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The end is near

Don Brennan — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:48:56 +0000

PITTSBURGH – It’s cool and cloudy. Not very summer-like.
Still, it feels like the Senators season is coming to a close.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are just too strong. Too experienced. Too deep. And they want a break before the conference finals.
“It’s a must win every game in the series,” Kris Letang said this morning. “Tonight is a must win for us. We don’t want to give them any life, to get back in the series. So we’ve got to bring our best game.”
If they needed any extra motivation, the Penguins are 0-6 when trying to close out a series at home.
They’ll be out to change that this evening.
“We haven’t won one at home,” said coach Dan Bylsma. “We’ve had an opportunity to close out on the road (in the past) and taken that opportunity. It’s a situation right now where we feel like we have three wins and we don’t necessarily feel like they’ve come easy. We’ve played our best road game and maybe our best game and lost in Ottawa, in Game 3. So we bounced back and won a tough game in Ottawa in Game 4, and now we’re coming home with an opportunity. I think our team knows exactly how important to get this opportunity is, to get the fourth win and try to do that right here as soon as possible, and not look at his as being three more games. We have one game right in front of us, and it’s important to have that mentality and mindset for us tonight.”

Leaving no Stone unturned

Don Brennan — Wed, 22 May 2013 17:59:33 +0000

Paul MacLean is playing a hunch by suiting up Mark Stone for Wednesday’s crucial Game 4 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
A hunch that Stone can step in and help offensively like he did when he was parachuted into the Senators-Rangers first-round matchup last spring.
You’ll remember that Stone’s first NHL game was the fifth of the series against the Rangers. The Senator won it 2-0, with Stone setting up Jason Spezza for the game winner and Spezza adding a an empty netter to seal the matter.
It would be the last game the Senators would win.
Stone didn’t play Games 6 and 7 of the series, as MacLean inserted Jakob Silfverberg in his place. Silfverberg did not produce a point.
“It’s a pretty similar scenario for me, coming into a series almost half over,” Stone said after the morning skate Wednesday morning. “I’m excited to be a part of it. Just looking to produce at the best of my ability.”
Stone, who saw 8:43 of ice time that night, will replace Cory Conacher and play on a line with Spezza as the Senators try to even their series with the Penguins.
A huge point producer as a junior with the Brandon Wheat Kings, the 6-foot-3, 200-pounder had a strong second half of the season with Binghamton during this, his first year as a pro.
I think he would have had a shot with Ottawa earlier in these playoffs if he were a left winger – where the Senators are not as strong – and not a right-handed shot who has always played the right side.
With his size, he’ll be better equipped to handle the battles in front of the net than Conacher. But as a mediocre/slow skater, can he keep up to the fast-paced second-round play.
That’s the big question.
“Obviously it’s fast hockey,” said Stone. “These guys look like they play pretty fast, but at the same time I think the way our team plays, it slows them down a fair bit. We’re very good, sound defensively. We play as a five man unit. Definitely helps with individual play.”
Spezza said Stone “has that natural calm demeanor about him” that helped lead to his success in one intense playoff game last year.
The two of were watching from the press box together while Spezza worked his way back from injury and Stone waited for his chance.
Can any chemistry they have developed strike twice?
“Obviously he’s a fantastic player,” said Stone. “He’s a guy you want to give the puck to whenever you can. He makes plays, he makes things happen pretty much every time he steps on the ice. If there’s anybody you want to get the puck to, you want it to be on his stick.”
Spezza will be a key for the Senators in Game 4. Clearly, MacLean is hoping that putting Stone in the lineup can help speed up the progression of his big centre.

Back to PIttsburgh

Bruce Garrioch — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:22:44 +0000

Here’s what we know: We are headed back to Pittsburgh.
Don Brennan, Errol McGihon and Le Droit sports editor Marc Brassard will jump into a rented SUV Thursday morning to head back to Steeltown. The deer will be safe. We’re driving during the day.
If you think we’re the only ones behind the wheel we’re not. The guys across the street and Roy MacGregor of the Globe will be in another vehicle. Driving to Pittsburgh can provide better connections than flying.
What position will the Senators be in?
Tied 2-2 or down 3-1?
Hard to say. The Penguins are a champion calibre team. They can handle adversity. They’ve proved it in the past. They did it to get here. I’m not sure they’re exactly facing any here. They lost a game. It took five periods.
In my eyes, the Senators have to play better in this series.
They’ve never led. They are playing with fire here and they don’t have the firepower the Penguins have. There has been no respect shown to Tomas Vokoun, but he’s a heck of a goalie with a strong track record.
You cannot expect _ or want _ Craig Anderson to make 50 saves every night. He needs some support. The Senators were only 30 seconds away from disaster, 30 seconds away from everybody holding off on making any plans from going back to Pittsburgh.
The Senators have booked the trip with the win Sunday. If they can win Wednesday they can make it worth their while. Otherwise they’ll be back on the brink and fighting for another chance to come home Sunday.
Big test. We’ll check in with you from Pittsburgh.
It’s a long road ahead getting there but we’ll find out if there’s a long road ahead for the Senators.

