2007-08 Regular Season, Game 62

Senators 4, Penguins 3 (OT)

PRESIDENT’S 2 CENTS: For the first 30 minutes, it appeared as if Ottawa would force the Pennsylvania legislature to rename the Penguins’ hometown “Armpits-burgh” for the way the Senators were stinking out the joint. But the captain completed the comeback with under five ticks to go, for game-winner number five on the season. Of course, Ryan Malone nearly stole the show with a two-post ringer moments before. Still, it was probably significant that Ray Emery stole it right back with huge stops on the white-hot Evgeni Malkin (as he did all afternoon) and on offensively-gifted D-man Sergei Gonchar (a gorgeous glove grab). Evgeni’s 10-game point streak was snapped, Heater got back into the swing of things, and the Sens hang onto top spot …

… Top spot is probably something of a pride factor that played into the win, after the Sens allowed Malkin and co. to run roughshod over them for half the game. Plain and simple, the comeback showed character and will likely carry some momentum into the Battle of Ontario …

... The game basically seemed like a rehearsal for a low-budget Jekyll-and-Hyde thriller until the Sens hit rock-bottom in the second, when the Pens went up 3-0 after another darn neutral-zone turnover allowed Malkin and Jordan Staal to waltz in two-on-nada (their puck control and pressure were uncanny). Worst part? Only Mike Fisher had roared back to try and stop the trailer, Jeff Taffe, who scored after Razor stopped the initial assault … Speaking of assault, when the Sens decide to get down to business, that’s what happened. The Soccer Goal (see below) helped ignite things. As insinuated by Cassie Campbell, the Cash Line woke up. Jason Spezza’s deceptively long strides helped set up the second Heater goal of the afternoon. Of course, those strides are only part of the reason that his Scotiabank Place goal song is “I Like the Way You Move.”

… Razor was sharp again this afternoon. He was weak again on the second goal, scored by Colby “the witch” Armstrong, but it was was the result of (sigh) another Sens neutral zone turnover. The aforementioned saves in overtime cemented his well-deserved second star on the afternoon, which included a whitewash of the Pens in the third to give his team a chance to come back. He stopped all seven of Malkin’s shots, halting the NHL’s scoring leader’s 10-game point streak. He’s athletic, confident, and has that swagger which nearly backstopped the team to a Cup. Say what you want about Paddock’s handling of the goalie situation, but it appears as if he’s giving Razor the chance to run with it …

… Christoph Schubert was one of a few Sens that stood out for the entire game—albeit subtlely—not just in the second half either. A simple hustle play in the second period helped cause pressure, leading to a good Luke Richardson chance. Another play in the third caused him to take a penalty, but instead of being gun shy, Christoph got thrown to the ice while charging hard into the Pens’ zone to keep the intensity of the comeback on. A solid effort from the German, helping to cover for Chris Neil’s toughness in his absence …

FUNNY STUFF: Still no 2 Cents this year covering a Bob Cole-manned CBC game! In lieu, we award the Line of the Night to play-by-play man Mark Lee: “He’s one of the nicest bad guys I’ve ever met,” he said, after a clip showing Pens tough guy Georges Laraque playing some floor hockey with a Pittsburgh-area Boys and Girls’ Club. True. Still, part of you was just waiting for him to start picking a fight with one of those kids … We’ve said it before in 2 Cents, but Mellon Arena’s longtime PA man, John Barbaro, still sounds way too happy when announcing a Pens penalty or opposing team’s goal … With 2:26 remaining in the first, about $226 worth of composite lumber shattered when the puck from Wade Redden’s shot hit Jarkko Ruutu’s stick. One of only 10 players left in the league using old-school wood sticks, no doubt the Spezz Dispenser gets his giggles every time someone else breaks one … The French soccer team has probably found its perfect talent. A stickless Antoine Vermette’s nifty little kick towards the net helped set up Cory Stillman’s goal off a Chris Kelly rebound. And no headbutting either … Three separate CBC camera shots showed Evgeni Malkin’s parents taking in the game. The second showed his mother zoomed in; Evgeni definitely has his mother’s nose. The third one showed Mr. Malkin enjoying some fine American cuisine, in the form of some Mellon Arena nachos …

