New coach should mean pretty easy win for NYI. ...Should mean...I'm biting!
and I thought of taking Ottawa with all those emotions that caused them to 1-win at Boston, and, 2-emotional letdown loss at Phil.
but now not sure after I read more. Some good excerpts:
Ken Warren reports:
Despite a weak effort in Monday's loss to the Flyers, there was none of the usual shouting at practice or loud criticism of players for what Clouston acknowledged was an emotional letdown following Saturday's inspiring 2-0 win against the Boston Bruins.
"It's very tough," Clouston said. "Not much time goes by that it doesn't enter your mind. You can try and guard against that, but sometimes ... They're not robots. They care about Luke and his family."
As for how the Senators might play tonight, Clouston said the team would simply deal with that as it came.
"I can't really predict that," he said. "Each individual will have to deal with it. This is what we have to do. We have to be here (this morning) and we have to try and play our best and play a game in Carolina. It's not the best-case scenario. You don't like travelling on the day of a game, and it definitely breaks up your routine, but, like I said, we need to be here (today)."
Centre Jason Spezza said it had been "a long couple of days" since the tragedy, but he also believed Senators players would be able to focus on the game once they hit the ice in Raleigh.
"As professional athletes, you try and separate yourself once you get into the game, but you learn that there's a lot more to life than just hockey."
James Gordon reports:
THE WILDCARD: The Senators haven?t played all that well in Carolina, but goalie Brian Elliott sure seems to like playing the ?Canes: His lifetime record is 4-1-0 with a 1.87 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage. If Ottawa is to have a bounce-back game, Elliott will need to put the five goals the Flyers piled up on him in the past and continue playing with the confidence that has allowed him to pick up five wins in his last six games.
THE OPPONENT: The ?Canes aren?t exactly firing on all cylinders at the moment. In fact, they seem to have stalled completely. After getting embarrassed 8-1 by the Flyers last Thursday, they were completely dismantled by the Montreal Canadiens Saturday night by a score of 7-1 (goalie Cam Ward was pulled in both contests). Cue the bag skate.
THE PREDICTION: This will be a long, emotional day for members of the Ottawa Senators? organization. In the morning, they?ll attend a service for assistant coach Luke Richardson?s late daughter, Daron, who took her own life Saturday at the age of 14. Then they?ll immediately hop a flight to Raleigh to make it in time for the 7 p.m. faceoff against the Hurricanes. I don?t think the Senators will win, but it doesn?t really matter on a day like this anyways. Senators 3, Hurricanes 4 (SO).
Peter Raaymakers, writer/editor, Silver Seven Sens blog
Senators 5, Hurricanes 1
Here?s the bounce-back game. And with this one against the Hurricanes, a lesser opponent than the Boston Bruins, the final score should reflect a greater differential in goals scored. I?d say we?re due for a breakout game from the Daniel Alfredsson-Mike Fisher-Milan Michalek line, even if Fisher is injured; if those guys don?t step things up, look for Nick Foligno to step up in the lineup. Or maybe even Ryan Shannon, to give the line the speed Michalek was supposed to offer, but hasn?t.
Record: 13-5
Exact scores predicted: 1
Jeremy Milks, writer/editor, Black Aces blog
Senators 6, Carolina 2
There seem to be a lot of lopsided scores these day so maybe it?s time to predict one. The Senators haven?t been scoring for the last three games and a lot of guys are due for a goal (see Nick Foligno). Six goals may be a stretch but it happens a handful of times every season. Why not tonight?
Record: 11-7
Exact scores predicted: 2
Wayne Scanlan, Citizen columnist:
Senators 4, Hurricanes 2
Bounce back game. They don?t want to have to count on a victory over St. Louis to guarantee a .500 trip.
Record: 13-5
Exact scores predicted: 1
Ian Mendes, Sportnet.ca Senators reporter and blogger:
Senators 2, Hurricanes 4
Right now, the RBC Center is the toughest building for the Senators, as they?ve lost five straight games in Raleigh. The Hurricanes have outscored Ottawa 17-5 in those games, so until the Sens break the Carolina Curse, I?m not picking them to win.
