Hi.

Let’s take about 3 polite minutes to sit here in silence and just leave blank where we would otherwise engage in a brief, friendly back and forth about how much it has snowed in the last 24 hours.

…

Good.

We are gathered here today to watch the surprising and lovable Ottawa Senators put their cinco game win streak on the line in Boston. Let us begin.

Real Talk: Is Boston just straight going to own Ottawa’s shit tonight or what?

Ugh, this team. I don’t like to be too much of a pessimist about hockey related things, I mean after all, Benjamin Franklin invented horse races for a reason, didn’t he? (Really though, did he? I’m not a very smart person.) We watch these things because we truly don’t know the outcome. What is this football where you have to bet on the score because the overall outcome of games is so predictable? Let’s see what other sports can I take digs at here?…Or or or or or or is this TENNIS where its about, “how many YEARS ON END can this player go without losing a tournament?” Oh good I’ve alienated everyone. Welp, moving forward, isn’t that unpredictability at least some of the charm of NHL hockey? Time and again it’s a complete and utter wonkfest a lot of the time. Remember last year’s exciting Vancouver vs. Pittsburgh Cup final?

Anyway, Ottawa should be in last place, the Rangers should be first, Washington’s horrible and Erik Karlsson STILL has more goals than Phil Kessel almost halfway through the season (!!!). Outrageous! But just when you’re starting to enjoy some goodish fortune in the weirdness of the season a reality milkshake gets thrown in your (my) (our) big stupid face: Boston quietly has only 2 losses on the season and a full 4 games in hand oh and the Leafs are a mere two points back in the standings. With the vast, vast improvement (vast) of the Canadiens, Toronto for once playing within an approximation of a team spending within 6 million of the cap and Boston on the creep-creep it’s safe to say the North East is going to be an absolute dog fight for the next 2 months. Especially when it comes to divisional games…Oop, question from the audience…go ahead,…can you speak up a bit please? Okay, great question, glad you asked…No we do not count the Buffalo Sabres as a National Hockey League club.

So that win against Montreal was less than convincing to put it lightly. It speaks to the aforementioned wonkfest that you can basically get dominated most of a game and still win on the back of your goalie. Awesome to see a goalie stealing a game for Ottawa. Usually its more your “Sens hammer Cam Ward with 51 shots in 2-0 loss” type fare. Five games is a pretty exceptional amount to win consecutively. Especially in the span of 8 days. Ottawa has had a rare 2 whole days off heading into tonight. These guys are warriors. I’m not counting them out completely.

Is it too much to ask for a whole other big game from Peter Regin?

I have spent a lot of time ragging on Peter Regin because he was our generation’s Guillaume Latendresse. A good player when playing WHICH IS ALMOST NEVER. Oops, I’m supposed to be talking about how good he’s been. So, as much as that was Bishop’s victory on Tuesday, primary assist on that ugly baby goes to Mr. Peter Jensen. He gave us all a sick amount of joy when he made Carey Price look like a 4 year old who just pissed their Osh Gosh B’gosh brand overalls while falling off a tire swing in that tense, tense winner. Photo evidence:

Good times? Great times.

Thanks bro! So, can we expect more from the Prince of Denmark or is this going to be the new, “Remember that great playoff round he had in 2009-2010?” Are people going to be defending his next cold streak by saying, “Yeah but he won us that 5^th straight game, that was NAILS!” The truth is Regin has 2 assists and Zack Smith goals in 13 games. If he’s the top 6 player people who aren’t me believe he is, he’ll need to at least measure up to the Silfverbergs, Zibanejads and hell even Condras in the lineup if he wants to continue to see more ice time like he got against Montreal. Oh, yes, and by the frigging way, Turris, Gonchar and Alfie, if you guys are looking to end your respective scoreless streaks now would be the ideal time.
Things I never thought I’d Say About Goaltending: “Can’t Complain.”

Count this guy among the people who were hoping to see Robin Lehner get the start against Boston tonight. I don’t think I need to remind everyone reading this (thanks for reading mom, Steve and Varada!) of Robin Drago’s shutout out last time he started against the Bruins. We Sens fans know the Greatest Love of All is a shutout against Beantown but what can you say to the decision to start a guy playing as great as Bishop has? Truth is, even if Bishop loses it’s not really a cause for concern ….
OH HERE’S AN UPDATE PEOPLE AN UP-FUCKING-DATE:
Robin Lehner will start against Boston tonight. Sorry so sloppy!

😉

So…Mark Stone is practicing with Ottawa?

Pretty exciting news to hear that Stoner is close to returning from injury and when he does he will get a shot with the big boys. Me, I am managing my expectations with a guy that hasn’t played in a while in the AHL let alone hasn’t played in the NHL in over 10 months (and one game at that). Still, it is exciting to hear about anyone with scoring touch coming back from injury and drawing into the line up. I just hope he gets eased in a little.

ENJOY THE GAME AND GET WELL SOON EVERYONE!