… Scary Stat of the Night: Ottawa’s power play, which is 1/19 in its last seven games, including this one. Maybe some iron pills, and not iron pumping, is the answer … Interesting Stat Line of the Night: the Pens were a combined minus-9, while the Sens were a plus-9. If the comeback didn’t happen, it probably would have been almost otherwise … The Vermette-Kelly-Stillman line is still hot, despite the Cash Line waking up. It needs a name, though. “Vermestilly” was suggested on the Sens Army message board. It’s catchy … Last but not least: speaking of the Sens Army message board, you can join up and check it out at www.ottawasenators.com . Yours truly is a moderator under the name “ggroove” and would truly enjoy having you a-board (sorry, at least one pun per 2 Cents), along with the rest of the members, who have a ton of fun.

SENS ARMY MESSAGE BOARD: http://www.ottawasenators.com/

2007-08 Regular Season, Game 51

Ottawa 5, N.Y. Islanders 2

PRESIDENT’S 2 CENTS: And so, the Sens swung the Emerygate to shut the Islanders’ attempt at knocking off a possibly distracted team. Well, not even figuratively speaking, really, as Martin Gerber was the one collecting his 23rd win of the year. Still, who knows what can motivate teams to come together these days, parity being what it is in the NHL. Best part? The secondary scoring problem was put to bed, at least for another night, and even two D-men jumped into the mix. Both Andrej Meszaros and Chris Phillips—reminded by Patricia Boal of his 29 games without bulging twine—potted some nice goals to give the Sens a cushion. Speaking of Big Rig, seems like only yesterday that he was a fresh-faced rookie helping the Sens knock off the first-place Devils in 1998. In that intermission interview, the Official Presidential Opinion is that he’s (gasp) thinning on top. Just an update for the Sens TV hairwaves … Speaking of that pun, it was indeed a Sens TV pay-per-view game. Too bad the in-house broadcast had to have an awkward tone at the start, when the coach and GM interviews had to include a Ray Emery question. Both John Paddock and Bryan Murray answered quite diplomatically, with the latter’s usual dose of refreshing frankness. More on the Razor situation later … On the subject, it took the Islanders until quite a bit later to wake up somewhat. They did just that, knocking the Sens onto their heels and making them look like the bottom-third defensive team they’ve become, attacking consistently and forcing two goals. The Isles really were two close tip shots and a post away from making it a different result. One of the goals was the result of an awful Joe Corvo turnover from behind his own net which he put right on Josef Vasicek’s stick. Still, Joltin’ Joe has unwavering 2 Cents approval for his fast-skating, exciting style of play the Sens thrive off of (case in point, his slick crossover move during a first-period power play), even if his only assist on the night was on Sean Bergenheim’s goal (more on this guy later, too) … Speaking of assists, poor Nick Foligno. Just called up again to replace Cody Bass and his injured ankle, the rookie had to slide the biscuit to Jason Spezza instead of potting his own empty-netter at the end. Maybe if he had done the Foligno Leap before instead of after this particular goal, he would have eluded his defender and been able score. He’s on record as saying he won’t do it again, after doing it on his first-ever NHL goal to honour his dad. Maybe he should reconsider for situations like this …

… After a slow start to the year, no one is likely complaining about Mike Fisher’s 22 points in his last 21 games, including tonight’s tilt. That pass he made to Dean McAmmond was laser-guided, out of a crowd, and likely is second-only to the puck he put on Dany Heatley’s stick to beat the Leafs in OT to open the season (YouTube it). The guy is dynamite. Understatement of the year … Speaking of under, the oft-under-appreciated fourth line for the Sens came through tonight with some fantastic shifts, causing havoc and scoring chances, and taking hits to make plays. How about that Brian McGrattan 2-on-1 pass to Christoph Schubert? It was a nice feed which Schubie nearly converted. As for Grats, they should utilize his scoring touch more. Remember, he potted a game-high five (you know he rubbed it in to the Cash Line) during the team’s intrasquad scrimmage on a Muskoka retreat during that silly three-game, 21-day stretch in October … Anton Volchenkov might not have a letter on his jersey, but two sequences tonight prove why A-Train is not a caboose in the leadership department: firstly, he had a rare miscue in the second period which allowed Bill Guerin to roll around the net. A-Train recovered to knock Bill out of the play, but not before he fed the slot. Right there to block the ensuing few chances were no less than three Sens: Randy Robitaille, the Captain, and Big Rig. The other follow-my-lead happened in the third, when A-Train blocked two shots on one shift. Luke Richardson, likely inspired, then blocked two of his own. The first one saved a surefire Bergenheim-to-Vasicek goal, and the second block involved a very brave Luke using his face and teeth. He left for repairs but he’ll be ok …

