A great Thanks to the "Thanks Giving"

This posting will be dedicated to give thanks for the American "Thanks Giving". As most of the viewers of this blog must know, I live in Europe and for that most of the season year I survive with a very poor sleeping, almost all of the games happen after 12:00 am. Although today for a change, it is 20:45 and here I am watching to the good old hockey game. A blessing!!!!
I have been stuck to the TV set since 18:00, and it looks like I am not going to go anywhere before 3 in the morning. The games so far have been great. Watching the Pengs struggling against the Islanders has brought a spackle to my day.
Well I am not going to go on and on writing have more TV duty to do.

Joking Around with The Sens Underground

As you all know two weeks ago I was named the Sens Underground Hockey Ambassador to the UK.

In my duties as Ambassador I sent them a joke that I find particularly funny...

Listen to it online here: http://www.sensunderground.com/ - episode 6.

You gotta hear these guys and you gotta hear this joke!

Enjoy.

In Sens we Trust!

The Hockey Ambassador

Poor refereeing lets the Sens down!

The Devils came to O-town on Saturday with the hope of a shutout (which would be goalie Martin Brodeur's record breaking 1000th). At least, in one respect, they left disappointed!

Sens fans can't really celebrate, though. The final score was 3-2, for the Devils.

Last year Chris Campoli was kept in the shadow of that traitorous, indecisive....... whose name is mud to every Sens fan (and who calls himself Danny Heatley).
This year, Chris Campoli is one of the Sens leading goal scorers. Tough, sneaky and determined, Campoli's gone from strength to strength.

On Saturday night (HNIC!) Campoli scored yet another goal against Brodeur and his Devils in the second period- bringing the Sens into the lead. It was nothing super, but good enough for a point. In the third period the Devils scored once again. Chris Campoli was sent to the box and the Devils scored their winning goal.

It's not the fact he was sent to the box that really bothers me. That happens. It is WHY he was sent to the box that makes me suspect the refereeing was just not up to scratch. The penalty was called for 'delay of game' when Campoli accidently flicked the puck over the glass in the Sens end. Looking at it - he didn't seem to intend to do it. It would make no sense for him to delay the game at that point - he had the puck!!

Accidents happen and this a silly standard. You can't call a penalty for delay of game every time someone slips up, loses the puck, or otherwise goofs.

And what REALLY bothers me is that this isn't the first time this season the Sens have been held back by useless refereeing and unwarranted penalties.

It seems like I'm not the only one who has noticed the penalty problem this year. The Senators Homepage News section has noticed: http://senators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=505433
The Ottawa papers have noticed.
And fellow blogger Silver Seven has also been on the case: http://www.silversevensens.com/2009/11/7/1121019/senators-blow-two-goal-lead-lose-3
I like his reflection on Jaarko Ruutu's penalties being based on his 'reputation' and not really based on his actual behaviour.
So TRUE!!

So how are the Sens gonna get out of the box? It's hard to say! I really can't see what they're doing wrong! A lot of this is down to bad referreeing!!! It's out of the Sens hands, it seems to me.
We just have to hope that we get a ref who knows how to make a call and when it is warranted. This isn't like giving a time-out to a toddler for bad behaviour... this is hockey!

I say, let 'em play and let 'em win!