After the first period any sens fan could tell you that the Senators were not playing as if they wanted to win this game. Our best line in this game was Schubert - Saprykin - McAmmond... and that's not a good thing.Where was Daniel Alfredsson? The man that we depend on, the man whom Ottawa has embraced as a city-wide hero was virtually absent from this game. Normally in these playoffs, Alfredsson at least bodychecks as much as possible; in this game, that aspect of his offense was missing... not to mention the passing and scoring.
Could it be that the Senators have relied on the Spalfedheat line so much that when they're missing, the rest of the team combined cannot muster a goal? I'm afraid it is the case.
From a fan's perspective I am extremely disappointed. There was more yelling and (angry!) cursing during this game than in any of the Senators previous playoff games. The Ducks were beating the Senators to the puck in nearly every situation, and, worse yet, the Senators were unable to strip them of the puck in the sens' end.
On a positive note, Ray Emery was outstanding and inserting Saprykin into the lineup was a stroke of genius by Bryan Murray. Despite these standouts the team as a whole did not show up for Game 2.
I said to my roommate during the second intermission that if the Senators did somehow win this game, they certainly wouldn't deserve it. Well they didn't win - so I guess they deserve that. From the way that they played, they set themselves up to lose the game. In order to win this series, something has to get this team out of the rut. Returning to Ottawa will help, of that I'm sure, but it will not cure the Sens problems.There is no more 'laughing it off' anymore. There is a serious problem with the way the team is playing. Now, we only have 1 more opportunity to turn this series around. I didn't think this series would be easy, but the Senators are certainly making it alot harder for themselves.
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