If only a few more players cared as much as Martin Gerber does then maybe the Ottawa Senators might have left The Staples Center tonight with two points.
Instead, the Sens season has sunk to an all-time low this year as the LA Kings knocked off the Senators 2-0, the 2nd goal into an empty net. The Sens have gone from atop of the NHL to losing to the worst team in the NHL....this Sens team is becoming all too predictable. Another loss to a Western Conference team, pushing the Sens record to 2-6 against the West.
Gerber was outstanding and if not for a stellar 2nd period in which Ottawa was outshot 21-7, the Sens would have been down 4-0. Gerber made 3 HUGE saves to keep his team in the game but instead his teammates let him down again by playing uninspired hockey. Another great outing by Gerber gone to waste. Sens made the Kings rookie goaltender look like a veteran as he got a shutout in his NHL debut. King are the worst defensive team and the Sens are the highest scoring team.....yet the Sens get shutout, what a joke!
There was WAY too many passengers tonight and the leadership on this team has to be questioned in a HUGE way. The Sens are now 1-8 without captain Daniel Alfredsson in the line-up. Nothing like elevating your game.......something that has not happened nearly enough by the Sens team leaders.
Dany Heatley continued to float all night long and both Heatley and Spezza had a combined 6 giveaways. Totally unacceptable.
How is that some players looked like world beaters last week and this road trip have been nowhere to be found? Like they say, when the going gets tough....the tough get going....problem is too many players dont like it when it gets rough. Paging Heatley, Spezza, Kelly, Vermette, Donovan, Robitaille, Redden, Meszaros......the list goes on and on.
Mike Fisher had 6 hits and 5 shots on goal....he was giving it an honest effort which is more than I can say for more than half the roster tonight.
The defense has looked slow the entire road trip and Bryan Murray needs to make changes on the blueline. The pairing of Redden and Meszaros has to be split up. It's painfully obvious to everyone watching that these two are struggling together. Richardson and Commodore have been extremely slow....its time for Murray to make Richardson a healthy scratch and move Schubert back to the blueline on a fulltime basis. This team relies on Phillips and Volchenkov far too much.
The West Coast Disaster continues in Phoenix on Saturday night. A Sens win would give them 3 of a possible 8 points. All of a sudden the NYR are 2 points back of Ottawa, the Bruins 4 pts. back and the Flyers 5 pts. behind. Soon the Sens might be on the outside looking in when it comes to making the playoffs.
No emotion, no energy, no team commitment and no scoring was the death of this Sens team again in LA. I think the Sens have officially hit rock bottom!
Kevin
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Brian McGrattan tried to fire up the bench with a big fight. Got to give it to him, he is fighting with a messed up shoulder.
This Sens team needs to skate more and drive the net.
Initiate and dictate, where was this effort all game long?
Sens have now outshot the Kings 12 to 1 in the 3rd period.
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Two huge saves by Gerber early in the 2nd period. Pad and blocker save, nice job!
Great chance by Stillman, hit the post from the point on the PP.
Sens need to start finishing some of their chances.
Kings are now going on the PP, Sens need to kill this one.
Sens were shorthanded and killing a 5 on 3, just as Stillman comes out of the box, the Kings score on the PP. Frolov gets the goal.
Somebody has to get angry on this Sens team. Where are the leaders on this team tonight? Come on, this is a joke!
All these shots by Ottawa but they are from the perimeter. Somebody drive the net and muck it up.
HUGE gamesaving save by Gerber. That is the type of save that keeps your team in the game. If LA makes it 2-0 there, who knows what happens? Unreal save, Gerber has been something else these last 4 games.
The Kings totally dominated the Sens in the 2nd period.
Gerber is the saving grace for Ottawa.
Heatley has been a no show again.....this is getting old....either dont suit up at all or bring an effort.
Heatley completely misses the net from 8 feet out and a great shooting lane. Spezza you need to shoot more. Then Spezza gets lazy and takes a terrible penalty.
Another 5 on 3 for LA, come on Ottawa. This is getting ridiculous. Too many lazy penalties.
It was all LA in the 2nd period. Sens can thank Gerber again for keeping them in the game.
Why is that their is NO leadership tonight. Way too many passengers. Somebody better stand up in the dressing room between periods.
LA outshot Ottawa 21 to 7 in the 2nd period. Just pathetic!
Spezza 4 giveaway after 2 periods....come on!
29-24 shots on goal after 2 periods for LA....Sens outhit the Kings 14-10 after 2 periods.
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Sens off to a slow start. Kings have the fresh legs which was to be expected with the Sens playing 3 in 4 nights.
Big Sens PP to start the game.
Kings PK was solid in killing the first penalty. Sens had no quality chances on the PP.
Terrible defensive play by Ottawa, Kings missed a glorious chance.
Not much flow to this game. Sens have to hope they find their legs. Nobody in a Sens uniform seems to want to win a battle for a loose puck.
Jason Spezza just took off the mask of LA goaltender Ersberg with one heck of a shot!
Interesting 4th line of McGrattan/Robitaille/Foligno.....
Dean McAmmond is a healthy scratch.
3rd line to open the game has been Vermette/Kelly/Donovan
Sens have really stepped it up the last 5 minutes and taken control of the game. They seemed to have found their game legs.
Sens outshot the Kings 16 to 8 in the first period.
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We are a half hour away from the drop of the puck for tonight's match-up with Ottawa and LA. Sens are now 2-5 against the Western Conference this year and since the lockout are 11-16. This record is just wins and losses, I am not including OT/SO ties....just what matters most...if you won or lost.
Mike Fisher in his last 17 games had NO goals and 1 assist and is a -12 during that stretch.
Will Dany Heatley decide to show up on this trip tonight? What happened to the fine play of Chris Kelly and Antoine Vermette the last few games?
It will be interesting to see how the changes Bryan Murray made to the line-up affect the Senators.
Predictions anyone?
See you all in a bit. I hope we have alot of people joining the in-game discussion.
Kevin
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