Kelly seems to make one really bad play that leads to a PP at the worst of times, then Joseph is double up on the wall, having 3 of your 4 on the PK within 6 feet of each other.....quick easy 2 on 1 down low.....goal.....Forsberg has stood on his head!

game set and match, sens lose again

game set and match, sens lose again
- Mithos

Big goal by Giroux! Not done yet....but I better not see Zaitsev out there in the last 5 minutes or if it goes to OT!

Big goal by Giroux! Not done yet....but I better not see Zaitsev out there in the last 5 minutes or if it goes to OT!
- Kevin Francis

you was saying

you was saying
- Mithos

Awful....ugh....very disappointed with Chabot's play in the first 2 games.....he hasn't developed nearly enough under this coaching staff......but this playing not to lose has to stop with DJ!

This team is never going to win anything with their completely chaotic play in their own end, the neutral zone and the other team's offensive zone. Really pathetic and it's not Zaitsev's fault. Or Chabot's fault.

This team is never going to win anything with their completely chaotic play in their own end, the neutral zone and the other team's offensive zone. Really pathetic and it's not Zaitsev's fault. Or Chabot's fault.
- Whatisavailable

The 5 unit thing......pretty much non existent and not nearly enough forecheck by this group of forwards.

This team is never going to win anything with their completely chaotic play in their own end, the neutral zone and the other team's offensive zone. Really pathetic and it's not Zaitsev's fault. Or Chabot's fault.
- Whatisavailable

PP and PK are lacking a lot to be desired....plus when you score 3 goals in the first 2 games you ain't going to win many of those games.

The 5 unit thing......pretty much non existent and not nearly enough forecheck by this group of forwards.
- Kevin Francis

If you're going to play a dump and chase game you really do need to do a little chasing for it to work and the only ones to do that were the fourth line. They played a really good game.

I'm hearing on the post game that these guys had a flu bug going through the team which would explain the low energy levels of some of the guys you expect more from and if that's the case and they were playing with the flu then I've got to apologize to the players for being critical of their effort but I'm still not giving Smith a pass.

If you're going to play a dump and chase game you really do need to do a little chasing for it to work and the only ones to do that were the fourth line. They played a really good game.
- Whatisavailable

Very true about the 4th line. No forecheck again tonight outside of the 4th line.

DJ needs to stop playing Chabot 27 min. plus like last year....Zaitsev plays 12 min tonight..what does that say to Holden....why hold him accountable on D from last game....and get scratched....coach sends the wrong message to the wrong players.

I'm hearing on the post game that these guys had a flu bug going through the team which would explain the low energy levels of some of the guys you expect more from and if that's the case and they were playing with the flu then I've got to apologize to the players for being critical of their effort but I'm still not giving Smith a pass.

I'm hearing on the post game that these guys had a flu bug going through the team which would explain the low energy levels of some of the guys you expect more from and if that's the case and they were playing with the flu then I've got to apologize to the players for being critical of their effort but I'm still not giving Smith a pass.
- Whatisavailable

Ditto....agreed! DJ yet again, made no in game adjustments....played not to lose and continues to get outcoached every damn game.

Ditto....agreed! DJ yet again, made no in game adjustments....played not to lose and continues to get outcoached every damn game.
- Kevin Francis

Plus he decides to play Zaitsev rather than JBD or Thomson and then plays Chabot 27 minutes and Zaitsev 12. I have to wonder if Chabot had a touch of the flu bug as well. This is not funny. Smith is becoming a bit of a menace.

Plus he decides to play Zaitsev rather than JBD or Thomson and then plays Chabot 27 minutes and Zaitsev 12. I have to wonder if Chabot had a touch of the flu bug as well. This is not funny. Smith is becoming a bit of a menace.
- Whatisavailable

All summer long, everyone in here said that.....hoping DJ wouldn't mess with the lineup, but he has managed to do so in game #2!

Too bad Murray got injured......maybe the Sens get the W if he is still in net lol.

Too bad Murray got injured......maybe the Sens get the W if he is still in net lol.
- Kevin Francis

Or Murray would have the shut out.

Sens easily should have 1-2 point so far. They could've won both games

They need to win some games here or at least get to OT, loosing these points are frustrating

After all the off season hype. 2 games. 2 losses. 3 goals. While there is room for some benefit of the doubt, it's concerning to see a losses come against a team you are essentially battling with in rebuilding (Buffalo) and a team that has obvious defensive and goaltending issues (Toronto). Two games that really should have been offensive showcases.

