game but there was a playoff style excitement in the building tonight and the players on the ice felt it.
And while it may go unnoticed by some, I absolutely love the players raising their sticks at centre ice following the win. This is a hard-working team that people can rally around and gestures like that are exactly how you get the home town crowd behind you.
GO SENS GO!
- Disappointed by the fans that decided to boo a couple of our players in the opening. I understand that the performance has not been what some expected but at the home opener, you have to support your players.
- Love the new goal song! It will take some getting used to but the Seven Nation Army chant will be a hit at SBP by the end of the year. And to add to that, loved the music choice tonight. Certainly makes for a more upbeat atmosphere in the building.
Chirp, OT here, but is there any truth to the team being in trouble financially??
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=1003343
None whatsoever.
"Seven Nation Army chant will be a hit at SBP by the end of the year."
i understand that fans are frustrated at certain players and feel that if they pay their money they have a right to be heard - but the booing during the introduction of the team was absolutely classless
I just thought the way that TSN handled the 20th aniversary of the reintroduction of the Senators to the NHL was badly lacking. I'd actually call it terrible or even brutal. They didn't make any kind of deal out of this being the organization's 20th season and not even a package highlighting the return of the franchise (if you consider showing the Brady goal ... again!). I'd have rather had them show the introduction rather than Maclean's pregame thoughts.
For the folks that were at the game - How many of the original team did they have there? (TSN only joined in at the end when Mike Peluso was waving) How was the ceremony?
You can bet that if that were the Leafs or Habs they've shown the whole thing. Seems the Sens can never get a break on a Toronto centric station.
He should be commended !
Not only that but we outshot the wild by a lot, so much for lack of offence.
I feel a bit bad for Gonchar Kuba but the good part about the boos for them was BM got a loud and clear message from the fan base, we bash them around here but we are clearly not alone in our thoughts.
It must have been a wow for our new players being on the ice tonight in Ottawa, the crowd was loud.
Rundblad just needs some confidence, clearly the night was overwhelming for him.
Loved the one two three from Michalek Spezza Alfie.
Again Neil rocked, (hat off bowing hands extended)
At the risk of being labeled a glass half empty guy, Rundblad was shakey all night. Zibby looks green, green, green.
I think Da Costa may be my new favorite Senator. Neiler was EPIC last night.
What gives?
Last night just highlights what a big hole that would be if he was traded. Not many enforcers have offensive upside like him.
Michalek - Da Costa - Alfy line looked like it had a ton of chemistry, slowed down a little bit in the 3rd, but looks great so far.
Greening clearly is loved by the coaching staff (nothing wrong with this). He must work his ass off, because all Clouston AND Maclean AND Kleinendorst have put him on their 1st line of their respective teams. He just really understands his role, and plays within it to create time and space for other guys.
I'll explain it to you, Maclean is a great coach. He saw that the 4-3 PP wasn't working with Alfie, Spezza, Gonchar and Karlson and took Alfie off the ice, told Greening to go plant himself in front of the net and he scores. Best coaching move I've scene from a Sens coach in years. It took balls to replace Alfie with Greening.
And feeling bad for Gonchar and Kuba; I don't think so. The entire fan base is standing up for themselves and voicing their displeasure. Maybe booing them on opening night will be the one thing that triggers the switch to play responsible hockey. The fans are showing management that these type of players are not going to get a free pass. Sorry, but these guys have had way too many chances to prove themselves.
Runblad had a tough game. I don't think he's quite ready for "the bigs" but he still deserves a least a few more games in the NHL before Sens management comes to a conclusion on his play.
I honestly believe that Alfie's nagging back injuries are the main cause of his skill decline. Regardless of age, he keeps proving time and time again that when he's healthy, he's as dynamic as he was back in his early-mid 30's. If he stays healthy, I can see him producing at a PPG rate for a few more years.
Enough can't be said about Neil. He is usually the one guy you can count on to play 150% when the rest of the team plays 33%. Although, I do believe our team played a great game last night, I have a feeling Neil's going to have a huge impact in those games where the rest of our team doesn't show up.
