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SENShobo

Flash, Bang, And Sens Lose To Lightning In Shootout

by SENShobo on 11/02/08 at 10:36 AM ET
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Today’s Ottawa Senators stories,

• Sens succumb to Bolts 3-2 after 8 rounds of shootout.
• Nikulin ready to bolt to Russia.

• So close, in the driver’s seat for so long, but much like the Sens of old, a brief flash of Tampa’s talent and the Sens go home with a single point (Ottawa Citizen, Ottawa Sun, NHL.com).

“I thought we played a really solid game (Saturday night),” said coach Craig Hartsburg. “We missed some chances that could have made it 3-1. It’s unfortunate it had to go to a shootout, but that’s the way it goes.

“It was a game where we did some good things. We just have to improve our game.

“Our mindset and focus was good. We just have to get better.”

One of those chances to make it 3-1 came under questionable circumstances that led me to suggest why it shouldn’t only be fans disappointed in lack of video coverage in a post last night, but that’s another matter. From what you could hear over the radio, it was a very exciting and at times nailbiting game.

Both Fisher and Vermette have been called on to fill out their secondary scoring roles. For Vermette, a goal (the game’s first) and an assist served notice that he wants to be back on the stat sheet with prominence, along with his team-high 6 shots (and team-high 2 missed shots). For Fisher though, attempting to break out of his snakebitten status wasn’t so easy. Despite his hard work and good chances — he didn’t look laid back at all and along with Alfie and Foligno generated some of the game’s best chances — trying to break out of his funk against stellar Smith last night almost felt akin to a rookie trying to prove he’s a tough enforcer in Boston, and instead he winds up helping to build Chara’s lone ragdoll into a collection. He will pull through, and that’s why we wait longer before casting ironclad harsh judgments.

What was interesting was how much Tampa Bay looked like the Ottawa fans hated to see. For much of the game, they couldn’t keep the play out of their end, and shied away from the physical play that could have saved them, letting Senators swarm around Smith without any retribution or cost. Ottawa kept the giveaways to a minimum, 4 total to their 6 takeaways, while Tampa shoveled the puck to the Sens 12 times. They even looked like the Sens on their powerplay: despite a massive five on three powerplay with noted Ottawa killers Vermette and Alfie in the box, they wound up with nothing to show for it.

Auld looked fantastic, no other way to describe it. Once again, letting him get screened was what cost the Senators a goal, as it had against the Panthers, but over and over he looked great, and yes when I say looked, I mean that Gord and Dean made him sound great. Three games in four days next week, and you can bet that he will start in two, but that Gerber will almost surely get a chance to get back into good graces by playing at least once.

The shootout was one of the saddest things for my eyes to miss. Sixteen straight shooters, five goals, and my heart pounding steadily the entire way. Jokinen and Spezza both scored in the opening three tries to send it to sudden death. St. Louis scored a couple rounds into that, with Auld frustrated with the refs for what you can read about in my post yesterday, but Ruutu put his puck past Smith to keep it going. With Ottawa shooting second, Heatley, Fisher, and Foligno all had a chance to win the game, but none could match Smith’s ability, and when Lecavalier scored the winner, McAmmond couldn’t match the feat. I miss seeing hockey already.

• It’s been a long road towards the NHL for Nikulin, and as close as he’s gotten he’ll now be throwing it all away (Ottawa Sun, Ottawa Citizen, pressconnects.com).

“The problem with him now is he has put himself in a bad position because people have heard he is going home, so they think when they trade for him that he’s not going to play for them. He’s brought this situation on himself. We’ve talked to every team and there are some that like him, but they say, ‘We can’t give up something and he just goes home.’ “

Tomorrow we find out if Nikulin will indeed go home, and his will indeed be an interesting saga to follow. He showed so much promise and such great character in the start, but it wore thin with him. He may never know how much he shot himself in the foot with his actions.

Senators general manager Bryan Murray said Saturday night he’s sent out a memo across the league offering Nikulin, but that there’s no interest since no one can be sure Nikulin will stay in North America if he doesn’t make an NHL team.

Murray said he’s also asked Nikulin’s agent, J.P. Barry, to find a match, but so far Barry hasn’t called back saying that he’s found one.

I’m sorry, but you are not Ovechkin or Malkin, and you are not ready. Competing with the World’s best from North America, Europe, and Russia means that it takes time to prove yourself. I truly wonder if he is aware that neither Murray nor his own agent could find any takers after his foolish ultimatum. If he’d worked harder, he could have made the Sens, who proved in drafting him that they thought higher of him than 29 other NHL clubs. If he’d worked at a trade more quietly, without the threats, he could have perhaps had a better chance at getting a shot at the NHL, or at least being higher up a club’s pipeline. Instead, I can only wonder just what Nikulin thought he was doing, but now even his blogs, along with the good faith I once had in him, have stopped.

Filed in: NHL Teams, Ottawa Senators | SENShobo | Permalink
 

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