Full Disclosure: She's never once said that to me.

Hi everyone. What’s happening? What are you up to?,

Me? Nothing much, just thinking about Madagascar. What do you mean the place, the animated movie or the Guns n’ Roses song? Look, if you gotta ask…

___________? Anyway,

A wise woman, a chanteuse, named Mariah Carey once sang-said,

“Youve got me feelin’ emotions
Deeper than I ever dreamed of.
Whoa, oh youve got me feelin’ E-MO-TIONS
Higher than the heavens above”

Emotions, right? So, since it is presumed that we each and every last one of us gathered here on James Day all have two ears and a heart, we can agree that we are feeling us some emotions lately.

Can we explore some of really just my our emotions?
I have spent this NHL season both pleasantly surprised and incredibly proud of the performance of the boys. Rarely do I remember a season so true to the “This is why they have horse racists races” adage for an Ottawa team. We get so wrapped up in off season FA signings, prediction panels *tugs collar*, hype around up and coming talent and general fan base built hope that regardless of who we cheer for we think we have the Season’s end result all but figured out by the time October rolls around.
Without getting bogged down with such details as teams such as the Caps, Sharks and Kings all barely scraping by, Brian Elliot both playing in the NHL and killing it at that, or Columbus trading Jeff Carter for a bag of delicious dream sandwiches, there is only one point to be hammered on endlessly here: The Ottawa Senators did not spend the season in last place.
It’s safe to say that we are used to it at this point in time, perhaps some of us are even a bit over it a little seeing as its late March and the Sens are still firmly in the shit. The wheels so many Nick Kyprioses said were going to fall off never really did. Despite some pretty rough patches it’s actually just been a pleasure to take the season in. I’ve been looking at the good that the Sens have done as a delicious mushroom based gravy on everything and making a conscious effort not to raise my expectations too high.

That is until about last week. *Pause for dramatic effect for 3 and a half minutes*

When the Sens managed to pull into AND maintain a spot in the top 8 I said to myself, “Regardless of what happens, this has been a fun season and the team is rebuilding and it doesnt matter if they make it or not and life is precious and God and the bible on DVD.”
Which I presumed was a well and good philosophy until Washington and Buffalo decided to stop losing. Quick sidebar: Seriously, Ovechkin? Had to wait till now to decide to stop being the most disappointing player in the league? Ugh.
All of a sudden the Sens stopped scoring goals and winning and the teams in the hunt below did the opposite. A reason to feel panic. The season stopped feeling all gravylicious to me. With less than ten games remaining, to see them miss the playoffs and lose out on all that they’ve worked for against the odds would be absolutely heartbreaking. There, I said it. The Sens electric slide into the league’s toughest building for one of their biggest road games of the year. I know all of us in the Sensphere have been saying that for a few weeks but we thought the games would be less important at this point back then. We were drunk on power and 4 Loco.

Welcome back scoring, please do stick around for tea!
So Saturday’s game was another lesson in my upcoming “For Dummies” book, “Dont EVER Bet On Hockey Because You Will Lose All of Your Money, Dummy, For Dummies.” Oh you know how we we’re talking about how Ottawa does so well on HNIC games and how they will score 8 goals against the Pens and break their 15 game winning streak? ITS CALLED BEATING THE SPREAD LIKE WE PREDICTED.
In pure Sens fan fashion, a lot of people pointed to the fact that the Penguins started their backup as the main factor in the Sens victory. YEAH BECAUSE YOU KNOW HOW WE STARTED NHL LEGEND BEN FUCKING BI$HOP AGAINST A TEAM THAT HAS SIDNEY CROSBY AS THEIR THIRD LINE CENTRE! Right. Ugh. Sens win you guys, its okay for that to happen, leave the self loathing for the blue team.
What I’m saying is lighting up a Penguins team that has been pounding everyone lately is truly something to build confidence off of. The Pens dont just give up 8 goals here and there.  That game was especially positive for the 2nd line of Turris-Alfredsson and Foligno who combined for 9 points on the night. Their contribution to the scorecard has to be a rule not an exception if the Sens are to make the post season looking like a team that could surprise. The second line putting up points tonight would be a bigger statement to me than last game.
The game also saw Spezza, Michalek and Greening each tally and all I can say is phewph (sic?). In weird news, Erik Karlsson somehow only got one point in a game made entirely of stretch passes AND finished the night a minus 2. What? If a lot of players broke slumps on Saturday by EK’s standards despite having one assist, he is still in the weeds and needs desperately to make tonight his coming out and smashing faces into a delicious goo party. C’mon little buddy, get that 20th tonight!
I was very happy to see all sorts of goals get scored, breakaways, trash baggers, deflections, highlight reel beauties (Alfie! Alfie! Alfie!) Please Sens, come out shooting again tonight. Shoot Shoot SHOOT YE BASTARRRDS!!!!

Speaking of very promising confidence builders after an understandably shaky but backbreaking game against Montreal, Craig Anderson looked rock solid in relief of the PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD NOT BADLY injured Ben Bishop. Damn did he need that game. Imagine how nervous we’d all be for his next start if he hadn’t’?

The Sens have done a lot of winning games they had no business winning and looking like refried dog garbage against teams that they should be flogging like a thing that gets flogged. Now, that said, LISTEN UP SENS AS I KNOW YOURE READING, remember, that that whole thing is just a stupid thing us dummies have been talking about you can go ahead and win ALL KINDS of games for the rest of the season.
Tonight for instance. Youz can beats these guys. SO BEAT EM.

Smooth Jimmy’s Keys to Victory:
– Be better than this game preview
– Score 8 or more goals

Puck drop is scheduled for the drop of the puck. Let’s all hopefully enjoy the game!

Jeez, should we start a new column called “Rant about how I hope the Sens dont blow it and miss the playoffs” so that it doesn’t get confused with a James Day Preview? You decide in the comment seciton, or on twitter @WTYKY THE OOOOTHER COMMENT SECTION!