Game #1 Goes to the Sens

Happy Friday to one & all, and a happy Friday it is indeed!! After all, my Sens came up with a big road win in Buffalo last night to open up the Eastern Conference final to steal home ice advantage, and it was great too see the Sens get some secondary scoring beyond the Alfie-Heatley-Spezza line! They chipped in too, of course, with Alfie zinging one by Ryan Miller on the power play and Spezza squeezed one by in the third. But it was Mike Fisher's shorty to open the scoring that really got things rolling, and Oleg Saprykin got the game-winner after Buffalo came back to tie it up, tipping the puck in after Dean McAmmond passed it to him out front.

Must say, I'm lovin' the fourth line. McAmmond is awesome, and he got the empty-netter last night after showing a burst of speed at the last second. The Sens really need those guys who hang in the shadows of the Big 3 to step it up this series, and last night they answered the call.

I was also impressed with how the Sens maintained their composure last night, even after Buffalo erased their 2-goal lead and had them back on their heels a bit in the second period. They didn't scramble or panic - they just kept playing hard and stayed calm. Their confidence is unwavering thus far, and it's great to see.

Now, I'm not so foolish as to think that the Sabres are going to roll over and die just because we won the first game. It was a big win, but after they tied it up, it really could have gone either way. While I thought the Sens played well, I know they can play even better, and I also know that we only saw a glimpse of what the Sabres can bring. There's no way this thing is gonna get done in 4 or 5 games.

But for the Sens, it was big and important and now they only have to win 3 more to get to the Stanley Cup Finals. And with this team, anything is possible.

GO SENS GO!!

Have a great weekend everyone!