SB Nation - Alex Kovalev

Halak, Bergeron and Plekanec Help Habs Pull Off Ridiculous Win

Robert L — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 10:04:33 -0000

Call the Canadiens 4-3 overtime win against the Thrashers in Atlanta, this: a game of extremities in a season of the same!

All told, it was close to 63 minutes of hockey to baffle every expert, one filled with connundrums to confound, a riddle bag of polar opposites and a bevy of ridiculous notions unfolding before your eyes.

The Thrashers provided the Habs' dominatrix on the evening, but failed to administer the full humiliation. The Canadiens seem intent to place themselves in a position to be bent, chained and whipped, but as shown before, they've either mastered a Houdini slipknot or own the keys to their own handcuffs.

A bunch of things, even at a prolonged glance, simply fail to add up. Just as this team is about to get written off as goners this season, it displays fortitude from the murkiest road trench. It gets shellacked, but the shell shocked goal stands tall. It plays an often small game, but its smurfs and midgets pull off a Gulliver-ish mutiny, turning the master into a slave.

As evidence, the Canadiens are out shot 50 to 23 and goalie Jaroslav Halak is, unbelievably not named one of the game's three stars. This game would have been over about 12 minutes in had it not been for his second stellar performance in as many games.

The Habs have surrendered 90 shots in the first two games of this seven game road trip and are 2-0. Halak has stopped 87 of those and continues to make a case that he's a number one goalie, somehwere if not in Montreal. If GM Gainey is seriously considering trading him, the 360 degree smile on his face threatens to separate the top of his head from his jaw these days. The longer he hangs in, the more Halak's value rises.

Halak's two biggest accomplices in this "wrestled from the jaws of defeat" win were pint sized hero Marc - Andre Bergeron and the genitally reassigned Tomas Plekanec (check this!), indeed a pair of valuable commodities that will cost the Canadiens more dinero next season.

Bergeron's nightly resume included no less than scoring the tying goal in the game's final minutes on a cannon blast and adding the OT winner after receiving a beaut of a pass from Plekanec, steamrolling Thrashers' goalies Anders Hedberg while skating backwards, deking the goalie with a backhand into an open right side.

Earlier in third, Bergeron earned a two minute minor for bowling over the same Hedberg, sweeping in from the corner to flatten the goalie without apology.

A Hab fan seated behind the Atlanta bench, was wearing Guillaume Latendresse's number, possibly as a reminder than Bergy has assumed his spot on the fourth line.

MAB makes $750,000 on a one year, and GM Gainey cannot receive enough credit for this shrewd signing.

Bergeron, who dresses as a forward won't be confused with Chris Pronger anytime soon, but don't look now, he's tied for the NHL lead (with Dallas' Stephane Robidas) for goals by a defenseman with 9 and he's tied for 18th in points with 19. He goes to the net with aplomb as a forward, but can't find fit on the Habs starting 6 D despite the fact that since Andrei Markov's return, the team is surrendering an average of 45 shots a game.

The Trois - Rivieres, Quebec native was an NHL afterthought one week into the season, as 30 clubs passed on his services. The diminutive rearguard is occasionally a defensive minefield, but has made Gainey look like a genius for heaving him off the scrap pile after Markov went down. Now it looks as though Montreal have revived the killer two pronged power play point proficiency of the Markov - Mark Streit duo of year's past.

Who would have thought?

Plekanec minus Kovalev equals superstar?

Tomas Plekanec is far and away the NHL Comeback Player of the Year. In his 38th game, he has now surpassed his 39 point total of last season. After posting a sub par 20 goals and 19 assists in 80 games, he now has 7 goals and a whopping 33 assists in 38 games.

Plekanec has always been an honest and dedicated player, but this type of turnaround requires great examination. As there is little new that Plekanec is truly showing - meaning we've seen this quality before from him, just not in this quantity - one has to wonder how and why it has all come to fore as he blossoms into quite the (expensive?) player. The most astute theory you'll hear is that he has had the burden of playing with Alex Kovalev removed from his nightly duty.

The Kladno native is now tied for second in the NHL in assists, something a Habs player can't likely lay claim to since the heyday of Elmer Lach. Lately Andrei Kostitsyn have benefitted as Mike Cammalleri is covered more closely in recent games. Plekanec prior to gelling with those two, was making any player on his trio look good.

Without the responsability of having to cater his game to Kovalev's weighty style, Plekanec has been freed to use all on ice elements like he rarely has be allowed in the past. It's a revelation to watch him bloom.

How about this for an extremity? The more pressing it becomes for Bob Gainey to resign the pending UFA, the less likely is Plekanec to be in a hurry. Just weeks ago, it looked like a $4.5M a year renumeration would make for a fine salary fit, but now Plekanec is obliterating arguments that he's worth a cool $6M.

Bob should approach such a negotiation like this:

"Tomas, how much? Sign here!"

Plekanec does it all for the Canadiens. He's a more than dependable front line center five on five with strong defensive habits and awarenesses. He's the pivotal draw man on a first PK unit that has gained gallons in credibility over the past month. He's been the shrewd and alusive centerman on the power play, with no recognizable stigmas for the opposition to stiffle him with. He's taking a beating, but keeps on ticking. As dangerous as he's become with the puck, he's not to be left unguarded without it.

The resume of his night's work against the Thrashers was akin to a platter of served hors d'oeuvres that all tasted uniquely different. His goal and three assists were offered as individual displays of all the things he's been doing so well across 38 games.

On his goal, he streaked to the net with Kostitsyn as a decoy, the second feed option far from the play. He craddled the pass a split second, aimed, and then zipped a wrister into the opposite top corner, catching Hedberg moving the other way. If you blinked, you missed him let up on dashing to the net, just as Cammalleri caught his gaze. It was a subtle but atuned example of one little detail in his game.

He did the grinder horse work on the Kostitsyn power play goal, fighting for the puck along the boards, never caughing it up while being shoved, hacked and handled by an Atlanta defenseman. He hung onto it no longer than he needed to, and just as he was about to draw more attention, he slipped a soft feed to Cammalleri in the corner, who fed pass to Kostitsyn at the crease. The Atlanta focus time on Plekanec was such that Andrei had time for two whacks in scoring the goal.

