rd 2 gm 4; new jersey @ ottawa; 5.2.2007

The hockey monkeys were shining on us tonight

The Balance in the Bank:

Final Score: Ottawa wins 3-2 (Ottawa leads series 3-1)
Ottawa Goals: Alfredsson, Heatley, Fisher (GW)
Making Sens: Alfredsson, Fisher, Neil
Lacking Sens: Redden, Meszaros, Emery
It was over when: The Fisher goal that gave us the lead by two was going to be enough considering the backchecking we’ve had combined with their inability to pinch in.
It was definitely over when: We forechecked the hell out of them until the final buzzer.
Message in a Molson bottle: Both goalies were weak tonight, Emery giving up huge rebounds and Brodeur giving up two soft goals. The difference in this one was that our top players outplayed their top players. Not out best game, but still a very solid effort in knocking down their defence and pouring more shots through to Brodeur. We need to show that killer instinct again on Saturday because we haven’t won anything yet.
Courtesy Boxscore: http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/boxscore?gameId=270502014

Grab a Timmy’s double double and listen to what really happened:

Optimistic Ophelia
The pizza line continues to dominate in all ends of the rink, whether it is a Heatley backcheck, Spezza carrying through the neutral zone, or Alfredsson being Alfredsson, these guys are playing their best hockey. I think you can honestly say that after nine playoff games, our best player each and every game has been our captain. The effort and emotion has rubbed off on his linemates and trickled down to the rest. The pizza line is playing great hockey right now and if you don’t agree with me, I will fight you. That’s no lie (turn on Afternoon Delight and eat a ruben sandwich while you’re at it, Papa Burgundy)

Pessimistic Patty
I don’t mean to agree with Marty Brodeur’s post-game comments (“we showed that if we shoot pucks at Emery, he doesn’t look very good”), but Rayzer needs to be a tad sharper with his rebound control going forward. Besides the two shots that got past him and rang off the post in the first, he is still looking a bit out of position on some saves and letting out rebounds that we’ve been back to clean up. I also find that some of his saves look all 1980’s Andy Moog-ish where he just kicks a leg out while standing up. He stole a game for us in the first round and he might have to do it again on Saturday in the Meadowlands.

Upbeat Ursula
Chris Neil’s best game of the playoffs and Fisher’s first goal of the playoffs. Both positives for those that are counting on effort and scoring from our lower lines. I still want to see Kelly and Vermette start potting a few more, but its great to see the winner come off a secondary stick and its great to see Neil finally playing a bit smarter and being in the play and hitting the shite out of things. How sweet would it have been to see him score on the inside out, how’s she going, move he pulled in the third?

Debbie Downer
We had Brodeur on an off night and still had to play to the final buzzer. There were long periods of play in the second period and in the third period where we were stuck playing Devils hockey. I know that we can do it successfully, but I thought we let them dictate the pace a few times, the first time they’ve really done that in this series. I want to come out balls hard on Saturday and scare them into realizing that we’re not keen on playing a sixth game.

Keys to the next game
- Screen the goalie
- Rebound control
- Shoot glove side, for pete’s sake.