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Is this team for real?


On Saturday, the Sens accomplished something that far more talented versions of the team were unable to do by winning their ninth straight game as Mike Fisher scored in overtime against the Canadiens.  The current version of the team is playing quite possibly the best hockey in the history of the franchise, which is saying a lot considering past teams have won a President’s trophy, been to the Stanley Cup final and for a long time were considered one the best teams in the league.  The more important question at the moment is whether or not the Sens are for real and whether or not they can start to be considered among the top teams in the Eastern Conference.

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What a difference a week makes


Last week after an embarrasing 6-1 loss to the then struggling Atlanta Thrashers, it appeared as if the Sens had hit rock bottom and were quickly fading from the Eastern Conference playoff race.  A week later, after four fairly convincing victories, the team is back on track and making a serious push to be one of the top eight teams in the East at the end of the season.

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Oh captain, my captain


If there was any doubt as to how valuable Daniel Alfredsson is to the Sens, it was put to rest on Saturday night as the team’s captain returned to the lineup for the first time in 12 games and led the Sens to victory, scoring a goal and two assists in a 4-2 win over the Canadiens.  His return couldn’t have come at a better time for the Sens as the team had struggled of late, losing five in a row before Thursday night’s shutout victory at Madison Square Garden.  While the team went a respectable 5-6 without Alfredsson in the lineup, he is not only the best player but also the heart and soul of a team that desperately missed his leadership when he was gone.

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Slip slidin’ away


Just when things seemed like they couldn’t get any worse for the Sens, they lost 6-1 to the slumping Thrashers on Tuesday night to add to their season high five game losing streak in which they have been outscored by a whopping 22-5.  It’s hard to point the finger at any one area that is hurting the Sens the most these days as they have been brutal in just about every facet of the game.  Their goaltending has been horrendous, they seem to have forgotten how to play defense, their offense has almost completely dried up and their powerplay has been pathetic for quite a while now.  Add to that the fact that the Sens have been crippled by injuries and their playoff hopes are quickly fading with every passing game.

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A tale of two WJHC’s


As another thrilling World Junior Hockey Championship ended on Tuesday with a disappointing overtime loss by Team Canada in the gold medal game, I couldn’t help but notice the huge disparity between the play of the Sens two most recent first round picks.  Last year’s tournament was a coming out party for 2008 first rounder Erik Karlsson as he led Sweden to the gold medal game while being named the tournament’s best defenseman.  This year, Ottawa’s first round pick in 2009,  Jared Cowen, struggled mightily playing for Team Canada, so much so that the team’s coaches lost confidence in the young blueliner and he hardly played near the end of the tournament.

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Kovalev and Shannon building chemistry together


Since the Sens lost their captain and best player Daniel Alfredsson to injury on December 23rd, the team has gone an impressive 4 – 1, thanks in large part to the offensive contributions from Alex Kovalev and Ryan Shannon, who have combined for 14 points in those five games.  The two have found some very nice chemistry together and have taken advantage of the added ice time that has been given to them as a result of the injuries to Alfredsson and Jason Spezza.  Mike Fisher has been playing between the two and it’s starting to look like it could be a formidable two-way line which would give the Sens two good offensive lines when Alfredsson and Spezza both return.

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Sens first half recap


It seems like just yesterday that I finished my first quarter reports but the Sens have now reached the halfway point of the season so I thought that it would be a good time to recap the team’s first 41 games.  It has been an up and down season so far for the team but one that has seen them fight through injuries to key players and still maintain a spot among the top eight teams in the Eastern Conference.  It’s rather unbelievable that they have done so well up to this point if you consider how many important players have missed significant amounts of time and you can’t help but praise the work of second year coach Cory Clouston.

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Team Canada 2010


Pretty much ever since Team Canada ended the Turin Olympics with a disappointing seventh place finish, I have been thinking about who should represent this wonderful nation in an attempt to bring back past glory.  With the Olympics being held on home soil, the importance of the Games is that much higher as the whole nation’s hopes ride on this team.  Choosing the team has not been an easy task for either Steve Yzerman or myself but after much deliberation and countless lists, we have both come to our final decisions.  While Yzerman won’t name his team until later today, I am ready to reveal mine so without further delay, here is who I think should play on the 2010 Canadian Men’s hockey team;

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Like a fish out of water


Pascal Leclaire might be the most unconventional goalie in the league after Boston’s Tim Thomas but he has provided the Sens with solid goaltending in their last two games while leading the team to consecutive victories against division rivals Buffalo and Montreal.  Leclaire had to be sensational on Monday night against the Canadiens as the Senators played one of their sloppiest games of the season and he was forced to back up his teammates time and time again.  He wasn’t as busy on Saturday night against the Sabres but he still made the big saves when he needed to and didn’t allow a goal against on two shootout attempts.

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Sens depth will be tested


With the recent news that captain and top scorer Daniel Alfredsson will miss the next four to six weeks with a separated shoulder, the Sens’ depth, which has been such a strong point for the team for most of the season, will be tested once again.  Along with the injuries to Jason Spezza and Nick Foligno, the team is now missing a major piece of its arsenal up front and for a team that struggles scoring goals to begin with, they are going to continue to need contributions from all parts of the lineup.

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