Off and Running in the East

The Senators took Game 1 against the Sabres on Thursday night, 5-2 and it looked as though they hadn't lost a step after waiting a few days more for this series to start. With a score like that, this series could very well be pool-friendly... especially if it goes seven games. If it only goes four, then Sabre holders are gonna hope for more 6-5 type games, just to make sure they maximize all their players before having them eliminated.

I wasn't planning on busting this regular season banner out at all during the playoffs, but I then thought to myself... 'what the hell?!?' Derek W. managed to snake six points from last night's game (as did Neil) and he moved into the Top Eight, only 10 points behind first place and 8 points behind second. A few more games like that and Derek could put a good push on for the money. I can't say that I'm overly surprised of his success there in the first game... this is the guy who took nothing but Senators in the East and made sure he got his three Senators in the playoffs as well.

Spotlight Player



This morning's spotlight player turned out to be more popular than Ray Emery, Jason Spezza or Daniel Alfredsson in the pool this Spring and he finally got his first points of the playoffs last night with the game-winning goal against Buffalo. Ottawa's deadline day acquisition, Oleg Saprykin, scored the winning goal last night near the midway point of the second period, which eventually led to a three-goal scoring spree to put the Sabres away. The Senators have gone up one game to none in the Conference Finals, thanks to Mr. Popularity. Saprykin was taken five times, as he was deemed a good support player in the early rounds, which he wasn't, because a lot more teams were banking on other Eastern teams to make it farther than Ottawa... hence the lack of picks for the better, more skilled players.


Game 1 of the Ducks and Red Wings goes tonight in Detroit... stay tuned to the Domain for a West Preview of the teams who are in the money hunt... granted, last night's results may have skewed things a little. Just a little bit. I'm not willing to fix it though... I did write most of it yesterday.

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