Dacosta has HUGE potential. I'd love to see him stay around all year. Expect big things from this guy
Nothing against the guy, I think he is going to be terrific, but I think we are forcing him to play so strictly within the system to be effective, and not allowing him to be as creative as he could be against lesser players. We need to make sure he develops into an elite offensive player.
You saw in the preseason, when playing against lesser players, what he was willing/able to try and get creative. I think a year of him willing to go for these kinds of moves will do wonders for him in the end.
Not to mention, it would be a great opportunity for us to create a roster spot for one of either Filatov/Butler, and give them one year to prove what they've got (more so Filatov as his contract is up after this year)
Karlsson and Michalek seem faster. Alfredsson seems healthy but I think we need to control his minutes.Gonchar seems much slower but I think that the defense is playing a little more conservative. We have some problems in the slot in our end defensively.
It was a very exciting home opener. One of the best in years. Too bad it wasn't a sellout.
Can't believe Neil wasn't first star last night. I was at the game and he was the price of admission (and I'm not a big Neil fan). Backstrum was good, but he was the losing goalie and he did let in 3 goals, and all 3 in the shootout. Those boys at Team 1200 who picked the stars for the home opener with the crowd pumped really missed the boat on having Neil come out as the first star.
Try the Googles.
My bad, thought you were asking for the Seven Nation Army song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqMzejO2BbQ&feature=player_embedded
http://twitter.com/dchesnokov - The player this unnamed NHLer picked after dropping himself from his own fantasy team is... #Habs Max Pacioretty
Filatov?
One thing I really liked was the fact that almost every single one of the young players got a very loud welcome from the fans, which will hopefully show that this fanbase truly supports the rebuild.
With a solid win to work from let's hope we can keep this rolling. I'm looking forward to Zibanejad vs. Landeskog on Thrusday night!
It was a shame that gonchar was booed. I don't feel that was a proper move. He is a good player and needs the confidence to get back in the swing, yet he was booed in the home opener. The management already knows what is going on, we don't need to make gonchar feel like crap while he is standing in the line-up.
All in all it was a good time!
Everyone rising to their feet when Alfie took the ice for the final shot was something I will never forget. And of course the goal and fan reaction was amazing
But I'm disgusted by the booing Gonchar and Kuba took in the pre-game. Never have I felt so embarrassed to be a Sens fan. I really hope Alfie or someone addresses it at some point.
I'm alright with the reception that Kuba and Gonchar had, even if it was the home opener they're play has been horrendous. We're willing to put up with slumps from our established stars, but these bums, on their current contracts have done little to nothing for this franchise. We don't owe them anything (except millions of dollars). Step it up!
He has to STOP rolling the regular lines on the PP, I have been saying it since preseason started, and I said it ALL last year because dumbass Clouston did the same. At one point during a PP against Toronto Spezz came out with 25 seconds left on one of our PPs. On the PP Spezz and Alfie should be put, and kept together at all times.
Thats my only problem with P Mac Stashman, we defended well yesterday, 1 goal was a complete fluke, a tip in, and then Seto's goal. Can't fault Andy.
They Will figure it out and its going to be fun to watch
Go Sens Go!!!
Totally agree with you. I was truely embarrassed to be a Sens fan while I was at the game last night. You should never boo anyone on your own team. It's not going to help his game at all. It's only going to make him not want to play or make him do worse. The only exception to this rule is if the player's name is Alexei Yashin.
I wish there was some way (where they would actually see it or be able to hear it) where we could apologize to them on behalf of those idiot fans that booed them last night.
The fans have every right to boo who they wish. Gonchar should have been watching the game from the pressbox, and a young player like Brian Lee should have been in. If management think the fans in Ottawa are stupid, they are sadly mistaken. This isn't Phoenix.
Brian Lee has played his ass off, and Gonchar has sleptwalked (to put it nicely) his way through the first two games, and the fans know it.
Kuba... like I care about Kuba's feelings.
While sitting in the logjam that is the SBP parking lot after the game, I was listening to TEAM1200 and there was a great caller that said something along the lines of
'We HATE Heatley and we boo him. So what does it say when we boo Gonchar'
Great point. Very disappointing
Beautifully stated!!!
he laughed.
