2007-08 Regular Season, Game 21

Penguins 6, Senators 5 (SO)

PRESIDENT’S 2 CENTS: Jarko Ruutu, the most unlikely of psychics, had the last laugh on the night as the Pens’ agitator potted the shootout winner, glove-side, through Martin Gerber’s legs. It was Ruutu, who, after the second diving call in a row against him in the first period, laughed his way over to the sin bin to serve his time. It’s almost as if these sarcastic, laughing facial expressions foreshadowed the fact that he’d be serving up the last laugh. He certainly did, putting an end to what was a weird, wild night of hockey at Snowy-bank Place (three cheers for another Ottawa winter!). Talk about bookending a night, what with that thundering bodycheck on Wade Redden to open up the pleasantries right after puck drop. The best part? With the pay-per-view feed failing (again)—it happened a few times last year—Ottawa viewers watching the subbed-in Fox Sports Net feed from Pittsburgh got to see the hit nominated as the “Subway Sandwich of the Night.” For his part, Redden played the next 24:08 of his night pretty well, making slick passes and taking a few more hits to make plays. As for his favourite sub? Let’s just say Wade won’t ‘Finnish’ his order tonight … Making plays, on the subject, was something first star Jason Spezza did pretty well. Two goals, one assist, plus-1 and the Sens’ only shootout marker. Only problem? A tad too many giveaways tonight. He was dinged with two by the stat crew, but probably had at least five. It’s that leeway we’ve all allowed him to have, and tonight was one of those nights where he tries everyone’s patience to the breaking point but still comes out ahead. He’s still a defensive liability at times, none worse than during Sergei Gonchar’s tying goal, as the sight of Spezza standing at the faceoff dot watching Gonchar (who snuck into the short side uncovered) was painful. Still, the Spezz Dispenser is indispensable. He rung a shot off the crossbar in OT … Speaking of faulthood, callup Alexander Nikulin takes the cake, as he made the fatal mistake of trying to pokecheck at the puck, instead of stopping the man, when he was the last defender back at the blueline. Furthermore, the puck was on the stick of Evgeni Malkin, who of course made quick work of his inexperienced fellow countryman, undressing him for a pretty partial breakaway goal. Speaking of Alex, if you haven’t read his Bingo blog, do so. It’s quite entertaining … Speaking of goals, the shootout-trying goal by Erik Christensen was correctly allowed to stand. Christensen didn’t interfere with Gerbs on the play, which saw the puck bounce off his right pad, onto the keeper’s arm, and into the goal …

… So the flightless birds avenge last year’s playoff loss to the Sens, albeit barely and temporarily. Some things have changed, notably Colby “the witch” Armstrong being usurped by newcomer Ruutu as the thorn-in-the-side. However, most things haven’t, including Marc-André Fleury getting yanked (remember Round 1, Game 1), the overrated Georges Laraque not being a factor, and of course, Sidney Crosby getting booed. Don’t know what to think about the booing – arguably, he’s the next Wayne Gretzky. Would The Great One, or say, Crosby’s former teammate Mario Lemieux, get booed at the Bank? That one’s up for Rhetorical Question of the Year … Speaking of Crosby, one helper got him back on track after being held pointless for the first time in 19 games the night before. The twist? It was such a complete game on the scoresheet for all the other birds that he didn’t need to do much more. Ryan Malone has developed into quite a force (three points on the night) in his young career, as have many of the young core of the team, all of which stepped up tonight. You can bet many GMs will be chomping at the bit with offer sheets once they’re up for some new cash. Malone makes $1.38 million and is unrestricted in the summer. Fleury makes $1.2 million and is up this summer; Jordan Staal and Evgeni Malkin are up in the summer of ’09. All three are restricted and due for hefty raises. Will this core stay together? …

… so Chris Phillips gets a power play goal on some rare PP time. Perhaps that’s the reason Michel Therrien yanked Fleury, trying to jolt the team into shape. If so, it worked … Speaking of working, the captain nearly did his best Ruutu impression in the third, as he fell down when making contact with Malkin to try and draw a penalty. A crafty Alfie drew referee-directed boos from his beloved faithful in protest, but the zebras made the right non-call … Speaking of Malkin, he was stoned cold by Gerber with 2:59 to go from point-blank. Both goalies let in lots of rubber, but both were also good, especially Dany Sabourin in relief, who stopped all but one of the 18 shots he faced during a wild third-period Sens charge … Stat Line of the Night: Sens D-man supreme, Anton Volchenkov, played over 25 minutes but spent a whopping 9:09 on the PK. He blocked three more shots tonight and still leads the league. If you haven’t already, join the ever-growing movement, a la Rory Fitzpatrick last year, to vote the A-Train into the All-Star Game …

FUNNY STUFF: Colour man Gord Wilson, alluding to being able to hear either Phillips or Gerber from the press box as one of them yelled, mistakenly called the Sens keeper “Gerbil.” Laugh if you must, but it kind of makes sense, as he was basically scurrying around the crease all night in this barnburner. Wilson had another funny line when Fleury got pulled: “Maybe he just had to go to the bathroom,” said Wilson just before Fleury re-appeared in the tunnel, mask still on … After Christoph Schubert scored his third-period go-ahead goal, he laid quite the doozy of a smooch on Andrej Meszaros’ helmet. I guess even those tough Germans don’t have a thing for other bearded men. Remember that Doug Gilmour was clean-shaven when Grapes laid one on him … What’s neat about pay-per-view games is that there are no commercials, This means you can hear what’s going on in the arena during scheduled TV timeouts, and during one of those timeouts, you could faintly hear the Foo Fighters’ hit “Hero” being blasted over the PA, except with an unlucky contestant singing along for a karaoke contest. Dave Grohl, your job is safe … One fan in the front row had a sign saying “Gerbie Gerbeson is the REAL #1!” It caused a few players to do double-takes, including the Gerbil himself, apparently … Last but not Least: Sens assistant coach Greg Carvel, answering a question from Ian Mendes on the physical first period, said this: “Our playoff series with them was the most physical series we had.” Really? Oops. I really hope no Anaheim Ducks caught that snippet of the interview.