Time for Michalek to Czech in

Don Brennan — Sun, 19 May 2013 18:40:24 +0000

Let’s see now. Craig Anderson has returned, Jared Cowen, Erik Karlsson and now even Jason Spezza, too.
If we see the old Milan Michalek in Game 3, the Senators should be in good shape.
Theories vary as to why the 35 goal scorer of a year ago has not been very productive this season. Mostly, we are told, his surgically repaired knee isn’t right. But I see his hands giving him more trouble than his legs.
Somebody mentioned today that Michalek was jumping into the dirty areas in front of the net, but without Jason Spezza to feed him when he got there, he wasn’t seeing the puck. After awhile, he stopped jumping.
Well tonight he gets Spezza back as his centre, with Cory Conacher on the other side. Perhaps it will help to his second goal of the playoffs – and just his sixth, in 31 games, this season.
I asked Paul MacLean is generally able to make the switch from left wing to right, where he’ll be tonight, relatively seamlessly.
In a nutshell, the coach said: “Because he’s a good player.”
He does get one of the better pay cheques.
Asked what he anticipates Spezza’s return will have on Michalek, MacLean said: “Sometimes when you get one player back, you get two back.”
I don’t think he meant it disrespectfully, or to suggest that until now, he’s been disappointed with every aspect of Michalek’s game. MacLean can rhyme off things Michalek does well. I don’t see enough of them, but I did notice improvement in Game 2.
The Michalek who used to be a goal scorer needs to show up tonight.
But the

An update on Spezza

Bruce Garrioch — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:46:14 +0000

I posted this earlier. Thought I should put it here. No it’s not a blog. It’s news.

PITTSBURGH – It wasn’t just the earthquake shifting the ground around Ottawa.

There’s a strong possibility Senators’ centre Jason Spezza could return to the lineup for Game 3 of the club’s playoff series Sunday night at Scotiabank Place against the Penguins.

Coach Paul MacLean told reporters Spezza is continuing to skate in Ottawa as he recovers from back surgery. A decision on whether he’ll play or not will be made after Sunday’s morning skate. This is the first time that MacLean hasn’t completely dismissed Spezza’s return.

A source told the Sun Spezza is targeting a Sunday return, but has to get clearance from the doctors.

“He continues to skate on a daily basis and makes progress,” said MacLean Friday. “We’ll go through practice (Saturday) and the pre-game skate and we’ll see where it is. If he’s available to us, it’s Jason Spezza, we’re going to have him in the lineup.”

The Senators will have an optional skate Saturday and Spezza will skate with that group.

“I know I’m going to be there to watch it,” said MacLean. “I might not be on the ice, but we’ll make a decision from there. I don’t know about all the medical hurdles but I’ll know more about that (Saturday).”

Spezza hasn’t suited up since Jan. 27.

The Senators are in Pittsburgh Friday for Game 2 of their conference semi-final series against the Penguins. Pittsburgh leads the series 1-0.

It happens

Don Brennan — Wed, 15 May 2013 03:05:35 +0000

PITTSBURGH – The Senators shrugged off their Game 1 loss to the Penguins Tuesday.
They know special teams was the difference.
Asked by TSN about their defensive play, particularly a giveaway by Jared Cowen that led to Pittsburgh’s second goal, Erik Karlsson was not concerned.
“We want to make plays and we want to come out of our own end with the puck,” he said. “Sometimes shit happens.”
Asked later about the pushing and shoving that went on in the later stages, Karlsson went back to his new favorite expression.
“Ah, shit happens. Again,” he said. “It is what it is. I don’t think it is going to affect either of the teams going forward.”
Paul MacLean rightfully pointed to Ottawa’s 0-for-5 on the power play and 2-for-4 in penalty killing as the main reason for the loss.
“I think we need to be harder, and we need to be a little bit quicker,” he also said. “The good thing about that is we have the ability to do that.
“If we had any kind of stage freight or youthful jitters, that should be behind us. And now it’s up to us to make it series.”
—
What the Senators power play needs is Jason Spezza. MacLean said after the game his top centre skated for an hour and a half with the Black Aces back in Ottawa earlier in the day.
“Every day he skates is a step in progress for him,” said MacLeanI. “It will be evaluated as we move forward.”
An opinion: Don’t totally rule out the possibility of Spezza flying to Pittsburgh for Game 2.

Second Round Picks

Bruce Garrioch — Tue, 14 May 2013 19:34:57 +0000

PITTSBURGH _ I had an okay first round.

Right: Chicago, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Ottawa and New York Rangers.
Wrong: San Jose, Detroit and Boston.
Better than .500 but still bad. I never ever should have taken the Leafs.
I thought the Canucks would be under the radar and win.
Brings us to Round 2

Chicago vs. Detroit: Tough test for the Hawks, but they’ve got Toews, Kane and Hossa. Plus a strong defence. Hawks in 6.

