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THURSDAY NIGHT – FIGHT NIGHT!!!! |
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Guest Writer: Octavarium
Thursday evening the Senators continued their push towards an unlikely playoff spot with a hometown tilt against the Philadelphia Flyers. To say the Flyers came to town with an obvious chip on their shoulder would be an understatement. They came in having won 4 straight and feeling pretty good about themselves. The tone was set early. We are running everybody, keep your head up!
The Senators meanwhile came into the game playing “meaningful games” in March. Essentially this was the goal for this team this season. To be in the conversation of playoffs at the end of the season. If not for a dreadful November this team would probably be tied with the Islanders and Penguins rather than just out of reach of those two teams.
Injuries before and during this game continue to add up for the Senators. Jakob Chychrun and Thomas Chabot are both likely done for the season, and the Sens lost Travis Hamonic and Derek Brassard (likely season enders too—as the season only has a couple of weeks left). I never saw a good angle on Hamonic’s injury but Brassard’s looked particularly nasty - likely a high ankle sprain.
The game was a well-attended entertaining affair. Exactly what you want from a fan perspective and exactly what you want if you have a prospective buyer in-house kicking tires. Yes, “he” who shall not be named was once again in Ottawa kissing babies and hobnobbing with Ottawa elite. (we even have an Ottawa elite?) The Ottawa media again embarrassed themselves by falling all over this guy while a very meaningful telethon gets pushed to the side so they can get another glimpse of Deadpool.
The Game:
SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS----and good shots too. I’m not sure how the Flyers hung around in this game to get a point. The Sens weren’t bad for long stretches or anything, just the Flyers made good on the power plays they had and a couple of timely opportunities. That would have summed up the season perfectly had Philly pulled off the win in overtime. Thankfully Alex DeBrincat fake called for the puck in OT and the Flyers goalie fell for it and passed him the puck. It was a busy night for DeBrincat who also looked decent in a very rare fight. I think Tim Stutzle was FLYING –BUT—that Philadelphia team is just bad, so he looked much better than he normally would.
The Senators got former Flyer goalie Cam Talbot back from injury---again. I’m kinda done with this guy. When he’s played he’s been “ok”. I’m not sure what kind of contract he was offered (twice) but he’s turned it down. He can seek life elsewhere. We want people who want to be here. He let in 4 goals on 11 shots. That numerical assessment of his evening isn’t really fair if you watched the game. But…come on. Tortorella was probably sitting up in the press box shaking his head about this entire game. Just a gong show of hockey.
No doubt we’ll get word on the Hamonic and Brassard injuries and call-ups will happen. Kleven didn’t look out of place and even got on the score sheet. The 67’s won their game and the Blue Jays game was very entertaining. Great afternoon/evening of sports.
GO SENS GO
Ottawa Senators Blogger • 
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