On the tying goal by Bergeron on the power play, Plekanec was set up in Kovalev's old playground off to the right side board. He was economical in three quick plays, first cultivating the puck as it skinned round the corner board. He then took a split second to place himself, never allowing the Atlanta coverage to settle still. As soon as a Thrasher moved toward him, Plekanec dished off to Bergeron at the point. Just as quick, he received the puck back from the blueline, passing a one - timer cross ice to Markov who fed Bergeron for the blast. On the clock, this took all of six seconds. Kovalev would have used up a minute to paint such artistry, but on Plekanec's canvas, the paint is stil wet.

The overtime winner four on four was a textbook demonstration of what players without the puck must do to create pressure and goals. First, Plekanec took off, flying into open space in mid ice for a feed from Josh Gorges. Receiving the pass, he strode over the red line into the Atlanta zone, twice dragging a skate and pausing briefly to scan the landscape. Stopping inside the blueline, he fed a blazing Bergeron with a pinpoint feed just as he hit the crease's edge. Curiously, had that play broken down, Plekanec had both Gorges and Cammalleri as additional trailers streaking in, with himself poised to handle the back check.

Not making the highlight reel, was a shorthanded breakaway by Plekanec that could have altered the game earlier on.

A similar short handed play with Markov leading on three on one rush died a quicker death when recipient Scott Gomez fired three feet wide without even allowing himself a better look at the netting available to him. Call it Gomez squeezing the stick and being unaccustomed to Markov's space and time creating feeds, but once the Thrashers had come back to retake the lead, this bungled play haunted as a possible turning point. For a team being dominated as such, it can't afford to waste precious scoring chances. The game would have been 3-1 at that point, and the short handed KO would have set the tone for the remainder of the game.

Two final notes on the extremities theme.

It's great to see Andrei K looking like the better of his old selves again, but in a single game he's still quite capable of alertness and fog. On the Thrashers first goal late in the opening period, there must have been a dense mist encompassing AK46 as he was caught in the muck and mire three times in a split second span. As the first forechecker on a clearing play, he simply glided towards center, applying little puck pressure. From there, a coasting semi circle followed, not a gear engaged as a second pass sped by him. He'd lost his wing by this point, committed too far left and inside the Canadiens zone. Realizing he'd blown coverage, he stopped, did a sweep check and turned to find his defenseman Ron Hainsey streaking in behind him in the position he'd vacated. Hainsey skated in deep, unharmed and uncompromized, to feed Kovalchuk at the crease.

Other than that miscue, there have been more confidence inspiring moments from Andrei. He seems to get that in the offensive zone, he has three mandates to fulfill: hit opponents who have the puck in his vicinity; make himself availaable for passes in open spaces, and follow shots briskly to the net. He's a PPG player when he zoned in, no better than a pylon when he's not.

We've seen it time again this season, how the Canadiens own the ability to use their speed assets and turn games on a dime. Does it not make you wonder why, in the team's approach, such strengths are not employed in forechecking the opposition to death in their own end. Wouldn't a "two men deep" philosophy allow players such as Maxim Lapierre and Max Pacioretty, just to name two, to gain more puck time deep in the right end. Plainly said, doesn't puck pressure lead to more puck possession?

Maybe they want to employ such tactics in their game, but the lack of a second strong scoring line kills any momentum, and the many penalties taken zaps the thrust from sustaining any prolonged, shift to shift attack. Perhaps solving these two sore spots would heighten the Canadien's overall standing, being that goaltending is better than good, the penalty kill is feared and power play has recently added a second cannon.

Cripes, does that constitute a statement of hope after all?

Extremities!

Game shots courtesy of Montreal Canadiens.com

Canadiens vs Thrashers boxscore

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HIO - About Last Night.....

Senators shut out by Thomas, Bruins win 2-0

PeterR — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 03:29:23 -0000

More photos » by Sean Kilpatrick - AP

1 day ago: Ottawa Senators' Chris Kelly, left, get pushed around by Boston Bruins' Zdeno Chara, of Slovakia, as Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas keeps his eyes on the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Ottawa on Monday, Dec. 21, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Sean Kilpatrick)

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A 2-0 loss was certainly not the result the Ottawa Senators wanted when they were set to take on the Boston Bruins Monday night, but it's the kind of thing Ottawa has probably come to expect when facing Tim Thomas in nets. It was a very tight game, for the most part, with both teams exchanging shots, scoring chances, and big saves, until Boston broke it open in the third period. The Senators couldn't beat Thomas to get back into the game after going down, and that was all she wrote.

Sens killer: Tim Thomas
There is only one tonight. The Level 12 ogre-mage* continues to shut down the Senators whenever he plays them, and has now won the last ten games he's played against Ottawa. He stopped all 29 shots he faced tonight, none of the saves standing out as highlight-reel stops, but huge nonetheless. He's become legendary amongst Senators killers, and could enter the category reserved for Ed Belfour and Gary Roberts if these teams ever meet in the playoffs. It's true that Chara could probably also be classified as a Sens killer, but doing so would downplay the amount of killing that Thomas inflicted.

Sens heroes: Brian Elliott, Alex Kovalev, Jarkko Ruutu
For the first two periods, Elliott was among the Senators' strongest players against Boston. He was making strong saves, with 12 in the first alone, and kept Ottawa in the game through the second period when it looked like they were being brutally outplayed. Neither goal was particularly awful, although the team needed Elliott to stop the very stoppable second goal. Still, Ottawa had no business staying in that second period, if not for Elliott.

Kind of looked like Kovalev enjoys the physical challenge of going up against Zdeno Chara tonight, which seems like the opposite of what you'd expect. Of particular note was a play in the first period, where Kovalev rushed to beat Chara and kind of did, before being taken down hard by Chara behind the net. And, near the end of the game, he even got into a sort-of fight with former teammate Steve Bégin. It was an uncharacteristically gritty, hard-working game for Kovalev, and perhaps if Ottawa got a powerplay opportunity (more on that later), he would have made some magic happen for the Senators' offence.