2007-08 Regular Season, Game 4

Senators 4, Devils 2


PRESIDENT’S 2 CENTS: No turkey hangover here! The home team improves to 4-0 on the season after raking in two piles of leaves, outlawing the lone rangers, and exorcising some demons. All 18,260 on hand at the Bank (first non-sellout in a meaningful game since Cupid hooked up 18,561 bums with seats last Valentine’s Day) had something hockey-related to be thankful for, despite an inconsistent second period and part of a third. The Cash Line continues to gobble up the league, collectively stuffing eight more points onto the league leaderboard. Highlights abounded tonight with the money unit, notably so on the second goal of the game, where the script looked to be drawn up as per usual: the captain corrals the puck along the half boards, feeds Jason Spezza, who dispenses a pass to Heat– oh wait, former Senators D-man Karel Rachunek got some lumber on it too! Anyway, script continued normally from there; Heater converted the slot pass, Rachunek remembered what team he was on, and shoved Dany over for good measure. The pass was unintentional of course, but quite entertaining … Entertaining comes to mind for the supporting cast as well, which had a solid night. Chris Kelly’s goal was the result of some fantastic blue-collar hack-away by Antoine Vermette, who opened the year’s scoring and was a star on the afternoon. He slid the puck over to Kelly, who connected on hack #2. Smartest play? Chris Neil, literally using his head and ducking while sitting on the ice with his noggin dangerously next to Kelly’s shooting lane … Speaking of Neiler, the quick dust-up with David Clarkson was quick because he was caught off-guard, but he was feisty enough while lying on the bottom that the young Clarkson made sure to check his chiclets afterwards … On the subject, the Sens were probably checking their, figuratively, after an aforementioned wobbly second. Still, they hung on. One one play, a Wade Redden clearing attempt ended up bouncing to “Tiny” Brian Gionta, as the 42-goal scorer broke in on Martin Gerber point-blank, but the Ottawa netminder stood tall. He was equally solid later on in the frame, when he outwaited and forced outside a charging Patrik Elias to the outside of a yawning 6x4. Gonna be a goalie controversy soon enough when Razor’s back …

… As mentioned, the second period was the Devils’. Not many scoring chances abounded, but they battled back and definitely had more of an edge, in obvious fashion when they held the Cash Line in check towards the end of the frame. They also made the most of any chances, notably on the Asham goal. They played smartly as well, when they forced the tired pairing of Redden and Andrej Meszaros to stay out for nearly three minutes after the Gionta chance … Speaking of chances, there’s a good chance Zach Parise’s goal wouldn’t have counted if not for the new HD overhead cameras that will be in all league rinks by the end of next week. There was just enough high-def white between the biscuit and the goal line for it to be conclusive. Lucky for Zach they’re already installed in the Bank … Conclusive was definitely the word on Wade Redden’s game-winner in the third, which also went to reply but was more obvious. Still, the episodes, along with the Heatley goal in the home opener last week, were perfect examples of how the league’s idea was worth the extra cash … Extra dough from that new $21 million deal is something Mike Fisher’s been earning sp far, especially with his physical play. Two big hits punctuated his night: firstly, the corner hit in the first period which prompted colour man Garry Galley to say “He created space for himself in the first three rows.” There was also the running back-style bump to Parise which flipped the youngster. At the end of the day, Mike does it cleanly …

… Today’s matinee was the first 2 Cents report on a game with Dean Brown and Garry Galley at the mike. Naturally, this made for some excellent one-liners. In lieu of the Line of the Night, we’ll go over a few gems. Firstly, Dean mentioned that 14 former NHLers had sons playing in the league this year, to which former journeyman defenceman Galley retorted “And you thought I played with all of them.” Galley’s three-rows line about the Fisher hit was funny too, but Brown added some well-directed sarcasm in the first: “There’s #27, you know him– nope,” he said in reference to defenceman Mike Motteau wearing the digits that used to belong to longtime Devils star blueliner Scott Niedermayer. Brown, who added, “I couldn’t resist,” was bang-on in questioning the move to not retire Niedermayer’s number, and sharply pointed out that GM Lou Lamoriello made sure Ken Daneyko and Scott Stevens—both of whom retired and spent their entire careers as Devils—both got theirs hung in the rafters. Niedermayer bolted the swamp, prompting suspicions of bitterness … On the subject, Jay Pandolfo has to feel somewhat bitter. The perennial Selke nominee, who today played in his 285th straight game and was a key to those championships, still does not serve as a captain or alternate. He and Sergei Brylin, who have both been there longer than the three current alternates of Elias, Gionta and Danius Zubrus, have got to feel confused. Here’s an all-in bet of two cents that new head coach Brent Sutter was trumped by Lamoriello for letter selection …

