SB Nation - Chris Neil

Silver Nuggets: Fisher and Underwood engaged, injury updates

PeterR — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:46:34 -0000

IS SILVER NUGGETZ NOW! Ottawa Senators news for the day

Yes, it is confirmed: Senators centre Mike Fisher has proposed to country star Carrie Underwood, and she accepted. Good for them, congratulations to both. Now, some buzzwords to increase the SEO: fisherwood, boyfriend, american idol, girlfriend, hot celebrities. (Sun)
The prediction panel makes a triumphant return for tonight's game against the Boston Bruins, and a pretty significant majority are picking Ottawa for the win. (Citizen)
No lineup changes for tonight, but Pascal Leclaire and Chris Neil are both expected to slot in for Wednesday's game, while Shean Donovan may be as little as a week away from a return. (Twitter)
It had been a while between goals for Erik Karlsson, but he's apparently looking for a bit more consistency. I'd be fine with that. (Citizen)

(Read more... )

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds head coach Denis Lambert gave Senators prospect goaltender Robin Lehner plenty of credit for his team's early-season success (or at least relative to their expectations going into the year). (Sault Star)
Apparently a swap of Jason Spezza for Dion Phaneuf would be a "dream deal" for both teams, according to Brian Costello's blog on The Hockey News website. As much as I'd love to see Phaneuf come in and stabilize the d-corps, Ottawa's future offensive picture are a lot bleaker than the defensive prospects in the system. Getting rid of Spezza, even if he is underperforming, would just compound those problems. (THN)

Game Preview: Buffalo Sabres @ Ottawa Senators

Rafal Ladysz — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:22:51 -0000

More photos » by Paul Chiasson - AP

6 days ago: Buffalo Sabres' Tim Kennedy, center, celebrates his goal against the Montreal Canadiens with teammates Patrick Kaleta, left, and Tyler Myers during the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Dec. 14, 2009 in Montreal. The Sabres beat the Canadiens 4-3. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Paul Chiasson)

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Records, statistics and the standings don't matter, at least not for this match-up. Whether the Ottawa Senators are improving or playing poorly, they seem to have the Buffalo Sabres' number winning every season series in the last four years. Buffalo had a 41-26 shot advantage in the first contest of the season yet fell 5-3 to the Senators showing just how snake bitten they are when it comes to their Division foe.

But the Sabres don't look concerned with the past. Winners of four straight including a hard-fought 4-3 final in Montreal where they've struggled as well, the team believes they can beat anyone, anywhere. That's the mindset Buffalo needs and tonight is their best shot to really take it to the Senators which they undoubtedly would relish.

Five thoughts on each team below.

I dug up some numbers to give you an idea of how dominantly Ottawa has handled Buffalo. Since the lock-out, the Senators are 21-6-4 including this year's first clash. Of those 21 victories, 17 have ended by two or more goals and the Sabres have been outscored 126-88 when you count it all up which I did. Ouch.
Ryan Miller and Brian Elliott are the starting netminders. Patrick Lalime surrendered five goals in the November contest. If anyone can put an end to Buffalo's slump with Ottawa, it's Miller who continues to lead the league in every major category for goaltenders with the exception of wins where he is one shy of the lead held by Martin Brodeur and Jonathan Quick.
Clarke MacArthur banged home the game-winner Monday in Montreal via a five-on-three powerplay. The fourth-year winger passed Thomas Vanek in goals with his tenth by doing so. He put in 17 last season and looks to set a new career-high in the mid-20s.
Out with a torn MCL, Jason Spezza will be on the shelf as long as eight weeks possibly. It's a big break for Buffalo because the former Windsor Spitfire has 47 points in 37 career games with the Sabres. Also out of action for Ottawa is Chris Neil and Shean Donovan.
Three goals in two games including Buffalo's only two shorthanded markers have Patrick Kaleta receiving attention everywhere. Tied for sixth in team scoring with this outburst, the energetic checker has done it in style during and after the goal. A shorthanded goal would surely suck the life out of the Senators.
Spezza may be out but Ottawa still has three major threats up front. Daniel Alfredsson is always a thorn in our side, Mike Fisher is having a superb year and Milan Michalek already has 15 goals. And Alex Kovalev, in terms of work-rate, will be there maybe.
Buffalo's powerplay percentage is down to 21st and their penalty-kill has dropped to eighth which is the result of four of the last five goals they've conceded coming on the man-advantage. New York and Montreal both made two count. Ottawa is 12th on the penalty-kill and 21st when they are a man up so they aren't separated by Buffalo very much.
Against their Division, the Sabres are 4-2-2 as are the Senators strangely enough. Buffalo has won eight of ten and the Senators have lost six of ten.
Elliott is 5-0 lifetime versus Buffalo which shouldn't come as a surprise with their inabilities to close out the Senators. On the flip side, Miller is 8-11 against Ottawa but this will be his first crack at shutting them down this season.
A 15-2-2 record after scoring first is again irrelevant for Buffalo because Ottawa is one of the two squads who have won after allowing the opening goal to the Sabres. Boy have they ever had their way with Lindy Ruff's troops.

This is a must-win situation purely because Buffalo must prove it to the coaches, staff, fans and themselves that they have the ability to defeat Ottawa. With Spezza, Neil and Donovan out and a back-up goaltender standing in their way, this is their most timely opportunity. It's now or never.

Senators bring down Flyers 2-0 as Foligno finally arrives

PeterR — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 04:30:11 -0000

More photos » by H. Rumph Jr - AP

10 days ago: Ottawa Senators' Nick Foligno, left, sets up for a score against Philadelphia Flyers' Brian Boucher in the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/H. Rumph Jr)

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Some people might say that the Ottawa Senators 2-0 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers was a boring, painful game to watch, but I enjoy a good defensive battle every once in a while--especially when teams are still exchanging scoring chances, just not scoring them. The teams went back and forth most of the game, seemingly alternating in shots, scoring chances, and penalties, but not scoring until Nick Foligno drove hard on Flyers goaltender Brian Boucher and potted his own rebound. Jesse Winchester scored an empty-net goal to cap off the scoring, as Brian Elliott earned his first shutout of the season.