Of all Senators, Ruutu had the best scoring chances. He had a great opportunity short-handed after Patrice Bergeron coughed up the puck, he was sent on a breakaway by Chris Phillips late in the game. Obviously, he couldn't convert any of the chances he had, but it was a strong game for the pest nonetheless.

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Sens zeros: Josh Hennessy, Erik Karlsson
Might not be fair to put Hennessy in this category considering he only had 5:02 in ice time, he gave the puck away for what would ultimately be the decisive goal. He didn't do much else on the night, and that makes it even uglier for the guy. If it's any consolation for him, though, it wouldn't matter how well he played tonight; when Chris Neil returns to the lineup on Wednesday, Hennessy is (in all likelihood) right back to Binghamton.

One kid who's not going to be going back to Binghamton, though, is Karlsson. He was softer on the puck tonight, for whatever reason--maybe he was hesitant because the Bruins are pretty big, or he was just tired after an emotional game last game, or maybe he's sick of playing with Filip Kuba while Kuba drags his ass all over the ice (seriously, the veteran has to pick up his game). Karlsson was soft in front of the net on Bergeron's game-winning goal, and that's why the rebound went in instead of getting cleared harmlessly to the corner.

Why does this keep happening: Zero powerplays
For the third time this season, the Senators played a saintly team, and were therefore given no powerplays on the night. I could bring up instances where Boston should have been assessed powerplays, we could talk about whether or not the Senators are getting in positions to draw penalties, or whatever else, but we could also mention an old cliche: One is an event, two is a coincidence, three is a trend.

Ugly stat of the night: Jesse Winchester 5-for-21 in faceoffs
I guess the faceoff magic Winch had in his stick for his first couple games on the top line had worn off before tonight, because he was absolutely destroyed in the faceoff circle tonight, with a 24 percent faceoff win number. You've heard it before, but it's not easy for his line to get offence going without the puck, and that's even more devastating because it meant the puck was away from Daniel Alfredsson and Milan Michalek. No one else on Ottawa was below 50 percent in faceoffs.

Commenter of the night: Dany Hea-Traitor
Partied like a rock star who's mildly funny at times.

* - Nickname explanation: Ogre because he's short, mage because he wears a mask/cage hybrid he calls a 'mage', and Level 12 because it makes it even nerdier.

Mark's take: I didn't see this game, but the way Tim Thomas plays against Ottawa, I'm not surprised. I would, however, like to point out that Filip Kuba was a team worst minus two on the night. Kuba's last three games: minus three, minus one, minus two. His December reads like a first grader learning subtraction. I realize plus/minus can be a deceptive stat, but it's not unfair at this point to ask for more defensively from him. At the very least, if he is going to be on the ice giving up goals, he needs to provide some kind of offensive support to balance it out. Isn't that why Bryan Murray signed him?

How Erik Karlsson scored his first NHL goal

PeterR — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 13:00:49 -0000

It may have taken a little longer than he would have liked, or than many had expected, but Erik Karlsson scored his first NHL goal Saturday in the Ottawa Senators' 4-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild. How it happened will likely be forgotten if his career plays out as Senators fans and brass expect him to, but why not take a closer look at the play as it developed while it's still fresh in our minds.

It started off with a wrister from Karlsson. Bit of a weak-looking shot, with Karlsson sliding across the blue line, but he did what was most important: He hit the net.

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After Niklas Backstrom made the save, Joshua Hennessy and Peter Regin worked the front of the net. Minnesota defender Clayton Stoner appeared to hold a conversation with Backstrom, and Marek Zidlicky was bodied off the puck by Regin, who won the puck battle and drew the puck back to Alex Kovalev on the side boards.

With Kovalev on the sideboards, he draws left winger Cal Clutterbuck towards himself--and away from Karlsson's shooting lane--while settling down the puck. Once he's got it settled, he looks to Karlsson, and sets the rookie up with a perfect one-timer pass: A steady puck with a good pace, at just the right spot in front of Karlsson.

Cue the one-timer. We've heard a lot about Karlsson's slapshot, but haven't had much of an opportunity to really see him let one rip so far this season. This time, he made no mistake, and his timing--with a little help from a perfectly-placed pass from Kovalev, and some wingers drawn out of position (or just hesitant to block the shot), the puck got through.

Again in front of the net are Hennessy and Regin. Only Regin got a point on the goal, but both of them deserve some credit for winning that battle for the puck and for causing trouble in front of the net. For this second shot, Regin was right at the top of the crease, while Hennessy worked Zidlicky a little higher off the crease.

And a celebration ensues. It really looked like Kovalev wanted to get Karlsson that goal--in fact, it had kind of looked like the team had been working to get him his first for a few games now.

Might not be an amazing goal (wouldn't it have been spectacular if he'd scored on that breakaway a couple of games ago), but a first goal is a first goal. The fact that it was the fourth goal in a 4-1 victory won't likely matter much to him a few seasons from now.

Top 10 New Jersey Devils Moments of the Decade: Part 1, Honorable Mention

Steve Lepore — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 23:00:18 -0000

It's been an eventful decade here in the Garden State when it comes to hockey. Two Stanley Cups, three Prince of Wales trophies, five Atlantic Division titles, seven 100-point seasons. Oh, and the Devils' goalie cemented his name in the conversations of "Greatest to ever play the game". Starting this Tuesday, I will countdown the 10 best moments since 2000, but first, a look at some of the things that didn't make the cut.

Devils Hire Larry Robinson as Head Coach... The First Time (March 23, 2000)

The Devils gave then-future Hockey Hall of Famer Larry Robinson his first shot in the coaching ranks, when former Montreal Canadiens teammate Jacques Lemaire brought him as an assistant coach when he took over the Devils in 1993. Robinson, blessed with a defensive unit that included another future Hall of Famer in Scott Stevens as well as veterans Ken Daneyko and Bruce Driver, helped bring along a budding All-Star in young Scott Niedermayer, and meshed together a defensive unit that helped New Jersey win it's first Stanley Cup in 1995.

