Who would you start against Boston on Tuesday and why... Anderson or Hammond

[Courty]

Yah man, our #1 goalie sucks. He's never gotten this team into the playoffs before! What a loser!

Haven't you heard?? Hammond's incredible success in the past 9 games has completely erased Craig Anderson's credibility as a starting goalie, apparently the players even forgot who he is! For every game Hammond won while Anderson was recovering, Anderson in fact got worse...because the abilities and success of a rookie AHL goalie is measured equally to a veteran NHL goalie.

Seriously though...I'm not trying to diminish Hammond's success or elate Anderson's, I'm just trying to make a point that viewing this situation in polar opposites is ridiculous...supporting Anderson does not equate to bringing Hammond down, and vice versa. And to be honest these two goalies are so far from being comparable skill wise and experience wise, which is exactly why the coaching staff gave Anderson the start tomorrow.

Hammond is too green to play in a must win game. Anderson is the reliable and more predictable choice, questioning his ability to give us a chance tomorrow is absurd.

 

[OttawaSenators11]

For me, It's not about who has had the better career or more experience - It's strictly who gives us the best shot at winning vs. the Bruins, and judging by recently history, that's Hammond.

Not to discredit Andy as he's been very good all year, just at this point - I like how the team has been playing at this very moment with Hamburglar in net.

Voted Hammond, but it's not the end of the world that Andy is starting.

 

[Agent Zub]

Go with the hot goalie, simple as that IMO.

 

[danielpalfredsson]

For me, It's not about who has had the better career or more experience - It's strictly who gives us the best shot at winning vs. the Bruins, and judging by recently history, that's Hammond.

Not to discredit Andy as he's been very good all year, just at this point - I like how the team has been playing at this very moment with Hamburglar in net.

Voted Hammond, but it's not the end of the world that Andy is starting.

I don't get this mentality.

Hammond has had an amazing run, but a .960 save percentage is unsustainable. His last game he was merely good, except it happened to be against the worst offense in the league. He's an unknown quantity and the Senators were forced to ride his hot streak because they had nothing else with Anderson injured.

I don't see how putting in a career starter with consistent top numbers gives Ottawa less of a chance to win. It's the safe move.

Hammond is eventually going to come back down to earth, he arguably did against Buffalo. Ottawa may have an NHL starter or backup in Hammond, but they have a top ten/fringe top 5 goalie in Anderson. There's little point in risking putting Hammond in and finding out that the bloom is off the rose during the most important game this far of the season.

Hammond has played great, but a lot of people are exhibiting shiny new syndrome. Putting in Anderson is good risk management.

 

[robertocarlos]

Maybe he can switch to running England.

 

[Senateurs]

If Andy loses. People will say. "see, we should've gone with Hammond. he put us there"

If Hammond was in net and lost. People would say. "Why didn't we go with our proven, signed for 3 years #1 goalie instead of an AHL rookie?"

 

[Inf4mous0ne]

How do you not play Hammond?

The guy put us in this position. Anderson had a good game - not a great one.

Hammond helped put us in this position. The team playing better helped put us in this position. Anderson playing with a .926 sv% all season helped put us in this position.

I like Hammond but to rely on him at this point is asking for trouble. Is Hammond the one you all would want to play for us if we made the playoffs? I know he wouldn't be for me. Play Anderson as he is who we will count on in the playoffs if we make it. He has been quite good all season, and it seems that many of you have forgotten that.

 

[The Lewler]

Hammond would have been lit up like a Christmas tree in the 3rd period against the Flames.

Yes, I know Andy gave up 4 goals.

Hammond's confidence would end up totally destroyed, and we would be left no good choices for a #2 goalie at present.

That said, the hot hand is now sitting for two games.. so he has to basically re-start his roll when he goes back in again.. pure speculation but the coaches must be seeing some warning signs in his game.

At any rate, I hope he gets to collect NHL pay the rest of the season, he's earned it.

 

[Big Papi]

i'd go with Hammond ONLY cause I think when Anderson is in he suffers the Pedro Martinez effect, and gets less support than Hammond, as the players have more confidence in him.

 

[Super Cake]

i'd go with Hammond ONLY cause I think when Anderson is in he suffers the Pedro Martinez effect, and gets less support than Hammond, as the players have more confidence in him.

What? Just because the players give Hammond support does not mean they do not have confidence in Anderson. It is the other way around most likely.

They give less support in front of Anderson because they have confidence that he will be able to bail them out. They give more support for Hammond because he is a ahl goalie and they have less confidence that he will be able to bail them out if they make a defensive mistake.

 

[ChocolateLeclaire]

What? Just because the players give Hammond support does not mean they do not have confidence in Anderson. It is the other way around most likely.

They give less support in front of Anderson because they have confidence that he will be able to bail them out. They give more support for Hammond because he is a ahl goalie and they have less confidence that he will be able to bail them out if they make a defensive mistake.

That is how things work in this league. Teams always seems to play different depending on who their goaltender is.

