That’s a headline I never thought I’d type heading into this year’s playoffs, especially in a series against the Buffalo Sabres, and one I’m betting denizens of “Leafs Nation” never hoped to see.
I don’t mean that disparagingly, Senators fans, just being honest. After years of watching this team come up small in the playoff so often, it was an easy assumption to make going into the 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs.
But once the Sens got past the Penguins (yes, I picked the Pens to upset them) and after their strong showing against the New Jersey Devils, my opinion changed, leading to my at-the-time bold prediction that they’d upset the Sabres.
And this should be considered an upset, except that for most of this series, the Senators were the dominant team. This victory in five games over the Sabres was not a fluke, nor was it lucky. Ottawa deserved to win this series.
Their penalty killing was incredibly aggressive. They constantly forechecked and were responsible defensively. That defence corps is scary-deep, with guys who can move the puck well and chip in offensively (Redden, Corvo, Preissing) and those who can play a tough, physical defensive style (Volchenkov, Phillips, Schubert).
Volchenkov in particular has emerged as my personal favourite with his bone crushing hits and shot-blocking ability. Anyone who still believes the myth of “weak Russian players” need only watch “the A-Train” to have their minds changed. This guy is the epitome of "old time hockey".
Ray Emery may not be winning many fans with his cockiness, but his play has given the Sens the confident goaltending they’ve lacked for years in the playoffs. When you're doing as well as he is, you can afford to be cocky.
Their best players were just that, their best players, particularly Daniel Alfredsson (my candidate to win the Conn Smythe Trophy), Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza, who were only shut out once in this year’s playoffs.
Alfredsson has been silencing his critics this spring by doing what a great captain does, leading his team to victory. Whether it's scoring or setting up goals, working the PP, killing penalties, blocking shots, or playing the body, "Alfie" has been unusually aggressive this spring, and it's made him Ottawa's best player in this year's playoffs.
Their secondary forwards, notables like Mike Fisher, Antoine Vermette, Chris Kelly, Dean McAmmond, Mike Comrie and Oleg Saprykin, have been tremendous in their work ethic and their two-way play.
The Senators were simply too good in the little things that win games.
It has to be heartbreaking for the Sabres and their fans. This was supposed to be “the year” when finally a championship would come to Buffalo, but it was obvious to me in their opening round series against the lowly New York Islanders that something was wrong with this club, that this year’s playoffs was going to be a hard road.
Ultimately, my concerns about the Sabres, which I expressed in earlier posts on this blog so I won’t waste time repeating myself, were justified.
Something was different about the Sabres this season compared to last year’s playoffs, when they came so agonizingly close to going to the Finals.
Perhaps they put too much pressure upon themselves, or maybe not enough. Whatever the reason, they’re now heading into an off-season filled with as much uncertainty as there was a year ago.
Last summer, the casualties were Jay McKee, JP Dumont and Mike Grier. This year, it could be Daniel Briere, Chris Drury or perhaps a couple of other players will be dumped to free up salary to retain those two.
This unexpectedly short Eastern Conference Finals appearance will definitely influence the off-season plans of Sabres management.
They can make no excuses since they were simply beaten by a much better team, one that deserves to be in the Stanley Cup Finals. Hopefully, the Sabres have learned some valuable lessons from the Senators, lessons the Sens themselves took years to learn.
The Ottawa Senators deserve to be Eastern Conference Champions.
It comes as no surprise to me that the Sens won the Eastern Conference and are headed to the Stanley Cup Finals.
If they had started the season just a little bit better they surely would have won the Eastern Division title. As of Dec. 21 (when their record was below 500) they were the best in their division. They won the series against Buffalo in the regular season 5-2-1 (even with their lousy start).
Sure the Sabres have speed - so do the Sens. Sure the Sabres have four lines - so do the Sens. Sure the Sabres have fire power - so do the Sens. Sure the Sabres have Miller - we've got Emery. But, the Sabres don't have penalty killing and they don't have a power play - and the Sens do.
The team (that the pundits said most teams didn't want to meet in the first round) was the Pens. Ottawa handled them without a problem. Then in the 2nd round they only had to go up against the best goalie in the whole league. No problem.
Now it's on to the Stanley Cup finals - where they rightfully belong.
The best team won and so my hats are off to the Sens and their fans.
A true rivalry was born with this victory and we can look forward to many, many more years of hatred amongst each other! I can't wait.
In the meantime, I had trouble deciding who I want to win the rest of the way so I'll put it like this, if its Sens and Wings, Go Wings! If its Sens and Ducks, go Sens!
seen it coming, called sens in 6 but whatever, the job is done. The one thing that popped out in my mind was Miller's play. To be honest, he wasn't playing playoff hockey until the past 3 or so games, nonetheless, its not the only reason why they took an early exit. You can't lose your two games at home like that and expect to take the series down. Watch buffalo sign Drury and let Briere walk, either way, i don't think Briere wants to be in buffalo next year.
Certain players on the Sabres played well, like Drury, but one guy who stuck out as just not very good was Afinogenov. Sure, he scored a few times, but when the Sabres had a chance at an odd-man rush, Mr. Superstar decided it would be prudent to charge in and get pasted into the boards by one of the Sens' d-men. He played like he wanted to win, but he certainly didn't play like a winner.
as I predected at the start of the postseason on this blog the Sens won the east.
