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  • Spezza Ready to Return

    (UPDATE 2:21 PM)- Paul MacLean has confirmed what has been speculated the last couple days- Jason Spezza is ready to return to the Ottawa Senators line up.  The Sens number one centre has been out of the line up since January 27.  A huge boost for this team as they return to Scotiabank Place for Game 3.

    Written on Saturday, 18 May 2013 11:53
    Comments (71) Read 1501 times
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Sunday, 11 December 2011 15:16

Back to the Drawing Board

After an ugly loss at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks, the Ottawa Senators have now lost five of their last six and have slipped to 11th in the East.

At the thirty game mark, the Sens are a respectable 13-13-4 but will have to turn things around in a hurry if they want to stay in the mix in the playoff race in the Eastern Conference.

Defensive miscues have been the biggest issue for MacLean's group over this most recent stretch.  Fans love to rip on Sergei Gonchar and Filip Kuba but the fact is this team misses those two guys big time right now.  Without those two veterans on the back end, the Sens are icing an extremely young blueline that has looked overmatched at times the last handful of games.

Kuba is going to be sidelined for the next little while but the team sounds confident Gonchar won't be out long.  He is being called day to day right now.  The sooner he's back the better.

The Sens have a full day off today and are back to the ice tomorrow at 11:00 AM.  You can be sure Paul MacLean will want to work on the Sens defensive zone coverage.

Ottawa is facing a grueling stretch of games through the rest of December which includes a stop in Buffalo on Tuesday and then home games against Boston and Pittsburgh to close out the week.

  • Glad the Sens are done with the Vancouver Canucks for this season.  There is a reason Mark Recchi called the Canucks the most hated team in the NHL.  The antics of Burrows, Lapierre and to a lesser extent Kesler are infuriating to watch.  Kinda feel bad for Canucks fans having to defend these three on a nightly basis.
  • The Canucks were talking about potential suspension for Nick Foligno after last night's game but there was no indication the hit on Kesler would be reviewed.
  • The Sens welcomed back both Matt Carkner and Peter Regin last night although neither really had much of an impact.  Carkner played 15:40 and was a +1 while Regin logged just over 12 minutes and registered a single shot on goal. Jared Cowen led all Senators in ice time last night with 25:43 including 6:45 on the penalty kill.
  • Happy 39th Birthday to Sens Captain Daniel Alfredsson!  Wondering what to get the NHL's longest serving captain? How about a vote for the NHL All Star Game!
Last modified on Sunday, 11 December 2011 15:25

Comments   Jump to Last Post

 
+3 #1 jd2reeso 2011-12-11 15:25
Foligno absolutly wrecking Cody Hodgson's with a clean check and then backing it up with a fight. This guy has come along way. Good on ya.

Looking ahead in December scares the shit out of me. Hope Craig Anderson rests today. If he thinks he has seen a lot of rubber so far... Oh boy.

Good Luck boys
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+3 #2 AlfieforMayor11 2011-12-11 15:25
Personally Chirp, I think Kesler is the worst of them all. Can't stand that guy!
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+3 #3 SensChirp 2011-12-11 15:27
Quoting AlfieforMayor11:
Personally Chirp, I think Kesler is the worst of them all. Can't stand that guy!

So smug in interviews.
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+4 #4 PraiseAlfie84 2011-12-11 15:32
Lapierre is the biggest clown in the NHL, he's talks so much shit and then turtles anytime someone wants to fight him. Guys like that should be getting beat down every night!
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+3 #5 Jyt 2011-12-11 15:40
Not gonna pretend I was happy with how we played last night, but man are the Vancouver boys ever annoying. REALLY annoyed that Hansen didn't get some payback for crosschecking Alfie in the arm.

