Hey there!

So I’m going to address the elephunk in room right away. Last night’s come from behind win and this morning’s unveiling of the Heritage Classic jersey have overshadowed a much greater concern surrounding the team. I’m speaking of course about Bobby Ryan’s NOW LEGENDARY slow start. Let’s be the seriousness: Despite the team’s struggles it has been so awesome to be reminded of what it’s like to have someone on the team who lights a mup every other game. Like Karlsson before him guy has silencioed his haterz critics with performance. Now’s the part where I have to say this: I sincerely hope the Senators can make him part of their future so I can buy all the Ryan jerseys.
MacArthur / Turris / Ryan 4evR!

Ottawa U So Cray-Zay! 
I’ve been thinking about it and I want to take a minute to clarify some puzzling action that took place last night after some bizarre strategy was employed by Paul MacLean and his boys. Just a theory but I think I’ve figured it out: Instead of using the power play as an opportunity to remain hemmed in their own zone to work on unsuccessful attempts to move the puck through neutral ice, the Senators players fanned out in an umbrella-like formation in the attacking zone and cycled the puck to one another waiting for the most opportune time to shoot.
I know, I know, it sounds crazy but the rapid (successful!) passing forced lateral movement from the opposing defenders slyly taking advantage of the fact that the one of the Capitals’ players was serving a penalty and the team had to play shorthanded for two Earth minutes.
It was an uncomfortable departure from the team’s at this point all too predictable go to play of springing Chris Phillips so he can go one on one with the goaltender and unleash a top shelf blast over the glove hand (can we talk about how nice that goal was?). Unconventional as it was awesome to see creativity lead to success!

Againderson? *Applies for job as Ottawa Sun headline writer* 
In a bit of a confusing move, Paul MacLean has chosen to start Craig Anderson for the second game in as many nights. I mean it worked with Robin Leh–. I don’t know why he is doing this. I didn’t even think Anderson looked particularly good last night despite winning. Our beloved Steven (maker of today’s delightful image – Torts looks like Fonzie!) brought up something telling about Andy’s play before the game started last night. He said, “Let’s see if Anderson can stop the first 10 shots of the game. He never seems to be able to do it.” I think his 3rd goal against was on shot 11. Eep.
I’ve mentioned numerous times in this still young season that falling behind early is not just on the goalie and that the problem is mostly in the defense but Steve makes a great point. Ya gotta stop those first ten shots. I’m going to be keeping track tonight for sure. Play along at home!
Roberto Luongo who is an unpredictable rollercoaster of emotions gets the start for Vancouver. Still, he has 10 wins on the year so, haters to the left I guess? Fun Fact: Luongo boasts the league lead in “Hair I’d least like to touch.”

A Brief Note on Erik Karlsson: 

Look how beautiful the pass is too. That’s how he do even when a 230 pound dude is about to collide with him. Special Little Guy.

Jared Cowen Slipped on Some Butterscotch and Fell into the Pressbox
After finally getting around to reading letters, emails and tweets from fans Paul MacLean has decided to healthy scratch Jared Cowen for the first time this season. He is also taking out frequent scratch Patrick Wiercioch. I thought  Wiercioch was alright last night personally but never the less one game does not excuse the message here. At the start of the year, after each of them signed a new multi year deal. Jared and Patrick were supposed to be the team’s second line pair. So far they’ve seen many partners in attempts to get them going and now they will be partnered up in the press box.
Like goaltenders, good defenders take time to develop and both of these guys are very young. They share less than 200 NHL games of experience between the two of them. Still though, frustration with Cowen has been pretty understandable. It’s tough to watch a 6 foot 5 defenseman get bossed around almost nightly. Especially when you add the weight of a new 4 year deal he sat out to get that pays him more than both Marc Methot and Chris Phillips oh and his top 10 draft pedigree. Personally I don’t expect Cowen to turn it around overnight, in fact, I don’t know what to expect period from him right now. One thing I do know is that the Coach has been perplexing in his patience with Cowen and that patience has finally run out. Eric Gryba and Mark Borowiecki (who, if you ask me….ASK ME! has been out-Cowening Cowen since his call up) draw in.

Remember that whole Fortress Scotiabank thing last year?
Yeah, a huge reason the Sens made the post season was because of how hard they were to beat at home. With a pathetic 4 wins on home ice so far this season, Ottawa needs to start learning to win in Ottawa…Also, y’know, could be a good way to boost ticket sales. Tonight would be a pretty cool time to start taking back the Tire (sorry).
As November draws to a close, looking ahead to December 11 of the team’s 15 games will be played at the Tires.com Arena. That’s a make or break schedule. If they can’t take the lion’s share of those games it wont matter if the team doesn’t make the playoffs because they wont deserve to be there anyway.
The fact that they played last night is no excuse for not taking this one. I mean it hasn’t stopped a lot of teams from beating us this season. Skilled as Vancouver tends to be this is a team that has won only one regulation game in the past two weeks. I would typically never describe an Ottawa-Vancouver game as totally winnable but you guys this game is totally winnable.

Get into it: 

Welcome!

Can you believe this rain today! Holy macaroni art! MOVING! ON!

Ladies, this team is CONFUSING! Am. I. Rite. Ladies?
Uhhhhhhhhhhh…I guess Ottawa has a good chance at winning this one because Washington is pretty good? There’s been precious little in the way of a pattern emerging on the season though I guess it could be argued that the Sens have tended to bring it a little harder against quality opponents.
Down side: Getting fed by teams like the frigging Hurricanes.
Tonight projects to be a Showdown at the .500ish Coral with two teams that have no problem putting the puck in the net and I’m just going to assume the Caps D also stinks ( iGRACIAS POR LEER!) and relies on a hot goaltender to keep their heads above water.
Luckily for the Senators Paul MacLean will allow Spezza to play with Zibanejad and Michalek on his wings for another game. With a little time I think this trio can start racking up some points and we could actually have TWO lines! No promises! Just glad to see the captain get a little time with linemates. Comes the games, comes the chemistry!
Oh good Alexander Ovechkin is on pace for 73 goals. Key to victoriousness: Cover him.
World’s greatest Sex Machine Clarke MacArthur has 5 points in his last 4 games and has climbed into the team’s top 5 in points. Man, if he can start getting goals on the regular? Dayum! I know it’s been a weird season so far but there’s some stuff you have to love about this team. The MacArthur – Turris – Ryan line.