Says it all right there doesn't it?
Halleluah!!!
But I can't defend Kuba.... I just can't. No matter how hard I try for the sake of the word "team" I can't
I'm hoping Fila learned his lesson and would love to see a Zbad Spezz Fila tandem for the game against the Avs.
Da Costa could verywell pot 20 this year
And I frickin swear the more I watch Colin Greening the more he looks like our own Ryan Clowe.
Thank GOD Nicky got one early, I'm hoping he scores 20 this year too.
Michalek: Keep proving me wrong : ) He looks good so far this year and doesn't look out of place.
IMO opinion it wasn't an adjustment, it was double shifting Alfie. Had they not scored Alfie would have been back out with Da Costa or Michalek.
Stash has been rolling the reg lines so far every game on the PP. Not a good idea IMO
we have a very knowledgable fan base... for more than 5 years now we have been putting up with weaker, higher paid players who are rewarded with very poor play with more ice time. ie Gerber, Kovalev, Redden, Leclaire, now Kuba and Gonchar.
Yet lower paid, harder working players are cut or benched to a point where it can ruin a career ie Lee.
Yet we hear people say "I feel sorry for Kuba, Gonchar etc"
People they have been collecting $50,000 a week, to play sub par hockey, and not give a crap about winning or losing, but collecting their cheque, and go home for the summer holidays!
Contrarily I feel sorry for a Lee or a Carkner, who make far less, and if they cannot get the ice time they deserve may be out of the NHL.
Please put it into perspective, if mngmt did the right thing and play the players that earn the ice time, we would not be booing!!!
Don't get me wrong, I still hate him more than anything, but even I have to respect the fact that he shown a thin sliver of class recently.
It was game 3 for pete's sake. I'm sure Lee will play next game and they'll sit someone else. And if this was 3 weeks into the season with Kuba and Gonchar struggling then it would likely be a different story.
Sure, feel bad for Lee that he's working hard, but it's not like he's been brilliant. And maybe he's made some mistakes we haven't seen (i.e. not playing the system properly).
Way too soon to be second guessing the MacLean and out of line to boo guys during the home opener intros IMO.
Hey Hax, were you asleep during season of 2010-11
This booing is not after 3 games but after a full season of paying to watch 10 million go down the drane!
" Can you blame the guy for wanting out? " (Heatley)
By far the dumbest coach to ever hit the NHL.
Yes even Dumber than good ole Dave Allison.
Ugghhh involuntary shudder. Everytime I think of those last 2 years.
Then I immediately think of CC sending out Winchester Donovan Z.Smith against a gassed Pitts line who just iced the puck in Game 6 O.T. Seconds later Dupuis sends us golfing. Ranks up there with Friesen, Pominville, Plante, Leafs x4, and 07.
This!
Zibby's already been ranked at 14
Cowen at 30
Filatov an honorable mention (for the top 50)
I can understand if I was standing the entire game, but for the 15 seconds that I will stand to cheer a big turning point of the game, people need to relax on the whole "sit down whine" I can't remember the last time I went to a game where if I stand at all during the play I don't have idiots behind me yelling to sit down.
Worse part, those people were gone with 10 minutes left in the 3rd... Awesome...
This booing did not come overnight, this has be two seasons in the making.
They brought in on themselves.
Did Kuba look embarrassed...y ah I think he was. Did it help to wake him up, and motivate him. Don't know and don't care, as long as he puts in an effort, the boos will stop.
Heck we booed one of the best players in the NHL, Spezza, and I did not hear the sympathy I am hearing today.
Want to stop the booing, put Lee in, and tell both Kuba and Gonchar, "there is only one spot for overpaid, careless players, battle it out"
After yesterday Kuba is winning!
But the perservered and got the deserving 2 points!!
More importantly, I was impressed by Neil. Last 2 years, I would have been quick to throw him under the bus... but he's shown great leadership and heart this season!
Worse player last night would have to be Gonchar. Did he forget how to skate?!? Kuba at least gives some effort... Gonchar just stops and stares!!
