Ann 22008 NHL Playoffs - Round 1: Pittsburg Penguins vs. Ottawa Senators Game 1 Review
April 10th 2008 17:20
Pens shut out Sens 4-0
Goaltending, goaltending, goaltending... That's the difference between winning and losing a series. And frankly, right now, in that department, Ottawa is in deep doodoo. Heck, there is doodoo all over the Sens team these days but let's start where it matters the most i.e. between the pipes.
Martin Gerber didn't look good at all last night. The first goal scored by third/fourth liner Gary Roberts was a weak backhand that any confident goalie could've stopped. Granted, the defense didn't help out as both defensemen crashed into each other and fell to the ice, but still... This is the playoffs, if you don't make those saves, your team won't last long. And that's what happened to the Sens in this game, they didn't hold on. Sure, they picked up the pace after the Pens' first goal (that seemed to wake them up for a while) but by the time the Pens scored the fourth goal, the Sens were just going through the motions. And it was motions, no emotion (I know, bad pun). Chris Neil who's supposed to be Ottawa's tough guy was virtually invisible save for a little scuffle at the end of the game where he went after Crosby (and he calls himself a tough guy, tsk tsk).
Before the playoffs began, the Senators promised that they would hit Crosby every time the guy stepped onto the ice. Well, guess what? Not only they didn't hit Sid the Kid, the one guy who poked him with his stick (Redden) got his ass kicked by Roberts who seemed to be all over the ice (2 goals, four penaltys including one game misconduct).
The Sens were so bad, they couldn't score even when the Pens gave them chance after chance. The Penguins took seven penalties including giving Ottawa two 5-on-3s. Alas, it was not to be for the Sens who faced an impeccable, almost perfect Mac-Andre Fleury (26 shots blocked). Like I said, goaltending.
I wonder how Bryan Murray sleeps at night.
In other games, the Rangers killed Martin Brodeur and Co. 4-1 (Rangers lead 1-0), the Flames upset the Sharks 3-2 (Flames lead 1-0), and the Avs had the upper-hand to win in OT against the Wild (the Colorado Avalanche leads 1-0).
Goaltending, goaltending, goaltending... That's the difference between winning and losing a series. And frankly, right now, in that department, Ottawa is in deep doodoo. Heck, there is doodoo all over the Sens team these days but let's start where it matters the most i.e. between the pipes.
Martin Gerber didn't look good at all last night. The first goal scored by third/fourth liner Gary Roberts was a weak backhand that any confident goalie could've stopped. Granted, the defense didn't help out as both defensemen crashed into each other and fell to the ice, but still... This is the playoffs, if you don't make those saves, your team won't last long. And that's what happened to the Sens in this game, they didn't hold on. Sure, they picked up the pace after the Pens' first goal (that seemed to wake them up for a while) but by the time the Pens scored the fourth goal, the Sens were just going through the motions. And it was motions, no emotion (I know, bad pun). Chris Neil who's supposed to be Ottawa's tough guy was virtually invisible save for a little scuffle at the end of the game where he went after Crosby (and he calls himself a tough guy, tsk tsk).
Before the playoffs began, the Senators promised that they would hit Crosby every time the guy stepped onto the ice. Well, guess what? Not only they didn't hit Sid the Kid, the one guy who poked him with his stick (Redden) got his ass kicked by Roberts who seemed to be all over the ice (2 goals, four penaltys including one game misconduct).
The Sens were so bad, they couldn't score even when the Pens gave them chance after chance. The Penguins took seven penalties including giving Ottawa two 5-on-3s. Alas, it was not to be for the Sens who faced an impeccable, almost perfect Mac-Andre Fleury (26 shots blocked). Like I said, goaltending.
I wonder how Bryan Murray sleeps at night.
In other games, the Rangers killed Martin Brodeur and Co. 4-1 (Rangers lead 1-0), the Flames upset the Sharks 3-2 (Flames lead 1-0), and the Avs had the upper-hand to win in OT against the Wild (the Colorado Avalanche leads 1-0).
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