From there, Robinson got his first head coaching job with the Los Angeles Kings in the summer of that year. After only four playoff games in the next four years, Robinson left the franchise, only to return to the Devils as an assistant for then coach Robbie Ftorek. Everything seemed to be headed in the right direction for New Jersey toward another playoff run. From December 26, 1999 to February 15, 2000, the Devils went a mind-blowing 17-3-3. But then things took a turn for the downright bizarre.

Starting with a 5-5 tie against the Colorado Avalanche on February 17th, the Devils went 5-10-2, culminating in a 5-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. Devils GM Lou Lamoriello clearly saw Ftorek as losing the team (no, the bench-throwing thing isn't on this list) and leading it toward another first-round playoff exist (the Devils had exited in Conference Quarterfinals the last two seasons). He fired Ftorek on March 23, 2000, in favor of the assistant Robinson. Larry lead the Devils to an 8-2 win over the Isles and a 4-4 record the rest of the way. However, it'd be the post-season where Robinson would prove why he was fit to run this team.

Devils Trade Brendan Morrison and Denis Pederson to Vancouver for Alexander Mogilny (March 14, 2000)

Looking for some added scoring touch to support the budding A-line of Patrik Elias, Petr Sykora and Jason Arnott, Lou did what was seen as unprecedented at that time in Devils circles: he brought in a bona fide offensive talent during what you'd call arguably the prime of his career (Mogilny was 31 when acquired by New Jersey). The addition of Mogilny did something that no one previously had: He made the Devils a team you feared offensively every night.

Mogilny has also long been credited with making then-rookie centerman Scott Gomez into the player that later bolted for the Rangers, though that can be argued, as Gomez had fewer points in the full season AlMo spent with Jersey (2000-01) than in his 70-point rookie season. That said, despite a sub-par post-season in 1999-00, Mogilny put up points in that 2000-01 season that were almost unheard of previously for a New Jersey team, with 43 goals and 40 assists, second behind Elias' 96 points, giving the Devs unheard of scoring depth.

Despite chipping in 16 points in the post-season, the Devils would go on to lose the 2001 Stanley Cup Finals to the Colorado Avalanche in seven games. Mogilny signed with Toronto that off-season, only to return for an aborted, half-season stay with New Jersey in 2005-06. He was sent to Albany to make room for Elias' return from Hepatitis, and for all intents and purposes, never heard from again. Devils fans will always remember Mogilny, however, for once and for all proving that the Devils were no mere defensive juggernaut.

Patrik Elias Signs Seven-Year Contract with Devils (July 2, 2006)

Before the lockout, Patrik Elias was well on his way to becoming the offensive version of Martin Brodeur for New Jersey: putting up terrific numbers every year, but largely being taken for granted by a fanbase that wants to win the Stanley Cup every year, rather than see another 40-goal season. The young winger from the Czech Republic had put up his third 35-goal plus season in 2003-04 (38-43-81) and was one of the few Devils that showed any life in New Jersey's five-game playoff defeat to Philadelphia (3-2-5 in the series).

It was the time during the lockout that gave everyone a scare. While having a good season Mettalurg Magnitigorsk in Russia, Elias contracted Hepatitis A from food eaten in the country. The disease, chronicled largely in an NHL Network special that primarily focused on Elias' UNICEF ambassadorship, severely weakened the then 28-year old forward and kept him out of hockey for a while.

Elias didn't return to the game until January 3, 2006, with the Devils playing the Florida Panthers. Put on a line with Scott Gomez and Brian Gionta (The "Egg" Line), Elias looked as if he hadn't missed a beat. He scored eight points in his first four games, 45 points in 38 games that season, and led the Devils to an unheard of 15-game winning streak, combining the last 11 games of the season and first four of the playoffs, to lead New Jersey to a shocking Atlantic Division title on the campaign's final night in Montreal.

Elias continued a torrid pace in the playoffs. He had two goals and four assists in Game 1 of the Devils series with the New York Rangers, and went on to score 16 points in nine games that post-season. It made people notice Elias as an elite forward in this league. It also certainly drew attention to the fact that his contract was up that summer.

There were a lot of fears in Devils-land the Patrik would sign with another team. The Los Angeles Kings and Chicago Blackhawks were reported to have made serious offers. Though the real fear was that he'd sign with the Rangers. Elias alleviated those fears by agreeing to a 7-year, $42 million deal with the Devs the day after the UFA period began in 2006. He's worth every penny, and put up another 30-goal season just this past campaign. Elias will likely be a Devil for life, and hopefully never taken for granted again.

Brian Gionta Breaks the Devil Record For Goals in a Season, Devils Culminate 11-game Win Streak and Division Title With Shocking, Comeback Victory Over Montreal on the Season's Final Night (April 18, 2006)

Coupled with the 1999-00 season, the 2005-06 campaign has got to go down as one of the strangest of the decade. Head coach Larry Robinson said so himself. Robinson, re-hired by the Devils after it was announced that Pat Burns could no longer continue, had to step down after 32 games (14-13-5) when he told Lou Lamoriello at the team's annual Christmas party that the club was making him ill. Happy holidays, for sure.

More changes still were announced after a December 17, 2005 loss to Carolina. All three of the Devils major acquisitions over the off-season (Alexander Mogilny, Dan McGillis and Vladimir Malakhov) were either sent down to AHL Albany, or "retired" under mysterious circumstances. The Devils were, to put it lightly, kind of a mess. They were still figuring out how to make do with life minus Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer and Ken Daneyko on the backline, so this was sort of the beginning of a "new generation" of Devils, if you will.

After Robinson quit at the halfway point, longtime GM Lou Lamoriello took over as coach. A week or so later, forward Patrik Elias returned from Hepatitis A, and the team caught fire. A nine-game winning streak to start the new year let everyone know that the Devils would not suffer in the post-lockout NHL. It was an 11-game winning streak to end the season, however, that made the Devils onto every hockey writer's shortlist for Stanley Cup contenders.

A young forward named Brian Gionta emerged as the team's top scorer that season with Elias out. A small winger, known mostly up to that point for his willingness to go to the front of the net and personal rivalry with gargantuan and polar opposite on the height scale Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara, Gionta broke out in 2005-06, his style tailor made for the "New NHL". On March 28, 2006, he became the first Devil to hit 40 goals in a season since Elias and Mogilny in 2001. Going into the NHL and the Devils season's final night, he was tied with Pat Verbeek's all-time single-season goal scoring record of 46.

