Hastily Made Playoff Post

Heartbreak and heroics this playoff season. In just six games, we learned a great deal about our team and our players. It's a shame to lose in a game where we blow a 3-goal lead on home ice in an elimination game. It's a shame to lose in OT when our fourth line is inexplicably on the ice when our top players couldn't have been too tired to be out there. It's a shame that we have lost six straight home playoff games. But it was great to be back in the playoffs, to see the fans come together in red, and to do it with class and sportsmanship.

Reasons for Hope:

1. Peter Regin - it isn't Mike Fisher that is a scoring machine, it is Regin. On his own, he isn't a top line player. But paired with Spezza and Alfredsson really doesn't expose him to be a big miss, either. He has speed, smarts, and he definitely has the hands to hang with the top players. Regin was a treat to watch and will be much improved next year, too.

2. Erik Karlsson - there is no question that the kid made some mistakes in the playoffs, but nothing that was so costly that it cost us a game or the series (we did that as a team). It was Kuba's injury that allowed us to see how special this kid is as a player and hopefully he has learned enough from this experience to work his ass off this summer with the captain and be a top pairing player next year. Unreal season for the kid.

3. Pascal Leclaire - I laughed out loud when I read Brennan in the Sun say that Pascal should have been playing the entire series, never should have been pulled in Carolina last month, rah rah rah. Get over yourself, Brennan. At no point during this season did Pascal show that he was the starting goalie. He did everything possible to ensure Elliott took over the job. Of course Elliott started the series - he was the goalie that got us here! Pascal had one win in 2010 and it was a nothing game in Florida. But what Leclaire did do in the past two games was give us some hope or excitement or bewilderment as to what we might get next season. It doesn't change the fact that he is the most injury-prone player we've ever had and it doesn't change the fact that he was quite bad when he WAS healthy. But for a guy that was written off amid suggestions he be bought out, Snoopy showed enough promise to make us just a bit excited that he will be better next season.

4. Matt Cullen and Andy Sutton - Cullen isn't a top line player and Sutton isn't a top pairing defenceman, but these guys fit in better than any other trade deadline acquisition we've ever had, except maybe Comrie 1.0. Cullen was easily our best forward in the playoffs (Sorry Regin) and gives us another second line forward with the likes of Fisher, Kovalev, Michalek, etc. Carolina used to be a contender because they had a great goalie and had nine forwards that could bury goals. We could get there if we can bury Cheechoo and keep Cullen. Sutton is a decent replacement for Volchenkov when the latter goes to the Caps this summer. He blocks as many shots and hits as many forwards, but doesn't get the same recognition because he hasn't been here his whole career. I'm curious to see his salary demands coming off a $3M season.

5. Kelly/Ruutu/Neil - our best combined line this series, these guys need to be left alone as the ultimate third line. Kelly and Ruutu really are our best backcheckers. If you watch Ruutu in our zone, he's everywhere and he's great at getting the puck to safety. These three need to be together for 82 games, leaving the fourth line to whatever rookies crack the roster, like Zach Attack and Bobby Butler...

Things that concern me:

1. Brian Elliott - What happened here? He was never an elite goalie, but he was very good for us down the stretch. He was actually quite bad in the playoffs. I know the Emery struggled in his first playoff series, so hopefully this was a big learning experience. But you have to wonder with Lehner going to Bingo and Pascal perhaps stepping back into the #1 role (amazing that we call him the starter after two games, one of which he lost), what the future holds for Elliott.

2. Alfie - I am not concerned about Alfie as I know he had pulled abdominal muscles. I'm more concerned about this team without Alfie. We are in the final years of this guy's career and it is no secret that we are downright awful when he isn't on his game. I was hoping to see Spezza take over a leadership role but it didn't happen this year, aside from some point streaks late in the season. Does BM need to look at the free agent or trade market to find that leader post-Alfredsson? We most definitely need some kind of contingency because our heroic captain is going to start showing declining production as these years tick off.

3. Volchenkov - I'm calling his departure inevitable. If you haven't listened to the 6th Sens interview with his agent, Jay Grossman, what are you waiting for? But seriously, the comments that he made were clear - A-Train needs to know that he is spending his prime physical years blocking shots for a winning team. His style is so reckless that he doesn't want to sacrifice his body for a team that isn't ready to contend. Our first round loss, albeit fair for us, might not have been enough to show A-Train that we're ready to contend. I honestly think he looks at teams like Pittsburgh, Washington, Vancouver, Detroit, or Los Angeles and takes a decent contract for a chance to win a Cup while he is still able to play at a high level. A first round series win over the Champs would have gone a long way for us in showing Volchenkov that we're a winning team, but that didn't happen.

4. Jason Spezza - I know he had a fair amount of points this round, but he looks like the same player as the Spezza from 2, 3, 5 years ago. He is still an elite talent and it is almost unfair to pick on him since he really is an incredible offensive player, but it is almost like his development has hit a plateau. Can we honestly look at Spezza's season (or Fisher, for that matter) and say that this is a player that has more potential that we haven't seen? Or is it a case of 'what you see is what you get'? $7M is given to the guy for his talent but also because he's young and he is supposed to improve. I'm just not sure how much better Spezza will be. I'm glad he's here, but I still haven't come to terms with the fact that he isn't an Yzerman. That's for me to get used to, I suppose.

