If you read my preseason predictions, I picked the Senators to win the presidents trophy. Nothing has changed. They still look like an amazing team, and definitely one who has long established the chemistry and on ice coordination to dismantle teams. The Rangers on the other hand look all kinds of out of synch. They looked flat out terrible during their power plays, and hideous in their own zone coverage.
Jason Strudwick may be the nicest guy on the planet, but he is NOT an NHL caliber defenseman. What is Staal supposed to learn about from Strudwick? How to commit to a guy who is already taken (by Staal) and leave a guy wide open in front of the net? Strudwick, despite kicking the crap out of a better fighter in Neil, should have have played in this game.
This is why I really get mad at Tom Renneys judgement at times. If you want to bench Mara, fine, but put in Pock, a kid who can skate, and play the game at least as good as Strudwick, but with more mobility. Putting in Jason just makes no sense at all to me. He has looked simply brutal out there.
I think the hit on Avery looked pretty clean, but it was to the head. You all know I HATE hits to the head, clean or not.
-Inferno