Now, the Devils were in Montreal that night, and could to the surprise of almost everyone, win the division title after struggling so much for the first half of the season. Everything worked out in their favor, as the Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers both lost shortly before. Two points and the Devils get the division over the Flyers (who would have the same amount of points, 101) by virtue of having more wins, as well as #3 seed in the Eastern Conference. The only problem was... well, the Devils didn't show up for the first 40 minutes of that game. The Habs had a 3-0 lead on the Devils at home with three minutes to go in the second period, and only Brodeur keeping things from getting out of hand.

Then, with 2:42 to go, Gionta scored a goal that would personify the type of player he was. A Scott Gomez shot popped high off of Montreal goaltender Cristobal Huet. Gionta gloved the puck out of the air, down onto his stick, and put the puck home to break Verbeek's record, and give the Devils hope going into the third period. Of course, neither the Devils nor Gio were done yet.

Not much was going on early in the third, but nine minutes to go, the Habs took a penalty and the Devils went on the power play. Some slick passing and a Brian Rafalski shot gave Gionta another close-in rebound and a 48th goal that season, just for some distance. All that, and the Devils were within a shot of tying it. Three minutes later, Patrik Elias scored a georgeous goal off a pass from Gomez, who'd made a brilliant rush up the eyes, to tie the game with five minutes left.

With 2:30 to go, Habs forward Alex Kovalev took a shot that Marty Brodeur kicked away, right to a Devil defender, who passed it to Jamie Langenbrunner. He raced it in on a three-on-one against the Canadiens and Huet. Langenbrunner looked over the options, called his own number and ripped a shot by Huet to give the Devils a 4-3 lead. New Jersey hung on and won the division. It was one of the best regular season nights for Jersey's team I've ever seen, and it didn't even make the top 10 list. Ill be back on Monday with part one of that. Meanwhile, leave your own thoughts in the comments and your suggestions for my Top 10.

Strong team play leads Senators to 4-1 win over Wild

Mark Parisi — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 04:41:53 -0000

More photos » by Adrian Wyld - AP

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The Ottawa Senators stepped up their game tonight for goalie Mike "Not Martin" Brodeur, who made his NHL debut. Brodeur only let in one goal on 23 shots, but that didn’t matter as the team put up four goals to support him. Ottawa was strong in almost all facets of the game (except for one… you can guess now and see if you’re right later) and made what looked like a concerted effort to help out their young goaltender. Brodeur was not spectacular, but he did not need to be – defensemen were quick to jump on and clear rebounds, clear traffic in front of the net, and the team as a whole worked to keep shots to the outside.

I’m giving out praise like Halloween candy tonight, so let’s get right to it.

Sens Hero #1: Erik Karlsson.
Karlsson recorded his first NHL goal tonight, and it was well deserved. A player whose game has improved every night since his recall, it seems he is rewarding GM Bryan Murray’s faith in him. Karlsson weighs as much as my cat, but he already possesses a big time shot, and Alex Kovalev had the smarts to feed him. His first blast rebounded to Kovalev, who simply decided to pass to him again. His second shot did not miss. It is exciting to see Karlsson’s offensive vision develop. He is making smart plays more and more often, though he is far from perfect. If he can fill out his frame, his potential is very exciting to think about.

Sens Hero #2: Mike Brodeur.
Guy won his NHL debut and only let in one goal, come on. This alone is enough for hero status, but when the Wild started to buzz late in the third, he put together several great saves. The team then rallied behind him and used the momentum to generate a long stretch in Minnesota’s zone, effectively canceling all of the Wild’s hard work.

Sens Hero #3: Peter Regin.
Hamlet, like Karlsson, is riding a string of strong games lately. Regin put together a two-assist game tonight. He is probably not going to be a dominant goal scorer, but he is strong defensively and has some pretty decent offensive skills. If he can continue contributing at this level, he will be a player on the team for quite a while.

Sens Zeroes:
I have none tonight. How awesome is that?

One of these things is not like the other:
Mike Fisher and Jonathan Cheechoo both scored their 300^th point tonight. Way to go, guys!

Oh, hello there:
Milan Michalek scored the game-winning goal tonight, snapping a nine-game goalless drought. It was a snap shot, changing up from his previous pattern of goals from in front of the net. It’s nice to see a reminder that he can score from many different places on the ice. The goal was also his team-leading 16^th.

Anyone else notice?
Ottawa has done a really good job of limiting team’s shots recently. Teams that are averaging 30 shots a game are playing the Senators and only coming away with 22 or 23.

Sens Killers: Ottawa’s Power Play.
Another 0-for effort tonight, as the Senators went 0-for-6 on with the man advantage. Don’t worry, guys, it’s not like special teams matter in the playoffs or anything. Is Clouston even working on this with the team?

Jealous of Picard?
Anton Volchenkov opened the scoring tonight with an awesome shot. Anytime the Android scores, it’s fun to see, and he ripped a shot for a goal tonight. But that wasn’t good enough for him, as he took another shot that was also a good scoring opportunity. In addition, Volchenkov and Chris Phillips were +3 tonight, supporting three different goal-scoring lines tonight.

Shot Chart from the game:

Game highlights:

Can Habs' Markov Be Expected To Be The Team's Miracle Man ?

Robert L — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 07:42:37 -0000

Patience, if Habs' fans have any left, will be required, as Markov is returning to a lineup he is quite unfamiliar with. Discounting exhibition games this past autumn, Markov has played all of 40 minutes this season and there are seven or eight new elements on the team, as well as a new coach, that he has not had time to become accustomed to.

Markov's level of skill foresees that he should quickly become acquainted with Mike Cammalleri, who has essentially upgraded Alex Kovalev on the Tomas Plekanec and Andrei Kostitsyn duo. It is in that regard that a more immediate impact will be expected and felt.

On the power play, it wil be curious to see if he is employed with Marc - Andre Bergeron at his side, or whether he makes the latter's inclusion as a top 6 defenseman on the team somewhat redundant.

Bergeron could see action dressing as a seventh defenseman while getting PP time and work as a fourth line forward.