Sens heroes: Brian Elliott, Nick Foligno, PK unit
You've got to hand it to Elliott, he had a strong game tonight--as opposed to some of his recent outings. He stopped all 23 he faced, came up big on Philly's six powerplays, and stopped a big breakaway in the second period. Philly had more scoring chances than Ottawa on the night, but Elliott was there to stop them all.

Foligno, meanwhile, may have had his best game of the season. The game-winning goal goes a long way--especially when it's on a solo effort as it was tonight, where Foligno took a shot, drove to the net, and put his own rebound in the net--but he also had a game-high six shots on net, and was on. Aside from his goal, he also made Chris Pronger look silly in the second, getting around him and just about opening the scoring at that point. It was the kind of game Foligno has been and will be counted on to provide, and maybe the historically streaky scorer will get himself going with tonight's effort.

Finally, the PK unit was very strong, putting the boot to all seven Flyers powerplays. Chris Phillips (7:17) and Anton Volchenkov (6:58), as expected, led the way in short-handed TOI, but forwards Daniel Alfredsson (4:55), Chris Kelly (4:57), and Jesse Winchester (4:13) pulled their own weight, too. Volchenkov had blocked three shots on the PK, and Phillips blocked two. Winchester's empty-net goal was technically short-handed (a 6-on-4, as a matter of fact), a result of a a good defensive play and a solid read.

Sens zeroes: Peter Regin
Seriously, where'd this guy go? You could give him a break because he's a rookie, but he played 11 games last season and started this season well--he was outstanding in the pre-season. These days, though, he's regularly the least-utilized player (5:17 TOI tonight, including only 45 seconds in the third), and for good reason; he's not doing anything. At this rate, he's the first candidate for a benching when Chris Neil returns.

Sens killers: Ottawa powerplay
The powerplay was just awful again tonight. Last game, against the Canadiens, you could say it was a result of playing against a hot goaltender, but against the Flyers the Senators were 0-for-6 and had only two shots on the powerplay. Two shots, in 10:11 of time with the man advantage. Ottawa's now goalless in their last 13 powerplay opportunities, over three games.

By the numbers: Ottawa missed 4 shots and had 17 blocked; Philadelphia missed 14 and had 25 blocked
Although Ottawa outshot Philly 25-23 on the night, when you factor in missed or blocked shots, Philadelphia put the puck to the net 62 times, while Ottawa only did so 46 times. You can take it one of two ways: Ottawa didn't put the puck towards the net often enough, or that Philadelphia couldn't hit the net effectively enough.

Shooting from the hip: Sens' shot map
You may remember my illustration of Ottawa's unwillingness to get into the slot and shoot from last game against the Canadiens; tonight, different story. Below is the shot map from Thursday's game, again from CBSSports.com:

You can see a distinct difference from last game, and that's based on where Ottawa's shots were taken from on the ice. There are still plenty of shots taken from the side (especially the left side, for some reason), but there are a bunch of shots taken from the slot, too. The leader in shots from right in front of the net? None other than Foligno, who took just about all of the shots you see at the top of the crease--including that goal he scored.

Take the good with the bad: Chris Campoli
There's no doubt that Campoli's under the knife when it Alex Picard returns from his injury, but he had a pretty strong game once again tonight. He drove hard to the net early in the game, bowling over Boucher and getting the Senators' started on their crease-drive, and he assisted on Foligno's game-winning goal. Then again, he took a couple senseless hooking penalties and had his shot blocked to give Scott Hartnell an easy breakaway, so he's still got things to improve in his game.

Back on track: Anton Volchenkov's hit parade
The A-Train took a couple of games to get his timing back after returning from injury, but it was right on time tonight. He had a game-high four hits, including a big one on Mike Richards,

Commercial of the night: Bonjour, madame!
Just plain terrible.

Senators can't convert powerplays, lose 4-1 to Canadiens

PeterR — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 04:03:21 -0000

More photos » by Adrian Wyld - AP

12 days ago: Montreal Canadiens' Josh Gorges tries to clear Ottawa Senators right wing Daniel Alfredsson away from the puck in front of Montreal Canadiens goalie Jaroslav Halak and defenceman Hal Gill during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Ottawa on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Adrian Wyld)

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In another frustratingly effete effort, the Ottawa Senators made Jaroslav Halak look like an all-star and made their powerplay look like the feeblest in the league, walking out of the rink with a very disappointing 4-1 loss against the Montreal Canadiens. After the loss, Montreal pulled even with Ottawa in the standings, a very tough-to-swallow fact despite the fact that the Sens still have two games on hand. Most disappointing was the Senators impotent powerplay, which went 0-for-7 on the night despite 13 shots--which hearkens back to the criticisms of Bryan Murray earlier this week, when he said the Senators lack the grit to drive to the front of the net, force rebounds, and score some dirty goals.

Although there have been calls for Mike 'Not Martin' Brodeur to see some action one of these days, little blame can be placed at the feet of Brian Elliott for the loss. The first goal came after a linesman accidentally (or was it?) kicked the puck around Chris Phillips and right to Tomas Plekanec, leading to a two-on-one that Anton Volchenkov misplayed; Elliott was square to the shooter (Plekanec), while Volchenkov left Mike Cammalleri wide open to tap in the cross-ice pass. And the second was a doubly-tipped powerplay goal (which, apparently, are possible).

On to some finer points of the game...

Sens heroes: Mike Fisher-Milan Michalek-Daniel Alfredsson
The Senators' top line was dominant for much of the game. Fisher had the lone Senators goal early in the second period, and also had four hits and seven shots--second only to Alfredsson on the night, as the captain fired eight at Golden Jaro. Michalek had three shots, meaning that the three had 18 of Ottawa's 46 shots on the night. They also combined for four takeaways. Long story short, they brought it.

