Game Discussion Thread Senators @ Sabres; 2017-12-12; 7:00pm EDT

[3putt]

I had a thought after that goal that Pouliot, who was a fourth overall pick back in the day, is still a better all around player than Eichel. And if Eichel appreciates Pouliot, as he seems to given the reaction (good observation, LTS), then maybe it's going to dawn on Eichel just how far he has to go to be a very good NHL player. Eichel as a development project. I guess we should be surprised, but maybe not.

 

I snarked during the game that the Senators looked very Sabre-like, right down to the passion play at the end to get back in it, only to fall short.

you would be wrong. 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Great win.

 

Especially the way they hung on at the end there.  Did they Alamo it?

[WildCard]

Great win.

 

Especially the way they hung on at the end there.  Did they Alamo it?

Nope. Ottawa didn't even have a shot on goal for some 11 minutes in the 3rd. The Alamo is dead I think

[dudacek]

Very surprising no one went after Nolan.

It may have been a clean hit, but I t’s still the mark of a disengaged, beaten team.

 

And more to Ottawa’s terribleness, this team made the final four last year.

Rather than dismiss that as a fluke, I’m going to use it to point out how narrow the line is between success and failure in this league and how important the right mental focus and being in sync as a team can be.

 

It gives me hope that we can go in the opposite direction of the Sens.

Edited December 13, 2017 by Mick O’Manly

[WildCard]

Very surprising no one went after Nolan.

It may have been a clean hit, but I t’s still the mark of a disengaged, beaten team.

 

And more to Ottawa’s terribleness, this team made the final four last year.

Rather than dismiss that as a fluke, I’m going to use it to point out how narrow the line is between success and failure in this league and how important the right mental focus and being in sync as a team can be.

 

It gives me hope that we can go in the opposite direction of the Sens.

He did that all night and nobody went after him. Granted Neil is gone, Phaneuf is a giant , and there's no way Karlsson is dropping them...that's still a really bad sign for that team

[That Aud Smell]

Samson just seems lost the majority of this year, he was the weakest link of the Kane-Rodrigues line, blew an awesome pass from Kane that didn't hit the net and he was ALL ALONE.

 

Pouliot is without a doubt our pickup of the year, he may actually get us something at the trade deadline if we don't resign him

 

Good takes generally, these two especially.

 

I still believe that Reinhart projects as a good top-6 NHLer. But something's terribly amiss with him. I do think it's probably correctable. But maybe not.

 

Pouliot gives me hope for JBOT as a GM. 

 

Very surprising no one went after Nolan.

It may have been a clean hit, but I t’s still the mark of a disengaged, beaten team.

 

And more to Ottawa’s terribleness, this team made the final four last year.

Rather than dismiss that as a fluke, I’m going to use it to point out how narrow the line is between success and failure in this league and how important the right mental focus and being in sync as a team can be.

 

It gives me hope that we can go in the opposite direction of the Sens.

 

I agree on the Nolan issue. We actually stayed past the 5:00 mark, thinking there'd be a scrap.

 

Excellent point on the thin line between success and failure.

He did that all night and nobody went after him. Granted Neil is gone, Phaneuf is a giant ######, and there's no way Karlsson is dropping them...that's still a really bad sign for that team

 

Not sure it showed up on TV, but Phaneuf got tangled up with Pominville (?) and was dinged and angry as a result, poking at Pominville with his stick. Then he went back over to the far boards and tried to make a hit, and got wrecked by someone (Risto?). He then limped off to the bench -- cat-calls raining down on him.

[PASabreFan]

you would be wrong. 

Thanks for letting me know.

 

"Look out, runaway train!" Dunleavy is lame. Nice guy, but I hope Brandon will want a new voice with Dunleavy's contract expiring.

[Doohickie]

Our 4th line of Wilson and Nolan aren't scoring options but seem to make it hard to play against. Nolan with 2 big time hits, surprised no-one went after him on the 2nd

 

I commented on that when it happened.  It seemed very Lucic/Miller to me (although the hit was cleaner).  The camera followed Nolan after the whistle almost as if the cameraman expected some rough stuff to start, and even Nolan seemed to be looking around to see where the threat would come from, but the Sens just sat on their hands.  You want to talk about a team with no heart? 

[LGR4GM]

Good takes generally, these two especially.

 

I still believe that Reinhart projects as a good top-6 NHLer. But something's terribly amiss with him. I do think it's probably correctable. But maybe not.

 

Pouliot gives me hope for JBOT as a GM. 

I was thinking about what JBOT has done the other day and I don't have a lot of complaints. He seems meticulous and has made some decent moves. 

[Doohickie]

I was thinking about what JBOT has done the other day and I don't have a lot of complaints. He seems meticulous and has made some decent moves. 

 

I thought Pouliot, Nolan and Josefson were all excellent pickups for JBot.  When Josefson is off the IR he seems pretty effective; the other two have been mainstays.  They're not needy, they just play and usually contribute more than they detract (although Nolan seems to get more penalties than I'd like... but that's part of being an agitator).

The nice thing is that you can trade those guys away or keep and resign them; you either end up with assets or a serviceable low-cost player, short term player, but even if they get away, it's not the end of the world.  I'm thinking they trade Pouliot near the deadline; some team looking for secondary scoring or with injury trouble on their first line would confidently take him, and if he's scoring at his current rate the return should be decent.

 

But on those guys I give JBot A+, A & B+ (Pouliot, Nolan, Josefson).  Every one was a good pickup.

[Neo]

Very surprising no one went after Nolan.

It may have been a clean hit, but I t’s still the mark of a disengaged, beaten team.

