Game 61: Sens v. stinkin' Leafs
Nothing like a little witty banter to get us ready for the fourth instalment of the Battle of Ontario, 2008-09 edition, courtesy of yours truly and the scumbags (and I mean that in the nicest of ways) at Pension Plan Puppets. Beginning with their answers to five questions I asked:
Chemmy: It's better than watching your team get swept in the first round.
PPP: Don't worry about how it feels at first. Looking at your roster, how Melnyk runs things, and The Profethor I am sure guys will have plenty opportunity to grow into it.
Chemmy: Tavares, c'mon we hate foreigners who don't hit.
PPP: Another Swede? After all of that drama? No thanks.
Chemmy: Well I wouldn't mind seeing [Ryan] Getzlaf, [Corey] Perry, [J.-S.] Giguere or any of the players who made quick work of the Sens two years ago.
PPP: Hopefully some of the ones that pantsed you guys in the Final.
Chemmy: Alex Auld Brian Elliott Martin Gerber Ray Emery
PPP: What number does Gerber wear in Bingo?
Chemmy: Your team just gave up a first round pick for Chris Campoli.
PPP: Ummmmm...[Filip] Kuba? [Christoph] Schubert? [Brian] Lee? Really?
So maybe threw a few tiny rocks while standing in my glass house. But come on... Jeff Finger? Read my answers to their questions below the fold.
1. Ottawa's window: closed, or closed and boarded over?
Well, a few guys did all they could to paint the thing shut, but Eugene Melnyk is throwing all the money he can at a top-of-the-line paint scraper for Bryan Murray to use. I think I feel a breeze, too, and it smells like Erik Karlsson.
2. What did keeping Redden instead of Chara feel like?
It might have cost Bob Chiarelli (brother of Boston GM Peter Chiarelli) the mayoral race right afterwards, but it probably felt a bit like choosing Andrew Raycroft over Tukka Rask (or over anything this side of a bag of pucks).
3. Have you ever knowingly cheered for Jason Spezza?
Ever since he was a young game-breaker in Jacques Martin's doghouse. Sure, he gives the puck away and looks lazy at times, but he's ours.
4. Before the Sens: Leafs or Habs?
Leafs, in my youthful ignorance. But those were the heady days of Dave Andreychuk, Doug Gilmour, Felix Potvin, and so on. I still get nightmares about it, though.
Because they don't want to risk being shot in Toronto or set on fire in Montreal. (Too soon?)