Sens zeroes: Alex Kovalev
Kovy did one good thing tonight: He injured Jaroslav Spacek with a shot late in the first period (Ed.: I'm joking, Kovalev didn't do anything good Tuesday night. And I hope Spacek is back in the lineup for next game, he's a well-respected person and a solid player). After that, he did little else: He floated either just inside the offensive or defensive ends, rarely venturing deep enough to contribute to the play, and didn't meaningfully contribute to the game in any way. Which you may say is characteristic of Kovalev, but most expected he'd at least bring some intensity to the team that let him walk for nothing. More unfortunate was that, since it was a one-goal game for most of the night, Kovalev could have made even just one play that would have had the chance to completely turn the tables, and he had plenty of powerplays to do it on. But he just didn't.

(Read plenty more... )

Sens killers: Jaroslav Halak, Sens' powerplay
Whether or not Halak was actually great isn't the point; he looked great. Look at the chart below (from CBSSports.com), which shows you where Ottawa had most of their shots from, and you'll notice one thing in particular: Little to no shots from the slot. The bulk of the shots are low-percentage ones from awkward angles at either side of the net. That has as much to do with the Senators' unwillingness or inability to get to that part of the ice and not have their shots blocked as it does the Canadiens' ability to clog up the area.

As for the Senators powerplay, it was just not pretty. I was actually surprised to see Ottawa had 13 shots on the powerplay, but they seemed unable to really get much going on it--unfortunate, because the PP had been clicking for quite a while leading up to this game. Ottawa was unable to get the puck off the perimeter and into the centre of the ice, where key scoring opportunities are truly generated. We complain about not getting powerplays some games, but when you can't score on them anyway, it's basically a moot point.

Credit goes to: Erik Karlsson, Chris Campoli
You've really got to handle it to Campoli after his scratching: He's taken it as a constructive criticism rather than a personal insult, and his play has improved as a result. And he's earned the trust of Cory Clouston, given 21:24 in ice time--the second-most on Ottawa after only Filip Kuba. You might think the PP opportunities had a lot to do with that, but more than 15 of those minutes were at even strength. He was -1 tonight, but he had a shot on net, three more fired toward the net, and looked like the player Murray was expecting when he traded a first-round draft pick for him last season.

Similarly, since being recalled from Binghamton, Karlsson has really looked strong. He had some strong poise in the first period, particularly of note being a confident play to use his glove to settle the puck and another to use his body to protect it--all in the defensive end. His confidence to play very high in the offensive zone can be nerve-wracking at times, but it hasn't yet cost him big time. But defensive play isn't what Ottawa needs from him, and that's not all he provided tonight: He had five shots on net, third best on the team, and played 21:12 on the night--fourth-highest on the team.

Big Hitter: Jesse Winchester
With Chris Neil and Shean Donovan out of the lineup, the supporting cast needs to step up and fill the void in the grit department. Although few seem willing to muck it up in front of the net, Winchester is stepping up his physical game. He had a team-high five hits in only 11:32 tonight, including a very impressive hit on Max Pacioretty behind the Canadiens' net. His line with Peter Regin and Chris Kelly was pretty strong in the first period, but didn't get a shot to generate momentum or dirty goals in the third--something Clouston might need to address, because I've noticed he's falling to the John Paddock-esque failing of consistently looking to the stars to provide all the offence, while making the players who are "on" to ride the pine.

Point: Blame the refs
The linesman gift-wrapped Montreal's first goal

Counterpoint: We can't blame the refs
The Senators had seven damn powerplays.

Endnote: It was definitely the kind of game the Senators need to shrug off, and they need to do so quickly; as bad as thePhiladelphia Flyers have been for the last couple months, they're still a good team. Ottawa can't play them lightly when they meet up on Thursday.

Silver Nuggets: Murray upset with refs, Kovalev returns tonight

DarrenM — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:16:13 -0000

All the Sens stories that are fit to print:

The Senators continue to take penalties, yet despite an aggressive forecheck, have not been receiving powerplays. Things reached boiling point last night as the Senators never had a true powerplay, despite several obvious missed calls. Bryan Murray had a meeting with Kerry Fraser after the game, and both he and Clouston expressed their displeasure with the lack of calls to the media. Yeah, that should help win the refs' favour. (Slam)
Alex Kovalev will be in the lineup for the Senators tonight. Chris Neil is out with that lower body injury sustained last night. (Twitter)
UPDATE (from Peter): With Mike Fisher (likely) out for his second straight game, Jason Spezza will wear the 'A' tonight. (Twitter)
UPDATE (from Peter): Prediction panel for tonight's game has a lot of the panellists predicting a strong bounce-back for the Senators. (Citizen)
Ryan Keller talks about his call-up. Didn't really notice him out there last night, but then again, I could say that about most Senators. (Michael Sharp)
Recaps from last night's game: Citizen, Scarlett Ice, Black Aces.
Everyone's favourite lumbering defensive prospect Jared Cowen had an assist last night in the WHL All-Star team's 2-1 win over Russia in the Subway Super Series.

Patrik Elias' Tip Snapped the Slump - New Jersey Devils Beat Ottawa Senators, 3-1

John Fischer — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 04:42:54 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

Patrik Elias' tip in the second period was the game winning goal, his 68th season game winning goal of his career. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

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The New Jersey Devils had a bit of a challenge tonight to say the least. Still depleted by injuries, winless in their last three, and up against an opponent who not only has won four straight but three of those wins came against quality opponents (Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Washington). Yet, the Devils and Senators went on to play a tightly checked game and Patrik Elias' tip made all the difference in the score. That's Elias' first of the season, yet another game winning goal (68th of his career), and the Devils break their winless streak by a score of 3-1. NHL.com has their recap up, complete with the box score and other stats from the game.

The biggest indicator of the game itself came with the shots on net. Ottawa outshot the Devils 25-21. No, that's not a typo. Both teams struggled to get the space to put shots on net. Sure, the Senators had 11 attempts denied (5 blocked, 6 missed) and the Devils had 17 attempts that didn't go on net (11 blocked, 6 missed). However, that really speaks to how well both team's defenses were at positionally. There were times that both teams looked sloppy in their own end; but neither team got much in terms of consistent pressure with the exception of the Senators after the Devils' first goal. It was a tight game, and that the Devils rose above over a hot Senators squad has to do wonders for the team's confidence.

