Game Summary: Game 36 - Ottawa has a Devil of a time in Jersey

by Bonk's Mullet

On Wednesday night, the Ottawa Senators looked to build on their impressive winning streak of one game. I'll defer to my Senators Extra Prediction Panel entry for my game preview, brought to you by New Jersey native Bruce Springsteen:

Baby this team lights the mups from your back
It's a Devils trap, it's the start of a back to back
We're gonna win 4 to 1
'Cause Sens like us, baby we were born to go on a two game run

Stay tuned to find out how wrong I was!

Marc Methot, previously out with the flu, was once again sat in favour of Monday night's winning defensive pairings. Methot apparently lost 7 pounds due to the illness. On TSN1200, Dean Brown suggested that Kyle Turris, Bobby Ryan, and possibly other Senators were suffering from flu-like symptoms.

I assure you that you, the reader, will also suffer from flu-like symptoms after reading this game summary.

1st Period

• Early in the game, Marek Zidlicky gets 2 for hooking on the Sens forward leading the rush. Hold on, let me check the replay to see who it was...................Erik Karlsson.
• On the power play, Corvo goes down to his knees to block a clearing attempt at the point. The puck skips past him giving the Devils a 2-on-1. Henrique dishes it to Stephen Gionta who slides it five hole as Lehner dives across the net. Corvo goes back down to his knees to beg MacLean to stay in the lineup. 1-0 Devils
• Erik Condra falls and his skate barely misses Gionta's face. Sources later confirm that Condra was in fact aiming for his face.
• Minutes later, Corvo drops down to the ice again, although this time because of a Michael Ryder slough foot. Ryder grabs the puck and leads an odd-man rush for the Devils up the ice. After a slapshot wide, Reid Boucher, famous for his role as an extra in Youngblood, picks up the bounce off the lively boards and tucks it into the empty net. Paul MacLean tucks in all but one finger as he protests the non-call. 2-0 Devils

2nd Period

• As the Devils skate the puck in on the power play, Pageau leaves his assignment on Jagr to take the puck carrier. If you're wondering how that worked out for him, Jagr passed Steve Yzerman on the all-time goal-scorers list. 3-0 Devils
• After Zajac is called for interference, Paul MacLean ices Greening-Zibanejad-Michalek on the power play. "That will never work" says every Sens fan ever as Colin Greening tips in a Zibanejad shot to make it 3-1 Devils. Emergency rooms are suddenly flooded with patients who claim to have eaten their hats.
• New Jersey plays with six skaters for a solid minute, forcing Erik Karlsson to take a hooking penalty. I wasn't previously aware you could play with too many men to goad the other team's star player into a penalty, but suddenly Cory Clouston seems like a genius.
• A joke is made on Cody Ceci being less than half of Brodeur's age. Cody Ceci is also younger than "half of Brodeur's age" jokes.
• Wiercioch takes a slapshot to the ribs, which is the biggest dent made to a rack of ribs since Guillaume Latendresse left the team.
• Cowen's stick is slashed out of his hands as Brunner hooks him and steals the puck. On the ensuing breakaway, he pulls the Forsberg on Robin Lehner. He celebrates as he looks back to the ref in disbelief. I don't need a joke here because the refs are enough of one.
• As the horn sounds to end the period, MacArthur shoves Volchenkov into the glass at the whistle, drawing a two minute penalty. MacArthur then goes after Volchenkov, who goads MacArthur into an instigator penalty. I've now used the word "goads" once for every six pack I've consumed trying to get through this game.

3rd Period

• Ottawa kills off the double minor as Marc Methot kills a Double Down in the press box. 
• Michalek splits the defense like a knee on a German operating table. He knifes the puck over Brodeur's glove to close the gap to 4-2 Devils.
• The Sens go to the "Timbits" defensive strategy as four Senators chase the Devils behind their own net. The puck is tossed out front to Goon extra Eric Gelinas who puts the game out of reach. 5-2 Devils

Closing Thoughts

Although the refs cost Ottawa two goals against, fans shouldn't lay the blame squarely on the officiating. After what was probably their best effort of the season against the Blues, the Sens were badly outplayed by the Devils. Not much more to say about this one other than the Sens better have something up their sleeve for the Panthers tomorrow night.
Now excuse me as I go tend to my flu-like symptoms.