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

It might be easy to say this after a 3-2 win last night against the Calgary Flames, but to me there was no choice to make who to start in net after that 5-0 loss to the Leafs Saturday night.

Brian Elliott is making a strong case in becoming the #1 goaltender for the Ottawa Senators.

He'd like to forget Saturday night's game just like the whole team would, but prior to that, he was the hottest goalie in the league. Nine straight wins. Two weeks in a row where he was named 1st and 2nd star in the NHL.

He has earned the right to a mulligan and be given a shot at being the go-to-guy in Ottawa.

Now he may or may not work out. It seems much longer, but Elliott has only being playing for the Senators for a year. He might turn out to be a true #1 goaltender. Maybe not. He struggled when Leclaire was on the shelf for earlier in the season, and has only come around in the last month or so.

But I think it's worth to find out if it's his time. And at the very least, the team owes him for his tremendous play that allowed them to enjoy nine of their eleven straight victories, setting a franchise record.

Pascal Leclaire no doubt will get another chance to try to find his game, for no other reason than he's pulling about $4 million a year in salary this year and next. But for now, I'm hoping Elliott can keep up his great play, and that it continues to the post-season. He's earned it.