Senators beat Ducks 4-3 and finally win a shootout and a road game
Sens Heroes: Jason Spezza, Jonathan Cheechoo
The Cheechoo train continues along its tracks since finding them again in San Jose, and hopefully he can bring that success back to Ottawa when the team returns home. His 1G and 2A in the four most recent games almost doubled his point totals so far, and his all-around play has been much more effective. Spezza had also been questioned for his output, but his two points against the Ducks and a resoundingly strong effort showed that he didn't sacrifice his offensive abilities for defensive responsibility; he's just got to find a way to strike a balance more regularly.
Sens Zeroes: Brian Elliott
It's unfortunate that Elliott falls into this category; he allowed three goals, one of which was just a bad-luck bounce off the stantions, and ended up saving 33 of 36 shots on the night--some of which were his patented strong glove saves. Still, the second and third goals were both very stoppable. More importantly, each one was less than a minute after Ottawa scored, making it tough for the Sens forwards to establish much momentum.
Sens Killers: Joffrey Lupul-Ryan Getzlaf-Corey Perry
Combining for 3G and 2A on the night, the Ducks' top line were far and away the most potent Anaheim players on the ice. Lupul was physical all night--including his hit-from-behind hit on Anton Volchenkov--while Perry and Getzlaf were playing that game that just pisses you off because it works so well.
In Clouston's good books: Jesse Winchester
The head coach continues to show his faith in Winchester by playing him all over, and it's no wonder why. Although he had no powerplay time, he was huge on some of the Senators' penalty kills. He also had some ice time in overtime, and was Ottawa's best faceoff man with a 67 percent (10-for-15) success rate. Although he's not putting up big numbers, the small things he does well he does very well, and they're important to the team's success.
In the doghouse: Peter Regin
After his recent scratching, Regin hasn't really instilled much confidence that it shouldn't happen again. You've got to love his speed, but he just can't keep the puck in tight. He was, once again, the Senators' least-utilized player, with only 6:05 TOI tonight. As popular as he was with Cory Clouston in the AHL, he's obviously not trusted in the big leagues.
And now for something completely different: Five powerplays, including two 5-on-3 opportunities
For a team that's the most penalized in the league and which hasn't been awarded a tremendous number of powerplays, the Senators sure can't say they didn't have their chances on this night. Spezza's powerplay goal, the only one Ottawa had, was shortly after the end of the first two-man advantage. Even at only 1-for-5, the Senators still had eleven powerplay shots-on-goal, with Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson leading the way with three each.
Is it that bad: Three of a possible 10 points on the road trip
Not good, but could be worse, I guess. With a 1-3-1 record over the five-game road trip, Ottawa's got 32 points on the year and still sits in seventh in the Eastern Conference. The problem, though, is that it could (and probably should) have been eight points, with a blown lead against Boston and two winnable games against Los Angeles and Phoenix. Hopefully not something that the Senators have to pay for later in the season.
Newest ailment: Martin Gerber Syndrome
"A syndrome characterized by a sudden onset of unexplained sucking. In what is a classic example of an anxiety disorder, MGS tends to manifest only in cases of increased pressure (ie. performing in front of crowds)." For more information, see the FanPost.
Nickname of the Night: "Not Martin"
Given to Mike Brodeur initially to avoid confusion between himself and his far-removed cousin, Martin Brodeur, it later developed an optimistic secondary meaning: The hope that Brodeur is not afflicted by the seemingly common Martin Gerber Syndrome that's run through the Senators' goaltending roster.
