Too early? I think so, but still it's a timely, catchy headline, yes? Mired in a 5 game losing streak with all sorts of Upper Deck trading cards on the mend, we randomly lose our #1 guy and backup to random injuries slash flu bugs. So here we go! Mike "Don't call me Marty" Brodeur to the rescue! And whaaaa? A shutout? Our second of the season and Mike's second NHL victory? Calder? Vezina?
Easy fans. The answer to those question marks is nope. Not that you thought any differently. But I want to examine...
We've all been super frustrated with the recent efforts of our hometown heroes. Under a big losing streak with minimal effort to show for it, we've been cringing for something, anything! With hope on the way, that being out recent success at MSG, we approach tonight with a fearful optimism that we can do it. And so we do! But my question is, could we have pulled that off with Snoopy or the BE Keeper in net? No Alfie just yet, can we get it together to pull off a road win without desparate optimism? I'll be honest, I doubted it. But just like we reached down and deep when Alfie vacated the line up, we did so when our 1-2 went down. And a W to show for it.
Great for the boys to dig in, play a strong road game and get a much needed win. Remember how we won games when Alfie and Spez got hurt? We seem to respond well when needed, but can Clouston keep this desperation alive? Let's hope so... Word is in that Snoopy has suffured a concussion. Uh oh. We all know that means long term. So what do we do? Keep the hot hand? Or the semi experienced yet troubled hand of Elliot? What a game, what a season.
Maybe there is a brewing goalie contraversy in Ottawa. Thank goodness we're used to this. So what do we do on Saturday? Go back to non-Quebec native Brodeur? Or give the game to non-Quebec native Elliot? Remember, Brodeur is a rook with AHL experience while Elliot has (minimal) NHL experience. A big 2 points are on the line. Let's hear your thoughts.
What a random blog from a handsome dude that didn't even watch the game. But we need to take a breath and get back into the current issues rather than worrying about out April golf schedule - there is lots to think about for today. For example, aside from this goaltending question, I wonder to myself, who is the last Sen to wear #23? Daugavins did tonight - but who was before him?
And while you're thinking, who starts on Saturday? Play the coach and have fun! I give the nod back to Mike. Keep it rolling bud. Am I wrong? I've been wrong many, many times before. Prove me wrong again!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
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13 comments:
You go with the hot hand and right now Mike Brodeur is infinitely hotter than the other two options.
What I was amazed with was his rebound control. He was like velcro out there! It is honestly better than anything I've seen from Leclaire and Elliott all season.
As for Leclaire...a concussion? From a puck hitting his mask?!? How brittle is this guy? Good to see he's living right up to his reputation of being injury prone. Is there any chance they can send him down for a conditioning stint? What are the rules on that?
#23 was defenseman Karl Rachunek (sorry if i spelt his name wrong) and I agree and say go with the hot had brodeur is 2-0 with a shutout and only 1 goal in the other game, why go against something that is working i say regardless of how long snoopy is out we go with Brodeur until he starts to fade, which hopefully is in 10-15 years when he wants to retire
Aahhh, Rachunek! How could I forget?! Thanks for jogging my memory Tony.
I'd go with Mike - not because he's riding that win streak, but because Elliot is still recovering from the flu, and (to my knowledge) Leclaire is still nursing that injury.
However, the last thing you want to do is push Mike into the Ottawa-goalie-pressure-cooker and wreck his confidence.
Mike's played well in two starts. I'd say give him a couple more. He's poised and confident, so milk it.
A big plus is Eli's not here to taint him and maybe the other two can learn from him. At least how to stay in and around the blue semi circle in front of the net.
No sense touting him as the next Jesus, but nothing wrong with having solid backup to at least give you confidence that someone in the organization knows how to stop a puck.
Maybe the turning point. Tomorrow night will tell. Does CC have the stones to start Mikey?
