FIVE QUICK THOUGHTS
-Well that was terrifying. Actually, it felt a lot like a late season collapse the Senators had last year against the Montreal Canadiens. That one that stopped the Senators’ playoff push in its tracks. A loss last night would have had the same effect. But thankfully this time, the Sens found a way to get the two points. Now let us never speak of that third period again.
-To their credit, the Calgary Flames looked damn good in that third period. Ottawa sat back and tried to protect a lead and the Flames just came at them in waves. All night we heard about how great a comeback team Calgary was and we got to see it first hand. Although a lot of this comeback is on Cameron and the Senators. Sitting back the way they did is a recipe for disaster.
-And actually, so is sitting two of your six defenceman for most of the third period. Not really sure what the Wiercioch-Ceci pairing did that Cameron didn’t like but they didn’t see much ice in the final twenty minutes. Karlsson mentioned it in his post game interview that fatigue was a factor in that third period. Rolling four defenceman may have had something to do with that fatigue.
-Annnnyway, the Sens won. And at this stage of the season, with every point so important, that’s all that really matters. The Senators now sit five points back of the Bruins with a game in hand. Oh and the two teams go head to head on Tuesday night at the Canadian Tire Centre. I know I said the last two games were the biggest games of the year but that game is DEFINITELY the biggest game of the year.
-I’m sensing two days of “who should start debate?” coming up so I better get my opinion in while I can. You have to go back to Craig Anderson on Tuesday night. Really didn’t think he had much of a chance on any of those third period goals and actually, if not for a couple stops, maybe they end up losing that game in regulation. Anderson was quite good through 40 minutes and like the rest of the team, was completely under siege in the third period. He’s your number one and you go back to him in the biggest game of the year.
