Viewpoint

Chill off Seto!

I think your wrong about Cherry. He loves Emery. Even dressed like him for a Coaches Corner episode and in Game 2 against Buffalo, he said "Antoine Vermette was the best player on the ice"! All he talks about is our troops over seas and the last time I checked, they not all from O-T-T-A-W-A Chill out! Your seeing red! Sens in 5!

As long as Ray Emery keeps up the good work we should be able to win.He was to be honest a little shaky in game 2, but he obviously was shaky in the other game 2's, just this time Buffalo didn't pick up on that.Sens in 4.A clean sweep.GO SENS GO!!!

Ottawa won the second game. I'm very pleased even tough I'm a Habs fan. Go Sens go! (Gosh it's tough for my pride!). GO SENS GO!!! (Ah! I feel better, all of a sudden!)

I couple of broadcasts ago Ron McLean and Don Cherry had a magazine with Brian Burke on the cover. It was on the screen very briefly and I was wondering if you knew the name of the magazine?
Thank You

did you notice at the end of period 1 in the sens end the time, counting down in tenths of seconds, stoped twice in the last ten seconds.

Scott. Having lived near the Air Canada Centre at University Avenue and King Street in Toronto, I learned to admire the untiring optimism of the Maple Leaf fan. There would be talk of a cup and a parade up University Avenue whenever they managed to win one game. Even in the pre-season. That is a fan base that needs reminding that one game is just one game.

On the other hand, there's no need to remind Sens fans that it's only one game. We know, from years of playoff futility, that it takes 16 wins to claim the cup - if you make the playoffs. Come spend some time here away from the CBC headquarters down the road from the ACC, and we'll show you what hockey country is all about. Real fans of the game who have real expectations of their team - not just blind and eternally naive optimism. Oh yeah, and how about showing more Sens and Habs games on Hockey Night in Canada... the only Eastern Canadian teams that have had a real shot at a cup in the last 10 years! Heck, play more Buffalo games - they're pretty much a Canadian team too!

Buffalo is an awesome team and it's been fun watching them play the regular season. But they seem just a little nervous in these playoffs... almost like the playoff Senators of years past. The Sens, while maybe not quite as skillful, are playing with unprecendented confidence. Sens in 7. GO SENS!

I M SURE OTTAWA WILL GO UP 2 TODAY AND ALSO WIN THE SERIES GO SENS GO

At the beginning of the playoffs I thought Buffalo would steamroll opposition all the way to the cup. However, Buffalo has looked surprisingly human. Both New York teams gave them a scare. In contrast, Ottawa has looked very sharp. Dispatching the Pens in 5, and the Devils in 5 as well. They are playing nearly perfect hockey. Others may argue that Game 1 was closer than the score indicated, but I disagree. Ottawa clearly outplayed buffalo. And took advantage of two key turnovers by Buffalo. They were held to just 20 shots. Bring the cup to Canada! GO SENS!

Being a hardcore Sens fan, and just as important a Canadian hockey fan, I am thrilled to see Ottawa dominating. Last year was Edmonton thrilling the Canadian fans, and providing an amazing series, despite the loss in the last round. This year the sens will prove to themselves and fans that they ARE a contender in this race for the cup. Ottawa is proving that they are tough, talented and by the looks of things having a great time winning.
GO SENS GO!

The senators were impressive in Game 1, but the Sabres are going to come hard in Game 2. If Buffalo wants to win they have to start playing defensively (didn't seem like that in the regular season giving up 242 goals - almost 3 goals a game.) and they seem to be one-way team that tries to score every minute which leaves too many mistakes to be made. Ottawa is not the same run and gun offense of last year and are basically in shut down mode due to playing against Sid the kid and the pens and the Martin Brodeur and neutral zone trap New Jersey Devils. Buffalo did not face that in the New York Islanders (had problems with them) and the Rangers (almost went 7). If Buffalo is going to win they need to start playing defense (Afinogenov, Briere urk me by playing their no-brain offense instead of defense).

Ahem...actually Scott, its been 11 games (9 wins).
Go Sens Go!

As a long time Sens fan, I have learned not to pay attention to anyone outside the Ottawa Valley to be totally objective about our great team. This is especially true of the "other " team in Ontario. (sic)

All the way Sens!!!

If the Leafs were in the Final 4 and had won the first game of the semifinals, there would be a city holiday and a parade in Toronto. Most of the media is based out of Toronto which is why they are suddenly silent when the Leafs are out of the race (Which is usually quite early). This is also why all the sports shows lead off their telecasts with pointless stories about Sundin's hip when there are ACTUAL sports stories going on.

