tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62978998290708492892024-02-07T08:28:27.877-05:00Sens Army Blog - Ottawa Senators BlogOttawa Senators blog, Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza, Sens Army, Sens Army Blog, Pascal Leclaire, Ottawa hockey, NHL Ottawa, NHL SenatorsBen Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983073593843777416noreply@blogger.comBlogger942125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297899829070849289.post-78890985609508433742010-10-22T22:21:00.000-04:002010-10-22T22:21:56.793-04:00Mike Fisher Sportsnet Ad: AwesomeJust saw this awesome Sportsnet ad after the Sens thrilling win over the Sabres (blog tomorrow with thoughts). Enjoy!<br />
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<object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_lS6AHoN3BU?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_lS6AHoN3BU?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>Ben Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983073593843777416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297899829070849289.post-34583586556673187082010-10-16T12:58:00.000-04:002010-10-16T12:58:17.389-04:00Leclaire has made himself expendable<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/ap/10/fullj.d4621b0281ed75617446e6880f8b2e4f/67a53523870343a99ac9dc1befa58a9f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/ap/10/fullj.d4621b0281ed75617446e6880f8b2e4f/67a53523870343a99ac9dc1befa58a9f.jpg" width="279" /></a></div>It's hard to imagine a scenario where the Ottawa Senators would consider re-signing <b>Pascal Leclaire</b> at the end of this season. It seemed the gods conspired to make our oft-injured netminder a footnote in the Sens (not exceptional) goaltending records.<br />
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I found myself aggressively agreeing with <a href="http://www.ottawasun.com/sports/hockey/2010/10/14/15697786.html">Don Brennan's column</a> from Friday's Ottawa Sun (and it pains me to type that). Despite his stellar play so far this season, Leclaire just can't be trusted to be the Senators' number one goalie. It seems that if the Sens invested any faith in Leclaire, he would simply throw it away with another momentum-draining injury.<br />
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I'm not one to throw away goaltenders quickly. I still think Patrick Lalime doesn't get the credit he deserves for his time in Ottawa, and I'm still waiting for someone to tell me in simple language why Ray Emery was sent away, but Leclaire has been given a dozen opportunities in the past season (and three weeks) to play constantly and consistently and he's never taken full advantage.<br />
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I'm also not one to jump on a bandwagon for promoting a rookie goalie and betting the Senators' season on an unproven commodity; <b>Robin Lehner</b> is 19 years old and <b>Mike Brodeur </b>has three big-league wins.<br />
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I've stated before that this Sens' success this season <a href="http://sensarmy.blogspot.com/2010/10/season-rests-on-shoulders-of-brian.html">depends on <b>Brian Elliott</b></a>. I just didn't think I would be so right, so soon. In that article, I said that Elliott would start between 25 and 40 games this season. With Leclaire officially continuing his injury strike, I think I'm going to bump that up to <i>40 or more</i>.<br />
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So I think it's time to formalize what the universe already seems to have planned. Name Elliott the default starter for the remainder of the season, make Leclaire sit on the bench (with his freaking mask ON this time) and give the Senators the stability that the name I wanted to nickname "<a href="http://sensarmy.blogspot.com/2009/03/pascal-answer-leclaire.html">The Answer</a>" is, unfortunately, unable to provide.Ben Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983073593843777416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297899829070849289.post-6650624186084603192010-10-05T22:21:00.000-04:002010-10-05T22:21:16.058-04:00Season rests on shoulders of Brian Elliott, not LeclaireI've been keeping an eye on a few different preseason rankings, and many of them seem to reference that <b>Pascal Leclaire </b>needs to have some sort of bounce-back season in order for the Senators to be successful.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/ap/db/fullj.b733fc551615a149302509a810198aa9/0b050d46497e4c2b99206098d016d2d0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/ap/db/fullj.b733fc551615a149302509a810198aa9/0b050d46497e4c2b99206098d016d2d0.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I would like to politely disagree with this premise.<br />
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Leclaire didn't have an unsuccessful season last year - he barely hit the ice. With 34 starts, he collected 12 wins. That's far from a great record. And despite this, the Senators won 44 games. Now, I'm no mathemagician (that's a joke, not a typo - geez) but those other 32 wins must have come from somewhere (I see Mike Brodeur had three)... hmmm... let's double check the roster.<br />
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Oh yeah! That saviour!... I mean other goalie, <b>Brian Elliott</b>. He's the only reason why the Senators were able to scrape their way into the playoffs last year. And he may turn out to be the only reason they make it in this year.<br />
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Pascal Leclaire is more injury prone than the Wile E. Coyote, and - combined with at least one slump from #33 this season - chances are that Elliott will again start between 25 and 40 games.<br />
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So when making win predictions for the Sens this year, I recommend that prognosticators expand their thought process from "12 wins? Need better!". Look a little deeper and see the true corner stone of the Senators' goaltending - he spends less time on the bench than you think.Ben Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983073593843777416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297899829070849289.post-88656917532170801862010-10-04T20:17:00.000-04:002010-10-04T20:17:19.433-04:00Bill Guerin - the player the Sens have always neededI can recall a low point in the history of the Ottawa Senators when <b>Daniel Alfredsson</b> was on the chopping block. It was just after another loss to the godfersaken Leafs in the playoffs and Gary Roberts was putting the Sens to shame with an absolutely pestering style and rugged good looks.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/94/Bill_Guerin.jpg/230px-Bill_Guerin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/94/Bill_Guerin.jpg/230px-Bill_Guerin.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>Even hard-core Sens fans wanted Alfredsson gone. He wasn't the leader we needed - and you know who was? Craig Conroy - that who the rumours said that the Sens would get in return from Calgary.<br />
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That would have been among the worst trades of the decade, and praise Alfie that we didn't go through with it. But the idea was that the Senators needed some grit to help them get to the next level.<br />
