FIVE QUICK THOUGHTS
-Started the game with a serious case of ceremony-legs. Pushed back in the second half of the opening period. Still pretty flat the rest of the game. Seemingly lost every single 50/50 puck battle. And made a mistake in the overtime. That right there is the recipe for an overtime loss in late December. Learn from it but also forget about it and move on to the next one.
-Not a whole lot else to say about last night’s overtime loss to the Red Wings except that the Brassard/Stone combination looked fantastic. They started with Tom Pyatt on the left side but as predicted, Mike Hoffman moved up there as the night wore on. Regardless of who was with them, they were by far Ottawa’s best line on the night. Brassard is really starting to heat up after a bit of a slow start which is great to see.
-Uh Mr. Boucher- can we please talk about the 5 on 3? Perhaps more than any other part of Ottawa’s game, the 5 on 3 approach has just showed zero progress from the start of the season. The opportunities to play up two are pretty rare and it’s important to make the most of them. The Senators certainly haven’t been able to do that so far this year and last night’s unsuccessful 5 on 3 felt like a chance to put this game in the win column. It seems to always be the same issues too- no movement, predictable passing and nobody on the ice really sure what the plan is. Perhaps this part of the game is at the end of Boucher’s To Do list.
-Couple thoughts on last night’s ceremony. First off, full credit to the Ottawa Senators organization for a perfectly fitting tribute to the best player in franchise history. From the video montages, to the song choices, to the collection of speakers- everything was just perfect. The ceremony had this real “Ottawa” feeling to it and a sort of humbleness fitting for a player and person like Daniel Alfredsson. Both Henric Alfredsson and Wade Redden did a terrific job with their speeches in what was clearly a less than comfortable situation for both of them. Pretty hard not to get emotional watching Daniel Alfredsson’s father Hasse wiping tears from his eyes during that first ovation. The whole thing was just first class all the way. Well done Ottawa Senators and well done to the fans in attendance.
-Re-watching the ceremony after getting home last night, I started thinking about the emotions I was feeling during last night’s festivities. And honestly, it’s sort of difficult to put into words. As a sports fan, it was as unique an experience as I’ve ever been a part of. To watch a player’s entire career, watch the legend grow and then watch his number rise to the rafters of a building where you’ve spent so many memorable moments over the years is just…incredible. The chills I felt watching the banner slowly lift off the ice and to it’s rightful place in history is something I will never forget. A once in a lifetime sort of thing. But at the same time, there was this profound sense of sadness. Realizing that with last night’s ceremony, I was officially closing that chapter of my time as a fan of the Ottawa Senators. A time when I was younger and at times lived a life that completely revolved around Sens hockey. No job, no kid, no responsibilities. A time when I cared way too much about a game. When I shed tears after devastating playoff defeats and celebrated victories like they were my own. I’ll always be a fan of the Ottawa Senators. But as I walked out of the building last night, I took one last glance at the banner, and realized it will never be quite the same.
Boucher’s Post-Game Comments
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