Peter R has his recap up at Silver Seven, lamenting the boredom of the game and the frustration shown by the Senators. (Maybe he should consider a different sport if he thought tonight's game was boring. Or demand that his team perform better?). My thoughts on tonight's game follow after the jump, complete with an embedded NHL.com video of tonight's highlights.

Now, both Martin Brodeur and Brian Elliott played well tonight. I felt Brodeur had more dangerous scoring chances to deal with - how the Senators didn't score on a loose puck right in front in the third, I don't know - but no one can really complain about the goals either goaltender gave up. Brodeur got beaten by a deft deflection (a chop?) from Milan Michalek right in front of him. No shame in conceding that one. Likewise, Elliott shouldn't feel too bad about being beaten by Patrik Elias' tip of Andy Greene's shot late in the second period.

Elliott may regret the first goal he gave up. Andy Greene's dump into the zone takes a funny bounce off the boards and goes into the slot. Now, if you look closely in the video, you see Elliott about to make a move at it but he doesn't. I understand he doesn't want to expose himself, but he really should have attempted to poke it away or smother it. Instead, Nicklas Bergfors picks it up, makes a move, and beats Elliott. It was luck that got Bergfors the opportunity, but it was the rookie's skill in turning it into a goal.

I would want to point out that despite contributing 21 shots on net, a number of forwards stood out. Nicklas Bergfors started off the game willing and ready to fire the puck and got 3 shots. Scoring that goal should do well to boost his confidence. I felt he became quiet as the game wore on, but that could have been the result of Ottawa's defense keying on the unit of Zach Parise-Travis Zajac-Niclas Bergfors. Still, I think he's responding to the recent criticism of him well; he can build on a performance like the one he had tonight.

Which leads me to Parise. He was hustling, making plays on forechecking efforts and battling along the boards well enough. Yet, I felt his shots were a bit off; especially in the first period where he would take a pass and fire it before it really settled on his stick. Nevertheless, he put 4 shots on Elliott (more than any other Devils tonight) and got an assist. If that's a not-so-good game from Parise, then we should all be so happy.

But the big performer at forward tonight was Patrik Elias. OK, it wasn't all good - he was 4 for 13 at the faceoff dot. But he was skating well with Brian Rolston and Jamie Langenbrunner; he got 18:15 of ice time tonight; he was more confident with his passes; and he was looking more like the Elias that we all know and love. Some of his passes could have been simpler on offense, but he'll get better about that. Of course there is the goal. It's his first of the season and he has to feel confident. As usual, the goal Elias scored was big not only because Elliott had no real chance at the deflection, but it was the game winner. It's almost funny that he tends to score important goals.

OK, enough about the forwards, what about the defense? Well, the Ottawa forecheckers were successful at smoking out a number of defensemen on the breakout. The Senators were pretty good at catching cleared pucks in the neutral zone or at the point to re-start their attack at points of the game. I felt the Devils were sloppy after the Bergfors goal and that Ottawa had most of it's best chances to score in the game in that time frame in the third period. It honestly reminded me of what happened after Brian Rolston's goal in Dallas on Saturday - which didn't end well.

Yet, the Devils escaped the first period at 1-1 and the defense shored itself up afterwards. Namely by not allowing Ottawa to boss them around on the rink from the second period onward. I wouldn't say they were great, but that the Senators only got 25 through to Brodeur and attempted only 36 shots total is laudable. What was laudable was that the minutes were spread out a little more. Sure, Andy Greene played 25:03 but he was the only defenseman to have played more than 24 minutes. Mark Fraser got 14:15 and looked OK, Matthew Corrente got 8:54 and was also decent; but I think the big factor was that no defenseman had to do any PK duty tonight. This limited the Devils to even strength situations, which allowed Jacques Lemaire to roll all three pairings, and power plays where only one defenseman was on each unit.

The discipline from the Devils tonight was mostly impeccable short of the two (three?) items. First, David Clarkson and Andrew Peters wanting to start something with Matt Carkner and getting coincidental minors in separate situations. Second, Andrew Peters demolished Chris Neil and Alexandre Picard with big hits. While that meant this is really the first game where Peters was actually noticible in a game. Per Peter R's recap at Silver Seven, Neil was injured by the hit and Picard was shaken up. I felt the first hit was just a hard one (if it was improper, would it be in the highlights?), but the second one was questionable. Still, I hate seeing injuries and I certainly hope Neil's is minor. Again, any penalty was wiped by Carkner and Peter trying to tussle, which the refs weren't allowing. Outside of that, the Devils were clean. Not having to kill penalties that's the best penalty killing, after all.

Still, despite the lack of total shots attempted and power plays from the Senators, I felt Brodeur bailed out the Devils quite a bit with a big save or an clearance of a loose puck. The defense got onto most of the rebounds, but Marty came up huge, particularly in the third period and particularly on Jarkko Ruutu - as shown in the highlights). How the Senators didn't tie it up there is beyond me. Maybe Marty's goaltending is like a vacuum for pucks? I don't know. Michalek's deflection was perfect and the Senators couldn't recreate perfection to beat Brodeur. I may be repeating myself, but Brodeur was solid tonight and was a key factor in the Devils' win.

I said in the preview for his game that focus would be crucial and outside of the Devils' performance after Bergfors' goal in the first period, I think that bore out. The Devils didn't get down on themselves for being tied at 1 or not getting much done on the power play, The Devils didn't panic much late in the game, even drawing a tripping call from Jarkko Ruutu that helped kill the clock. They weren't perfect, but they did well enough to earn the victory. Keeping their focus on the task at hand allowed it all to happen, from what I saw.

