Game Summary: Game 24 - Senators and Hurricanes do sports and it was bad

by Bonk's Mullet

Coming off a big win on Hockey Night in Canada against a division rival in Detroit, Sunday's 5 PM start against the Metropolitan Hurricanes had all the makings of a turd burger. Grab your ketchup, because boy, did it deliver!

Robin Lehner was given the start despite having played last night, but you can't blame MacLean for going with the hot goaltender/bull wrangler.

Surely the return of Joe Corvo to Carolina for the nth time should have been one of the major storylines tonight, but he was not dressed for the evening, although I'm sure the return to the Carolina press box was equally emotional for Joseph.

1st Period

• Only one minute in, Milan Michalek forces a turnover on the forecheck. Mika Zibanejad snags the loose puck and sets up Jason Spezza in front who buries his own rebound. 1-0 Sens. Things are looking up!

• If you are a fan of the Ottawa Senators and you enjoy happiness, I suggest you stop reading right now. Honestly, close your browser, shut down your computer, and take a walk. Sure it's probably cold outside, but I promise you this blog entry is about to get much, much colder.
• Hey, so Colin Greening gets an open net chance minutes later but Cam Ward makes an incredible paddle save. 
• Before I describe what happens next in the game, here's a helpful list of things you can hit from behind:
• Horses; it will make them run faster
• A door; it will open
• A ketchup bottle; it will make the ketchup come out faster
• A drum; it will produce a loud, booming noise
• Here's a helpful list of things you can't hit from behind:
• Hockey players on their knees with their faces at board level; they will die.
• Unfortunately Kevin Westgarth did not read my list.

Source: The Score

• Mark Boardedwiecki (sp?) leaves the game with what medical experts are saying is a neck injury. Apparently this is only worth a 2 minute penalty.

Sorry it's a little glitchy, but it gets the point across.

• The Sens fail to produce on the power play, but hey they've got a 1-0 lead going into the intermission so I'm feeling pretty good at this point. 

This feeling is going to last forever!

2nd Period

• Seriously though, there's still time to get out. A replay of the Grey Cup might even still be on. Canadian Football! Culture! Heritage! If you know a (Saskatchewan) Rough Riders fan, you might be able to catch the tail end of a party! There will probably be snacks there. I'm sure you could feign interest for an hour or two.
• Patrick Dwyer scores on a shot that came at Lehner harder than Keshia Chanté. 1-1 game

• A Karlsson shot wide off the faceoff gives the Hurricanes an odd-man rush. Or at least that's what the 2-on-5 felt like as Eric Staal made a seamless pass to the stick of Tuomo Ruutu alone in the slot. 2-1 Canes

• Elias Lindholm walks in from the corner as uncontested as Chris Phillips in a mustache contest. 3-1 Canes

• I told you to get out while you could, but you didn't listen. You know who did listen? This guy:

"Yodelayheehoo" said Swiss League ZSC Lion Guillaume Latendresse

• After about ten minutes of highlights of Jared Cowen failing to display a pulse, we're finally given the salvation of the second intermission. Surely things will turn around in the...

3rd Period

• They don't.
• With three minutes to go in the game, Ottawa is called on an intentional offside, making the linesman the only person in the building to think the Sens are doing anything with conviction.
• Eric Staal scores a shorthanded empty netter to seal the deal. 4-1 Canes

Closing Thoughts

Erik Karlsson played over 30 minutes, giving him over 60 minutes of ice time in the last 24 hours, which is about 60 minutes less than the Sens needed from him. It's clear that the fanbase wants MacLean to ask Cowen to take a seat for the next one, that is if Chris Hansen, host of To Catch a Predator, doesn't ask him to first.

Really nothing good to say about this one other than Mika Zibanejad had a nice first period, and that Cam Ward has a really sparkly mask.

Cam Ward is that guy who visits your house and you have glitter on everything for the next 3 years

In other news, my intramural hockey team at UPenn in Philadelphia scored three shorthanded goals in the last 5 minutes to tie the game before our goalie allowed a shot from the corner behind the net with 10 seconds to go, so that's how my day's going.