Now if the Ducks can hold true.
As for the Sabres. Spector said it best when there was somthing wrong with the team.
They lost for 5 simple reasons.
1. I feel the Rangers series took way to much out of them.
2. Special Teams
3. Flat out and Sabrefan and LGB you know I am right The Sabre blueline is just to small to handle the riggors of the NHL playoffs.
4. Maxim Afinogenov and Thomas Vanek played poorly in this round in there own end
5. The Sens wanted it more
Buffalo you are a very young team. I hope for your sake that the window is still open and not closing for this group of players.
With the Salary cap looming alot of thees young players are going to be up for hugh pay increases in the next 2 to 3 season and the team will need to make some hard decisions.
Thats the only drawback about drafting well.
but with you guys employing only just 3 fulltime scouts and using video only to see potentinal draft picks. How long will the Sabres draft as well as they have in the past. We should have an answer in the next 3 years and some of your younger players entry level contracts are up and are let go for younger cheeper players.
My Kings will be in the same boat around 2009 when Kopitar O'Sullivan Cammy and Frolov will all have contract status up in the air with Cammy and Frolov UFA's then Jack Johnson the following season
Sensgirl-You forgot to point out that you have the best top line in the game right now.
TKF- I agree with 3 and 5, whole-heartedly. At the beginning, I thought the Sabres D was just as good as the Sens and we found that to be not true at all and the Sens proved they wanted it a hell of a lot more than we did.
Number 1 could be true because it seemed that a lot of Buffalo's guys were nursing some kind of injuries coming in. It was a physical series against the Rangers and it only got worse against the Sens.
As for 2 and 4, I disagree. I mean special teams was a definitive advantage for Ottawa BUT it was pretty much the same last year and the Sabres won the series 4-1. And I think Max played his best series and Vanek was just nursing an injury so he wsn't able to dominate like he did against the Rangers.
Great win by my boys. Keep your head up high Sabres' fan, because your team is still very young and hopefully, Mr. Regier will make the right moves in this off-season and try to keep this team together. Also, I cannot believe the fans outside HSBC. I was envy of you. If only they would've build Scotiabank place downtown, maybe we could've given you guys a run for your money in the cheering department outside the arena.
Next stop Detroit or Anaheim.
Here is my early prediction for the Stanley Cup Finals:
If Detroit beats Anaheim...Ottawa wins Cup in 5 games and NBC only shows the first and second period of each game so they can break away to monitor the eating habits of Roger Clemens.
If Anaheim beats Detroit...Ottawa wins Cup in 7 games and NBC decides in the 3rd period of the fourth game that it no longer wants to televise the NHL because they realize there is now more fighting in the NBA.
For my friends and fellow Canadians back home, at the end of regulation during the Sens v Sabres game, NBC kicked the game off the air and over to Versus so they could televise an hour of "analysis" leading up to horse racing.
All I ever read from the NHL/NBC is the desire to grow the sport...what better way to get new fans than to leave the game on the air in OT when a team has a chance to advance to the Cup Finals? The NHL/NBC dropped the ball on this one and I hope all hockey fans write to NBC/NHL with their displeasure.
boltsfan: judging by Miller's reaction I think that shot fooled him. Since Alfredsson was coming in on a one-on-three situation Miller probably thought his defencemen had Alfie contained.
I doubt very much it was lack of heart or fatigue.
Congratulations to the Sens, they were the best team in the East. They have the best 6 deep defense and top line in hockey.
Canadian - It was sad that we had to change channels to see the end of the game. It's a shame that NBC can garner better ratings for horse racing pre-game than playoff OT hockey (though I'd expect no TV timeouts in OT came into play in the decision).
I fear this is going to be used as ammunition to bring the shootout into the playoffs. Please don't Bettman! There's nothing more exciting in sports than playoff OT hockey.
Spec: I was thinking more along the lines of lack of concentration due to the situation and/or that Miller just let his mind wander in a way he may not in a game 7, when there's a definite chance for his team to advance. Honestly, I dont see a goalie who knows he has to win 4 in a row staying on the top of his game every second of every game. Maybe he just zoned at the worst possible time and Alfredsson got lucky. I wasnt questioning Miller's heart, per se, but more the situation he was in and the subsequent actions.
Miller has his flaws but he carried the team against Ottawa for most of the series. He is a quietly fierce competitor and I think he's taking this ouster pretty hard, but really his team owes him a big thank-you. Don't include Miller on the list of Sabres who "didn't want it as bad as the Senators".
Max Afinogenov: You've been in the league too long to be as indecisive as you are. Pass, shoot, whatever...just do it with more alacrity and conviction, for God's sake!`
"Soupy" Campbell: Some of your penalties are of the laziest variety. Fix that please.
Kalinin, Spacek: What exactly is NOT replaceable about you?
Danny Briere: Still love ya but I thought you'd be more dangerous. What happened?
I'm Lyle Richardson, also known as Spector, Foxsports.com 's "Prince of Pucks".,which is based on the fact I live in Prince Edward Island, Canada and I couldn't think of a better byline. I've been an NHL hockey commentator since 1998 on my website, Spector's Hockey, and I'm a contributing writer for Foxsports.com , The Hockey News and Eishockey News. I'm also a regular on The Faceoff Hockey Show and a frequent guest on "The Late Crew" on The Team 1200 Ottawa.
