PLAYOFF GAME DAY: Game 5: Ottawa Senators (1) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (3) - 7:00pm ET - Thu. Apr. 22nd, 2010

These are trying times to be Sens fan. I support the team, always have and always will.

But after a great season for things to be going like this ... well you can't blame fans for being angry, frustrated ....

And I can't imagine any hockey fan in Canada saying anything nice about Bettman.

try being a Sens fan in Pittsburgh my friend....

wprager wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

shabbs wrote:I'm hoping last night's game was so bad that it wakes the Sens up and perhaps, just perhaps, flips the switch back to the "ON" position. I dunno. Perhaps getting away from Ottawa will give them a spark.

Keep the faith...

Lots of angry people today, myself included...

I'd love to believe in that, but I won't this time. Last night broke my spirit with this team. If they win tomorrow (ha), then I'll resume my faith, but it's pretty hard right now.

Am I wrong to say that?

No, you are a true Ottawa fan

Seriously, take a look at the Leafs fans and learn from them. You stick with your team through thick and thin. To say you won't support the *TEAM* (whether financially or in other ways) because a certain player is on it is weak. It used to be that a player would be signed by a team and spend pretty much his whole NHL career there. That is beyond rare nowadays. You're lucky if in your lifetime you'll see 5 players who were lifelong members of the same organization.

So relax, take a deep breath, and keep thinking nasty thoughts about Gary Bettman. Get that clown out of there. He's been doing this for how many years promising billions from NBC/ESPN/FOX/etc? All he got them is Versus, one outdoor game on NBC and maybe some playoff games, so long as they don't interfere with the camera shot of a muddy track at the Preakness. Until that idiot is gone the Cup stays south of the border -- of that I am almost convinced. The only team that has a prayer is Toronto, because they are as big as a U.S. market, and some of the 'Merkins still remember Toronto winning the World Series.

I hope you are just venting. If you really think Bettman or anyone in the league office influences the outcome of games, I feel sorry for you. This league is like any professional league, the Big name stars get treated differently, through supplementary dicipline or through on ice calls. If Crosby played in Edmonton and Ovechkin was a Sen, they would be treated the same way they are now.

Hoags wrote:These are trying times to be Sens fan. I support the team, always have and always will.

But after a great season for things to be going like this ... well you can't blame fans for being angry, frustrated ....

And I can't imagine any hockey fan in Canada saying anything nice about Bettman.

You are right, it has been a great season, lots of ups and downs, showing up the pundits by finishing 5th in the conference and getting back to the playoffs. Unfortunately, the team has been incredibly streaky the whole season and they seem to have hit a low point right now, at the same time as Pittsburgh got healthy and hit their stride. If Malkin had been healthy down the stretch we would be facing NJ in the first round and I have absolutely no doubt we would have beat them handily. The worst possible matchup for the Sens was Pittsburgh, but that is the way it happenned so we have to deal with it. I am not angry nor frustrated, I am enjoying the ride and hope for a game 6 back here so I can go support the team one more time.

Go Sens!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RobbyJ wrote:
I hope you are just venting. If you really think Bettman or anyone in the league office influences the outcome of games, I feel sorry for you. This league is like any professional league, the Big name stars get treated differently, through supplementary dicipline or through on ice calls. If Crosby played in Edmonton and Ovechkin was a Sen, they would be treated the same way they are now.

Well, then, thank you for feeling sorry for me.

You say the stars get different treatment? How does *that* happen? There's one set of rules, yet somehow Crosby draws the "stick parallel to the ice" hooking call while Foligno -- same play -- does not. I'm just using that as an example, not a specific incident.

Both players are playing the same game, same rules, same officials. So where does the preferential treatment come from? I am 100% positive that you won't find any memos, e-mails or other documents where anyone is telling the officials to call ticky-tack plays happening against "stars" and let them go against "plugs" -- yet it happens, we all know it.

Why does Ovechkin have to hurt someone three times before they *finally* accept him as a repeat offender and give him - gulp - 2 games? It's because Ovechkin *in* the game is better for the business *of* the game. You won't hear anyone say it or provide any documentation proving it, but we all know it.

Similarly, it is perceived that having two US cities in the Stanley Cup finals is good for the business of the game. So, how much of a stretch is it to assume that, just like there is preferential treatment for star players, there is preferential treatment for *star* teams?

All that's left is to figure out what make a team a "star". Being in a US market, for sure, that's better for business. A returning Champion. Featuring a player very much in everyone's minds, having just gotten the gold-medal winning OT goal. Are you seriously going to tell me that Bettman isn't twirling his mustache going muaha-ha-ha, at least in his mind?

RobbyJ wrote:

Hoags wrote:These are trying times to be Sens fan. I support the team, always have and always will.

