GDT: GAME 50 | Utah HC @ Sens | No Rest for the Wicked Edition | Sun Jan 26 2025, 5PM | TSN5, RDS2

[Senscore]

If there's anything people in Quebec City love, it's the city that represents the centralized power of the Canadian federal government.

 

[albator71]

Hey it’s better to be negative, or realistic, depending on your narrative, than not understanding the game at all and thinking that being at roughly 0 goal differential, bottom 5 goals for, riding hot backup goalies is a recipe for success. Or that the Jets wouldn’t be good without elite goaltending. Frankly, it’s ridiculous.

Who gives a shit if the Sens are bottom 5 in goals for, what matters is winning hockey games, but you're too busy being negative and whiny they are 6th in the Eastern Conference with 56pts, they have the 6th best GAA in the league with a 2.7 and all you seem to focus about is they're goals for???

Frankly you're being ridiculous.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

If there's anything people in Quebec City love, it's the city that represents the centralized power of the Canadian federal government.

Its a pretty nice city..

The Quebec peewee tournament is a huge draw.. the Carnival is a pretty good time from what I remember.
Very historic.

Stay away from politics

 

[HoweHullOrr]

But the problem is that you want the Sens to be perfect in every area! You people are never happy, you always find something to bitch and moan about. The team is in 3rd place in the division and you're still complaining

Frankly, it's ridiculous.

A simple solution would be to use the Ignore function, no?

That will work for both those that can’t handle any negative posts, or for those posters who think other posters are too positive.

The preaching gets kind of obnoxious & gets old fast.

 

[Senscore]

Its a pretty nice city..

The Quebec peewee tournament is a huge draw.. the Carnival is a pretty good time from what I remember.
Very historic.

Stay away from politics

It is a nice city.

I'm just saying that for a number of reasons, simply not liking the Habs isn't nearly enough to get them to support the Sens.

I understand courting the population of Gatineau but Quebec City is a bridge too far and frankly not worth the effort, especially if Andlauer wants to explore playing regular season games there.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

It is a nice city.

I'm just saying that for a number of reasons, simply not liking the Habs isn't nearly enough to get them to support the Sens.

I understand courting the population of Gatineau but Quebec City is a bridge too far and frankly not worth the effort, especially if Andlauer wants to explore playing regular season games there.

maybe so .. I think this is not a big deal in any way... as for what the benefits are ...I am pretty far on the outside of it to look at that.. They probably have.

 

[DueDiligence]

Its a pretty nice city..

The Quebec peewee tournament is a huge draw.. the Carnival is a pretty good time from what I remember.
Very historic.

Stay away from politics

Old city inside the remparts is incredible. And the Carnival is great especially when one is fortified with Caribou.

 

[DueDiligence]

Who gives a shit if the Sens are bottom 5 in goals for, what matters is winning hockey games, but you're too busy being negative and whiny they are 6th in the Eastern Conference with 56pts, they have the 6th best GAA in the league with a 2.7 and all you seem to focus about is they're goals for???

Frankly you're being ridiculous.

The problem with the Sens the last 4 years has been their team defense. This year they have finally got the team buying into defending and not surprisingly it's been at the expense of some offense. As in most sports strong defensive teams are usually more successful than offensive teams and its showing in the Sens point total.
As the team gets more comfortable with this "D first" philosophy I believe the offense will gradually improve. But they will be still playing a strong defensive game.

 

[SpezDispenser]

I think the team is finally fully adjusting to a real system, one that emphasizes defense and structure. I would imagine scoring takes a huge hit until they are 100 percent comfortable

 

[Mr Hat]

Who gives a shit if the Sens are bottom 5 in goals for, what matters is winning hockey games, but you're too busy being negative and whiny they are 6th in the Eastern Conference with 56pts, they have the 6th best GAA in the league with a 2.7 and all you seem to focus about is they're goals for???

Frankly you're being ridiculous.

Give it a rest man, you made a fool of yourself not knowing how dominant the Jets are outside goaltending.

We held the last division spot before and remember how quickly it slipped away?

If Levi and Forsberg played last 15 games like how Korpi and Forsberg played last year this team would have way more GA and would be under .500. The numbers are skewed by goalies outperforming, which is a good thing!

