FIVE QUICK THOUGHTS
-With Philadelphia’s win over Washington in the shootout last night, the Ottawa Senators are officially eliminated from playoff contention. They were out of the running long ago but last night was the final nail in their coffin. When it’s all said and done, this is going to go down as an incredibly frustrating year for the Sens. While they showed flashes of a playoff-caliber team throughout the year, they were just never able to string wins together. Simply put, they just weren’t good enough. With a healthy line up and a couple key changes, I think this team can return to the playoffs as early as next year.
-That hit by Dustin Byfuglien on Mark Stone is pretty much as hard a hit as you’ll ever see (next to maybe that Chris Neil hit on Johnny Boychuk a few years ago). Most hits Byfuglien makes look like that but this one was especially dramatic because Stone was at full speed and really had no idea Byfuglien was there. It’s a clean hit though. Vicious and made with a clear intent to inflict pain but still, within the rules of the game. Byfuglien knew Stone was vulnerable in that situation and he took advantage of it. It was shocking enough to see Mark Stone get up from that hit but the fact that he was actually able to return to the game and then ultimately play one more shift is nothing short of remarkable. Fans were rightfully concerned about the idea of Stone coming back into the game after a hit like that but obviously the team trainers determined that a concussion wasn’t an issue. Not really sure how they could diagnose such a thing so quickly but in general, the Sens have a history of being pretty careful with head injuries so I trust their judgement. After the game, Dave Cameron suggested that Stone will stay in Winnipeg for further observation of what the team was calling a chest injury.
-Another night, another goal for Alex Chiasson. His late season turnaround comes just in time for a guy that up until maybe a couple weeks ago was having a pretty brutal year. Chiasson has scored three times in his last six games, bringing him to eight on the year. Leading up to the deadline, I heard from a couple people that the Senators were shopping Chiasson because they didn’t plan to qualify him this summer. A few goals down the stretch shouldn’t change those plans but from Chiasson’s perspective, it’s nice to end the year on a good note. Especially if he’s looking for a new home this off season.
-Obviously it’s been nothing like last year but I’ve sorta liked Andrew Hammond’s game lately. There were times earlier in the season when I worried a bit about whether or not he could be a capable back-up for the Senators going forward but he has eased those concerns. He looks extremely comfortable in the net and in some ways, looks like a more relaxed goalie this year compared to last. Less movement and square to pucks most of the time. His last six starts in particular, dating back to that win over the Leafs in early March have been especially good. Anderson is expected to start tonight but I’d like to see Hammond get a couple more games down the stretch.
-One of my favourite things to do during this otherwise dreary stretch run has been to keep tabs on the incredible year Francis Perron is having. After a massive regular season, Perron has remained hot in the playoffs, putting up a ridiculous 13 points in a four game sweep. Obviously that Rouyn-Noranda team is stacked and poor Drummondville never had a chance, but those are some ridiculous offensive numbers. Going to be interesting to see how he looks in the next round, against better competition.