… Stat Line of the Night: 10 blocked shots (five each) for Anton Volchenkov and Chris Phillips, which tied them with the entire Devils squad. The Sens got in a way of a total of 25. It might be October, but this is a big reason why the Sens dispatched the younger Devils in five last spring … Anyone else think Devils assistant Larry Robinson is using Just for Men? The salt-and-pepper look suits him much better … Martin Gerber catching a rut and falling down early in the first period was extra funny since he synchronized his tumble with the direction of Chris Phillips’ stop behind the net to corral puck. Right after, the Bank faithful booed. Jury’s still out on whether they were grading the fall or a shaky stretch of play leading up to it …. Last but not least: let’s put the rivalry aside and extend the thoughts and prayers of Sens Nation to Maple Leafs forward Jason Blake and his family. Blake, the Leafs’ star new acquisition, was diagnosed with leukemia on Friday but apparently the prognosis is good and he will fight it while still being able to play. During this Thanksgiving season, it’s another reason to be thankful for good health, which can change at any time.

2007-08 Regular Season, Game 1

Ottawa 4, Toronto 3 (OT)

PRESIDENT’S 2 CENTS: The Heat is on! The newly-minted richest member of the Cash Line cashed in with a fine performance, scoring the OT winner past Andrew Raycroft. Three points on night number one with the new $45 million, six-year extension in his back pocket? A mighty fine start. And how about doing it the hard way? Off an Anton Volchenkov hit to make a play, Mike Fisher shakes off a Leaf himself, plays give-and-go with Heater, heads for the wing, and feeds him with a laser-guided pass which Heater had zero room for error with, as Chad Kilger was right in front of him. Boom. Five-hole, and Dany heads for the side glass in exactly the same fashion that Alfie did the last time the Sens scored when it mattered in OT, in that big Game 5 winner to win the East. That’s 15 goals for Dany in 20 career games vs. Hogtown. Best part? It’s now three years in a row that the Sens have spoiled the Buds’ home curtain-raiser (2005’s 3-2 shootout win, 2006’s 4-1 win). And come to think of it, the 48th Highlanders, an opening night tradition that began with the first game at the old Maple Leaf Gardens in 1931, bear a striking resemblance to the Sens’ colours with their gold, red, and black duds. For the record, the Leafs lost that 1931 opener 2-1 to the Blackhawks. It’s a nice tradition, but maybe it’s time for some new luck. That or get them hired, pronto, at the Bank … Speaking of the Sens’ barn, the two teams will hook up there on Thursday in the back half of the home-and-home, and the question remains – who will be the starting goalie for the Leafs? In the Official Presidential Opinion, Raycroft should be between the pipes. Sure, the Leafs gave up a lot—including yet another first-round pick—to get Vesa Toskala, but Raycroft outperformed him in the preseason and coach Paul Maurice was right to start him tonight. He had some fantastic saves, none prettier than three in particular off his left pad: firstly, stopping Chris Kelly’s second-period breakaway, stoning Joe Corvo’s dance to the net in the third, and Patrick Eaves’ equally-impressive dance. The funny part? Raycroft was jeered by the ACC “faithful” and quite loudly when Wade Redden cleared the puck out of his own zone during a first-period penalty kill and right on him. The same crowd then cheers his play, sans le sarcasm, later on. Fickle Leaf Nation, methinks? … Speaking of Redden, those fights he got in really helped get him going after a subpar season and playoffs. The second one in particular with Bates Battaglia also helped fire up the team, no doubt aware he was hurt earlier in the period. Reds sported a nice gash on his forehead but was none the worse for wear …

… So Mats Sundin fails to score goal #389 on the night to tie the great Darryl Sittler for tops all-time on the Leaf goals list. Everyone in the place, including Darryl, thought he had it when Nick Antropov’s first of two on the night actually went in off Chris Phillips’ skate. Darryl had nothing but nice things to say about Mats and him both having served as captains of the team, and both dealing with the pressure of doing so. “It was a lot of pressure playing back then, under Harold Ballard,” he told TSN’s Dave Randorf, unable to resist taking a pot shot at the late, eccentric former Leafs owner. Good point. No way GM John Ferguson Jr. would be keeping his job if the old geezer was still around … Back to the Sens: Martin Gerber played another solid game on the night, not having much of a chance on the first Antropov goal or the Stajan go-ahead marker. Notable stops: the Blake pokecheck & subsequent stoning of Boyd Devereaux point-blank, the two big ones on that first-period Leafs power play from Bryan McCabe’s point cannon and the Tucker rebound, as well as the Blake shot in OT from the left …

… The Sens had a brutal second period and a bit of a bad first one as well. Mistakes and giveaways were the mantra, even in the first when a normally flawless Alfie coughed up a few biscuits and rushed a shot on Ottawa’s 5-on-3. Redden and Spezza were guilty parties too, as the sharp Leaf defence (Wozniewski and Gill were great on Spezza), in particular on the penalty kill, forced the latter into some bad turnovers. Gerbs kept the Sens in it in the second, albeit in it on their heels, after an Alfie cough-up (he and the Spezz dispenser had four giveaways each) forced a Tomas Kaberle-led rush which ended in a big save. A stupid Phillips delay-of-game penalty for moving the net finally caused a kink in the armour. 3-2 Leafs on the aforementioned Stajan goal. Funny how Stajan, after unwittingly providing a nice screen for Alfie on the captain’s goal, made up for it. It was just the general feeling that the home team would bust through on its hard work, and it did. But an 12-4 Sens shot count in the third, along with an anemic Leafs 0-7 power play, would be the momentum-changing difference. How about Mike Fisher too? Wow ...