A Thought on Defense
Uh oh…really painted myself into a corner with that heading…mmmmm….uhh…thought…thouuuuught….c’mon James…Oh, I know:

Tonight’s Starting Goaltenderrrr: EMOTIONS! 
Craig Anderson will square off tonight against anti fighting advocate Braden Holtby. Paul MacLean is trying to avoid a goaltending controversy by continuously deferring to Andy,  which I get, but it is starting to get kind of weird because of the team’s overall performance and constant back to backs he is switching back and forth between his two netminders every other game. One thing is clear, the team’s gotta play better in front of Anderson. This isn’t to let Andy off the hook either, he’s gotta play better behind the team too.
I hate to say it but I feel like the team doesn’t trust Anderson as much as Lehner right now. Or maybe Andy can’t save the team’s bacon as consistently as Lehnny. Regardless, we’ve been over how the lack of defense is what is killing any momentum surrounding the team. As such, for Ottawa to have a chance of winning the goaltender pretty much has to allow the team to get away with some complete bullshit.
No better example of what’s been going wrong than Heatley’s goal (his league leading 4th of the season) in the last game Anderson played against the Wild. Karlsson weak as a newborn chinchilla on the play but hot mess that does not excuse Andy from letting the puck trickle through the wickets slower than Heater backchecks. Defense falters, goaltender falters, Back status: Broken. Unrealistically good goaltending saved Ottawa’s season last year. Feels ridiculous to say it but they need a good stretch of it to get this thing back on track.

HEYYYYYYYY Colin Greening as Zero Points in 18 Games Which Is Funny Because That’s The Exact Amount of Games It Took Mike Hoffman To Score 24 Points. 
As a fan of Erik Condra, I know full well that a player’s value isn’t necessarily predicated on the amount of points they score or even hitting wide open nets. I still feel it also important to note, however, that THERE IS SOME VALUE BASED ON HOW MANY POINTS YOU SCORE.
Fresh off a new contract, guy is about to go a quarter season without a point. OOF. Speaking of value I know Murray’s been shopping Greening and likely doesn’t want him in the pressbox but goddamn in Milburyless world it’s not like you can hide a player behind stats that bad. It’s frustrating as a fan to know that there is a guy who is clearly Sriracha hot right now AND plays the same position just sitting there in the minors. It’s not like Greening is a top six player (at least not this game) give a guy who’s tearing up the AHL a chance and let CG check it out from upstairs. I don’t know, I’m just a garbage man from Garbage Island, I don’t know garbage about garbage. Now go out there Colin Greening and HAVE SOME FUN! HAHAHAAAA…fun…..but seriously score a fucking goal.

Knews and Knotes: 
Mark Borowiecki has been practicing but will sit out tonight’s game after receiving the dirtiest hit I’ve seen this season from SUPERSTAR winger and Olympic hopeful, Kevin Westgarth (0G, 0A).
Counting the game he was knocked out of, should Borowiecki miss an additional game he will miss more time than Westgarth will on his two game suspension.
I know it’s old hat to talk about this stuff but this league needs to seriously step it up suspension wise before someone gets paralyzed or worse. It’s not because Boro plays for Ottawa either. It could have been Claude Lemieux of all people getting hit and I’d feel the same way. There’s no place for a hit like that and everyone knows it. It’s not going to change the game for the worse to make players think twice about hitting a guy in such a vulnerable spot. LET’S PUT OUR GOOD CANADIAN BOYS AT RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY BECAUSE JUST WIN BABY. PLAYERS KNOW WHEN THEY STEP ON THE ICE THAT THEY’LL BE CHECKED HEAD AND NECK FIRST INTO THE BOARDS WHEN THEY ARE ON ALL FOURS AND EVERYTHINK LIKE THAT LET’S GOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! Two games does not send enough of a message. Get well soon, Borocop.

ENJOY THE GAME! 

WELCOME 2 ALL  that haven’t given up on the team!

Coming off another shart of an effort against the POWERHOUSE Columbus Blue Jackets, Ottawa heads off to the friendly confines of whatever soulless name of the arena the Flyers play in is…I’m going to guess…mmm.. Tushies.com Wet Wipes Centre.
As I’ve brought up before, the vibe surrounding the team is…grim.

