In the NHL it is said that there are two seasons. The regular
season and the playoffs. The Nosebleeders like to think of the
post-trading deadline the end of the regular season as a season
unto itself - thus kinda like a third season. During this period
we see a number of teams try to shore up for the playoffs with
rental players, while others shed the old guard as they make
moves for next season. In general, only the playoff and near-
playoff teams count during this period.
Last season the surging Senators fought into the playoffs and
obtained a first-round upset over the New Jersey Devils. This
season the Senators are in a very different position, as they
have led the Conference and the Division for most of the season.
With first-round playoff upsets the norm in the NHL, the Senators
are working to ensure that they are using this period wisely.
The Senators enter the post-trading deadline period having won
some impressive games and looking like a team that is ready to
make a mark in the playoffs. They are not a team that will
likely go lightly, having shown a resilience to bounce back.
What they lack in talent, they more than make up in desire.
Maybe it's this ability to bounce back that coach Martin wants to
drill into the team as they use this period to prepare for the
playoffs. Maybe it's just that he doesn't want the team to go
into the playoff with the pressure of finishing first in the
Eastern Conference. Whatever it is, the Nosebleeders are left
wondering what to expect for the playoffs.
With less than two weeks to go the Senators seemed to have gone
into a shell. While still continuing to outshoot opponents
almost each game (each of their last seven games) over the last
two weeks, they did not look consistent. They took a total of
nine points out of 14 possible posting a 3-1-3 record. At times,
the Sens looked like a powerhouse, eating opponents raw, while at
other times they seemed barely able to get into the game.
While a 3-1-3 record over the their last seven games is nine
regular season points, the three ties could very well become
three overtime losses in the playoffs and thus a playoff series
losing 3-4 record. Meanwhile, the Detroit Red Wings have started
an impressive winning streak as has Boston and New Jersey.
In six of their last seven games this period, the opposing team
has scored first. The Senators seemed to make a game of spotting
the opposition a goal or two; they spotted the Penguins three
goals before coming back to win 6-4. The very next game, they
opened up a three-goal lead against the same Penguins before
letting them back into the game to tie 3-3.
Bruins prepare for a possible playoff matchup
Led by Jason Allison converting a penalty shot, the Boston Bruins
sent a message to the Eastern Conference leaders - they did not
get an answer back, yet. A likely first-round playoff matchup
would see the Senators play the Bruins - and to see them enter
Sens home turf and soundly win was not a good sign.
The Bruins entered the game with a red hot penalty killing unit.
None of the Senators' five chances in the game netted results and
the Bruins left Kanata with 30 penalty kills in a row.
The controversial penalty shot was called when Jason York downed
Allison on a breakaway. Replays indicated that a minor penalty
would have sufficed but the penalty shot was whistled. Quoted
after the game, Allison indicated his approach to taking a
penalty shot against Ron Tugnutt: "I played with Ron before so I
know he knows my moves...I just wanted to get in close and get
him moving sideways. I did that and I was able to lift it over
him."
* The Sens franchise-record seven-game home winning streak was
ended.
* The shutout allowed Byron Dafoe to tie Dominik Hasek for the
league lead at eight.
* The game marked the return of the Sens from a six-game road
trip.
* Boston improved to 14-2-2 all-time in Ottawa, and stretched its
unbeaten streak to four games (3-0-1).
* The Senators have lost the season series to Boston (2-3-0) -
having finished 20 season series, this is their only season
series loss to date.
Quiz time
Who holds the record for most shutouts in the regular season?
Shark bait or bait for Sharks, or both
A back-and-forth game with the San Jose sharks ended in a 1-1
tie. Wade Redden scored with 46 seconds left in the third period
to break a six-period plus Sens scoreless streak and lift the
team to the tie. Redden was skating unchecked and wide open as he
passed the blue line and took a pass from Yashin and then beat
Vernon for his eighth goal of the year. "It was like the Red Sea
opened up for me," Redden said - hey Wade, are you color blind or
something, San Jose is some kind bluish/greenish color.
* Despite firing nine shots at Vernon in the game, it was Alexei
Yashin's face-off and playmaking skills that allowed him to
obtain his 80th point. Yashin won a key faceoff in the Ottawa
zone and then made the pass to Redden who netted the game-tying
goal. Yashin's 80 points ties the club record that he set in the
1993-94 season.
Stanley visits Ottawa
The Stanley Cup visited the Jim Durrell Arena this period - fans
were in good spirit as they got a chance to have their pictures
taken with the Cup. Kudos to the NHL for the 99 Stanley tour.
New York Islanders
The Senators defeated the New York Islanders 7-3, extending their
record since January 6th, 1996 against the Isles to 11-0-3. The
Islanders managed to stay with the Senators for nearly two full
periods before the Senators got their scoring machine going. "I
think we got exploited by a very efficient hockey club,"
Islanders coach Bill Stewart said. Ex-Islander Ted Donato
factored into the scoring with a goal.
* Sens have won all four games this season against the Islanders,
outscoring them 24-8.
Home-and-home against the Penguins
The league's leading scorer showed what he can do as the Penguins
and Senators met for a home-and-home series. In the first game,
Jagr (two assists and a goal) paced the Penguins to a 3-0 lead
before the Senators managed to comeback and win 6-4.
Back in Ottawa, Jagr (two goals and an assist) helped erase the
Sens' 3-0 lead as they tied Ottawa 3-3.
* The win in Pittsburgh was the first ever for the Senators.
Ottawa had been 0-13-3 all-time at the Civic Arena.
* An excited Sami Salo netted three goals in Pittsburgh. "I
never scored three goals before," Salo said. "I've had two goals
and some points, but never three goals. I feel unbelievable."
Unselfish Andreas Dackell gave Salo his third goal, passing the
puck to Salo on a break against the Penguins' empty net.
* In Ottawa, Radek Bonk scored twice to stake Ottawa to a 3-0
lead.
Panthers' loss puts them nine points back of playoff spot
The Senators visited the Florida Panthers and soundly defeated
the Panthers 6-4, behind Alexei Yashin's four-point performance.
* The win marked a record-tying fifth straight road win for the
Senators.
This-a-thata
* The Senators are the least penalized team in the NHL. The team
is averaging 10.9 PIM's per game.
* Radek Bonk has matched his season high 16 goals.
* The Sens have already established or tied 24 team and
individual records.
* Both Nelson Emerson and Chris Phillips are expected to return
from injury in the next week.
* The team has 13 home sellouts to date this season.
Daigle scores!
The Ottawa Senators played Alexandre Daigle's Tampa Bay Lightning
to a 4-4 draw. Ted Donato, Shaun Van Allen and Magnus Arvedson
scored in a 5:33 span of the second period for Ottawa, erasing a
3-1 deficit before Daigle's equalizer. Ottawa traded the
underachieving Daigle to Philadelphia last season, and he now
calls Tampa home.
* The Senators have now gone six straight games without a loss.
The blank answer goes here
You have to go a ways back for this answer, but if you look close
you will see one Ottawa goaltender on the list who has twice had
15 shutout seasons. The season record is 22 set by George
Hainsworth (Montreal Canadians) 1928-29 - 44 games played. Tied
at second are Alex Connell (Ottawa Senators) 1925-26 - 36 games
played and 1927-28 - 44 games played, Hal Winkler (Boston Bruins)
1927-28 - 44 games played, and Tony Esposito (Chicago Blackhawks)
1969-70 - 63 games played.
