Spezza's second lifts Sens over Sabres

[Madferret]

Spezza's second lifts Sens over Sabres
Associated Press

OTTAWA (CP) - Jason Spezza scored twice, including the go-ahead goal in the third period, to lift the Ottawa Senators over the Buffalo Sabres 6-5 on Saturday night.

The match-up had been highly anticipated following the hostilities that had broken out between the two teams Thursday in a game that featured both goalies exchanging punches.

Dany Heatley had a goal and two assists, while Christoph Schubert, Chris Kelly and Daniel Alfredsson also scored for Ottawa. Ray Emery faced 36 shots.

Henrik Tallinder, Derek Roy, Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek scored for the Sabres.

The sellout crowd of 20,040 at Scotiabank Place had to wait until the second period to see any retaliation from the Senators (36-22-4), who were still upset over Andrew Peters fighting with Emery.

Senators enforcer Brian McGrattan, dressing for the first time in 10 games, dropped the gloves with Peters three minutes into the second to the delight of the home crowd.

Just over five minutes later Chris Neil and Buffalo's Adam Mair went toe-to-toe. The Senators had a score to settle with Mair, who they believed crossed the line when he brought up the deceased Dan Snyder to Heatley last Thursday. Snyder died in a car accident just over three years ago. Heatley had been driving the car.

The Sabres (41-16-5) opened the scoring just two minutes into the game as Tallinder had a wide-open net after Emery was caught out of position.

Spezza tied the game after taking a deft pass from Heatley to beat goalie Martin Biron high stick side with just over five minutes remaining in the period.

Thomas Vanek missed an opportunity to give the Sabres the lead, as he was unable to convert on a penalty shot. Emery has faced four penalty shots this season, allowing the three previous shots.

The Senators then went on to score three unanswered goals in less than two minutes, which chased Biron from the game.

Heatley, on the power play, beat Biron stick side and 61 seconds later Schubert roofed it over the sprawling goalie. Kelly completed the outburst scoring on his backhand.

Roy scored late in the period to cut the lead in half and Pominville scored early in the third to make it a 4-3 game. But the Senators regained the two-goal cushion on Alfredsson's 22nd of the season.

The Sabres continued to fight back and Vanek caught a lucky break when Emery inadvertently kicked the puck in to make it a 5-4 game. With his second of the night, Tallinder tied the game with just over eight minutes remaining.

Spezza, with his 25th of the season, scored the winner with 4:07 remaining.

With the victory the Senators won the season series with a 5-2-1 record.

Notes: Ottawa D Joe Corvo was a healthy scratchaBuffalo coach Lindy Ruff was fined US$10,000 by the league SaturdayaBuffalo was without C Chris Drury (head day-to-day), Tim Connolly (concussion, indefinite), RW Maxim Afinogenov (wrist, early April), C Paul Gaustad (ankle, season), RW Ales Kotalik (knee, late March), C Jiri Novotny (ankle, indefinite), LW Daniel Paille (finger, mid-March), D Jaroslav Spacek (hand, late February)a Colin Campbell, the league's director of hockey operations, was in attendance.

Corvo a healthy scratch eh...

[Man.Utd]

Corvo a healthy scratch eh...


For a player who had confidence issues earlier and was really starting to turn it around, I'm not sure I would have benched Corvo if I was coach. McGrattan did have to be dressed I concede but I likely would have made it at some one else's expense.

It actually should have been Redden scratched if we were to sit a defenseman based on performance. But I concede you can't bench your "#1" defenseman who's making 6.5M per year (only Chara, Lidstrom, and Niedermayer make more amond blueliners if I have my numbers right).

I made my views on the Chara vs. Redden saga well known in the summer. This season has only strengthened my views. Significantly. It sure would have been nice to have Zee for these past two physical contests instead of that glass doll Wade, no? Redden has been horrible this season. Hopefully we can free up some good cap space and get a nice return on his overrated behind this off-season..... before the rest of the NHL realizes he's not worth anywhere near that type of coin. Trading this "top 5" defenseman would be in our best interest. As with all things, I will wait until the playoffs are finished to make a final judgement so this is all subject to change. Phillips' consistant post-season performances have all but given him a free pass for the regular season now. Something tells me Redden will dissapoint though.

* Something about Buffalo brings out the worst in Emery.

[Darsehole Tucker]

I read that Corvo had food-poisoning, and that he felt ok for game-time but they sat him to be safe.

[Max Power]

For a player who had confidence issues earlier and was really starting to turn it around, I'm not sure I would have benched Corvo if I was coach. McGrattan did have to be dressed I concede but I likely would have made it at some one else's expense.

It actually should have been Redden scratched if we were to sit a defenseman based on performance. But I concede you can't bench your "#1" defenseman who's making 6.5M per year (only Chara, Lidstrom, and Niedermayer make more amond blueliners if I have my numbers right).

I made my views on the Chara vs. Redden saga well known in the summer. This season has only strengthened my views. Significantly. It sure would have been nice to have Zee for these past two physical contests instead of that glass doll Wade, no? Redden has been horrible this season. Hopefully we can free up some good cap space and get a nice return on his overrated behind this off-season..... before the rest of the NHL realizes he's not worth anywhere near that type of coin. Trading this "top 5" defenseman would be in our best interest. As with all things, I will wait until the playoffs are finished to make a final judgement so this is all subject to change. Phillips' consistant post-season performances have all but given him a free pass for the regular season now. Something tells me Redden will dissapoint though.

