What Was That??!!??

[3Jack]

No suspensions!?!

This is why the NHL will never been a top four league again. Look how NASCAR handles cheating of late, how the NFL protects its star players, how the NBA reacted against Ron Artest. No screwin' around.

In my opinion, the NHL could choose to go one of two ways. 1. Levy significant suspensions and fines to those who choose to go the way of frontier justice, or 2. Make a concious decision to let itself go the way of UFC and other such hedonistic 'sports' and appeal to the young male demographic that demand blood and retribution and is entertained by youtube school yard fights et al.

Seems to me Bettman and Campbell are letting it go the latter...

[malfar]

Last night just shows the Sens simply aren't tough enough to make it in the playoffs
- Spezza - he's a big enough guy - when somebody tries to whip you stand up and fight - but no he turtles - no grit
- Emery - ya he's tough enough but where is the rest of his team - Sabres player jumps in to help his goalie - who from the Sens jumps in to even it up - nobody cause they are *** - You simply don't leave your goalie out there on his own, whether he's a good fighter or not - it's part of the team mentality. Even if you aren't a fighter there is a time to pay your dues and that was it - nobody on this team steps up when it gets tough.

Too many prima donnas who never paid their dues coming up, - a year in Junior
B and these guys would have learned how to play some hard nosed hockey. Sens are too soft.

[jonf]

Gonna have to disagree with you there. Turtling is the only thing to do in that situation. When was the last time you saw Gretzky fight Probert? Also, perhaps the greatest playoff performer of all time, Claude Lemieux, pretty much invented the turtle.

[Mattchew]

what player on the ice was able to do anything for Emery???? everyone was tied up....also as McGraten said today he thinks that Emery would be in the top 10 for tuff guys in the league. I think it would be a little different if Emery was getting his *** kicked and didnt have the biggest smile on his face.
also we should see how much grit Ottawa has tommorow night.

[3Jack]

Last night just shows the Sens simply aren't tough enough to make it in the playoffs
- Spezza - he's a big enough guy - when somebody tries to whip you stand up and fight - but no he turtles - no grit
- Emery - ya he's tough enough but where is the rest of his team - Sabres player jumps in to help his goalie - who from the Sens jumps in to even it up - nobody cause they are *** - You simply don't leave your goalie out there on his own, whether he's a good fighter or not - it's part of the team mentality. Even if you aren't a fighter there is a time to pay your dues and that was it - nobody on this team steps up when it gets tough.

Too many prima donnas who never paid their dues coming up, - a year in Junior
B and these guys would have learned how to play some hard nosed hockey. Sens are too soft.

I gotta disagree with you too. Mario was a big guy too but you rarely saw him throw down. By your logic, I guess Mario needed more grit too eh? I think Emery would have been royally ticked if anyone had been third man in between him and Peters. Emery was smiling the whole time, like he'd been waiting a couple of years for it!

[malfar]

Whoa there -

1) Comparing Gretzky and Spezza - when Spezza scores 90 goals in a season maybe we can make the comparison - Spezza isn't even close to Gretz - problem is Spezza's thinks he's in that league and doesn't have to get his nose dirty - he's not a little guy - actually some of the little guys play with a lot more grit then him. Likewise there is no comparison of Lemieux and Spezza - Mario could inflict a little pain when he needed to - and I don't recall him turtling.
2) Ya Emery liked the fight, that's not the point - goalies fighting each other are one thing, but you simply don't let another player take on your goalie - no matter how tough your goalie and particularly when the player is the 3rd guy in. It's about being a team, it doesn't matter whose on the ice you simply don't let somebody take on your goalie -it's like a sacred tenant of hockey - it's all part of the team chemistry. Not only do you have to paly tough but you have to beliee that you can be tough - the Sens seem to think they don't have to be tough - Surprise - that's what wins cups. And unless the Sabres had too many men on the ice - the fact that Peter scould take on Emery meant that someone else on the Senators didn't have a man - in fact it was Chris Phillips who was standing watching - it was his obligation to take Peters. Actually, all the Sens on the ice were standing watching.
3) In addition to the team concept you do not want your goalie fighting - one punch, a broken hand and the Sens have no starting goalie for the play-offs. However based on what we saw last night that probably won't matter because it will be a short cup run again.

