Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Gerber's Fresh Start

I confess, when I heard on the radio yesterday that Martin Gerber would be starting in nets last night for the Sens in the game vs. the Carolina Hurricanes, I felt a little bit queasy. While my team has been on a bit of a roll lately, Gerber has been on the bench, taking a back seat to Ray Emery, who has looked poised and strong between the pipes for the past few weeks.

However, a glitch on Sunday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning resulted in a 3-1 loss, giving Coach Bryan Murray the opportunity to rest Emery and once again give Gerber another shot at what was supposed to be his job as #1 goalie for the Sens.

In the papers yesterday, they were talking about how it would hopefully be a fresh start for Gerber, who has been nothing short of disappointing since donning the Red-Black-and-Gold. It would be an opportunity to put behind him all those dismal outings, the soft goals, the blown leads, and all those lost chances. It would be an opportunity to return to the Great Martin Gerber who starred for the Canes for most of last season.

And yet, I wasn't feeling the vibe. I was nervous as hell. The truth is, despite getting a few points in the W column lately, I still think this is a very fragile team, and I had nightmares of Gerber being shaky, losing the game, and returning to that ramshackle, desperate club that we were less than a month ago.

Things didn't start off well. I missed the opening minute of the game, and as I came charging up from downstairs to take my spot on the couch in front of the TV, I realized they were already showing a replay for a goal scored by the Hurricanes.

So much for that fresh start. It sure looked like the same ol' Marty Gerber that I've been used to seeing all year long. Pathetic.

However, after that, a sort of miracle occurred. He actually stopped a few pucks. And within minutes, Patrick Eaves had driven a goal into the Carolina net, evening the score. Yes, there were small but deep breaths of relief all around.

Then, all of a sudden, my Sens of old were back again. They were playing as if it was Ray Emery in nets. Hell, they were playing as if it was Dominik Hasek in nets. He made the big saves. And they made it count on the scoresheet. They were looking like that well-oiled machine that had me dreaming of Stanley Cup victory last season. Perhaps those dreams aren't dead after all.

By the end of the night, Christoph Schubert, Chris Neil, and Mike Fisher had all capitalized, with the final score being 4-1 for Ottawa. Martin Gerber was named first star of the game, and I'm sure there was no one more relieved that the Gerbinator himself. He got his fresh start, and he was successful.

Now let's just hope this continues...

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yesterday's blog was a very good blog i have to say so myself. Anyways Ricky and I are starting to save our toonies and loonies to go down south in 2 years - so plan it now...got that people - start saving now and in 2 years, we can all go and have a blast (this way, my Madyson will be old enough that I can leave her behind with my parents or something) so it's a plan!! Anyways, pretty dark and gloomy today but it's supposedly getting up to like 14 degrees today - like come on, bring on the snow already - just a little! Hopefully we will have some before Quyon's big Christmas Parade of Lights which is Saturday, December 9th for those who want to know. I wish i was in the parades still like when i was younger - could we think of a float...??? HAHA!!
Sara - you mentioned at the Murder Mystery that you did want to go carolling - i seriously would love to - we could get one of Uncle Bill's trucks - the guys can drive it with us on the back with straw and stuff and we can stop at peoples houses and sing and people can join us...i think it would be fun!! Anyways just a thought!

Anonymous said...

Well Jill, I was not able to watch the game as we do not have any of the sports channels. I should really change that. I was wonering about the game all night and this morning I heard about the win and I was happy. I still don't like Gerber though... that was like last year... no matter how well Hasik did... I don't like him.

I think tomorrows game is on A-Channel so we will be able to peak at it during Survivor Commercial breaks.

Last night I made another 40 scones and I am done... I don't need anymore for the cookie exchange.

I also put up a little bit of Christmas Decorations and Wayne got out some other boxes of stuff that I might be able to use... so I will check that out tonight.

But awesome Recap Jill-Bean!

Jill said...