When the NHL schedule was released and I saw that the Sens would start the majority of October not only on the road but on a Western swing I thought it was weird but that it could be worse. I don’t know if you noticed but Ottawa tends to do terribly on these trips.
I figured, “Might as well get it out of the way, work some kinks out away from home.” Well, much of the trip was admittedly ugly and it was under far more scrutiny than usual as they were the first games of this much anticipated season but I thought returning with a .500 record was actually likely a better result than they’d typically come back with.
When the team returned to the Acadian Tires Arena, I looked ahead on the schedule to see what games I might get tickets to and was alarmed to find out that the Senators would have matinee games every weekend they were home in November and well into December. “But James,” you might rudely cut in, “Aren’t a lot of those games against bottom feeder teams?”
Well, first off do not look me in the eyes..EVER, Secondly you are forbidden from addressing me by my Government Name and third, it doesn’t matter if the team is bad, Dear Reader, as, if you thought the Senators are bad on Western road trips you should see them play a matinee game. Am I making excuses? No. These are home games against a bunch of Tomato Can opponents, you have to win those! How you gonna tell me the goddamn Edmonton Oilers are going to travel here and play in the afternoon and steal away a win? The Stars too? Now the BJs? Terrible.
In my view, Ottawa has sharted away 3 of the 6 easier points in November that they will likely want in the Spring time. The loss to the Blue Jackets really punctuated their blown opportunities this season.
Tonight is no exception as an opportunity for victory as Ottawa faces off against the mindbendingly disappointing Philadelphia Flyers. Seriously, you think Ottawa is disappointing you? I can still catch myself talking about the Sens run to the cup final like it wasn’t the same year Celine Dion released her LEGENDARY album Taking Chances (Translation: it was a WHILE ago!). Look at these fucking guys they made the final just 3 seasons ago and in since time have:
– Released a handful of goalies (BTW one of whom is the reining Vezina winner, another merely won the Stanley Cup AND Jennings but at least they only have to pay Ilya Bryzgalov until the year 2020 for less than 100 games of service!),
-Have fired their coach
-Lost their Captain to career ending injury
– Replaced their captain with an exciting young player who is tied for scoring with Mark Borowiecki
– Made idiotic trades (James Van Riemsdyk for Magic Beans Luke Schenn)
– Seen top end prospects flop around (Sean Couturier 0G, 4A in in 19 games)
– Made some clumsy looking FA signings to supposedly core players (I’m looking at you offensive powerhouse Mark Streit – 0 goals, 6 assists AKA Chris Phillips stat line – but at least he’s only signed until he’s 39)
….Oh, and perhaps most important of all…they are spending to the cap while doing it.
I’m not going to throw glass in stone a;dfkljsdf; as some of these very problems have happened to the Senators since their cup run but at least Ottawa struggles as a budget team not yet finished their rebuild. They are actually supposed to be mediocre. Philadelphia are supposed to be contenders….and they are 2 points ahead of Florida.

WOW. Well we’ve had lots and lots and lots and lots of fun so far!

Good News: Robin Lehner is starting
Bad News: UFC 666 Lehner v. Emery Has Been Postponed. 
No disrespect to the rare unicorn that is defeating the Boston Bruins but after a bit of a steamrolling the boys could use the cold unforgiving stability that The Dark One provides in net. Maybe I’m reading too much into this (after promising not to! THANKS FOR READING!) but I’m a little concerned about the team playing differently in front of Lehner than Anderson. We’ve seen it before when the boys don’t trust one goalie as much as the other. But considering that Andy still has a .904 save percentage I think it’s more likely that goaltending isn’t straight up stealing the team wins constantly like it was last year. Still, with only 1 win and a 4.16 goal against average in his past 6 games Anderson is struggling pretty mightily of late. It will be up to Lehner tonight to continue to show the organization and more importantly the team that he is ready to step in and let them get away with all kinds of bologna so they can concentrate on just passing it to Bobby Ryan (key to victory).
Steve Mason starts for Philadelphia and has a .968 save percentage in his last two starts which ..is…nice for him. 

HEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY Colin Greening Has Zero Points In 14 Games! 
Oy vey. But at least he’s only signed for the next three years…starting next year. I’d accept that kind of production from Erik Condra (who’s back and good too!) but bro, you played on the first line a couple years ago! Chip one in here and there huh? I’m not trying to say he belongs up in the top six but this point drought is unacceptable no matter where you play (save for Kassian who plays Fruit Ninja on the bench). I think Murray bought a bit high on Greening after a beastly playoff performance. I don’t know about you Eddy, but I have no clue why this guy hasn’t found himself in Bruce Garrioch’s Twitter Blocking Lounge (Press Box) more.
On the subject of healthy scratches, another owner of a fresh new 3 year deal, Patrick Wiercioch finds himself taking a seat again. Whew. This is getting ugly. Bro looked amazing during preseason and I am ready to hand him the Brandon Bochenski Award for Biggest Preseason Tease! I’ve heard rumours that Bryan Murray is sniffing around for a puck moving defender…which is all kinds of insane considering the team has Erik Karlsson, Patrick Wiercioch and Joe Corvo. Well, that and they have been terrible defensively and would be better served by a puck stopping defenseman. Don’t listen to me though I’m just a garbage man from Garbage Island that’s maaaaade of garbage.
Cory Conacher will get another game on Spezza’s wing tonight. You seriously have to hope he’s going to put one up soon. Murray gave up a starting goaltender for him. You can do it CC!

A note on this Michalek-Havlat Trade Rumor (via RESPECTED NHL INSIDER Donii Brennan): 
I’m a Sens fan, I miss Martin Havlat six ways from Sunday (THATS OVER FIVE WAYS FROM SUNDAY!) but am I alone in thinking that it seems like all kinds of idiotic to say “Let’s get rid of the injury plagued Milan Michalek for Martin Havlat”? Say what you will about Milo’s robot knees but he’s played more than twice the games Havlat has this year.  Also Havlat’s been a healthy scratch this alreadt this season (albeit on a firing on all cylinders Sharks squad), oh and he has another year left on his deal. I think Havlat’s great and all but I would be very surprised to see it go down…stiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiill…wouldn’t kick that trade out of bed as we’ve all seen what Havlat can do…buuuuuuuut…risky as fuck…ugh this thing is a roller coaster of emojis…plus it came from an Ottawa Sun writer so you KNOW it’s only a matter of time until it happens (JJJJJJJJ/////////////////////KKKKKKK)…thoughts?

What Reason are you going to tell us that this game is important THIS time James? 
Again, with the looking into my eyes and referring to me by my Government Name. Anyway, it’s important because even though Ottawa got a couple of monkeys off the old back both in beating Tim Thomas as well as beating the Boston Bruins but the fact remains that they’ve put up two of their worst games of the month in the past week. That’s a balance I think we’d all like to see stop A$AP. With a game tomorrow against Minnesota (Exciting news: Dany Heatley will have his number retired by the Wild this year … wait ‘retiring your number’ is when they team buys you out right?) and another back to back against Detroit and Carolina on the weekend, Ottawa could use two points of padding as well as some confidence going into a tough situation.  I think Lehner gives the team a great chance to win but again, he’s not the one who needs to improve.