I already posted a quote from Giroux that that backs up the obvious, first two periods weren’t good enough. Micklebot, who is more elegant in his position showed stats that back it up. But hey that’s just complaining, maybe text Giroux and tell him to stop being such a hater.

Enjoy the win, but don’t accept the details that aren’t winning hockey. The only people that think that our recent play is acceptable for playoff standards are the people that thought PD was a good GM and we should give DJ another chance. Not great company to be apart of.

 

[swiftwin]

Give it a rest man, you made a fool of yourself not knowing how dominant the Jets are outside goaltending.

We held the last division spot before and remember how quickly it slipped away?

If Levi and Forsberg played last 15 games like how Korpi and Forsberg played last year this team would have way more GA and would be under .500. The numbers are skewed by goalies outperforming, which is a good thing!

I already posted a quote from Giroux that that backs up the obvious, first two periods weren’t good enough. Micklebot, who is more elegant in his position showed stats that back it up. But hey that’s just complaining, maybe text Giroux and tell him to stop being such a hater.

Enjoy the win, but don’t accept the details that aren’t winning hockey. The only people that think that our recent play is acceptable for playoff standards are the people that thought PD was a good GM and we should give DJ another chance. Not great company to be apart of.

"But it's the goaltending"

You're the one who needs to give it a rest.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

If you criticize this team it's because you're a BAD FAN. I mean, for all that happened during the last 8 seasons, it would be crazy to criticize them, they should be immune to it!

What you have to do is bury your head in the sand and wait for the team to win 2 games in a row so you can log in and gaslight all the fans that care and are here during good and BAD times.

Frankly, it's ridiculous.

Seriously, bro, lmao. We have second worst playoff drought in the entire league but God FORBID the passionate fans, who are posting IN REALTIME should mention anything negative after we were outplayed for 40 minutes.

How would they expect us to conduct ourselves if we win back-to-back cups like Tampa?

"Oh jolly, we have been shutout most times in the league this year and half in last dozen games? Well, thank the heavens for our positive fortune of dumping it in effectively."

What a joke. Lmao. It's entertainment, man's are acting like we're criticizing our mother

Sorry if you feel picked on as my response wasn't necessarily directed at you. But then again continual use of all caps in your posts is out of the ordinary.

Do your due diligence next time.

 

[Mr Hat]

View attachment 968244

"But it's the goaltending"

View attachment 968250

You're the one who needs to give it a rest.

Forsberg was awful to start the season, and as I stated my relevance is last 15 games where he and Levi have both been fantastic. But hey, keep picking data that fits the narrative that expands past the period of time I’m evaluating. Which is the dried up offence and sloppy overall play from our skilled forwards since December that needs to recover. The defence and goaltending have been excellent lately and I’ve never said otherwise.

 

[swiftwin]

Forsberg was awful to start the season, and as I stated my relevance is last 15 games where he and Levi have both been fantastic. But hey, keep picking data that fits the narrative that expands past the period of time I’m evaluating. Which is the dried up offence and sloppy overall play from our skilled forwards since December that needs to recover. The defence and goaltending have been excellent lately and I’ve never said otherwise.

I think you're so used to bad goaltending that you can't tell the difference between average goaltending and great goaltending. We've been getting average to above average goaltending from Forsberg and Merilainen.

 

[albator71]

I don't have any problem criticizing the team if the team loses hockey games but personally all I care about is winning that's it, I don't care how they do it as long as they're winning hockey games I'm happy. The only stats that really matters is the standings, there's no difference winning a game 2-1 of winning 8-0 its worth the same 2 points in the standings.

 

[PatrickEaves]

I don't have any problem criticizing the team if the team loses hockey games but personally all I care about is winning that's it, I don't care how they do it as long as they're winning hockey games I'm happy. The only stats that really matters is the standings, there's no difference winning a game 2-1 of winning 8-0 its worth the same 2 points in the standings.

Goal differential is the 6th tie breaker in the standings, and goals for is the 7th, so technically, winning 8-0 is better than winning 2-1.

 

[Xspyrit]

But the problem is that you want the Sens to be perfect in every area! You people are never happy, you always find something to bitch and moan about. The team is in 3rd place in the division and you're still complaining

Frankly, it's ridiculous.

