The SBP Archives - Your less than frequent dose of SBP!

I managed to miss last night's Sens-Leafs tilt and caught the highlights on the web to get a grasp on how the Sens managed to blow yet another game. They've only managed one win in their last six and it's fair to say any thought of a surge for the last playoff spot is gone...long gone. If I were one of the players, I would like to at least end the season with the ability to hold my head high and give a good, solid effort each night so perhaps there's something to build on for next year.

A lot of fans, analysts, etc have been trying to figure out how the Sens can fare so poorly when it appears on the surface they have a decent enough core. Maybe we think too hard because too many nights it's the same story that's plagues the Sens for most years they have been in existence: goaltending. I don't know how many times the Sens would start off solid, make one mistake, and that mistake seemed to always find the back of the net.

Gerber couldn't stop a puck to save his life. Alex Auld played well enough when handed the #1 job but soon fell into old habits, reminding the hockey world why he has moved to five different teams in his career. Then Brian Elliott, with nothing to lose, was given a chance after showing much promise in the AHL. I really thought he might be the answer, looking fantastic in his first string of games. But now he looks like a lot of past Sens goaltenders. He's been pulled in three starts the past month and two of the four goals last night, the first and the OT winner, are stops he should have made. The first is the worst kind as the Sens psyche is already fragile and falling behind early doesn't help things. And well, letting in the winner that should have stopped is the worst kind of goal you can allow.

To be fair to Elliott, he's just started in the NHL, and it's unfair perhaps to think the 2nd last pick in the 2003 draft should be the Sens' saviour, and probably should be brought up to backup first before being handed the #1 moniker. But the Senators still have a problem that doesn't look to be solved anytime soon: The player between the pipes to start next season.

Murry has already started his "rebuilding" by acquiring Campoli and Comrie, and it appears Chris Neil and Filip Kuba will likely be dealt for prospects. Murray must must must use these assets for goaltending help when the March 4th deadline hits. The Senators cannot expect to compete in the near future with the tandem they have on hand.