From: simpson@bnr.ca (Scott Simpson)
Subject: SENATORS NEWS:  It's an eerie sort-of deja-vu...
Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Ottawa, Canada
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 13:20:44 GMT

So, the Senators get involved in another close game, have the lead in the
third, go into a huge defensive shell and lose a close one.

Sound familiar?

The last half dozen games at the Civic Centre have all been decided by one
goal or less (The Sens are 1-3-2 in this span).

Anyway, the game started out fine for the home boys, with Jody Hull pouncing 
on a Brad Shaw rebound (on a nifty feed from Neil Brady) and it was 1-0
Ottawa at 5:59.  The Sens looked particularly impressive in the first half
of the first, dominating a tired-looking Capitals team.  However, at 16:45
Dimitri Khristich got his 8th of the year on the power play on a set-up by
Dale Hunter and Michael Pivonka.

For those wondering, Bob Kudelski did suit-up (wearing number 26), and 
looked good in the first period, only to pretty much dissapear in the 2nd
and third.

Anyhow, in the second period, Dave Archibald scored a power-play marker at
16:06 (Turgeon, Shaw) to regain the lead 2-1.  The only other notable event
in the second was Bowness going balistic (gee, that's a shock) when Peluso
got a cross-checking minor at the end of the period.  Fun to watch up close.

So, the Sens started the third period short-handed and paid for it.  Pat 
Elnyuik got his 9th from Mike Ridley and Pete Bondra to tie it at 2, but
30 seconds later, Peluso made up for his error and potted his 8th (from
Brady and Rumble) to put the Senators up 3-2.

Now, this is the deja-vu part.  It happened against Philadelphia, it 
happened against Detroit, it happens against everyone.  Once the Sens get
the lead in the third, a huge (and I mean *huge*) defensive shell thing
starts happening.  The plan seems to be if you get the puck in your end,
you dump it to centre ice.  No passes, no icing, just clear the puck.

Well, as Letterman would say "you could smell it coming up 3rd avenue"; 
the Caps score on some sloppy work in the Sens' end.  Mike Ridley got
his 14th from Miller and Elnyuik at 9:22.  This happened soon after Brad
Marsh was being held in the corner for a few seconds.  Before the goal was
even scored, Marsh was *livid*, chasing referee Roberts screaming for a
penalty.  Once the goal was scored, Marsh was taking a run at Roberts,
the veins about to pop out of his head.

So, with the entire Civic Centre booing their loudest 'cuz of the non-call
and the goal, Al Iafrate potted his 12th 16 seconds later (Khristich, Hunter)
and it was all over.  With the exception of a couple of chances, neither team
really did anything else the rest of the way.

Washington outshot Ottawa 28-23.  The stars of the game were Khristich,
Ridley, and Brad Shaw.

Sigh, these posts are getting repetitive, aren't they?


Later,
Me
----------------->  rec.sport.hockey Ottawa Senators Contact <------------------
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