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Though those frustrating times are behind us, it could be argued that the Senators still lack that grit - even for the post-lockout NHL. So let me propose that the Senators sign <b>Bill Guerin</b>. Or, at least, the player that I recall Bill Guerin to be.<br />
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I presume that the Flyers cut him after a tryout for some very good reasons. The man is 39 years old and may not be able to keep up with the pace that these 20 year-old Swedish defencemen are setting. But last year's stats prove that he can still score with 45 points in 79 games (!) last year, including 21 goals.<br />
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Guerin's stamina is admirable; seventy-nine games at 38-39 years old is no small feat. But what's really appealing is the leadership and the grit. Just look at that playoff beard, not to mention the 15 points in 24 playoff games in 2008-09 that he and the beard contributed.<br />
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He can still score, and he's the rough old power forward that can provide leadership for the five forwards under the age of 25 that will see icetime with the Sens this year.<br />
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Just don't trade Daniel Alfredsson to get him.Ben Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983073593843777416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297899829070849289.post-66176206211256168772010-09-28T22:41:00.002-04:002010-09-28T22:42:19.138-04:00The underground economy of sports blogsI want to bring to light something that I find extremely unfair and all-too-common among large-audience (dare I say 'corporate') sports blogs today: exploitation of high-quality writers.<br />
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Since beginning to blog on this site in 2007, I have received various offers to exchange links, trade blogs, and write on other sites as a means of growing the influence of this website. I have even contributed to many websites without asking for anything in return. I like to think my opinion is valid and should be read by as many people as possible.<br />
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But much of this changed when I started paying rent. The value of my skills (as a writer or blogger) is now determined by the return that I make on it. Money that I need to pay for groceries, rent, entertainment, cable television and internet (so that I can watch the Sens!).<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>An email from an $8-million company</b></span><br />
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Yesterday, I received an email from Bleacher Report (BR) asking if I would like to be a featured columnist for their Ottawa Senators section and sit-in on a conference call that would likely involve players and/or management from the team.<br />
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"Great!" I said. "That sounds like a fantastic opportunity. But I don't work for free. Would you be open to negotiating a freelance fee for my work?"<br />
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"Not at this time," was their response. BR's representative did not indicate at what time they would be open to paying for my work.<br />
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I have received dozens of such emails, from various for-profit sports blog organizations, since this blog was created.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Why sports bloggers should be paid</b></span><br />
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At community newspapers across Ottawa, anyone with a bit of flare for interviews and language can write an article and be paid. In the past, I've written for community newspapers and been paid anywhere from $75 to $120 for my services. Seems fair for a person who has been educated in this field to be paid a reasonable amount for the time (4-8 hours) contributed to an article.<br />
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It's a simple equation. Newspaper gets money from advertisers to be delivered to readers eyeballs; readers pick up newspaper to see articles; newspaper pays writer for article. <br />
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I think it's unfair--and insulting--to ask any person who is trained and proven in their field to work for free. And I don't think that it's unreasonable to ask Bleacher Report for a stipend in exchange for my contribution to their website, their viewership, their ad revenue, and their organizational value.<br />
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Over the past few years, Bleacher Report has received <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2008/02/19/bleacher-report-gives-stage-to-amateur-sports-writing/">more than $8-million in funding</a> from various investors, according to Tech Crunch. And I doubt that the editor that contacted me was working pro bono - so why should I work without pay? Who will pay my rent while BR receives an additional 1,000 readers because of my contribution?<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>It's an insult</b></span><br />
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I understand that Bleacher Report is a platform that is meant to empower sports fans and give them an easy-to-use outlet for their opinions. It's a great concept. One that was obviously good enough to grow into a mult-million dollar business. So why not give writers (especially <i>featured columnists</i>) some credit? They can certainly afford it.<br />
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I write this not to smear BR or to discourage bloggers who are passionate enough to write on their own accord--obviously, I could myself among you. I write this to empower those who fuel the engines that make others thousands of dollars each week.<br />
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<b>Sports bloggers, you are more than a fan with an opinion. You are a writer! A freelance writer! You should be paid (and paid well!). Not exploited. Not asked to work for free.</b><br />
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So when a similar email arrives in your inbox, I ask you to simply request what you deserve: Some money in your pocket so that you can keep paying rent, buying groceries, paying for cable and watching the game.<br />
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Anything less than <b>pay for work</b> is an insult to your intelligence and skills.Ben Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983073593843777416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297899829070849289.post-58935341225385249882010-09-25T12:24:00.000-04:002010-09-25T12:24:13.521-04:00Wake me up when September ends<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I can't believe the fans in Montreal. This post isn't really about them, but it has to be said: Booing your still-young and recently ordained #1 goalie in a preseason game isn't just a bit of overkill, it's shooting a butterfly with a machine gun.<br />
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<a href="http://cdn.nhl.com/senators/images/upload/2009/07/090704_robin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://cdn.nhl.com/senators/images/upload/2009/07/090704_robin.jpg" width="212" /></a>Wayne Scanlan does an excellent job of putting this <a href="http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/buzz+begins+early+here/3578712/story.html">pre-season insanity</a> in its place in today's <i>Ottawa Citizen</i>.<br />
