Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Doing Our Best to Help Other Canadian Teams That Are NOT Toronto

Well, hey there, Sens Fans (and any other fans who happen to be reading today's Blog!)

So last night was spent on the couch, watching the Almighty Ottawa Senators take on our brethren of the West, the Edmonton Oilers, in O-Town. As I've mentioned before, this was also the last game Ray Emery had to serve as part of his underserved 3-game suspension for smacking a Hab in the face with his stick. Poor wee Hab.

Anyways, believe it or not, we actually survived those three games with Marty Gerber in nets. Not only did we survive them, we came away with all 6 possible points!! Miracle of miracles!!

But we didn't make it easy on ourselves last night. Not by a long shot. Taking a 3-1 lead into the last 7-something minutes of the game, thanks to goals from Dany Heatley, Mike Fisher, and Daniel Alfredsson, we let Edmonton get right back in there. To be fair, it wasn't exactly Gerber's fault. He actually had a relatively strong game in comparison to his miserable outing vs. Atlanta on Saturday. But he did allow 2 goals in the last 7 minutes, with the last being scored in a scramble in the dying seconds with the Edmonton net empty in favour of an extra attacker.

It was absolutely imperative that the Sens get the 2 points last night, as we're now in a dog-fight with Pittsburgh (...What??... I know...totally crazy)...and let's face it, folks, the Eastern Conference is so tight right now, nobody can afford to take a night off.

However, as a fan of all other Canadian teams with the exception of the Toronto Make-Me-Laughs, I also knew how important it was for Edmonton to get some points, as they are battling to make the playoffs in the West.

So, we, the Sens, did the only decent, fellow-Canadian, hockey-to-the-core thing we could do. We let Edmonton secure it's much-needed point in regulation time, then went on to spank 'em in a shoot-out!! See, Montreal?? See what nice guys we are?? (OK, I'm not a guy, but I'm speaking on behalf of my team...you get what I mean.)

After the OT period passed with end-to-end action but no scoring, it was Antoine Vermette, Dean McAmmond, and Mike Comrie leading the charge in the shoot-out. Rather an unlikely trio to pick for the shoot-out, but after watching Heatley, Spezza, and Alfie try and fail time and time again, one couldn't blame Bryan Murray for taking a different approach to this particular shoot-out. Vermette had Markanen (no idea how to spell the Oil's goalie's name) down and out, but the puck rolled on him at the last second and went wide of the net. Next up for the Sens was Dean McAmmond, who made scoring look all-too-easy when he shot the puck over Markanen's shoulder and into the net.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the ice, Martin Gerber decided to become Mr. Super Goalie, as he stopped both Edmonton shots with what looked like apparent ease. For a guy who always looks shaky and uncomfortable in the net, he suddenly looked right at home between the pipes, all calm, cool, and collected. And then, Mike Comrie was up next, and he put so many moves on Markanen that the dude couldn't have known whether he was coming or going, and badda-boom...He scores!! It seemed only fitting, too, that Comrie got the last laugh, after listening to the Edmonton faithful at Scotiabank Place boo him relentlessly all night long. (For those who are unaware, Comrie used to play for Edmonton, and left amidst contract disputes, which fans never take lightly...Hello, Alexei Yashin). He silenced them pretty quickly with his nifty moves, and for one night, he was my hero.

So that was the icing on the cake of Coach Murray's 600th NHL victory, and tomorrow heading into Buffalo, we'll have the Razor back between the pipes. We survived, we helped our fellow Canadian team in the process, and now we're back tied with the Penguins in the standings. For one day, at least, life is good!

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

well jill get use to looking at the back of the pens because they will like finish dourth or maybe even second........

Jill said...

Oh really? We'll just see about that....;o)

Anonymous said...

I am telling ya at the end of this season you will be looking at the penguins behind...... I just hope we don't meet in the playoffs because then you will have another early exit and good buy Bryan lol.......

Anonymous said...

Hi Ricky, how is your baby girl? Are you and Stacy getting much sleep at night? Well I don't have any news for the blog today. I had a feeling you would write about hockey today Jill.

Jill said...

Kenny's comment:

Jill to be fair to Gerber he played the Atlanta game with a sever headache and what could be a mild concussion from the crease crashing that happened right at the start of the game

Jill said...

Everyone check out Baby Madyson's birth announcement in The Equity today! She's not too cute! www.theequity.ca

Ricky, I'm not going to say anything...It's just really too bad Pittsburgh had to go and get good right now, just after I decided to make them my second favourite team...*sigh*...

PK: Hi! How are you? Well, Ricky can probably tell you better himself, but from what I've seen, Madyson is a little angel and apparently sleeps very well! Looks just like her daddy...Now, I don't want him to get a swelled head, but she is pretty darned cute...lol

K: That's true, I forgot about the crease-crashing early in the game. There was a fair bit of it last night too. But then there's nothing the goalies can do about it now, because apparently they get suspensions for defending themselves...Not fair.

Anonymous said...

Well Jill, I was happy to read a hockey blog, there has been so much Grey's praise, I thought you had put off hockey forever.

I was happy with the job that Gerber did while Ray was suspended. But now it's time to put us at ease and bring him back in. I was nervous every game night Gerber was in.

Furthermore, I would like to state, for all those sucky Penguin Fans, that they suck (this isn't just for Ricky, but for Jason and Tyler as well) They SUCK! And I hope we meet them in the first round of the playoffs and we will clip their bills by winning the round in 4 straight wins. Penguins Smenguins! At least support another Canadian team for pete sake!