5. Team upside - Do we have a lot of upside for next season? Let's be real and assume that Wiercioch and Cowen probably won't make the team, okay? So we'll have a group very similar to this year. Of this team, Karlsson and Regin are sure to improve going into next season. But who else really has room to get better? Will Fisher or Spezza take another step, or are they basically playing their best hockey now? Can Michalek come back strong after major knee surgery? Can Kovalev and Kuba come back and be close to their previous levels? Phillips and Alfie are old and at some point will start regressing. The third line is great, but they are also playing at their potential and won't really grow. My point is simple - we are a good team that is playoff-calibre, but do we have room to grow and improve as it stands today? I'm putting my trust in the little general with the healthy salad and hope that we continue to develop the kids and find somewhere (outside of Ottawa) for Cheechoo. Let's hope that this team builds on this season and doesn't just rest on it.

Have a great summer! Til the draft!

Wow.

Can you think of a game with more contaversy? But it's all behind us cause SENS WIN! Carks is the hero and, to a lesser extent, but maybe a more important extent, Leclaire makes his money. Simply awesome.

Selfishly, I'm ecstatic as I have tickets to Game 6. Look for me, I'll be the one in the Alfredsson jersey...

We play like that again and game 7 here we come.

GO SENS GO!!!

The Obvious Report - Game 5 is the Biggest of Lecaire's Career

Snoopy officially gets the start tonight, and much like my post from the other day, it's his turn to have the biggest game of his life. Let's just hope he stays strong and doesn't get pulled mid-second.

Again, I believe that Snoopy can steal a game and turn the series around, much like I hoped for Elliot to do in Game 4. Let's just hope this move sparks the boys to play a better game with, more importantly, a better start.

We can analyze this goaltending move to death, I'm just hoping it works. I have tickets for Game 6!

Let's go Snoopy! Go Sens Go!

(also, Chummy is in, which should make us all happy!)

Disappointed.

I know there is one more game and I'm not about to jump ship, but I spent the second half of this game pondering the emotions that go through my mind when watching the shitshow that is this playoff series.

I'm disappointed in the team. We had a very strong season. I know it was littered with losing streaks, but we showed some great things from Elliott's play to the emergence of Karlsson and Regin to the ageless play of Alfredsson. It is sad that we are on the ropes and have shown so little pride in these last three losses.

I'm disappointed in Jason Spezza. He took a very long time getting going this season in his post-Heatley era, but finished on a tear. When Michalek and Kovalev went down with injury, a tonne of pressure was heaped on Spezza to help carry us this postseason and his play has regressed. I know he put up some points tonight, but his effort has been way too spotty for his role on this team. Fisher has been subpar, as well, but Spezza is supposed to be the top scorer.

I'm disappointed in the goalies. Elliott, who was naturally quite nervous in Game One, never really settled into his groove. He made some strong saves, but never made the BIG save. Furthermore, he never really looked comfortable out there. I know some amazing players were taking shots on him, but this isn't the same Elliott that helped us lock up 5th place.

I'm disappointed in Phillips and Volchenkov. Again, a difficult task was put upon them, but it is now safe to say that their performance in shutting down Crosby and Malkin has been an unmitigated disaster thus far. On Crosby's second goal tonight, Phillips let the kid walk into the circle to take that wrist shot. We know that we can't give them space, but we never once stood them up at the blueline. It had nothing to do with speed, unless our guys were worried that if they missed the hit, they couldn't get back to recover. Our top pairing has been humiliated thus far.

I'm disappointed in Clouston. He has been outcoached here against a guy that was in his position last year. Keeping Spezza against Crosby for three and a half games was an epic mistake. Cheechoo drawing into this game was pointless. He never adjusted to the Penguins stepping up on their forecheck and as a result, we had terrible breakouts from our zone. Two separate too many men penalties in one game? What the feck is going on?

I'm disappointed in the Penguins. For such a skilled team, they play like dirty little assholes. Malkin loves the post-whistle blindside bodycheck, but he never once hangs around for the player to get back up. How he didn't get a penalty late third on Neil after Sutton was called is brutal. I have been waiting four games for Sutton to literally take his head off (seriously - take it off). At the end of the second period after Phillips clocked Crosby, you could see the kid complaining to the refs while skating off the ice. Letang took a dive after Neil's goal. Ponikarovsky is just awful. These players take liberties and never once stand around to finish. What makes it so frustrating is that they are incredibly talented and will beat you with goals, too. So not only do they kick our ass on the scoreboard, they don't let us kick their ass physically as retribution. Matt Cooke turtles while Ruutu punches his visor. These guys make me sick to the stomach for being so damn soft and so cowardly, even when they score.

I'm disappointed in the Eastern Conference because I just don't know how a team is going to beat the Penguins. Who will beat them, the Caps? Will Alex Semin slap Malkin in a Eurotrash melee? I don't like any of these teams!

