Pens @ Sens

To be fair, the Senators did play better, but like the captain said in the post game interviews ... they could have been better.

Yesterday afternoon’s game against the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins was a good game to watch from about 11:30 onward in the first period. Before that it seemed as though the fans at Scotiabank Place were content to sit on their hands and give no emotional surge to the building. It wasn’t until after the TV time out around that time that the Senators woke up and started going to work; Gonchar must have wished he wasn’t on the ice last night.

The energy level was ramped up and the hitting was reflective of the frustration, determination and resolve of the Ottawa Senator. They repeatedly laid the body on the opposition, but most notably on Gonchar. Even young forward Antoine Vermette showed his rough side when he dropped the gloves ... if only he had an assist so he could have gotten a Gordie Howe hattrick. Even the Big Rig, Chris Phillips, decided enough was enough when he took a cheap shot from Pens’ Malkin and almost everyone from each side of the game came flying into the corner to have a say in the matter.

Goals came from not only the big line, but also from Vermette and LaPointe (his first as a Senator) lifting the Senators past the Penguins 5-4. For those things that looked right for the Senators –the big line scoring, secondary scoring, emotion and intensity – there were of course some downsides.

Martin Gerber, arguably, played a good game. He made some fantastic stops, but in Gerber fashion, he also let in some questionable goals. However, this win should prove to be a much needed shot in the arm to the embattled Swiss goalie come Monday night when the Senators get a rematch against the Anaheim Ducks (who last saw them in game five of the Stanley Cup finals).

As for the officiating, I hate to write like I am a Leafs fan or something, but it was absolutely horrible. Stephane Auger has to be one of the biggest mistakes in refereeing along with Bill McCreary. Usually these two dictate the pace and the game so drastically that it is often difficult for the Senators to get a win out because they spend plenty of time in the box. Thankfully the Penguins’ took bonehead penalties like Gonchar’s double crossing checking, but nevertheless, there was still a lot of suspect uncalled infractions that would benefit the Senators (the Gill sweater that Spezza wore as compared to the McAmmond lifting the stick as a hooking call).

All in all, though, this game was much better by the Senators. As it started out there was a lot of soft passing, but this seemed to correct itself. Players went below the goal line in droves, but again this seemed to correct itself. Shots were taken with no traffic ... yup, this too corrected itself. It was a back to basics, hardnosed, well fought effort that lifted the Sens to a victory. Now, all we need is to string together another five or six of these to quiet the naysayers and doubters from inside and outside the fan base.

By the way, Gerber or Emery, I really don’t care who is in net. Both are weak on one side or the other, but both will be more confident and play better with a team that wins.