Jill said...

This Blog was written by Steve Warne, one of the radio personalities on the Team 1200's morning show, Three Guys on the Radio, and judging by this Blog, easily the smartest man in Ottawa! Check out Steve's Blog daily at http://tgornation.blogspot.com

Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Writing off the Pens
In my never ending, child-like quest for attention, I’m now prepared to make a shocking NHL prediction. A prediction that will be maligned and mocked today. But deeply, deeply respected a month and a half from now. I am the only man in North America making this prediction. Admittedly, that’s part of what I love about it. So here it is. Brace yourself.

The much celebrated Pittsburgh Penguins will not make this year’s playoffs.

The Pens are exciting, playing great and chock full of skill and youth. But they’re not ready for prime time. Not yet. Sure, they’ve added two excellent rookies in Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal. Plus a few decent guys like Nils Ekman, Domenic Moore and Jarkko Ruutu. I’ll also admit the young, returning players have another year of maturity and development under their belt, which also makes them better. But before we hire Morgan Freeman to narrate the Stanley Cup March of the Penguins DVD, let’s step back a minute.

The playoffs are still 7 weeks away. I believe this group of kids will begin to start feeling the pressure of expectations. Until now, there’s been none. They’ve been kids, playing loose and having fun. They’ll now have to withstand the pressure of desperate, more veteran teams, trying to nail down a playoff spot in the insanely tight East. And their schedule is all East from here on out. I think they’ll crack.

This team has accomplished a ton with a terrific turnaround. They’re already 15 points better than their season total from last year when they finished dead last in the East – extra emphasis on DEAD. They closed the campaign 12 points behind the entire conference. It’s asking an awful lot of a team this young to go from last year’s disaster to making the playoffs in just one year.

Laugh now. We visionaries are used to it. But let’s see where we are on April 11th.

Anonymous said...

I love that guy! He sees what I see!

Rachel said...

Hold on a second...

Is Grey's Anatomy really on at 7 tonight???

If I missed what is the first of a three part finale, I'll be REALLY MAD!!

Jill said...

Hey Rachel,
I'm not sure where you got your info on Grey's, but I just checked ABC's website for Grey's, and it's listed at it's regularly scheduled time, which means 8 PM for you (also 9 PM for anyone who has ABC on the dish), so you haven't missed it! And as far as I can tell, tonight's episode is not the first of a 3-part finale, but rather the last in what they call a "3-part story arc". (The whole ferry boat disaster has been carried over 3 episodes, with tonight being the conclusion). Hope this info helps you!

Anonymous said...

I guess they just needed to fill a spot on the 1200 team because he is the only one saying that thinks pittsburgh won't make the playoffs..... I don't think they would be shopping if they thought they had no chance..... Anyway there is alot of talk from people that really don't know hockey..... Good luck sens you are going to need it if you face my pens......

Anonymous said...

Well Ricky, if you are referring to me that I don't know hockey, you are seriously mistaken. I know lots about hockey. And I will be there to rub it in ALL penguins fans faces when they don't make the play offs!

Anonymous said...

Well Ricky, if you are referring to me that I don't know hockey, you are seriously mistaken. I know lots about hockey. And I will be there to rub it in ALL penguins fans faces when they don't make the play offs!

Anonymous said...

Well Ricky, if you are referring to me that I don't know hockey, you are seriously mistaken. I know lots about hockey. And I will be there to rub it in ALL penguins fans faces when they don't make the play offs!

Anonymous said...

Actually i wasn't referring to you it was all people yapping about my pens but common it doesn't a brain surgeon to figure out that the pens are going to be there...... The problem is all sens fans are crying because they are scare that they will play the pens in the 1st round and get beat out again..... Another early exit and dissapointing season.....

Rachel said...

Got my information from MSN tv listing, and its says Greys at 7 and Americal Idol at 8. Guess they screwed up...

Rachel said...

Also, Pens are in 4th and Sens are in 5th. If you're going to say Pens are not going to make the playoffs you might as well say Sens are not either. Its pretty tight. I can definitely see the two teams in the playoffs, and I do hope that we meet them. It would be nice to play someone different rather than TO, Buffalo, New Jersey. Sickening!!

Anonymous said...

Hey Thanks rachel not sure who you are but that is good hockey sense...... I honestly didn't beleive the pens would be where they are but now that they are they would have to play some pretty nasty hockey not to make the playoffs..... I honestly hope they don't play first round because then i can keep watch on both.....

Jill said...

OK, everyone, simmer down! Geesh! I posted Steve's Blog 'cause I thought it was kind of funny, actually. Of course the Penguins are going to make the playoffs, even he said that he's the only one making the prediction. But I do think he had some valid points about the fact that Pittsburgh is a young team, and they might not be quite ready for the dance just yet. And actually, if they do make the playoffs (which I'm pretty sure they will), they're actually a team I DON'T want to meet, because any team with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Jordan Staal is dangerous. They're young, but they're loaded with skill, and they've got that youthful exuberance that can carry them a long way.

However, I won't be surprised if Steve's prediction comes true. Like I said, he makes some pretty valid arguments. We'll just have to see where the chips fall.

Now everyone move on to today's non-hockey blog. Clear your heads, forget about it all...I don't want scrapping on my Blog! *Unless, of course, it's me doing the scrapping...hahaha!!*