Sat. Jan 19, 2013 | Senators at Jets | 3:00pm EST | CBC | Alfredsson Edition | Part 2

[DrEasy]

You know what's nice? Being on the right end of a game where the team that dominates at times and hits the post a few times ends up losing. I love it that with Anderson we finally have a goalie who can carry a team on his back from time to time. He gives us a chance to win the game any given night, even if we have no business winning it. Now don't get me wrong, we weren't dominated all game, but the issue of the game could have been very different if Anderson doesn't make some of the critical saves when it's still 1-1.

I won't repeat the praise on Methot and Regin, they were great to watch. One player who was invisible and who sometimes frustrates me is Greening. Dude has god-given size and speed, but he doesn't do much with it. He was invisible all game. You need to be a bit crazy and reckless to play this game, and maybe Greening is just too restrained to give it all and risk injury.

 

[saskriders]

You know what's nice? Being on the right end of a game where the team that dominates at times and hits the post a few times ends up losing. I love it that with Anderson we finally have a goalie who can carry a team on his back from time to time. He gives us a chance to win the game any given night, even if we have no business winning it. Now don't get me wrong, we weren't dominated all game, but the issue of the game could have been very different if Anderson doesn't make some of the critical saves when it's still 1-1.

I won't repeat the praise on Methot and Regin, they were great to watch. One player who was invisible and who sometimes frustrates me is Greening. Dude has god-given size and speed, but he doesn't do much with it. He was invisible all game. You need to be a bit crazy and reckless to play this game, and maybe Greening is just too restrained to give it all and risk injury.

Don't forget Greening has a lot less ice time compared to last year, and will take time to adjust to a new role

 

[Vaclav Varada]

Don't forget Greening has a lot less ice time compared to last year, and will take time to adjust to a new role

This is a real good point. And he's also coming back from playing in a scoring role in the Danish league where I'm sure his skill was on another level from most of the other players and he could just dangle guys instead of trucking over them like he has to do to be successful in the NHL.

 

[General Granny*]

People need to ease on Tender, he looked like a true top 6 forward we have been missing for a long time, his timing looks off which makes sense for a guy that has missed most of these past 2 seasons plus the lockout

 

[QuietOnTheFront]

My thoughts on today's game..

We looked sloppy and frantic in the first, really thought it was going to get ugly after a goal and two posts early on. But we settled down in the second and we never looked back.

Penalties remain an issue that has carried over from last year. Luckily either our PK was unbelievable after Big BUFF's goal or the Jets' PP completely collapsed as we could have easily shot ourselves in the foot.

Overall Erik Karlsson looks like he's ready to repeat as Norris trophy winner. He looked fantastic today.

Methot, although a bit slow, compliments EK as good as or maybe even better than Kuba.

Silfverberg looked good, a little lost at times but played a solid game for his NHL regular season debut. I think it'll take a few games for him to show his upside.

Our PK after the sloppy play on their first goal did a great job of choking up the neutral zone and stifled their PP.

Lastly, we rolled 4 lines all night and not one looked like it was struggling by the third. All of them had scoring chances and contributed to an excellent start to the season.

 

[sg58]

My thoughts on today's game..

We looked sloppy and frantic in the first, really thought it was going to get ugly after a goal and two posts early on. But we settled down in the second and we never looked back.

Penalties remain an issue that has carried over from last year. Luckily either our PK was unbelievable after Big BUFF's goal or the Jets' PP completely collapsed as we could have easily shot ourselves in the foot.

Overall Erik Karlsson looks like he's ready to repeat as Norris trophy winner. He looked fantastic today.

Methot, although a bit slow, compliments EK as good as or maybe even better than Kuba.

Silfverberg looked good, a little lost at times but played a solid game for his NHL regular season debut. I think it'll take a few games for him to show his upside.

Our PK after the sloppy play on their first goal did a great job of choking up the neutral zone and stifled their PP.

Lastly, we rolled 4 lines all night and not one looked like it was struggling by the third. All of them had scoring chances and contributed to an excellent start to the season.

