The SBP Archives - Your less than frequent dose of SBP!

After watching Daniel Alfredsson limp to the bench, Anton Volchenkov lean over the net in obvious pain and Joe Corvo sporting a visor from a taking a puck in the face, it is obvious a new kind of Senators team is emerging. The Senators' teams of the past had high skill and pretty plays, but no one could really say the opposing teams, in victory or defeat, really paid the price after facing them.

You still see their high talent level come through, such as that nice back door goal scored by Corvo neatly set up by Alfredsson on the power play tonight, but the nuts & bolts of the game are being paid close attention by the team. Seeing guys like Volchenkov leading the league in blocked shots, or Chris Neil & Mike Fisher being in the top five in hits have really demonstrated the team is at its grittiest I've seen in years. With a slight reduction in talent level the team suffered in trades and free agency, combined with the slowest start they've endured since their inaugural seasons, Ottawa now has an edge to them. They might not finish in the top of their conference or even division by the time the year's out, but I can guarantee you not one team will want to face them in the 1st round. They're a dangerous club right now, and they just might be more playoff ready than they've ever been.

Which reminds me...check out the standings. That's Ottawa you see in a playoff position with their 4-2 win tonight over the New York Islanders. With their 8-2 record in the last 10 games, it's safe to say the slump is over and the winning Ottawa Senators team is back.

Never, ever, put me through that again, boys!