Very defensive effort last night, I don't know if my heart can take a whole season of tight games like that. Who am I kidding, I'm used to it after Jacques Martin's era.
I didn't get to pay very close attention last night, but I did get to see the second and third periods at a local establishment. They were pretty boring, but that might be a good thing--definitely worth it if the team ends up winning more than they lose.
Good effor by Alex Auld, who gave the Senators the stops they needed and brought his record up to 3-2 on the season. He stopped 25 of 26, another game where he was close to a shutout. The one goal allowed was on another 5-on-3 powerplay, and Auld had little to no chance on the save.
It was tense going into the third, but the tension was slightly relieved when Dany Heatley scored a powerplay goal about 6 minutes into the third. Walking out of the corner, Heatley took a shot short-side that ramped up a defender's stick and snuck past Vokoun. The tension was further relieved when Chris Kelly hammered home some garbage after Chris Neil threw said garbage to the front of the net. It was the kind of goal that third line of Kelly, Neil, and Jarkko Ruutu can be expected to score fairly regularly.
The tension was fully relieved at the 20:00 mark of the third, when the game ended in a 2-1 result. Tight finish, but two points is two points. The way the Sens won, in a close, defensive battle, was pretty impressive considering the periodic defensive flaws in the last couple seasons.
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