In The Cheap Seats

For kicks, I thought I’d try something new tonight…and I don’t mean pickled beets. With apologies to Bill Simmons, I figured it might be fun to blog as the game goes along. This will keep up until I tire of my meathook hands mangling typos on this keyboard, or I run out of battery power, whichever comes first.

First Period

18:11 I really miss the black uniforms for the Sens. The red things look too cartoonish - nevermind the stupid fact that they have different home and road logos.

16:45 At a meet and greet for the Manchester Monarchs years ago, I asked Joe Corvo to watch our baby stroller while we toured the dressing room. He looked at me like I was a giant dick, and I can’t say I blame him. Thanks again, Joe!

16:12 Ottawa just bowled a strike - Theodore just got taken out by Andrew Vermette. Same refs as last night, we’re told. Can’t wait for the phantom calls to start coming.

15:15 Milan Hejduk just went offsides for the 1,000,000th time in his career. He’ll be honored after the game (expect him to be early to the ceremony).

14:27 Wolski just missed an open net on the power play. Not sure how he missed it with that super long stick…

13:02 I should say now that my Tivo managed to flip out a bit and I know what the score is going to be in 10 minutes (0-0), which sort of takes the wind out the sails of excitement for a bit.

11:26 I wonder what the Vegas odds are on Svatos getting out of the period without a penalty, especially with this crew. 3-1? 5-2?

10:32 I was just typing that I didn’t know if Ossi or Sauer was playing, but I just heard Vaananen’s name called. I think Sauer’s one-day pass from the dog house was revoked after that giveaway last night. Too bad.

9:17 McNabb just made a great point about Laperriere and McLean helping improve Arnason’s game, as they did with Tanguay last year.

6:10 Liles just tried to check someone (Kelly?), and bounced off him like he was a rubber ball. Nice try though!

4:11 This is about where I saw ahead on Tivo, so now it actually means something. So, woot - go Avs.

3:31 I had to watch the intermission stuff last night, mostly to see just what silly things Tie Domi would say. Since his thoughtful insights will be missing tonight, I can safely fast forward through the breaks.

2:08 I know about Paul and Yan Stastny being sons of Peter. Do Marian and Anton also have NHL caliber kids? As cool as a line of Stastny’s in the 80s was cool, wouldn’t an entire team of Stastny’s be neat?

2nd Period

19:34 So far, Theodore has been pretty decent. Maybe Martin Lapointe is better than everyone thinks???

17:39 This doesn’t really belong here, but I was watching the Bruins earlier, and the announcers kept calling Phaneuf “Phanoof”. I was just starting to think they knew something I didn’t, but then they called him “Dino” instead of Dion. Dino Phanoof isn’t a bad name, really.

15:15 Avs powerplay still looks kind of meh. Stastny just had a nice chance, but looks like they are starting 0-2. Way less penalties than I thought we’d see. This is why I don’t gamble.

14:14 SLICK move by Arnason. No goal, but nice. Penalty #3 for Ottawa. The only time you hear the crowd in Ottawa is when their team gets a penalty. Well, unless the Leafs are in town.

12:37 These were two of the highest scoring offenses last year, and we’re two minutes away from halfway and we’re scoreless.

11:27 Two GREAT chances by Colorado. They’ve got to break down the floodgates soon.

9:12 And there it is. Sakic. Pan to token shot of crowd where 3 people are standing, one wearing a Nords jersey - you’ll see a Nordiques jersey at every Av game, home or away. It’s like a rule.

7:11 Senators are coasting out there; this is going to be a long long season. Hard to believe this is the same franchise that was dominating at this point last season. Note, I didn’t say same team, because Ottawa lost a TON of players. That’s something Colorado fans can sympathize with for sure.

4:31 First Av penalty: Antti Laaksonen. If I spelled his name right there, it’s the first time I’ve done it right.

3:24 the boos are starting…oops, there goes a shorty. Brad Richardson. wow, that’s got to hurt. Colorado has 2 goals scored vs 4 given up shorthanded. Richardson has been on the ice for all 6 of those goals.

1:47 Ian Laperriere just CRUSHED a linesman against the boards (accidentally). That’s the biggest hit of the night.

3rd Period

19:41 I have an ex-girlfriend from Zionsville. I don’t hold that against Liles though. Well, maybe a little.

19:10 So far, doesn’t look like there’s been much change in momentum. Colorado is still skating hard, Ottawa is skating like they are wearing parachutes. That bodes well.

17:51 I don’t want to jinx anything, but we’re about 10 seconds away from 100 shutout minutes going back to last night.

17:21 Clark just saved my jinx - breaking up a Heatley breakaway. It’s very easy to mix up Clark and Skrastins on the ice - they have similar builds and similar styles and similar numbers. The Leaf broadcasters last night had them mixed up early in the game.

16:13 Vaananen in the box - big powerplay here. Ottawa needs to score to get back into the game.

15:12 Theodore misplayed the puck behind the net and it trickled in front, but no damage done. Ottawa fans are booing some more.

14:31 And Alfredsson gets a penalty; the powerplay c’est finis.

14:15 This would be a GREAT place for Colorado to get its own powerplay untracked. The McLean line is getting some much deserved love from Q, getting some PP time.

10:15 Spezza just fed a wide open Heatley. It’s now 2-1. Heatley was 10 feet away from the nearest white jersey (Rycroft). Guh.

9:20 This is why the NHL is so much fun right now - minutes ago, Don Meredith was warming up his singing voice. One breakdown later, it’s now a one-goal game. The Sens are jumping, the crowd is back in it. Colorado is in danger of swinging a huge victory into a disappointment if they don’t pull this out. Shades of the Dallas game…

8:00 And Ottawa is now on the powerplay. This is tense.

6:51 This powerplay is much easier to defend without freaking Zdeno Chara blocking out the sun in front of the net.

6:31 Spezza got nabbed - powerplay ends early again for Ottawa. That was a big kill by the Avs.

5:54 Ok, now THIS time would be a great time to get the powerplay untracked…

4:46 With 15 seconds left, Ottawa digs a deeper hole - another penalty. Chris Phillips for hooking. Sens fans are starting to head to their cars. And Joel Quennevile just smiled - you don’t see that too often.

4:20 Clark has struggled keeping the puck in at the point on the powerplay, but he did a nice job there. And then Colorado wastes it and gives up a stupid 3-on-2, but Theo makes a nice save.

3:11 Avs haven’t scored a powerplay goal since the Chicago game.

2:30 left. This should be wild.

1:37 Most of the play has been in Ottawa’s zone so far. Can’t complain about that.

1:10 Gerber is off. Penalty on Klee. gulp. at least we can ice it, but geez…

:33 and cleared…

and that’s game. Much closer than it should have been, but that’s a great, great win.