Sens at Land’s End

Pregame Remarks

I’m still not feeling well, but hopefully the Sens will come up with a performance that makes me feel better. I don’t know, though, I hear Alex Auld isn’t playing, and that other guy (note: Sens at Land’s End has taken a vow never to speak, write, or otherwise utter that individual’s name again) doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence. As I recall, the Sens played what was probably their best game of last season against Carolina, beating them 6-0 (that was back in the day when that other goalie was the one being a pain in the ass). They also beat them 5-1, and lost to them 5-1 (remember Joe Corvo’s hat trick? Yeah, I’m working on blocking it out), and it was Carolina who handed the Sens their first loss of the season when they were playing so well. So … I have no idea what’s likely to happen. The Canes are coming off a 3-2 loss in Washington last night, while the Sens, of course, beat the Flyers yesterday.

Blogger Fashion Watch: Earrings (4-0-1) are go. But I’m not sure their mojo works for this particular goaltender.

It’s Michael Leighton in goal for Carolina tonight, not Cam Ward. I picked Leighton up in one of my pools to replace the injured Pascal Leclaire, which means that if the Sens score a bunch of goals tonight they’re screwing me over. I’m willing to take that hit. You see how much I care about this team?

First Period

20:00: Maybe it’s just because I’m sick and out of it, but I’m slightly disoriented by the fact that the Sens are in white and the Canes are in red. Which team am I supposed to be cheering for again?

18:00: Chris Neil tries the wraparound. It seems as though he tries that at least once per game. I know the Sens got a goal off a Neil wraparound attempt a few games ago, but I feel like maybe he should get a new move.

13:00 or so: After a TV timeout, Ian Mendes informs us that the team has been giving Christoph Schubert a hard time about his epic failure on the breakaway last night, with Jarkko Ruutu calling his move the “Signature Schubert Spinorama.” That’s what friends are for!

12:14: Jason Spezza claims to have scored, but the goal light doesn’t go on. I look forward to the replay on this one. At the next stoppage, the play is reviewed, but it’s very difficult to tell what’s happened. To me, the video isn’t conclusive enough to call it a goal, and the officials concur. Nice try, though, Spezza.

10:24: Sportsnet has the shots in the period at 8-0 for Ottawa. This is a very good stat for the Sens, in so many ways.

9:42: Anton Volchenkov takes a penalty for delay of game. This is a really unfortunate call: it’s clear Volchenkov wasn’t trying to put the puck out of play.

8:54: Dean Brown points out that both Jarkko and Tuomo Ruutu are on the ice. Ruutu vs. Ruutu … am I the only one who’d like to see them fight? The Sens have made some nice efforts to clear the puck on this penalty kill and the Canes don’t get many chances.

6:12: With the Sens on the power play, Daniel Alfredsson deflects a Filip Kuba shot to Dany Heatley, who is right in front of the net for the tip-in, but Leighton makes the save. This is the best chance of the power play for Ottawa.

1:16: The Canes are called for too many men. On the power play, Alexandre Picard makes a diving play to keep the puck in the zone. This is something I feel he and Kuba are both pretty good at. I don’t know if it’s my imagination, but it seems like the Sens have improved in this area this season.

0:03: Antoine Vermette is called for holding Joe Corvo just as the period is about to end. The Canes get a shot off the faceoff, but that’s it.

First Intermission

The shots are 12-9 for Ottawa in the first … Nick Kypreos states during the intermission that he thinks the Sens probably don’t feel they can count on Auld to play long strings of games, so they really need to get the other guy going, because apparently he can carry the team through long strings of games. I question whether Kypreos has ever actually seen the other guy play … My HLOG sister Bethany informs me via the wonders of instant messaging that she’s sitting next to Bob Cole at the Montreal-Columbus game. Meanwhile, I’m here in my pyjamas, all alone. I feel so unglamourous.

Second Period

19:15: Dean and Gary Galley wish Murray Heatley a happy 60th birthday on behalf of his son. Happy birthday, papa Heater! Thanks for passing on those awesome hockey genes!