Coach Martin has stated that Markov could very well make his entrance with Ryan O' Byrne as a partner, a move that resembles his duties alongside the not so mobile Mike Komisarek. Time will dictate if that idea sticks but if such an experiment works, it allows the duo of Roman Hamrlik and Jaroslav Spacek to remain intact with reduced minutes and workload hopefully alleviating their burden. An unhappy sitter will be found in either of Hal Gill or Paul Mara as Josh Gorges remains a sure bet for the third pairing.

As is often the case with players returning from injury, adrenaline will play a part in what should be an exciting and interesting first few games for Markov. There will be setbacks and a slew of rough games, as he's jumping onto the train in mid season, at a time when scheduled games as brisk.

That Markov has his sights set on joining the Russian club for the 2010 Olympics as much as he is invigorated to rejoin the Habs can only be a good thing.

Let us hope that his return is not a moment too late.

It is often said of elite players that they make everyone on the ice with them better players. In the case of the Canadiens defenseman Andrei Markov, returning tonight against the Islanders from a season long injury, is it too much to expect him to turn the Habs' season around?

A player of Markov's talent cannot help but have a certain impact, as his contribution in minutes spills from 5 on 5 play to the powerplay unit and to the penalty kill. Markov in top form plays upwards of 25 minutes per game, which alleviates a burden of responsibility from his defensive mates.

Once Markov returns to form, which should honestly taken a dozen games as the rest of the league is in mid season form, he should drastically improve the Canadiens' transition game as he has been known to do in the past.

It could be a case of too little too late, despite the fact that he is returning way ahead of schedule.

Senators can't convert in 4-2 loss to Devils

PeterR — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 03:38:23 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

4 days ago: Ottawa Senators goaltender Brian Elliott, left, and Filip Kuba, center, of the Czech Republic, react after a goal by New Jersey Devils' Bryce Salvadore (not shown) as Devils' Niclas Bergfors, right, of Sweden, circles around the net during the third period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Dec. 18, 2009, in Newark, N.J. Elliott deflected the puck into the air and it went into the net off his back. The Devils defeated the Senators 4-2. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

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The Ottawa Senators can't complain about their secondary scorers after a 4-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils, but they've got to be wondering what it will take for the big guns to get their points consistently. Mike Fisher's getting his points well enough, but solid play isn't translating into goals for the newly-assembled line of Daniel Alfredsson, Milan Michalek, and Jesse Winchester. Until those guys--particularly the first two--get their points regularly, the Senators are going to have a hard time winning more than they lose. Tonight, Alex Picard and Jarkko Ruutu scored goals to carry their share of the load, but Martin Brodeur and the Devils' defence kept any other Senators from earning Ottawa any points in the standings.

Sens heroes: Erik Karlsson, Jonathan Cheechoo
Without a doubt, Karlsson had his strongest game as an NHLer tonight, and Bryan Murray must feel a little vindicated for putting his faith in Karlsson as a full-time, big-time pro. Although he was culpable of some weak front-of-the-net coverage on the game-winning goal, he looked assertive, poised, calm, and more than capable for the most part tonight. He had his best scoring chance of the season when he stole the puck and generated himself a breakaway, showing that despite the fact that he couldn't get a shot, he'll be a heck of an asset when playing four-on-four. He's improving every game, and looking very much the powerplay quarterback he came into the season expected to be.

It's also reassuring to see that Cheechoo has maintained the strong game he found while the Senators were on their western road swing. He will likely be of minimal use on the powerplay unless he's with some mega-stars, but he's playing well as a third-liner, with an assist tonight. It's not the role Cheechoo played while he was putting up trophy-winning numbers with San Jose, but his work ethic has helped him get into it.

Sens killers: Martin Brodeur, Jamie Langenbrunner
Brodeur is always a Sens killer, and it was no different tonight. He stopped 27 of 29 shots, only really being beaten by Jarkko Ruutu (Alex Picard's goal was an absolute fluke), and I can hardly imagine how much his defencemen love playing in front of a goalie who controls his rebounds so well.

Langenbrunner, too, seems to have a certain something when he plays against the Senators, with 25P (13G, 12A) in 32 career GP against the Senators (Friday night included)--far better per-game numbers than his career pace would lead you to expect.

Sens zeros: Filip Kuba
In watching Kuba for a year and a half, you see something: Some games, he's the monster who scores four points, but other games, he's the monstrosity who can't keep his check to save his life, and gets lit up as a result. Credit where credit is due, Kuba had two shots (both on the powerplay) tonight, and was credited with two hits, but he was awful defensively. He blew his check on Jay Pandolfo's goal, finished -3 on the night, and just looked weak, tired, and uninspired. It's unfortunate that an otherwise strong game by his defensive partner, Erik Karlsson, was tarnished by a similar -3 count because of weak play by Kuba.

Credit goes to: Alex Kovalev, Milan Michalek
For the second game in a row, Kovalev looked like he was working hard and generating chances tonight. He had good puck possession (what else is new), but unlike some other games, he seemed willing to charge off the boards instead of just stickhandling along the dasher boards. The only thing that kept him out of the Heroes category, in the end, was likely the fact that Ottawa was again 0-for-6 on the powerplay. One of Kovalev's chief responsibilities is to make the PP lethal, and--whether because he doesn't know his teammates well enough, hasn't been given enough freedom or control, or some other reason--he hasn't done that yet.

Michalek had another strong game, but he's got to get on the scoresheet one of these days. Five shots on net in 18:39 and a couple of hits, to boot, but his cold streak has to be nearing absolute zero. He'll have to start pushing the mercury back up soon if Ottawa's going to keep pace with the conference leaders.

Defensive stalwarts: Matt Carkner and Alex Picard
Somehow, these two were +2 on the night, and each had a point (an assist for Carkner, a goal for Picard) with 18:19 and 15:21 TOI, respectively. I don't know what it is about the Picarkner Effect, but it's working in favour of both of these guys. They've had one bad game (and it was abysmal), but for the most part they've just been solid contributors for the team.