Lastly... hope Spezza stops those weird errant passes!!!
GO SENS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SHIT MY POST IS # 55!!! AGGGH!
Brian Lee is 24 years old, and has been with this team since 2007-08. At what point does he become a veteran, please enlighten me? And now he's making phantom mistakes, that's why he was sat down?
Gonchar just hasn't struggled in the first 2 games, he has downright showed no effort at times. He gave up. He didn't care. That's inexcusable in my books. It doesn't take three weeks to punish that kind of behavior. That's immediate punishment stuff. That's the type of stuff that gets you boo'd at home openers too. Well, by intelligent hockey fans anyways.
These cats are millionaires, and you people are feeling sorry for others hurting their feelings? They are stealing money, and you feel sorry for them? Jokes on you.
IMO.
Didn't see much of that last night. Some but not as much. I know I stood up a good three seconds before the Neil hit actually happened! Could see it coming from a mile away.
LMAO same here Chirp, Didn't know it was Neil coming at first watching, knew someone was coming, but I def knew that Stoner was going to get STONED!
10 or 12 or 20 games into the season if some of the players are still playing like SHIT then go ahead and boo them if you want. Doing so at our home opener and during the team introduction makes you look like a fucking jackass and poorly portrays Ottawa as a city that turns on players at home game #1 and will only make us harder to get talent to sign here. Intelligent hockey fans my ass, more like a disgrace.
Didn't see much of that last night. Some but not as much. I know I stood up a good three seconds before the Neil hit actually happened! Could see it coming from a mile away.
It comes and goes, but not one game goes by where I don't hear it at least once. It's just a shame, I love to cheer my team and I like to get right into the game, just seems I am always stuck in front of these people... They suck the energy out of all the people around them...
Second that..
And lol at your name. I'm down with 7367 too and my name is also Mike : )
btw Stone is now at 16 points in 6 games and Pageau has 5 in his last 2. Love following these kids! Silfverberg isn't off to a great start though.
Disagree!
Other players won't come here because of players like him, Ottawa fans don't boo players who care.
Neil was all over Heatley the whole game. I loved it. I also really liked the goal song.
were you asleep through the 2010-11 season as well?
This booing is mostly from season ticket holders who pay 5-10K per year to watch some millionaires coast,
So I say shame on them, not the fans paying the money!
again this booing is 2 years in the making!
You're gonna wait 20 games into a season to take a player to task for not only playing like SHIT, but for not showing EFFORT. You're the disgrace.
If you were being introduced right now, I'd boo you.
You know what will make signing talent easier to do. Win hockey games, and stop wasting salary cap space on over-the-hill lazy defencemen.
According to NHL.com, most teams don't have 20 giveaways yet the whole season. For a couple of seasons, I've noticed a consistently high number of "giveaways" at home games... but only against the Senators.
I think someone needs to teach the in-house scorekeeper what a giveaway is.
Hmm I don't know, 20 does seem a bit high, but it isn't farfetched, they had quite a few of them...
We need to keep the same team as last night. Except replace Gonchar with Lee.
Then, tell Spezza to watch those passes, work on defensive zone coverage, slight goaltending tweaks and tell Neil to not let that game go to his head and transform into Cooke... and we'll come out with a 4-0 win!
GO SENS GO!
GO SOMEWHERE ELSE GONCHAR GO!
I'm guessing Kuba and Gonchar are not feeling to loved right now. Yes they make millions but in any job you work as hard as you are appreciated. Boo Heatley but support your team and its players or be destined to be a suffocating city to play in.
That can go both ways though... yes we have to appreciate our players for them to play, but they have to play for us to appreciate them!
Atta boy Neiler!
Yeah I didn't watch a single game last season genius. /sarcasm
Half of our team is new and we've brought in new coaches to get all this shit turned around. Show some faith in the Stache to figure out what can be fixed and what cannot. Give them a window of a week or two at least to work their magic and get this whole team pointed in the right direction - last year was a train wreck for most of our players, not just Kuba and Gonchar.
