Alex Auld was thrust into the spotlight tonight as Craig Anderson was sidelined at the last minute with some stiffness in his neck. Full credit to Alex Auld as he made some big time stops and kept his team in the hockey game. Not much he could do on the game winner that was deflected by Chris Higgins right on the doorstep.
The Canucks opened the scoring on a Henrik Sedin shot that deflected off the stick of Jesse Winchester and through Alex Auld. With the Canucks up 1-0, Alex Auld made some big stops and gave the Sens a chance to battle back. Auld was named first star on the Sportsnet broadcast.
It was more third period magic from the Senators as Colin Greening pulled Ottawa even, converting a perfect pass from Jason Spezza.
The Senators certainly had their chances to win this hockey game but could not find a way to beat Cory Schneider who saved his best stop for overtime where he robbed Erik Condra on a deflection in tight.
An overtime loss always sucks but the Ottawa Senators played another solid road game against a tough Canucks squad. They will happily take away a single point from this one and get ready for Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night.
There was an incident in the first period of this one that should ultimately be reviewed by Brendan Shanahan. Jesse Winchester was dumped by Max Lapierre and ended up tumbling into the bench. On first glance, it looked like an accident but the replay seems to show Alex Burrows opening the door just before impact. If that is indeed the case, Burrows should sit out a couple games.
This is a guy who has a reputation for this kind of stuff. Hope the league takes a second look.
ChirpNotes
- Stephane Da Costa spent time on the fourth line for the third straight game. MacLean has started him on the second line with Foligno and Alfredsson on each game on this road trip but he hasn't been able to stick. Part of that has to do with the solid play of Jesse Winchester. Da Costa seemed to move back up the depth chart late in the game.
- Someone mentioned that Erik Karlsson sounded like he might be under the weather in some pre game interviews. Definitely wasn't his best effort and perhaps an illness may have had something to do with that. He had a great chance to win this game at the end of regulation but missed the net from in close.
- Alex Auld's second period save off Ryan Kesler kept the Sens in this hockey game. Canucks score a shorthanded goal there and it would have been a tough hole to climb out of.
- Jason Spezza finished the game 67% on faceoffs.
now we need regin or maybe its time for a trade for a 2C more than ever. da costa obviously as we all expected isnt ready to take on that role and i hope he gets time in bingo. because winchester is not a 2nd line center, barely a 4th liner but give him respect for his hard work tonight. maybe we try foligno there one last time? and put da costa in bingo and call up filatov soon?
Burrows clearly opened the door and thats intent to injure.
Karlsson was wide open in overtime and didn't shoot....again!!
Kuba lifts his foot in overtime and lets the winning shot through?!?! Isin't that the opposite of what a defenceman is paid to do??????
cant belive im gunna do this, but i am about to protect kuba. kuba is leading us in blocked shots and somewhere near top 15 in the league. i thought tonight he did play pretty good as he has been for past few games, so i guess ill let this one slide, if it was his fault.
It was really strange.
Auld was the story of the game early and Schneider took over in the third. Both tenders made some pretty big saves in this one.
I know I hated on him early in the season, but Zack Smith is becoming a VERY good hockey player. Inthe past he was nothing but a goon for is, but Maclean and company have given him a very big role on this hockey team and he hasn't disappointed.
Now if only we could find ourselves a proven 2nd line center. It's apparent that we have a glaring need to fill that hole to center Alfie and whoever else is in that 2nd line. Da Costa just isn't good enough and Winchester is a solid 3rd/4th liner.
[quote name="Big_S"]I say trade can I have some of what you've been smoking man?
Very impressed with our play with the exception of our power play. It has gone to shit. Vancouver had more chances then we did.
Schneider stole the 2 points from us. Condra, Michalek, Spezza must all still be sitting in the dressing room looking at replays...
Auld... if we can get back-up from him like that, well, we may have at last found a goaltending tandem that works!
I hope, but know he won't, Burrows get a couple for the door incident and I hope the douchebag that put Da Costa into the boards gets something as well. He had plenty of time to let up.
GO SENS GO!!! GREAT GAME!!!
Proving everyone wrong!
Next up, Sens VS. Sid! GO SENS GO!
I think the few days off will be good for the Sens. Some young guys have been playing a lot lately (especially Karlsson) and a few days off will be good for him.
No practice today, back on the ice at SBP tomorrow morning.
Would love to see those two start shooting more. Alfredsson is another that needs to be a little more greedy.
On a side note, really glad to see Crosby back in the game. Hope he regains his form AFTER the Sens game...