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Leafs Nation was close to calling it a season after their 5-0 preseason-opening loss to the Senators. Then, after winning the rematch, normal levels of criticism and insanity resumed. Let's not forget that the Leafs had a record in the realm of 6-3-0 during last season's preseason, and finished 29th during the season that matters.<br />
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I'm happy to see that Ottawa, by and large, has not fallen into the same trap. Other than some optimism with regards to 19-year old goaltending prospect <b>Robin Lehner</b>, dodging the hype in the Nation's Capital hasn't been too difficult.<br />
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Too many factors haven't been tested and too few Sens regulars have yet to hit the ice together. Now is not the time to condemn or boast about the NHL team which hasn't suited up all at once.<br />
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Some say that the off-season, with its increasingly ridiculous free-agent contracts (happy not to address that one, thank you very much), is sport's silly season. Well, I think we've found a new definition.<br />
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As the song goes...Ben Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983073593843777416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297899829070849289.post-28480957491795354852010-05-19T10:00:00.002-04:002010-05-19T10:07:13.098-04:00Let's do away with (the idea of) home ice advantage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://freelancewritinggigs.com/goodstuff/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/thumbs-down-stockxchnge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://freelancewritinggigs.com/goodstuff/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/thumbs-down-stockxchnge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>You want a home ice advantage? Play better on home ice!<br />
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I'm a big fan of TSN's Sunday morning opinion show <a href="http://www.tsn.ca/shows/the_reporters/feature/?fid=10324">The Reporters</a>, but I'm a bigger fan of the podcast version. Opinions and information without having to look at Steve Simmons' ugly mug? Perfect! They did a little bonus episode last Sunday discussing the apparent lack of advantage for NHL teams that play at home and I couldn't help but take issue with their way of thinking.<br />
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Opinions ranged from a lack of distinctiveness among NHL arenas to the length and flight patterns between cities to even... get this... a lack of effort from heckling fans. Frankly, I think this analysis forgets that there's nothing good and natural about home ice - it's what you make of it.<br />
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Finishing at the top of the Eastern Conference certainly didn't help the Washinton Capitals much, and the Ottawa Senatorss having game six against Pittsburgh at home only worsened their record. The last game was played in Ottawa - you'd think it was the Sens who finished ahead of the Penguins.<br />
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I think mixing the facts up like this only serve to prove that there's no such thing as home ice advantage - the better team <i>should</i> win whether they're in their own town or not.<br />
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In the case of the Caps, playing at home didn't hurt them as much as their goaltending, powerplay, lack of scoring, poor defence... get where I'm going?<br />
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Over-analyzing home ice advantage is like asking why the tail is wagging the dog. The reason why it's a seven-game series is because the better team will eventually win. And witnessing the Canadiens scrape their way through these playoffs despite playing only six games on home ice is all the proof that should be needed.Ben Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983073593843777416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297899829070849289.post-62551505068149804692010-05-17T23:33:00.001-04:002010-05-18T08:19:47.204-04:00Blame Gerber: Sens lost money this season<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.httours.com/Scotiabank_Place.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://www.httours.com/Scotiabank_Place.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Sorry to distract you from the Conference Finals, but there's a bit of bad news for the Sens. In addition to not winning the Stanley Cup, the Ottawa Senators actually <a href="http://www.obj.ca/Local/2010-05-17/article-1097654/Senators-lose-money-for-second-straight-season/1">lost money this season</a>. The reason? <b>Martin Gerber</b>.<br />
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But Ben, you say, he hasn't played for the Senators for more than a year. Apparently we fans lost a lot of faith in the boys during that far-from-fateful 2008-09 season, and the ticket sales have yet to recover. The article goes on to state that the Senators would have had to make the second round of these playoffs in order to break even.<br />
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That just makes me wonder how much that overtime goal by <b>Matt Carkner</b> in Game 5--which sent the series back to Ottawa for a sold out Game 6--was worth to the bottom line... And why isn't that amount added to his measly $900,000 annual contract? The man played a lot of minutes!<br />
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<i>Edit: Got my game #s mixed up there. Game 6 was played in Ottawa.</i>Ben Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983073593843777416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297899829070849289.post-51289875430620950272010-04-29T19:32:00.000-04:002010-04-29T19:32:19.491-04:00Synergy, thy name is Cullen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c7/Matt_Cullen.jpg/600px-Matt_Cullen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c7/Matt_Cullen.jpg/600px-Matt_Cullen.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Unlike most years, where <b>Bryan Murray</b>'s deadline acquisitions have fallen flat, this year's crop of rentals has an undeniably positive impact on the team.<br />
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Not only did <b>Matt Cullen</b> lead the team in points during these playoffs, he really seemed to match Alfredsson's style. Watching him move swiftly across the ice with Daniel Alfredsson was a thing of beauty, and something I hope to witness again next season. <br />
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With the irreplaceable <b>Anton Volchenkov</b> possibly coming off the books July 1, I think it would be a step forward for this team to redirect some money into punching up the offence.<br />
