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horrible. too many Buffalo guys at the front protecting their net and no Sens at the front of Miller to screen him (Chara should be up at the net too!). Alfie is playing like **** again...he better make it up in the third!

edit: woot woot 1-1 and look at that...Chara at the front screening...ABOUT TIME!

 
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Unfortunately, the Sen might be golfing early this year if they lose one more.

 
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Does anyone think that they should put Hasek in tonight, or should they stick with Emery for one last game?

 
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I don't care if Hasek hasn't played in almost 3 months. if he's healthy DRESS HIM AND PUT HIM IN NETS! at least he can handle PREASSURE! Emery is letting in too many soft goals and can't handle 1-1's

 
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i agree completely I mean whats the point of having him there if almost every break away has resulted in a goal.

Hasek's been practising with the team, we traded for him so he can get us the cup, but let a rookie make rookie mistakes.

Buffalo's been playing the way Ottawa was at the beginning of the season, time for Alfie to give up some control

 
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Good for the win. Finally - but will they make it through the series ? I hope so

Emery I think is playing as well as he can, but lets face the fact, he is no Hasek. For me its been the defence that has let us down in the past few games. However, you need a goalie that can handle a two on one and still come across the net for the save. Emery can't.

Look at Edmontons game, and that 2-1 in overtime, with a sweet post to post glove save. Can Emery do that, hardly. That is just the difference. Win or lose Emery at this stage is only a mediocre goalie.

He can handle his game, decently, but right now it is the defence that is letting him down.

 
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bout time they won a game

 
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Im skeptical if the Sens could win 3 more games in a row.

 
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I gotta disagree with ya there. Look at all the goalies still in the playoffs...

I think 3 or 4 of them..maybe even 5 are rookies or 2nd year goalies at best.

Emery (Ottawa), Miller (Buffalo), Bryzgalov (Anaheim), Ward (Carolina), Toskala (San Jose)...and technically...Rollison (Edmonton) being that this guy has no real accomplishments to speak of.

Anaheim is through already to the 3rd round and Carolina has just about done away with BRODEUR (the only real goalie out there) and the Devils.

So.....If Ottawa gets by Buffalo who's to say any one team has any real advantage in nets? Hasek would be nice, if he had been playing up to now but he hasn't. Emery gets better all the time and I think he can go the distance given the teams that are still in this thing.

Ottawa is a stacked team. If they've gotten over this hurdle with Buffalo then it's going to likely go VERY well for them in the end. The only goalie that gave them any real trouble this year was Brodeur and he's on his way out, or so it would appear.

 
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I actually only watched the game here and there last night. Seems when I don't watch, they win. Anyways I was listening to the Bear today and one of the guys talking in t he morning show said that Wade Redden went up to Emery after they won and he CLEARLY said "Thats one" Thats the kind of stuff I like to hear! I am a bit back and forth on Emery, I don't find that he is constant. One day he'll have a shitty night and let in 7 goals, then the next he'll only let in like 1 on 30 something shots. Good goalie IMO but he needs to be more consistant. I think Bryan Murray will be working on him throughout this series.

 
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Mike, simply because other teams have rookie goalies, does not make Emery any better. Those 2 premises have no link as a logical arguement.

Lets think hypothetically here ...

You're the coach and you have an option of putting in two goalies. One is a proven Stanely Cup winner, and one is a rookie. Both of them are at equal health. All the other teams have rookie goalies in nets.

So as a coach, simply because other teams have rookie goalies, would that sway you to play the rookie goalie, instead of the proven goalie.

I'd say probably not, because to me the competition playing with rookie goalies would have no impact on me going with my best front.

************

Now in Ottawa situation Hasek right now is not at peak health. This is why we are playing Emery. You have to face the fact that if Hasek was healthy, Emery would be warming the bench.

Irrespective of the fact that other teams have rookie goalies or not.

 
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I never said that any of the above made Emery better...I said that it doesn't put Ottawa at a disadvantage in any way as compared to the other teams and that going the distance with him isn't as mountainous a task as you make it seem to be.

Hasek is NOT in peak health....take it from someone who actually played net before...he hurt muscles in the groin area. For a goalie like him (especially) that's so critical. Just because you can stand in net for a little bit and take shots standing up doesn't mean you jump in after like 3 months and take on the game at this level and during playoffs no less. He's got to get more than one full practice in before that happes I think.

I would prefer to go the distance in this series at least with Emery...they will always only have one game left until they either win it or get knocked out.

I wouldn't start Hasek unless Emery became a liability and he hasn't so far so leave him in there.

 
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I say it does put Ottawa at a disadvantage. Emery's skill level does not change simply because the other teams have rookie goalies. The rookie is not the center of the arguement, Emery's skill is. Frankly, Emery is a mediocre goalie at best.

Even if you compared Emery to the other rookie goalies, he probably falls in the middle, within their own "rookie skill" level. So yes he is a liability.

Mike, lets just say if Hasek was 100% - Ottawa would be playing Hasek. Emery is a liability, especially in game 1 of this series. If we would have one that game, which was ours - that'd make the series 2-2. A manageable attempt to win.

Now because of his simple lack of skill we are facing a 3-1 series, statistically null chance to actually come back and win. Can it happen ? Yes it can, chances are highly against it tho.

However, stating that Ottawa is simply not at a disadvantage because other teams have "rookie goalies" aswell, is a fallacious arguement.