Now, the Devils get to rest for a little bit, enjoy a little Thanksgiving, and then head up to Boston for a noon game on Black Friday followed by a 1 PM game at the Rock against the Islanders on Nondescript Color Saturday. I'm not even sure when they'll get the chance to practice to work on their power play or make simpler plays on offense, but the win should give them a boost to give a good effort for the next two games. After all, it broke a winless streak, thanks to Patrik Elias' tip.

Thanks to Steve for running the GameThread, thanks to you all for reading. Please leave all your thoughts, questions, and concerns about tonight's game in the comments. Have a Blessed Thanksgiving!

Senators get bored, lose 3-1 to New Jersey

PeterR — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:01:51 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

25 days ago: New Jersey Devils' Andy Greene (6) checks Ottawa Senators' Jonathan Cheechoo as Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur, right, eyes the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2009 in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

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And who can blame them, really? Any time you play the New Jersey Devils, you're going to be fighting to stay awake the whole game, and the Ottawa Senators couldn't fight through the snooze to get the win. It didn't help that forwards Alex Kovalev and Mike Fisher were both out, and the struggles of Jason Spezza (2P in last 9GP) continue, so there was really not much going offensively for the Senators tonight.

When Ottawa did get chances--and there were a couple, including notably from Nick Foligno, Daniel Alfredsson, and Milan Michalek--Devils 'tender Martin Brodeur was usually standing tall in net. Ottawa's lone goal came from Michalek, who tipped in a point-shot from Jesse Winchester; Winch and Ryan Shannon (who had the second assist on the lone goal) again had strong games tonight. The Sens did manage to outshoot the Devils 25-21, including a 12-7 third period, but couldn't convert their scoring chances.

On the plus side, Brian Elliott was strong, and Jersey's goals were all explainable. Nicklas Bergfors was the beneficiary of a lucky bounce off the stantion after a dump-in, as the puck dribbled in front of the net and Elliott couldn't pokecheck it away. The second was a tip-in, and Elliott stopped the rest of the shots, helping the Sens kill off all four penalties they had. The third was an empty-netter, but there was more to it than just an easy tap-in.

(Read more... )

Those of you who saw it know exactly what I'm talking about, but after Spezza had committed (and missed) coming off the bench late in the game, Jamie Langenbrunner was on a breakaway with an empty net. Alfredsson, obviously frustrated with his team's inability to get anything of substance going offensively, threw his stick. It's not something you see very often--and it results in an automatic goal--but it goes to show that Alfie was as frustrated as the Senators fans who were watching the game were.

As if the Senators injury problems weren't bad enough, Peter Regin got hit in the face with a puck in the first period, Chris Neil injured his left knee after he was hit by Andrew Peters later in the first, and Alex Picard was down and out mid-way through the second after getting the forearm-shiver from Peters (no penalty, though). Although Regin returned in the second (with a face shield on) and Picard was back in the action after a few minutes, Neil did not return. Which is too bad, because Neil's had a rebound season almost as resounding as Fisher's had been, and now both--for uncertain time frames--are out of the lineup.

Among my picks for stars of the night (along with Michalek and Regin) was Chris Phillips. I've been very impressed with his play this season (who hasn't?) and even though he was -2, he had another strong game. Most positive statistic was his five hits, but I was most impressed by a defensive play he made while short-handed, when he stretched out to knock the puck off Elias' stick in the second period.

I can't really say I noticed much from Ryan Keller on the night, but he did only play 8:03 overall. He did have a couple of shots, though, which is as many or more than the majority of his teammates--in far less time than anyone other than Neil (who had only played 3:25 when he got knocked out of the game). I hope I don't have to see him again, because that would mean at least one of Fisher or Kovalev is back, but it would be interesting to see how well he plays against a team that's not the New Jersey Devils.

Again tonight, the Senators played a very disciplined team; it was the second time this season Ottawa had no powerplay opportunities (the first was a couple of weeks ago against Edmonton). I don't know what it is, but you can be sure there were at least a couple of penalty-worthy indiscretions on the night, not the least of which was Peters' dirty hit on Picard (no, it wasn't boarding or cross-checking, but it was roughing). It's also curious that, after the hit, Peters dropped his gloves to fight Matt Carkner, but despite the fact that Carks didn't drop his gloves, both got two-minute roughing minors.

Not much else to say, really. The Senators were missing a lot of firepower, the firepower they had wasn't firing, and they were playing New Jersey anyway. It was a disappointing end to the team's four-game winning streak, but there isn't much time to pout about it; Ottawa's back at it tomorrow night.

Game 22 Preview: New Jersey Devils vs. Ottawa Senators - 11/25/2009

John Fischer — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 06:00:14 -0000

by Adrian Wyld - AP

Zach Parise scored on Pascal Leclaire on November 7. As much as we'd like to see this happen again, it can't as Leclaire is out with a fractured cheekbone. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Adrian Wyld)

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The Time: 7 PM EST

The Broadcasting Info: MSG+2 for the TV, 660 AM WFAN for the radio

The Matchup: The New Jersey Devils (14-6-1) vs. the Ottawa Senators (12-6-3)

The Last Devils Game: The Devils went down early, tied it up at 3, and then let it all slip away to lose to Dallas 5-3. The result marks the team's third straight winless game, earning a total of one point on the road last week. I recapped the game as such.

The Last Senators Game: The Senators continue their hot streak with a win over Washington. Tell me if you heard this before: the Senators rose up from a two goal deficit in the third period to tie it and then win it all in overtime. They have now won 4 straight games and have taken the Northeast Division lead - for now. Peter R recapped the game at Silver Seven.

The Last Devils-Senators Game: The Devils were in the middle of a hot streak - four straight and undefeated on the road - going into Ottawa on November 7. The Senators struck first and second, but the Devils amazingly scored three power play goals to win the game. Here is Peter R's take at Silver Seven, and my recap of the game.