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Cullen was a prized acquisition at the trade deadline (and, with hindsight, for good reason!), and Murray now has a month of exclusive negotiation to convince the 33-year old that Ottawa is the right place for him to finish his career. Murray should put some effort into getting the deal done because Cullen has proven himself to be a perfect fit for the Senators.Ben Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983073593843777416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297899829070849289.post-25986948559308983892010-04-26T22:47:00.000-04:002010-04-26T22:47:23.789-04:00You can't keep a good town downThanks to my opportunistic father, whose faith in the Ottawa Senators truly springs eternal, I was in a packed Scotiabank Place for Saturday night's game.<br />
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Of course, we came away disappointed, but while the Penguins were jumping all over each other like a bunch of... silly penguins... I was clapping for the Senators, and I meant it. Lead by their injury-riddled captain, the Sens to raised their sticks to the crowd in a classy sign of appreciation that is rarely seen in professional sports.<br />
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There was something about this season that seemed so meddling, and at the same time, so transitory. The team is on its way to a new structure and spirit, and this was just the season in which the larva was still building its cocoon. Is the team tougher now than it was in 2001? Hells yes. Is it a better team? Ummm.... no.<br />
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Did we learn anything from this series? Well, it only takes one game for many Ottawa Senators fans to jump off, then back on, the bandwagon, that's for sure - myself included. After the Penguins beat up the Sens in that seven-goal period two of game four, I didn't give the Sens a chance. They were cooked.<br />
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But then, like a chicken finger that you leave in the fridge for too long, the Senators uncooked themselves with much stronger efforts in games five and six. And that earned them only one thing: respect. This post would be much different had the Sens gone quietly into the night after game five, but they didn't. So they get a little respect.<br />
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I do wish the Sens' coaching staff had more faith in <b>Pascal Leclaire</b>, but I can understand <b>Cory Clouston</b>'s predicament. If not for that astonishing winning streak in the middle of the season, the Sens would have been fighting for the eighth spot rather than sitting quietly in fifth. Undoubtedly, the Senators needed <b>Brian Elliott</b> to get them into the playoffs. Hard to fault Clouston for that.<br />
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It feels good to put some hockey thoughts on the net after a long absence. Recent events have re-sparked my passion, and I hope to share more thoughts with you during the summer.<br />
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Cheers, Sens fans. You can't keep a good town down.Ben Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983073593843777416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297899829070849289.post-30620898101752681792009-12-07T18:20:00.006-05:002010-04-26T22:48:07.300-04:00Haitus at SABIt gives me no pleasure to announce that Sens Army Blog is going on hiatus until further notice. The reasons for this announcement are entirely personal, but not private (so read on).<br />
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Maintaining a blog at a high level and being an opinion leader in any online forum is no easy task, and requires much time and dedication. Recently, I have had neither the time nor the interest required to maintain this blog at a high level.<br />
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This has become apparent to me over recent weeks as the team travelled and I found that I had nothing to say regarding their journey--wins or losses, I had no desire the analyze. Instead, I have become a spectator, pure and simple.<br />
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><br />
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;">The Wedge and the Microscope</span></span><br />
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The strange thing is that this is making hockey more enjoyable. In recent years, I have found myself publicly fighting a shifting perception among sports fans. Fans seem to want to wedge themselves into the personal lives of hockey players (and other sports figures), for no reason other than to be critical. I have no desire to criticize Ray Emery for his driving habits, Dany Heatley for his trade request, or Alex Kovalev for his inexplicably sporadic scoring. I just want to watch and enjoy the game... and sometimes, not watch the game at all.<br />
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The pace and competition of blogging has created a demand for information that I feel is irrelevant. Though there may be many people out there who want to know the minute and mundane details of the Senators' morning skate, I am not one of them. In other words, I don't want to know such things and I don't think you need to know either. Too often I find myself wanting to use this blog as a soapbox to complain about these topics, but that doesn't make for a fun daily read.<br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;">The Good Times</span><br />
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That said, I have thoroughly enjoyed maintaining this blog for more than two years (and 948 blog entries!). I have gained much insight into sports fans, writers, blogging, podcasting, marketing, social media, and search engine optimization. If you want to gain insight or experience in any of these topics, then I recommend you start a blog right now!<br />
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I have met (either online or in-person) some incredible personalities: enthusiastic people who are ready to laugh with others and at themselves--they're the best people on earth. Those people who write honestly, and without thanks, about their favourite teams are a unique breed and should be commended for their efforts. So let me say: You rock! Don't listen to the haters and keep up the excellent work!<br />
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This blog has shown me the possibilities of being an independent creative writer. The hiatus of this blog certainly does not spell the end of my online writing adventures, that is for sure. In fact, it is my goal to do this as a career, though not involving hockey.<br />
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...and I guess that brings this little speech to a close. Check out some of the links in the sidebar to get your daily Sens fix from now on. Drop me a line if you ever feel like chatting about blogging or podcasting.<br />