… Some fantastic TSN camera work throughout, with three shots in particular: firstly, of Sens GM Bryan Murray clutching a pen tightly in his hand following Heater sitting down after popping his first. Murray looked either nervous after handing out $45 million to one guy, or like the height of his new (well, kind of familiar you’d think) press box perch was taking some getting used to. Either way, funny stuff. Another fun shot? The one that caught Leafs’ assistant Keith Action seemingly trying to cover a giggle with his hand when discussing something (probably the Redden targeting plan) with Maurice, who did his best poker face. Thirdly and also amusing was the capture of league boss Gary Bettman schmoozing in the platinums, flanked by Toronto Mayor David Miller on his left and MLSE bigwig/Raptors governor Larry Tanenbaum on his left. Bettman and Miller were chatting it up and having a great time, while Tanenbaum, looking bored out of his mind, was probably counting down the days until the Raps open on Halloween …

… TSN Line of the Night: “Maybe he should be the starting goalie against Ottawa (on Thursday),” offered Gord Miller, poking fun at the Leafs’ goalie controversy after Tomas Kaberle blocked two Joe Corvo shots. No Don Cherry Suit Rating until 2 Cents covers the next CBC game, but there was that commercial with golf great Gary Player, who was sporting a nifty zip-up cream turtleneck with a black jacket. Eight out of 10 style points to the Presidents Cup captain, who smartly picked Mike Weir (who, of course, beat Tiger) for the team … Stat Line of the Night: Anton Volchenkov, with three hits and six blocked shots. Welcome back for another year, A-Train. Notably, Jason Blake looked good and led all shooters with seven … Interesting Stat of the Night: Sens had 19 giveaways to the Leafs’ 11, but the Buds edged the Sens 17-13 in missed shots … Last but not least: the Eastern Conference Champions banner gets raised to the roof at the Bank on Thursday. Bittersweet as that might be, the place will go nuts. And judging by the Sens’ record-setting season-ticket holder count of 13,000+ thus far, Leaf Nation might put forth its smallest Bank crowd ever.

2007 Preseason, Game 5: 9-25-2007

Senators 4, Flyers 2

PRESIDENT’S 2 CENTS: Nothing wrong with physical play, as the soon-to-be record-setting number of fights in league preseason play edged up significantly in tonight’s Flyers-Sens tilt. Unfortunately, that number was given a shot in the arm due to that flying shot out of nowhere to Dean McAmmond, courtesy of hothead Flyers prospect Air Steve Downie. McAmmond had his melon down on the play, but that probably mattered little as Air Steve was in full, but uncontrolled takeoff mode. Thought to be somewhat reformed and level-headed following his world junior performance which somewhat erased the memory of his dustup with an Oshawa Generals teammate in an OHL practice––an incident which forced a trade to Windsor––Downie has just killed his chance at making the Flyers this season, not only by the despicable act itself, but by the fact that he will docked 25 games minimum based on recent precedents (see: Chris Simon, Todd Bertuzzi). Downie brings the physical edge and was trying to make an impression on the Philly coaching staff in time for last camp cuts. He did what any physical young kid is going to do, and that is take a run at an established NHLer. Worst part? He’s labelled once again as a dirty player, one that the Flyers will be forced to cut since he won’t be playing over a quarter of the campaign anyway. This suspension could even scratch him from the lineup card into next season. All for one mindless play, which could also cost McAmmond a good chunk of the season. All Sens fans know Dean’s value to the team as its fastest skater, one of the best penalty-killers, and sadly, now one of the most targeted (are you listening, Chris Pronger?). With two concussions happening within just over three months of each other, Dean’s long-term health is now an issue … Only positive from this sad situation is that it could give a bubble player like Nick Foligno a further chance to make the team out of camp, at the very least until Dean recovers. He was solid again tonight; smart and strong are plays that come to mind, especially during the second period where he drew a hook on Denis Gauthier …

… The game itself was actually quite boring until the wild second period which included the infamous hit and the ensuing melee, featuring very little except for the Meszaros hit and two bad Flyer goals. Ray Emery, making his first start since Game 5 of the final back on June 6, struggled mightily on the few times he was actually challenged. Both goals came on the (healed and rusty) glove hand side, and both times Anton Volchenkov came over to help Razor out. Hopefully it’s sooner rather than later that Razor finds his groove again, and A-Train can get his masterful shot-blocking defence back into form. They need each other … Speaking of those needing each other, the water cooler and bar talk all over town (up until the McAmmond hit) was about Dany Heatley’s possible new contract extension being in the works. However, since Kevin Lowe is GM in this league (Google “Thomas Vanek” and “Kevin Lowe” together), and Jason Spezza will be a restricted freebie in July, it’d be wise to get both locked up now since the Sens can’t compete with ridiculous offer sheets. Not only that, but these guys are dynamite together and it’d be symbolic to have a side-by-side press conference announcing that both are back in the fold for next year. With Wade Redden’s expected departure along with his $6.5 million off the books, it makes room for Spezza but could force a cap squeeze-out of Antoine Vermette or Chris Kelly, but better to lock up the Spezz Dispenser …

