Ottawa Senators Fan Blog

SENS EFFORT TOO LATE AGAIN

Ducks 4, Senators 3

This is starting to become annoying. While the Senators all around game was better through 60 minutes against the Anaheim Ducks than it was against Florida the other night, it still lacked the passion and desire needed for this team to be successful.

The third goal of the game spoke volumes about what ails the Senators. With all five Ottawa skaters surrounding a loose puck, no one wanted it badly enough. The result? Samuel Pahlsson snaps a wrister by Alex Auld. The five Senators made a much better door than a window for Auld, when all they needed was someone in that group to be a little stronger on the puck, to play with just a little more urgency.

The Senators would have been okay down 2-0, the second goal being one of the most flukey goals ever witnessed in Scotiabank Place/the Corel Centre/the Palladium.  As it turns out, that second goal, as flukey as it was, turned out to be a back breaker. But only because the Senators allowed it to be. The lack of effort which often accompanies feeling sorry for yourself led to the afore mentioned goal, and another one by Ryan Getzlaf after another porous defensive breakdown.

The Senators early struggles can be partly blamed on a brand new coach, new system and more than a handful of new players. It is only fair that fans be a little patient. But the areas that were not addressed in the offseason (a puck-moving defenceman and goaltending) are really hurting this team right now and the fans see a general manager that didn't do enough. As one season ticket holder said after the game last night "why should the player try, when the general manager hasn't showed any effort to make the team better?" While the statement was a tad harsh, it also has some merit to it, especially if the Senators continue to lose games because of bad goaltending and only sporadic offensive bursts.

SENS LATE ARRIVAL COSTLY

Panthers 3, Senators 1

I know this post is late since this game took place two days ago (I back dated the posting date so that there is a calendar accurate game archive). But I guess that's fitting, since the Senators were late for this one themselves. The Panthers had a 2-0 lead in this one before Ottawa recorded a shot. By the end of the first period, the Senators were outshot 11-3.

Ottawa came to life after about the halfway point of the game. Daniel Alfredsson scored on a powerplay to get the Senators in the game, but Martin Gerber struck again, letting in a terrible goal and allowing Florida to restore their two goal lead.

The Sens came out blazing in the third, firing 26 shots on Florida netminder Craig Anderson. But they couldn't put one by him.  The last two days has fans all wondering two things: Where was the third period effort at the start of the game? And how can this team be successful when their supposed number one goaltender always finds ways to let in back-breaking goals.

Some have even wondered a third thing. Should we start getting used to this?

FOURTH STRAIGHT START FOR GERBER

Martin Gerber will start tomorrow night against the Florida Panthers. This will be Gerber's fourth straight start. He is 1-2-0 in his previous three games.

Gerber seems to thrive when he gets a lot of starts in a row, but the Senators are expected to turn to Alex Auld on Friday night versus Anaheim. Gerber is expected to get the start in Toronto on Satruday night. The only way this will change is if Gerber plays lights out tonight. Even if Auld shuts out the Ducks on Friday, Gerber will likely return with a start in Toronto.

SPEZZA GETS DEMOTED

It looks as if this accountability thing Craig Hartsburg was preaching during his first press conference was not just lip service. Jason Spezza, who showed virtually no desire to compete on Saturday night will now find himself on the second line centering two of the hardest working skaters on the team. Nick Foligno and Jesse Winchester will play on his wings.

Mike Fisher gets promoted to top line center and will play with Dany Heatley and Daniel Alfredsson. Fisher and Heatley have shown good chemistry together in the past, and are often paired in 4 on 4 situations. Fisher and Alfredsson have never seemed to click.

This is a great move by Hartsburg. Spezza will either learn to play with some heart and lay the odd bodycheck, or he is going to find himself watching some games from the press box. He should not go out there and try to run guys over, but he should get his body involved more to win some puck battles.

But Fisher may not be the right guy to go to the top line. The hope here is that if Fisher is not the answer, that Hartsburg doesn't instantly promote Spezza back to first line duty, but instead put Antoine Vermette in his place on the top line. Vermette may be the better player to go alongside Alfredsson and Heatley because Verms is more of a puck possession guy. He plays Spezza's role better than Fisher does.

Time will tell. This is going to shake things up for sure, and Hartsburg is making it very clear that no one is bigger than this team.

LOUSY EFFORT SINKS SENS

Bruins 4, Senators 2

The Ottawa Senators played their worst game of the season to date, barely showing up to play the Boston Bruins as Scotiabank Place last night. On a night where the Sens looked like the team that collapsed during the second half of the season, there was not much to cheer about other than a beautiful goal by Nick Foligno which tied the game at 1-1 after Martin Gerber forgot the start time and let in a easy one on the Bruins first shot.

The Bruins pulled ahead through two periods by a 3-1 in the second period. Ottawa responded with a powerplay goal by Daniel Alfredsson, and the Sens entered the second period intermission  down 3-2.

The Senators showed some life in the third period, but could not notch the tying goal. Filip Kuba then provided the boneheader of the night as he came off the bench for his shift and charged into the Boston zone. Only problem? The puck was going the other way, and so was his man, Michael Ryder. Ryder took the puck in alone on Gerber who made a great save, but Milan Lucic was there to pot the rebound. With just over five minutes to play, that was it for the night. Kuba may still be skating in the Boston zone as I type this.

Jason Spezza played a very uninspired game. It's one thing not to score. But he failed to even make any sort of body contact all night long.

The Senators are trying to become a tougher team to play against. Looks like they have quite a long ways to go.