<span style="color: #888888;"><a href="http://gmail.com/" target="_blank"></a></span>Ben Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983073593843777416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297899829070849289.post-57176126887621089572009-12-02T07:53:00.005-05:002009-12-02T08:10:59.063-05:00An asshole is born; Sharks beat Sens<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.danieldraws.com/Itch%2081.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 497px; height: 297px;" src="http://www.danieldraws.com/Itch%2081.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Great series of comics called <a href="http://www.danieldraws.com/itch81.html">Itch (Danieldraws.com) </a>really seem to sum up my feelings this morning... because <a href="http://sensarmy.blogspot.com/2009/11/feeling-snarky-and-sharky.html">I totally called it</a>.<br /><br />The Sens got torn up by the Sharks last night. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Dany Heatley</span> got 2 assists and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Patrick Marleau</span> had two goals. So, you know who's really responsible for this loss, don't you? That's right! <a href="http://sensarmy.blogspot.com/2008/02/wade-i-want-divorce.html">Wade Redden!</a> (Who nixed a trade for Marleau a few years ago with his NTC).<br /><br />...and why is <span style="font-weight: bold;">Mike Brodeur</span> in net? Man... a lot went on last night. Off to work!Ben Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983073593843777416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297899829070849289.post-22192343309818163892009-11-30T18:40:00.002-05:002009-11-30T18:43:24.355-05:00Feeling snarky and sharkyI'm sorry to prediction this one guys, but the Sharks are the best team in the NHL right now.<br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: trebuchet ms;">Sharks 5 - Senators 1</span><br /><br />Though the Senators appear to be on the on the right tracks recently, facing the Sharks won't be just another game that requires 'grit' or 'lucky bounces' for Ottawa to pull off a win. San Jose has dominated this season with a hot goalie and potent offence. With almost 100 goals in less than 30 games, they're miles ahead of most teams in the NHL - and that includes the Sens. I would also like to predict that <span style="font-weight: bold;">Dany Heatley</span> is a jerk.</blockquote>Who's going to be staying up late to watch the game? I'll just be catching the highlights. Got to wake up early and go to work. So sue me.Ben Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983073593843777416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297899829070849289.post-32761685804196577712009-11-29T11:40:00.004-05:002009-11-29T12:02:21.023-05:00Special K is here to stay!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/7b/fullj.cf02ed629faf4266670b06483de8f1f7/cf02ed629faf4266670b06483de8f1f7-getty-90952993ds012_sens_leafs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 334px; height: 245px;" src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/7b/fullj.cf02ed629faf4266670b06483de8f1f7/cf02ed629faf4266670b06483de8f1f7-getty-90952993ds012_sens_leafs.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Erik Karlsson</span> is likely staying with the Ottawa Senators for the rest of the season, after playing his 10th NHL game last night in a 4-3 SO loss to the Boston Bruins, and kicking off the first year of his entry-level contract.<br /><br />It's a rather surprising move. Many believed that Karlsson would spend the year in the AHL improving his game, and keeping his pay off the Sens' books. I believe a combination of factors led the team to make this decision and start the clock ticking on the talented Swede's second contract.<br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;">Why now?</span><br /><br />Karlsson has been doing well in Binhamton, I see from his stats. Eleven assists in 12 games puts him among the team leaders (though most of the Baby Sens have played 20+ games). It looks like his level of talent deserves to be in the big leagues. (Looking down the rest of the B-Sens roster, I see a lot of long-ago Ottawa draft picks... most will turn out to be AHL lifers. Ouch.)<br /><br />Recent wins may have emboldened Sens management to 'go for it' this year and bring Karlsson along for the ride... and by 'it', I mean 'making the playoffs'. Playoff prospects are looking good at the moment... let the good times roll.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_M_7Vc_ze-4U/SxKoE_gPyVI/AAAAAAAAAC0/OLhssa-iY8k/s1600/Screen+shot+2009-11-29+at+11.33.53+AM.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 209px; height: 310px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_M_7Vc_ze-4U/SxKoE_gPyVI/AAAAAAAAAC0/OLhssa-iY8k/s320/Screen+shot+2009-11-29+at+11.33.53+AM.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409570906145016146" border="0" /></a>Giving K-Mart (more nicknames?! Yes!) the opportunity to learn from the organizations' best defencemen may prove a valuable learning experience. If he's the best offensive defenceman in Bingo, he's not developing that aspect of his game.<br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;">What about our former golden boy?</span><br /><br />And <span style="font-weight: bold;">Brian Lee</span>? Well, he has fallen down the depth chart for sure, but he's still on a two-way contract and could still prove to be valuable for the Senators down the road. Don't count him out yet. Many have said that he's likely to be traded in coming weeks, but the Sens don't have a ton of cap room ($1.9-million according to <a href="http://www.hockeybuzz.com/cap-central/team.php?team=OTT">nhlscap.com</a>) to accept new contracts.<br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;">WTF Jersey</span><br /><br />PS: Did anyone see the Baby Sens' Thanksgiving jerseys? I think we have a new winner for Worst. Jersey. Ever. The bad-ass Senator guy is wearing a pilgrim hat! WTF!Ben Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983073593843777416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297899829070849289.post-19565289790147730302009-11-28T18:28:00.002-05:002009-11-28T19:14:17.018-05:00Quick pre-game thoughtsTonight's game, I believe, is the culmination of a lot of hard work from Senators players over the past 2 weeks. After beating Washington, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo, it seems fitting that the Sens would take on last year's Eastern Conference Champions--the tests just keep coming, and Ottawa seems up to the task at the moment.<br /><br />Despite various injuries to key players, the Sens have found the depth and strength to move forward. Looking at previous games, it hasn't always been <span style="font-weight: bold;">Daniel Alfredsson</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Jason Spezza</span>, or even <span style="font-weight: bold;">Milan Michalek</span>, who have been contributing the majority of the offence.<br /><br />Against Columbus, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Jesse Winchester</span> had assists on both of the Sens goals. When Ottawa took on Washington, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Filip Kuba</span> collected three assists and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Ryan Shannon</span>, Winchester, and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Peter Regin</span> all had points.<br /><br />I know I've said this before... but this grand scheme from <span style="font-weight: bold;">Bryan Murray</span> to add depth to the team might actually be working. Hopefully I didn't put my foot in my mouth just minutes before the game begins. Let's see...<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Send me your thoughts during the game </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.twitter.com/sensarmyblog">@sensarmyblog</a><span style="font-style: italic;">.