WIN THIS ONE FOR THE BACK TO BACK BACK TO BACKS! GO SENS! 

That Bear slipped in some butterscotch…or no wait I guess it slipped on some ice…not as funny but you come to this website for the straight facts and that’s what we’re going to give you…anyway, what am I talking about oh right, hockey sports!

Hi everyone,

Well, first off, thank The Creationistor that there was a three day layoff in between a humiliating loss to the Flyers and tonight’s tilt against the Bruins. That way we each and every last one of us had time to come together in the brother and sisterhood of friends and freak the fuck out over everything to do with the team. It has been, to quote Satan His/Herself, “A whirl of wind.”
Is it just me or has the vibe surrounding this season been AMC’s The Killing Season 2 level dark? As a person who follows hockey as an escape from the day in day out ratking eat ratking daily flogging where you just wish Flanders was dead this has been a less than fun opening quarter. Things were looking up, Ottawa hadn’t actually had a regulation loss yet in the month of November then one blowout loss (that was admittedly a complete chore to watch) and…
– Spezza is a failure.
– Anderson is garbage.
– Let’s hold something Jared Cowen cares about for ranson until he plays better
– Coaching is all wrong.
– Team needs to make an emergency trade.
– No one goes to games.
– It places the lotion into the basket

THIS:

Maybe this is my shit. Maybe it’s all me and I just (definitely) spend too much time on Twitter. Look baby I can change my garbagy ways (I totally cannot by the way so ladies/human beings, form a line).
That loss was awful. This season isn’t going quite according to plan and maybe it’s the Alfie departure talking but do things really seem THAT fucked? Where people are calling for the Jack Adams winning coach’s head?
Spezza’s possession numbers are very very bad but lucky the fans who’s struggling captain has 16 points in 17 games while he figures his shit out! I mean think about it. Philadelphia captain Claude Giroux scored just his first goal OF THE SEASON less than a week ago. And he’s getting paid more than Spezza and is signed until the year 2058. Could we even stomach something like that? Not to make excuses…actually whatever, making excuses a little bit, I think Spezza is playing hurt. As an die hard Ottawa Senators fan, I feel I have a lot of experience watching him play hurt. A groin injury is one of those annoyingly perfect injuries to frustrate everyone. You can stretch it out enough between games that you are fit enough to play…but you probably shouldnt cuz that thing is going to mess your game up two shifts in and as we all know a Spezza who must cut corners is the most annoying Spezza of all. I kind of just wish he’d sit a couple and not be a hero. Turris is already holding it DI-DOWN as top centre…take a load off. Let someone else turn the puck over for a few games and get well soon!
Here’s what I’m saying, Ottawa just played probably it’s worst game of the season, but honestly, the team is not an unmitigated disaster.
Here’s some good: 
– They are producing quite well offensively
– They have a 2nd line that is clicking to the point that they are now the 1st line
– They have one of the better penalty kills in the league (handy for all the penalties they take!)
– They are getting .900+ goaltending from both goalies (one of whom has been straight up outstanding..it’s a secret which one it is!)
– Karlsson’s career did not end praise be to The Lion of Judah for He makes all things possible. He’s looking faster and faster each game. The more he heals the more he can break open games.
– Despite struggling mightily out of the gate the team is still sitting at .500
Here’s what’s bad: 
– Despite uncharacteristically good goal production I am not kidding the power play looks like a goddamn penalty kill most of the time. I’m no Rt. Hon. William Lyon Mackenzie Hockeycoachingskillz but that is ri-goddamn-diculous.
– The defense has been killing this team’s chances a lot of nights.
– Oy with these LINE COMBINATIONS can we not give guys more than a shift to try and gel?
– The team is .500 and they are better than that.

In short, the defense as a unit, an inept power play and a lack of chemistry have been what’s ailing the team. This is not unfixable. Hey I’m confused too. This was a defensively strong team less than a year ago and now its a defensively weak team. Part of me thinks the drop off is because this is actually NOT the team we saw last year and it is still learning to play together. I’m not ready to pack it in. Look at the standings. There are teams that are for REAL-real at the “fire the entire coaching staff, fire the GM, oh uh we are Infinity years deep into our rebuild and we are still in last so I know let’s look at trading a player that we just tanked an entire season to pick 1st overall LESS THAN 17 MONTHS AGO” level of fucked. Ottawa is not that. They got their asses deservedly kicked because they put up an uninspired effort…That was a full team loss and there’s no specific person to blame nor is there one miracle move Bryan Murray could make to cure that.
James?
Yes, dear?
Could you shut the Christ up and move on?
Sounds great!

HEYYYYY Michael Zibanderhands is on the fourth line b/c “<insert literally any word here> probs” 
I actually quite like Derek Grant. He’s been a quietly solid player for Ottawa and a  valuable penalty killer. Matt Kassian is a human man who is paid to occasionally play the coolest sport on wheels, NHL hockey(.com)…Hmmmm, we have a goon and penalty killing call up…you know what this line could use? A sixth overall pick who has put up good numbers this season. This preview has been all about venting THANKS FOR READING! I honest to God I hope this line gets one shift and that Spezza gets to play with Zibanejad for I don’t know, how abouuuut MORE THAN 5 MINUTES? Like I said earlier I think Spezza’s in rough shape right now and if you’re not going to break ups the 16-7-9 line *wipes forehead in relief* can you at least give him the big, strong, fast guy with a great shot who’s actually scored some goals this year? Asking for a ghost. Maybe this punishment stuff will work on him? Like when he was returned from Bingo and put up points immediately. And it is punnishment, let’s not pretend having to play with Kassian while trying to work your way back into the top six isn’t.

