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Tuesday, October 12, 1999
New format no fun for faint of heart
"The fans probably thought they were getting screwed until the four-on-fore play," said Bard.
Sure enough, a typically tight-checking and dull Senators-New Jersey Devils game turned wide-open and exciting when each team lost a skater in the five-minute extra session.
Highlights included Ron Tugnutt outracing Brian Rolston for a breakaway puck, Andreas Dackell's chance in alone on Martin Brodeur and a shooting gallery of five just missing both Brodeur and the open corners in the final seconds.
At the buzzer the netminder grabbed a water bottle from the top of the cage and slammed back a shot through his mask and smiling teeth.
But it's probably safe to assume the coaches weren't crazy about the OT.
It was suggested that Jacques Martin would actually prefer six-on-six in such situations. And Robbie Ftorek, well, he managed to be both vague and forthcoming in his assessment of the format change.
"I like the game, but I don't like the fact you get a point if you lose," said the Devils coach. "Nobody cares if they get scored on. It's just up and down, back and forth.
"I've said it before, somebody's going to get hurt."
Asked how and who a couple of times, Ftorek was coy.
"I'm not going to say," he offered. "You saw the period. Watch it again."
The search for an interpreter was futile until we ran across Senators centre Shaun Van Allen doing his post-game workout.
"Somebody's going to get hurt?," repeated Van Allen. "Maybe he means he's going to have a heart attack watching it."
POINT BLANK: Last year, Igor Kravchuk used to be either first or second in most ice time on the Senators every game. Yesterday, all defencemen but his partner, Sami Salo, had more than he did ... Because he was standing at the Zamboni entrance and could not see the bottom part of the net, a reporter asked Andreas Dackell what happened on his close in chance during OT. "An unbelievable save," said Dackell. "He made an unbelievable save." Upon further review, we discover Dackell has a nose problem. Every once in a while, it grows ... Wonder if the Senators have yet started to kick themselves for not signing Radek Bonk to a contract that extends beyond this July.
STOPS AND STARTS: Marian Hossa showed off his quick hands on the shot that beat Martin Brodeur in the second period ... For those kids who like to emulate their heroes, Hossa uses three or four strands of black tape near the toe of his stick ... Not sure why, but we were quite amused by the Thanksgiving Day, frozen turkey bowling contest held during the second intermission ... Another example the of the Senators' fan-friendly approach: The giant screen (which is surrounded by seven smaller screens) in the main lobby now also has sound ... Season ticket count is still at 11,081. It should be 11,200 ... If Kevin Dineen has a nickname, it better be Buzz, or Buzz-Saw. The guy never stops working, his legs are always going ... Magnus Arvedson had a problem with his stick yesterday. He must have fanned, or only got a piece of, about three shots ... Chris Phillips, Rob Zamuner and Bruce Gardiner were co-winners of yesterday's Cheapseats Star of the Game award. All were very solid and none was recognized as one of stars.
EXTRA PERIODS: Hossa led the Senators in giveaways yesterday with four. None were memorable .... Janne Laukkanen was credited with five blocked shots . Tugnutt should have bought him dinner ... Phillips and Van Allen led all players with five hits each ... A gentleman by the name of Brian Sweeney won a pair of Cheapseats for yesterday's game because he knew (and was first to call and tell me after 10 a.m. Sunday) that goalie Damian Rhodes and Bruce Gardiner, who scored an overtime winner after losing his teeth in Game 1 of a playoff series, were the two Senators who scored most memorable goals against New Jersey. Watch for another giveaway before the next home game.
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