Unfortunate reality: Missed scoring chances
Whether it be Jonathan Cheechoo sliding the puck just past the front of the net, Mike Fisher taking a second too long with an open net, or Milan Michalek fumbling the puck with Martin Brodeur miles out of his net, the Senators had some very good chances to score that just didn't finish up. Ottawa outshot the Devils 29-22, and probably had a similar advantage in bona fide scoring chances, but the Senators couldn't finish while New Jersey took advantage of each chance they got.

How does he do it: Alex Picard
I don't know how, but Picard just keeps getting his points. For the second night in a row, he throw an innocent-looking shot at the net, and it finds its way in. One thing it shows to his defensive partners: Shooting is never a bad idea, if you can hit the net. When Picard came over in the Andrej Meszaros trade, I remember hearing good things about his slapshot from the point, but it's his wrist shot that's reaped the rewards. It reminds me of Wade Redden's ability, when he was on his game (and not a $6.5M healthy scratch), to wrist shots on the net and make them count. With the goal, Picard's got 14P (4G, 10A) in 29GP on the year.

Look forward to: Not Martin
It's been reported that Mike Brodeur might finally get to see some NHL action tomorrow night against the Minnesota Wild, and tonight Brian Elliott didn't do anything in particular to make it seem like a bad idea. Don't get me wrong, Elliott wasn't bad (the Devils' fourth goal wasn't bad, it was mostly unlucky), but he wasn't amazing. He was just good. So I wouldn't be surprised if Not Martin finally gets his shot.

Worst stat of the night: 0-for-6 on the powerplay
Just plan terrible. But the Senators can't say they didn't have their chances, and the Devils' effective penalty kill units--led, of course, by Martin Brodeur--took away most chances Ottawa had. The Senators had nine powerplay shots, including a number of good chances and drives from the point, but couldn't make any of them count.

Second-worst stat of the night: Chris Kelly 1-for-7 in faceoffs
Not much to say about it, except that it's amazing Kelly's line, along with Jonathan Cheechoo and Jarkko Ruutu, got as many chances as they had tonight given that their centreman hardly ever got them the puck. Kelly made a great pass for Ruutu's goal, but he's got to work on his faceoffs. Fourteen percent for a defensive specialist is just not good enough.

Game highlights:

Listen to Silver Seven Radio, Dec. 14, 2009

PeterR — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:00:39 -0000

Mark Parisi and Peter Raaymakers talk about the Ottawa Senators for the week of Dec. 7-13, 2009. Is Alex Kovalev the player who didn't score for 16 games, or the player who scored a hat trick? Is Jason Spezza going to get his offensive groove back? Is Brian Elliott the goalie who shut out the Flyers, or the goalie who allowed four goals to the Canadiens? Who's got the lead on the Senators roster, Chris Campoli or Alex Picard? All these questions, and a couple million-dollar questions, are broached this week.

Check out the embedded player below:

Kovalev and Spezza power Senators to 4-2 win over Hurricanes

PeterR — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 05:14:27 -0000

I didn't get to see the Ottawa Senators' Saturday night 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes, but I did get to see the in-game reaction from the best commenters in all the land, and also got to watch the highlights of the game. And it sounds like Alex Kovalev scored some overdue and perhaps lucky goals, and Jason Spezza put on in off Manny Legace's pads. Whatever the case, it's the same measure in the standings: A full, and very important, two points.

Sens heroes: Alex Kovalev, Jason Spezza, Nick Foligno
Memo to Sens fans: This is what it's like when you have to lines that can score. I'd forgotten what it was like, but now I know. Some might say Kovalev's goal weren't of the difficult variety, and he definitely benefited from his linemates' hard work, a lucky bounce, and the fact that there was no goalie. But on his first goal, he drove to the net hard against a check, potting Foligno's centring pass, and he finally shot the puck for the second.

Spezza scored his fourth of the season, but perhaps more importantly had six shots on net--a welcome change. He's a set up man, of that there is no doubt, but there's also no denying that he can shoot the puck, too. There's a balance he'll get to, between passing and shooting and defensive and offensive presence. He's just finding it now.

As for Foligno, second very strong game in a row, and he's getting the points to show for it: Another two assists tonight. On his way to those two helpers, Foligno had five shots and was rewarded with plenty of powerplay time. He's traditionally been a streaky scorer, and the benching no doubt woke him up, but hopefully he can find some measure of consistency through to the end of this season.

Silver Seven Heroes: Mark Parisi, Dany Hea-Traitor
These guys just brought it. Bomb doors open. They kept the GameThread going for the better part of the game. Anyone else who wasn't able to watch it, you can read their thoughts on the game as it happened, without the benefit of retrospect.

(Sens zeroes, Sens killers, Hopefully back on track, There when needed, In our hearts, Mysterious injury update of the night, and game highlights after the jump... )

Sens zeroes: Alex Picard
According to the in-game testament of Mark Parisi, Picard was a non-factor tonight. He was one of few Senators on the minus side of the ledger tonight, was tagged with two giveaways (but that's a pretty subjective stat, to be honest), and only had the one shot. He also brutally lost a race for the puck against Eric Staal on Carolina's second goal, let Staal pass the puck to the slot, and stood there and watched as Ray Whitney scored to tie the game. All of which might combine to be a good omen for Chris Campoli, who was scratched tonight in favour of Picard.

Sens killers: Ray Whitney
Again, Parisi said Whitney was on his game tonight, and could easily have had even more than the two goals he did score tonight. He heeled a strong chance on a 2-on-1 in the second, and had five shots and four hits before the night was out. Sounds like a strong game for one of the Hurricanes' prime deadline-day fire sale assets.

Hopefully back on track: Senators powerplay
Ottawa was a better-than-respectable 2-for-3 on the powerplay tonight, with Kovalev and Spezza each getting goals with the man advantage. Some keys, looking at the highlights: Net presence, as was the case with Milan Michalek pissing people off in front of the net for Spezza's goal, but was also noted from Nick Foligno and Mike Fisher; better puck movement at the points, including from Erik Karlsson, whose cross-ice feed to Kovalev set him up for the game-winner; and getting the puck on the net, as Ottawa had nine shots on their three powerplays.

