Game Day- Senators, Canadiens at TD Place SensChirp

So almost 100 years ago, Ottawa and Montreal met in the first game in National Hockey League history.

Even a century later, the rivalry between these two teams remains strong. Tonight, they’ll meet again in front of more than 30,000 freezing fans at TD Place. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many of those in attendance and a unique opportunity for the players that get to suit up for this one.

Lately, not much has gone right for the Ottawa Senators. But tonight feels like a chance for a fresh start.

Losses have been piling up but they finally got back in the win column against the New York Rangers on Wednesday. Once they hit the ice at TD Place, nothing matters but tonight’s game. Not their previous struggles, not the distractions away from the rink.

The sixty plus minutes that lay in front of them is all that matters.

Head Coach Guy Boucher had the team on the ice for a tune up at TD Place yesterday.

Each player had an opportunity to skate on the outdoor rink which should help them prepare for the elements.

Temperature at puck drop is supposed to be -14 (and feel like -21) which will obviously take some getting used to for the players.

Every player, or most of them anyway, have played in an outdoor games over the years but this is the real deal.

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At the other end of the rink, the Canadiens come in into this game with a similar frustration level to the Senators. They haven’t been able to stay consistent in the early part of the season and while they still sit five points clear of Ottawa, they can’t be happy with their start to the season.

Might be some last minute shuffling but here’s how the Senators are expected to line up for this one.

Ryan-Duchene-Stone

Dzingel-Brassard-Hoffman

Smith-Pageau-Pyatt

Dumont-Thompson-Burrows

Phaneuf-Karlsson

Chabot-Ceci

Oduya-Claesson

Craig Anderson gets the start for the home side. Puck drop is scheduled for just after 7:00 PM.

Stay warm, Sens fans!

-Last night’s Alumni Game was truly one of the most unique and memorable experiences in my time as a fan of the Ottawa Senators. I honestly can’t remember feeling such pure joy at a sporting event. The big dumb grin on my face started from the moment the players took the ice for warm-up and was frozen there for all three periods. Among the highlights- a four-goal night from Alexandre Daigle, Chris Neil taking a run at his ol’ buddy Mike Fisher, the “Patty” chants for Patrick Lalime, a warm-welcome home for Alexei Yashin and Daniel Alfredsson putting on one last dominant performance in the shadow of the Peace Tower- it really doesn’t get any better. Thanks to all the players that came back for that game and thanks to everyone that helped create such a magical evening on the lawn at Parliament Hill.

***

If you missed Eugene Melnyk’s display from last night well then you are one of the lucky ones. With the league focused on Ottawa for the Alumni Game and NHL100 Classic, the always unpredictable Melnyk decided to have a big ol’ tantrum on national television. I shouldn’t be surprised but I really didn’t think he would hijack his own event the way he did. But here we are. Listening to him use that platform to throw the fan base under the bus was nothing short of infuriating. And fans and media were right to be frustrated.

There are a few important things to keep in mind when listening to Melnyk’s non-sense- the first being that he alone does not have the ability to move the team. The league has no interest in moving a franchise out of Ottawa and there multiple groups with an interest in keeping the team here and capitalizing on the billion dollar development deal he’s seemingly trying to sabatoge. The Ottawa Senators will play at LeBreton Flats. The second thing to keep in mind is that this a desperate man with a dwindling ability to operate an NHL hockey team. And it has obviously been trending that way for years. Take note of those rumours about staff not getting paid. Those are only going to get worse in the next couple months. Lastly, remember those words “forced to sell” that Bob McKenzie mentioned in a piece a couple weeks ago. No matter how stubborn Melnyk seems and how much he resists, it’s coming.

Eugene is clearly intent on leaving this thing in tatters on his way out but there was an Ottawa Senators before Eugene Melnyk and there will be an Ottawa Senators after him too.

And to Mr. Melnyk himself- thank you for saving this team from a tough spot all those years ago. And thanks for the good things you have done in this community. And I really mean that. But as you sit there scratching your head over this growing disconnect between the team and the city, and as you point the finger at Team Presidents and other staff for struggling tickets sales, know that you are the main problem. Not Phoenix, not a far drive to the rink, not prices on tickets and parking. You. Want to see a surge in ticket sales and and see a city fall in love with their hockey team again? Then sell the team.