Beaser 97 Tourney Recap
28/04/2008 2:50:22 PM
The Endeavour Sports Group Snipers hit the ice for the Outaouais tournament in Gatineau, Quebec last April 25th and 26th.

The group of 1993 birthdates had a great time over the weekend competing against some very good Atom teams from the Gatineau and Ottawa region.

The Snipers finished the tournament without a win ending up with a 0-4 record but showed tremendous spirit and work ethic.

The boys are improving every time they step on the ice. It won’t be long before the team has its first win under their belt.

It’s amazing to see how their individual and team skills have improved since they began the program in early March.

They began as individuals, very few knowing their teammates, but after just a few weeks have become a team both on and off the ice.

Next challenge for the Snipers is a tournament at the Bell Sensplex May 9-11.

See you at the rink.

FINAL SENS BLOG OF 2008
17/04/2008 12:01:56 PM
Penguins-Senators Final Blog

Well that’s it for live NHL playoff action around Ottawa.

The Senators didn’t’ put up much of a fight as they were swept in four straight games by the Penguins.

Ottawa scored only five goals in the series.

April 16 is the earliest exit for the team in their 11 years of playoff action.

The Senators had been playing like a wounded animal since the New Year and needed to be put out of its misery. Last night their season mercifully came to an end.

“We didn’t have it,” admitted Bryna Murray. “The Penguins were more disciplined than we were over the four games plus they have a lot of offensive talent to work with,” admitted Bryan Murray.

“When we were shaking hands at the end of the game I told Michel Therrien that they have the ability to go a long way in the playoffs.”

For the Penguins this is the first time this particular group of players have won playoff series. “We still remember what happened to us last year against Ottawa but this year was different,” said Sydney Crosby. “We learned a lot from last year’s loss to the Senators. We’ve grown us a team and the series win will do a lot for our confidence.”

The next couple of months should be interesting in Senators land. Wade Redden has played his last game in an Ottawa uniform. Ray Emery will be gone along with Mike Commodore. Watch for some other moves as well.

Enjoy the rest of the playoffs.

The 2008 NHL Entry Draft will be held in Ottawa in late June.

SENS - PENS PRE GAME BLOG
16/04/2008 4:31:52 PM
Its sink or swim for the Ottawa Senators tonight against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 4 tonight at Scotiabank Place.

Win and they live to see another day, lose and they’re done until next September.

At the morning skate, the Senators were loose but fully aware of the scenario that awaits them if lose tonight.
“It’s going to be a long summer if we lose in the first round,” said Jason Spezza.

Ottawa needs more offensive production from Spezza and Dany Heatley and the rest of the Senators if they intend on playing another game.

Daniel Alfredsson will suit up again tonight for Ottawa even though he’s not even close to being 100%.
“Hopefully we can come up with a big effort tonight, get some momentum and turn this thing around.”

At his morning press conference, Bryan Murray was upbeat about his team’s chances in Game 4. “I’m counting on them to play well and do what they’re capable of. They will have to be a force every shift they’re on the ice.” Murray said.

Ottawa’s big line of Heatley-Spezza-Alfredsson will be reunited for tonight’s game.

G Martin Gerber gets the nod for Ottawa between the pipes. Marc-Andre Fleury starts in goal for the Penguins.
If the Penguins win tonight it will be their first playoff series victory since 2001. Pittsburgh defeated the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 in the Eastern Conference semifinals that year.

The last time the Ottawa Senators lost in the first round was in 2004 when they lost a seven game series to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

SENS - PENS BLOG #4
15/04/2008 11:22:40 AM
Pittsburgh’s Marian Hossa must have felt the heat from my blog after Game 2 because he played well in Game 3 of the series.

Hossa scored the fourth goal and added two assists as the Penguins took a commanding 3-0 series lead with a 4-1 victory over Ottawa at Scotiabank Place on Monday night.

It’s a great feeling to score my first playoff goal in four years and to get it here in Ottawa where I started my career is special,” Hossa said after the game. “Getting the goal is nice but having a 3-0 lead is the most important thing.”

Fo Ottawa played well for two periods and if not for Fleury’s goaltending the Senators could have have been up by a couple of goals.

Several Ottawa penalties in the second period gave Pittsburgh some momentum that carried over into the third period leading to three unanswered goals.

Watching the game from the press box it’s amazing to see how well Sydney Crosby reads the play, and uses his teammates effectively.

Crosby is a very gifted player that plays with an edge. The young superstar will give out as many checks as he receives and will not shy away from the rough stuff.

Crosby is just as popular off the ice as he is on it. The post game media throng was getting antsy waiting for Sydney to hit the podium when he finally showed up with Hossa to answer our questions.

Like the true pro that he is Crosby answered every question until the media had had their full. I like the way he always deflects a lot of the credit to his teammates even though the questions are directed at him and his play.

For example, Question: Sydney, how do you feel you played tonight and talk about your game -winning goal at the beginning of the third period?

Answer Crosby: “We knew Game 3 would be a real test for us and we wanted to respond in the right way which I feel we did. Marc-Andre (Fleury) kept us in the game with some big saves until we could get untracked in the third. Max’s goal a couple of minutes after they scored was huge. It settled us down a bit.

On my goal I saw Gerber leaning to his right a little bit and decided to shoot and it went in. But it was Staal’s goal a couple of minutes later that really secured the win for us tonight.

Notice how he mentioned all the key components to Pittsburgh win. Spoken like a true captain.

Spoke briefly with Max Talbot after the game. Good old Max, hasn’t changed since his junior days with the Gatineau Olympiques. If there was one guy you wanted to see succeed it was Talbot. He’s a great character player, will do anything to help the team win. I’ll always have a lot of time and respect for Max.

If Crosby wasn’t the guy in Pittsburgh, Talbot would be the captain. Nevertheless he will be an assistant for the Penguins in the near future.

SENS-PENS PRE-GAME BLOG
14/04/2008 5:20:54 PM
Game 3 goes tonight at Scotiabank Place.

With the Senators down 2-0 in the series and in desperate need of a win..... desperate times need desperate measures.

Jason Spezza WILL play tonight and Daniel Alfredsson might make an early return to the line-up.
Alfie wasn’t on the ice at the morning skate at Scotiabank Place but the Senators captain skated by himself last night.

Wade Redden let it slip this morning that Alfredsson will take the pre game warm-up. If Alfie plays expect him to see most of his ice-time limited to the power play.

Some of the media guys have Alfie as a 75-25 bet to play while others have him 50-50.

“I’m not shutting the door on him being available (tonight) said Bryan Murray after the morning skate.
As for Spezza, the Ottawa centre fell awkwardly into the boards on Friday night and hasn’t felt right since.
“I don’t feel 100% that’s for sure but I’ll be fine tonight,” Spezza said after the morning skate.

Spezza and Heatley will have to turn up the heat tonight if the Sens are going to get back in the series. The Penguins have outscored Spezza’s line 10-1 over the first two games.

Gerber will be in nets for the Senators with Marc-Andre Fleury between the pipes for Pittsburgh
As hard as it is to believe there are still tickets available in every section of “The Bank” for tonight’s game.