I think that was exactly what he was trying to say. The team is overconfidant in Anderson and therefore expect him to bail them out. With Hammond, due to his inexperience, the team compensated by playing a tighter, quick transition game in front of him.

 

[Super Cake]

I think that was exactly what he was trying to say. The team is overconfidant in Anderson and therefore expect him to bail them out. With Hammond, due to his inexperience, the team compensated by playing a tighter, quick transition game in front of him.

Oh, i must have extremely misread his post. My bad.

 

[Indrew]

This is quite divisive. The opinion is split right down the middle. I'm glad I didn't have to make this decision because it's a tough one. The only way to be right is to win.

 

[Super Cake]

This is quite divisive. The opinion is split right down the middle. I'm glad I didn't have to make this decision, because it's a tough. The only way to be right is to win.

Anderson is the logical choice. He is our #1. If we make the playoffs, he is going to be the one playing in them, not Hammond.

 

[Indrew]

Anderson is the logical choice. He is our #1. If we make the playoffs, he is going to be the one playing in them, not Hammond.

I agree with the choice too.

Even if the Sens lose 1-0 in a shootout, Anderson and Cameron will be blamed.

 

[SanderSen]

This is quite divisive. The opinion is split right down the middle. I'm glad I didn't have to make this decision because it's a tough one. The only way to be right is to win.

Votes may be split, but I don't see it as divisive since the sentiment is that either is good and it isn't a big deal either way. The poll asked for one or the other. I voted Hammond as I am not confident that Anderson is back to where he was, but I will trust that Cameron MAY be in a better position to determine that!

 

[Super Cake]

I agree with the choice too.

Even if the Sens lose 1-0 in a shootout, Anderson and Cameron will be blamed.

Even if the Sens win 2-1 in regulation, Anderson and Cameron will somehow still be blamed.

 

[Senscore]

Is there a legitimate scenario in which he can be blamed? Something short of kicking the puck into his own net and ripping off his Sens jersey to reveal a B's shirt and then hitting Karlsson with a steel chair?

Because he's been given a fairly wide berth.

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

Is there a legitimate scenario in which he can be blamed? Something short of kicking the puck into his own net and ripping off his Sens jersey to reveal a B's shirt and then hitting Karlsson with a steel chair?

Because he's been given a fairly wide berth.

For picking between two solid goalies, no. If he plays lines wrong or uses players incorrectly or benches the wrong players in crucial moments or sets up a gameplan that doesn't play to our strengths, sure. But he was given the enviable task of picking between two good goaltenders in as near a must-win as possible. There was really no bad pick here and as a result no blame to be given for this.

 

[bert]

Hammond, the team simply plays better in front of him. He also never lets in stinkers, which seem to affect this team a great deal when a goalie lets in a weak one. IE the first goal Anderson let in against Calgary. By no means am I saying the come back was his fault the team stopped playing but it only happened after he let in the first one which an NHL goalie has to stop.

This team is not strong mentally yet they are very young, they seem to have more confidence in Hammond. If they lose this game the chances of making the playoffs are almost impossible with the way Boston is playing right now.

 

[Backpass]

I would prefer Hammond, but Andersson has been confirmed as the starting goaliefor tonight

 

[alfie follower]

I would prefer Hammond, but Andersson has been confirmed as the starting goaliefor tonight

So would I , but I don't think you can yank Anderson(youre #1) after he started the last game... basically its his to **** up. or his hand starts screaming at him... Anderson ' just gotta keep pushing it and pushing it until we hit that cliff.... so far we haven't had to take a step back yet' talking bout his hand..... in another interview he said something about ' if we have to go another route'... almost sounds like he might need surgery or something....

 

[Micklebot]

Hammond, the team simply plays better in front of him.

The team played two full periods of dominant hockey last game in front of Anderson. They crapped the bed for a period. Lets not pretend they are incapable of playing well in front of Anderson

He also never lets in stinkers, which seem to affect this team a great deal when a goalie lets in a weak one. IE the first goal Anderson let in against Calgary. By no means am I saying the come back was his fault the team stopped playing but it only happened after he let in the first one which an NHL goalie has to stop.

His last game he let in 2 stinkers, against Buffalo no less.

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[NHL]2014020966-275-h[/NHL]

This team is not strong mentally yet they are very young, they seem to have more confidence in Hammond. If they lose this game the chances of making the playoffs are almost impossible with the way Boston is playing right now.

While the team is loving what Hammond has done, I have no doubt they have every bit as much confidence in Anderson, who has saved their bacon more times than I can count. It's honestly beyond insane that you can question the team's confidence in Anderson...

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

I really like Hammonds demeanor and how he's played but even in Andersons first game back the difference between the two in rebound control and swallowing pucks is obviously night and day.

 

[Vesa Awesaka]

If we get extremely out played like the 3rd period against the flames i'd like to say the sens deserved to lose and that no matter who was the goalie the result would have been the same.... lol i doubt that will hapeen