FUNNY STUFF: Right after one of the Sens’ goals, the Darth Vader Star Wars theme played through the loudspeakers. It was almost as if Isles G Rick “67.5 million reasons to smile” DiPietro should use Darth Gerber as his inspiration to stop the puck … During the intermission feature which profiled Sens’ head equipment guru Scott Allegrino, it was interesting that the closeup shot of him packing two jerseys into a trunk were those of Patrick Eaves and Cody Bass, both of whom did not play tonight … Line of the Night: in this case, it was courtesy of all three guys. Grant Ledyard, perhaps rusty since the last PPV game, mispronounced Sean Bergenheim’s name, saying what sounded like “Boogerheim.” Dean Brown couldn’t resist playing along and said to Gord Wilson, “That’s what you sound like when you try to pronounce (referee) Don Van Massenhoven’s name.” After some heavy laughing and giggling by all three, Grant shot back. “You guys are all off my Christmas list,” said the big former Sens defenceman … One amusing and extended close-up of Isles coach Ted Nolan panned left to right. Behind Ted were four empty seats, a security guard, and another empty seat. Maybe those ugly yellow jackets they wear are scaring people away. Whatever it is, less than 10,000 bothered to come, and Nassau Coliseum is averaging 13,549 butts in its seats this year …

… Lots of former Sens and Islanders that played each other tonight, and factored into the goals: former Senator (and former every team, look him up) Mike Sillinger unfortunately left Fisher wide open for the fourth Ottawa goal, while Wade Redden was in the sin bin when the guy he was traded for, Bryan Berard, scored. Of course, none other than last year’s valuable rental, Mike “Mr. Duff” Comrie assisted on Berard’s goal, a nifty blue line pinch. The other former Sen, who needs no introduction, is likely enjoying the $17 million paid to him to not play … Interesting Stat Line of the Night: perhaps a by-product of two-thirds of his line out (Alfie left the game in the third), the Spezz Dispenser actually led the team with six shots. He had one blocked as well … Last but not least: it’s clear Ray Emery still has motivation problems. After earning the #1 job following a solid second half of last season and nearly backstopping his team to a Stanley Cup in determined fashion, Razor’s season has been full of off-ice mishaps, the latest being four minutes late for practice in Long Island on Monday. If he really wants to, he can wrestle the starting job away again from Darth Gerber with effort in practice and by showing up on time. It’s that simple; he’s more athletic, has confidence, is edgy, and has more upside. He need only look to what might be the greatest athlete all-time in team sports for inspiration. It wasn’t always common knowledge that Michael Jordan was always the hardest-working practice player, and demanded the same from his teammates. Six title rings later, it’s pretty obvious what you have to do to stay on top.