Good Morning, Ladies!
Stacy: Ok, I'll start saving for the trip! You don't have to twist my arm! LOL... AS for the parade, I've been kinda mentioning it to my Canada Day Committee to see if anyone wants to put in a float, but so far, no one really seems to be stepping up. I would, except I have no idea how to do it. Anyways, I'm excited for it (and anything to do with Christmas!) ..And I'm SOO IN for Carolling! I think it'd be so much fun!
Sharon: I'm still not completely won over on Gerber - he's gotta win more that one game! - but I'm still willing to give him a shot. I love Ray Emery, but Gerber's the one making the big bucks, so if he's here, he damned well better be earning his pay!
Glad to hear the scones are all made - you little baker you!
As for decorations - I've been re-thinking my plans to go to Bayshore on Saturday. Mom reminded me it's my Grandma's church's Xmas tea and craft sale on Saturday, and I love going to that, so I think I'm going to Wal-Mart in Renfrew in the morning, then I'll meet up with mom in Shawville for the tea, and then go home and get some of my own decorations out and start getting the Young house festive looking! I think I might take a day off work next week to go to Bayshore - weekends are just so busy!
Anyways, hope y'all are having a good day!

Anonymous said...

I am so not in the Christmas mood yet. And I'm glad that we still don't have any snow. But don't get me wrong, I really want to have snow for Christmas. But then it can go away again. I was glad to hear that the Sens won last night. On the news they were predicting that Ottawa would lose 4-3 or 4-2. I guess they were wrong! The animals were extremely well behaved during the night. But this morning I come downstairs and walk into the kitchen and there is blood smears on the floor. I first thought that it was from last evening when the rabbit chased the cat around and humped him, and maybe somebody scratched somebody, but then I knew that the blood wasn't there when I went up to bed. So I looked around more, and the blood went under the potato bin. I pulled it out from the wall, and there was more blood underneath. I figured then the blood must be from a mouse. Mark had told me before he left that he hadn't seen any mice around for a while, but the cat does catch them and he won't eat the guts or the tail. Well I found some more blood on the carpet in the dining room, and then the guts. I still haven't found the tail so I don't know if he ate it or if it is somewhere else in the house. Ewww. The cat stayed upstairs and slept this morning instead of bugging me for my breakfast. I guess his belly was full. I've been having some adventures in this house, I wonder what will happen next. And Chad couldn't get over the rabbit humping the cat. I can't blame him, it was pretty funny.

Anonymous said...

PK - sounds like quite the adventure staying at Mark's place -haha! I dont really want the snow here either for the reason being that I do not like driving in it but i like to see it snowing...
As for carolling - we could do it the night of our potluck - just start like 5 of us and as we stop on main street, some people may come out and join us - we can go to the Seniors home - or would it be too late?? Unless we have our potluck early enough, eat at like 4 then open gifts and go - Graham and Ricky (and Chad if he wants to) can all go in the truck (first we have to get a truck) worse comes to worse, we can just all sit in the back of Ricky's truck and sing away but it would be nice to have a flat bed sorta thing and decorate it and stuff....find a generator and have some lights on it...oh ideas!!!
We can have some cookies or something and hot chocolate....let me know!!

Jill said...

PK: You're having quite the adventures with the animals, aren't you! LOL...I think if I woke up and saw blood on the floor I'd run away. Yuck. And I also don't blame Chad for getting a charge out of the rabbit humping the cat. Mark & Melissa might come home to a bunch of cabbits!
Stace: You know I'm all in for the caroling, and the night of the potluck would be a great night to have it if everyone else agrees! Whatever time we decide to eat at, then open gifts, and then go...sounds good to me! Don't know about the ideas for generators & lights, 'cause I haven't got a clue how that stuff works - I'd just be happy bopping along in the back of Ricky's truck!

Anonymous said...

It would be fun unless it's really cold or something. We might have the weather that they are having out west, like -29 before the windchill. Speaking of the potluck, does anybody know what they are bringing yet? I have some ideas, but maybe you guys already know what you're bringing, then I don't want to bring the same thing.

Anonymous said...

Actually, i wanted to email everyone
i am thinking of sweet and sour meatballs and rice

Jill said...

I'll probably do an appetizer of some sort, and some kind of pasta - hamburg & macaroni thing. And I'm sure I can get Lizzy to make me up a plate of cookies & squares.

Anonymous said...

Well I'm having a Cookie Exchange at work - we have to make 7 dozen so on December 11th, I'll be getting like 7 dozen cookies so i can bring some of those and i want to do some Christmas baking too.

Anonymous said...

Oh well, one of my ideas was cookies and squares since we bake so much of that stuff ahead for Christmas, but I don't have to bring that. What about a cream cheese/sour cream/salsa dip (whatever that tasty stuff is called) for Tostitos or some other chips? Anybody want to eat some of that junk food stuff?