The Goal: Remain focused. The Devils scored first against Dallas, but lost their focus along the way in the first period. After the 20 minute mark, they were down 3-1. The Devils battled back in the second period to get one back and then got an equalizer in the third period. Yet, a few minutes later, Dallas jumped on the Devils. The Devils became sloppier in their own end and in moving the puck, and the Stars got their chance to not only re-take the lead but put an exclamation mark on the win. Focus is crucial, especially now with the injury list expanded to six players of various importance. Thinking back to the last Ottawa game, that's how the Devils got back into the game. The Senators took stupid penalties, kept taking them, and the Devils power play took advantage of the shooting opportunities the Senators' PK let them have. Had Ottawa remained more focused, perhaps they keep the lead or at least keep it tied. Focus is a critical issue for the Devils tonight - whether or not they score first (or more), it is imperative that they don't allow Ottawa to take control for much of the game.

Read on for a guess at the Devils' lineup and for some insight into the Senators (and Dean McAmmond) from Peter R of Silver Seven. (ASIDE: Other than College Night, it's apparently a Free Energy Efficient Lightbulb Night for NJ residents over 18? Yay? Source: Devils' official site)

The Devils should take this opportunity to get familiar with being in Newark. They play 5 of their next 6 games at the Rock. With the benefit of having that last change and not traveling, the Devils should make the most of their virtual homestand. One Devil who should step it up is Nicklas Bergfors. According to Tom Gulitti, Jacques Lemaire has called him out:

"Energy," Lemaire said. ‘He doesn’t have the same energy. That’s not why he’s not as effective."

...

"He’ll be fine," Lemaire said. "I like Bergie. It’s a little tougher for him right now. He’s just got to work a little harder. That’s what it takes. Because when you start to taste that glory or that fame a bit, to stay there it’s tough. Now, he starts to slip. He’s just got to work a little harder to get back where he was."

This is not a criticism without merit. Since his 3 point performance against Pittsburgh, Bergfors has only 2 assists in the last 4 games - both coming in that 5-2 win over Washington. Mind you, he had no shots on net in that game or in the next two. The Dallas game had him get 2 shots on net . In other words, his last four games featured him on the top two lines and got at least 21 shifts per game, and Bergfors only registered 2 shots on net and 2 assists - while earning no points in his last 3 games. Sure, Bergfors didn't start off the season registering points, but at least he was shooting. Recently, he hasn't done that and he needs to as a scoring line winger.

It's good that Bergfors got the message and - more importantly - understands why, as Gulitti reported on Monday. I don't expect his minutes or his role to be reduced as a result unless Bergfors continues to bring little to the rink. I expect him to fire the puck on net more often. With respect to the whole roster, there won't be any call ups from Lowell for the time being. Per Gulitti on Tuesday, the only major switch of note is that Lemaire has lined Tyler Eckford up as a wing and Matthew Corrente as a defenseman with the reason being that Eckford used to play forward in college. Fair enough.

Gulitti also reported that Lemaire expects Martin Brodeur to be ready for Wednesday after Brodeur's wife gave birth on Monday. (ASIDE: Congratulations to the Brodeurs) I don't think Lemaire brings that up unless he's planning on starting Brodeur, so I'm guessing he'll start. I'm hopeful Rod Pelley will get to play tonight instead of, say, Andrew Peters; but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Zach Parise - Travis Zajac - Niclas Bergfors
Brian Rolston - Patrik Elias - Jamie Langenbrunner
Dean McAmmond - Tim Sestito - David Clarkson
Matt Halischuk - Rod Pelley - Tyler Eckford

Andy Greene - Bryce Salvador
Colin White - Mike Mottau
Mark Fraser - Matthew Corrente

Martin Brodeur
Yann Danis

Now, the Senators probably come into this game feeling pretty good. They won their last 4 and would like to increase their lead on the Northeast Division. However, they lost starting goaltender Pascal Leclaire to a weird injury. A puck fired into the bench area stuck him square on the cheek and fractured the cheekbone. As Darren M of Silver Seven notes, this is a significant injury and it means Brian Elliot is now the starter (with, get this, Mike Brodeur as their backup. No relation to Marty, thankfully).

Nevertheless, the four wins include Toronto (3-2), the Penguins (6-2!!!!), the Sabres (5-3), and the Capitals (4-3 in OT). All came at home for Ottawa, but confidence and momentum tend to travel. The Devils' defense will have to contend with Daniel Alfredsson, Mike Fisher, and Milan Michalek among other forwards - the Senator's top scorers. Not an easy task. And if Jason Spezza is allowed to get free shots, then the task just becomes much harder. Hence, maintaining focus on defense, I think, will be critical for the Devils tonight.

To learn more about the Ottawa Senators, who have played very well as of late, I asked Peter R of Silver Seven some questions. Here are his responses, including an explanation for why he loves Dean McAmmond:

Question #1. Let's get this out of the way. You love Dean McAmmond. Could you explain to those who aren't aware or haven't quite understood why?

PR: Yeah, my man-crush on Dean McAmmond is somewhat peculiar, I will admit. Between the love letters, the emotional retrospectives (yes, there have been two), the celebratory McAmmond-esque haircut, and the only McAmmond jersey in Ottawa (aside perhaps from his children), there isn't much territory left for me to cover. But since really getting to watch him play after he signed in Ottawa, I've really come to respect the honesty and integrity he brings on (and off) the ice, and his reliability and flexibility. He's an intelligent player, who can readily fill just about any role on a team--something you guys would have seen first-hand, when he climbed from fourth to first line in his first game of the season. His game-winning Stanley Cup Final goal was definitely the highlight of his time in Ottawa, and I was at the game--a fact I assume he knew, or else why would he have scored the goal? In all seriousness, though, I think everyone in the league has to respect his intelligence and the hustle he brings to the game, and that respect was shown not only when Mike Fisher fought Steve Downie (the bane of my existence since 'the incident'), but also when Matt Carkner absolutely pummeled Downie this season--dedicating the annihilation to McAmmond, even though M-C 'Ammer is no longer on the team. But enough about McAmmond, I trust you will grow to love him, too, in due time. [JF Note: In a word: Wow.]

Question #2. The Senators have enjoyed a great run of results as of late (e.g. murdalizing the Penguins) and are now challenging (if not taken over) the Northeast Division lead. What do you think has been the most crucial factor in their recent run of form?

