YTD 41-23 (+22.10 units)
NYI - PK. (-155)
I was not going to post for a bit but I said I would if a play jumped out at me. Well tonights game with the Sens/NYI jumps out at me.
To start with lets look at injuries. Alfie out of the line-up hurts the Sens big time. He is 4th in the NHL in scoring for a reason. He is one point behind Yashin. With Alfie out the Sens are saying they will give Bill Muckalt a chance on the first line with White and Arvedson. I don't think this will last for more than a period and a half unless Muckalt generates some offence. He has no goals and 3 assists so far this year. Mind you he is playing his old mates as well, so is Chara on D. But you don't replace Alfie with Muckalt and expect the same production. Really I think Martin should be putting Martin Havlat on the RW of this line which could still happen as the game goes on, but that could be too late by then.
Offensively - The Islanders have 2 great lines that can score against anyone. Yashin, Peca, Kvasha, Parrish, Isbister & Cherkawski. Martin will play the Bonk line against the Yashin line but he does not have the advantage of last line change being on the road and this will hurt Martins plan. He hopes the Bonk line will neutralize the Yashin line as he does with Bonk on most occasions against the stronger teams. Then who goes up against the Peca line? Basically, with Alfie out, the Sens will flounder and mismatches against each line will be the order of the night. Yashin thinks of himself and does not care about the team result but tonight GREEDY will care about how he does so much against his old mates that this alone will be enough to win this game by 2 or 3 goals. Don't read into the stat that the Sens have not lost in NYI since 1996 going 9-0-2 during that span. This is a much different team. EDGE goes to NYI at the forward positions.
Defensively - Slight EDGE to the Sens, Shane Hnidy will step in for Karel Rachunek tonight who has a separated shoulder and they won't miss a beat. Redden, Phillips, Chara, Salo & Lescheshyn are a little better than NYI's 6 D.
Goaltending - EDGE to NYI. Lalime starts for the Sens tonight. Regardless of who starts for NYI tonight, Osgoode & Snow have been extremely consistent so far this year. The Sens have been very inconsistent this year in goal which is not like a Martin coached team. Even when the Sens win they tend to let in on average 3 goals or more, as evidenced last week in their 6-3 win over Dallas.
Take NYI BIG! OTTAWA loses for the first time in NYI since '96.
GL Tonight!
HORNS
NYI - PK. (-155)
I was not going to post for a bit but I said I would if a play jumped out at me. Well tonights game with the Sens/NYI jumps out at me.
To start with lets look at injuries. Alfie out of the line-up hurts the Sens big time. He is 4th in the NHL in scoring for a reason. He is one point behind Yashin. With Alfie out the Sens are saying they will give Bill Muckalt a chance on the first line with White and Arvedson. I don't think this will last for more than a period and a half unless Muckalt generates some offence. He has no goals and 3 assists so far this year. Mind you he is playing his old mates as well, so is Chara on D. But you don't replace Alfie with Muckalt and expect the same production. Really I think Martin should be putting Martin Havlat on the RW of this line which could still happen as the game goes on, but that could be too late by then.
Offensively - The Islanders have 2 great lines that can score against anyone. Yashin, Peca, Kvasha, Parrish, Isbister & Cherkawski. Martin will play the Bonk line against the Yashin line but he does not have the advantage of last line change being on the road and this will hurt Martins plan. He hopes the Bonk line will neutralize the Yashin line as he does with Bonk on most occasions against the stronger teams. Then who goes up against the Peca line? Basically, with Alfie out, the Sens will flounder and mismatches against each line will be the order of the night. Yashin thinks of himself and does not care about the team result but tonight GREEDY will care about how he does so much against his old mates that this alone will be enough to win this game by 2 or 3 goals. Don't read into the stat that the Sens have not lost in NYI since 1996 going 9-0-2 during that span. This is a much different team. EDGE goes to NYI at the forward positions.
Defensively - Slight EDGE to the Sens, Shane Hnidy will step in for Karel Rachunek tonight who has a separated shoulder and they won't miss a beat. Redden, Phillips, Chara, Salo & Lescheshyn are a little better than NYI's 6 D.
Goaltending - EDGE to NYI. Lalime starts for the Sens tonight. Regardless of who starts for NYI tonight, Osgoode & Snow have been extremely consistent so far this year. The Sens have been very inconsistent this year in goal which is not like a Martin coached team. Even when the Sens win they tend to let in on average 3 goals or more, as evidenced last week in their 6-3 win over Dallas.
Take NYI BIG! OTTAWA loses for the first time in NYI since '96.
GL Tonight!
HORNS