 
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How about you two take a break. This argument is going back and forth. Mike (asian sensation) Starting Hasek at THIS point in the game is useless. He's got a high risk of getting injured again. Even though he's a "proven" goalie he hasn't played in a long time. Mike (Pharoh) Emery isn't at the level he should be. He lets in alot of goals he shouldn't be. Either way it's a team sport, and we can't be blaming the losses on Emery. There were alot of giveaways and sloppy defensive work on the Senators' side of things. They need to be solid on the attack, defence and net in order to win this series. Now the two of you shut up and go get a coke and a smile! MUAHAHAHA!

 
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Emery is a mediocre goalie? what are we talking about here... we're talking about a Rookie goalie who came into the NHL this year and has set or tied 2 records! Most wins to start off an NHL career (at 9 consecutive wins i believe) and most wins in a month (at 12 wins in the month of March).

I don't know if you've watched the games so far. I agree that game 1 of the series was not his best, but don't forget that it was like that on both sides simply because both teams thought that the only way to win this series was to outgun the opposing team. This made the defence on both sides jump in on the rush more often created huge holes that the other team could take advantage of... simply put, both goalies were left with very little help... The rest of the games have gone quite differently. Since game 2, i ask you to find a goal that Emery should've stopped! Even when outshooting buffalo in game 2 (44 shots versus 17 shots), the 2 shots that Emery let in were not his fault.

I stand by Emery and say that he is the future here in Ottawa! He's proven himself countless times this year and i'm damn proud to have a guy like him on my team!

By the way, i'll be cheering my heart out tonight from the stands at Scotia Bank Place! I'm sure the Sens can be the 3rd team in history to come back from a 3-0 deficit in the series! GO SENS GO!!!!

 
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Well thx Erik ... lol - and like I said above the defence has been Ottawa's main let down so far.

But again, not all rookie goalies are created equal, therefore, simply because most of the teams have rookie goalies does not make all the teams at a level playing field (goalie skill wise), as rookie goalie skills are not homogeneous.

If we could clone Emery and send him around to all the teams left alive in the playoff race, then yes Mike's premise and conclusion would be logically correct. Technically then, all teams would have the exact same skill leveled goalie and this would make the goalies skill a constant (or independant variable). Then the only thing seperating the teams would be performance of their forwards and defence.

Freddy come on 17 shots ... and 2 goals. You need a goalie that can handle a 2 on 1 and actually maybe save the puck every once and a while.

If it was 44 shots on net and he let in 2 goals ... then I agree good skill. But 17 shots. 2 goals in 17 shots is almost 10% chance to get a goal - that to me isnt a good percentage.

 
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Mike, when you look at it like that, it's a bad save percentage... but you got to look at the quality of the chances... in reality, these numbers mean nothing! The fact is, i don't know many golies who could've stopped these 2 goals on the 17shots faced... did you watch the game?

 
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yeah in total disappointment ... I dont think Emery is Ottawa's weakest link atm, their defence is.

But I still remain constant that he is not cut out, at least not this year, to be the goalie to win. Even if the Sens went all the way, I still wouldn't say that he is the next Roy, Hasek or Brodeur (is his best days).

 
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well that was disappointing, the sens suck lol

 
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^ Bite your tongue It was a good season. I'll be glad when Buffalo gets eliminated next round.

 
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Defence and Alfie killed our game again. the game was a set-up...by the NHL mafia. time to cheer for the new team...GO OILERS GO!

 
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All kidding aside though. I found that Alfredson had a good game. I think he scored 1 and had an assist.

Here's hoping Edmonton can kick it up a notch and win the cup!

 
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ahahahahahahahahahahaha...that is all :P

 
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Now what happens, Havlat gone ... Alfie possibly aswell ... Hasek not getting resigned. What's the team gonna look like next year.

I say they should strike a deal for Luongo - prolly have to give up someone for his contract he'd want to sign but - its well worth it. Not worth going through another season, with a weaken'd offence and potential defence - with Emery in nets.

 
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Your all about hatin Emery aren't ya : ) Why don't we put you in nets for Ottawa. hehehe

Where did you hear that we were loosing Havlat and Alfredson? We have no idea what the off season will have in store for the Sens. We could all very well be surprised. Lets just wait and see what unfolds before we start making asumptions.

 
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Well I think Chara is up for resigning - and apparently he wants something big, like a $7 million contract, Havlat is up too.

Alfie I've heard people just want a new face as the captain, and him being here for 9 years - maybe he's gonna want a change too.

But yes Erik, Emery is **** - and you have to admit it. Just check that last goal, the guy can't even cover his own corner. If Ottawa sticks with Emery they'll only make 4-5 position by the end of next season.

 
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i heard rumours floating around since mid-season about either sundin coming to ottawa, which i doubt... or... in the off-season, the leafs picking up chara AND redden, cuz i think redden's tract is up too... they are only rumours, but who knows... haha... rumours in the past they were of hasek coming here, and look what happened... it'd be interesting to see what goes on in the off-season... i think havlat will get re-signed and i pray alfie doesn't turn into someone like owen nolan... haha

 
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k...well let me be the first to say that NONE of that will ever happen..lol.

Sundin is old news and wouldn't fit in here to begin with. Ottawa has already stated that they have money in the budget to resign Chara AND Redden and won't be letting them go any time soon.

and most importantly....if you think Ottawa is gonna make any major moves like that with the likes of Toronto you need your head examined

 
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i know, hence they are called rumours... i mean, i know i can't foretell the future or anything, but everyone has a price... haha

 
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Id like to see sundin come to ottawa, and with him selling his home in TO it might happen, but then they anounced on the weekend that he was retiring???? Hope it isn't so, get rid of alfie and give us Sundin.