PR: With a heroic come-from-behind overtime victory over the Washington Capitals, the Senators have indeed taken over first place in the Northeast Division for the time being. In "murdalizing" the Penguins, the most crucial factor was some very good scoring depth, but I'd say the key to the Senators success recently, and for most of this young season so far, has been the high-pressure system coach Cory Clouston has brought on since taking the reigns. It's built on not only a very strong forecheck, but also plenty of back-pressure, which in turn causes turnovers in the neutral zone and allows the speed of players like Milan Michalek and Mike Fisher to take advantage of them.

Question #3. The Devils completed a 3 goal comeback entirely through their power play to beat the Senators earlier this month. While Ottawa boasts a good penalty killing rate (82% prior to tonight's game), do you think the team will try to be a little less aggressive and/or more disciplined tonight?

PR: The Senators penalty woes haven't been a result of being too aggressive, they've just been too stupid. Undisciplined minor penalties have killed the Senators, recent guilty parties being Chris Kelly, Chris Neil, and Jonathan Cheechoo, and no matter how strong your PK is, you can't keep giving the opponent those kinds of chances and expect to get out of it cleanly. Ottawa has been cleaning up their game recently, and I expect Clouston will insist that trend continue.

Question #4. Given that Brian Elliot started against the Capitals, do you think the Devils will see him start for the Senators? Do you even want him to start?

PR: Geez, terrible luck for Pascal Leclaire; Someone falls on him in a game against the Buffalo Sabres, so he backs up Brian Elliott against the Capitals. While sitting on the bench in the Capitals game, he gets smoked in the face with a puck and has to leave the game. He can't catch a break. I do expect Elliott to start (and, if Leclaire is backing him up, I expect him to wear his mask while on the bench), and I have no problem with that. Like any young goaltender, he's got his issues--rebound control being a common complaint from last season--but he's been the Senators' starter before. I think most fans, and more importantly most teammates, trust him in the net, and that will go a long way.

Question #5. Lastly, as usual, what is your prediction for tonight's game?

PR: Tough call, but I'll err on the side of homerism: 3-1 for the Senators, with Dean McAmmond scoring the Devils' lone goal. Now THAT's homerrific.

Big thanks to Peter R of Silver Seven for his answers. Though, I think he would understand and love a 3-1 Devils win should it involve at least two goals from "M-C'Ammer."

But seriously, Peter R drops a lot of knowledge here. The plan of attack on Elliott should be to crash the net and take plenty of low shots at him. This will force more rebounds than, say, shooting high; and the Devils would do well to take advantage when Elliott doesn't get a good bounce after a save. With respect to the other team, it seems Ottawa is still stupid-penalty-happy. That ultimately cost them the last game against the Devils and that they haven't learned yet just screams "opportunity" for the home team. Draw some calls!

Lastly, and this all goes back to focus, Peter R is right that Ottawa likes to play aggressive on the puck. An unaware Devil might as well paint a target on his back because should the Senators play as Cory Clouston would want them, they will mug that guy every time. The Devils will need to be alert and calm under their pressure, and that requires focus. It all goes back to focus.

I'll be in my usual seat in Section 1, Row 16, Seat 5. Steve will be here with the GameThread in time for the, er, game. Thank you for reading and please leave all your thoughts,and concerns about tonight's game in the comments. Go Devils!

Senators score three straight in 4-3 OT comeback victory over Capitals

DarrenM — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:33:12 -0000

More photos » by FRED CHARTRAND - AP

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If you turned off the television after two periods, you missed one heck of a finish, as the Sens posted an incredible comeback to take the game 4-3 in overtime thanks to a beautiful tip-in goal from Mike Fisher.

To be completely honest, after the second period I started typing this up with the title already stating that the Sens had lost. In my mind, the game was out of reach. The Ottawa Senators were outplayed for the first 40 minutes by the Washington Capitals, entering the third period down 3-1 and getting outshot in those two periods 25-15. Yet the Senators absolutely exploded in the third, getting two goals and putting up 18 shots in the process while holding the Caps to 3 shots. Overtime lasted just over a minute, as Chris Phillips carried the puck into the Caps' end, threw the puck on net where Mike Fisher showed great hand-eye with a spectacular tip-in.

The first goal of the game also came from the Sens, a Peter Regin goal off a feed from Jesse Winchester. Truth be told, the line of Regin, Winchester and Shannon was likely the best of the night for the Sens, especially in the first two periods. In fact, Regin and Shannon ended up promoted to the second line with Fisher by the middle of the third, where their speed and takeaways stumped the Caps' defense. Chris Neil got his fourth goal of the year, already giving him more than his total output from last year.

(Read more for more analysis and video...)

Other players who had great games for the Senators include Brian Elliott, who made a handful of spectacular saves and was solid throughout the game; Filip Kuba, who quietly posted three assists, giving him 8 points in the last 3 games; and Alex Picard, who had a number of great blasts from the point during the night. Players who didn't have their best night include Jonathan Cheechoo, who helped create the Caps' third goal with a bad giveaway; and Pascal Leclaire, who left midway through the second period after getting hit in the face by a puck while sitting on the bench. He didn't return.

After first two periods, the Senators would have considered themselves lucky to come out of this game with one point. Coming out with two points has to be seen as a fluke, and something that the Senators cannot hope to repeat. Still, you have to hand it to this team for sticking in it and battling while down two goals to post such a great comeback.

Thanks to the two points from this win, the Senators are now first place in the Northeast Division.