</span>Ben Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983073593843777416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297899829070849289.post-33708797606400967972009-11-24T22:54:00.002-05:002009-11-24T23:27:10.465-05:00I believe in Brian Elliott<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/cb/fullj.b349dd12d3910738e121af71032f7cd7/b349dd12d3910738e121af71032f7cd7-getty-90958657pm004_washington_ca.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 660px; height: 440px;" src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/cb/fullj.b349dd12d3910738e121af71032f7cd7/b349dd12d3910738e121af71032f7cd7-getty-90958657pm004_washington_ca.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pascal Leclaire</span> gets hit by a puck while sitting on the <span style="font-weight: bold;">freaking bench</span>?! No problem!<br /><br />The Senators have always been blessed with all-too-talented backup goalies, and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Brian Elliott</span> is no exception. All the way back to Ron Tugnutt taking over for Damian Rhodes when the playoffs roll around, the Sens backups are always ready to take over. Ray Emery anyone?<br /><br />I'm pretty sure the goalie situation known as goalie 1A and 1B was created in Ottawa. Only Canadian bureaucrats could come up with such a non-exclusive competitive arrangement.<br /><br />Last season, with no NHL experience, Elliott stepped into the Sens net and was all but named the team's #1 goalie for the remainder of the season. His numbers were pretty good too. 16-8-3, 2.77 GAA, .902 save percentage.<br /><br />This season, Elliott has been just as solid. 4-1-2, with a GAA below 3 and save percentage above .900--that's all you can ask of an Ottawa Senators goalie.<br /><br />Besides, we all know that goaltending has rarely been the difference this season. Leclaire may have stolen one or two games this year for the Sens, but the team as a whole has dictated the course of this season so far.<br /><br />Do you believe in Brian Elliott?Ben Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983073593843777416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297899829070849289.post-5802824794993070222009-11-24T11:00:00.000-05:002009-11-24T11:00:02.364-05:00Jared Cowen update and interview (courtesy of FC)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.whl.ca/cowen_jared_2009_nhl_top_prospect_profile_2-r102487&is=Right+Side+Bar"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="http://www.whl.ca/cowen_jared_2009_nhl_top_prospect_profile_2-r102487&is=Right+Side+Bar" alt="" border="0" /></a>When<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Jared Cowen</span> was drafted by the Ottawa Senators, I immediately compared him to Zdeno Chara. Like Chara, He's a huge defenceman who will undoubtedly take a few years to develop.<br /><br />Luckily, Cowen will be playing for Team Canada during this year's World Junior Hockey Championship against many of the best young players in the world. That's sure to help his development.<br /><br />Zdeno Jr. has 14 points and is +8 on a solid Spokane Chiefs team, who have a record of 14-8-1 while playing in the tight WHL US-divison.<br /><br />Check out Future Considerations' <a href="http://www.futureconsiderations.ca/#/jared-cowen/">recent interview with Cowen</a> on the Chiefs and this winter's WJHC.<br /><br />I'm looking forward to seeing a Team Canada featuring both JC and Ottawa native Erik Gudbranson, who was recently r<a href="http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/Gudbranson/2235370/story.html">anked the #4 prospect in the OHL</a>. I think they can just give us our sixth consecutive gold medal right now.Ben Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983073593843777416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297899829070849289.post-37885814046262113142009-11-23T21:06:00.007-05:002009-11-23T21:33:03.709-05:00Senators team replaced with 'winning machine': ReportYou gotta give credit to the Sens these days, they've beaten a two (or three--writing during Caps game) of the best teams in the conference in the past week, and even without the services of their most consistent defenceman, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Anton Volchenkov</span> (with Phillips flying off the handle and scoring goals these days, I can hardly call him consistent).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pascal Leclaire</span> definitely beat out former Senator Patrick Lalime when the Sens took on the Sabres. Lalime had a terrible record against the Sens since leaving the team, and keeping that record up (with a vengeance) surely boosts the team's ego.<br /><br />And speaking of Leclaire, he got hit in the face by a puck when the Sens played the Washington Capitals tonight. After an injury kept him out of the game, you could hear him sigh from Kanata to Orleans, "It's just one of those weeks."<br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" ><br />Weekly roundup</span><br /><br />With wins over the Penguins and Sabres, the Sens bandwagon has been getting pretty crowded over the past few days. It's funny how things can change from one copy deadline to the next...<br /><br />Saturday - <a href="http://www.faceoff.com/hockey/teams/ottawa-senators/story.html?id=60e6c8b3-7629-479c-8a23-8f418c8185f6&add_feed_url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.canada.com%2ftopics%2fsports%2fhockey%2ffaceoff%2fcolumns%2fsenators.atom%3fviewer%3dhttp%3a%2f%2fwww.faceoff.com%2fhockey%2fteams%2fottawa-senators%2fstory.html">Senators look to halt bumpy start to season</a><br />Sunday - <a href="http://www.faceoff.com/hockey/teams/ottawa-senators/story.html?id=2252766&add_feed_url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.faceoff.com%2fscripts%2fSP6Atom.aspx%3fid%3d824725">Sens show cutting edge</a><br /><br />As hockey fans, I think we're all prone to mood swings. Everyone seems to be pointing out that the Sens are just 1 point behind the Sabres for first place in the Northeast Division... a week ago no one was doing the math. Just sayin'.<br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;">Facts</span><br /><ul><li>Patrick Lalime's career went downhill after he left Ottawa... by now he's 20 feet underground. Too bad.</li><li>Mike Fisher will not make Team Canada, and neither will Ray Emery, no matter how non-committal Steve Yzerman is.</li><li>Brian Elliott reminds me of Emery, but Leclaire in no way reminds me of Gerber. Sweet.<br /></li></ul>Ben Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983073593843777416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297899829070849289.post-14696919466909826752009-11-18T11:30:00.001-05:002009-11-18T11:30:00.261-05:00Clouston made the right call, and so did you<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_M_7Vc_ze-4U/SwNqBoDt5AI/AAAAAAAAACs/_hunc2RFLO0/s1600/Screen+shot+2009-11-17+at+10.27.40+PM.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 142px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_M_7Vc_ze-4U/SwNqBoDt5AI/AAAAAAAAACs/_hunc2RFLO0/s320/Screen+shot+2009-11-17+at+10.27.40+PM.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405280553940149250" border="0" /></a>Frankly, I was surprised that so many people are <span style="font-style: italic;">not </span>buying into the potential goalie controversy in Ottawa. Good on ya.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pascal Leclaire</span> certianly did his part to win the game for the Ottawa Senators. He kept the team in the lead late in the game, and the goals that he did surrender weren't terrible.