The day began with your typical playoff excitement: you’ve got tickets, and you need only suffer through the interminable work day before you get there. The day ended with a Baconator and poutine. These two points headed towards each other with fatal inevitability, like two rogue planets on a collision course. I feel terrible this morning.

1)      That was a great game, even if we lost.

If Ottawa plays like that for the rest of the series, they’re going to win more games than they lose. Outshooting, playing physical without necessarily getting wacky, and driving puck possession all night long. Keep it up, bozos.

2)      What the fuck is wrong with Jason Spezza?

The overwhelming majority of offense from the Senators this season has come from Jason Spezza, Milan Michalek, Erik Karlsson, and Daniel Alfredsson. With Alfie out of the game, there’s just no way this team can win without Michalek, and to a much greater degree Spezza. Let’s give credit to the Rangers D, but Spetsnatz is trying way too hard out there. The version of Spezza that hucks passes blindly across ice has reared its ugly head. He’s one step ahead of his own brain at all times. He doled out giveaways like he was campaigning. He also took three minor penalties. I hope he comes back to earth in time for this series.

3)      Eating a Baconator is like eating a bag of salt.

I am humming with excess electrolytes.

4)      Bobby Butler did not look out of place out there.

Butlah had some beautiful chances. He also shoots the puck, unlike every single other Ottawa Senator.

5)      Why is Jesse Winchester on the first line?

I mean, he looks good. Defensively responsible, good along the boards. He’s not losing you any games. But I don’t know that he’s an improvement over Colin Greening, who is now playing with Zack Smith and Chris Neil. Spezza looks like he’s got a head cold or something, but he’s got enough natural talent to shine through occasionally. Michalek had a solid game, even if it couldn’t translate. But when you’ve got Winchester in the mix—he of 11 career goals in 233 games—the play would often grind to a halt. Not sure if Game Three of the playoffs is where you want to start experimenting with your lines.

6)      It’s confusing when Captial Tickets calls Game Three of the series Home Game One, and Game Six of the series Home Game Three

Thank god for scalpers.