… Back to the game: it was painfully obvious that the Flyers, who were playing the second of three straight games, were resting most of their stars as opposed to the Sens, who iced mostly regulars. The Flyers were a step behind and taking dumb penalties––10 to be exact, including six in a row––which cost them any chance of holding that 2-1 early lead. Never, ever give the Sens any sort of extra-man life, as the Leafs found out in OT the previous night. In fact, Spezza tried the same circling-of-prey move in the first period. Didn’t work out, but maybe it set the tone, as well as the floodgate release switch for the second … Scottie Upshall had a decent game, save for the cough-up to Alfie for the Sens’ first goal. Alfie continues a fantastic preseason with another two points on the night … The night belonged to Patrick Eaves, however, with two goals and two helpers. Seemed the only thing he couldn’t do was heave his darn lumber over the glass for a souvenir on the first try. Sure, he doesn’t get much practice since he hasn’t been named a star all that often but c’mon Patty, these light composite sticks pretty much weigh the same as Calista Flockhart … Speaking of famous people, Joe Corvo has undoubtedly seen many from his days living as a King in Los Angeles, but the smiley (Game 2 OT winner vs. Buffalo) yet intense and dramatic (down on himself after the New Year’s OT giveaway) defenceman should definitely star in the next hockey movie, say Slap Shot, if there is one. After tonight’s PP cannon, it’s only further proof that his slap shot is also star quality …

… Again, with Rogers TV capably at the helm tonight, here’s the Line of the Night: “There’s padding there,” remarked Team 1200 personality-turned-colour man Lee Versage on the referee taking a puck in the midsection. “Better to have it there, than off a bone, or something else,” he added cheekily, as play-by-play partner Ed Hand agreed awkwardly … Excellent camera work too, catching the Ben (over) Eager retaliation slash on Razor, but more importantly, the subtle jab that stirred up revenge in the youngster … Official Presidential Opinion: There are some that say it was a mistake for the Flyers to sign hulking (and slowing down) d-man Derian Hatcher a year ago, but there’s still a role for him in this new NHL. Two goals tonight as well as six apiece in the hits and blocks categories? Speed helps, but size is good too … Last but not least: it’s an honour for the President to now be joining up with the largest Sens group on Facebook. And here’s the best part: supporting your Sens is an actual GOOD reason to be on the darned, addictive, time-wasting website.

2007 Preseason, Game 2: 9-20-2007

Senators 5, Capitals 4

PRESIDENT’S 2 CENTS: A little preseason 2 Cents action to whet the appetite! The Eastern Conference champs return home to the Bank for the first time since June 4, which saw the home team fall 3-2 to the Ducks in Game 4 of the final. One-goal games, a bit of an Achillies’ heel for the Sens in recent years, did not factor in tonight despite a Caps’ resurgence at the end … Star of tonight’s show? None other than Nick Foligno, whose presence all over the ice tonight earned him second star honours, but more importantly, the Official Presidential Opinion: that, of course, that he will be in the lineup when the Sens get things going for real October 3 vs. the Leafs. The kid has responded to coach John Paddock calling him out through the media at the start of camp with back-to-back solid games to open the preseason. How about that goal, the result of a highlight-reel feed from gritty acquisition Shean Donovan in the corner, who fed Foligno, who slid a slicker feed to Kelly? Well if that wasn’t pretty enough, the son of Mr. Hop (those aged 20-ish and under may need to Google the ‘Foligno Hop’) danced his way in for that second-period, game-tying water bottler-rattler over a helpless Olaf Kolzig. It’s only two preseason games, but he looks ready to crack that fourth line and maybe beat out Brian McGrattan for a regular spot … Speaking of that October 3 opener, it might just be an interesting sideshow for Mike Foligno and Thomas Steen (son Alex is a Leaf) to watch their sons play each other. Seems like just yesterday that they were involved in epic battles with the Leafs and Jets, respectively. Recent retirees who played with them: Tie Domi and recent Cup champ Teemu Selanne. Domi actually played with both Steens … But back to the Bank: no slouch himself on the night was the captain. Alfie, who on one of his first shifts kind of coasted around and still looked good, playing catch with potential linemate Antoine Vermette then dropping a blind setup to Christoph Schubert, looks like he’s focused and ready for big things again. And only Alfie could do no wrong and make a blunder look good, as he fanned on his point shot, only to feed Dany Heatley for that slo-mo go-ahead marker in the third. And let’s not forget him tallying the Sens’ first of the game, as he did his best Fat Joe impression, doing a lean-back to pop a perfect Spezza offering top shelf. While he wasn’t doing the Roc-a-Wear, here’s a safe bet that the nifty new Sens duds will outsell Jay-Z’s clothing line in the 613 anyday. Especially #11 ones. But you know, some fly black Roca jeans could complement it nicely. So necessary…