* Something about Buffalo brings out the worst in Emery.


I don't buy Redden has been horrible this season for one second. I'll agree he's been bad for a few weeks but even then he steps in and makes some pretty significant plays. i.e. clear the net to save a goal or GWG.
Yes I still agree he's been bad for a few weeks but other then that he's been good.

[Man.Utd]

We must not be watching the same Wade Redden. To start the season he was very poor.... but so was the whole team to be fair. Then he injured his groin 9 games in. He came back for three games, SUCKED, but was visbily rushed and went back to the sidelines for a while. Redden then returned again and was unimpressive. Again, maybe understandably so after splitting a month 60 / 40 between being hurt and healthy. But just as he was starting to pick it up - along with the rest of the team - he got hurt once more. This time his chest. That kept him out for around 10 games before finally staying healthy.

But I haven't been at all impressed by him since he last came back from injury, save for a few games here or there. Now that Corvo has picked up his form 10 fold I'd argue Redden is presently our worst defenseman in our side of the ice (even if I still feel more comfortable with him than a guy like Corvo because I know what CAN occur with JC back there, playing well or not).

The Redden - Meszaros pairing has been our least reliable for a while now too and Wade has to shoulder most of the responsibility as our #1 / 6.5M dollar man. At least it's not unsual for players to go through sophomore slumps and Andrej is for the first time experiencing top-pairing mintues in the NHL averaging the 2nd most ice-time on the team.

It may not be all Wade's fault due to injury but he overcame physical ailments last season for his best campaign to date and even harder emotional pains with his mother illness and eventual passing. He has played extremely poorly to date and there's no excuse for it. If I were to grade him he'd get no higher than a C and an F relative to expectations.

[Max Power]

I can see how someone who already dislikes Redden not to mention thinks we signed the wrong player can see what you’re seeing. I agree there was a few game stretch where Redden played horribly on return from injury and I also agree his play at some points have been less then desirable in the mid month of Feb but other then that I don’t see what you’re seeing. Every game he’s made some incredible plays to generate scoring chances. As much as stats can be dissected Ottawa's record with him in the line up compared to without is hard to ignore
He’s made mistakes in the defensive zone but you have to agree the whole team other then Philips and Volchenkov has been sketch in defense in some games.
For the Record I'm glad to be stuck with Redden's 6.5 before Chara's 7 as Chara IMO has not been nearly as good as he was paired with Philips.

Saying all this I agree he’s not worth 6.5 million a year based on his play this year and I’m getting a little tired of not being able to pair one person with him. The future of him I hope will lay in this years playoffs as that’s where I hope he steps up. If it’s anything less then stellar I say he’s traded in the off-season

[Man.Utd]

We'll have to agree to disagree I guess and wait until the post season. I'm still convinced we picked the wrong guy on D. I place no value in our wins vs. losses record without him because it essentially is taking away 6.5M of value of off our roster in doing so. Give us another 6.5M player (hell, maybe even two or more players for that combined salary) AND THEN take away Redden to see what happens. That would be fair. Of course we'll do better with Redden than without (espcially in the regular season) - he's a good player. But I think he's quite replaceable.

Redden has just really frustrated me over the years with his defensive short-comings, lack of ability to ever handle the "tough" minutes on this team", and ability to make the players around him worse. What's more, he always finds a way to screw up in the playoffs and be in some way linked to our eliminating blow (ECF against New Jersey, last year on the Pominville goal he could have done more knowing that Alfie was a forward playing D one-on-one against a 20 goal scorer with speed).

I know I'm being hard on Redden. He's not a bad player overall. But he has historically been bad in April and is nowhere near 6.5M in the first place. That is my issue.

[Max Power]

Heatly is rumored (TSN) to be looking for a 7 million salary in 08/09. What do you think of that? If he doesn’t perform this post season he’s another player I’d like shipped

[Man.Utd]

I hated Heatley's laziness and ability to put up over 60 soft points last season and was equally unimpressed this capaign until the Spezza injury. And the Vermette injury. And the Fisher injury. When our top 3 centres were out Heatley had no choice but to carry the offense with Alfredsson...... either that or the team would be toast after its poor start. Heatley answered the call. Since that time he has actually put in effort and started skating. It's paying off tremendously as he's a much more dangerous player. He's looked more like the Dany Heatley from Atlanta. Only now he can be found backchecking and throwing a hit when riled up! :eyebug:

He's finally earning his salary and will even be in line for a raise. But 7M? No way. I'd ship him off at the price. Other than goaltenders, I don't think anyone should make more than 6M unless they're at the top of the league with the cap being what it currently is (if the max ends up being like 11M, I'd probably do it and expect Melnyk to live up to his words of spending to the cap).

As you said, it would likely come down to the playoffs. If Ottawa goes deep and Heatley can be our best guy out there he'll have a case. Statistically, he is good as anyone not named Ovechkin/Crosby and he hasn't been mooching it all off Spezza this time around. I probably wouldn't give it to him but I'm sure some other team would after that.