Letter to Bettman and Fehr

Dear Mr. Bettman and Mr Fehr, Coming from a lifelong fan of NHL hockey, I am writing this letter to express my disappointment that for the second time in 8 years, hockey fans are facing a lockout. I can only hope that both sides don’t follow the same path as the 2004-05 season when there was no season, no playoffs and no Stanley cup winners! This is a fight of millionaires verses billionaires, but where are the fans in all this? What about all the five figure salary earners; all the arena workers that rely on the NHL season to make ends meet? Why do they have to suffer the consequences. Myself, I just enjoy watching the game being played, the game that I love. It’s the beautiful game of NHL hockey that matters and I just want the season to start on time. You need to stop playing a game of public relations. I know each side wants to make the other side look like the bad guy, but the truth is that both sides look like villains now. It’s hard to understand and feel sympathetic for either side when they’re fighting over the fans money.

Game 7 Preview

Tonight at 7:00pm the puck drops for game 7 between the Ottawa Senators and the New York Rangers, at Madison Square Gardens. Though the Senators blew a chance to close out the series on home ice in game six on Monday; I do believe that if you asked any of the players or fans at the beginning of the series that they would have gladly taken a game 7 against the 1st place Rangers. So now it's down to one game, win or go home. One of the biggest questions for the Senators going into game 7 is who will be inserted into the line, and play with Spezza and Michalek. In my opinion the only option they have is to put Silverburg back into the lineup. Management and the coaches made there decision last game, when they took Mark Stone out of the lineup and replaced him with Silverburg. This makes a statement saying that they think Silverburg is the better player and is prepared for the NHL. Silverburg's performance at game six can be understood considering a long flight and the lack of practice with the team. Silverburg, Butler, or Stone; the choice of the three rookies not only get a chance to play in game 7 but also have the opportunity to play on the first line, while the other two cheer from the stands. It is definitely positive news for the Senators down the line, with great young up and coming talent. The Senators as an organisation have never won a game 7 and are 0-4. Saying that the last time the Senators played in a game 7 was in 2004, when they lost to the Maple Leafs. Yet our team now has different expectations than in the past. Old Senators teams were expected to succeed and move on, where as this season our team was looking at just re-building. In the past the Senators may have crumbled under the pressure but not this year, we have a team that is resilient. Even when the chips are down our Senators rally back with a herculean like performance. So just like the Philly, Washington, LA, and Phoenix has done so far, I am predicting Ottawa will come out and win game 7. The city of Ottawa will erupt, and the Senators will go on to round 2. BELIEVE!

LEAFS SUCK

So the NHL has reached the home stretch of the season, and everyday in the league standings teams are being mathematically eliminated. It was a joyous occasion on Tuesday night as the Toronto Maple Leafs were officially eliminated from making the playoffs. This would be 7 years in a row that the Maple Leafs have missed the playoffs, so i have decided to dedicate a blog to the top 10 reasons the Toronto Maple Leafs suck so bad.

10. They can't spell properly. It's LEAVES NOT LEAFS!

9. BOB COLE - No explanation needed.

8. Brian Burke - He wanted to make Toronto a tough team, but i have never seen a bigger bunch of little girls in my life.

7. Phil Kessel - Has to be one of the worst trades ever.

6. Goal-tending- Tuka Rask for Andrew Raycroft- ouch that one has to hurt.

5. Since When is a Maple Leaf blue?

4. No depth up the middle. They spent years looking for wingers to be able to play with Mats Sundin, and now that they have solid wingers they wish they had a big skilled center man like Sundin. OH WELL, THAT SUCKS.

3.Poor Scouting- They have not had a pick from the draft turn into a star player in quite some time.

2. They have no idea how to rebuild- Too many draft picks traded away , not enough patience.

1. And the number 1 reason the Leafs suck. 1967 - the last time when the Leaf's won the Stanley cup, or even made it to the finals.

GO SENS GO

PRAISE ALFIE!

LEHN-SANITY

Ottawa Senators 20 year old goaltender Robin Lehner Made his second straight start, and got his second straight win. This time doing it with a spectacular shut-out victory over the Boston Bruins who have seemed to have the Senators number over the past few seasons.