… It was more of an average night for Martin Gerber, surrendering three goals on 18 shots after turning away all 52 two nights ago against the grounded Flyers. The first goal in particular might showcase a ‘stretch’ of an observation on the tight new jerseys (minimum one pun per 2 Cents), but that was a rather bad bounce of a rebound off Gerbs’ chest which Chris Clark potted home. Think the older, baggier sweaters might’ve been better for swallowing chest shots? Something to ponder … On the subject, Leafs coach Paul Maurice takes the cake for the day’s best tightness joke: “He’s suffering from general body stiffness,” he said about forward Kyle Wellwood, which was quickly followed by a red-faced grin and a refusal to elaborate. Perhaps because he used that adjective to describe a player whose name ends in “-wood”… But back to the goalie situation: Gerber’s replacement in the pipes, prospect Brian Elliott, played extremely solid. Of note, he stymied former Sens prospect Jakub Klepis on three separate occasions, notably once on a second-period chance right in the slot. Right before that, he turned aside Tomas Fleischmann from the right side. Elliott seemed to see the puck quite well through screens, only surrendered one goal, albeit a pretty one. Fleischmann passed the puck to himself off the end boards, spun and fed phenom Alex Ovechkin, who’s been known to score nice goals from time to time … Speaking of Ovechkin, either it’s a coincidence or the Senators had a little fun with the placement of tonight’s advertising signs. Tonight saw the pride of Russia in front of the Caps’ bench (Smirnoff Ice ad) and on the bench itself (Ovechkin). Two days removed from his 22nd birthday, maybe he’s indulged a bit recently. Who knows, after being frustrated by the Sens’ defence for a large portion of the game, including a solid first-period Wade Redden check, he might want to … Other former Sens playing: Brian Pothier and Brooks Laich. As usual, Pothier, a solid stay-at-home defenceman, led all Caps in ice time and probably will lead the league again this year …

… Other Prospects Watch: the highly-touted Nicklas Backstrom was rather quiet on the night, playing under 20 minutes, with no points and was a minus-1. Sens hopefuls Josh Hennessy, Brian Lee, and Cody Bass might find themselves headed to Bingo if the Foligno Show keeps running strong, but all three played ok. Bass smartly took a page out of the Anton Volchenkov manual by blocking a point shot with the Sens up one with just over three minutes to play. Hennessy showed some fleet of foot with a 180-degree spin on one rush. Lee took an undisciplined cross-checking penalty in the third period which led to Tom Poti scoring right off the faceoff. A tough, but quick lesson for the youngster … Patrick Eaves made a strong case to be a regular on the Cash Line with a solid effort on the night, notably on the power play. The first goal, which was waved off, saw Eaves hold his ground in front and pop in the biscuit despite being pushed in by Boyd Gordon. His presence in front of the net could make the difference and allow him rebound opportunities off Spezza and Heatley offerings. You know he’s got a chip on his shoulder to make an impact after being sidelined for most of the playoffs … Speaking of Cash Line auditions, Chris Phillips had one of his own as he jumped out of the box and joined Heatley on a 3-on-2. He was half-expecting the pass from Heater, and amusingly bumbled it. Unfortunately, Big Rig also bumbled and deflected a Tomas Fleischmann pass attempt into his own net in the dying ticks of the first period. We don’t need to re-hash what happened last time he did …

… Official Presidential Rant: again, more non-related jerseys, including those of the Stars and Leafs, were spotted at the game. Why? … As pointed out by colour man Tim Higgins, the Bank was rather quiet at times. I’ll say it again, non-playoff Ottawa crowds are sometimes a letdown. Get up and cheer, people … Speaking of Higgins, he and the local Rogers crew did an excellent job. It’s here where the Don Cherry Suit Rating usually appears in 2 Cents, but in lieu of Grapes, we’ll single out studio host Matt McCooye for his simple yet sold black jacket and award an eight out of 10. Also in lieu of the Bob Cole Line of the Night is this Higgins line: “Everyone knows how important they are,” he remarked in regards to a 5-on-3 opportunity the Sens had. Obvious? Maybe, but don’t forget the last two times the Sens had a 5-on-3, one each in Games 1 and 2 of the final, and blew them. Both were one-goal games, too … Two excellent examples of camera work: the second-period shot of a rather intense Brian McGrattan on the bench, and a reassuring capture of Spartacat and his Master Blaster. There is simply nothing better than the thrill of free hot dogs, and the between-whistles entertainment. Welcome back Sparty, and happy 15th birthday this October … Lawrence Nycholat had a feisty game on the back end, and it will prove to be quite the fight for playing time between him and Luke Richardson for that sixth defenceman spot … Last but not least: our humble Go Red playoff group’s General Manager is in Ghana for a work assignment, but is following our Sens on radio whenever he can. After our Team Chemistry Coordinator and Fisher Fan Club VP visited Africa, maybe the third group officer to visit those shores could be the charm to a Stanley Cup? Stay tuned …