You have all season to voice displeasure if things don't turn around, surely you have more patience than reacting after that one shitty play against Bertuzzi?
I'll bet Leafs fans are having a field day, "Haha! Look at the retarded Sens fans and their shitty team, booing their own players at the home opener before the puck even drops!"
And you know what? They are probably right about lots of us, apparently.
Oh my...
That's not the sound your mother was making when I introduced myself to her Trebek.
As quickly as we are to boo our own players for lackluster performances, we're just as likely to cheer them on when they play well (see Spezza, Alfie (a few years back), Lee, Neil). If Kuba and the Gonch put in a good 5 game effort, they would most likely earn a small bit of our respect back. Ottawa's has a cut-throat fan base. Imagine if Kuba was a part of a serious professional Soccer Team. People get murdered in European countries for horrible give-aways that cost their team matches. Thank god he's only getting boo's.
Who cares what Leaf fans think? The last thing an organization or their fans should care about is what those losers think.
You care what Leaf fans think? ha.
Well if Gonchar and Kuba want some love they gotta show me they deserve it. Right now they dont and I'm not gonna cheer for a Sens player just because he's a Sens player.
Respect is not given it is earned...
Who the hell cares what Leaf fans think? They are the last people that should be making fun of any organization or their fans....
and like I mentioned before this isn't about one play or one game, The guy just plainly does not care and when I shell out thousands in a year for my tickets I expect at least effort. This is why guys like Peter Regin or Jesse Winchester never get booed..
Colin Greening = Ryan Clowe 2.0???
Yay or Nay?
Check the stats on Gonchar. He never was and never will be a defensive d-man. He played 5 years with the Penguins and his best +/- was a +13 in 2007-08. The year the Penguins won the cup he was a +3 in the playoffs. 3 out of the 5 years he was a minus player and that is playing with arguably the best offensive team in the NHL.
So what makes you all think that this guy is going to turn into the second coming of Bobby Orr???
There is a time and a place for everything, and what happened last night wasn't the time or place, I don't give a shit what any of you say. What does it accomplish? You have another 41 home games where you can jeer our players all you want, maybe even drop by a Leafs-Sens tilt and join all the other boo birds.
I still hope MacLean can instill some motivation into #55 and he can get ~20 point by the deadline, then we can move his ass to a playoff contender looking for "veteran leadershit" and a "ring" for their blue line, he'd probably fetch a decent return were that to happen.
Ryane Clowe is way, way tougher. Probably not as smart though.
These are the same people who barely mentioned Gonchar's name here during the pre-season. They were all about the Kuba lynching instead (as was I). Bad 2010 season + 1 terrible play in 2011 Game #1 = Gonch hearing it at the home opener.
Fair enough...
I did not boo Heatley last night. I still hate him for what he did to Ottawa.. but for me, personally, last night was about the season home opener for the Sens 20th anniversay season.. and that's what it should have been about.. not about Heatley.
Thought Chris Neil had the best game I've seen him play. I thought Rundblad looked okay for his 1st NHL regular season game.. he was better than he was in pre-season. I think Kuba got some cheers as well as boos.. but Gonchar got the worse. I'm not sure about Konopka.. yeah he is suppose to be good on faceoffs.. but I'd sooner have an offensive player that can score in the lineup rather than a fighter.. but IMO. I hope McLean gives Butler his chance with Spezza.. I think that's the only way Butler will succeed. He's been trying different players.. why not Butler.
You are bringing up pre-season games, and the lack of an out-cry in those meaningless games, to try and back up whatever point you are trying to make? You must be getting desperate.
Gonchar has made more than 'one bad play on Bertuzzi'. He has provided ZERO offence, while being horrible defensively. He's a waste of space and money. Not only in the small sampling this year, but more importantly last year.
Why are you even bringing up Kuba? I don't get what his sorry ass has to do with Gonchar.
I have no objection to criticizing players that don't have the necessary compete level or who are simply not good enough but booing them is a disgrace, it is demotivating for the entire team not just the individual.
If Gonchar played the next game with half the heart Neil displayed in the last game, he would be cheered.