…And so it came to pass that the ragtag troupe of traveling mutineer jesters of Ottawa, the throng who less than fortnight’s past, allowed the troglodytes of Atlantashire, Raleigh ‘Pon the Carolinian Peninsula, and the Barbarians of Floridian Panhandle, mash their French Fries in their collective catsup face, that yay, but went on to perform an unblemished road jaunt ‘gainst the Yorkside Dandy Fops toppling he his Royal Highness Henrik Von Lundqvist thee Elder and his happy men. Local Serf, Donald Brennan, spirit exalted, with words high unto Hockey Goddom, a celestial path his teareyed cries of joy to the heavens paved, “KALU KALY! His word is Good! Gather ye children one and each and tell it ‘pon yon mountaintop that O! Ye Benevolent Saints have bestowed ‘pon us thee Anointed Child! Come, let us adore Him. Raise up ye bewailing eyes of lament and defeat and throw to His cradleside the grandest hillock of Myrrh thyne arms may bear. Fall on thy knees fine countrymen and rejoice in the Power and Glory of He the Most High! Healer of Lepers, Resurrector of the Deadites, Keeper of Sound Positional Angles we miscreants may do only but lift Thy Mighty Name! BRODEUR!
You're welcome Pynch, any word yet on who the next goalie coach will be? I heard Ron Tugnutt as a possibility, what would you think of him as the coach, I know he's always loved Ottawa and who better to teach goalies then a retiered vet who had some mediocore but some very good seasons
Funny you say that Tony, I actually suggested that to Duff the other day! I hadn't actually heard it, but I don't think it's a bad idea. He's currently getting his coaching feet wet with the Generals in the O, and what Sens fan doesn't have a special place for Tugger in their heart?
On the flip side, a quick look at Oshawa's goaltending stats do not bode well for Tugs. Their two goalies essentially split time (29 games vs 20 games), the better of the two has a 3.60 GAA and both have save percentages under 0.900. In fact, their stats are similar to Leclaire and Elliot's.
That said, I have no idea what the situation is on Oshawa. Just pulling up stats isn't effective to judge a man's coaching ability. (Apparently, he also coaches his son's team in Peterborough as well, but I don't have any stats there...).
The bottom line is that Murray better make the right decision or it's his a**. Don't expect Melnyk to have any more patience for poor hires. Murray's on a tight leash and he knows it.
One thing's for sure, our next goalie coach won't be Tom Barrasso...
There was a blurb in the paper that we might use the 67's goalie coach as a consultant until the summer. The article also mentioned that our best years for goalies were when we used Phil Myre as a consultant, as he was a full-time scout. Maybe we just need a guy to stop by once a while and tweak things instead of being in their face all the time. Goalies are weird dudes.
Brodeur has to start - he's the only one winning right now. And I can't tell if Snoopy's inability to stay healthy is bad luck or actually pathetic. A shot to the mask/forehead and you have a concussion?
Should be interesting to see what they end up doing, I say go with what works and if having a consultant type who will come in from time to time works well lets hire someone as a consultant, fyi Mr Murray, I'm available for the job and my experience is womens hockey I was the defense/goalie coach that has to be good enough right? No not really.....
And Pynch if they sign embarrasso to any type of role I will start a search for a new favorite team because that guy was awful, only action he had was telling some reporter to f off
I believe Barrasso is in the Carolina organization according to Wikipedia. So no worries.
You could put any goalie in our net and he would look like a terd. With the worst set of D in the league, this team will chew up any man who takes the net. Brodeur will do fine for a while, despite being bombarded, until he has a bad game and Brennan or some other hack chews him up in the paper. The confidence will o and he will join the very long list of guys whose careers ended badly in Ottawa.
I think two of my points regarding why the Sens will make the playoffs are looking pretty good right now.
First, I said our D isn't as bad as people like Grinder would have you believe. Brodeur hasn't been outstanding, or standing on his head. He's just been decent, positionally sound and with good rebound control. And in the process our D has kept two playoff contending teams mostly in check.
I also pointed out what a difference maker Alfie is. Player movement, which I highlighted as an issue earlier, was much better last game, largely because Alfie was initiating that movement in the offensive zone.
The Sens may have had an easy schedule up to now, and they may stink as a road team, but they're still in a playoff spot because the East is so weak overall. I'm reluctant to count them out yet, because frankly their competition for those last few playoff spots isn't really that great either.
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