2007-08 Regular Season, Game 31

Senators 7, Thrashers 3

PRESIDENT’S 2 CENTS: The 7-3 whooping aside, the Senators should be credited with two W’s tonight: one for winning their fifth in a row, and one for the mental game. Dany Heatley’s goal, the 200th of his career, came off a gorgeous one-timed feed, over a Thrasher stick, from Joe Corvo, who had an outstanding game. The Bank erupts in relief. It was quite significant that the two hopped out of the penalty box together and connected to put away the Thrashers. Two minutes before, Joltin’ Joe was whistled for a cross-check on Slava Kozlov, who, in the opinion of zebra Bill McCreary didn’t get in two jabs on Joe. Heater voiced his displeasure with The Moustache, who teed him up for two more. Result? Sens kill the second of the 5-on-3s, decide enough is enough with the Thrasher comeback, and end things. Heater, who scored his 199th earlier in the game, seemed to mock Ilya Kovalchuk’s first of the night, scoring in similar fashion on the far side … Speaking of which, the Thrashers seemed to want to get into a Far Side comic by making a mockery of diving. In the span of about a minute, Kovalchuk and newly-acquired vet Mark Recchi drew two penalties on four suspiciously easy fall-downs. First, the speedy Russian gets “hauled” down by Andrej Meszaros, then Recchi felt contact from Chris Phillips and fell. Recchi tried it before on Wade Redden, but the fellow league vet didn’t bite. Kovalchuk scored to make it 5-3 on the first 5-on-3, but the Sens saved their bite for the Heatley goal … It was just one of those games for the Thrashers, who have been up and down all season. They lost to the Leafs 4-0 only the night before, and maybe it was that plus the travel which did them in. A good example of Atlanta’s lack of attention: Atlanta blueliner Niclas Havleid (three giveaways on the night) with a third-period, horrible giveaway to Dean McAmmond, point-blank, who couldn’t believe his fortune. Second game of the back-to-back aside, the Thrashers had trouble containing the Sens, who held the zone slightly more than they usually do, and usually the Sens are excellent at it. Most obvious? Those battles along the boards and individual plays for the puck. The Sens were able to win those battles nine times out of 10 and wear out the already-weary visitors, whose only consistent effort came from Kovalchuk. The best Atlanta chance in the second period before the Perrin goal was a Steve McCarthy post … A great example of the Sens forcing the issue: when Mike Fisher went down with an abdominal injury in the first period, the fourth line of the hour, comprised of Dean McAmmond, Shean Donovan (who was the best skater in the first), and callup Cody Bass (playing his first NHL game), skated incredibly together, forcing three turnovers on one shift. It was an example of how they didn’t give the Thrashers any break from covering the Sens’ big guns, who rang up the score early …

… You can’t really say Alfie “saved his best for last,” but the captain did make sure to notch an assist on Antoine Vermette’s goal, the last one of the game, keeping his 10-game point streak alive. The captain’s best work—as it often is—was away from the scoresheet, as he battled for loose pucks, killed penalties, and drew a few in the process. Kanye West’s “Stronger” was the appropriate song of choice in the Bank right after Alexei Zhitnik hauled him down when Alfie forced a turnover. Amen. And though the captain’s a millionaire, we know he’s not a gold digger … Speaking of music, some Sens players have a certain song played over the PA when they score. Notables: U2’s “Beautiful Day” when Alfie pots one; Glenn Frye’s “The Heat is On” when Dany Heatley bulges twine; and of course, Mike Fisher has his own song, named in his honour by local band Thousand Foot Crutch. However, none is more appropriate than Kriss Kross’ “Jump” for Nick Foligno, who opened the scoring tonight. Nick’s on record as saying he wont do The Hop anymore, but to the Bank’s DJ Glenn Gower: good on ya for trying …

Christoph Schubert, who’s got a tendency towards humorous, over-the-top, and sarcastic facial expressions to go along with his similar personality, had two headshakes in these fashions tonight: firstly, when he was involved in a giveaway—which led to the Perrin goal from Recchi—in which he thought the puck went into the bench first; and secondly, when he missed a point-blank chance at the second period-ending horn off a gorgeous feed from the captain. If you saw them, thank the good CBC camera work … Speaking of chances, Recchi wasn’t going to miss that aforementioned 2-on-1 feed. An excellent passer (and suspected diving aside), there’s still room for a 39-year-old, wiley vet like Recchi. Nice to see him get new life as a Thrasher … Speaking of new life, Martin Gerber played solid when he was actually tested (shot count with 5 minutes to play in the second: 30-9, Sens), recovering somewhat from his mini-slump with another win. Darth Gerber played his angles well and shut down the Thashers on the second 5-on-3. The force is strong in this one. The Sens marketing staff played along with the new black mask-inspired nickname, using the Star Wars music and Vader’s breathing to accompany highlights right after one of his saves …