Senators vs Ducks: Round 4, Game 5

Ducks 6, Senators 2

PRESIDENT’S 2 CENTS: The handshake between the two captains in the postgame line put to rest any animosity that might have hung over from Game 4, when Alfie fired a puck at Scott Niedermayer, this year’s Conn Smythe winner. In a way, it also solidified once and for all Alfie’s playoff effort this year as a classy and tirelessly hardworking leader. His two goals tonight really punctuated not only his numbers (14 goals, 22 points) but his sheer will. That shorthander with Ryan Getzlaf all over his back was particularly incredible. He could not be stopped, even by the huge Getzlaf. Unfortunately the team was … Alas, it is over, and Ottawa bows out in five. Painfully obvious, moreso now than ever, Anaheim was no doubt the better team. A different type of beast than the inexperienced Penguins, the slower Devils, and the smaller Sabres, the Ducks forced the Sens onto their heels and took away space. There’s nothing much else to say other than to give credit where credit is due. The hottest team in the NHL since December would not be stopped or figured out by anyone. Anyone except the Ducks, which used a perfect combination of size, strength and sheer overwhelming will. Not to take away anything away from them, but they sure got some bounces as well … On the subject of bounces, none was worse than Chris Phillips’ misplaced clearout which sounded the Sens’ death knell as it dragged in off Ray Emery’s skates. The comparisons to Steve Smith’s hiccup in 1984 vs. Calgary are uncanny. Of course, Smith’s Oilers would lose that series but would also go on to win five Cups. With the Sens keeping their nucleus for next year, who’s to say they can’t win at least one? … As for Phillips, that bad break certainly was not indicative of his season and playoff run. Signing this guy for four more years before the playoffs started was a smart move by GM John Muckler, who also signed Anton Volchenkov at the same time.

… Watching the Ducks run up the score and raise Stanley at the end of the game was like a punch in the stomach to all Sens fans. The consolation is that many of them are hard-working Canadian kids (or players with Canadian connections) like Saskatchewan farmhand Travis Moen, world junior champ Corey Perry, or the giant Ryan Getzlaf. The big forward, perhaps so lost in the euphoria of winning the title, forgot he was on national (G-rated) TV had the funniest postgame reaction. “We played our (er, male hardware, in pairs) off tonight,” he remarked … It was also nice to see Scott Niedermayer not only win the Conn Smythe, but help brother Rob raise his first Cup. A sigh of relief no doubt came over their mother, who this time could smile happily and cheer for both, unlike in 2003 when Scott’s Devils defeated Rob’s Ducks … Happily shedding the label of third-longest-serving player to never win a cup was former Jets star Teemu Selanne … J.S. Giguere, who many picked to win the MVP again, took home his first Cup despite health issues with his newborn son in the first round … Ottawa and Almonte natives, Sean O’Donnell and Kent Huskins respectively, represented the area …

More to come on Thursday!

Senators vs Ducks: Round 4, Game 4

Ducks 3, Senators 2


PRESIDENT’S 2 CENTS: You can’t win a Stanley Cup by taking two periods off. Might sound a little harsh, but the score did flatter the Sens somewhat (the Ducks struck iron three times), as the hockey, er, hotbed of California is on the verge of celebrating its first championship. For the second Cup final loss in a row, rain fell on the Capital and has put quite a damper on such a promising season that now hangs in the balance. Similar to the team’s turnaround after an 18-18-1 sputter to start the season, a turnaround of epic proportions—in proportion—needs to happen now. There will be plenty to think about on the five-hour flight to Anaheim tomorrow, but it will all add up to one thing: a glorious and missed opportunity. All three losses the Sens have suffered in the final have been by one goal, whether the score flattered them or not … In this dark hour, let’s roll back the clock one year for some Canadian inspiration: Edmonton, down 3-1 in its series vs. Carolina, storms back in double OT off Fernando Pisani’s hot stick. 3-2. Series shifts back to Edmonton, where the Oilers absolutely manhandle their way to a decisive 4-0 victory, making the whole thing a best-of-one. The Hurricanes squeaked out Game 7, of course, on an empty-netter to win the game 3-1, but it could have gone either way. All this to say, the Sens have it in them to shift momentum on the road, in similar fashion, in a pivotal Game 5. The cruel irony is that former Oiler Chris Pronger is on the other side of the ice … Speaking of the elbow artist, the Ducks showed incredibly resiliency without him last night. Second star Francois Beauchemin was fantastic, playing a game-high 31:40, blocking three shots and registering three. His only real blunder came early in the third where he appeared a little tired and took a penalty for dropping Peter Schaefer with his free hand after allowing the Sens’ stickhandle artist to gain the zone … Speaking of the zone, especially in the final period the Ducks were all over the Sens and seemed to have at least one guy on every Senator who dared go in deep. Problem was, there didn’t always seem to be enough getting in there. No example was more glaring than with about 30 seconds left, where Dany Heatley didn’t seem to hustle in as hard as possible to take one last desperate effort … In a nutshell: Sens have it in them to win three straight. They beat the league’s top scorer, top goalie, and highest-scoring team in five games apiece. They’re simply facing a different beast. Only problem is, their margin of error is hovering around zero now …

… So Andy McDonald burns the Sens again with two on the night. That’s three in two games now, and you know he wasn’t going to forget hitting that crossbar only minutes before when a gaping 6x4 stared him in the face. Bad ice aside, how the heck do you miss a chance like that? … Official Presidential Opinion: yup, Alfie did fire a shot across the bow to sitting Duck Scott Niedermayer. Controversial as it was, here’s one thing to think about – if the puck had hit him in the face, that prized playoff beard would have safely and entirely absorbed it. Humour aside, that gave the Ducks an unsolicited edge … So much for the absence of Chris Pronger making a difference. The Ducks are now over .500, regular season included, without him in the lineup. Worst part? Sens really could have used the lightning-quick Dean McAmmond tonight to not only jump-start a subdued forecheck effort, but also on the defensive end. You wonder what would have happened if McAmmond was on the ice when Dustin Penner zoomed to the net to receive the fateful one-timed feed. Would the fastest-skating Senator have made a difference? You make the call … Speaking of calls, it appeared from the opening minute that the slash Chris Neil drew from Beauchemin would make this one a carbon copy of Game 3. A heck of a first-period display ensued, with the Ducks not striking Ray Emery until less than ten minutes remained. Antoine Vermette’s 360-degree spin midway through, followed by an assault on Jean-Sebastien Giguere, was the highlight of a Sens storm in which the home team dominated on both ends. On one particular play in Ottawa’s corner, Ducks F Todd Marchant seemed to give up on trying to pressure Chris Phillips into a giveaway. On the other end, Alfie was on the receiving end of a pretty tic-tac-toe play. No dice. You had the feeling throughout the period—at least four or five times—when will this thing go in? When Alfie finally did score with less than a second left, the deflating feeling that the visiting team is supposed to have heading into the second simply did not happen. Hats off to the Ducks’ resiliency …