<br /><br />He did seem to be a bit nervous though--too much sliding along the ice, peeking behind himself to check if the puck had gone through. But over all, he's silenced some doubters with his play against the Leafs last night.Ben Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983073593843777416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297899829070849289.post-7920043166192303892009-11-17T20:42:00.005-05:002009-11-17T22:28:17.574-05:00Intensity returns to Battle of Ontario<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/84/fullj.e9a8a28c78f3a32058b06c50b780cdf9/e9a8a28c78f3a32058b06c50b780cdf9-getty-90955934pm009_toronto_maple.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 410px; height: 277px;" src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/84/fullj.e9a8a28c78f3a32058b06c50b780cdf9/e9a8a28c78f3a32058b06c50b780cdf9-getty-90955934pm009_toronto_maple.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Ian Mendes had it right during the first intermission, "more fights than goals".<br /><br />I guess that's how these two Eastern Conference middle-weights express their dislike for one another these days. Not by attempting to embarrass the other with flashy goals, but by attempting to bludgeon the opponent into submission.<br /><br />But in the end, it was <span style="font-weight: bold;">Mike Fisher </span>and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Pascal Leclaire</span> that won this game for the Ottawa Senators. I'm not sure exactly what's up with Fisher and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Alex Kovalev</span>, but someone should pass the memo onto Fish that it's Kovalev who's supposed to be scoring goals, and Mike's the one who's supposed to be the overpaid baggage. Bah!<br /><br />Penalties anyone? You got plenty of time to see the Senators powerplay and penalty-kill. Neither of which looked great. A little bit of magic from AK27 or Jason Spezza certainly would have made the last minutes of the game a little less stressful.<br /><br />Speaking of those final few minutes. OHMYGAWDWHATASAVE. ...sorry that just all came out at once. Leclaire seemed to be scrambling too much and few of those last saves were what we would call 'standard', but they worked and preserved the win for Ottawa. Hard to argue with that.<br /><br />What's easy to argue with? Shots in the third period 15-4 for the Leafs. Yikes.<br /><br />Final note on Kovalev: He will be judged not by the success of his linemates but by how many goals he himself scores. With only one shot registered in this game, he's got to be a little more selfish, drive to the net a more, and be more desperate for goals. I would much rather celebrate his talents than comment on his mental game.Ben Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983073593843777416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297899829070849289.post-55692497589896881072009-11-16T22:53:00.004-05:002009-11-16T23:01:14.356-05:00When it's 'Win and You're In'... you never winJust submitted my prediction to the Citizen's gameday prediction panel. Check it out and give me your thoughts.<br /><blockquote style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Senators 4 - 2 Leafs<br /><br />The Leafs truly are a mess. They're playing the 'win and you're in' goalie game that killed the Senators a couple years back and got John Paddock fired. Relatively speaking, the Sens are doing fine. The recent loss in the shootout shouldn't phase the team too much and if <span style="font-weight: bold;">Pascal Leclaire</span> is back in net, he's certainly got something to prove.</blockquote>...I really hope they put Snoop-Chuck back in net. We need to lean on our #1 goalie and no go down the 'goalie controversy' route that's <a href="http://www.faceoff.com/hockey/teams/ottawa-senators/story.html?id=2228788&add_feed_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.faceoff.com%2Fscripts%2FSP6Atom.aspx%3Fid%3D824725">gaining steam in some circles</a>.<br /><br />I also put a poll in the sidebar in case you have an opinion, but don't feel like typing. Hurray!Ben Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983073593843777416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297899829070849289.post-72994165703612705632009-11-16T11:30:00.001-05:002009-11-16T11:30:00.673-05:00Sixty-five percent say Sens playoff hopefuls<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_M_7Vc_ze-4U/SwDAQgshduI/AAAAAAAAACk/2u8RGXT0Guk/s1600/Nov16_poll_SAB.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 198px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_M_7Vc_ze-4U/SwDAQgshduI/AAAAAAAAACk/2u8RGXT0Guk/s320/Nov16_poll_SAB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404530942731712226" border="0" /></a>I'd say that sounds about right.<br /><br />The Sens Army Blog's most recent poll suggests that Ottawa Senators fans aren't quite ready to start planning the Stanley Cup parade route. Sixty-five percent said the team are mere playoff contenders.<br /><br />In fact, only 18% of respondents would commit to the Senators making the playoffs this season. The team's play of late certainly wouldn't convert any of you skeptics out there.<br /><br />With a winning percentage of .470 and a tieing percentage of .176 (the NHL really has to get rid of that shit because that just sounds stupid), the Senators are on pace for around 92 points this season.<br /><br />Right now, that puts them in 11th place in the conference. Last season, Eastern Conference teams needed 93 points or more to qualify for the playoffs.<br /><br />...but that's okay because <span style="font-weight: bold;">Alex Kovalev</span> is going to start scoring some goals soon... right? RIGHT?!Ben Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983073593843777416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297899829070849289.post-61628344650545717062009-11-15T21:30:00.002-05:002009-11-15T21:46:44.779-05:00I'm selling out and need your feedbackSorry to confront you on a Monday morning, but I have something I want to talk to you about: advertising on this blog. And no, I'm not asking for money--I'm asking for your feedback.<br /><br />I've done my best to keep this blog ugly-ad-free over the past two years or so. However, I've also been successful in keeping myself very poor over the past couple of years by not taking advantage of this blog and the traffic it gets.<br /><br />Google ads never got me any money, and every person who emails me and asks me to join their blog network ultimately wants me to work for a <a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/pittance">pittance</a> (word-a-day calendar) anyway. So I'm taking advertising on the Sens Army Blog into my own hands. That means no 'Get ripped with absolutely no exercise' ads for you.<br /><br />The first ad over there on the left is for my brother's blog, and he's getting it for the low price of free while I gather your feedback.<br /><br />So leave me a comment and tell me what you love and/or hate about advertising on blogs.<br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;">Are they distracting?</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;">Have you ever clicked on a blog ad?</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;">How can I keep ads from interfering with your blog reading?