Recap
So yes it's been a dog's age boys and girls, as the Zamboni has been laid up with the flu and has had to do the usual family responsibilities over the holidays as well as catch up on some severe lack of sleep from that other activity called "the daily job".
Not that I haven't been following our Sens, far from it. But I have been either unable or lax in keeping you up to date on my minds musings. That's what you don't pay me for (did I say that out loud?)
The Senators, 15th place overall as of this writing, have been doing some good. Really, the depth is showing now, and the machine is developing into as good a hockey team as you would wish to have with the big names that are currently sidelined with injuries. With Jason Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson out indefinitely, the absence of two of the team's biggest names could have spelled disaster for the Senators. The debacle in the game against the Penguins in which Alfredsson was injured was a case in point: a team disorganized, demoralized and unable to pull it together.
But following that ruinous 60 minutes, the Senators have found some new steam, and scoring is coming from all directions, and all lines. Since then, the Sens have faced the 4th place Sabres, the 17th place Canadiens, the 7th place Avalanche, the 22nd place Islanders, and the 23rd place Flyers. Granted , not all powerhouse, but the Ottawa boys still managed to stare down Buffalo in the shoot-out, and would have likely beat the Avalanche as well if ihadn't been for a hot goalie in the person of Craig Anderson.
Alex Kovalev has been steadily finding his game, chocking up assists and being a constant danger in the offensive zone, and hitting way too many post in the process. It's an omen that he started the second half of the season with a four-goal, one-assist performance against the Flyers yesterday. Kovalev is known to be streaky, and I hope he has found his drive and touch to continue in the same direction.
Ryan Shannon is another who has started to perform up to expectations, using his speed and savvy to collect four goals and three assists in the 5 game run. Nothing to sneeze at considering his numbers prior to those games. Impressive as well has been Chris Neil who's chipped in a couple of goals and three assists, and looks like he's on fire.
Also streaky since his return is Pascal Leclaire who saved the Senators' bacon against the Habs, bot lost it against the Flyers. Whereas everyone was complaining that Brian Elliott was playing too deep, I think Leclaire challenges too much, and it's not uncommon to find him way out of the paint when he doesn't have to. That more than anything else has cost him since his return.
More than anything, there's finally a sense of camaraderie and "grace under pressure" for the Senators. The second half of the season looks great rom where I sit.
Not that I haven't been following our Sens, far from it. But I have been either unable or lax in keeping you up to date on my minds musings. That's what you don't pay me for (did I say that out loud?)
The Senators, 15th place overall as of this writing, have been doing some good. Really, the depth is showing now, and the machine is developing into as good a hockey team as you would wish to have with the big names that are currently sidelined with injuries. With Jason Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson out indefinitely, the absence of two of the team's biggest names could have spelled disaster for the Senators. The debacle in the game against the Penguins in which Alfredsson was injured was a case in point: a team disorganized, demoralized and unable to pull it together.
But following that ruinous 60 minutes, the Senators have found some new steam, and scoring is coming from all directions, and all lines. Since then, the Sens have faced the 4th place Sabres, the 17th place Canadiens, the 7th place Avalanche, the 22nd place Islanders, and the 23rd place Flyers. Granted , not all powerhouse, but the Ottawa boys still managed to stare down Buffalo in the shoot-out, and would have likely beat the Avalanche as well if ihadn't been for a hot goalie in the person of Craig Anderson.
Alex Kovalev has been steadily finding his game, chocking up assists and being a constant danger in the offensive zone, and hitting way too many post in the process. It's an omen that he started the second half of the season with a four-goal, one-assist performance against the Flyers yesterday. Kovalev is known to be streaky, and I hope he has found his drive and touch to continue in the same direction.
Ryan Shannon is another who has started to perform up to expectations, using his speed and savvy to collect four goals and three assists in the 5 game run. Nothing to sneeze at considering his numbers prior to those games. Impressive as well has been Chris Neil who's chipped in a couple of goals and three assists, and looks like he's on fire.
Also streaky since his return is Pascal Leclaire who saved the Senators' bacon against the Habs, bot lost it against the Flyers. Whereas everyone was complaining that Brian Elliott was playing too deep, I think Leclaire challenges too much, and it's not uncommon to find him way out of the paint when he doesn't have to. That more than anything else has cost him since his return.
More than anything, there's finally a sense of camaraderie and "grace under pressure" for the Senators. The second half of the season looks great rom where I sit.
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