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There is no doubting Ales Hemsky has been a nice addition to the Senators lineup. Over the past two games, Hemsky has assisted on six goals and found instant chemistry with Jason Spezza. For most of the season, Sens fans bemoaned the fact that Spezza was not playing with quality wingers. These last two games with Hemsky have only served to tease everyone, wondering what could have been if Hemsky was riding shotgun with Spezza all season long. But would the Senators be sitting in a playoff spot if they had acquired Hemsky a few months ago? Since Im officially banned from using the phrase "probably not" in this town, I will instead answer by saying I think its highly doubtful the Senators would be sitting in a playoff spot if Hemsky had been here since October. Ottawas big issue this season has been in their own end. And to be brutally honest, that has been their biggest problem since Paul MacLean took over as head coach a couple of years ago. To MacLeans credit, he has drastically improved the offense on this team. When they missed the playoffs in Cory Cloustons last season at the helm, Ottawa scored just 193 goals and was one of only three NHL teams who failed to crack the 200-goal barrier in 2010-11. So heading into MacLeans first season, the big question was: Who is going to score goals for the Senators? But MacLean worked his offensive magic and had terrific seasons from the likes of Spezza, Milan Michalek and Erik Karlsson and the team ended up scoring 249 goals and ranking in the top five in the NHL in that category. Thats a remarkable transformation; bottom five in the league in goals one year to top five the next. But Ottawas defensive game showed no real improvement in that first season under MacLean. They ranked 24th in goals against under Clouston (giving up 250 goals) and they also ranked 24th in goals against under MacLean (giving up 240 goals). In fact, no team that made the playoffs in 2012 allowed more regular season goals than the Senators. And when you give up as many goals as the Senators do, you either make the playoffs by the skin of your teeth - or miss them altogether. This trend appears to be rearing its ugly head again this season, as the Senators have no real problems scoring goals. They currently rank in the top half of the Eastern Conference in goals scored with 185 - more than playoff-bound teams like Montreal, Philadelphia and the New York Rangers. But the Senators have surrendered an astounding 213 goals this season - the second-worst total in the entire NHL. And no matter how many goals Hemsky would have added to the offensive side of the ledger, its hard to imagine how he would have helped with the defensive breakdowns that have been problematic with this team for months. A lot of people will point to the lockout-shortened season a year ago, where the Senators were the stingiest team in the Eastern Conference, sporting a 2.08 GAA. But last year needs to be taken with a grain of salt because it was only a 48-game schedule and the Senators were still giving up a ton of quality chances. Take a look at Ottawas NHL ranking in shots allowed/game since MacLean took over and you will see they didnt actually have a great defensive improvement in that department last season: Shots Allowed/Game (NHL Rank) 2011-12: 32.0/game (29th in NHL)2012-13: 31.3/game (23rd in NHL)2013-14: 34.4/game (28th in NHL) Even though the Senators were near the top of the league in GAA in 2012-13, they were still giving up too many shots and chances each night. They werent necessarily playing a tough, defensive style. Instead, they were bailed out by unbelievable goaltending that was producing numbers that were never going to be sustainable for the long-term. Craig Anderson, for example, had a .933 save percentage while short-handed last season - a number that has tumbled by more than 100 points this year. In short, the Senators brilliant goaltending masked the issues for this team last season. Now that the goaltending has been average this season, it highlights the defensive issues that have been around for the better part of three seasons. The best teams in the NHL over the past three years - like Chicago, St. Louis and Los Angeles - have all ranked in the top 10 in fewest shots allowed. Even a team like the Blackhawks, who have the reputation of being offensive-oriented, have allowed the fourth-fewest shots against this season. Again, MacLean deserves a ton of credit for turning this team into an offensive juggernaut. And if Hemsky re-signs next season, there is every reason to believe he can flourish in this system. But now is the time that MacLean and his staff need to fix the defensive flaws with this team. He is trying to implement a similar system he used in Detroit when they won the Stanley Cup in 2007-08. That season, the Red Wings had no trouble scoring goals, ranking third in the NHL in that department. But they also allowed the fewest shots per game at 23.5 - the best number in the entire league. The offensive comparisons to Detroit are accurate, but its the defensive game for Ottawa that still has miles to go. Bryan Murray didnt make any trades involving defensemen at the deadline because the organization believes they have the right personnel on the back end. If thats the case, its the system that needs to be adjusted moving forward. So when it