Pre-Game Talk: The Wild invade Ottawa, Tues. 7:00 pm on TSN

[Langdon Alger]

I admit I kept my hopes slightly up after the last two wins. But with Boston winning their last two and this bad loss, I think it's time to put the final nail in our playoff chances' coffin.

Can’t give up before Christmas, but it’s going to be very tough to get into the playoffs. Have to finish 3rd in this division to make it.

 

[Micklebot]

Oh come now, Anderson was not impeded whatsoever.

Disagree. The stick was blocking his path. Either way, it`s contact in the crease initiated by the forward which is no goal.

 

[Sensinitis]

You are.

Good talk

 

[L'Aveuglette]

Look, you`re calling me out for saying it was a shame that Brass's goal could have meant something if not for suspect officiating. I never said we played great. All I'm saying is the officiating was suspect and had it not been, maybe this was a more exciting game at that point.

More exciting? Ok, but I never argued that. I didn't think we were discussing the entertainment factor there.

Brendan Bell just put it well on the post-game show: Even if that was goalie interference, you just don't put yourself in that situation where you give up a 2-goal lead and give them the chance to score a 5th goal to go up by two.

That's the problem here. We can talk about officiating 'til the cows come home, but it's truly the last of our worries.

 

[SenatorsHockey]

Sorry but it's time to vent lol.

It's becoming increasing difficult to stay positive about this franchise. We become nothing but mediocre from top to bottom.

We have an owner who spouts off to the media and consistently sounds like an idiot when he makes comments. He's also admitted to running the thinnest front office in the league as a means to keeping costs down.

As a result, we have an inexperienced GM who makes moves not with the intention of maximizing assets, he actively gives assets away to save money. Now, as a budget team, he's anchored the team with unnecessary contracts (Burrows, Anderson, Condon) on top of the other albatross contracts signed/obtained during the Murray era (Phaneuf, Ryan).

He also chose to sign Boucher, the seemingly cheaper option rather than Boudreau, the guy with a proven track of regular season success. Boucher has shown a pattern of short-term success before completely losing the spark for whatever reason.

Now, we're a defensive-minded team who can't keep the puck out of our net. They fold as soon as things get difficult and they don't push back until its too late.

We have a generational talent in Erik Karlsson who's contract is running out and honestly, I wouldn't blame him if he chooses not to sign with us. I meant for God's sake, Eugene is seemingly throwing shade at him for saying he wanted to get payed what he's worth!

Long story short: it's looking tough. We could be in for some dark days over the next couple of years. We need a change at the very top to facilitate the changes necessary throughout the franchise to get back in the road to success.

 

[Sensinitis]

So as expected, the two games vs the Bruins at the end of this month will determine our season.

Those can be two huge wins. Good thing we like the Bruins... We'll see what happens.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Boucher sounds like a coach fired. He's just got nothing to say.

1. He's not getting fired... so get over it
2. What should he say at this point.. I mean he tried to stay positive thru the slump ..and that bothered people .. I would not have much to say either... l would prefer if he went full Belichick in the interviews ... We will look at the tape.. on the the next one.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Disagree. The stick was blocking his path. Either way, it`s contact in the crease initiated by the forward which is no goal.

He was not not able to get into position to attempt to make the save.

The stick came down on his pad after he got into position.

Contact initiated by he opposing player should be an automatic "no goal" is not the same as "he was impeded".

That's all i'm saying.

 

[DylanSensFan]

That's only if you are really biased. Sens gave up 5 straight goals while playing like crap in front of the net and getting very little going in their favor until it was 5-3. That 4th goal only happened because we took out Andy on the PP, which would not have happened otherwise.

Those two goals you say refereeing was directly responsible for actually happened because no one was covering their man. The interference was iffy and could be called either way.