… Despite being caught out of position (not his fault) on a bad change which led to the Penner game-winner, Wade Redden is normally an excellent positional player. He’s in the right place at the right time, especially when it comes to making that first pass and holding the line on the power play, but the hustle still is not consistent enough. It’s the Stanley Cup final … There weren’t too many highlights for the Sens in that awful second period, but they still did prevent the Ducks from converting with the extra man. Notably, Alfie actually almost stopped the first McDonald goal from happening with fantastic pressure on Beauchemin and forced the puck out on the next play. Unfortunately, two goals in two minutes by the same guy will take the wind out of any sails … Speaking of sails, it appeared to be clear sailing after Bryan Murray changed their direction by shuffling the lines. Patrick Eaves, whose sweater Jason Spezza wore briefly the game before, fed Heatley in Spezztacular fashion to tie the sucker. What a great sigh of relief that was, to finally hear “The Heat is On” at the Bank again. Razor made two great glove saves before that too… However, in the third, the Ducks’ attention to detail was excellent. Random example? Mike Comrie causes a turnover, jumps on the biscuit and heads to the net. Tiny Mike is immediately surrounded by three hustling Ducks. Another random example? The trap starts with about 12:17 left. It’s like a plague, and you can bet the elder Niedermayer brought it over from New Jersey, where it originated … Another muggy night in the Capital caused ice problems and trips all over the place. Giggy had to leave the Ducks’ net, Chris Phillips needed repairs, and Joe Corvo ran into defence partner Tom Preissing in the first period. The gates opened at 5:30 again, and maybe that should stop …

… Official Presidential Rant: as the melee ensued following the captain’s beaning of Niedermayer, a spectator sporting a Leafs jersey in the front row was spotted on camera. WHY do people wear Leafs, Habs, or any other non-participating team’s jersey to Sens games? At Game 4 vs. Buffalo, a young girl was spotted wear Tie Domi’s jersey, perhaps hoping he’d get signed by the Sabres before puck drop. Also vs. Buffalo in that January tilt where Heater got a hat trick, an entire family of five was sporting Habs apparel. People: even if the Sens are your second-favourite team or something, stop sporting other colours! Oh well, at the end of the day, team owner Eugene Melnyk is happy to have those confused fans’ ticket money, as the team appears headed towards its first operating profit in history … On that subject, it’s important to remember Bruce Firestone and the rest of the original owners who each put up hefty sums of money—which they would never see again—to see the NHL’s return through. And let’s also not forget Rod Bryden, who lost over $40 million of his own money to keep this team afloat through the pre-salary cap, crappy Canadian dollar years. Hats off, gentlemen …

… The NBC/CBC simulcast of that second intermission show was the best pundit-ertainment in recent memory, with Don Cherry and Brett Hull squaring off. Best part, obviously, was the exchange about Alfie’s controversial Game 3 goal. “No he didn’t,” said Grapes, defending the captain. “It hit the inside part of his skate.” Brett Hull flatly disagreed, to which Grapes responded: “You should talk, (with) your foot in the crease,” referring to Hull’s own Stanley Cup-winning goal in 1999 over the Sabres that should not have counted. Not only did he put Brett in his place, he also scored another perfect 10 in the 2 Cents’ Don Cherry Suit Rating. That cream suit with the bold black pinstripes, coupled with a red corsage, was killer. To top it off, bringing on Gen. Rick Hillier of the Canadian Forces was a nice touch. He’s a pretty good hockey analyst too … Bob Cole Line of the Night: you could swear he almost certainly said “two-line offside” on a long Anton Volchenkov pass attempt. Brain freeze perhaps, but you’d think even Mr. Cole might not say that, two years into the rule change … Billy Talent’s “Red Flag” was an excellent Sens-themed musical choice for the HNIC opening montage … Speaking of music, Alanis Morrissette is now 1-1 at Sens games singing the anthem. Constable Slewidge should have sung, plain and simple … Last but not least: swallow your pride Sens fans, and look back to the 1942 Leafs (yes, the Leafs) for inspiration as the last team to come back from being down 3-1 to win the Cup. In fact, the Leafs were down 3-0 to the Red Wings, who actually invited the Leafs to their victory party. Now while there won’t be any such locker room bulletin-board material like that this time around, take this to heart: It’s either been a Canadian team or Detroit that’s won every year with seven as the last digit. Detroit is golfing, and this series has to go seven games in 2007 for the Sens to win. Will it be a lucky seven? Stay tuned, Sens fans, and keep the faith now more than ever for what is easily (and in obvious painful fashion) the toughest test of the season.