GAME DAY:Ottawa Senators @ Columbus Blue Jackets - 7:00pm ET - FRI. New Years Eve 2010

The Ottawa Senators (16-18-4, 36 pts) visit the Columbus Blue Jackets (19-15-3, 41 pts) on New Years Eve. The Sens are coming off a game and a year they'd definitely like to forget. A year that saw tragedy, injuries, inconsistent play, players playing hurt, one third empty practices due to "maintenance days" all the time. There's really not much to be said about that 4-0 embarrassment on home ice and if you want more you can read the Carolina GDT. Columbus is coming of their second win in a row and will be looking to get back on track after going 5-9-3 and make a push for the playoffs in the hotly contested western conference. The Jackets sit in 11th but are a mere 4 points away from the 4th place LA Kings and still have a very legitimate shot at making it into the top 8.

After witnessing the Penguins game followed up by the Canes game I can safely say anything can happen tonight. We'll either see a strong game where a Sens win is never in doubt or they'll poop the bed, Elliott will allow a customary softy or two or three and some of us will be talking about a rebuild. Some will say "Blow this dung up", others will say "" or "" and some will be daydreaming about a top draft pick in the upcoming draft. One thing's for sure we'll either enjoy watching or wish we never tuned in. On the bright side Kuba could be relegated to the press box while Lee gets yet another chance to stick in the lineup.

Game Coverage:

TV: SNET-E (HD), FS-Ohio (HD)
Radio: Team 1200
Web: ATDHE.net and JUSTIN.tv

Latest updates:
The Regin experiment lasted a whole game! Line shuffling sees Kelly as the second line center between Kovalev and Michalek and Clouston is now contemplating benching one of Kuba or Gonchar.

Jim O'Brien has been recalled from Bingo. More details to follow.


TSN's Ice Chips:

Ottawa
Columbus

Ottawa Key Injuries:

Jason Spezza - (shoulder) at least 6 weeks
Pascal Leclaire - (lower body injury) day to day
Brian Lee - (ribs) day to day

Columbus Key Injuries:

None

Game Day Previews:

NHL.com
ESPN

Media Links:

SensTV On-line
Official Twitter of the Ottawa Senators

Spread the word!

Follow GMHockey on Twitter: http://twitter.com/gmhockey

GO SENS GO!!!

Let's finish the year on a high note with a nice win tonight.

GO SENS GO!!!

Happy New Year everyone!

Here's to a good game and a strong win to send us off into the new decade!

Happy New Year!

Hey, Cap'n, you *do* realize that the link in the "GO SENS GO" is to the twitter post announcing the Minnesota game? In order to do it justice:

1. Go to bit.ly, paste the link to this thread and copy the resulting short URL
2. Log in to twitter as GMHockey
3. Tweet about this game (making sure to add # to keywords like #Ottawa #Senators #NHL #Columbus #BJ )
4. Paste in the short URL to this thread
5. Click the "Now" or "10 seconds ago" under the tweet and copy the URL
6. Replace the URL in the "GO SENS GO" in the 1st post.
7. Profit.

Or, yeah, you can just wait for me to update it

Thanks prages and Happy New Year.

For some reason the Sens hate traveling on game day, so chances are they'll leave Columbus after the game (chartered, since there's no Columbus/Ottawa flights pas 6 or 7 PM). Game won't be over till 9:30 earliest, and by the time they shower/dress, even if they go straight from the arena they aren't getting in the air until 11PM at the earliest. If they're lucky. The flight time is 3-1/2 hours, so they land around 2:30 AM, and get home after 3AM. Many of them have kids who will get up around 7 - 8 AM; they don't care that daddy only got 3-4 hours of sleep.

Then they play the Leafs at 7PM. Nice.

Why not spring for the extra night at the hotel, take the morning flight to Ottawa (save no not having to hire a charter), arrive in town just in time for the afternoon pre-game nap, and then play the Leafs?

I have a really bad feeling that we are in for a 3 game losing streak.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Thanks prages and Happy New Year.

Bah, humbug. The "happy" part won't happen until July.

wprager wrote:For some reason the Sens hate traveling on game day, so chances are they'll leave Columbus after the game (chartered, since there's no Columbus/Ottawa flights pas 6 or 7 PM). Game won't be over till 9:30 earliest, and by the time they shower/dress, even if they go straight from the arena they aren't getting in the air until 11PM at the earliest. If they're lucky. The flight time is 3-1/2 hours, so they land around 2:30 AM, and get home after 3AM. Many of them have kids who will get up around 7 - 8 AM; they don't care that daddy only got 3-4 hours of sleep.

Then they play the Leafs at 7PM. Nice.

Why not spring for the extra night at the hotel, take the morning flight to Ottawa (save no not having to hire a charter), arrive in town just in time for the afternoon pre-game nap, and then play the Leafs?

I have a really bad feeling that we are in for a 3 game losing streak.

I thought travel on game day was frowned upon by the NHL as a whole and is to be avoided except under special circumstances like the Richardson tragedy. I don't think it's a Senators thing. I'm pretty sure it has to do with making sure the team is there on time for the game and there's no risk of the game being postponed or cancelled due to travel issues.

wprager wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Thanks prages and Happy New Year.

Bah, humbug. The "happy" part won't happen until July.

Happy new decade?

Go Rick Nash!

The latest issue of "Score":
http://digital.dollco.com/issue/21890

Message from Melnyk:


"Off the ice we are also having a strong performance."

He must be talking about the strong smell of our performance.

Dash wrote:Go Rick Nash!

Not bad Dash. It only took you 10 posts to chyme in with the Nash love.

How about this? Nash hatty with a 5-3 Sens victory. And just for SSF we'll make it a 3 assist night for Antoine.

Jim O'Brien has been recalled from Bingo...

Dash wrote:Go Rick Nash!

A Brampton boy.