Ottawa vs Buffalo

The debate hasn't really existed as far as people coming out and saying that you should or shouldn't go about it one way, but the pros and cons of this decision have been talked about quite often. I'm talking about putting a forward on the point for the power play. Daniel Alfredson has been a forward, and a great one at that, throughout his whole career. However, Saturday night Ottawa hung him out to dry. Buffalo recognized his lack of experience playing "D" and attacked him, turning a harmless 1-2 shorthanded rush into a series ending goal.

Granted the reason for the goal was 3-fold. A) Alfredson not knowing how to handle a 1-1, from the defensive aspect. B) Emery playing too deep in his crease and giving the forward the room to get all the way across the crease. C) The other defensemen not helping in time, which also allowed the Buffalo forward to get to his forehand and beat Emery.

You could argue either way for putting Alfredson at the point in that situation. On one hand you need to win, being down 3-1 in the series, so you want a playmaker running the powerplay, fine. However, being down 3-1, you can not afford to lose. When you have so many quality defensmen, which Ottawa does, why would you take that risk. Obviously hine sight is 20-20, and the Sens would have been better served having a defensemen to stop any sort of counter attack, but this is not what lost the series for them. Emery played a subpar series in net, the forwards were unable to establish any sort of constant pressure. I know that Ottawa outshot Buffalo in most games, but as I've heard many times, shots on goal is the most overrated statistic in hockey. Ottawa was unable to create traffic in front of Miller, with the Sabres collapsing having 4 players in front of the net for most of the series, and doing a good job of not allowing Senators players to collect rebounds.

The mark o####ood team is how you fare in one goal games, I'm sure the Senators won their fair share of them during the season, however every game in the series was a 1-goal contest, and the Sabres looked like the team who kicked it up a notch, rather than playing conservative and not to lose, like the Senators. Point being, a Stanley Cup Contender should not go 1-4 in One goal games at any point in the season, and obviously not in the playoffs.

The style Ottawa played also wasn't very smart. I feel like a guy such as Patrick Eaves, who has a big body, and good offensive skills, should have been playing a key role. While you can't deny the offensive skills of Alfredson, Heatley, Havlat and others. You need to win one on one battles every where on the ice, not just in open ice. I feel like Eaves could have been used a lot more in the corners and he has the ability to set up these guys around the net. Unlike a guy like Chris Neal, who would be out there to "irritate" the other team, he would be able to go in the corners, but lacks the ability to create scoring chances from those situations.

Basically every aspect of Ottawa failed, and that's what needed to happen if they were to lose. I honestly feel that they were good enough to win, as long as they were clicking on one or two cylinders.

Sabres quest for Lord Stanley

The Sabre's will get solid goaltending, but after watching the Hurricanes regain their early season form in the first two rounds, and dismantle the Devils who pride themselves on playing great defensive hockey, I'm picking the Carolina(ford) (Whaler)'Canes to beat Buffalo. Miller is going to see shots from everywhere on the ice, just ask Marty Brodeur. While shots from the corner seem harmless, they can create crazy bounces, or good rebound opportunities, as a rebound off a shot from the corner ussually comes back in front of the net. The 'Canes seemed to follow the rule there is no such thing as a bad shot, and when given odd man rushes their skilled forwards will finish most of the time. This is a bad combination. However, I feel that the line with Drury and Grier will be able to generate scoring chances, and if the other lines follow suit Buffalo could make it interesting. I don't know how successful guys like Briere and Affinegenov will be. While I think they are great players, they will have to play out their element (more physical) then they are used to in order to get quality chances.

Refs

A new aspect has crept into this years playoffs. Due to the new rules, teams are getting a large number of powerplays. We saw the Devils fail to convert on four first period power plays and end up losing 4-1 yesterday. Special teams will play a huge role in this series, and I think Carolina has the advantage on the power play. 

On the side, I feel like the refs have done a good job enforcing the new rules all year, even in the playoffs. I do miss the "Old Time Hockey" playoffs, I feel like the Stanley Cup should be decided with as much 5-5 hockey as possible. However, teams were aware that they would need a solid powerplay to succeed this season, so if you didn't build a team that can score on the power play (not to beat a dead horse but see the ::cough:: ::cough:: Boston Bruins) you won't be an elite team.