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Howdy from Ottawa. Andrew Peters gives this 8-game road trip the Sens are on one biten thumb down.

4-2 loss, Matt Ellis (who?) scores 15 secs in, 0 for 5 on the PP, outshot Buffalo 11-4 in the 3rd period (held BUF without a shot for 13 mins until Vanek hit the empty net) and yet all anyone will talk about for the rest of the week is that Ruutu bites Peters.
If you missed it, watch any sports channel for the next week and you'll get replay's in slow motion or extreme zoom. Basically Ruutu bit Peters finger. Well atleast the Big 3 had a decent night...yet we still lost.

From this game, although it was the 7th of an 8-game road trip, I am most concerned with this...the Big 3 were decent (Spezza scored 2 goals less than 30 secs apart in the 2nd) and we still lost. If they score, we won in years past...now they get two and we still lose. Very worrisome.

No Volchenkov tonight. No Kuba still...god we need those guys bad right now. Picard took a stupid/lazy tripping call late in the game which ended any hope of a comeback. However at 800,000 a year you can't complain. Alex Picard has been everything he is supposed to be thus far. Jesse Winchester played more mins than Donovan, McAmmond, Ruutu, Neil and 2 secs less than Folingo. Jesse Winchester at this point in his career does not bring enough to be an NHL player let alone play more than the above mentioned and established NHLers. Sorry Jesse, I am rooting for you as I have called several of your CJHL games as a colour analyst/reporter...but I also cannot lie and say you should be in the NHL right now.

All the goodwill Jason Smith gained with his OT winner vs DAL 17 days ago is gone. -2 tonight in 15 mins...he could not handle the speed of the Sabres. GM Bryan Murray got a raw deal signing Smith this offseason and people may point this out once he is fired.
Just when every hater in the world was on Schubert, he restores my blind faith in him with 24+ mins and 4 shots. If I'm a GM and need a body, you can't go wrong with this guy. Murray has been peddling him to everyone in the league...maybe he is worth keeping considering the return will be very minimal.

Spezza was good tonight, Heatley and Alfie as well...Vermette played 14 mins which shows you Hartsburg has damn-rear lost faith in him. Another 17 mins to Fisher...another minus game without points. Everyone loves Fish' (even Carrie Underwood apparently) but we are way past snake-biten with Mike. Chris Kelly, who is my whipping boy, has been solid of late and no longer deserves any trouble from me. Good stuff Kelly!

Next up is Boston, who just got shutout by the trap that is Minnesota (they considered 'Blue Ox' as a franchise name before settling on 'Wild'). I expect the Brun-crew to be none-to-pleased and whip the Sens. To be honest even the most hardcore Senator fan can't honestly think we can beat Boston after this road trip. But I fully expect a much improved club upon returning to the 'Bank.

Colin Jeffrey - [email][email protected][/email]
Filed Under:   Ottawa Senators   NHL  
January 7, 2009 9:54 AM ET | Delete
Lets not dump too much on Smith. The first goal (which smith got one of his -1) was because Alfredson was weak on the boards. Alfredson is having a bad habit of making a mistake per game that leads to goals. With Kuba and Vochenkov out of the line up Smith has had to play more of late. Winchester is a young player that needs to develop. I have no problems with him playing more then Donovan, McAmmond, Ruutu, Neil. It's not liking he's costing us games.Picards penalty was sort of a weak call. More of a step on the stick then a trip, but that's how it's been going for the Sens of late.
January 7, 2009 4:58 PM ET | Delete
Hey Sens2006, thanks for the comment...I am usually all for young guys getting mins (I love brain lee and nick folingo), but I don't see how winchester helps this club at all right now and the Sens aren't in a position to be re-building...they should be a playoff team. Those mins need to go to guys who can get us there. Jason Smith however isn't helping us much at all...certainly his leadership qualities haven't shown up yet and ask any Flyers fan and you'll get a similar opinion to mine...he has lost a step or two. And really Smith hasn't played more of late at all...he only played 15 mins last night. I do however give you props for the Picard call, weak but that's hockey.
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