There when needed: Brian Elliott
Elliott may wish he could get a mulligan for the goals he did allow, but his play when the Hurricanes were really getting their chances in the third period--in which he stopped all 12 shots he faced--made a strong statement for his ability to brush off weak goals and play well when the team really needs him. Highlight of that third period was a sick left-pad save on Ray Whitney, but there were a couple of other strong chances, too.

Not on the scoresheet, but still in our hearts: Chris Kelly
I'm usually one of the first people to rag on Kelly for his stone hands, but there's no doubting his value to this team as the go-to penalty killer and the anchor of Ottawa's fourth line. He had more penalty-killing time than anyone on the night, defencemen included, and is keeping it real. He does have to get his faceoff skills back up, though, although he was 5-for-10 tonight.

Mysterious injury update of the night: Alex Kovalev's previously unreported injury
In a Team 1200 post-game interview, Kovalev mentioned that--although he didn't want to blame injuries for his lacking production--he did have something nagging him that was keeping him from shooting the puck as much as he normally would. As a result, he was passing a lot more. Maybe if he's over it, we'll see an increased shot total from Kovalev (note to poolies) and the increased production that one assumes would follow from that.

Game highlights:

Team Carolina Falls Again: Senators 4, Hurricanes 2

Bob Harwood Waeghe — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 05:09:11 -0000

More photos » by Pawel Dwulit - AP

10 days ago: Carolina Hurricanes Jiri Tlusy, right, of the Czech Republic, attempts to swat the puck past Ottawa Senators goalie Brian Elliott, left, as Senators' Erik Karlsson, center, of Sweden, defends during second-period NHL hockey game play in Ottawa on Saturday, Dec. 12, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Pawel Dwulit)

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The Ottawa Senators, (16-11-4) defeated the Carolina Hurricanes, (7-19-6) on Saturday night by a score of 4-2 as Alex Kovalev netted a hat trick for the home team. Ray Whitney scored two goals for Carolina in a losing effort as his team fell deeper into last place with the loss.

The Senators doubled up Carolina's shots on goal in each of the first two periods, (10-5, 16-8) but the Canes held on, tied the score 2-2, and were in a good position to at least earn a point for the second night in a row before a key penalty was called with three minutes and change left in the game.

Ottawa took advantage of the penalty by scoring a goal off of a Carolina defenseman's skate, then put in an empty netter to seal the win.

The Hurricanes came very close once again, only to find a way to lose at the end of the game.

Kovalev started off the scoring in the first period as he beat defenseman Andrew Alberts to the net and tipped in a pass from Nick Foligno.

Ray Whitney would tie the score early in the second on a powerplay blast from the point. The Canes were on an extended, four minute man advantage which carried over from late in the first period when a Mike Fisher high stick to Tom Kostopoulos drew blood.

Later in the second, Jason Spezza put the Sens back ahead with a powerplay goal of his own on a shot from the side, slightly behind the net. That might have been one of the only questionable plays goalie Manny Legace made all night, but the bad angle cost him.

But with less than three minutes in the period, Ray Whitney would score again with a perfectly placed floater which somehow beat Sens' goalie Brian Elliott.

With the score tied 2-2 throughout the third period, the teams battled evenly before Joni Pitkanen was called for holding as he used his free hand on a Senator behind the Carolina net. Kovalev scored his second goal during the ensuing powerplay when his shot bounced off Jay Harrison's skate, making the score 3-2.

Then Kovalev completed his hat trick with an empty netter with just 29 clicks left.

The loss gives the Canes just three points on this four game road trip, certainly a disappointment after starting off with a win in Pittsburgh. They remain the last place team in the league and also happen to have the league's worst road record.

Next up is a home game against Dallas on Wednesday night.

Game Notes:

It's easy to blame Joni Pitkanen for the penalty at the end of the game which ended up resulting in the go-ahead goal, but the defenseman had been on the ice for over thirty minutes at the time. He finished the game with 31:11 of ice time. When you compare those minutes with the league leader in that category, Dan Boyle at 27:06, those are quite frankly, too many minutes for anyone to be on the ice. Couple that with the 29:52 he played the previous night in Washington, and him taking the penalty is more understandable. When the body is fatigued, not only is there going to be a physical letdown, but a player will make mental mistakes as well. Maurice has got to figure out how to keep the big defenseman's time under 30 minutes, especially in the last game of a back-to-back or you have to expect the mistakes.
After the game, Ray Whitney was quick to blame the refs. He thought it was a marginal call at that point in the game and the refs should have let play go on. The replay did show use of the free hand which is a penalty, but NHL referees certainly pick and choose what they want to call and when they call it. It was a lightly called game as the Canes ended up with three penalties and the Sens had two.
The Hurricanes need to generate more shots on goal or scoring chances. This is the second game in a row where their opponent has dominated in the Carolina zone for much of the game. You usually can not win if you are getting doubled up on shots and scoring chances most of the game.
The team finished with 25 shots on goal as Ray Whitney led the way with five. Ottawa finished with 39.
The Canes were credited with 35 hits compared to 25 for the Sens. Rod Brind`Amour might have played his most physical game of the year and led the team with six hits.
Carolina had 10 blocked shots led by Joni Pitkanen with three.
Manny Legace played another solid game and had 36 saves on 39 shots which will help his save percentage.

_____

In other notes, the Hurricanes sent Michael Leighton to Albany before the Ottawa game so that they can eventually put him on re-entry waivers. Teams can now claim him at half price, with the Canes picking up the rest of the tab.

The Albany Times Union has the latest with quotes from Leighton at this link.

"The plan was I was going to go on re-entry waiver. That’s what went on today, but the league refused it, so tomorrow I’m going to be on re-entry. It’s kind of wait and see. If I don’t get picked up, I go back up to Carolina, and they’ve got to figure something out from there. If I don’t clear, then I’m going somewhere else."

"I know Carolina’s got their thing sorted out. I’m not going to get many games there. I’m a free agent after this year, and I just want to find somewhere where I can play some hockey. Whether it’s in the NHL or the AHL, I’ve got to find the right fit for me. Whether I get picked up by another team or get loaned to another AHL team, it just comes down to playing hockey, and that’s all I want to do right now."