And more to Ottawa’s terribleness, this team made the final four last year.

Rather than dismiss that as a fluke, I’m going to use it to point out how narrow the line is between success and failure in this league and how important the right mental focus and being in sync as a team can be.

It gives me hope that we can go in the opposite direction of the Sens.

My old habits die hard ... insight!

[R_Dudley]

I thought Pouliot, Nolan and Josefson were all excellent pickups for JBot.  When Josefson is off the IR he seems pretty effective; the other two have been mainstays.  They're not needy, they just play and usually contribute more than they detract (although Nolan seems to get more penalties than I'd like... but that's part of being an agitator).

But on those guys I give JBot A+, A & B+ (Pouliot, Nolan, Josefson).  Every one was a good pickup.

Lets add Wilson to that as well even though it was trade. He plays to the whistle, finishes checks, places himself in the right spots following plays and is hard to play against. 

 

When Jacobsen is cleared Reinhart should see the pine and be given the Moulson treatment to contemplate his Hockey sins and potential fate.   

 

And more to Ottawa’s terribleness, this team made the final four last year.

Rather than dismiss that as a fluke, I’m going to use it to point out how narrow the line is between success and failure in this league and how important the right mental focus and being in sync as a team can be.

 

It gives me hope that we can go in the opposite direction of the Sens.

Great observation and supports the analogy that it is not as far a distance from the Penthouse to the Outhouse as people often think. 

[Drunkard]

What’s Karlsson sign for? Base case: 8 x $11.5 = $92 million ... at age 27.

 

He'd be 29 by the time the contract actually kicks in though.

[erickompositör72]

When Jacobsen is cleared Reinhart should see the pine and be given the Moulson treatment to contemplate his Hockey sins and potential fate.

 

I'd love them to send him down to Rochester, but noooo way he clears waivers.

[Radar]

Thanks for letting me know.

 

"Look out, runaway train!" Dunleavy is lame. Nice guy, but I hope Brandon will want a new voice with Dunleavy's contract expiring.

Amen. I've ranted about Dunleavy before. He is terrible plain and simple. May be the nicest guy in the world but he's terrible hockey play by play guy.

[Neo]

He'd be 29 by the time the contract actually kicks in though.

Good catch. Bigger gulp needed.

[French Collection]

Very surprising no one went after Nolan.

It may have been a clean hit, but I t’s still the mark of a disengaged, beaten team.

And more to Ottawa’s terribleness, this team made the final four last year.

Rather than dismiss that as a fluke, I’m going to use it to point out how narrow the line is between success and failure in this league and how important the right mental focus and being in sync as a team can be.

It gives me hope that we can go in the opposite direction of the Sens.

The Sens were 1 goal away from beating Pittsburgh and making the finals.

LA just made the playoffs and won the Cup a few years ago.

 

We just need to get to the dance...

[PASabreFan]

I commented on that when it happened.  It seemed very Lucic/Miller to me (although the hit was cleaner).  The camera followed Nolan after the whistle almost as if the cameraman expected some rough stuff to start, and even Nolan seemed to be looking around to see where the threat would come from, but the Sens just sat on their hands.  You want to talk about a team with no heart? 

Not to beat a dead horse, but why does a clean hit have to be avenged? They'd have likely ended up shorthanded in a game they really needed to win.

[spndnchz]

Not to beat a dead horse, but why does a clean hit have to be avenged? They'd have likely ended up shorthanded in a game they really needed to win.

The ‘code’ bud

[Neo]

The ‘code’ bud

I think avenging clean hits is The Code, Part Deux. Back in the day, as I recall, The Code came into play after cheap shots, when the unskilled went after the skilled, or when two tough guys wanted to raise the energy level by mutual consent. Fighting after clean hits, it seems to me, is a relatively recent annoyance.

Edited December 14, 2017 by neo

[darksabre]

I think avenging clean hits is The Code, Part Deux. Back in the day, as I recall, The Code came into play after cheap shots, when the unskilled went after the skilled, or when two tough guys wanted to raise the energy level by mutual consent. Fighting after clean hits, it seems to me, is a relatively recent annoyance.

I don't think anyone needed to fight Nolan. But a howdy-do bump or some chirping might have been nice if you're Bobby Ryan and you think you're on a team of guys who like you.

[That Aud Smell]

Agree wholeheartedly, neo and d4rk.

 

The supposed obligation to fight after a clean hit is among the dumbest things going in sports.

 

I agree on the Nolan issue. We actually stayed past the 5:00 mark, thinking there'd be a scrap.

Talking out of both sides of my mouth, I am.

 

In my defence, we thought the hit was perhaps a bit late or cheap as we watched live.

Thanks for letting me know.

 

"Look out, runaway train!" Dunleavy is lame. Nice guy, but I hope Brandon will want a new voice with Dunleavy's contract expiring.

Just watched the goal broadcast. It was weak sauce. Needed RJ and a “how do you do?”

Edited December 14, 2017 by That Aud Smell

[Neo]

I don't think anyone needed to fight Nolan. But a howdy-do bump or some chirping might have been nice if you're Bobby Ryan and you think you're on a team of guys who like you.

How’s this take sound to you? In my understanding of, and in my “JV” experience with, the original code, the chirping would be “nice hit” to Nolan and “keep your head up” to Ryan.

[That Aud Smell]

How’s this take sound to you? In my understanding of, and in my “JV” experience with, the original code, the chirping would be “nice hit” to Nolan and “keep your head up” to Ryan.

Nice hit? Maybe “You’re next, big boy.”

[jsb]

Now the Senators beat the Rangers last night

Explain that one

Maybe there is hope