Craig Anderson is getting the start.
I see what MacLean is doing here. He doesn’t want to break Anderson’s brain after what happened on Tuesday. I’m not saying I’m into it…I get it. Weird after Lehner got nearly every game against Boston last season. But the coach feels the need to through him to into the Bear filled pool rather than give him the Sunday game against Columbus. Let’s hope the Bruins don’t know about wrap arounds! Don’t worry they wont try that, that would be way too interesting to watch and interesting ain’t Beantown’s game.
No word on who Boston is starting. Chad Johnson (broiest name ever?) was in net last night for the Brewins so that might mean that we see Ttuukkaa Rraasskk tonight…which doesn’t really matter seeing as Claude Julien makes his whole frigging team play like the goalie anyway.
Boston is just the perfect team for Ottawa to play coming off of a game where they were shut out (SARCASM!). On a more positive note if they can beat Boston that would probably be their biggest victory since their win over Detroit back in what feels like the early 1700’s now.

So we’ve had lots and lots and lots and lots of fun together on this #Friday game preview! If Ottawa has any chance of winning this (or any other) game, the D is really going to have to get its bologna 2-geth-r. My guess is MacLean is going to have the team tighten up and hang back while Boston tightens up and hangs back…SHOULD BE A BARRRRRRRNNNNNNNN BURNERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

WTYKY Mic’d Up to Robin Lehner’s Mind:

Win this one for Deaner!

Hi everyone

I have an announcement to make:
For the first time in my 56 years as an Ottawa Senators fan a goaltending controversy is abrewin and I am…really excited about it.
Before I get into why, let me preface this by saying, I think emotions are a little heightened surrounding this whole storyline as, yes, Robin Lehner has just won three games in a row and has looked superb in those wins, but two were against bottom dwelling teams (Columbus, Florida City) and one respectable team in Montreal (hand wanking motion).
Have I thought that Lehner has looked better than Anderson has this year? Yeah, I have. Still, it is so early….so goddamn early in the season. What if Anderson won his next 3 straight starts? After all he’s already won 3 straight starts this season (a string against Phoenix, New Jersey and Detroit last month). Oh, but that’s exactly what’s exciting about it. To say that less than one and a half months and fewer than 20 games of hockey has warranted a full blown goalie controversy is pretty excessive to me. Will that stop it from happening? From what I can tell on the Sensphere today, the wheels are in motion my friends and I actually welcome it.
Unlike Senators goaltending controversies of years past, this one features TWO REALLY GOOD GOALTENDERS! Nothing wrong with a little healthy competition. Anderson is getting the start tonight, he plays out of his mind the next little while and solidifies his position as no.1 starter fine with me. Lehner continues to shine in his opportunities and steals Andy’s job? Also works for me! As for the calls to trade Anderson, I wouldn’t count on it any time soon. I think Anderson’s recent injury, to say nothing of his injury last year that caused him to miss 18 games, does little more than legitimize the need to have two very good goaltenders. Especially if you have a team as prone to giving up shots as the Senators are this year. I mean we were just one successful Brendan (has anyone named their kid Brandon in the past 20 years btw) Gallagher goalie run away form Nathan Lawson starting in net for a team that can give up up to 50 shots to the New York Islanders.
I believe that Lehner is the future netminder of the organization but I believe for the time being the organization needs to take advantage of getting their two awesome goaltenders to duel over who is more awesome. Hoping Craig Anderson can start making it interesting tonight.

OH GOOOOOOOOOD Everyone’s Favorite Hockey Player Steve Downie Is Back! 
Steven Aloysius Downie (.com) first captured the imagination of hockey fans everywhere when he led the OHL in number of teammate’s teeth knocked out after crosschecking an unsuspecting Akim Aliu who, again, was on his motherfucking team, in the face. Oh but that was during a practice. Not a game! Not a game. We sittin here talkin about practice. After making the All Mandatory Professional Counselling team, Downie showed what he was saving for a real PRE-SEASON game where he tried to give Dean McAmmond brain damage with a brutal hit to the head that knocked him unconscious, again, IN A FUCKING PRESEASON GAME. Downie’s heart and soul earned him the NHL’s prestigious L’il Sociopath Achievement Award which includes a 20 game suspension!
Listen, I want to keep going on this rant but his accomplishments would take up too much of this preview and I am just so excited to talk about what Steve Downie’s return could mean for Ottawa’s star player’s unsuspecting heads! There have been rumors that Downie has softened over the past couple of seasons. There is evidence to support this alarming trend in his game. Downie’s last suspension was only a pathetic one gamer, his last fine a measly $2,500! What’s worse is his torrid scoring streak of late (1G, 6A) does nothing but perpetuate his new identity as a finesse player. His 7 points are good for 4th on the Flyers (his fourth team in 6 seasons always a sign of a quality guy). Coming in HOTTT and straight into the fire of Philly’s scoring race, Downie sits jsut one point back from captain Claude Giroux and perennial All Star Vincent Lecavalier’s team leading 8 points, If Downie could apply his LEGENDARY focus he could potentially surpass Giroux and perhaps usurp his Olympic roster spot. One thing is for sure, Karma is on his side! Sorry that was all just a big set up to point out that the team lead for scoring on the Flyers is three way tie for 8 points. By the By, Kyle Turris has 9 points in his last 6 games because Salary Cap.

God, what else?
I still think Ottawa has only had a few truly dominant looking wins so far this year. I went to the Panthers game on the weekend…little more tentative a win than I’d have like to have seen against not just the Florida Panthers but the Florida Panthers that just sacked their entire coaching staff. Still a win’s a win and a win against Tim Thomas is the greatest love of all. Not so easy without Boston’s defense holding off all that socialized healthcare now eh Timmy?
Tonight’s a big game for Ottawa’s defense. With power play specialist / bottom pairing defenseman (normal hockey stuff) Chris Phillips sidelined with an undisclosed injury. Joe Corvo will draw into the lineup. After a benching in Saturday’s game Erik Karlsson will have a bit to prove to the coach in regard to his play in Ottawa’s zone. You’re not going to meet a bigger fan of EK than me and rescue dogs but his shift that lead to one of Florida’s goals was a real stinker. I acutally think Karlsson can defend quite well but so far this season he’s really lacked in that area. Anyway, I don’t mind Erik Karlsson with something to prove. Hoping for more solid play from call up Mark Borowiecki, who is also tied in scoring with Claude Giroux, who will see more time on the second pairing with Marc Methot.
Other welcome news is that Jason Spezza will start the game between Milan Michalek and Cory Conacher who both aren’t Chris Neil, which is nice. Also nice is that Flyers coach Craig Berube will likely mistake the Spezza line for the Sens top line and match his best players up against it. Would really love to see Conacher get a goal tonight! He’s been a good soldier so far this season and I hope he can take advantage of some increased ice time.
All joking aside the Flyers should not be taken lightly. As a cap team they have a number of quality players in their lineup and it could come together at any moment. What’s that? UGH, just when I type “all joking aside” I learn that Steve Mason is starting. That’s it, I can’t go on. Enjoy the game everyone…and seriously boys…beat the GD Flyers huh?

