Happy Saturday and further Happy Hockey Day in Canada! FINALLY, a day where Canadians can take some time and recognize how important the game of hockey is to the fabric of our nation. Right? You? Guys? *dodges running lawn mower thrown at my head* JEEZ cant even joke about that?
No, it’s a very exciting day for each and every last one of us. There is a lot of fun hockey on television PLUS we get to see the prime minister pretend to enjoy taking in a game and other humanoid activities*. There are a lot of games involving Canadian teams which is awesome for me as I hate most of the other Canadian teams! Alright, Habs vs. Leafs! I hope you BOTH LOSE! Lets GOOOOOOO! *dips fists in hot glue and then dips them in broken glass*
Ottawa hits the ice for a 2PM puck drop in what leading marine biologists refer to as a “Manatee Game.” I like to call it a “start drinking at brunch game”. Did I tell you that I am really excited about this professional hockey matchup? Cool, well I AM.
Foist thing’s foist
Can I get a Soulclap for our boy Chris Phillips? Wow, that guy really delivered for his 1000th game, didn’t he? I feel it necessary to make mention of this as it was pretty much a non-story to most hockey outlets and I want to use our MASSIVE appeal to get this story out into the ether.
I don’t want to harp on this too long, though I am incredible at playing the harp, but I can think of a lot of players who would get a lot of media attention for both A. Playing their 1000th game all with one organization (a Canadian one at that) and 2. if they scored two goals in said game including the winner… I think that would have been a bit of a talking point if it was all kinds of other players.
I’ll keep the whininess to a minimum (don’t get used to it) and I’m not going to name any names. Just sayin, like much of Phillips’ career, his hard work is off the radar, though something tells me Phillips likes it that way. Anyway, a 2 goal performance in a game that ‘must-win’? Not lost on this guy.
The Boys are Back in Town (and by Back In Town I mean visiting Ottawa for the first and only time this season)
So Ryan Ted Nugent – Sir Anthony Hopkins will be a scratch for the game has he is still not fully recovered from injuries suffered a number of weeks back. You know that olde proverb “One fan’s entertainment value is another fan’s kind of works out as he wont be there to thread passes to Jordan Eberle/Taylor Hall/Whoever all the live long game?” There’s that whole thing. So anyway, no Nugent-Hopkins, I guess the Sens have this one all wrapped u–WAIT WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT… There’s other good guys on the team?
Why isnt everyone talking about Jordan Eberle every 5 minutes? I know the youth movement in Edmonton gets talked about a lot but this kid is RIPPING it. Despite missing time due to knee issues, Eberle has put up a very impressive 54 points in 50 games, with 8 coming in his last 4 games. So, someone…cover that guy.
Also, cover this guy, Taylor Hall. He is also playing quite well of late with 9 points in his last 6 games. Unless he goes on some Scott Gomez tip, Hall will soon eclipse his rookie season output of 22 goals and it would be awesome if he worked toward that goal in games other than this one. Skateface.
Then there’s “top 10 overall draft bust” turned “guy who has 14 points in his last 4 games” Sam Gagne. Yes. Superstar Sam Gagne who you’ve always been hearing about all these years. He’ll be playing. Can he keep his seemingly out of nowhere gaudy point streak up? Let’s bleeping hope not. Those numbers are pure insanity. Kid is in the zone.
So yipes a bit…one good thing the Sens have going for them is that this team still has a lot of growing to do on D and in net.
One way or another, its been a rough road trip for the Oil and they will be “Post All Star break Ottawa Senators level” desperate for a win.
The Boys are Still in Town *air guitar* though youd think they were still on a road trip with one win in 7 games *high kick*
Chris Phillips will be honored at the game for his 1000th game…which was last game. So, you know, honoring stuff!
On the shoulders of Mr. 1000 and Mr. 583 (Spezza) the Sens turned in a very important victory against the Nashville Bar & Grills. If they want to carry their momentum forward they are going to have to do it the same way they did against Nashville: Points on the board. Now, Edmonton may not have Pizza Rinne in net but they do have enough firepower upfront to put a game away on sheer offense. Please dont tell Andy Sutton I said that.
Another key to victory will be “Pesty Nick Foligno” getting healthy scratched for “Regular Nick Foligno Who Doesnt Get Penalty After Penalty Called On Him” Nicky, I love you, but …with the pestiness…it’s not working out. We have enough players constantly getting penalized. Get back to your ‘Winning the game with 2 seconds left’ ways of olde.
I guess Erik Karlsson should get some points because basically, he’s set such a precedent now that if he fails to get a point every single game it seems like a slump.
