Stockholm... games one and two

I chose to wait until the second of the back-to-back games in Stockholm were concluded for selfish reasons. I really didn’t feel like writing two days in a row. That said let’s move on to the meat of the matter.

Goaltending Controversy ... round two!

In game one Gerber showed very little poise and let in three bush-league style goals. These goals were the product of poor position play and even worse they came without any screening. In game two Auld showed poise under fire and even when he made small mistakes he made up for it with smart plays. I said it last year and I’ll say it again this year ... Martin Gerber is not Ottawa’s starting goaltender. He could come ‘round and dance on his head proving me wrong, but I don’t work on the concept of faith. I like to be shown the truth. Will Auld be #1? I don’t know, but the home opener in seven days will be a shocking if Auld is not in net after how he played this game. His only goal against came in the last second and was no fault of his own.

The youngin’s and the old folks...

Winchester had a great camp, but let’s be honest, he has had even better start in the NHL. With Fisher out (again) with a groin injury there was a need for a good two way player to step up and work like Fish does and Winchester is a good substitution. Lee, although committed a nasty give away in the first game, has also stepped up his game and become a bit of a presence on the back end and contributed to Vermette's shortie in game two, but what about Jason Smith? Going to task on Crosby isn’t an easy order especially when Sid the Kid can fly past most players, but the older slower Smith got in his face sure enough. It got to the point where Sid hacked at Smith and all the veteran did was crack a grin at the kid and continue on.

The PEST line ...

There is absolutely no need to give a name to the Neil – Faligno – Ruutu line. Call it exactly what it is ... It’s the PEST line! They are fantastic. I won’t lie. I hated Ruutu right up until the game started on Saturday, but moving forward into Sunday I was even more in man-crush territory. Putting him out there with Neil for added agitation and toughness was a no-brainer, but Faligno too? Now that’s a heck of a combination! This just leaves to question what will happen when Fisher returns? Winchester goes back down and Faligno shifts lines? As much as I think Mike Fisher is amazing, I don’t think it would be a wise move unless you want that line to net goals.
Penalty Kill ...
Through 14 power plays the Senators only allowed one goal and it came in the last second of the second game. That is absolutely astonishing considering the talent of the Penguins. Moreover the Senators kept the Penguins to the outside or running around in their own end for the puck ... not to mention the short handed markers in both games.

Defence ...

You cannot have good PK without solid defence. The one thing everyone was saying when Redden and Meszaros left was that we lost a lot of defence. Ironic to that statement is that in their last two games Redden and Meszaros have gotten points on the board ... Defence? True, the Senators need a puck moving defenceman, but it seems that this club has started to transition well. Perhaps we won’t see a major shakeup if the club can come together as a team as they showed in Stockholm. I have long said this club needs to be tougher on the puck both up and especially down the ice.

Grit ...

See the above mentioned really. Smith, Neil, Ruutu, Phillips, Volchenkov even Alfredsson ... The Senators played with much more grit and intensity. Hartsburg could very well be the catalyst for this, but the players must continue to want and need to play for one another just like this.