Peter's take:

First off, Peter's glad he got to go to this game, no matter how torturous those first two periods were. I attribute the third-period comeback to this interesting fact: In the final frame, Cheechoo was only given 2:08 TOI, Nick Foligno was only given 1:45 TOI, Brian Lee was only given 2:50 TOI, and Chris Kelly was only given 3:56 TOI. Lee and Cheechoo gift-wrapped Jay 'Voyage of the' Beagle's first NHL goal mid-way through the second, Kelly took two stupid (if perhaps undeserved) penalties, and Foligno continues to look lost so far this season. On the other hand, Fisher was given (or, more honestly, earned) 7:10 TOI, Shannon was given 6:25 TOI, Regin was given 6:10 TOI, and Kuba was given 9:19 TOI. Going into the third period, Chris Neil--who was instrumental in the comeback, not only with his tip-in goal, but also a couple big tide-turning hits, said that not everyone was on the same page through the first two periods. Coach Cory Clouston rectified that by benching those who weren't.

Although I'm a little unsure why Jesse Winchester was only given 1:33 TOI in the third; he played like a man possessed tonight, and was benched seemingly because his line played so well and served as a good spot for Fisher.

Although the first two periods looked bad, the three goals could be traced pretty cleanly to personal errors. Chris Clark's goal (which was total B.S. anyway, because it was blatantly kicked in) came after Kuba left his position to give Alex Ovechkin (who was actually quiet, for the most part, tonight) a love-tap, while Brendan Morrison's goal came after Chris Campoli decided to take a Sunday skate and completely left his man unchecked, and the aforementioned Beagle goal was just U-G-L-Y ugly. But hey, it all worked out in the end, I guess.

I'm not sure what's wrong with Jason Spezza, but he looked off tonight, too. Not just because he missed two glorious (yes, Darren, GLORIOUS) chances to end the game in overtime, but he doesn't quite look comfortable in his skin out there. Let's say Clouston had good reason he was demoted to play alongside Neil and Foligno in the second period. Again, not sure what it is, but tonight might have been his worst game of the season.

I'm sure you all know this already, but if you look up "clutch" in the Ottawa Senators Dictionary, it's spelled F-I-S-H-E-R. The guy's Ottawa's all-time leading overtime scorer with five regular-season overtime winners and he's got one playoff overtime game-winner, too (which was against the dirty Leafs, to boot). How good is this guy this year?

UPDATE: Oh yeah, I want to talk about the Capitals a bit, too. Tonight, I learned who the second-dirtiest player in the NHL is, behind only Chris Pronger: John 'The Lumberjack' Erskine. Anyone else see him completely hacking, slashing, cross-checking everyone anywhere on the ice? It was ugly. He took one minor in the game, but on the shift where he took that minor, he could probably have been assessed five or six individual penalties.

You know who might have been Washington's best player, though, aside from Semyon Varlamov? Rookie Mathieu Perrault. This kid's got skills, and I was actually pretty impressed with his strength, quickness, and defensive and offensive awareness. He's a gamer.

Senators kill late penalties to win 5-3 over Sabres

PeterR — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 04:13:56 -0000

More photos » by FRED CHARTRAND - AP

29 days ago: Buffalo Sabres' Paul Gaustad, ( 28), attempts to pry the puck loose from under the pads of Ottawa Senators goaltender Pascal Leclaire during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Ottawa Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Fred Chartrand)

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Solid play from the Ottawa Senators was book-ended by Buffalo Sabres dominance, but Ottawa took advantage of their chances and ended up winning the game by a 5-3 score. The Sabres outshot Ottawa 17-8 in the first period and spent six of the last eight minutes of the game on the powerplay, but didn't get the results they needed. When the Senators had the momentum through the second period and the first half of the third, they put five past Sabres goaltender Patrick Lalime.

The first period was... forgettable for the Senators. It was ugly, especially an early-game powerplay where they had no shots on goal. But thanks to some strong play by Pascal Leclaire, they escaped with only a one goal deficit. A couple goals in a dominant second period, and a goal-filled third period followed. Then it got interesting, when Patrick Kaleta and Jason Pominville scored back-to-back 93 seconds apart, and the Sens played a well-known penalty-ridden tune. Matt Carkner was sent off for boarding, and Chris Neil took the dumbest penalty of the season (which doubled the minor he'd already been assessed to earn him... umm... a double-minor). Strong short-handed goaltending by Brian Elliott, penalty-killing pressure from Daniel Alfredsson and Mike Fisher, and some great defence from Filip Kuba got Ottawa through it, though.

In fact, Kuba looked like Ottawa's best defenceman for the first time this season in the game against the Sabres. Obviously, four points--including his first goal of the season on the powerplay and three assists--goes a long way, but he added more than that, especially on the defensive side of the puck. He spent more time on special teams than at even strength, including 7:43 while shorthanded, and was a huge reason the Senators held the Sabres to 1-for-7 on the powerplay tonight.

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On offence, Milan Michalek was killing it tonight. I was a little sceptical of seeing him in front of the net on the powerplay at first, but he's a big body, and his presence there makes things happen offensively. That's where he was for his goal (after a slick pass from Kuba), which turned out to be the game-winner, and he got most of his six shots of the night from within feet of the Buffalo crease.

Just as impressive, though, was Alfredsson. Unlike some Senators, he brought his intensity from that start of the game, and kept it up for the whole thing. He had two goals, an assist, and fours shots on net--plus he shot about a thousand wide while the Senators were on the powerplay in the second period.

Mid-way through the second, a Sabre was knocked overtop of Leclaire, knocking his head to his knee and his helmet off. He was down for a while, but finished out the period--and then was replaced by Elliott for the third period. It's unclear what the extent of the injury is right now, although according to Twitter, coach Cory Clouston said he was going to be fine. Given his history, I hope he will be.

Although he only had one assist on the night, Fisher deserves a ton of credit, too. He was, obviously, instrumental to the team's penalty-killing success, and had more penalty-killing ice time (6:20) than any other forward. Most impressive was his dominance in the faceoff circle, where he went 15-for-22 (68 percent) against some of the NHL's strongest drawmen, including some very important wins while the Sens were on the powerplay.

Oh, and be honest: Were you more surprised when you thought Carkner scored, or when you found out that Chris Kelly had tipped it in?

Despite a bit of a scare late in the third, the Senators have won three in a row, outscoring their opponents 14-7 in the process, and have jumped up to second in the Northeast Division. Good place to be, but there's still a long road ahead.