Speaking of slumps (only real ones) Milan Michalek had a pretty damn good game last game with a crazy amount of missed scoring chances. Todays matchup is his opportunity TO CAPITALIZE ON THOSE FRIGGING CHANCES FOR GOD’S SAKE.
I have a good feeling about Butler, everyone! Whats that? No one cares about my ‘good feelings’. Cool. Understandable.
Craig Anderson gets the start in goal. Presumably, like a BO$$.
So happy Hockey Day In Canada everyone! Enjoy this game!! i think it will prove a very exciting one given how little attention is paid to defending on both teams. Its going to be wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide frigging open!
WTYKY Contest: I will be at the game tomorrow! If you can spot me I will give you TWO large sips of my beer**!
WTYKY Plea: Can you please follow us on the friggin twitters? @WTYKY I’ll be live drunk tweeting all game long (basically bugging the Sens DJ every five minutes) thanks. I’ll help you move one day.
*You do have to hand it to Dear Leader, he is VERY lifelike.
**Must be 19 years of age to enter (I aint no creep), offer only valid if I have more than two large sips remaining of my beer. No purchase necessary, its your funeral, I’m even more insufferable in person.
Welcome To Your Karlsson Years 
is this a hockey blog?
Is this a valid question?
Live drunk tweeting? Where was the insight and irreverence? The analysis and the asinine? The observations and the obscure?
It’s a fine line between drunk enough to provide those things and too drunk not to shit your pants. Mysteries of the universe!
I will give you the rule straight from the book. Don’t want to read? Here’s a suarmmy.Guys are allowed to fight, and will receive a 5 minute penalty (no suspension). One-on-one only, if a third guy comes into the fight, he is ejected from the game. If one guy started the fight, then he gets a 2 minute instigator penalty. If one guy keeps fighting when the other guy is obviously down and out, he gets an aggressor’ penalty, which is a game misconduct.Rule 47 Fighting47.1 Fighting – A fight shall be deemed to have occurred when at leastone player (or goalkeeper) punches or attempts to punch an opponentrepeatedly or when two players wrestle in such a manner as to makeit difficult for the Linesmen to intervene and separate the combatants.The Referees are provided very wide latitude in the penalties withwhich they may impose under this rule. This is done intentionally toenable them to differentiate between the obvious degrees ofresponsibility of the participants either for starting the fighting orpersisting in continuing the fighting. The discretion provided should beexercised realistically.47.2 Aggressor – The aggressor in an altercation shall be the player (orgoalkeeper) who continues to throw punches in an attempt to inflictpunishment on his opponent who is in a defenseless position or whois an unwilling combatant.A player (or goalkeeper) must be deemed the aggressor when hehas clearly won the fight but he continues throwing and landingpunches in a further attempt to inflict punishment and/or injury on hisopponent who is no longer in a position to defend himself.A player or goalkeeper who is deemed to be the aggressor of analtercation shall be assessed a major penalty for fighting and a gamemisconduct.A player or goalkeeper who is deemed to be the aggressor of analtercation will have this recorded as an aggressor of an altercation forstatistical and suspension purposes.A player or goalkeeper who is deemed to be both the instigatorand aggressor of an altercation shall be assessed an instigating minorpenalty, a major penalty for fighting, a ten-minute misconduct(instigator) and a game misconduct penalty (aggressor).47.3 Altercation An altercation is a situation involving two players(including goalkeepers), with at least one to be penalized.47.4 Clearing the Area of a Fight When a fight occurs, all players notengaged shall go immediately to the area of their players’ bench andin the event the altercation takes place at a players’ bench, theplayers on the ice from that team shall go to their defending zone.Goalkeepers shall remain in their goal crease, except in the event thealtercation takes place in the vicinity of the goal crease, and thereforeshall obey the directions of the Referee. Failure to comply can resultin penalties incurred for their involvement in and around the area andfines as outlined in 47.18.47.5 Continuing or Attempting to Continue a Fight Any player orgoalkeeper who persists in continuing or attempting to continue a fightor altercation after he has been ordered by the Referee to stop, orwho resists a Linesman in the discharge of his duties shall, at thediscretion of the Referee, incur a misconduct or game misconductpenalty in addition to any penalties imposed.47.6 Face Protection If a player penalized as an instigator of analtercation is wearing a face shield (including a goalkeeper), he shallbe assessed an additional unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.Should the player (including a goalkeeper) who instigates the fightbe wearing a face shield, but removes it before instigating thealtercation, the additional unsportsmanlike conduct penalty shall notapply.That’s not even the whole rule, see rule 47 in the link