FUNNY STUFF: Yes, it was a CBC game, but with Bob Cole escaping the Line of the Night honours (again) because of the Leafs-Habs tilt, it was Garry Galley stepping up admirably: “He walked through and left everything on the ice except his jockstrap,” he offered, in reference to Vermette’s highlight-reel goal on Dallas last week while talking about another close one for tonight’s first star. A good one, Garry, but can you top it? “When Kovalchuk made the last zing, Recchi was already zagging,” said Galley when Recchi went off-side on the last Thrasher rush of the 5-on-3 before Corvo’s goal. Funny AND clever soundbites from the Ottawa native and former NHLer … Darth Gerber made a kick save off a solid Eric Cairns slapper from the wing in the first period, and you can’t help but laugh every time Cairns gets involved with kicking Senators. Remember the Havlat fight in 2005? … Maybe Recchi was “gambling” when he was risking a diving call while trying to draw those penalties in the third. Two of his three attempts took place in front of none other than the ad sign for the Casino du Lac Leamy in the corner …

Interesting Stat Line of the Night: Alfie, with one helper, five shots on goal, two missed shots, four hits, three takeaways, and four giveaways. Oddly enough, the Sens were awarded three more giveaways than Atlanta … The Sens have still not scored on a 5-on-3, dating back to last year’s playoffs. They had one tonight, and turned over the biscuit three times … It was nice to see Sens owner Eugene Melnyk and his wife host some underprivileged kids for a recent skate at the Bank, and the players visit CHEO for the annual Christmas visit. Especially for the players, the impact they have on young children—especially sick and underprivileged—is huge. One little conversation, a smile, or an autograph can lift spirits higher and take away the pain … Last but not least: a belated 2 Cents congratulations is in order to Wade Redden and Danica Topolnisky on their engagement. The latter was a solid University of Ottawa Gee-Gees basketball player when the Prez attended the U of O and was covering basketball for the campus paper. Danica has since worked with the alma mater, the Ottawa Lynx and the Sens in marketing/promotions capacities. Best of luck to the ultra-athletic couple, who might just produce either a hard-nosed hoopster, or a hockey player who could out-jump both Folignos combined.

2007-08 Regular Season, Game 25

Rangers 5, Senators 2

PRESIDENT’S 2 CENTS: Almost there, but not quite. Blair Betts’ (he played a pretty good game on the back end) empty-netter off a brutal cross-ice giveaway by Joe Corvo was significant, in that it spelled out how playing half a game isn’t good enough to snap the worst losing skid in seven years. Up till that point, the Sens overcame a sloppy first period and made a game of it, outshooting the Blueshirts 27-11 and outscoring them 2-0 after dropping the first four goals on 11 shots against. Of course, like Thursday’s Russian roulette display vs. the Predators, giving up the first goal kind of opens a floodgate. For the second game in a row, the defence and Martin Gerber kind of teamed up to chip in with enough mistakes to make sure the game was out of reach early on. The worst one? Jaromir Jagr walking right out into the slot and roofing one on Gerbs. There’s debate as to whether Alfie tipped it, but the captain didn’t by much if he did. Gerbs had a good look at it. The resurgent Sens netminder is in as much of a slump as the team as a whole, and everyone will be out of it soon enough … Speaking of good looks, the Rangers had more than the entire cast of Desperate Housewives. At the net, that is, especially the Jagr marker. They just did a good job of walking in, on the road, and firing biscuits at a struggling goalie and D. Makes you wonder if some of the Sens’ wives are reluctant to bring up their hubbys at dinner conversations these days, with the losing streak and all. At least we know Mike Fisher can go home alone (yes, he’s single, ladies) to a nice hot tub (designed by The Artistic Group, you know the overplayed commercial) and forget about it all. Maybe he, for one, has been in the tub thinking way too much about his personal scoring slump, now 13 games without a goal. That and his clearing attempt which found its way to Martin Straka on the left point, who had loads of time to feed Brendan Shanahan a perfectly-placed shot to tip in … On the subject, Dany Heatley should have had about three goals on the night. He did connect off of a gorgeous give-and-go from Jason Spezza, but that cross-ice slap pass from the Spezz Dispenser was thwarted by the steady Henrik Lundqvist, as was the power-play attempt where Spezza shook off two defenders to find Heatley alone in the slot. Lundqvist’s now got 11 wins in his last 14 battles, and was solid when the Ottawa skaters could actually muster either a good shot or a second chance at him. Rather ironic that he’s now stolen the torch—for how long, we don’t know—from the guy at the other end …

