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Gerber Returns In Net: Will He Return To Form?
by SENShobo on 12/16/08 at 08:41 AM ET
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Sens’ prospect cut from WJC roster, but first…
From the Ottawa Sun, on Gerber starting tonight against Atlanta,
“(Gerber) had to wait his turn and he works extremely hard to keep himself prepared and ready,” said coach Craig Hartsburg, who mentioned that other players (Ray Emery, maybe?) would not have handled the demotion to backup the way Gerber did. “He’s always ready to play and he has played great (of late).
“We’re not concerned with that (No. 1 goalie) label. Alex (Auld) played great for a long time there, and we feel very fortunate that we have two guys like that. Gerbs, early in the season, he had some struggles, but he stayed with it, mentally. Alex, the last couple games, has not been as sharp, so this is good opportunity for Martin.”
Fans may be scratching their heads over this, if they can’t remember the last three games Gerber’s played: a 2-1 loss to Carolina, a 2-0 loss to Chicago (an empty-netter accounting for one of those goals), and a 2-0 shutout of Tampa Bay. That would be a 1.00GAA for Gerber in his past three games, even more impressive since he was out for a month between games one and two, and that he only received a couple days off between games two and three. According to NHL.com, he’s also sporting a .964Sv%, stopping 80 of 83 shots.
Of course, if you insist on discounting the month-old game, those numbers only increase, to 0.50GAA and a .981Sv% in two games. As much as Tampa’s offense has struggled, just as nobody discounts Spezza, Heatley, and Alfredsson on the ice, St. Louis, Lecavalier, Prospal, and Stamkos should also be revered for their offensive prowess, not to mention Kane, Toews, Campbell, Havlat, and Sharp.
At the start of the season, when Gerber made the majority of his starts, the team was not playing well in any situation, and they only found their way as (or because?) Auld was given more time in net, developing into what is now the second best defensive team in the East. Gerber’s best efforts have been for naught, as in those past three games, the Sens managed to score only three goals, one being an empty-netter against Tampa.
The question to start asking is whether the Sens are only able to maintain their defensive prowess at the expense of offense, or if they can continue to have faith in their defensive abilities, along with both netminders, and use that confidence in their own end to boost their confidence in the other end.
Not that either goaltender should be worrying much, according to Donovan from the Ottawa Senators’ website,
“Gerbs works so hard. Everybody loves Gerbs,” said forward Shean Donovan. “It’s hard. You work hard every day and just wait for your shot. Auldy is playing great, too, and we’re lucky here. We’ve got two really good goalies and they’re battling it out. You can’t ask for anything more. They’re both good guys and in practice, they work hard.
....
“(Both goaltenders) are coming up with the big saves. That’s what you need and that’s what you ask for with your goaltending. Now it’s up to the rest of us to start putting the puck in the net.”
From the Ottawa Senators’ website, on Ottawa prospect Patrick Wiercioch being cut from the World Junior roster,
“He needs to gain more strength so he can handle the physical battles,” Murray said of Wiercioch, the Senators’ second-round pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft at Scotiabank Place. “When you’re playing against the best players your age in the world, you’ve got (have) a lot of physical strength on some of those guys.
“As the week went on, he got more comfortable in the offensive situations, better in his positioning, used his stick well and I thought he handled himself very well. We’re anxious to see him here again, and if he’s not in the National Hockey League, I think he’s got a real good chance to be a part of our program.”
....
“I want to come and do my best and leave as a better player than when I came in,” [Wiercioch] said on the first day of camp. “It’s truly an honour to be on the ice with some of the best Canadians out there.”
It’s a welcome sight, seeing Senators prospects getting those invites once again. Wiercioch may not have made the cut, and attending the University of Denver he will be a few years from making a difference for the Sens, but 7 goals and 7 assists in 15 games of NCAA hockey is a good reminder that there is a player there worth the wait, just as Erik Karlsson staying in Sweden should only make him a stronger addition to the blueline when he comes over.
The Sens haven’t been heralded as a powerhouse of prospects of late, but whether it’s a suspicion or a hope, I have a feeling that we’ll see some worthwhile in-house additions coming up in the next several years.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Ottawa Senators | SENShobo | Permalink
Tags: Martin+Gerber, Patrick+Wiercioch,
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Gerber actually played well in the Carolina game, but his team gave him no support offensively and was sloppy defensively.
One really has to wonder about the attitude of the squad. Watch a few games by lower level teams like LA, Florida, Colorado, St. Louis, and they are all scrapping, digging, hitting, hungry for a win every time they play.
The year’s Senators don’t have it., and don’t get it. They play the occasional solid game, and the rest of the time, they don’t skate, check, or hit…never mind score.
Auld and Gerber can’t be blamed. IMHO Martin should play as well as he can and take a look at his options next summer.
Look for a housecleaning after Christmas, especially if the Senators go .500 for the rest of the month.
Posted by davetherave from Ottawa, Canada on 12/16/08 at 01:14 PM ET