“HAAY Bill, The Sens gotta get the BATS goin’…HAAY BILL, if you were the Habs…and you were made of garbage…would you defeat yourself?”

Look, I don’t want to be rude but I have to make this quick….I have to rendez-vous with Mayor Jim Watson in few minutes to sell him the reasonable sized bag of yogurt covered raisins I picked him up from Bulk Barn on the sly. I’ll admit that I’m helping enable one of the Mayor’s worst habits but if I feel that if I can help keep his excellency’s cravings for his favorite relatively low calorie fix under control then he can continue focusing on what’s important: Working toward extending light rail transit to the Canadian Tire Centre in time for the 2048-2049 preseason when the Seattle Senators play an exhibition game against the Burlington Maple Leafs 2.

You know what’s an overlooked story line about the MacArthur – Turris – Ryan line? That I am very much in love with it.
These guys have been like Snowbirds out there…and not the kind that keep the Florida Panthers from folding. The last game featured a great goal from Clarke MacArthur on a glamorous feed from Robert Ryan to put Ottawa up by two and that, of course, makes the highlight reel. One thing that stuck with me though was how many chances Kyle Turris just narrowly missed (not a bad thing btw). Off the top of my head I can remember 3 or 4 instances where a matter of inches could have given Turry a goal or two. I thought Turris was good in Ottawa’s zone as well. And Bubby you don’t KNOW from this Bobby Ryan! The kid has such a deceptive release and he seems to be able to at least get the puck on net despite pressure, traffic or position in the offensive zone. No wonder he has nearly 10 goals already. MacArthur’s possession skills and Turris and Ryan’s ability to both shoot and make plays must make this line a nightmare to defend. Great to see these guys firing on all cylinders. Ottawa will need them to remain the team’s offensive engine tonight against Montreal, a team who may have trouble getting things off the top of the refrigerator but doesn’t have much difficulty finding the back of the net (which has a clearance of 4 feet).

They’ll be lots of PP time for PK and EK…I am…so sorry about that.
No one is enjoying the delicious taste of yogurt covered raisins more than me when it comes to this Michel Therrien / PK Subban beef….well maybe one guy is but still I’M ENJOYING IT. I don’t think, however, that it’s grounds to dismiss the reigning Norris Borrower Subban. Bob MacKenzie pointed out that it should be noted when talking about Subban’s benching for the final four minutes of a game the other nigh, that it was following a power play that he was out for over 1 minute and 50 seconds of. I don’t know who you are Eddie, but I actually think Therrien is smart for putting Subban out there for what he’s good at and benching him for an crucial stretch of the game. Let’s hope he goes back to the Therrien we know and laugh at.
The timing of this game is very exciting as the big story going into the playoff series between these two teams was the showdown of PK and EK. Problem was, Sens fans knew Karlsson was a shell of his regular self upon returning from months off recovering from a severe injury. This makes tonight kind of awesome because Habs fans (known for their measured approach to analysing the game) are under the impression Karlsson sucks. This makes sense because
1. Stuff like this:

2. Montreal STILL lost.
3. Hi Haters.
In the past two games Ottawa’s played, Karlsson has looked noticeably quicker and more comfortable. I think it sounds like a great time to play a game where he has something to prove.
These are both dynamic offensive defensemen who will be one of the most enjoyable parts of this rivalry to watch over the next couple of years before Subban becomes a UFA and gets the hell out of Montreal.

OHHH SNAAAP, Kassian and Parros Might Fight Because WHO GIVES A SHIT!
I’m not even firing up the fighting debate here. It’s more that this keeps getting talked about like it’s a major element of the game. It will happen and not be important. I mean the fact that it’s guaranteed to happen makes it unimportant to the game in my book. Regardless, tonight we will bare witness to the next chapter in Matt Kassian and George Parros’ LEGENDARY blood feud over the Gryba/Eller hit! Who will emerge the victor? The guy who wasn’t involved with the hit or the guy who wasn’t on the team at the time?
IT”S GUNNA BE A FORCED FEELING BARN BURNER!!!

Now to say some positive things about tough guys…
As I’ve mentioned a couple of times already, it’s only been 2 games but Mark Borowiecki has been exactly the type of player Ottawa’s needed on the back end since his call up. Bringing equal parts GOODOTTAWABOYOCITY and GIVEAFUCKTOITIVENESS to the lineup. Seriously though, he played another solid game making simple but smart plays and bullying the Bluejackets without sacrificing positioning or taking lazy penalies. Again, exactly what the Sens defense needed. Though he is apparently waiver exempt sending the struggling Cowen down to the minors to find his game seems very unllikely (and frankly a bit much) but considering that for the second straight game Milan Michalek and Hood Pope Cory Conacher will find themselves on the 3rd and 4th lines if he doesn’t improve drastically I think we could see Jared toiling on the bottom pairing while Borowiecki racks up top 4 minutes. I think some healthy competition from Boro could do Cowen good well good whatever fuck.
We’ve been really hard on Chris Neil because poorly timed penalties will be poorly timed penalties! Anyway, I must say, Neil’s goal was an absolute snipe show. Good to see. Not sure how I feelabout him taking feeds from Spezza  (j/k I am sure of how I feel) but it was a really important goal. I don’t think he’s a useless player or anything but he has been really running around so far. He had his shit way more together (and that’s considering he fought TWICE) on Tuesday and I applaud him for it.

