Sens vs. Pens

- The first two games of the Sens vs. Pens series couldn't have played out any better to illustrate my point of last week about why I hate this Sens team (not the Sens as an entity, this team). The first game was typical Senators - run up the score, laugh and smile, and show how talented you are. An hour before yesterday's game I said to a friend in Whitby "Big deal. You know they will lose today if the game is close." And of course they did. They had a one goal lead and an opportunity to take a choke hold on the series, then blew it.

The two biggest poster boys for Ottawa's playoff futility were front and center again - Wade Redden and Daniel Alfreddson. With a one goal lead Redden got run behind his own net by Gary Roberts (who could have predicted that?) and coughed up the puck leading directly to an easy one-timer to tie the game. On the winning goal Alfreddson broke his stick in the Pens end, threw his hands up like a 9 year old, half assed it back into his won end and barely made it to his own hash marks when his man, Crosby, scored.

Sens fans would have you believe that goaltending has always been there problem but with the exception of one bad game 7 against the Leafs by Patrick Lalime, that simply isn't true. This team just can't win tight games. The problem with the Sens is gutless guys like Alfie and Redden. When the Sens lose this year, likely in another 4 games, Alfie should be thrown under the bus and GM John Muckler should be fired immediately.