FIVE QUICK THOUGHTS
-It doesn’t really make any sense but I feel this strange sense of relief now that those two Leaf games have passed. They should have been two easy wins but it didn’t work out that way. It never does against those guys and heading into these games, we all feared the worst. Coming away with two of a possible four points isn’t ideal but it’s also not so bad that it derails the playoff push completely. I’m just going to wipe those two games from my memory and focus on the three games that lay ahead.
-It goes without saying, but I will say it anyway obviously- Tuesday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins becomes the biggest of the season. A true must-win. We’ve been training for this game the last month or so but this time it’s for real. The Ottawa Senators are running out of race track and unless they can beat the Penguins in regulation tomorrow night, this miraculous push will come up just short. The Pittsburgh Penguins are reeling right now and if Ottawa can win that game on Tuesday, it’s tough to see how they would recover.
-He may have lost the game but that was a pretty heroic effort from Andrew Hammond. He was the star in the shootout, giving the Senators five chances to win the game but they just couldn’t capitalize. And the massive pad save he made on Phil Kessel in the third period is the reason we can still talk about a playoff push this morning. The first period was probably one of the worst periods Ottawa has played all season and Hammond stood tall to keep his team in the game.
-The playoff scenarios are a tad more complicated now but still not out of the question. All paths to the playoffs begin with a regulation win against the Penguins but the Senators will need a favour or two from the out of town scoreboard during the last week of the season. Ottawa’s remaining schedule includes a home game against the Penguins, then road games in New York and Philadelphia. The Bruins have three road games in Washington, Florida and Tampa Bay. The Penguins play in Ottawa, then home to the Islanders and finish their season in Buffalo. Detroit is home to Carolina then on the road for games in Montreal and Carolina.
-I’m still watching the replay this morning. For the most part, I see the puck miss just wide but then like every third time the video loops I swear I can see the mesh move. I am of course talking about Marc Methot’s chance that would have ended this game in overtime. I am extremely biased on this issue and last night, had myself convinced that the shot went wide. Then I watched it a few times this morning and wasn’t so sure. I mean, it probably missed but it would be nice to have the overhead angle to know for sure.