Kuba, use your size and lay some people out, even if it means getting a penalty
These guys know what they need to do, they just are not willing to do it, which makes the less than worthless on a rebuilding team. They use up 9 million of our cap that would go a long way towards possibly signing a major ufa next year such as Parise and/or Hemskey.
Can you imagine what this team would look like with those two additions plus Yakupov??? It is possible.
^---- This.
Thank god for all the jeering directed at Heatley, and the fact that we won our first game. Otherwise, the most memorable thing for all the fans that tuned in coast-to-coast to watch the Sens would be us jeering our own players during our 20th anniversary home opener... FFS.
Yeah I disagree, this is exactly what fans did last season...
They just expected them to come out this season with a bit of fire in them because of the free pass everyone got last year.
Fans are tired of it and now especially if they are going to accept a rebuild, there can't be half-assed efforts like what was on display in the first 3 games by Gonchar.
Booing them is probably not the right thing to do, but as a fan, how else are you going to let them know you aren't happy?
While he wasn't a standout player to me last night, he registered two assists.
Criticize poor performance all you want. Boo a bad play. But during the pregame introductions, support your damn team. This Gonchar/Kuba hatred is completely over the top.
AKA "The Kaberle"
(hey that rhymes)
Ah well, I'm squarely on the fence for this one, I don't necessarily agree with booing them, especially at that moment but I understand and agree with the frustrations most people have.
Either way, it was nice to see some emotion in the building, not very often we get that here in Ottawa...
LOL, its 1 game Johne, hold your horses...Hopefu lly he can do it consistantly and not just fall back to being useless.
Isn't it enough that Alfie gets boo'd by the leafs in our own barn.... I hope it was just out of frustration during the first two losses.
Michalek Spezza Parise
Hemskey Zibby Alfie
Foligno Dacosta Yakupov
Neil Regin Greening
Smith/Butler
Phillips Karlsson
Cowen Rundblad
Lee Gonchar
Anderson
Lehrner.
For every 1 bad thing Spezza does, he does 5 other great things and we are lucky to have him. He is the next captain of this team.
There are a lot of other things I remember from that game well ahead of booing our shitty veterans. I'm not partial one way or the other, but paying fans should definitely be allowed to voice their displeasure. Not sure how that becomes classless. PC freaks need to take some Valium and just chill out! This is a sporting event, entertainment if you will, and there is no law requiring us to like or even support a player just because he's on our team.
Support the team, hate the individual under performers, that's how I saw it.
I doubt Kuba and Gonchar are reading the boards to see how unhappy fans are, so the only way to voice that directly at them is at the home games.
You care what Leaf fans think? ha.
well said, the last thing on earth I would want to aspire to is being a leaf fan, like they know what it takes to cheer on a winner! 45 years and counting!
Respect is not given it is earned...
Well said Tookie ( ouch :) )
When we are fed up with watching millionaires trot through the motions for about 5 years, and let them hear about we should be ashamed of ourselves.
Hell no! I again say shame on Kuba and Gonchar for collecting 50K per week, and not so much as break a freakin sweat!
We are rebuilding... and NO KUBA and GONCHAR are not a part of the rebuild. But Lee, Gyrba, Borowiecki, Wiercoch, Rundblad most likeley will be.
How else can we let Murray know we are sick and tired of shelling out money to these two, who clearly do not belong in our lineup.
Again overpaying them shame on Murray, keep playing them when they have obviously lost the spot, shame on all of them! and not shame on the paying fans!!!
I think we gave Gonchar the benifit of the doubt that he would play better this year but he blew it showing more of the same with the Bertuzi goal.
Nobody is on him because he lacks talent or goofs now and again.
I think it sent a message to BM but outside of that I am not sure how productive it was.
It was venting from the fan base, home opener was only because it was the first chance to vent.
both sides of the argument have good points.
However the opening boos was enough, the every time he touched the puck was disrespectfull, the message was already sent.
Picture the Spanish maid from Family Guy: "Nooooo, noooo."
Bottom line Lee should be in, and one of Kuba/Gonchar have earned the right to sit.