I'll say "we" because I believe I'm far from being only one who feels like this, but we're not asking them to be perfect, we just want them to become good, reallllly good. You have to understand something really capital here. If the team was making the playoffs year after year, winning rounds and such, it'd be crazy to criticize every little problem (fans from contenders still do), positivity should be overwhelming then. BUT it has NOT been the case for 7 seasons and while we're doing well this year, we're still a 5 L streak away from trouble (like when we went 1-5-1 late December into the new year). We're still on thin ice and our scoring woes have been absolutely REAL. If defense/goaltending regress even just slightly, we could be in big trouble if scoring doesn't go up.

I am very happy to see the team in the 3rd spot right now but I also see the REALITY. We're 4th in P% with the Bruins (who have the most points among ALL teams in the 2 previous seasons), the Wings (who had 91 pts last season and are 11-4-1 since they have a new coach) and the Habs (rising fast, 13-4-2 since December 17th) JUST behind us. We could end up 7th in the division just as easily, particularly if we think that our scoring problem is nothing to worry about.

You can choose to just be a cheerleader fan and not looking over your shoulder to see the concerns if YOU WANT but you have to let other fans live their fandom the way they want. We don't all have to be blind cheerleading fans, there's many ways to support a team and in the end it's all about freedom of speech. The gaslighting has to to stop.

Who gives a shit if the Sens are bottom 5 in goals for, what matters is winning hockey games, but you're too busy being negative and whiny they are 6th in the Eastern Conference with 56pts, they have the 6th best GAA in the league with a 2.7 and all you seem to focus about is they're goals for???

Frankly you're being ridiculous.

ok so you choose to see only the glass half full but what if someone (like me) decides to see BOTH? I see the good things and the reasons for concern at the same time, does that make me a BAD fan?

You don't think that telling someone there's only ONE way to be a good fan is the ridiculous thing here?

If you think I only "bitch and moan", here's 2 posts I have made very recently.

1) If they could score 2-3 ES goals each game and 1 special unit goal, then we could be a good team for real. We're not that far but the offensive spell we've seen for months has to stop.

2) We're pacing for 92 pts and we're not even that far from the top. The Leafs are 3rd in the East and are pacing for only 102 pts, it's crazy. TVA talked about it but I think this season is the highest parity ever.

If we could start scoring just a bit more, I would frankly believe in our chances to be a Top-5 team in the East.
Sorry for being realistic I guess but with all I have been through in life, it's hard for me to just bury my head in the sand and not see things the way they are.

Seriously, bro, lmao. We have second worst playoff drought in the entire league but God FORBID the passionate fans, who are posting IN REALTIME should mention anything negative after we were outplayed for 40 minutes.

How would they expect us to conduct ourselves if we win back-to-back cups like Tampa?

"Oh jolly, we have been shutout most times in the league this year and half in last dozen games? Well, thank the heavens for our positive fortune of dumping it in effectively."

What a joke. Lmao. It's entertainment, man's are acting like we're criticizing our mother

Read the posts above, I think you'll enjoy it! And I think it sums things nicely. Being concerned does NOT equal being a bad fan.

 

[DueDiligence]

Forsberg was awful to start the season, and as I stated my relevance is last 15 games where he and Levi have both been fantastic. But hey, keep picking data that fits the narrative that expands past the period of time I’m evaluating. Which is the dried up offence and sloppy overall play from our skilled forwards since December that needs to recover. The defence and goaltending have been excellent lately and I’ve never said otherwise.

You know that much of they improved defense is due to the commitment from the skilled forwards to be better at defending and stop gambling for offense as they were doing. Regardless the Sens are still creating opportunities but just not finding the back of the net. But odds are they will going forward.

Let's look at a few key stats:
1) 5 on 5 High Danger shots and goals this season.
Senators 242 shots and 39 goals for a success rate of 16.1 % . Opposing teams 254 shots and 52 goals for a success rate of 20.4 %. If the Senators scored at a rate like their opposition they would have 49 goals.
2) 5 on 5 goals and expected goals this season :
Senators have scored 80 goals but their expected goals is 92. Opposing teams have scored 93 goals and their expected goals are 91.
Based on these stats either all the Sens have become much worse than the rest of the league at shooting or they have run into a streak of bad luck. I believe it is a combination of things but I don't think the low scoring trend will continue.

 

[Mr Hat]

I think you're so used to bad goaltending that you can't tell the difference between average goaltending and great goaltending. We've been getting average to above average goaltending from Forsberg and Merilainen.