On another note, Happy Birthday to the Captain!
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+1 #6 Lambchops 2011-12-11 15:52
Last night i was sitting behind a group of cunuck "fans". they were yelling at everyone in our section when the game was 2 min from being over (i don't like it, and i stayed the whole game.) but he kept saying how we weren't real fans. so i asked him how long he'd been following hockey. he answered "for two years." then i asked who is favorite player was. he said "Kesler" i told him Kesler sucked. then i asked where he was from. he said Ottawa, now this guy was maybe 20 Years old. i knew he was a bandwagoner that dint know shit, just that they almost won the cup last year, i alsso asked how long he'd been a Ca-fuck fan. he told me after the playoffs last year. i'm just assuming that all canuk fans are like that.
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+1 #7 ziggy 2011-12-11 16:05
Wanted to climb through the TV and slap a couple Nucks myself. Someone has to explain to me why guys like Lapierre NEVER get clocked... I mean really? Is it that difficult to just grab a guy like that and just kick the snot out of him? Take the five... the satisfaction would be worth it and respect would be earned league wide by the guy(s) that do it!
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+2 #8 ziggy 2011-12-11 16:14
Kesler's head never came close to hitting the boards on Foligno's hit...and even if it had, his head his so inflated he couldn't possibly hurt himself. Arrogant puke.
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+2 #9 hq 2011-12-11 16:21
personally, being a sens fan first and foremost, i rooted for the canucks pretty hard against the bruins and though that all this talk about the canucks being the most hated team in the nhl was borne more out of jealousy and a testament to the skill and talent that team has. but after seeing first hand myself yesterday the antics especially of burrows, kesler, lapierre and also the sedins, i have had a real change of heart and mind. these guys will never win the cup, because when push comes to shove they will rather get pushed and turtle. i say good on the bruins now to the knock the snot out of the canucks in the finals.
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+1 #10 Lambchops 2011-12-11 16:50
Quoting ziggy:
Wanted to climb through the TV and slap a couple Nucks myself. Someone has to explain to me why guys like Lapierre NEVER get clocked... I mean really? Is it that difficult to just grab a guy like that and just kick the snot out of him? Take the five... the satisfaction would be worth it and respect would be earned league wide by the guy(s) that do it!


I think I remember Phillips in a scrum with him. Hitting Lapierre a couple timES
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+2 #11 NickG 2011-12-11 16:54
So, last night was my birthday. And all I wanted was for the Sens and Jets to win their games.

The only bright side is I was stuck at work, and had to miss both games.


Looking forward to next week.


Oh, how was Runblad last night? Was he as awful as he was the last few games?

PS. Disappointed to see so ridiculously many 'Nucks jerseys in the stands. I thought the game was in Vancouver from watching the highlights.
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+2 #12 ziggy 2011-12-11 17:02
I think I remember Phillips in a scrum with him. Hitting Lapierre a couple timES

@Lambchops Noted. I guess what I meant was somebody, ANYBODY, pummel that stupid smirk off his face. Believe it or not, I'm not a huge fighting fan, so it makes me wonder as I write this if he pisses ME off this much, how how does he get away with not getting the crap kicked out him regularly. I think that freak actually enjoys the love slaps. He's an embarrassment to the game.
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+1 #13 conor smythe 2011-12-11 17:06
personally, I would review the hit on zack smith.. sure he was on his knees at the time, but the vancouver player clearly charged in and delivered a hit right to his head.
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0 #14 Sandy 2011-12-11 17:10
I like how that chicken-shit that is Lapierre (AKA PUNK) started punching on Smith as he had Smith on the ice.

If he was not such a gutless punk he would have fought him face to face.. but he would have gotten plummeled. Wait until next year...

Alain Vigneault (sp?) said the Foligno hit on Hodgson was a good hit.... who on the Canucks said it wasn't? The players?

And the other fans in the league say the Sens are whinners... Really? No one would whine like the Canucks do...

The only suspension/fine that might happen is to Neil.

I think the Sens went into this game mad at the Canucks, probably Burrows in particular, with what happened in the last game... they figured the league would do nothing.. so they would take it into their own hands. They kinda loss control and took too many penalties.

So if they were outmatched by the Canucks -- what's going to happen against the Bruins.. especially with this young D.
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+3 #15 Sens_247 2011-12-11 17:55
Tuff one to watch last night, maybe because I dislike Vancouver so much, but I really like this Ottawa team. We're not missing much to turn our recent 5 losses into 5 wins out of 6.

Have to love the promise on our blue line, players such as Folligno, Smith and Condra, along with the handful of offensive talent coming up in the next couple years.

Go Sens Go!
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0 #16 57gord 2011-12-11 19:00
Gee the BIG Zee will not be playing us. Guess he saw Carkner was back and thought he would sit this one (and a couple of others) out? Too bad.
Boy I wish he was still ours.
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-1 #17 yazzy 2011-12-11 20:21
Like I tell anyone that will listen, remove the instigator rule, and as soon as you do, players such as Burrows and Lapierre disappear.
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+4 #18 CohMa 2011-12-11 21:21
Off topic - TSN's reporting that at the Canada World Juniors camp Mark Stone is playing on a line with Mark Scheifele and Tanner Pearson.... That is one hell of a line.
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0 #19 jasonontheoldsenschirp 2011-12-11 21:42
Sens won't get Chara on Wednesday. He's out for three games
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0 #20 ShaunK 2011-12-12 00:28
LOL @ Kesler running his fucking yap after the game saying Foligno 'targeted my head'. Yea...too bad he didnt even hit your head you yank prick.