I get it that booing your own hurts, but what I really noticed yesterday, was Kuba's reaction when he was introduced. It was of embarrassment, and disbelief. He has never been benched, and judging by the way he socializes with the media and fans, I am more than positive he does not read the media.
It really seemed like an eye opener, and for the first time in 2 years, he actully had a good game.
The reality is for both players this is their swan song, they have all the money they will need, and will not be resigned, and I really question their will to win.
Let the better players play, and sit the bad/lacklustre players, and the booing will stop!
By booing players who aren't interested in giving it their all for the TEAM. They ARE supporting the team.
To suggest all because people boo Kuba and Gonchar, they aren't supporting the team is very shortsighted.
I'd be much more concerned if people just didn't care. Or worse, cheered.
great point John
Thank god the game was good. On a side note, I love the goal song...hopefull y fans will get on board.
Anyone care to enlighten me as to what 7367 is???
give yer head a shake.
this is the exact problem with elevating peoples expectations.
I agree.. for his 1st regular season game I thought he did pretty well. He's not going to catch on to the NHL game right away. I say we give him more than 1 game to see. I also thought Phillips had a pretty good game as well.
Backstrom was great... yes he let in 3 goals on about 42 shots.. while Anderson let in 3 goals on about 24 or so shots.. As for the shootout.. Minny's first shot missed the net.. their 2nd shot went in.. they never got to the 3rd one.
I know re: people leaving early. It was a tie game.. also some people in our section left just before the shootout... so what you have to get out 5 min early?
The thing that impressed me the most with last night's game (can't speak for the first two, didn't watch) was our driving to the net.
I heard The Stache wanted to go to the net hard and last night I was pleased to see finally we are. Foligno, Greening, Neil, Regin... all fought for space in front.
So far, I am truly impressed with The Stache and am getting more and more excited for this season.
Each game, he's tweaking and fine tuning... gonna be a fun ride!
GO SENS GO!!
PS - Chirp, when you guys go on that Buffalo/Toronto run, you should all get some Staches!!!
I was just about to say pretty much the exact same thing. I'm as much of a "get Kuba outta here" advocate as anybody else but I still wasn't about to boo him JUST for being on our team. Like it or not, this reflects poorly on our fanbase.
I've noticed that negative things tend to snowball rediculously out of proportion here... I've seen the name "Bertuzzi" at least 20 times on here. It was brutally apparent that a large part of Gonchar's problem is confidence: he had tons of opportunities for a good shot, but decided to pass instead. DON'T BOO THEM.
Completely agree. I was at the game last night (GO SENS GO!), and it made me a bit sad that people were booing Gonchar and Kuba during the opening festivities. I felt bad for the guys.
People, we're 3 games in. Save your hostilities for 3 months in.
It wasn't based on just 3 games, this isn't Zibanejad or Da Costa here, these are veterans who have been around for a bit now.
But you boo a player when he's doing something wrong in the game, not when he's being introduced to the fans.
I imagine many couldn't afford tickets to all the away games to boo them in person at those games. Again, I wasn't there, but for one side to act like they're better than the other is just pathetic. Both ways are acceptable, let each individual do what they want.
one player that stuck out to me (other than the goal scorers) was dacosta, the kid was just throwing dekes everywhere on the ice with so much confidence.
zibanejad and rundblad looked pretty good to me, i still believe zibanejad can use another year in SEL.
rundblad looked like a QB at one point throwing a pass from our D-end over everyone's head all the way to the other team's blue line to land it in michalek's hand (sadly it was JUST offside) i hope rundblad plays all year here, maybe 5-10games in AHL can help.
cowen looked pretty solid too, nothing fancy, just doing his job
How are you going to break it to 111519 that we aren't going to sign Hemsky or Parise this offseason? He's going to be crushed.
So free agents won't sign in Ottawa because if they sign big money and don't perform we will eventually boo them? Not sure I follow your logic, and I'm pretty sure most UFAs don't either.
If you ask Gonchar, I'm sure he'll tell you he loves being treated like shit.
Oh you're right, should've rolled out the red carpet for him, he's been awesome!
