When all else fails, perhaps it's time to go back to basics: backyard hockey.



It's the signature Canadian winter experience: the kids in the neighbourhood gather at the backyard of the friend whose Dad built a rink. The ice is iffy and cracked. There's only one real goal with a missing net, the other consists of a couple of boots and the height of the goal is bound to be hotly argued sometime during the game. Teams are picked, roles assigned, and it's game on.

For a few hours everything else is forgotten: goals are scored and disputed, plays are heatedly discussed, bumps and bruises are overlooked for the benefit of the team, a fight may even break out. Sometime along the way, a break may be called for some hot chocolate inside. No matter what the result - although the winner always lifted an imaginary Stanley Cup - it was fun. It was still hard work, and we slept hard that night, but most of all it was fun. We couldn't wait to do it again.

I think that's where the solution lies for the Senators. It's easy to have fun with the game when you're winning, almost impossible to do so when you're losing. While on a losing streak, one looks for anything that will help, tries to do it all, and holds on too tight. It is high time that the Senators go out there and play for the sheer fuin of it: the satisfaction of the tape-to-tape pass, the honest effort, the hard fought battle along the boards, the deft shot on net, the neat little play, and the punishing check. All these are what makes hockey what it is.

Really, well played hockey is a joy to play, and a joy to watch, no matter what the results. So Cory Clouston, go out there and tell the boys to have fun and show the fans some great backyard hockey. Let's bring the game back down to where we live.

GO SENS GO!!