You can go even further and say we have 7pts in our last 4 games (if you include the Toronto game). On a road trip that most people (including myself) expected no more than a couple of wins.
I think the "biggest" factor has been our goaltending. It was only average at the start of the season, but Andersson and (last night) Auld have just been kicking ass!!
I honestly thought that we were going to steal that point in the end against Vancouver (I must of waken up my sleeping kids on that michalek break away in the third. Schneider was amazing as well (First the goalie controversy in Buffalo, now Vancourver...Mi ller & Luongo...how the mighty have fallen). It's nice having a reliable tandem :)
http://www.hockeysfuture.com/articles/13429/hockeys_future_organization_rankings_fall2011110/
Fun team to watch, and were probably the better team last night.
Couple of points though.
-I thought Lee had another strong game, so if Rundblad should come back in, and I agree he should, one of the Vets should take a maintenance day! Gonchar or Philips
-with our second line struggling, and the PP struggling what will it take to give another look to Filatov?
The second line must start producing
Real big test next game in Pitt, with Crosby back.
Go Sens Go
Saw Prince yesterday with 67's... oh man he is fun to watch!
not sure how much more you want karlsson to shoot. he leads our team in shots with 68 with an ugly 1.5% shooting percentage. he also has sadly missed the net what feels like 100s of times this year.
i blame his stick, serious about that. if you notice the stick he is using this year, it is different from last years, although several sens palyers switched to the stick karlsson is currently using too.
as for cowen, we still havent had a chance to see what a 6'5 230lbs+ man can shoot like. i would imagine it would hit the 100+ mark on speedometer. plus his 18 goals in junior last year shows he has to have a decent shot.
Daug was not at fault for getting run from behind, McSorley.
Erik's stick is too long (Coach Paul and I both tried to tell him!).
Filip Kuba fault number 10 of many, cannot ever hold the puck in @ the other team's Blueline so next time he backs away early!
not sure I understand the whole dont turn you back argument.
arent you supposed to turn and protect the puck from the apposing defender?
kuba is one of the better one's on the team at keeping the puck in, might be the only thing he has been doing right in past few years through good times and bad.
I agree that the time for Filatov is closer than ever but I maintain he should only come up when he has proved to the organisation's satisfaction that he deserves it. This sends him and everyone else the clear message that if you do what you are told and work hard you will be rewarded.
What sort of message does it say to Greening or Daugavins if Filatov takes his spot away, you've done everything we have asked but we have to give whiney brat a shot or he might leave.
This isn't just about making sure Filatov gets the message it's about communicating with everyone that none of the young players are entitled to anything.
Still not overly impressed by Da Costa, all flash and dash. I think he could be the one to sit if and when Filatov comes up although that probably means moving Foligno to centre for a while.
ya but you should also show some responsibility for yourself. If you put yourself in a position that might get you hurt, there is a much better chance you are going to get hurt. I do agree the onus is on the guy hitting the player with his back turned but all mcsorely ment is that if you dont want to get run from behind then dont put yourself in that position
No he's not at fault and Alberts should get 2 games IMO..
But, we were always taught as kids to never turn your back to a player when you were near the boards... It's just protecting yourself, as much as the guy isn't suppose to hit numbers, it happens.. So your are taught to look out for yourself.. I think that was the point McSorley was making, it just came across a little off... But he did say that's a hit that Alberts can't follow through on...
It's the same as admiring your pass...
No he isn't, he fumbles at the blue line just as much if not more then the rest. He's looked better this year, but doesn't change what he did the last 2 seasons, and he still shows spurts of his defensively weak self like the winning goal last night.
If there isn't a picture of a woman on the cover of the DVD that's usually a giveaway that it's not the porn you intended to rent. Not judging though. LOL!
(from a rival BLOG)
Maybe if Daug had of fallen to the ice and laid there motionless for several minutes -- they might have given Alberts 5 min and a game. After all that's what Anisimov did on the Konopka hit... and it worked for him. Maybe the Sens should start faking some hits... it surely works for other teams.
But NOTHING will happen to Alberts or Burrows. Alberts is probably a 1st time offender and Daug did not get injured. Burrows will claim he did not open the door on purpose -- Shanahan will believe him... so nothing there as well. Did you see that smug smile of Lapierre's face after Winchester got up?.. I really want someone to punch his lights out. I really HATE Lapierre.
I'm going to upgrade my internet package again,mine is currently 12mbps and i'll keep you posted.
So far one good feed in hd [friday]and one very bad feed [sunday]