Ottawa Senators (3-1) vs. New York Islanders (1-3)
Thursday April 17/03
by Rink Rat
There were a couple of teams and individuals who entered the National Hockey League play-offs this spring with more baggage than you'd find at an airport carrousel. Goaltender Cloutier of the Vancouver Canucks wanted to bury his nightmare blunder in game three of last year's series with Detroit. Philadelphia Flyers have been eliminated faster than a plump couch potato from the Batchelorette four of the past five years.
However, the team carrying the heaviest load is likely the Ottawa Senators. They have defined the term 'play-off futility.' Their team crest should be a band- aid. Their play-off fight song should be Black Sabbath's Into the Void. The Senators have suffered shut-outs, melt-downs, sweeps, and failure. It was getting to the point they were approaching the post-season with the same sort of suspicion as a cat who detects a strange smell in its litter box.
This year would be different, and why not? We'd heard all the nonsense about learning lessons, digging deeper, and all that good stuff. So instead of being booed off the ice in the fourth game of a sweep they were booed off the ice after game one. Different enough for you? The looked terrible in a 3-0 loss to the Islanders. Tense, tentative, playing scared pretty much described Ottawa. But they've pulled themselves together and have picked up speed with each successive game. They are beginning to look like a competent team.
Goaltender Lalime has been good. Their defence, particularly Chara, Phillips, and Redden, have been strong. The forwards are starting to buzz with White, Hossa, and Smolinski standing out.
New York Islanders backed into the play-offs, largely because the New York Rangers were worse than them. They won the first game of this series largely because the Senators spent most of the night trying to splatter former Senator Alexei Yashin all over the boards.
They didn't play well in game two, went to the second overtime period in game three and were worn down on Wednesday night. One wonders about the cohesiveness in the Islanders' dressing room, particularly after the public tongue-lashing from captain Mike Peca late in the regular season.
Game five is the second in two nights for these teams as they travel back to Ottawa for the decisive game of the series. Since opening night the Senators have scored nine goals, three being power play goals, in their three wins. Goalkeeper Lalime is playing better than Islander's Snow. One reason this series has been closely contested is that Snow hasn't had one of his trademark meltdowns.
That could come Thursday. Senators have their game going now and have the emotional upper hand. They'll put the Islanders out of their misery on Thursday.
Play on the Senators - 1.5
Thursday April 17/03
by Rink Rat
There were a couple of teams and individuals who entered the National Hockey League play-offs this spring with more baggage than you'd find at an airport carrousel. Goaltender Cloutier of the Vancouver Canucks wanted to bury his nightmare blunder in game three of last year's series with Detroit. Philadelphia Flyers have been eliminated faster than a plump couch potato from the Batchelorette four of the past five years.
However, the team carrying the heaviest load is likely the Ottawa Senators. They have defined the term 'play-off futility.' Their team crest should be a band- aid. Their play-off fight song should be Black Sabbath's Into the Void. The Senators have suffered shut-outs, melt-downs, sweeps, and failure. It was getting to the point they were approaching the post-season with the same sort of suspicion as a cat who detects a strange smell in its litter box.
This year would be different, and why not? We'd heard all the nonsense about learning lessons, digging deeper, and all that good stuff. So instead of being booed off the ice in the fourth game of a sweep they were booed off the ice after game one. Different enough for you? The looked terrible in a 3-0 loss to the Islanders. Tense, tentative, playing scared pretty much described Ottawa. But they've pulled themselves together and have picked up speed with each successive game. They are beginning to look like a competent team.
Goaltender Lalime has been good. Their defence, particularly Chara, Phillips, and Redden, have been strong. The forwards are starting to buzz with White, Hossa, and Smolinski standing out.
New York Islanders backed into the play-offs, largely because the New York Rangers were worse than them. They won the first game of this series largely because the Senators spent most of the night trying to splatter former Senator Alexei Yashin all over the boards.
They didn't play well in game two, went to the second overtime period in game three and were worn down on Wednesday night. One wonders about the cohesiveness in the Islanders' dressing room, particularly after the public tongue-lashing from captain Mike Peca late in the regular season.
Game five is the second in two nights for these teams as they travel back to Ottawa for the decisive game of the series. Since opening night the Senators have scored nine goals, three being power play goals, in their three wins. Goalkeeper Lalime is playing better than Islander's Snow. One reason this series has been closely contested is that Snow hasn't had one of his trademark meltdowns.
That could come Thursday. Senators have their game going now and have the emotional upper hand. They'll put the Islanders out of their misery on Thursday.
Play on the Senators - 1.5
