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Senators Pound Out First Win In Toronto
by SENShobo on 10/07/09 at 08:52 AM ET
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With all the fanfare of a bout between lions, the Senators wound up with the 2-1 victory over the Leafs in what would better be described as a nail biter.
There were hits, there were dramatic moments, and Komisarek even managed to get the puck behind Leclaire, only to have it deflect off one post to travel along the goal line, and deflect off the other post to keep the Senators’ lead secure. Without any fights or dramatic flair, though, the best blood pumping moments were all highlights as the Leafs paid video tribute to Gary Roberts, retired Senator killer, showing a bevy of goals of his, most against the Senators, before he dropped the puck on Gustavsson’s first NHL start.
After trading chances in a very aggressive game against the Rangers, the Senators tightened their belts, even as an injury-absent Kuba meant that half the blue line was composed of Karlsson, Campoli, and Picard, not exactly the mirror for Toronto’s physical defence. It might have been the many new faces on both teams, but the bloodlust might take some time to develop. Given a few more losses, though, and Wilson might drill it into the Leafs for them.
What to take from the game? That Leclaire, as mentioned, just wasn’t going to challenge Lundqvist in his own barn, but Snoopy has the goods. The Komisarek double-poster made you nervous, but Leclaire played more like Sylar of Heroes in his second game, moving with precision and fluidity, and showing an eerie calm that is nothing like his lighthearted dressing room presence. Hard to fault him on the lone goal by Stajan after a great powerplay pass by Kaberle, but even Stajan didn’t look very celebratory, perhaps a little distracted by Andrew Ference’s resignation as the Bruins player rep, Stajan being the Leaf rep who also pushed and voted for Paul Kelly’s ouster as NHLPA Exec.
Donovan’s goal might make you start wondering if he’ll be back warming the bench when Shannon or Winchester is healthy again, but at least there’s no need to rush either. Not bad for just 5:49 of ice time, lowest on the team, but he made you take notice when he did skate. While the video replay proved inconclusive and the on-ice call stood, the Ottawa Citizen suggests that it was actually the Leafs’ Ian White who batted the puck in. Looking at what McCabe’s own goal did for his career in Toronto, maybe it’s best to leave Toronto fans thinking that technology robbed them.
Even though they didn’t score, Fisher, Foligno, and Kovalev generated some of the best shifts and chances. Wondering why Kovalev hasn’t scored? Watching the game, twice I saw Kovalev with the puck, pulling all the Leafs to him on one side of their zone, find Fisher with a laser pass, but Fisher wasn’t even able to connect Kovalev’s position with the chance of a pass, and took a couple seconds in both cases to realize that yes, Kovalev could make something out of nothing. Usually players get accused of admiring their own passes too much, not the ones their teammates make that leave them in disbelief, but a few more games and he might think it commonplace. Sadly, Cheechoo also started showing his legs, clearly the wear on them is heavy, and it will be a challenge for Clouston to find a spot for him when he can’t win the open races for pucks like last night. The top line lies somewhere in the middle; not as developed as the second, but with Michalek’s speed highlighted nicely before a painful Schenn takedown led to Alfie undressing Gustavsson on a penalty shot, it shouldn’t be long before you really are wondering where the goals will come from. In the good way, not like last season.
Probing Pierre McGuire on the radio this morning about Karlsson, an interesting thought came out. Apparently he watched the Senators’ practice yesterday morning with Bobby Orr, and the prevailing thought was of how smooth Karlsson was on the ice, and how slick his stick is. Not a bad man to get a compliment from, but he’s certainly developing from his skittish Kitchener rookie camp days, when he’d pass the puck early from or not chase it at all in his own zone, trying to avoid physical play, the kind of hits he took in stride in his shifts last night. While he was one of the cuts during the shortened bench late in the hold-on-tight third, he’s earning the confidence of his teammates. With any luck, he was in perfect position to see Phillips and Volchenkov combine for 11 bone-crunching hits, the Leafs led by Kulemin with just 4, and the Senators outhitting by 35-27. Stalberg, who left the game after a devastating but perfectly clean hit by Volchenkov late in the first, would certainly have something to say to anyone who would suggest the Leafs are peerless physical specimens.
Containing Tavares on Thursday and contending with the doubly-hungry goaltending duo of Biron and Roloson will be a different test, but returning home with an even 1-1-0 record should leave the Senators ready to move forward.
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Who is SENShobo?
Fully addicted to hockey, Andrew Dodds finds it safe to live in the alleys, considering his allegiance to the Ottawa Senators in the middle of Leaf County. He tries to bring you as many worthwhile Sens stories as he can find, along with his musings on the team and the NHL in general; musings indeed since he is but a humble hockey hobo.
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