Agreed with all this except I think Methot struggled a bit when he had to handle the breakout under pressure and Erik didn't really have a great game.

Benoit and Wier didn't look out of place but I wonder if it's a good idea to have them on the ice at the same time, despite previous chemistry. Although, based on what we've seen so far, it'd be Phillips needing the extra help.

Great win, but I fear for what this will look like against tougher opponents.

 

[Vaclav Varada]

Agreed with all this except I think Methot struggled a bit when he had to handle the breakout under pressure and Erik didn't really have a great game.

Benoit and Wier didn't look out of place but I wonder if it's a good idea to have them on the ice at the same time, despite previous chemistry. Although, based on what we've seen so far, it'd be Phillips needing the extra help.

Great win, but I fear for what this will look like against tougher opponents.

I feel the exact same way. I don't like having the old man D pairing with Philly and Gonch. They're both slow as ****. They should be paired with younger faster legs. I imagine they'd be good mentor's on a D pairing too.

 

[General Granny*]

As always Philips looks like the weakest d in the group.

 

[BondraTime]

Murray could address the toughness on this team by switching Benoit with Gryba. Gryba is a right shot so he would be playing his natural side unlike Benoit who is a LS playing the right side. Gryba is also 6'4" so he brings size, strength & toughness & is having a very good season in Bingo so far. I think he could be a better version of Shane Hnidy, the Sherriff.

Wiercioch - Gonchar - offensive tandem
Phillips - Gryba - shutdown tandem

OR

Wiercioch - Gryba - could be a decent 3rd pairing with size, speed & toughness

That really would add nothing to the team. He is having a good year and he is the type of player you like, but it does nothing for Ottawa except wet another rookies shoes.

 

[Korpse]

Liked Methot's game alot. Smart hockey player who competes hard. I'm sure he has his flaws but they were not apparent in the first game. Solid game.

Latendresse, looked really slow too me, I'll give him time though. Could be the big body infront of the net this teams hasn't had in a long time.

Silfverberg didn't really stand out but I was satisfied with his game. If anything hold him back at this level, it's his sakting.

Wiercioch looks huge out there. He played a simple and smart game definetely more than i was expecting. See him playing a huge role in the top 4 in the future.

Beniot was good as well. keep it simple and was effective. His shot is on the level of Brian Lee however.

Big fan of the game that Regin played today. Reminds me of Jannik Hansen who I love to watch. If lattendresse struggles I'm confident Regin can step in and fill his role.

Some of the guys seemed sluggish but no surprise there with the extra long off season and short training camp.

 

[mt-svk]

Welcome you with the new season

I will comment this game after its downloands but the result is the most important. Good job.

 

[DeVoice]

ice was horrible....puck bounced so much im in traction and this is no different then last lockout.....team pulled it out.

 

[c_mak]

I agree it was not a game that had lots of flow. Winnipeg also took it to us for some pretty good stretches. What I liked most outside the fact that Karlson is still freaking awesome is the development of what I would call two "third lines". The bang and smash third line of Neil, Smith and Greening, and the "we are defensively smart and can skate you into the ice" third line of Regin Condra and O'Brien. My prediction is that kind of flexibility is going to be really helpful in shutting down other teams top line

 

[ErikKarlsson]

I'd like to see

Wiercioch-Gonchar
Phillips-Benoit

on Monday night, I don't think Boro deserves to take either of them out of the lineup because they both played very well.

 

[ErikKarlsson]

One thing that is awesome is the scoring depth on this team, Alfie and Spezza both didn't get a point in a game where the team scored 4 goals. Nice to see, I think the Sens will land in top 10 in goals this season again.

 

[Tundraman]

I'm not a big Condra fan as a 4th liner but he was skating and made some nice short quick passes last night to leave the D zone. I like O'Brien for his size and checking speed but he may be a fish out of water on that line. Would Daugs or even better Hoffman make them more offensively dangerous? ie... Daugs / Hoffman - Regin - Condra. I know it's a numbers game for the Hoff right now but just wondering? I'd hate to see Regin turned into a pure 4th line checker when that line looks like it could do so much more.