</span><br /><br />We're still in the experimental stage and I want to be up-front with you all about what's happening so that you're not all 'wtf' about it. And if you're interested in advertising on this blog, send me an email. Thanks!Ben Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983073593843777416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297899829070849289.post-29839261568410019882009-11-15T11:50:00.002-05:002009-11-15T12:25:54.109-05:00Same old Ottawa Senators<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091114/capt.78106c55474e4e888f3289d731eb5f46.rangers_senators_hockey_fcx112.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 355px; height: 294px;" src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091114/capt.78106c55474e4e888f3289d731eb5f46.rangers_senators_hockey_fcx112.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Inability to score at crucial times and inconsistent goaltending?! No, you must be speaking of some other team.<br /><br />As I watched the Senators take on the New York Rangers yesterday, that shootout seemed to encapsulate the whole game--a simple inability to win the game. Thanks to some steady goaltending from <span style="font-weight: bold;">Brian Elliott</span>, the Senators had no less than <span style="font-style: italic;">three opportunities</span> to win the game.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Nick Folgino</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Mike Fisher</span> (otherwise great game, btw), and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Jarkko Ruutu</span> each could have won the game if they scored on their shootout opportunity.<br /><br />That's three opportunities to get an extra point, and three opportunities to push the team a little further toward a playoff spot. It's something of a cliché, but it must be said that these games are just as important as the ones in April. When the Sens are desperate for points in the spring, I'll be recalling this game in my mind.<br /><br />The inconsistent goaltending, of course, is not the fault of Elliott. That's the fault to <span style="font-weight: bold;">Pascal Leclaire</span>, who has single-handedly led us to question his abilities. I will play the part of optimist here and note the following:<br /><ul><li>He's played 13 games and is above .500. That's far from terrible.</li><li>Leclaire missed a whole year and could still be reconstructing his game and getting back into the groove on a regular NHL schedule.</li><li>The Sens offence hasn't been too helpful recently. Few powerplays and fewer crucial goals.</li><li>In his last 6 games, he's only allowed more than 3 goals once. Do not panic.</li></ul><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >AK27 made for mis-fires</span><br /><br />Who saw this recent wave of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Alex Kovelav</span> criticism coming from a mile away? Everyone! Every NHL pundit on the planet knew that Kovalev would be streaky. And now, while it's happening it's supposed to be surprising? No, sorry. We'll see what his stats are at season's end... Then I'll be pissed.<br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >Tuesday versus Leafs good measuring stick</span><br /><br />Next game is against the Leafs on Tuesday evening. I hope to see Leclaire return to the net, and put any potential controversies to rest.<br /><br />Playing the Leafs is always fun because they set the bar for terrible teams in the NHL. If you can beat them, you're fine. If not, well, I might have to pick up some more of that 7.0% beer.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Stats you didn't want to hear</span> (<a href="http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/">courtesy yahoo.com</a>)<br /><br />The Senators are 1-2 in shootouts this season and remain the worst team in the tie-breaking procedure with a 12-25 record since its inception. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Ben's note: The Sens were 1 for 1 after beating the Leafs in the first ever NHL shootout! woo!</span>)<br /><br />The Senators won 53 percent of faceoffs, but only because C Jason Spezza was 17-10 in the circles. Every other Senator had a losing record on faceoffs against a Rangers team that was without the injured Chris Drury and Brandon Dubinsky—two of its top three drawmen.Ben Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983073593843777416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297899829070849289.post-75111983786498493742009-11-12T20:31:00.006-05:002009-11-12T21:48:15.318-05:00Faceless Senators make Emery look goodAfter work today, I went to the local LCBO and picked up eight tall boys to drink this weekend.<br /><br />The beer for tonight's game against the Flyers is <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/628/7359">Holsten Maibock</a> 7.0%.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/def_floor/Snoopyconcern-o-metre.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 312px; height: 510px;" src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/def_floor/Snoopyconcern-o-metre.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Sports writers are going to struggle for angles on this one (so I bet they'll go with either 'Leclaire inconsistent' or '<span style="font-weight: bold;">Ray Emery</span> shows Sens what they're missing' for lack of better option). The Senators have been entirely faceless tonight.<br /><br />I can't think of one outstanding player who took the game into his hands. Usually, it's someone like <span style="font-weight: bold;">Daniel Alfredsson</span> or <span style="font-weight: bold;">Jason Spezza</span> who just says 'Fine, I'll do it'. But tonight, with those two shut down, it's up to some other players to step up.<br /><br />Mike Fisher had done his part in the second period. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Alex Kovalev? Jonathan Cheechoo? Milan Michalek</span>? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?<br /><br />Somebody had to step up to win this game for the Senators... but no one did. That's a product of a lack of aggression and creativity.<br /><br />Much of that goes to <span style="font-weight: bold;">Cory Clouston</span>. TSN (as much as I hate to admit it) did a great job of illustrating how the Senators were sitting back for the whole game. Last season, Clouston was known for making the Sens a more aggressive team. Tonight? Nada.<br /><br />Oh man. Starting to feel that beer. The label was right. Strong.<br /><br />The easy way out would be to blame Pascal Leclaire. Though I'm certainly not impressed with his performance, if the Senators had not lost this game 5-1, they would have lost it 2-1. No offence, no wins. It's simple.<br /><br />Still... I'm going to have to put this somewhere in the yellow-to-red for the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Pascal Leclaire Advisory System</span>. Tonight's game is unsettling.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip of the Hat:</span><br /><ul><li>Beer. Just in general.</li><li>TSN producers.</li><li>Ray Emery - yeah, take that Sens.<br /></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wag of the Finger:</span><br /><ul><li>Trapezoids; other so-called 'bad angles'.<br /></li><li>Logos that almost look like a "P", but with feathers.</li><li>Photoshop -- should be more beer-user-friendly.<br /></li></ul>Ben Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11983073593843777416noreply@blogger.com