Kings vs. Sharks: Boy San Jose was impressive in the first round and the Kings got it done. I will say Sharks show they’ve got it. San Jose in 6

Rangers vs. Bruins: The Bruins sent the Leafs packing in style. They do it the hard way. Boston will win this in seven.

Penguins vs. Senators: Nobody is giving the Senators a chance. It will take great goaltending by Craig Anderson. Senators in six.

Come on gang get in here and give me your picks. Let me know how you did in the first round.

Sorry to see the Leafs go.

Decisions decisions

Don Brennan — Tue, 14 May 2013 17:58:30 +0000

PITTSBURGH – First, let me say that if you happen to be heading this way for a game in this series – or any other reason – you should try the chilli at the Brown Bag Deli, which is behind the Marriott across the street from Consol Energy Center.
It’s 5 bucks and it’s the best I’ve had in a long time.
Secondly, I’d like to report that I had a word with Matt Cooke this morning. But it was brief.
This is the first time I’ve seen the Penguins winger since I wrote a column that got me a lot of nasty emails from Pittsburgh people. I’m still not sure why. I just wrote that Cooke said I have “no balls” – because I didn’t ask him to his face if he intentionally stomped on Erik Karlsson’s ankle in February. I felt I didn’t need to ask him as someone else did… but whatever. I certainly wasn’t hiding from him.
Anyway, I thought Cooke might have something to say to me today, because he had a lot to say that day, so I stayed in his scrum until everyone left. When it was just the two of us, I said hi Matt, how are you? He said: “I’m good.” And that was it.
It was probably a good decision on the part of both of us that we didn’t revisit that last conversation. There’s no need. The Karlsson thing is in the past. I think there was intent, or careless, and he says it was a “freak accident.”
The nice people at the Brown Bag believe the issue is not over, but they don’t understand why. They think it was “unintenional.” Karlsson, I firmly believe, does not.
Anyway, the decision I’m most curious about today is the one made by Penguins coach Dan Bylsma to start Tomas Vokoun in goal tonight. I know Marc-Andre Fleury was brutal in Round 1, and Vokoun saved their bacon. But Fleury is Pittsburgh’s best goalie. The Penguins are going to need him at some point. Why not start him in Game 1, while the team is at home at his team is jacked to start Round 2?
I know there’s two sides to the argument, but I think that’s what I would do if I was coach the Penguins.
Of course, that could be what the Senators coach wants too – for Fleury to be the goalie they have to beat.
Anyway, should be a very interesting game tonight. Enjoy.

Who’s better than who?

Don Brennan — Thu, 09 May 2013 19:27:42 +0000

Pernell Subban created a bit of a stir when he boldly told reporters in Montreal yesterday that the Habs are better than the Senators.
He might be right.
This series could just as easily be 3-1 in Montreal’s favor. Craig Anderson stole the first game for Ottawa, and the refs had a definite influence in Game 4.
Of course, I also find it funny that Mike Therrien blamed everything and everybody other than himself and his players after the Habs choked away a 2-0 lead Tuesday.
On the controversial faceoff spot, he could have got the players he wanted on the ice but, as the ref told him, he wasn’t paying attention.
Anyway, Senators players aren’t paying much attention to Subban’s claims. Anderson was told of them after this morning’s skate.
“Everybody has their opinion,” he said. “If we didn’t believe we were a better team than them, then we should just pack it up and go home now. And if they didn’t believe they were a better team, they’d pack it up and go home.
“It’s a confidence thing, and everybody has confidence in themselves. He has confidence in his team and we have confidence in our team. That’s the way sports works.”
The Senators need to end the debate as soon as possible. I can’t believe Anderson is about to lose three games in a row now, but they also don’t want to have to come back to Bell Centre again this spring.

Do you believe in Miracles?

Bruce Garrioch — Wed, 08 May 2013 15:33:55 +0000

Okay, that is a little over the top.
Just finished packing for Montreal for Game 5.
Taking the train later today. I must tell Don Brennan to make some sandwiches _ much better than anything you can get on the train.
We’re taking hall of fame writer Roy MacGregor along for the ride. I hope he has his AMEX card. We’ll give hm lunch. He can get the drinks.
Anyway, where were we?
Quite the comeback Tuesday night.
The Senators have a horseshoe in their dressing room. Yesterday they had one … Forget it.
They can smell victory now. They can smell victory because Michel Therrien hasn’t been able to figure out what to do next. They smell victory because they have scored timely goals. They smell victory because they have found ways to win.
The No. 2 seed Montreal is on the verge of elimination.
The Senators are choking the life out of the Habs but this isn’t a choke job because the Habs have had one heck of a season. Young teams learn. This will be a learning lesson if they lose this series.
This series is not over. Not by a longshot.
Lots of work for the Senators to do.