Nine months ago. About 264 days.
That’s how long it has been since the last time the Senators played a game in Pittsburgh.
Viktor Stalberg reached for a loose puck on the D to D pass. Had he knocked that puck down, he was probably gone. He got a good piece of it too but the puck carried on to Justin Schultz. From there it went to Sidney Crosby in the corner. Chris Wideman did his best to stay with him but Crosby created space with a quick cut-back and found a wide open Penguin in the slot. Chris Kunitz. Chris fucking Kunitz.
The shot knuckled off his stick, maybe hit Jean Gabriel Pageau on the way and ultimately found a way just under the bar and over Craig Anderson’s shoulder. With that seemingly harmless play, a dream playoff came to a devastating end.
And pretty much everything since then has been a nightmare.
28 games to go.
Tonight, the Ottawa Senators take on the Pittsburgh Penguins in a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Final.
The Senators were on the ice for practice yesterday and according to those in attendance, it was an unusually tough one. Just in time, Guy.
Boucher was not happy with his team’s effort on Saturday night against the Leafs and he let them know it by making them do push ups or something. That should get them right back on track.
Gabriel Dumont and Nate Thompson were both on the ice for practice but neither are expected to play. And I really have no idea how I’m supposed to feel about that. Max McCormick was recalled from Belleville late yesterday.
Hoffman-Duchene-White
Smith-Brassard-Stone
Dzingel-Pageau-Pyatt
Paajarvi-DiDomenico-McCormick
Oduya-Karlsson
Phaneuf-Ceci
Borowiecki-Chabot
Mike Condon gets the start in goal. The game should end around 9:30 PM.