I'm just going to say this. The Avalanche won the Cup under Jared Bednar, who took over in head coaching duties in 2016. McKinnon was drafted in 2013, Landescog was drafted in 2011. Rantanen was drafted in 2015. These are arguably the top 3 players in the Avalanche system.

My point? Bednar was brought in after these players were brought into the system. No bias and a goal to make the team better. The team steadily progressed, traded well, and drafted well to ultimately win the Cup.

Smith has seen most of the current players drafted and developed. More often then not, a rebuilding team needs to alter coaches to take the next step. While there is sometimes some overlap with players brought into the system, systems can get stale and outdated. It might be too early to call for immediate changes. However, it has always been my opinion that DJ Smith is a place holder coach. Work with young players and the rebuild but won't have the stuff to move the team and players to the next level. Another coach could be brought in to take the next step. The first two games of the season kind of show the players begging for a change in game plan. There are stretches where they look like chickens with their heads cut off.

If there is actually a flu bug going around the team, first, there should be some more scratches and call ups if that was the case. Second, Tuesday's game should be a huge effort and statement win by the Sens as there is reasonable assumption that they can get healthy if it affected both games thus far.

I will not hit any kind of panic button until after the Wild game in Ottawa, but the quad is not making things easy on themselves in the first two games.

I am still pumped for the home opener. Most of these players will never have seen the NHL support that they will receive Tuesday. DJ Smith and the team should be able to get up for that game with ease.

I’d love to see OTT do well, but they’ve thrown long-term $$ at a bunch of unproven guys now. Norris and Tkachuk were invisible tonight. I’m afraid these bad decisions have set the team back yet again. Hope they can turn things around, but will be a long road ahead

I thought it was a great game against the team that most predict will finish first in the Division.

I think they will be fine.

Jake Sanderson looks like the real deal. It is easy to see him being a top 2 defenceman. Shane Pinto has been impressive and Forsberg has been solid, easily justifying his 3 year deal.

As for the 2 losses, the top 2 lines need to score at 5 on 5 and the defensive zone structure needs to be fixed. The team has looked OK but OK doesn't cut it anymore. We need wins and the team lineup has enough talent to make the playoffs.

Replace Parker Kelly with Brassard for the home opener.

I had no idea that Parker Kelly is statistically one of the worst penalty takers in the league on a per capita basis. We are talking worse than Evander Kane, both Tkachuks. The only worse player in the league for bad penalties is Mark Borowiecki, who by all accounts at this stage shouldn't be in the NHL. Kelly is on par with penalties with Nicolas Deslauriers, who is a prototypical 'modern enforcer'. But Kelly is not an enforcer. He plays animated, but not really tough. I'm not sure why he's on the ice so often.

I'm not really concerned about a 3-2 road loss to the Leafs. I actually think they played a pretty decent game overall, but the game management needs to improve. The team's long-standing problems in the 2nd period on the road should have been front-of-mind when they still had a 1-0 lead with <2min to play. Instead, they give up a breakaway shot that goes off the post, followed by a junk goal by a checking line that changes the entire complexion of the 3rd period.

One thing I really don't get is the scrambling of the scoring lines... why on Earth is Norris playing with DeBrincat? For one thing, it takes away the chemistry of the Tkachuk-Norris-Batherson line, and it also puts the two biggest goal scorers beside each other, instead of letting them both play that role on their respective lines. Plus, Giroux is taking faceoffs away from Norris, who's the best faceoff C on the team... while Stutzle was supposed to be the one needing Giroux's faceoff support. Plus, they've now got all of 3G in 2GP they easily could have won with a bit of extra goal support, so maybe it's time to revert back to some established lines?

Glass half full... I guess we're potentially 2 games closer to seeing DJ Smith fired. Forsberg is still a 0.924sv% despite the two losses, and has looked pretty solid. Plus, major kudos to Sanderson for a nice pass to get his first NHL point. He looked really good all night, and is definitely proving how valuable he's going to be to the future of this team.

I thought it was a great game against the team that most predict will finish first in the Division.

I think they will be fine.
- spatso

Agreed the game could have gone either way. The Sens should be knocking on the door for a playoff spot.