They may or may not win Saturday, they may put McGratton out Saturday, but don't kid yourself, Sabres aren't a really tough team, so that won't mean much. But you heard it here - no cup again this year.

[jonf]

Actually, although Lemiex did fight on a couple of occasions (when he knew he could win..it was not against the other team's tough guy), he was also a huge turtler, was always complaining and going down easy. Also, I'm not trying to compare Spezza to Gretzky in skill level. I'm simply saying that its very rare that a team's prestige player will fight the other team's tough guy. Spezza uses his size in the corners and to hold off checks. Likewise, Heatley, not a true fighter (though he has thrown down a couple times in brawls), uses his size to be basically immovable in front of the net. Not everyone on the team has to be able to fight.

I do agree that you have to protect the goalie, as the last thing you want is an injury. Phillips, the guy on the ice who was most likely to step in, was tied up at the time, but I am in full agreement that someone whould have stepped in. At the same time, its hard to blame them for letting him fight after they watched him lay a pounding on Biron, (and after seeing him kick a few people's asses in the AHL).

As for taking last night as proof that the Sens can't make it in the playoffs, I'd slow down a bit. The fact that their finesse line got its ass kicked is not exactly surprising, and not exactly reason to panic. Neil was already in the box, McGratton wasn't dressed, Fisher was on the bench, McCammond was on the bench. Nobody who you would want on the ice in that situation was there. And also, keep in mind the fact that those guys definitely got an earful in the dressing room for not going to their goalie's defence. Highly unlikely they will make that type of mistake again. Besides, once they pick up Roberts, they'll be unstoppable.

[Mattchew]

the thing that Im just not getting ....is fighting the only thing that gives a team some grit.....how about Ottawa has the leading shot blocker in the league....the leading hitter in the league...and Fisher who is probably one of the grittyest players in the league... how often do you see a fight in the playoffs????Sure dont think that Carolina won the cup because they were the grittyest team in the league...jmo

[moochie]

The more I watch that, the more I respect Ray Emery. He gives the Sens some much needed character.

[jonf]

the thing that Im just not getting ....is fighting the only thing that gives a team some grit.....how about Ottawa has the leading shot blocker in the league....the leading hitter in the league...and Fisher who is probably one of the grittyest players in the league... how often do you see a fight in the playoffs????Sure dont think that Carolina won the cup because they were the grittyest team in the league...jmo

YOu hit the nail on the head there. When was the last time you saw a fight in the playoffs? Never. Nobody wants to get stuck with an instigator.

[Hacker]

Well it took long enough but at least the League fined Lindsay where it hurts.....the PURSE. 10K for that little display on Thursday night

On a related note, I took the young lad to First Choice this morning to get his hair cut (the one in the Burger King plaza on March Road across from Alcatel) and the owner was telling me Lindsay was having a late dinner last night at the Barley Moe and he was getting it in the ear big time from the locals at the bar - Way to stand up and be heard to those giving Lindsay a piece of their minds

[jonf]

Haha...awesome. The folks at the Barley Moe have always known where its at.

[Indio]

I took the young lad to First Choice this morning to get his hair cut (the one in the Burger King plaza on March Road across from Alcatel) and the owner was telling me Lindsay was having a late dinner last night at the Barley Moe and he was getting it in the ear big time from the locals at the bar - Way to stand up and be heard to those giving Lindsay a piece of their minds

Do you have shares in these places that you are so boldly plugging? You owner, part owner or getting kickbacks?

[Hacker]

Do you have shares in these places that you are so boldly plugging? You owner, part owner or getting kickbacks?

Considering that I don't really have any hair to speak of (cut it myself) and I'm on a diet designed for either a mouse or as a form of medievil torture the only possible thing that I could have an "interest" in would be Alcatel and I think that we all know that I'm not the high-tech type