FAIL: Toronto 3, Ottawa 1

Happy New Year Internet!

I appologize for "leaving you hanging" - as the kids say - this past week. Between family visits, appeasing my girlfriend, and using the free World Junior tickets I attract like unattended pop cans attract wasps on a summer's day, there was very little time left over for blogging. I know you are looking for a committed relationship, and after taking some time to gain a little perspective, I'm ready for that. I'm here for you now, baby. Shh. Shh.

Moving on to hockey, the Senators have now accumulated 3 regulation goals in 3 games against the league's most porous defence. Aren't you just mystified by how they are in serious contention for a lottery pick in this year's draft? It hurts me to watch the once mighty Senators fall to the once (and still) feeble Maple Leafs in this manner. Adding insult to injury: Missing a classic Canada-Russia showdown for this crap. Here are the memorable moments from Game 36:


Christoph Schubert had another chance wear goat horns tonight, as he was guilty of dogging it on the Leafs' second goal. Schubert created a rush for the Leafs by turning the puck over at the leaf blue line, and then made no effort to intercept the Pavel Kubina pass that set up Alexei Ponikarovski 's goal. Schubert's lack of hustle and effort has become increasingly apparent as he fills in for the injured Filip Kuba. He hasn't been the same since pitching a fit after not being given a full time job on the Sens' back end. Craig Hartsburg has opted to stop using Schubert as a forward, and the German defender has been shabby during his rare appearances on the Senator blue line. I sense his days in Bytown are numbered.


Martin Gerber should have been credited with an assist on the Maple Leaf''s third goal, as his sheer confusion and lack of awareness of his surroundings provided measurable help. To be fair, that was Gerber's only bad goal tonight.


Anton Volchenkov was back in the line-up and was having a whale of a game, blocking five shots, including two on a Toronto 5-on-3. Then the A Train went off the rails, re-injuring his shoulder after taking a hit behind Martin Gerber's net. He left the game in the third period and did not return.


Fearless captain Daniel "Barrack Obama + Martin Luther King Jr. + Winston Churchill + Abraham" Alfredsson was quoted as saying he's been trying to maintain a positive attitude and a superior work ethic during the prolonged hard times. It appears to be working for him personally, as Alfredsson was one of the better Senators on the ice, registering the Ottawas' only goal.

The CBC broadcast did not break any new ground. Craig Simpson took the opportunity to rip on the Senators for everything under the sun for the second consecutive week. Every mistake by the Sens served as an opportunity for Simpson to illustrate how the faux pas neatly summarizes "what is wrong with the Ottawa Senators." How convenient.



The Satellite Hotstove did serve up some interesting fodder. Al Strachan and Mike Milbury clearly hate one another, which I feel makes for excellent TV. I haven't seen the program in almost a month, as I have spent my Saturdays attending hockey games, but I sorely missed the thinly veiled aggression Milbury evidently harbours towards Strachan. This week's installment of the intermission snippet sated my craving. The Hotstove featured an abundance of catty comments between the man who brought Zdeno Chara, Wade Redden and Jason Spezza to Ottawa and the Montreal Gazette reporter. This week's highlight: Mad Mike insinuated Strachan was "a little light in the loafers." He called him gay! What wit!

In other Hotstove news, Pierre Lebrun said the Senators may look to make a deal with the Atlanta Thrashers to find that elusive puck-moving defenceman. This almost made sense, until Lebrun stated the Senators would receive Mathieu Schneider from Atlanta, Senators sending Antoine Vermette to Dixie in return. Why the Senators would give up an asset to acquire a cap cancer in a contract year that also happens to be -13 is beyond me. This team's season is likely provide, and they don't seem to be in a position to take on rental players. Chalk this one up in the "Not a Chance in Hell" column.

Ottawa better drink this one off quick, as they need to be ready to receive another shellacking at the hands of the New Jersey Devils tomorrow at 5PM in Newark. Until then: CATCH THE HOPE!