SMANG EM!
Key to Victory: Smang em (Smash em and Bang em). They may have added a bit of not very skilled size this off season by picking up Parros but with actual decent player Brandon Prust not dressing tonight these are still very much Les Petites Canadiens. I’m hoping the Sens can wear em down without being dirty about it.

More Information on Smanging found here: 

Ugh, I need to take a shower now

Carey Price gets the start against Robin Lehner (who is apparently really getting to rituals involving poisonous snakes now).

Win it for Pageau!

Yeah, you know what? That thing doesn’t look half bad to have in your life.

Remember Snuggies? Yeah whatever, that woman actually looks like she’s enjoying life more than me so who am I to say anything about anything, moving on.

Thoughts are with our old buddy and Civil War Reinactor extraordinaire  Nick Foligno as he tends to a serious family matter tonight and will not play.

Hi everyone!

Like the late great rap singer T.I. (which stands for Thermodynamic Integration) once wrapped (sic), “What chu know about 5 game winless streaks?” and then, and then, and then he was all, “I know all about thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat” and then I was all, “He’s rap singing what we’re all thinkin’!”
Today we are all Thermodynamic Integration. In the past few weeks we Ottawa Senators fans have been witness to a variety of losses:
– Squeakers (Anaheim)
– Arse whoopings (San Jose)
– Very winnable games where they played pretty well and should have taken it (Dallas)
– Blown leads (Chicago, NY Islanders, Infinity)
– Blown leads in games they didn’t really deserve to win I mean when you give up over 50 shots how in the Christ do you expect to get away with that type of bologna (NY Islanders)

All the kinds! …..I’VE HAD ENOUGH OF THE KINDS YOU COULD SAY!

November is a much, much softer month than the death march that was October. I thought the road to victory would commence at least on Sunday…but thanks to some bad luck on an own goal coupled with the Senators’ TIME HONORED TRADITION of being unable to take and/or hold on to a lead, here we are; five games deep in a winless streak. Can the Senators step up and finally get back in the win column? The answer:
I DON’T KNOW BUT I THINK SO!!! #FEARLESSSSS

Sunday’s game against Dallas had a few things to be happy about. One of them would be Paul MacLean’s psychedelic line combinations stopped tripping balls so much. Tonight’s projected lines from the past couple of practices have been:
Greening – Spezza – Zibanejad
MacArthur – Turris – Ryan
Michalek – Smith – Neil
Kassian – Grant – Conacher

I am actually into these lines…well, with the exception of Kassian playing tonight but we’re not going to get into that…
I haven’t been as low on Milan Michalek as a lot of people out there. He’s no “each player on the second line” but I don’t think he’s been dreadful or anything. But hey, you don’t have 3 points in your last three games without making a few enemies am I right, LADIES?
Michalek on the 3rd line, much like Conacher being bumped to the lower fourth dimension, has intriguing potential. Michalek and Conacher aren’t bottom six players. Maybe the skilled and speedy Cory Conacher can make something happen lining up against Columbus’ fourth line of Sean Collins (?), Michael Chaput (??) and Jared Boll (more or less ?). That trio combines for a total of 15 games experience and zero points this season. The problem that Conacher or Michalek each face is that they are both playing with one pretty good player (Smith, Grant) and one player who to put it politely hasn’t shown much ability with the puck this season (I know Neil has a goal but I’m pretty sure he yelled that puck into the net and has generally been more clumsy with his hands than his usual ‘okay’). Still, that Columbus bottom six…take advantage boys…remember you’re playing to earn your reputations back!

Jared Cowen, you’ve been playing like shit, welcome to the first pairing! 
Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, the defense pairings look fucked up as ever! Sens are coming off a game where they actually kept the shots against respectable for once so might as well move the pairings around because I apparently know the first thing about coaching.
Cowen – Karlsson
Borowiecki – Methot
Phillips – Gryba
Congratulations go out to Marc Methot. After playing on the first pairing as an integral part of a team that went to the second round of the playoffs and getting an invite to Olympic orientation camp you may make your glorious return to Columbus on a pairing with a guy who’ll be playing his 10th career NHL game tonight! I’m not really having a go at Methot or even Borowiecki for that matter I’m just skeptical that first pairing minutes will solve Jared Cowen’s struggles. I’m just a fisherman from International Waters though, I don’t know nothin’ about nothin’ about nothin’ about nothin’ (about nothin’). Terrifying as the idea of Karlsson – Cowen playing against Marion Gaborik is, I must say, Boro-Methot looks like it could be a tough to play against. As for Phillips-Gryba…umm…manly?

Win it for Andy….and also, if it’s not too much trouble…win it for Lehner as well
Okay, yes, Ottawa will face a backup tonight AS IS CUSTOMARY but c’mon this isn’t Anaheim’s backup Frederik Andersen who is still unbeaten this season and has a very, very realistic .952 save percentage. No, this is Curtis McGoalie. That lovable chimney sweep who we all kind of remember from his LEGENDARY 3-4-0 run in the nation’s capital. He’s been pretty damn good in his 3 games this season stopping 74 of 78 shots but guys……………………c’mon….you can beat Curtis McElhinney right? Please? 
On the other side of the ice we get to see Robin Lehner, who despite only playing 3 minutes on Sunday before going cold into the shootout BUT AT LEAST HE GETS CREDITED FOR THE LOSS, get what could be the first of a few consecutive starts. That Dallas game was a metaphor for the season Lehner’s been having: Spot duty where he’s put in a pretty terrible situation where the team in front of him can’t get it done. Columbus finds themselves in the bottom ten of the league in goals-for which presents Ottawa, who are just outside the top 10, a rare opportunity to outscore an opponent (see what I did there?). The challenge is that the Bluejackets are one of the stingiest teams for allowing goals. Bobrovsky or not, McElhinney has a 1.55 GAA. With 4 players currently operating at a point per game (or better!) pace, the Sens big guns will have a real test on their hands tonight. And I truly think it’s on the forwards and defense to get this thing done. Lehnny’s been going above and beyond to keep a lot of games from being embarrassing this year. Time to do him a favor and win just one…lest The Lehner uppercut the entire team into a pit of spikes fal;sdfkajsc time to go back to reading about the mayor of Toronto saying that using crack cocaine and being publicly intoxicated while in office, “is what it is.”

