LOL We have had some stinkers against this team, I just don't know what to expect. If we could just get to 2 points... We could see the light at the end of the tunnel...
Ellis got the start. It's 1-1 after one. I don't like how many chances we gave them... got to kick it up a notch, Edmonton is up 3-0 against Colorado...
it matters not whether you're a doe-eyed optomist, or a sole-blackening pessimist... this was a big win today.. a win that keeps us in the race at least for a few more days despite the odds..
rarely have i seen a team look as relieved as this team did for a normal little old regular season win. you could tell how much pressure the team is putting on itself right now facing this late season fade. ellis and radulov were esctatic, and i have to admit the crowd pretty much was as well. big monkeys off the back of the team (the losing streak), ellis (all but losing his job with rinne coming up) and radulov (who finally gets a shootout goal).
amazing how good a team looks when it plays very disciplined (zero penalties!), does a good job of taking care of the puck, and gets great goaltending in the clutch. looks like the mere threat of rinne made ellis focus and play his heart out tonight, the kind of challenge you have to respond to if you're going to be a big league player.
now, before anyone gets too carried away, this was only a really big win if this team can take care of the next couple of games against the jackets. win those two, and this one was really a mighty huge game. i do know it's a lot easier to win 5 of 6 from here on out than it would have been to have to go 6-0.
ellis was great, four or five super stops.. but again, we have to put some things in perspective. we (he) were mighty lucky as well. mighty lucky. three solid posts with ellis cleanly beaten in regulation and then another in OT. the type of game we could easily have lost three or four to one in regulation or two to one in OT and been on here crying about ellis and played exactly like we did. hockey smiled on us tonight, cann't name the number of times those post hits have gone against us when it was us ringing them. not today though.
i do admit, i had almost forgotten what it felt like to win a game at home, and it's a mighty good feeling. now you expect trotz to come back with ellis tuesday, and hopefully on top of that, maybe we see legwand come back that night as well. goodness knows, the powerplay certainly needs him.
Having seen the game, do you think that the result would have been the same with Mason or Rinne in the net? I guess we got lucky that the equipment didnt arrive on time.
Having seen the game, do you think that the result would have been the same with Mason or Rinne in the net? I guess we got lucky that the equipment didnt arrive on time.
Rinne: Maybe, he would have also been highly motivated.
Mason: Not a snowball's chance in hell...
Rinne: Maybe, he would have also been highly motivated.
Mason: Not a snowball's chance in hell...
Let me explain my answer a little...
Rinne would have been highly motivated - as Ellis was - to put forth his best effort AND he has the natural athletic ability to make every save that Ellis did have to make in this game, including several post-to-post groin pulling type of saves. Therefore, Pekka might have gotten the same result.
However, Mason would not have the same result because I simply cannot find a reason to believe that he would have been highly motivated. He is angry and frustrated. He is angry because he is not being given a chance to perform, yet he is even more frustrated because he knows that when he was given repeated chances to perform, he has been inconsistent and failed. Chris has a two-year deal signed at $3 million per that starts next season and all NHL contracts are guaranteed, so ultimately, he knows that he will get a shot somewhere (whether it be here or elsewhere) and he has more or less packed it in mentally on the season with the recall of Rinne yesterday. The overwhelming evidence though that he would not have had the same result as Ellis though is that Mason does not have the natural athletic ability to make all of the saves that had to make today. Therefore, it is virtually impossible to imagine any possibility that would have resulted in the same performance out of Mason.
Huge to pull out the win, I thought it was over when it went to a shootout.
I was actually a little disappointed in our effort on the whole. After the first period, we were getting outworked in nearly every situation, especially in the third and OT. I believe we were outshot 9-2 in OT.
The dream remains alive for a little while longer.
You know, I really have to admit that I liked the lines a lot today...granted they will change facing Columbus back-to-back we will see Hordy inserted again...
Very balanced with a three lines that can put the puck in the back of the net and one that can do offensive things, but is definitely a defense first checking unit. All four lines had really good cycles and created scoring chances and it was nice to have the balance throughout which I think really lead to the more disciplined play and not having any penalties for just the second time in franchise history.
Almost a shame to see Hordichuk go back in the lineup, but regardless of whether or not Trotz scratches Darcy, Hitchcock will dress Jared Boll and we cannot allow him to run around without someone there to stop him.
FYI, DeVries missed the game due to a dislocated rib that was sustained in that awkward collision behind the net midway through the third period Thursday against Detroit. He actually came back in to play a couple of shifts late in that game, but he really felt it when the adrenaline went away. He was lifting weights yesterday and said he felt much better. Expect him to be back Tuesday.
I too thought we were toast when it went to shootout. The Hawks fowards have owned us in that aspect. I was suprised to hear Peverly get the not as the first shooter as well. I was at work listening to the game on the radio. Did he make a good move, or did Habby just let in a bad goal? Good to see Rads finally tally on the SO as well.
Given that the rehab time is under a week (and possibly as little as two days, even though he didn't play), I would have to guess it's more like a sprain than a dislocated joint.
I too thought we were toast when it went to shootout. The Hawks fowards have owned us in that aspect. I was suprised to hear Peverly get the not as the first shooter as well. I was at work listening to the game on the radio. Did he make a good move, or did Habby just let in a bad goal? Good to see Rads finally tally on the SO as well.
Peverley's goal was a shot all the way. He shifted back to his backhand for half a second to freeze Khabi, then put it over his left shoulder.