If Ottawa can take the second game in Buffalo and come back up 2..it will be very difficult for Buffalo to climb out of that hole.

Being a displaced Habs fan in Toronto is rough. With my team out of the picture I would like to see nothing more than a cup heading to Eastern Canada this spring. I think it is time to realise that the old cliche "our best players must be our best players" is only holding true for one of these teams. Drury, Hecht and Brier were silent last night. Contrast that with the play of the big line and Wade Redden. In short if Buffalo wants to beat the sens the big players need to step up.

Of course it's only one game but I trust the Sens to win those semi-finals.

Richard, well said. It's really tiring to hear how Brodeur "let" Ottawa win round 2, and even how Pittsburghs' forwards "let" Ottawa off the hook by not scoring enough.

Now for the third time, we've seen a good hockey team look not-so-good against the Senators. Is it possible that the Sens are just playing really, really well, disrupting opponents and making them look bad? Were all the Buffalo turnovers the result of poor play, or an excellent job by Ottawa forcing poor decisions? Was Buffalo's PP terrible? It couldn't be that Ottawa's PK was excellent, could it? Even though their PK has been excellent through the first two rounds. Nope, just co-incidence that the Penguins, Devils and Sabres all happened to have tanking PP against Ottawa.

The flip side of this is that Ottawa has iced excellent teams for the last 10 years, but when they lose in the playoffs the talk was always about the how Ottawa was overpowered, as if they never had any business expecting to win in the first place.

By the way, a few stats (for remaining teams):
Ottawa PP:24% (#1) PK: 87% (#2)
G/G:3.46 (#1) GAA:2.1 (#3)
Buffalo: PP:14% (last) PK:78% (last)
G/G:3.00 (#2) GAA:2.4 (last)

Richard,

If you're referring to Dean Brown on A Channel broadcasts, I couldn't agree with you more! Every save by Emery is spectacular, every deke by Spezza amazing, and apparently an aura of reverance emanates from the Sens locker room.
I'm just teasing Scott, since he picked the Sabres to win the series, it would look quite bad for him to do a 180. But this match-up is far from over as we well know, one game does not a round win!

I too am a displaced Canadian, and I too am amazed at the poor hockey coverage south of the border. I had the opportunity to see the Devils play at home in 4 playoff games - free. They were giving tickets away to street hockey leagues (grandsons play) to fill up the stands. That was 16 free playoff tickets. That would be unheard of back home.

I am normally a Leafs fan, but I jumped on on the Sens bandwagon so that I can see the Cup go back to Canada where it belongs!

Go Sens Go!

As a displaced Canadian in the South no less you can imagine how little coverage hockey gets down here (even with a cup win). I am always amazed when I read any of CBC's coverage of the Sens. It always seems to be spun as if it is a complete surprise they win any games at all. They are amoung the best north of the boarder in any year. I know the leafs are great and all, but would it kill you to say "Go Sens Go" once in a while?

I'm just glad I cheer for the Sens...when your team is made of character...the rest comes easy.

No bandwagon jumper here, I will stick by this team no matter what. I agree with everything you have said except for the Sabres winning. On Saturday night we will see a different Buffalo team and the Sens will have to be sharp. Now it would be nice if they could break that bad habit of not winning game 2 and go home up a couple of games. GO SENS GO

No bandwagon jumper here, I will stick by this team no matter what. I agree with everything you have said except for the Sabres winning. On Saturday night we will see a different Buffalo team and the Sens will have to be sharp. Now it would be nice if they could break that bad habit of not winning game 2 and go home up a couple of games. GO SENS GO

Scott

A relatively objective piece ( I disagree with Corey on this one).

Senators were dominant in all but 5 on 5 and I think that will be corrected by game two as the Sens will demonstrate the superiorly consistant play.

I found this article refreshingly objective compared to the play by play broadcast that we in Ottawa, have been subjected to in the past series.

When casual observers ( such as my daughter and wife) comment on the negative bias ( ie: not a great play by the sens but a mistake by the opposition).

Funny how all the teams the senators have been facing make the same mistakes. Perhaps it's time just to admit that the senators are forcing the plays and that they deserve the positive bias on what they are doing.

Scott,

You seem remiss to display outward affection towards the Senators... is this because you want to maintain an objective view as a journalist or because you've been in Toronto so long that the Leafs have tainted your ability to cheer for another Canadian team?