I'm disappointed in the refs. I will never, EVER blame a game on the zebras, but I think this has been a poorly officiated series. I feel like the Penguins have taken a tonne of dives and the refs bite on the penalty on us. Coincidental minor penalties would have been fine, but we'd get called. I don't think they missed one call on us. The Neil charing penalty in game three, the Neil roughing penalty after his goal tonight, both terrible calls. Again, I'll never blame a loss on the zebras but the officiating here was piss poor and it bugs me.

I'm disappointed that our season has come down to whether or not we can find an ounce of pride. Mellon Arena will be bonkers Thursday night and they will do everything they can to avoid the trip back to Ottawa. I'm going to watch and cheer and yell and scream and I really hope that our boys can show that they are willing to salvage some pride. If they go down, go down swinging. Give us something to look forward to all summer, besides another goaltending concern and questions about leadership.

The Obvious Report - Game 4 is the Biggest of Elliot's Career

In obvious news, tonight is the biggest game of Brian Elliot's NHL career. After seeing Bobby Lou get pulled last night I got to thinking, 'what if Ells stinks it up tonight? What happens if Clouston is forced to bring in Snoopy? Andrew Raycroft is still in the NHL?' Well, the latter question is unrelated to the Sens, but the first two are critical.

Again, this game is Elliot's biggest of his career. While the Sens are looking slower by the shift, Crosby is taking advantage and taking over. If Elliot can stand big and stop The Kid, we can turn this series around. If Pittsburgh wins, related to Elliot's play or not, we have a monster hill to climb.

Let's break it down quick, as I have work to do...

Worst case scenario - Ells cracks under the pressure, plays awful and forces Clouston to pull him, bringing in Leclaire and offering the media a field day. While I'm not a Snoopy Hater, in fact I was a major supporter throughout the season, we've given the reigns to Elliot and will live and die by him. Bringing in Snoopy will hurt Elliot's confidence and create a 'goaltender controversy', of which we're all very sick of...

Not a good scenario - Ells plays ok but the Sens don't. We drop a close one but open up the series to a 3-1 deficit going back to Pitty. Elliot will likely not take a huge load of the blame but there certainly won't be any more Elliot jerseys sold.

Best case scenario - Ells wins tonight. If he wins, he's going to need to be good and minimize his goals against. Don't expect another 5-4 goal fest. Obviously, a win will go a long way for his confidence and put us right back in this series. Case and point, this is Elliot's biggest game.

So, folks, can he do it? Does Elliot have the mojo to steal a game and put us back into this series? Can he handle the pressure that he must feel?

Most fans have been behind him all year, especially since January, and now's the time to rally more than ever. Send out your good vibes today and let's get excited.

Good luck Brian, we're behind you. GO SENS GO!!!

Time to activate some heart

I'm breaking my own rule of blogging within an hour of the end of the game. My emotions run high, my language is sailor-like, and I become fixated on one point. Tonight, that one point is our continued inability to respond when the going gets tough.

I'm not just talking about going goal for goal with the Cup champs (though that would be nice), but simply showing a bit of courage and heart when your team needs it. Sidney Crosby knocked our captain out of the game for a few minutes and we answer the call by letting him stroll through the crease with the game winning goal. He and Malkin continue to have FAR too much space in our zone.

How many different times tonight did Malkin gain the zone with Sutton giving him a shove into the boards? Don't shove him, take his fecking head off! He is a sack of shit that gets a free pass and the only way to set him straight is to clean his clock. Remember Leopold? Do that again. We have the size on the back end with four bruising defencemen, so tell me how come Pittsburgh looks like the far more violent team? They get the big hits on every shift, save when Neil and Ruutu muck it up.

I will acknowledge our injuries to the 'finishers' but will never use it as the reason we're down 2-1 in this series. We've had plenty of chances to bury goals and we've had plenty of chances to deliver a series-changing bodycheck. Nobody wants to do it. Nobody.

Jason Spezza, this isn't your first rodeo. Jacques Martin is not going to put you in the press box. Pick your game up and do better. Do a better job backchecking, since you've been on the wrong end of most Pens goals. Do a better job gaining the zone since your stickhandling isn't working. Do a better job of hitting the net, since your goal scoring ability is being neutralized by average defencemen. Your task isn't easy - you're playing against either Crosby or Malkin at all times. But you are one of the most talented players in the league and you need to remind us why you are the highest paid player on the team.

Mike Fisher, I'm happy you scored but don't settle there. You were our leading goal scorer this year but you have looked lazy on puck battles. I'm not sure if the wedding photos are coming up, but it is time to start bruising it up here. Get dirty and show why you were chosen to wear the A.

All I want to see on Tuesday night, apart from a big win, is this team to show that they are so much stronger and that they care so much more than those old flops of the past. Right now, I see two douchebags walking all over us and we're scared to lay a finger on them. Bury the effing head in the ice and go score a goal! If they call you for charging (horseshit), then shake it off and go after them again. Don't let these two players get any more airtime than we're already being subjected to hearing. I'm already watching the game on mute. Find your hearts! Tonight was pathetic, but you've got Tuesday to respond.