Game One

Well, it's in the books and it's not good news for both my ability to predict outcomes and for Ottawa fans. Anaheim has taken the first game and some would say they did it in a very convincing manner.

The Sens had brushed off any potential impact the long layoff would have on them, but they were clearly not in "game shape" tonight. By the third period, the Sens lacked energy and they had the classic "rubber legs" that typify teams that are not prepared.

That being said, I don't think the Sens could have done anything different. They disposed of the Sabres as fast as possible, which is what all teams try to do.

The Ducks, for their part, came out flying and they were clearly energized by the home crowd. They played well enough to win, but they weren't at their best either. There were lots of turnovers on both sides, but the Ducks were the ones keeping the constant pressure in the Sens' zone. In the end, that made the difference.

What does this mean? Well, it means that, if Ottawa is actually the "different" team that everybody has been raving about, they have to show their mettle in game two. In order to do that, they have to do 2 things. First, they need to keep a steady and strong forecheck and, second, they have to trust each other.

After the Ducks' winning goal, Redden (who had a bad game), glared at the young Mezaros and raised his hands in frustration as if to say "where were you on that play". If that was actually the case, the issue needs to be addressed immediately. Redden was far from having an error-free game and he needs to realize that pointing fingers is NOT the solution.

Onward.