Pre-Game Talk: Habs in Ottawa, Saturday Night | 7:00 pm on HNIC

[Brainiac]

They are scratching Emelin. Is there a more powder puff defense than the Habs right now?

Weber doesn't engage physically anymore, Markov is 80 years old, petry isn't physical. Beaulieu is a pushover for his size. I don't know anything about Benn.

Habs fan here and I just want to clarify something... Markov is actually 83 years old.

Joking aside, it should be an interesting weekend.

Cheers

 

[Karl Prime]

The idea that Steve Ott is the biggest worry this weekend is funny. I think the Sens will be more concerned with Pacioretty, Gallagher, Radulov, Price, and Weber. I mean, has any opposing team in the last 15 years set Chris Neil as a priority over Spezza, Karlsson, Alfredsson, Heatley, Hossa, Havlat, Chara, Stone, Anderson?

 

[Aurilius]

The idea that Steve Ott is the biggest worry this weekend is funny. I think the Sens will be more concerned with Pacioretty, Gallagher, Radulov, Price, and Weber. I mean, has any opposing team in the last 15 years set Chris Neil as a priority over Spezza, Karlsson, Alfredsson, Heatley, Hossa, Havlat, Chara, Stone, Anderson?

Oh no's, if we win this and get the Rangers in the playoffs they brought Tanner Glass back up! We are gonna need to call up some goonage from Bingo!

Fo the record I like Boro, but Claesson is outplaying him and should stick until someone needs to come out.

 

[Here I Pageau Again]

Given the back-to-back games I filled an extra growler on Friday, so yeah, I'm picking up what you're putting down.

Yeah I actually bought some non-alcoholic beer so I can feel part of the crowd!

Although I'll admit, not drinking isn't as hard as I've thought! 4 months down 5 to go!

So go Sens go! Let's kick some habs butt. 2 wins this weekend would be awesome

 

[vdB]

Yeah I actually bought some non-alcoholic beer so I can feel part of the crowd!

Although I'll admit, not drinking isn't as hard as I've thought! 4 months down 5 to go!

So go Sens go! Let's kick some habs butt. 2 wins this weekend would be awesome

Good for you man! I've cut back my drinking big time lately as well.

Going all out tonight tho.

 

[Hutz]

Playing Boro tonight is a big mistake,

big? I get how it could be a small strategic mistake, but big mistake? no.

The Senators are a likable team. Never met an Ottawa fan I didn't get along with. A good hockey town with seriously rich hockey history (we New Englanders appreciate history) and no real bad blood between Boston and Ottawa.

It's only natural that we might share certain 'interests'. I do think it's a shame that after XXV years back in the NHL there hasn't been a Bruins-Senators playoff matchup.

Here's hoping you beat the bag out of the Habs this weekend. We can sort out Tuesday when it gets here.

Thanks, fwiw, I like the Bruins outside that one little guy with a giant nose. Looking at potential playoff opponents, the Bruins would probably be my last choice as a Sens fan, as a hockey fan, I think that would be a pretty exciting series - not for the casual fan, though.

First one was bad, second one was actually a great play by #7 on Chicago. I didn't think Ryan had that bad of a game either, drew a penalty, had some good possession.

What I would give for the NHL to not have complete **** ice. Want to increase scoring? Make it so a puck is actually a puck and not a goddamn bouncy ball.

Improve the ice = improve the game.

Seabrook caught his stick at the last second, great play. Too bad Ryan can't stamina his way through the other teams' sticks.

Seabrook made a great play on the second in close opportunity. We often tend to not give credit to the opposition for preventing a goal

Yup

I didn't even notice that play by Seabrook during the game, hot damn that was a great defensive play.

Yup

Is this how we judge a players performance now?

Now and forever!

 

[RandV]

Any confirmation yet for who will be starting?

 

[Hutz]

Does anyone else remember when Jose Theodore had a hairline fracture?!

 

[The Professional]

The idea that Steve Ott is the biggest worry this weekend is funny. I think the Sens will be more concerned with Pacioretty, Gallagher, Radulov, Price, and Weber. I mean, has any opposing team in the last 15 years set Chris Neil as a priority over Spezza, Karlsson, Alfredsson, Heatley, Hossa, Havlat, Chara, Stone, Anderson?

I was Watching a documentary on the Sabres broadcast about the Neil-Drury hit and brawl in 07, and I think it was Biron who said that whenever they played Ottawa, Neil's name was circled in red on the white board in the locker room.

Teams do worry about tough guys. Of course they're more worried about Spezza, Heatley, Alfie and the likes in their game plan, but has it not occurred to people that hockey is a multi dimensional game? The physical aspect has an impact on the game as well and you're out to lunch if you think the presence of Ott, Shaw and Gallagher for instance, 3 of the league's most notorious agitators, isn't going to influence Boucher's line up decisions at all.