But after a great season for things to be going like this ... well you can't blame fans for being angry, frustrated ....

And I can't imagine any hockey fan in Canada saying anything nice about Bettman.

You are right, it has been a great season, lots of ups and downs, showing up the pundits by finishing 5th in the conference and getting back to the playoffs. Unfortunately, the team has been incredibly streaky the whole season and they seem to have hit a low point right now, at the same time as Pittsburgh got healthy and hit their stride. If Malkin had been healthy down the stretch we would be facing NJ in the first round and I have absolutely no doubt we would have beat them handily. The worst possible matchup for the Sens was Pittsburgh, but that is the way it happenned so we have to deal with it. I am not angry nor frustrated, I am enjoying the ride and hope for a game 6 back here so I can go support the team one more time.

Go Sens!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Beautifully put. A + for you.

Anyone who doesn't think corrupt officiating exists should go bury their head back in the sand where it belongs.

Tim Donaghy was just the tip of the iceberg of exposing refereeing scandals. The only league that seems to be immune from terrible calls for the most part is the NFL.

The NHL should adopt a challenge rule and a replay rule. Too often the games are getting swayed by errors in judgement call.

Number Twenty Nine wrote:

I like this one. Hmmmmm wonder what was on his mind.

wprager wrote:

RobbyJ wrote:
I hope you are just venting. If you really think Bettman or anyone in the league office influences the outcome of games, I feel sorry for you. This league is like any professional league, the Big name stars get treated differently, through supplementary dicipline or through on ice calls. If Crosby played in Edmonton and Ovechkin was a Sen, they would be treated the same way they are now.

Well, then, thank you for feeling sorry for me.

You say the stars get different treatment? How does *that* happen? There's one set of rules, yet somehow Crosby draws the "stick parallel to the ice" hooking call while Foligno -- same play -- does not. I'm just using that as an example, not a specific incident.

Both players are playing the same game, same rules, same officials. So where does the preferential treatment come from? I am 100% positive that you won't find any memos, e-mails or other documents where anyone is telling the officials to call ticky-tack plays happening against "stars" and let them go against "plugs" -- yet it happens, we all know it.

Why does Ovechkin have to hurt someone three times before they *finally* accept him as a repeat offender and give him - gulp - 2 games? It's because Ovechkin *in* the game is better for the business *of* the game. You won't hear anyone say it or provide any documentation proving it, but we all know it.

Similarly, it is perceived that having two US cities in the Stanley Cup finals is good for the business of the game. So, how much of a stretch is it to assume that, just like there is preferential treatment for star players, there is preferential treatment for *star* teams?

All that's left is to figure out what make a team a "star". Being in a US market, for sure, that's better for business. A returning Champion. Featuring a player very much in everyone's minds, having just gotten the gold-medal winning OT goal. Are you seriously going to tell me that Bettman isn't twirling his mustache going muaha-ha-ha, at least in his mind?

Dont forget the rule that says an instigator of a fight in the last 5 minutes of a game is automatically suspended except last year in the playoffs for malkin against washington were they let it go next game malkin pretty much won the game for them no way to prove but had malkin been suspended as per the rules washington would have beat the pens

PKC wrote:Anyone who doesn't think corrupt officiating exists should go bury their head back in the sand where it belongs.

Tim Donaghy was just the tip of the iceberg of exposing refereeing scandals. The only league that seems to be immune from terrible calls for the most part is the NFL.

The NHL should adopt a challenge rule and a replay rule. Too often the games are getting swayed by errors in judgement call.

Poor officiating sure but corrupt I don't buy.

As for the NFL being immune, not so much. Terrible calls all the time, any time there is judgement required mistakes can be made. I will never buy into all officials are against certain teams. Having said that, I do believe that certain officials have it in for certain players or coaches. Case in point - Auger/Burrows, McCreary/Jacques Martin. I used to believe that McCreary hated the Sens, but since Martin left he's been fine, but watch him do a Montreal game now.

I think there's as many chances Philips puts a goal in his own net as Ottawa winning this series. But I think they can win Game 5.

as far as the goalie debate. sure i think elliot will probably start ad i think elliot can play a decent game if he's on the ball. but you know what?
i'd take a gamble... leclaire can go either way, i believe he can totally steal a game based on his skill set just like he can let in 3 bad goals in the 1st... but then again elliot did that last game. so... do we want elliot? or take a gamble.... i'd go for the gamble. and yes i believe there's less pressure with this game on both sides right now, so let's put that to our advantage and hurt them(sutton and volchie baby, make us proud and work for your next contract). spezza, grow some balls (fr a couple of games at least) alfie , hang in there. kids give it all you got. vets, play like it's your last one... (cuz it might)

GO SENS GO!!!