FIVE QUICK THOUGHTS
-That loss against Carolina on Saturday night felt like the worst of the season. At the time. Last night’s game at the hands of the Nashville Predators may have actually been worse. Partly because this time, they started the game so well. They let a lead slip away not once but twice. You score five goals against Pekka Rinne and the Preds defence and you should walk away with two points. Dave Cameron and his team have to take a long look in the mirror after this latest debacle. Playoff teams don’t lose games like this.
-At this point, the cries to fix the blueline are louder than ever. And rightfully so. This hockey team is nowhere near good enough defensively and on nights where Anderson are Hammond aren’t stopping 94% of the shots, they are probably going to lose. Just giving up way too many quality chances right now and that has to do with a lack of talent among the six defenceman dressing each night. It’s not just the defenceman’s fault obviously but certainly that’s where the majority of the fingers should be pointed. Problem is, I really don’t know how you fix it. Dressing the six best defenceman on the roster would be a good start.
-The blueline is kind of an easy target after this loss but Craig Anderson certainly needs to be better than he was last night. After really strong performances against the Canadiens and Jets, Anderson turned in a bit of stinker. He was down early on most of the Nashville goals and handed out some uncharacteristically terrible rebounds most of the night. If this team is going to make the playoffs they need Anderson to provide elite level goaltending. He certainly didn’t do that last night.
-The heat has been turned up a little bit on team captain Erik Karlsson the last few games. He’s still the best defenceman on the team and is playing better than any of the other five players but that certainly doesn’t mean he can’t be criticized. Karlsson has set a ridiculous standard for himself the last couple seasons especially during the second half of last season and the reality is, he’s come nowhere close to that standard this season. As thin as the Senators are on the blueline, they really can’t afford to have Karlsson at anything less than 100% effort.
-Nobody wants to hear positives after a loss like that so I’ll try to jam them all into one thought. Zack Smith seems to be finding a bit of a scoring touch, the power play looked good, Cowen was somehow a plus player in this debacle, Karlsson finally got his first of the season, Bobby Ryan looks as good as he has in his time in Ottawa annnnnd Jason Smith gives one hell of a between periods interview.
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Hockey is hockey. It’s an outlet for all of us and as seriously as we all take it at times, it’s just a game. And on a day like today, we are reminded exactly what real life can look like.
Every Remembrance Day, I try to write something meaningful and thoughtful about the brave men and women that have given their lives for our country and every year it doesn’t feel like enough. And that’s because no words I or anyone else can say do justice to the incredibly brave people that put their lives on the line for the freedoms we enjoy today.
All I can really say is, thank you.
Thank you to those that made that ultimate sacrifice in the name of our country and thank you to the men and women that continue to fight. Take a moment today and really think about what it must have been like and what it continues to be like, to risk your life for your country.
Think about those currently in the line of duty and most importantly, take time to remember those that lost their lives.
Remember them.