 

[Hutz]

 

[L'Aveuglette]

Helllooooo, I made a nice GDT for you good people to post innnnn.

 

[Karl Prime]

I was Watching a documentary on the Sabres broadcast about the Neil-Drury hit and brawl in 07, and I think it was Biron who said that whenever they played Ottawa, Neil's name was circled in red on the white board in the locker room.

Teams do worry about tough guys. Of course they're more worried about Spezza, Heatley, Alfie and the likes in their game plan, but has it not occurred to people that hockey is a multi dimensional game? The physical aspect has an impact on the game as well and you're out to lunch if you think the presence of Ott, Shaw and Gallagher for instance, 3 of the league's most notorious agitators, isn't going to influence Boucher's line up decisions at all.

My point is that Boro being in the lineup instead of Claesson isn't going to deter any of those three from agitating. Chara being in the lineup didn't deter Burrows from agitating in the Stanley Cup final. Ottawa has plenty of guys that will stick up for their teammates. Hell, remember the Vlasic-Karlsson incident a while back? Turris was the guy to come off the bench and confront Vlasic. If Boro is going to be in the lineup I care more about how he plays in his own zone rather than if he's going to fight someone.

 

[Knave]

I was Watching a documentary on the Sabres broadcast about the Neil-Drury hit and brawl in 07, and I think it was Biron who said that whenever they played Ottawa, Neil's name was circled in red on the white board in the locker room.

Teams do worry about tough guys. Of course they're more worried about Spezza, Heatley, Alfie and the likes in their game plan, but has it not occurred to people that hockey is a multi dimensional game? The physical aspect has an impact on the game as well and you're out to lunch if you think the presence of Ott, Shaw and Gallagher for instance, 3 of the league's most notorious agitators, isn't going to influence Boucher's line up decisions at all.

You realize he left the Sabres that same season, right?

It's not like they were circling his name years later because they're worried he's a tough guy or a dirty player or anything. They just wanted revenge and the hit on Drury was fresh in their minds.

Edit: I looked it up out of curiosity and Biron was traded 5 days after that game, 3 days after the re-match. Of course Neil would be targeted the game after the hit.

 

[The Professional]

You realize he left the Sabres that same season, right?

It's not like they were circling his name years later because they're worried he's a tough guy or a dirty player or anything. They just wanted revenge and the hit on Drury was fresh in their minds.

Edit: I looked it up out of curiosity and Biron was traded 5 days after that game, 3 days after the re-match. Of course Neil would be targeted the game after the hit.

I looked it up and it was actually Andrew Peters who said it.
https://www.nhl.com/sabres/video/bbg-the-ottawa-brawl/t-277437090/c-50244903

"He's definitely a guy that when you walk into a locker room, you see the line up...his name gets circled on the board. Because he was a predator".

This had nothing to do with the Drury incident, he was speaking generally. Neiler's name was getting circled way before. It was due to his reputation. The coaches in NHL locker rooms deem it necessary to remind their teams to be aware of Neil out there when preparing their game plan, which dispels this notion around here that tough guys and physicality have no effect on the game plan. Obviously they do.

 

[aragorn]

I was Watching a documentary on the Sabres broadcast about the Neil-Drury hit and brawl in 07, and I think it was Biron who said that whenever they played Ottawa, Neil's name was circled in red on the white board in the locker room.

Teams do worry about tough guys. Of course they're more worried about Spezza, Heatley, Alfie and the likes in their game plan, but has it not occurred to people that hockey is a multi dimensional game? The physical aspect has an impact on the game as well and you're out to lunch if you think the presence of Ott, Shaw and Gallagher for instance, 3 of the league's most notorious agitators, isn't going to influence Boucher's line up decisions at all.

I looked it up and it was actually Andrew Peters who said it.
https://www.nhl.com/sabres/video/bbg-the-ottawa-brawl/t-277437090/c-50244903

"He's definitely a guy that when you walk into a locker room, you see the line up...his name gets circled on the board. Because he was a predator".

This had nothing to do with the Drury incident, he was speaking generally. Neiler's name was getting circled way before. It was due to his reputation. The coaches in NHL locker rooms deem it necessary to remind their teams to be aware of Neil out there when preparing their game plan, which dispels this notion around here that tough guys and physicality have no effect on the game plan. Obviously they do.

Good point. And I would guess that they are circling Boros name now that he leads the league in hits. Guys watch out for them on the ice & will give up on plays if they see them coming, not always but sometimes. Players also know that they are quite willing to go with anyone & will if they are on the ice & they take a cheap shot on someone & they know bot hit to hurt.