FIVE QUICK THOUGHTS
-A tale of two games really. The Ottawa Senators looked like they were in control of this one through the first 30 minutes. They were up 3-1 and really seemed to be carrying over a lot of the positives from Saturday night against Montreal. And then with a two goal lead, the wheels completely fell off. It was partly self-inflicted and partly because the Minnesota Wild simply woke up but the game was pretty one-sided the rest of the way. Five unanswered goals by the Wild and a tough loss in front of less than 14,000 fans at the Canadian Tire Centre. The loss combined with Boston’s win over Buffalo means the Senators now sit ten points out of a playoff spot and 29th overall in the NHL.
-In the first real game post-#MelnykOut, the announced attendance was 13,804. Probably would have been close to that even if Melnyk didn’t run his mouth this past weekend but obviously fans weren’t especially inspired by the Owner’s threats. Attendance will probably hover around there most of the way and the organization will really feel the impact of his comments when it comes time for season ticket renewals. While I believe Melnyk’s fate as owner is all but sealed, a dramatic decrease in revenues could result in a dramatic sell off of players at some point. If the NHL is truly interested in making it work in Ottawa and helping this team ultimately get to LeBreton Flats, they should probably find a way to expedite the inevitable.
-Would be interested to know more about the nature of the injury Dion Phaneuf is dealing with right now. Earlier in the season, Guy Boucher let it slip that it had some sort of lingering back issue and watching him skate, it’s pretty clear that he’s not at 100%. Phaneuf obviously isn’t the fleetest of foot even in good health but it’s on another level right now. There are shifts where he can barley take a stride. Wonder if the team would consider shutting him down for a little bit to see if it gets any better. And if he’s not hurt? Well then god help us all.
-It started with a one-timer goal against the New York Rangers last week and it has sort of snow-balled from there. Bobby Ryan’s finger is clearly starting to feel better and as a result, he just looks like a more confident player. Engaged physically and more comfortable with the puck on his stick. We may not be there just yet but there are signs that “Playoff Bobby” made be ready to make a reappearance. Ryan actually got off to a good start this year but his latest finger injury really threw him off. He’s finally starting to get his game back on track.
-At this point, I really only have myself to blame for being surprised when a potential goalie interference call goes a way other than what I expect. It’s been that way for years in the NHL and it’s only getting worse. It’s honestly a flip of the coin every time. That fifth Minnesota goal seemed like such an easy call to make. Player goes into the crease on his own, makes contact with the goalie and uses his stick to obstruct the pad for good measure. No idea what they could possibly be looking for on the video review that they didn’t see on that replay.
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