Anyways, anyone see this knee by LUcic last night?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-9J5T_rwJM&feature=player_embedded

How the fuck does Porter get 4 games when they dont even review that? I'm so sick of the inconsistent calls and lack of discipline for teams like NY and Boston. Shanhan is doing a TERRIBLE job this year.
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0 #21 Meadowdog  2011-12-12 01:56
Quoting 57gord:
Gee the BIG Zee will not be playing us. Guess he saw Carkner was back and thought he would sit this one (and a couple of others) out? Too bad.
Boy I wish he was still ours.


ZED !
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0 #22 The Apostle 2011-12-12 09:03
Off Topic and Annoying

I watched the Van game in MacLaren's on Elgin. At about 7.10 we had to ask them to put the game on as the TVs were all still showing Spanish football.

There was hardly anybody in there and fewer still watching the game. I spoke to one of the barstaff and mentioned that it was quiet and he said it always is when it's just the sens playing. It's much busier when Toronto or Montreal are playing.

Add that to the fact that at Big Daddy's on Thursday they wouldn't show the sens game because the Montreal game was on instead.

It's hardly any wonder that we get drowned out by Toronto and Montreal fans when we play them at SBP.
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+3 #23 C 2011-12-12 09:07
I might hate vancouver more than toronto
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0 #24 Johne 2011-12-12 09:25
Don't blame Filatov one bit for going back to Russia, they should of left him in Bingo if they had no intention of him of playing in the NHL. Not a huge loss, but it is frustrating for us as fans to see an asset like that not get playing time like he was promised. I didn't see much out of his play that warranted him not playing in the top 6. Not a whole lot of consistency there for him to find his game as a young player,
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0 #25 Alcatraz 2011-12-12 09:42
Yup Filatov gone back to Russia, Don't blame him

If I'm 21 I just want to play hockey, and he wasn't playing in Bingo or in the NHL

Not to say he should have been gift wrapped a top 6 position, or be given free playing time, just seems like he didn't get a fair shake

Oh well, another Russian fail for the Sens..Move onto our next work in progress make shift top 6 player lol
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0 #26 N8ball85 2011-12-12 09:43
I don't blame him neither but is this confirmed ? Still trying to find confirmation but can't !
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0 #27 N8ball85 2011-12-12 09:50
Nevermind it's confirmed
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0 #28 SNOOPY SENIOR 2011-12-12 10:17
Too bad about a young Russian returning to his homeland !
Being a Canadian, and having played the game (not in NHL),
I would be pissed, if told by Bryan Murray in Mid-November,
to hang in, and wait till end of November, and still am waiting, after 12 days past the end of November, with no
concrete decision, on when will "I PLAY"!

Obviously Head Coach MacLean and his coaching staff, had no
positive vibrations on Filatov's playing style, and Murray
let this guy down to a certain degree !

So, we are still without a top 6 winger for Spezza, as Butler is failing, and will not fit the bill !!

Maybe move Foligno to LW , Spezza as Centre, and Michalek on RW.

Line 2 would then be Greening - Regin - Alfredsson.
If Greening not able to fit in, try Daugavins !

Might just see this top 6 in Buffalo game on Tuesday night !!

GO SENS GO !!!!!!!!!!!!!
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0 #29 Johne 2011-12-12 10:38
Foligno is clearly better at center than at wing. Zibanejad is looking more and more likely to be moved to wing and if that doesn't pan out, we will need to pull in a sniper through free agency.
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0 #30 SNOOPY SENIOR 2011-12-12 10:49
Quoting Johne:
Foligno is clearly better at center than at wing. Zibanejad is looking more and more likely to be moved to wing and if that doesn't pan out, we will need to pull in a sniper through free agency.


JOHNE,

Zibanejad is in Sweden !!
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0 #31 Johne 2011-12-12 10:52
LOL, i meant in the future, this year is a lost cause unless someone unexpected steps up.
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0 #32 SNOOPY SENIOR 2011-12-12 11:01
Quoting Johne:
LOL, i meant in the future, this year is a lost cause unless someone unexpected steps up.



Got it !!
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