… Sometimes coaches are a tad reactionary when things go into the tank, and that’s what bench boss John Paddock seemed to be after the Sens coughed up four goals. He yanked Gerber after the first period, then started shuffling lines like a blackjack dealer. At first glance, it seemed kind of ridiculous. He broke up the Cash Line after the fourth goal and had a unit of Alfie-Kelly-Robitaille going for awhile. Then it was a return to Cash money, Corvo scores, and a switch back. In the third period, it was Fisher centring the captain and Kelly. Finally, Dealer Paddock throws out the full house, and Heatley scores with the help of fellow aces Spezza and Alfie. Seemed having the captain help to spread out the defensive awareness on another line helped give a comeback a chance, and putting him back with the Cash unit was timely for the scoring opportunites … An opportunity is something Brian McGrattan has been looking for, and he was arguably the Sens’ best player in the first period. A couple of strong drives to the net and an attempt to engage in fisticuffs with fellow pugilist Colton Orr helped to set a stronger tone for the second …

… It just wasn’t the same out there without shot-blocker artiste Anton Volchenkov. Or was it? Christoph Schubert, back on the blue line and helping to fill in for the A-Train, blocked one during a first-period penalty kill and got hurt (he kept playing and blocked one more). A-Train’s injury happened in the first as well … Speaking of “breaks,” (sorry A-Train!), Ottawa couldn’t buy one, seemingly, in any area of the game. Two icing calls in a row against the home team were followed up by one against the Rangers, a shift in which the Jagr line was tired. No change, right? Well, didn’t matter, as a TV timeout came right afterward … Joe Corvo played an otherwise solid game, despite the giveaway at the end. Two goals in two games for the slick-skating defenceman, who also had four more shot attempts blocked. In fact, it was Joltin’ Joe’s fleet of foot that made the difference between his hauling-down of Petr Prucha during a breakaway ruled as a minor penalty, and not a penalty shot …

FUNNY STUFF: Jim Hughson, calling the game on CBC with Garry Galley (he usually does the Western games), is one of the best at his craft. The Line of the Night, courtesy of him, came in the first: “Get some oxygen, take a number, you’ll be ready to go,” he said of Chris Neil, when Neiler tried to fight Colton Orr at the end of a tiring shift … As mentioned, Brian McGrattan played a fantastic first period and helped to get his team going. So much so that during a rush into the Ranger zone, his stick got hacked out of his hands by Fedor Tyutin and it twirled up and into the timekeeper’s bench. Smart move by Grats. May as well bribe the timekeepers with a souvenir or two and ensure some, you know, home cooking? … The Viagra advertising sign has been moved around a bit between the home and visitor’s benches lately. Before being moved back to the Ranger side for the third (same thing happened at the Predators game), it was right beside a McDonald’s ad in front of the Ottawa bench, which said—you guessed it—“I’m Lovin’ It.” Insert your own joke here … Speaking of jokes, CBC had to be joking when it showed a comparison of last year’s standings and this year’s, which is OK except when shown in the form of Ron MacLean’s spotty penmanship. Co-host P.J. Stock “complimented” it … Last but not least, how’s this for the Chummiest Interview of the Year? After the game, former Team Canada captain and gold medallist Cassie Campbell interviewed Rangers coach Tom Renney, who coached the Canadian men’s program for years. It just gave off a vibe of a chat between friends, especially when Cassie said “Do you want to say hi to anyone back home?” It was a clever way for Cassie to remind Tom to wish his parents a happy 62nd wedding anniversary, if he had forgotten.

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.