comes to the re-build that started a couple of years ago, its fair to say the Senators are only halfway there. Cheap Adidas Trainers Uk . Kyle Denbrook, a soccer player from Saint Marys University, took the CIS male athlete of the week honour. Stanley, a fourth-year business administration student from Charlottetown, scored both goals in a 2-0 win over Dalhousie on Friday and tallied again in a 1-0 win over Saint Marys on Sunday. Adidas Nmd c2 Shoes For Sale Uk . Maria Silvia Bastos Marques, president of the EOM (Municipal Olympic Company), will be leaving her post but will remain as an advisor, a city hall statement said Tuesday. http://www.cheapadishoesuk.com/adidas-su...en-gold-uk.html. - Rookie Kyle Larson will start from the pole position Saturday night in the NASCAR race at Richmond International Raceway after a thunderstorm arrived just in time to wash out qualifying. Buy Adidas Ultra Boost Shoes . Chris Johnson singled with two outs off left-hander Jerry Blevins (1-1), and Schafer pinch ran. With a 2-2 count, Schafer ran on the pitch and Upton dropped a single in front of Bryce Harper. Schafer already was rounding third when Schafer bobbled the ball. NEIGHBORHOOD x Adidas Gazelle Black/White Uk . -- New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft wanted to keep Logan Mankins with the team for a long time.SEATTLE -- Justin Smoak had already done his part by hitting a go-ahead double in the eighth inning. But when Fernando Rodney struggled in the ninth, it was Smoak who made another huge play to keep Seattle from blowing the lead. Smoaks two-run double put his team ahead, and his diving catch of Adrian Beltres line drive in the ninth turned into a game-ending double play as the Mariners held on for a 6-5 win over the Texas Rangers on Friday night. Smoaks double was crucial. It drove in the first runs this season for Seattle in the eighth inning and sparked a four-run rally for the Mariners. But his grab in the ninth trumped what he did at the plate. Beltres ball was hit so hard, there was no time for Smoak to think. All he could do was dive, stretch and hope. "I kind of blacked out there for a second. Just jumped and stretched as far as I could stretch and it went into the glove," Smoak said. Robinson Cano had a two-run double for the Mariners, who won consecutive games for the first time since the opening week of the season. Canos double was the only time the Mariners got to Texas starter Robbie Ross Jr., but they battered reliever Neal Cotts (1-2) in the eighth inning, scoring four times to end the Rangers win streak at three games. With no outs and the bases loaded, Smoak avoided the temptation of two inside pitches from Cotts and worked the count full. Then he lined a pitch down the left-field line and just out of the reach of Michael Choice, allowing Cano and pinch-runner Michael Saunders to score the go-ahead runs. Seattle had been outscored 18-0 in the eighth inning heading into Fridays game. The Mariners had not won two straight since their three-game sweep of the Angels to open the season. The Mariners rally started thanks to Cano, who led off the eighth with a single on the first pitch. Corey Hart worked a full count before being hit on the knee by Cotts pitch -- the fourth Seattle batter to be hit by a pitch -- and Stefan Romero loaded the bases with a bunt single. Thats when Smoak came through wwith his fifth double.dddddddddddd Kyle Seager added an RBI single and Smoak scored on a wild pitch from Alexi Ogando for a 6-3 lead. The Mariners ended up needing all those runs because although Rodney got his fourth save, he made it uncomfortable in the ninth. He loaded the bases with one out and wasnt helped when Smoak couldnt handle the relay from Cano on a possible double play early in the inning. Rodney then walked Choice and Elvis Andrus to force in runs and make it 6-5. Beltre hit a liner that appeared headed for the outfield. Smoak snared it and doubled Andrus off first to end the game. "Thats Fernando. Sometimes hes going to have you on the top step. In the end he gets it done," Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon said. "Probably not all his doing. We could have made it a lot easier for him if we turned the double play." Seattle relievers Dominic Leone and Yoervis Medina (1-1) bridged the late innings after starter Roenis Elias lasted 5 2-3 innings. Leones wild pitch that allowed Prince Fielder to score with two outs in the sixth was the difference until the late rally. Ross threw six innings, giving up six hits and two runs. He has gone 84 batters without issuing a walk. His lone trouble came when he hit Abraham Almonte with a pitch with two outs and then gave up a single to Willie Bloomquist. Cano followed by lining a double off the wall in left-centre, scoring both runners. It was his fourth double of the season and fifth extra-base hit. "Its frustrating because you want to get the guys before you have to face him," Ross said. NOTES: Texas C J.P. Arencibia snapped an 0-for-19 skid with a double leading off the third. It was his third hit of the season and first since April 6. ... Injured Seattle LHP James Paxton threw for the first time since straining a back muscle this month. Paxton threw from 45 feet. Injured RHP Taijuan Walker (shoulder) is expected to start throwing on Monday. ... Seattle Seahawks DE Michael Bennett threw out the ceremonial first pitch. ' ' '