16:59: Schubert gets a penalty for tripping. Forget the ridiculous spinorama, we all know the skate to the box is his actual signature move. The Sens are able to kill the penalty.

13:43: Niclas Wallin is called for roughing after he gives Heatley a forearm to the face. Unacceptable! I don’t care if Heatley did start it by hitting Chad Larose!

11:51: This really is not much of a power play. I would describe it as “stinky.”

6:27: Mike Fisher and Alfie have a couple of near scoring chances. There’s actually some fairly frantic end-to-end action going on here! Even Jason Smith gets a shot on goal. However, nothing comes of any of it. Will anyone ever score in this game?

4:20 or so: After a TV time out, Dean and Gary talk to Canes rookie Brandon Sutter about the hit Doug Weight put on him and the resulting concussion. Sutter says he never watched video of the incident until the magnificent Luke Schenn came over to his house and made him watch it. Again, that’s what friends are for.

1:52: Fisher scores off a rebound from an Alfie shot! Fisher is on fire! Figuratively!

1:35: Neil tries the wraparound … again. Seriously, dude. It’s time to think about expanding your repertoire.

Second Intermission

I do my best to convince Bethany that the Sens really need her Jackets to send them Rick Nash to play wing with Heatzza, but she’s not buying it. She claims we have no need of another great winger because we already have some of the best ones in the league. This is true, I say, but we need more. She says I’m selfish! All I want is a fourth superstar forward for my team! I see nothing wrong with that.

Third Period

19:10: The Canes are in the Sens’ zone, and I get that sinking feeling I often get when this goalie is playing, that a one goal lead just isn’t going to be good enough.

14:30: Alfredsson and Fisher are looking very dangerous again, zooming around in the Canes’ end.

9:27: Chris Phillips gets called for interference. The Sens had been doing pretty well about not taking too many penalties lately, but this game is a bit of a step backwards in that respect.

8:54: And Carolina scores on a shot from the point. Argh!

7:36: Winchester gets a very good shot right in front of Leighton. This line, which I have christened Alfishester, continues to look great. A couple of minutes later, they’re in front of Leighton again, but do not score.

5:08: Rod Brind’amour takes a tripping penalty. Let’s hope the Sens can have a non-stinky power play this time.

3:08: The big three get a dangerous looking flurry in front of Leighton at one point, but I’m not sure I’d go so far as to call that non-stinky.

2:40: The Sens have all kinds of trouble handling the puck in front of their own net and, oh joy, Joe Corvo scores on a shot from the faceoff dot to the left of the goaltender.

1:40 or so: The good Ruutu scores a goal … but the play had been called offside before he got the shot away.

1:13: The Sens’ net is empty and they’ve got all the big guns on the ice trying for the tie. They get some pressure in the Carolina end, but when the puck comes out of the zone with four seconds to go, the game is over. There’s a bit of a scrum when the buzzer goes and a linesman wrestles Heatley to the ice. My Centre Ice feed cuts off almost right away so I’m not too sure what happens but the box score shows Heatley being called for high-sticking and roughing and Carolina’s Tim Gleason getting two for roughing at the 20 minute mark.

Postgame Thoughts

Meh. The final shots are 30-23 for Carolina. The Canes just played a better game than the Sens today. Maybe it’s a good thing the team has three days off before meeting Montreal on Tuesday. At least I benefit from Leighton’s performance, I suppose. Also, Bethany is happy: the Blue Jackets have beaten the Habs in a shootout tonight.

Random Note from Another Game: Dallas @ Anaheim

I think it’s possible the producer of this broadcast has died on the job. Instead of cutting to commercials at TV timeouts, the video and audio feed from the game continue to play and the viewer is treated to things like shots of the arena ceiling, someone humming the broadcast theme music, and a commentator yelling “What the hell’s wrong with you? Let’s get to know him!” after new Star Mark Parrish scores for Dallas. Later, he says “Are the Ducks godawful or what? From the goalline out … just rancid.” It’s excellent.