Sorry, Jim, this isn't Beatles related.
As a die-hard Ottawa Senators fan, I've learned not to allow expectations to get the better of me. Years of great regular seasons followed by playoff disappointment will do that to a guy. But the home team deserves major props for recording a club record 9th consecutive victory yesterday with a 3-2 OT victory against the Habs on Hockey Day in Canada. Yeah, I know, every day is hockey day in Canada, but whatever.
This was easily the toughest game of the streak as the Canadiens erased a 2-0 deficit with a pair of PP goals, the second coming with less than four minutes left in regulation. Jason Spezza drew a penalty at the tail end of an end to end rush in OT, but the ensuing 4 on 3 PP was short-lived as Spezza took a penalty of his own. That set up a rare 3 on 3, with Mike Fisher blowing around Andrei Markov to pot the winner on Jaroslav Halak.
The Senators have been full value for all nine of these wins. Remarkably, this is the first of the string that has gone into extra time. They haven't fed on the weak sisters of the league either, dispatching the likes of the Black Hawks, Devils and Penguins in convincing fashion. Their success has been based on a tenacious and disciplined team game the likes of which fans in this city have longed to see for years.
The Sens now find themselves sitting 5th in the Eastern Conference. Not bad considering this run came on the heels of a five game losing streak. Not to take anything away from the players, but the MVP of the season so far has to be coach Cory Clouston (and his staff). Here's a guy who came from obscurity last year to take the reins on an interim basis following Craig Hartsburg's dismissal midway through the season. Even Senators fans weren't familiar with him despite the fact he was head coach of the team's AHL affiliate in Binghampton, NY. The difference in the team was immediately apparent, and has continued throughout this season, despite a rash of long term injuries to key players (Jason Spezza, Daniel Alfredsson, Milan Michalek, Anton Volchenkov, Filip Kuba, Pascal Leclaire, Nick Foligno).
Lastly, I have to gush a little about 19 year old rookie defenseman Erik Karlsson. The Senators traded up to select him 15th overall in the 2008 entry draft, and he made the team out of training camp this year. However, the transition wasn't a smooth one for him. He lacked confidence and wasn't positionally sound on defense. The team assigned him to Binghampton at the end of Oct., and most Sens fans didn't expect to see him back this season. So it came as something of a shock when he was recalled exactly one month later after posting 12 points in 11 games in the AHL. His progress since then has been nothing short of astounding. It's literally evident on a game to game basis. I've never seen a player in a Sens jersey develop so quickly. He's playing with a confidence and poise that belies his age. At only 5'11", 175 lbs. (soaking wet) he's way under-sized by NHL standards, but compensates with exceptional skating ability, soft hands, great vision and hockey sense. His ability to win puck battles along the defensive boards and quickly transition the offense has had a lot to do with the team's turnaround. If he continues on this trajectory, EK could become a pretty special player in this league. Check out this play yesterday to set up Mike Fisher for the OT winner...
http://www.sportsnet.ca/video/latest/NHL-MTL--OTT/page/
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2 comments:
Damn, you beat me to it! I was just reading about The Streak earlier and was going to comment on it. Not in the same depth as you, of course. Great write-up, Bro.
Go Sens!
Thanks. Just hope I didn't jinx anything! They have a tough stretch coming up between now and the Olympics, and just lost Nick Foligno (again) for 6-8 weeks with a broken leg.
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