SENShobo
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Finally Back
by SENShobo on 10/05/09 at 07:36 AM ET
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If you were waiting for a pleasant distraction from the Dany Heatley saga of the summer, this weekend probably wasn’t it. Anyone who was expecting any different in the team’s first game back, though, should probably check in with reality.
A 5-2 loss to the Rangers would not normally bode well for any team, but for now, for the moment, you can take some solace in it for a few reasons.
•This was Karlsson’s first game. Sure, the Swede looks slick, but still has a few wires that aren’t crossed at the NHL level (all in good time), as was made apparent when he pinched up only to have Dubinsky breeze on by en route to notching one of his two goals that night. I had seen him in a couple games at the rookie tournament a month back here in Kitchener, and you learn pretty quickly that he’s not someone you want to see backpedaling. His offensive skills, though, you’ve still got 81 more games to have grow on you. And they will.
•This was Michalek, Cheechoo, Kovalev, Regin, Karlsson, Campoli, Leclaire, and Carkner’s first game as a Senator expecting to be a Senator for a full season, and separated from the chaos of last season. This is not last season, and that’s enough reason to be giddy. Chemistry does not develop in one game, no matter how many pre-season games you’ve won handily over the Lightning’s lesser lights.
•Remember how fans were confident that if Heatley wasn’t traded to start the season, the fact that he wants to play for Canada at the Olympics should have kept him producing and performing? There is someone else with perhaps less competition but just as much desire. His name was Lundqvist, the sharpest dressed man Don Cherry has never felt self-assured enough to compliment on Coach’s Corner. In years past, you never feared anything outside the Rangers’ crease. Not only did they get some upgrades in Tortorella and their roster, but Lundqvist swings games on his own. He is not tired yet, and just as MSG made an imposing stage for all those players’ debuts (including ex-Ranger Kovalev), Lundqvist made an imposing figure for Leclaire to match.
•The Rangers’ less expected (read: non-crease confined) hero was Brandon Dubinsky. This is a kid who had to convince his teammates to accept him even as he held out for more money through the start of training camp. His two-year, 1.85M hit deal still sees him paid less than Sean Avery, but he was allegedly being offered money that would have made him the lowest paid player on the team, less than backup Stephen Valiquette, less than Marc Staal’s entry level deal, less than Enver Lisin, and he still only barely clears over Donald Brashear’s salary now. He had to prove that he deserved more than the League minimum salary to be effectively the Rangers’ top center (Drury who?). Like any good kid, he did.
•As bad as Pascal Leclaire’s .879 save percentage is through one game, tomorrow’s opponent, the Leafs, have split goaltending duties 4/2 periods between Toskala/Gustavsson. Both let in more than a goal per period, and their combined .815 save percentage, led by Gustavsson’s .842, should bring some solace.
•Oh, and Ryan Shannon was apparently playing hurt to some degree (Ottawa Sun). Nothing will kill an offence like removing Shannon’s effectiveness.
Nah, Shannon’s great, the Sens were able to get pucks on net, both Alfie and Regin were able to score, gloves were dropped, Leclaire had great flashes and strong stretches, and I’m ready to settle back in against a different opponent. Give me ten games and I’ll make a call, just like the League with head shots.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Ottawa Senators | SENShobo | Permalink
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