 

[Holdurbreathe]

As always Philips looks like the weakest d in the group.

Methot was the best Dman, Gonchar, Phillips and Weircoich all were ok, Benoit did fine in a role he really isn't used to playing, Karlsson didn't play close to his best.

The team only allowed 28 shots, 1 GA on a PP, not bad for the first game in a rink where Winnipeg generally plays well.

 

[Upgrayedd]

He catched a puck coming at him...which would have hitted Leclaire in the face and destroyed his nose.

Gotta love Big Rob making stops on the bench!

 

[PierresGabriels]

I was so hockey-starved, I've already watched this game 3 times and bought tickets to Monday's game vs Florida (breaking my only post-lockout rule for myself lol)

 

[Berserker*]

You know what's nice? Being on the right end of a game where the team that dominates at times and hits the post a few times ends up losing. I love it that with Anderson we finally have a goalie who can carry a team on his back from time to time. He gives us a chance to win the game any given night, even if we have no business winning it. Now don't get me wrong, we weren't dominated all game, but the issue of the game could have been very different if Anderson doesn't make some of the critical saves when it's still 1-1.

I won't repeat the praise on Methot and Regin, they were great to watch. One player who was invisible and who sometimes frustrates me is Greening. Dude has god-given size and speed, but he doesn't do much with it. He was invisible all game. You need to be a bit crazy and reckless to play this game, and maybe Greening is just too restrained to give it all and risk injury.

Greening needs to learn to get mean on the ice; if he had a nasty streak like Neil he would be a monster out there. Unfortunately it doesn't look like he is going to develop that nasty side to his game.

 

[danishh]

anyone else notice that in the defensive zone, wiercioch would park himself in front of anderson while benoit ran around on both sides of the ice chasing the puckholder?

wondering if this is some strategy or coincidence.

 

[Qward]

anyone else notice that in the defensive zone, wiercioch would park himself in front of anderson while benoit ran around on both sides of the ice chasing the puckholder?

wondering if this is some strategy or coincidence.

Maybe because Wiercioch is a little thicker and Benoit is a little more quick on the step?

 

[sg58]

anyone else notice that in the defensive zone, wiercioch would park himself in front of anderson while benoit ran around on both sides of the ice chasing the puckholder?

wondering if this is some strategy or coincidence.

Yeah, this was certainly apparent when Benoit lost the puck into Wier's corner and then got stuck trying to twist and turn with the puck. Led to the Scheifele chance I believe.

 

[coladin]

I liked Silfverberg's game as he was not timid at all and went to the net. He really does remind me a bit of a young Alfie, especially his first few strides. Gotta love the veteran feel to the Sens as they did not panic in the 1st. Cool and collected they were and timing-wise they could have scored a lot more as Guy missed a couple as did a botched 2 on 1 with spezz (which won't happen very often) and EK's point blank mini break in the 3rd. I liked Wier and Turris bothing getting on the scoresheet, it will bode well for the team to have guys like Michalek, Neil, Turris scoring right away and guys like Methot, Wier and Gonch getting points. Let's hope Silf can get on the scoresheet Monday and take some pressure off.

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

There were lots of positives to draw from that game, but the one thing that stuck out in my mind was how committed the team was to crashing the other team's net. I can't remember seeing a Sens side that played that way as a team.

Latendresse and Silfverberg both got some nice scoring chances and seemed to mesh very well with their lines. If they continue to play that way and improve, they'll produce. We might have a true top 6 for once. There always seemed to be a hole in that group, but now that we have the center ice position locked up and strong, the rest in falling into place.

Props to the Murrays too. Karlsson, Smith, Lehner, Silfverberg, and Wiercioch (sort of O'Brien) were all his draft picks and in the lineup. All have turned into quality players imo. Latendresse, Michalek, Methot, Anderson, Bishop, Benoit, Gonchar, Turris are some of his other acquisitions. Some are key or core players, others are solid role players. It wasn't that long ago that BMurr's head was called for by most of the fan base.