The Senators fell apart after a few piss poor calls. We were playing our system to a tee and then all of the sudden we had break downs in our own end. There were some chincey calls made against us and a few of them led to goals.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

Making negative quirps on a player after said player just scored doesn't seem like 'calling out' to me. I enjoy Brass so maybe I'm taking this too personal.

Yes, yes you are. No one said "screw Brassard he sucks" after that goal. It was clearly a stat-padding goal at that point with a two-man lead, and he's done jack-squat the previous 11 games, so we made a few quips. He's a big reason why we're slumping. No reason not to discuss it.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Sounds better than Cameron though.

ANy coach is better at anything than Cameron

 

[Burrowsaurus]

1. He's not getting fired... so get over it
2. What should he say at this point.. I mean he tried to stay positive thru the slump ..and that bothered people .. I would not have much to say either... l would prefer if he went full Belichick in the interviews ... We will look at the tape.. on the the next one.

Well that's just it. There is nothing to say. He's got zero answers. On and off the ice

 

[Gil Gunderson]

The Senators fell apart after a few piss poor calls. We were playing out system to a tee and then all of the sudden we had break downs in our own end. There were some chincey calls made against us and a few of them led to goals.

We started looking like garbage a little after we made it 3-1. We allowed 10 straight shots 5-on-5 before Stewart's goal.

It's not working this year.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

The Senators fell apart after a few piss poor calls. We were playing out system to a tee and then all of the sudden we had break downs in our own end. There were some chincey calls made against us and a few of them led to goals.

Resiliency is a major issue this year that is the main takeaway.

Life isn't fair but you still have to get up and go. Blaming the refs for the fact that the team folded like a lawn chair on a rainy day is missing the point.

Were the refs terrible? Yes. Now get back on the ice and score some goals and defend properly.

The team went super soft once we got up to 3-1. That isn't on the refs.

 

[Micklebot]

More exciting? Ok, but I never argued that. I didn't think we were discussing the entertainment factor there.

Brendan Bell just put it well on the post-game show: Even if that was goalie interference, you just don't put yourself in that situation where you give up a 2-goal lead and give them the chance to score a 5th goal to go up by two.

That's the problem here. We can talk about officiating 'til the cows come home, but it's truly the last of our worries.

Again, you seem to be arguing with yourself here. I said too bad Brass's goal wasn`t more meaningful because of some poor calls. I pointed out the poor calls. That`s all. I'm not saying we played a fantastic game. Lots of things could have been done better on our part, but that's the nature of the game. You then asked if I believed if not for officiating, we'd have still be in the game. I think that's pretty evident given that officiating can be seen as to literally have cost us two goals. Three if you want to include soft/missed calls, but that kind of thing happens. When you have the benefit of video replay to make a call by the rule book, it's a shame when it's clearly gotten wrong.

Oh, and hey, since you want to talk about Bell's take, he also thought it was interference after watching the replay a few times.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

The Senators fell apart after a few piss poor calls. We were playing out system to a tee and then all of the sudden we had break downs in our own end. There were some chincey calls made against us and a few of them led to goals.

You said it, we did fall apart.

Good teams can handle getting a few bad calls during a game. We can not.

 

[Uchiha]

Again, you seem to be arguing with yourself here. I said too bad Brass's goal wasn`t more meaningful because of some poor calls. I pointed out the poor calls. That`s all. I'm not saying we played a fantastic game. Lots of things could have been done better on our part, but that's the nature of the game. You then asked if I believed if not for officiating, we'd have still be in the game. I think that's pretty evident given that officiating can be seen as to literally have cost us two goals. Three if you want to include soft/missed calls, but that kind of thing happens. When you have the benefit of video replay to make a call by the rule book, it's a shame when it's clearly gotten wrong.

Oh, and hey, since you want to talk about Bell's take, he also thought it was interference after watching the replay a few times.