ENJOY THE CRACK GAME!

FIN.

One of these people has a respectable body of work that stands up today…and QUIT WHILE HE WAS AHEAD…try to guess which.

Hello all you men and women out there who didn’t swan dive off of a bridge after the last game! Glad to still have you! Seriously, I’m worried, the mood on twitter was dark following that one.

Can we talk about that game? I think if Ottawa had taken it we would have celebrated it as one of the most entertaining games of the season and not some on ice death rattle. Is anyone else excited for the Olympics so we can actually cheer Jonathan Toews’ ability to but the contery on his back and take over a game? What we witnessed, I think, was an absolutely elite team that is on a level right now where they can kind of play like trash, get their goalie chased, have a snoot full of a smelling salts (or who knows what mineral!) and be all, “Oh shit, right, we’re down by two…time to score four more and take this thing” AND THAT’S WITH OTTAWA SCORING FIVE! Ugh, remember when Ottawa must have been this frustrating to play against? No? Well, I don’t blame you, it was a long time ago now. Let’s move forward to a comment made yesterday by the coach explaining his weird ass line combos which found Chris “in everyone’s good nay GREAT books lately” Neil on the top line:

“Im trying to get our team ready to play the Islanders and to give ourselves the best chance…” – Paul MacLean

Best chance toooooooooo? OH NOW I GET IT! TRICK OR TREEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT! Good one coach! Great trick…amazing trick.
Okay, treat time: Players, please please please “get to the net” and “shoot to the puck” and “play a physical game” or whatever all the the things that MacLean is asking you to do are so we can go back to the lineup where it’s entertaining hockey to watch. Granted, even with the more logical line combinations the on ice product has been…inelegant as well.
I suppose that’s the greater point that Mac is trying to make, “If you can’t get it done that way, I’ma put your line combinations on top of the fridge where you can’t reach them until you can.”
I don’t even know what I want more, I’m watching a 3 game losing streak as much as any EMOTIONAL HUMAN BEING out there; do I want this Spezza – Neil – <Frozen Dinner> line to score on the first shift of the game or do I want it to be a disaster so the coach is forced to rest his case with this line shuffling psychedelia? Nah mean? We are each and every last one of us (I can’t back this up at all, btw) hoping for that one change Paul MacLean can implement to make this team good again but still…what is the price if Ottawa lights it up the next two games? Oh good, so we get Bobby Ryan this year and please welcome our new first line right winger, Chistobal Neil? Fuck. We’re only 12 games in but I’ll admit this line combo stuff has been a tough pill to swallow.  Curious to see what the Michalek – Smith – Zibanejad line can get going. I’m hoping it’s “win more draws” I mean really that line has two centres on it…Silver lining of course is that actual line of MacArthur – Turris – Ryan is reunited, which is nice.

FUNLEASH THE LEHNER!
How convenient that the day after Robin Lehner can most conceal his blood sacrifice ceremonies under the guise of “All Hallows Eve” that he gets the start. Let’s just drop what we’re doing (unless what you’re doing is operating on someone’s brain or reading this blog or both) so we can talk about Robin Lehner. How poorly has Ottawa played some nights? This guy has a .940 save percentage DESPITE HAVING ZERO WINS. Regardless of our feelings about Anderson’s game right now, Lehner was due for a start and I think if he gets even a modicum of support from the rest of the team he could get it done. Problem’s been that when Lehner’s gotten the start and been sharp the team surrenders 40-50 shots against or he struggles a bit like he did against Edmonton, they make Devin Dubnyk look like a guy who hasn’t been “developing” for almost a decade. Help the bro OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT.
C:\bracket_and_semicolon_resembling_winky_face.exe 
Unfortunately, Evegeni Nabokov gets the start for the Highliners. This isn’t unfortunate because of Nabokov being a particularly intimidating goalie. No, it’s because it deprives us yet again of a follow up to this glorious interaction between Lehner and Islanders backup Kevin Poulin. Sure Lehner took a penalty for it and the Sens were subsequently scored on during the ensuing New York power play eventually losing the game but, you know, celebrate the moments of our lives.
Also, note to Islanders: You’re playing the Ottawa Senators in 2013, it is customary to start your backup against them. Rude.

The scene from Robin Lehner’s compound as a messenger arrives across the River Styx to bring him a goblet of goat’s blood and a scroll with the news of his start.

This Is What Rebuilding Looks Like, Right? No Seriously I Can’t Tell If Either of These Teams Are Still Rebuilding…I Think They Are?….Although…Whatever:
I might have said this a couple of times already this season but: This team is beatable. No, not Ottawa, well, yes Ottawa BUT what I mean is also the Islanders. Sure the Islanders aren’t the picnic they once were but c’mon how long has this team been pretty fucking bad? A couple decades? Cool, you’re in 8th in the East with a losing record turning it around! Let’s take it down a notch for a month or two. Hey, don’t get me wrong I know where Ottawa is at right now. I straight up think, for the third game in a row, that the goaltender is going to have to steal the game to give Ottawa a chance. The Islanders are on the up and up and all but the Sharks they ain’t. As Conrad and I discussed in the 10th hour of the Scotchcast November is the big litmus test month for the Sens they are playing a bunch of home games against a lot of Eastern conference teams. Let’s get this party started and not sharted.

Enjoy the game!

WARM UP JAM: