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SENShobo

New Year: Sadly, Same ‘New’ Sens It Seems

by SENShobo on 01/02/09 at 10:03 AM ET
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I took my holiday break from writing (one of the perks of being a blogger), enjoying the holidays with family and friends.

I followed the team, but took in as much non-Senators hockey as I could as well.

Lo and behold, while there’s no shortage of stories and events out there having nothing to do with the Sens, my frustrated mind failed to cease drawing it all back home.

Nuts to you, brain.

Somehow I managed to get home amidst the snowmageddon going on the Friday before Christmas. Phone call after phone call, and I finally found someone with enough hope to join me at the game. Driving home, thinking how great it was for a new contributor, Smith with his first in a Sens jersey, to win the game, that would about end my happy thoughts.

Sens manage to score four goals, including a pair from Dany Heatley.
Loss.

The guys manage to spot themselves to an early 2-0 lead on the first western leg of their road trip.
Loss.

Luongo (who along with Canucks fans has my sympathies, every other night but tonight and in February) was out, and Sundin still hadn’t yet joined the Canucks.
Shutout loss.

I got plenty for Christmas that reminded me of the Sens. A branded puck in my stocking, but so few goals worth remembering or celebrating at game’s end for the Sens. A Canadian Mint coin set with a Sens branded quarter, but there’s no money left to buy the Sens out of this hole. A Sens clock featuring Alfie, as time slips away and our captain slumps worse than any other player on the whole team. Some Senators stickers, but for the first time in a decade, such support is starting to feel muted and destined to end too soon. A pair of Nike Bauer Vapor skates, but the team still feels stuck in neutral, unwilling to go where they must or do what they must. I have a feeling I’ll be the only one still skating in April.

Sadder, even, that the following Thrashers talk is true:

We will enjoy watching all of these former Thrashers in the playoffs this spring… Marian Hossa, Pascal Dupuis, Braydon Coburn, Glen Metropolit, Marc Savard, Shane Hnidy, Eric Belanger, Andrew Brunette, Frantisek Kaberle and Bobby Holik. But not Dany Heatley.

Burn, but at least there’s the hope they may not be right.

Some of those players not named Dany Heatley might also miss the playoffs.

Usually it’s Tampa that’s on the receiving end, but I’d say Tocchet’s comment dishes it out to the Sens, subtly to anyone else perhaps:

“Ovechkin just doesn’t sit on the outside and take one-timers, he’s in front of the net, he goes behind. He does a lot of wraps. He’s a special player because he’s an aggressive player. That’s why I think he’s the best player, because he’s an aggressive player. He’s not just a pure sniper who sits on the outside all day.”

Can anyone take a guess as to who I see painted not-so-prettily alongside Ovechkin in that picture? Honestly, there’s a whole roster you can name most nights. Guys who’ll wait out in the slot, stick back and ready to one-time, but nobody digging hard enough to set it up. Great passes to open ice, but no players set up in a consistent offensive style to pick them up and score. Juicy rebounds, but nobody at the doorstep to finish the job. Watching the Winter Classic and Canada at the World Juniors gave me an appreciation for how well a secure offensive system can pump your offense. These young boys have far more pressure, and far less time together, and it was Hartsburg himself steering their ship the past two contests, but no offensive system yet for these not-so-young men.

The Sabres get it:

The Sabres say they are trying to hold each other accountable. They also are hinting their friends are taking it personal.

“We’ve got to demand out of each other more,” Sabres center Jochen Hecht said Wednesday. “We’ve got to be able to give the other guy a hard time when he’s not playing well, be able to tell him. It’s something that’s hard when you’re good friends, but usually you think if you’re good friends you would take whatever he says seriously. That’s what we’ve got to do, hold each other accountable.”

Hecht’s words about accepting advice came 14 hours after goaltender Ryan Miller made a similar statement.

“We’ve got to maintain a close team, and a team that we have to [be able to] offer constructive criticism,” Miller said after Tuesday’s 4-2 loss to Washington. “Guys have to be able to be able to take it. Guys can’t be immune to it.”

The Penguins are already in a tizzy after a 3-game losing streak, now 5-game at home.

The Canadiens were upset earlier in the season when they were without Komisarek, but they had Markov in that time. Can’t say the same now for the Sens’ counterparts.

It’s not bright and sunny on the Sens’ road trip. It won’t be bright and sunny tomorrow when they descend on the Air Canada Centre. There are plenty of walls to bang one’s head against.

Happy New Year. Glad to be back.

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