Gonchar looks like he just does not give one lick what is going on the ice. He is by *far* our worst player. His offense is non existent, he is wrecking our powerplay by taking up a valuable spot and making terrible plays, and his defensive lapses are inexcusable. Gonchar had the worst season of his career last year. I personally expected him to come out swinging this year, looking to prove he still should be considered elite. We are seeing the opposite - such total apathy I don't think he even deserves to be on the ice.
He deserves the boos, there's no question. Is it polite? Probably not - but neither is coasting around giving a 20% effort for his million$. He needs a fire lit under him and fast.
Maybe the boo's will do it - I hope so.
1- nothing because the player just doesn't give a shit...or has for whatever reason lost the ability to meet said expectations
2- player is going to be upset/embarrass ed that people think so little of them and do damn near anything they can to improve their play.
1 sounds like Gonchar
2 is more Kuba
I thought kuba played better last night then I have seen him play in ages...and I think due to hia contract expectations are far to high.
6 games 16 points 5g 11 a ......Wow
Says who? you?
Its not like they just started playing bad2 games ago, its been years...and with OUR team. They've earned those boo's!!
I think I am seeing a pattern. Those of us who have spent hard earned dollars on season tickets, remember all to well how many nights we have spent cursing Kuba and Gonchar.
Only to be promised a rebuild... out goes Fisher, Kelly, two players really repected and sad to see go. Yet 2 bums who we could not get rid of are back again to torment my enjoyment of the game. So I believe that this the year of the rebuild things will change, and if you are not good enough to make the starting lineup, then those who are willing to sacrifice will.
Lee has more than paid his dues, he has proven he is in the top half of the best 6, yet he sits only put in those 2 who play terribly, but worse don't care.
Well gald to see Kuba heard it, didn't like it and picked up his game... I hope to attract another team :)
Because they haven't been a winning team for 5 years? Free agents sign for money and for a chance to join a winning team. Toronto has the first in spades but hasn't handled the winning team part so well.
The real answer is because Brian Burke is a purebred idiot.
I read a comment once that someone called him -- 'a million dollar mouth with a ten cent brain'..
I wish Maclean could try these lines 3 talented scoring lines and energy line
Nick Foligno- Jason Spezza -Colin Greening
Nikita Filatov- Peter Regin- Milan Michalek
Mika Zibanejad--Step hane Da Costa- Daniel Alfredsson
Erik Condra - Zack Smith - Chris Neil
DEFENSEMEN
Sergei Gonchar- Jared Cowen
Filip Kuba-Erik Karlsson
Chris Phillips- David Rundblad
GOALTENDERS
Craig Anderson
Alex Auld
Make that 9 in 3 games. He had 2 goals and 2 assists in the Piques 5-1 victory
And give Stone 18 in 7 games. He had a goal and an assist in the Wheat Kings 4-3 loss to Spokane. Kramer had one of the Chief goals
Hellz yea!
I beleive it was Michigan (fottball) that started it briefly, the Penn State, but it was THE Ohio State University that it really got traction and national attention. Now i'd say about half of all College Div 1 teams use it at some point. Its really taken off with NFL teams this year too.
Don't get me wrong, I love the song during a game (a 100,000 fans at an OSU game rocking the stands of the Horseshoe is pretty awe inspiring) but I look to our in game entertainment crew to find something uniquely ours to go along with this clearly unique and amazing group of youngsters.
An exhibit celebrating Ottawa's Hockey History will be unveiled today. The new exhibit will be on the 200 level of Scotiabank Place this season.
@ Sens Saint - If I'm not mistaken, at the end of year mixer for the Senators in 2009, there was a rumour that Foligno and Heatley got into a verbal and physical altercation. I believe that the argument was made from Foligno around the lines that he was teasing Heatley that he replaced him on the PP under Clouston's watch. This didn't sit well with Dany Dbag and apparently things got physical at said party. I don't know how much truth there is to this, as there are a bunch of rumours that started on why he left...I think the other major one was the story that Heatley was laying pipe with Spezza's fiance -again just rumours at this point. Hope this helps.