Pre-Game Talk: Senators @ Sabres 7 PM eastern time

[Whippet]

Don Brennan ‏@SunDoniB 6m
Other than The Lehner getting the start in goal, no other line up changes for Senators tonight #nhl #sens

Don Brennan ‏@SunDoniB 4m
New line of MacArthur-Spezza-Ryan will stay intact tonight, at least to start #sens #nhl

Allen Panzeri ‏@allenpanzeri2 6m
Mike Hoffman out again for the Sens, Kassian in

Hopefully we will be able to keep up our game and start a winning streak.

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[GimmeMyJetpack]

Don Brennan ‏@SunDoniB 6m
Other than The Lehner getting the start in goal, no other line up changes for Senators tonight #nhl #sens

Don Brennan ‏@SunDoniB 4m
New line of MacArthur-Spezza-Ryan will stay intact tonight, at least to start #sens #nhl

Allen Panzeri ‏@allenpanzeri2 6m
Mike Hoffman out again for the Sens, Kassian in

Hopefully we will be able to keep up our game and start a winning streak.

I'm really not a fan of this dont change anything because we won mentality. Seriously what the hell was the point of bringing in hoffman. Kassian two nights in a row in a back to back? this is exactly the kind of game you should be bringing in Hoffman for. If the team is sluggish at least hoffman would be fresh and has speed. ugh.

 

[Milan the God*]

Glad to see Lehner starting tonight.

Very winnable game...it would be disappointing to lose this game. We need these next two games to get back into it.

 

[StefanW]

We definitely need to keep the ball rolling tonight so we can start to string together some wins.

I'm ok with Kassian playing. Buffalo has nothing to lose, and a lot of frustrated players trying to catch the attention of team management. I wouldn't be surprised if this ended up being an exceptionally chippy game.

 

[saskriders]

I'm really not a fan of this dont change anything because we won mentality. Seriously what the hell was the point of bringing in hoffman. Kassian two nights in a row in a back to back? this is exactly the kind of game you should be bringing in Hoffman for. If the team is sluggish at least hoffman would be fresh and has speed. ugh.

Exactly what I was thinking. If we are going to bring him up why aren't we playing him

 

[Sarcasticus]

Thanks for setting up the thread, Strats! I'm stuck here at Carleton for the next 3 hours at least... Doing nothing but talking hockey!
--
Would rather see Hoffman in for Conacher... But I'm not the Jack Adams winner...

 

[Slack]

Come on guys, he needs to get his 1:55 of ice time every now and then

 

[HavlatMach9]

well I'm not a coach but I'm relieved we're not starting the same goaltender two nights in a row when our options are Lehner and Anderson.

 

[melnyk budget*]

Call up Hoffman, scratch him 2 games. What's the point? Doesn't he need waivers to go down too? What a waste.

2 points is a must tonight. No excuses.

 

[TristanH]

I think the problem is you've got John Scott on Buffalo and they want Kassian in..

If it were me making the decisions.. I would pull Greening out and have him watch the game from the pressbox. Put Hoffman in to see what he is capable of against a team like Buffalo.. hopefully build his confidence a little..

I'm really not a fan of this dont change anything because we won mentality. Seriously what the hell was the point of bringing in hoffman. Kassian two nights in a row in a back to back? this is exactly the kind of game you should be bringing in Hoffman for. If the team is sluggish at least hoffman would be fresh and has speed. ugh.

 

[Icelevel]

can't argue with keeping a winning lineup intact. Keep maclean around a little longer.

also, kassian in the lineup = 7-2-4
that's a playoff team

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

I think the problem is you've got John Scott on Buffalo and they want Kassian in..

If it were me making the decisions.. I would pull Greening out and have him watch the game from the pressbox. Put Hoffman in to see what he is capable of against a team like Buffalo.. hopefully build his confidence a little..

Kassian doesn't really do anything other than participate in staged fights.
I miss Carkner.

 

[benjiv1]

 

[OmniSens]

can't argue with keeping a winning lineup intact. Keep maclean around a little longer.

also, kassian in the lineup = 7-2-4
that's a playoff team

I didn't wanna be the one to bring up the fact that with Kassian in the lineup, Sens are a winning team. Even though he doesn't do anything in the shootout or overtime for that matter.

 

[Maxd]

Kassian doesn't really do anything other than participate in staged fights.
I miss Carkner.

THIS ... in a big way.

 

[Benjamin]

can't argue with keeping a winning lineup intact. Keep maclean around a little longer.

also, kassian in the lineup = 7-2-4
that's a playoff team

I dont get it

 

[ChocolateLeclaire]

Kassian is in because John Scott is playing. And we all know John Scott is an idiot and the posterboy for why talentless players like Kassian take up roster spots.

We should ALL hate John Scott. The most worthless NHLer in the league.

 

[GimmeMyJetpack]

I think the problem is you've got John Scott on Buffalo and they want Kassian in..

If it were me making the decisions.. I would pull Greening out and have him watch the game from the pressbox. Put Hoffman in to see what he is capable of against a team like Buffalo.. hopefully build his confidence a little..

Why pull Greening right when he is turning it around? He's been much better, in fact he is looking more like himself but also playing with an edge.

John Scott is a joke. Hardly someone to worry about. Turris fought last night with Kassian in the lineup...

PSA: I have no real issues with Kassian besides the fact that he is pretty awful at the actual hockey part but i do think he has a niche place on this team. Just dont like seeing him start in a back-to-back, where running 4 lines becomes much more important.

 

[Sun God Nika]

it seems like kassian, has a strong intangible presence, or it could just be a huge coincidence that he gets slotted in the line up at the right times

 

[Sarcasticus]

Kassian playing means that Zibby gets double shifted, basically.

 

[Johnny Hanson]

Kassian in the lineup makes each player play bigger. It's not a coincidence they are a better team with him in the lineup.

Having said that, there's no question Hoffman should be in for conacher, who is useless

 

[OHNOclowe]

Kassian is in because John Scott is playing. And we all know John Scott is an idiot and the posterboy for why talentless players like Kassian take up roster spots.

We should ALL hate John Scott. The most worthless NHLer in the league.

We must ALL stop John Scott.... and manbearpig

 

[QuietOnTheFront]

Exactly what I was thinking. If we are going to bring him up why aren't we playing him

He played top 6 minutes and was given a fair shot in his first two games up. It became clear against the Leafs that it wasn't working out for the Sens and he was buried in the line up.

He is still an option in the top 6, but right now he is losing out to players who are better suited for these matchups. Kassian usually draws in against teams that have depth in the "goon" department. If either Hoffman or Kassian are going to be limited to -5 minutes against a team like Toronto, Philly or Buffalo, I'd take Kassian for the protection factor.

I think Hoffman is great, but he didn't show enough when he had his opportunity with top end players. After that it becomes how much rope do you give him to succeed? In our situation where the playoff picture is slowly slipping from our grasp, that rope isn't very long.

 

[QuietOnTheFront]

Kassian in the lineup makes each player play bigger. It's not a coincidence they are a better team with him in the lineup.

Having said that, there's no question Hoffman should be in for conacher, who is useless

What has Hoffman done to assert himself as more useful than Conacher? Conacher has had some success in the pros Hoffman has not. Hoffman has yet to show that he can be a useful NHLer or score in the NHL.

Hoffman in for Conacher solves nothing for this team. He has done nothing in the NHL to prove that he is a viable option at this point in his career.

 

[SAK11]

Game 1 this year, Scott's in Buffalo's lineup, Kassian's not in Ottawa's, didn't hurt the Sens one bit. In fact Scott had no one for his staged fight and took a stupid slashing penalty.