Lehner was backed up but good defensive play especially in the first two periods with fellow teammates blocking 10 shots, with most of the Bruins other shots being kept to the outside.
It was in the third period in which Young Lehner strived. The Bruins stormed the Ottawa net bumbarding Young Lehner with shots. Lehner stood strong, played well positionally and looked like a star veteran goaltender making 32 saves, 17 of them faced in the 3rd period.

In a game that turned out to be a goaltending battle between 20 year old Lehner and all star goalie Tim Thomas Lehner came out on top. Thomas did keep the Bruins in the game for the first 2 periods making unbelievable save after unbealivable save. Only Eric "the Great" Karlsson beat Thomas with a slapper from the point on the powerplay in the first. In the last 5 games Karlsson has opened up the scoring with the first goal in 4 of the games.

A Tribute to Ottawa Senators Goalie Craig Anderson-Bryan Adams - Cuts Like A Knife

Anderson Cut By a Knife

The Ottawa Senators currently sit 7Th in the Eastern Conference with 72 points. Exceeding all expectations that were set upon them going into this season, but is all that about to come to an end.

Arguable the Senators most important player, goaltender Craig Anderson is out indefinitely according to the Senators, after a freak incident after Wednesdays game vs the Washington Capitals. According to reports, Anderson was at home preparing a late night meal when he cut his right hand and was rushed to hospital for immediate attention. The good news is that Anderson will be just fine, the bad news is that no other team relies on there number one goaltender like the Senators do.

Jason Spezza and Eric Karlsson have led the way offensively, but there is no way the Senators are in 7Th place without the goaltending Craig Anderson has provided for them. Anderson has been as sharp as a knife in the net. Somebody please get him a person chef!!!

So what are the Senators to do? Back-up goaltender Alex Auld has not played well all season. He will surely get the chance to start on Saturday against the Bruins but if he does not perform well expect young Robin Lehner get a chance to play with the big boys. Lehnere has not had a great season down in Binghton but that cant be put on him as he has a young inexperienced team in front of him. This could be a big chance for Lehner to show that He can be a NHL goaltender.

The Senators could go the trade route but there is not much out there for the Senators to acquire that would help the team. Josh Harding of the Minnesota Wild looks like he is ready to take on a starting role but the asking price is going to be too high for a rebuilding Senators team. Nabokov looks like he is going to resign with the New York Islanders. Dwayne Roloson has struggled in the net for the Lightning all year and at the age of 41 seems to be at the end of his career.

It looks like the the Senators are in a position where there gonna sink or swim with Lehner and Auld. I BELEIVE THEY CAN DO IT!! At least for the short term until Anderson gets back.If not cant Anderson just play with one hand?? I'm sure he will still be better then both Riemer and Gustafson of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Hockey Day In Canada

Today is hockey day in Canada a day in which we as Canadians celebrate our love and passion for a sport that was born in Canada and means so much to people like myself. The long cold winters we have in Canada provided us with the ice and conditions and over the years it has bonded Canadians together. Myself like many other Canadians eat, sleep and breath hockey. Across the country today from the east coast to the west coast of Canada from the the outdoor rinks in small towns to the NHL arenas in bigger city's Canadians will be celebrating the game that we love.

CBC has a triple header of hockey games that will be played today involving six of the Canadian teams. The first game at two o'clock in the afternoon involves the Edmonton Oilers and the Ottawa Senators. I am fortunate enough to be spending hockey day in Canada at Scotiabank place to watch the Senators play. There will be a ceremony before the game to honor Chris Phillips who played in his 1000Th NHL game as an Ottawa Senator on Thursday evening vs the Nashville Predators. Phillips not known for his goal scoring but rather his solid defensive play scored his first goal of the year and then added his second which turned out to be the game winner. Phillips is only the second Ottawa Senator to play 1000 games for the organization and is only the 25Th player in league history to play 1000 games for one organization.

So for this hockey day in Canada i will be celebrating not only the best sport in the world but a true Ottawa Senator in Chris Phillips. Happy hockey day in Canada to everyone and Remember Praise Phillips.