GDT: The SENS Express Storms into Cowboy Country (Calgary), 9:00PM EST, TSN5/RDS

[Emrasie]

talked about this yesterday .. the options are not great anywhere in the org for a top 6 winger without breaking things up that are working somewhere else to try different players there. Gaudette is not a top 6 player but I like the make up of the 3rd and 4th line.

At least 3 lines are good, it's better than few games ago where only one was rolling.
And they win so you can't break the lines, there is one line who is not working and it's the Stu line sadly.

But against top opponent we will need to find a solution as the team needs the Stu line to perform.

 

[Blotto71]

jonathan Huberdesu didn’t back check on the game winning goal he was actually just talking to nobody below the Sens goal line because he’s the softest player of his generation and he should be embarrassed to be so rich without an once of effort when the game is on the line.

He’s the Pierre Turgeon of this era.

I thought Popisol going down in a heap and laying there crying after getting swatted with a gloved hand was pretty f***ing soft, too!

 

[Blotto71]

Well, he finished the game with whatever he fractured, so I imagine it's not as bad as your ankle was. My guess is a metararsal fracture, but that's purely speculation on my part.

Isn't that a dinosaur?

 

[Relapsing]

And you saw who scored the OT goal I assume.

Oooh, look who has a long memory - someones been eating their carrots!

Of course I did. His December play has been great, way better than November (which was shit and deserved critique whether you like it or not). Wining helps, but his numbers are much improved:

In only 9 games this month (vs 14 in Nov), he has as many goals, is a +3 vs a -3, has spent less time in the box (2 mins vs 40 lol), has a better s%, a better FOW%, is laying less hits, blocked more shots, and has less giveaways/game, all in the same TOI/GP.

Good Brady.

 

[LiseL]

Team reverting back to the DJ breakout.

Yep, this is called the "Sens playing from behind" system.

 

[LiseL]

4th linr has been money since few games now. Cousins really good 4th liner

He's been on the 3rd line with Pinto/Amadio for the last few games, was on that line at the beginning. Green started mixing up up the lines, guess he was trying to get them going. Cousins has been really good lately, had a lot more jump last night compared to many of the other players. Liked his comment after the 1st period that the team was sleepy .

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Sloppy game but these are the games that show a playoff team from a non-playoff team.

I think something I worry about is the lack of physical presence in the top 6 outside of Brady. There are several, several 1 and done plays in offensive zone because we simply cannot retrieve the puck or apply notable pressure on the forecheck.

Norris needs to be that guy on the 2nd line. Tkachuk does his part, Batherson does his, Norris needs to do more. I feel it'll come.

Most obvious thing is the winger support for Stutzle. Father age catching up to Giroux and Guadette a band-aid at this point. They aren't overly skilled nor are they physical and Stutzle trying to do it all again.

Ullmark playing tremendous yet again. Hats off to him. What a run and what a performance. He is winning us games.

 

[LiseL]

Worst game Sens have played in a minute. Losing every battle, can’t make a pass.

I've been waiting a few games to see how they'd play if they got behind, well, now I know. They revert back to their old, sloppy ways. Good thing Cousins/Greig were able to score as that top 6 couldn't get anything done 5v5 or on the PP. At least Stu/Brady were clutch in overtime with that beautiful pass from Ullmark.

 

[LiseL]

Top guys really haven't done much 5 on 5 lately.

or the PP.

 

[LiseL]

It's a wildly bad strategy lol. They stopped doing it briefly after the Palmieri goal against the Isles, but back to it now.

Which makes me think it's not a coaching thing but a player thing. For most of this game, a lot of the players have reverted back to their old, bad habits. Obviously, it's still a work in progress with this group.

 

[LiseL]

Sanderson loves dumping the puck to hamonic. I think he actually trusts him which is scary

Or he doesn't trust himself.

 

[LiseL]

I think Ullmark has the best odds of registering our next shot on goal

Very prophetic. He did get an apple (which he so deserved).

 

[LiseL]

Ridley Grieg and Ullmark has been the Sens best players.

Cousins was very noticeable too.

 

[LiseL]

Love the cheers when Brady scored. Sounded like we were well represented in Calgary tonight

Probably a lot of Ridley/Ostapchuk family in attendance as they're both Alberta boys. + I think there are Sens fans that live in that area.

 

[LiseL]

I dunno, this is about as solid a lineup as we've had and there's no one to replace him with in that spot unless you want to go back to Greig who was even less of a presence.

I agree, not much he can do until Perron comes back.

 

[LiseL]

Boston's lost 8-1, 8-2, 7-1, and plenty of loses giving up 4-5 so I guess that does that.

I think both Boston and Pitts win a lot of 1 goal games, many in OT, but get blown out a lot of the times in their regulation losses.

 

[LiseL]

Again, the bottom six are winning us these games. Its the 3rd and 4th line contribution that propels you into the playoffs and wins championships......and my goodness....our goalie.

Not this game, but the D have been producing as well in this winning streak. Now give me more of that please.

 

[LiseL]

fractured foot is usually 4-6 weeks, so that puts his return in the 21st Dec to 4 Jan range, but I'd expect them to hold off until after the holidays even if he was ready tomorrow.

Wouldn't surprise me if it was after the road trip, so first game back at home, Jan 9th I believe. JBD/Kleven have been playing really well, hope Green lets Hamonic sit in the press box, he could probably use the rest. But I doubt that's what will happen sigh.

 

[LiseL]

Sloppy game but these are the games that show a playoff team from a non-playoff team.

I think something I worry about is the lack of physical presence in the top 6 outside of Brady. There are several, several 1 and done plays in offensive zone because we simply cannot retrieve the puck or apply notable pressure on the forecheck.

Norris needs to be that guy on the 2nd line. Tkachuk does his part, Batherson does his, Norris needs to do more. I feel it'll come.

Most obvious thing is the winger support for Stutzle. Father age catching up to Giroux and Guadette a band-aid at this point. They aren't overly skilled nor are they physical and Stutzle trying to do it all again.

Ullmark playing tremendous yet again. Hats off to him. What a run and what a performance. He is winning us games.

Totally agree with your one and done comment but with an additional caveat. Too many times the D at the point take a shot that hits a body and is promptly picked up by the opposition, coming back the other way. Then the D are scrambling to get behind them back to the D zone. None of the Sens D are elite shooters. Just wish they'd make another play if they don't have a lane.

In a nutshell: I wish many of the F would shoot more instead of overpassing; I wish the D would pass more instead of always shooting .