Oct. 11/03
BookieKiller.com's : Statman
Detroit Red Wings vs. Ottawa Senators
Corel Centre, Ottawa
This game matches possible Stanley Cup finalists. Last season these teams split two games, each winning at home, Ottawa 5-2 and Detroit 6-2. Over the years Ottawa has done poorly playing Detroit, understandable since the Senators were lousy at the time the Wings were a powerhouse. Ottawa is 6-11-1 gf 45 ga 59 overall with Detroit; at home the Sens are 3-5-1 with 26 goals for and 26 against. This game should have a winner because they've tied once in 18 meetings. Since each has played one game so far, the unusual data is of no importance. We'll do things differently for this game.
Ottawa is considered a nearly complete team and odds on to win the Eastern Conference. Their opening game was home to Montreal Canadiens and the Senators were flat. In the second period they picked up the pace and the Canadiens began running around. Ottawa was cruising in the third period; 5-2 the final. Goaltender Patrick Lalime was amongst the sharper players on the ice. Ottawa's defence seemed to be more muscular than last season but allowances must be made because Montreal is still small, occasionally timid, and often disorganized. There was a sense of cohesiveness with Ottawa; while they weren't flying it was easy to see they will.
The new hot-shot for Ottawa is Jason Spezza. Last season in 33 games he had an average of 12 and half minutes ice-time per game and produced 21 points. Having played 33 games he is not considered a rookie this season. Against Montreal he had 18 minutes of ice-time, which was about the same as his mates. This kid is likely to be a consistent points producer which is difficult to fathom because he's a poor skater and not much of a stickhandler. He scored once and had an assist Thursday night. His vision is first class and he can pass.
In Detroit, the Wings huffed and puffed and barely caged both points when Steve Yzerman slipped the puck by LA Kings goaltender Roman Cechmanek with less than two seconds on the clock. Yzerman will likely be in the Hall of Fame when he retires because he's been a consistently productive player, a fine leader, and an all-round good guy. However he is winning fresh plaudits for his ferocious dedication to re-habing his degenerating right knee. He requested a shift to right wing to reduce the amount of skating he had to do, but in the second period against the Kings he was back at centre. Yzerman ended up with 15 minutes ice-time and that goal. Ice was evenly distributed in the Kings game but two players being counted on for scoring, forwards Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, had 17 minutes apiece, leading all forwards.
Encouraging signs for a team thought to be short of scoring this season. The man with the big contract, Derian Hatcher gave hints he might be worth the money. He had an explosive open ice hit and his mean streak has not diminished. Coupled with Jiri Fischer, huge and young, playing the Wings will be an unpleasant evening for forwards around the league. Domink Hasek wasn't the Hasek of five years ago: he's still covered in rust. Once or twice through the game he appeared to be rattled but he'll settle as the rust is chipped away.
Statman thinks the Senators will try to take the game to Detroit. The Wings appear to be adopting a more defensive approach to this season, relying more on the trap and counter-strikes. Ottawa doesn't have to absorb a new system and their goaltender isn't rusty - Ottawa takes this one. Play on OTTAWA, Money Line !
BookieKiller.com's : Statman
Detroit Red Wings vs. Ottawa Senators
Corel Centre, Ottawa
This game matches possible Stanley Cup finalists. Last season these teams split two games, each winning at home, Ottawa 5-2 and Detroit 6-2. Over the years Ottawa has done poorly playing Detroit, understandable since the Senators were lousy at the time the Wings were a powerhouse. Ottawa is 6-11-1 gf 45 ga 59 overall with Detroit; at home the Sens are 3-5-1 with 26 goals for and 26 against. This game should have a winner because they've tied once in 18 meetings. Since each has played one game so far, the unusual data is of no importance. We'll do things differently for this game.
Ottawa is considered a nearly complete team and odds on to win the Eastern Conference. Their opening game was home to Montreal Canadiens and the Senators were flat. In the second period they picked up the pace and the Canadiens began running around. Ottawa was cruising in the third period; 5-2 the final. Goaltender Patrick Lalime was amongst the sharper players on the ice. Ottawa's defence seemed to be more muscular than last season but allowances must be made because Montreal is still small, occasionally timid, and often disorganized. There was a sense of cohesiveness with Ottawa; while they weren't flying it was easy to see they will.
The new hot-shot for Ottawa is Jason Spezza. Last season in 33 games he had an average of 12 and half minutes ice-time per game and produced 21 points. Having played 33 games he is not considered a rookie this season. Against Montreal he had 18 minutes of ice-time, which was about the same as his mates. This kid is likely to be a consistent points producer which is difficult to fathom because he's a poor skater and not much of a stickhandler. He scored once and had an assist Thursday night. His vision is first class and he can pass.
In Detroit, the Wings huffed and puffed and barely caged both points when Steve Yzerman slipped the puck by LA Kings goaltender Roman Cechmanek with less than two seconds on the clock. Yzerman will likely be in the Hall of Fame when he retires because he's been a consistently productive player, a fine leader, and an all-round good guy. However he is winning fresh plaudits for his ferocious dedication to re-habing his degenerating right knee. He requested a shift to right wing to reduce the amount of skating he had to do, but in the second period against the Kings he was back at centre. Yzerman ended up with 15 minutes ice-time and that goal. Ice was evenly distributed in the Kings game but two players being counted on for scoring, forwards Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, had 17 minutes apiece, leading all forwards.
Encouraging signs for a team thought to be short of scoring this season. The man with the big contract, Derian Hatcher gave hints he might be worth the money. He had an explosive open ice hit and his mean streak has not diminished. Coupled with Jiri Fischer, huge and young, playing the Wings will be an unpleasant evening for forwards around the league. Domink Hasek wasn't the Hasek of five years ago: he's still covered in rust. Once or twice through the game he appeared to be rattled but he'll settle as the rust is chipped away.
Statman thinks the Senators will try to take the game to Detroit. The Wings appear to be adopting a more defensive approach to this season, relying more on the trap and counter-strikes. Ottawa doesn't have to absorb a new system and their goaltender isn't rusty - Ottawa takes this one. Play on OTTAWA, Money Line !