Ullmark .915. Levi .921. Forsberg .894. League average is .900. Do the math, our goaltending is far above league average.

And aside from the numbers, it’s easy to see the number of high danger chances where especially Levi has made saves that should have resulted in GA

 

[swiftwin]

Ullmark .915. Levi .921. Forsberg .894. League average is .900. Do the math, our goaltending is far above league average.

And aside from the numbers, it’s easy to see the number of high danger chances where especially Levi has made saves that should have resulted in GA

It's the opposite. The team has been very good at limiting high danger chances. That's why Levi is only ranked 26th in saves above expected, even though he has a high save percentage.

 

[Mr Hat]

It's the opposite. The team has been very good at limiting high danger chances. That's why Levi is only ranked 26th in saves above expected, even though he has a high save percentage.

I’m sure most teams would appreciate their backup or 3rd string goalie to be 26th best in the league.

Additionally Levi had a few bad games where our defence and offence was also terrible. But some of his wins he was outstanding when the team was decent at best.

Using your stat, goals saved above expected, we have 17 goals saved above league average between our three goalies. Given our goal differential is at +1 currently, and looking at games won by one goal and loser points, those 17 goals against could very likely put us back to .500.

Will you finally admit we have had above average goaltending? Or do you want to try this again?

 

[DackellDuck]

It's the opposite. The team has been very good at limiting high danger chances. That's why Levi is only ranked 26th in saves above expected, even though he has a high save percentage.

He’s 25th in total goals saved above expected because he hasn’t played many games.

He’s 10th in sv% above expected and 11th in goals saved above expected per 60, which is a more accurate view of how well he’s played in his limited appearances.

If you look at goalies who’ve played 10 or more games, he’s in the top 5 in those categories.

The defensive play is greatly improved but two of our goalies have been very, very good.

 

[Micklebot]

Ullmark .915. Levi .921. Forsberg .894. League average is .900. Do the math, our goaltending is far above league average.

And aside from the numbers, it’s easy to see the number of high danger chances where especially Levi has made saves that should have resulted in GA

Not sure where you got league average at 900, I'm seeing .895, perhaps the numbers I have include EN ?

Regardless, We had the 7th worst sv% in the league at .879 for the start of the year to Nov 23rd, 20 games.

During that stretch we were 8-11-1.

Since then, we have the 2nd best SV% in the league at .916 in 30 games

Our record during that stretch is 18-9-3

Overall, goaltending has been above average to be sure, we are 6th best in the league at .902, but there is no denying it was losing us games early in the season, and winning them for us in the later half.

 

[Mr Hat]

Not sure where you got league average at 900, I'm seeing .895, perhaps the numbers I have include EN ?

Regardless, We had the 7th worst sv% in the league at .879 for the start of the year to Nov 23rd, 20 games.

During that stretch we were 8-11-1.

Since then, we have the 2nd best SV% in the league at .916 in 30 games

Our record during that stretch is 18-9-3

Overall, goaltending has been above average to be sure, we are 6th best in the league at .902, but there is no denying it was losing us games early in the season, and winning them for us in the later half.

Appreciate the correction on average save percentage of .900ish I referenced was on TSN a week ago.

In any case as someone who doesn’t spend much time on stats, the eye test showed our goaltending has been fantastic since December. Which is where this debate started, which roughly lines up to when Brady, Drake, and others offence dried up.

My position has been without our goalies stepping up since then we wouldn’t be celebrating our playoff position, the debate would be who do we blame the offence, defence, or goaltending. Need to fix the offence and PP to keep pace when goaltending has a dip so we maintain position in standing

 

[Micklebot]

Appreciate the correction on average save percentage of .900ish I referenced was on TSN a week ago.

In any case as someone who doesn’t spend much time on stats, the eye test showed our goaltending has been fantastic since December. Which is where this debate started, which roughly lines up to when Brady, Drake, and others offence dried up.

My position has been without our goalies stepping up since then we wouldn’t be celebrating our playoff position, the debate would be who do we blame the offence, defence, or goaltending. Need to fix the offence and PP to keep pace when goaltending has a dip so we maintain position in standing

No doubt, my goal was actually more to reinforce your point about goaltending recently and show just how important the turnaround in net has been to our recent success.

I do think we've cleaned up a lot of the catastrophic mistakes we saw early in the year though, and that's helped the goalies too.