Soft calls or not we're still playing like trash.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

Again, you seem to be arguing with yourself here. I said too bad Brass's goal wasn`t more meaningful because of some poor calls. I pointed out the poor calls. That`s all. I'm not saying we played a fantastic game. Lots of things could have been done better on our part, but that's the nature of the game. You then asked if I believed if not for officiating, we'd have still be in the game. I think that's pretty evident given that officiating can be seen as to literally have cost us two goals. Three if you want to include soft/missed calls, but that kind of thing happens. When you have the benefit of video replay to make a call by the rule book, it's a shame when it's clearly gotten wrong.

Oh, and hey, since you want to talk about Bell's take, he also thought it was interference after watching the replay a few times.

You sure do love to repeat the same stuff over and over, don't you?

You keep harping on officiating, I say get over it. We lost because we played bad. Who's arguing with themselves here?

 

[Sensinitis]

Yes, yes you are. No one said "screw Brassard he sucks" after that goal. It was clearly a stat-padding goal at that point with a two-man lead, and he's done jack-squat the previous 11 games, so we made a few quips. He's a big reason why we're slumping. No reason not to discuss it.

That's exactly my point though. How is it a "stat-padding goal"? Do you know what that means? His goal gave the team a better chance to win the game. It's not a stupid empty net or a goal with 3 seconds left down 3 goals. I just don't usually call players out right after they score a goal like Brass did.

 

[Micklebot]

You sure do love to repeat the same stuff over and over, don't you?

You keep harping on officiating, I say get over it. We lost because we played bad. Who's arguing with themselves here?

you seemed to be having trouble following the conversation, so I thought I'd summarize it for you. I agree that it's too bad we couldn't play well enough to not let poor officiating take us out of a game.

 

[Langdon Alger]

Yes, yes you are. No one said "screw Brassard he sucks" after that goal. It was clearly a stat-padding goal at that point with a two-man lead, and he's done jack-squat the previous 11 games, so we made a few quips. He's a big reason why we're slumping. No reason not to discuss it.

Maybe that goal will be good for his confidence if nothing else.

 

[Stylizer1]

ANy coach is better at anything than Cameron

Touche.

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

That's exactly my point though. How is it a "stat-padding goal"? Do you know what that means? His goal gave the team a better chance to win the game. It's not a stupid empty net or a goal with 3 seconds left down 3 goals. I just don't usually call players out right after they score a goal like Brass did.

An empty net goal gives a team a better chance to win. Solidifies it in most cases.

Making it 6-4 with a minute left is an improbable come back even more so under this suffocating system.

 

[albator71]

He also chose to sign Boucher, the seemingly cheaper option rather than Boudreau, the guy with a proven track of regular season success.

Yes good on you to mention that Boudreau has a good regular season success because his playoff record ain't worth a bag of shit.
Heck, Boucher has had more success in the post-season then Boudreau!

 

[Tundraman]

Don't want to rehash the trades but Dorion sold Brassard and Duchene as clutch players and neither one has been since coming here. Brassard started the season well for a few games and then faded as teams got their legs. He had some good playoff games but he was a minus player and was overshadowed by Karlsson, Ryan and Hoffman. Even Pageau doubled him up in the goal dept 8 to 4 thanks to a 4 goal game. So Brass was better than he'd shown in the regular season but wasn't a superstar by any stretch. A team might be able to afford one sub par top centre like that but 2! Duchene has done sfa to help the team win since coming here except be a fancier less productive version of last year's Dzingel that everyone made fun of comparing him to Condra for having no finish. Some of my displeasure with Duchene is probably getting transferred onto Brassard but they both deserve a kick in the pants. They are supposed to be quality #1/#2 centres but removing the undeserved padding their "meaningful offensive contribution" is no better than borderline 3rd line for Brass and 4th line expectations for Duchene. The defense may be porous and the goal tending may be crap but the lack of goal scoring at key times by our so-called top 2 centres is unacceptable. I especially don't see why Dorion chased after Duchene so desperately to the point of obsession.