Record: 11-7
Exact scores predicted: 1
and I thought of taking Ottawa with all those emotions that caused them to 1-win at Boston, and, 2-emotional letdown loss at Phil.
but now not sure after I read more. Some good excerpts:
Ken Warren reports:
Despite a weak effort in Monday's loss to the Flyers, there was none of the usual shouting at practice or loud criticism of players for what Clouston acknowledged was an emotional letdown following Saturday's inspiring 2-0 win against the Boston Bruins.
"It's very tough," Clouston said. "Not much time goes by that it doesn't enter your mind. You can try and guard against that, but sometimes ... They're not robots. They care about Luke and his family."
As for how the Senators might play tonight, Clouston said the team would simply deal with that as it came.
"I can't really predict that," he said. "Each individual will have to deal with it. This is what we have to do. We have to be here (this morning) and we have to try and play our best and play a game in Carolina. It's not the best-case scenario. You don't like travelling on the day of a game, and it definitely breaks up your routine, but, like I said, we need to be here (today)."
Centre Jason Spezza said it had been "a long couple of days" since the tragedy, but he also believed Senators players would be able to focus on the game once they hit the ice in Raleigh.
"As professional athletes, you try and separate yourself once you get into the game, but you learn that there's a lot more to life than just hockey."
James Gordon reports:
THE WILDCARD: The Senators haven?t played all that well in Carolina, but goalie Brian Elliott sure seems to like playing the ?Canes: His lifetime record is 4-1-0 with a 1.87 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage. If Ottawa is to have a bounce-back game, Elliott will need to put the five goals the Flyers piled up on him in the past and continue playing with the confidence that has allowed him to pick up five wins in his last six games.
THE OPPONENT: The ?Canes aren?t exactly firing on all cylinders at the moment. In fact, they seem to have stalled completely. After getting embarrassed 8-1 by the Flyers last Thursday, they were completely dismantled by the Montreal Canadiens Saturday night by a score of 7-1 (goalie Cam Ward was pulled in both contests). Cue the bag skate.
THE PREDICTION: This will be a long, emotional day for members of the Ottawa Senators? organization. In the morning, they?ll attend a service for assistant coach Luke Richardson?s late daughter, Daron, who took her own life Saturday at the age of 14. Then they?ll immediately hop a flight to Raleigh to make it in time for the 7 p.m. faceoff against the Hurricanes. I don?t think the Senators will win, but it doesn?t really matter on a day like this anyways. Senators 3, Hurricanes 4 (SO).
Peter Raaymakers, writer/editor, Silver Seven Sens blog
Senators 5, Hurricanes 1
Here?s the bounce-back game. And with this one against the Hurricanes, a lesser opponent than the Boston Bruins, the final score should reflect a greater differential in goals scored. I?d say we?re due for a breakout game from the Daniel Alfredsson-Mike Fisher-Milan Michalek line, even if Fisher is injured; if those guys don?t step things up, look for Nick Foligno to step up in the lineup. Or maybe even Ryan Shannon, to give the line the speed Michalek was supposed to offer, but hasn?t.
Record: 13-5
Exact scores predicted: 1
Jeremy Milks, writer/editor, Black Aces blog
Senators 6, Carolina 2
There seem to be a lot of lopsided scores these day so maybe it?s time to predict one. The Senators haven?t been scoring for the last three games and a lot of guys are due for a goal (see Nick Foligno). Six goals may be a stretch but it happens a handful of times every season. Why not tonight?
Record: 11-7
Exact scores predicted: 2
Wayne Scanlan, Citizen columnist:
Senators 4, Hurricanes 2
Bounce back game. They don?t want to have to count on a victory over St. Louis to guarantee a .500 trip.
Record: 13-5
Exact scores predicted: 1
Ian Mendes, Sportnet.ca Senators reporter and blogger:
Senators 2, Hurricanes 4
Right now, the RBC Center is the toughest building for the Senators, as they?ve lost five straight games in Raleigh. The Hurricanes have outscored Ottawa 17-5 in those games, so until the Sens break the Carolina Curse, I?m not picking them to win.
Record: 11-7
Exact scores predicted: 1
