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

It seemed like destiny for an Ottawa Senators fan like SBP.

Definitely no screwjobs this weekend. Steve's bachelor party at Tremblant was seamlessly organized by EFZ. My only big concern was missing game 5. Well, we were going to see the game, but I didn't want to miss one minute of action. We played golf at 10:30am at the best par 3 ever, Manitou, and by the time we returned back to the condo to throw back some Lucky Lights and mini Coca-Colas, the anthems were just finishing up. Awesome...I wouldn't miss a thing.

Before the game, back at the golf course, there was a 10 foot putt I needed to sink to get par (BTW, we were playing best ball, so it wasn't all SBP). I hadn't sunk one putt all day. But I felt good about it. How good? I said to myself, and didn't tell anyone, that if I managed to sink this shot, the Sens are taking game 5. Nothin' but CUP (pun intended). And the rest is history.

Ok, so it's hokey to think my golf putt had anything to do with Ottawa's victory. But I just wanted to find a way to do my part.

The game was definitely an exciting, tension-filled game that actually almost stopped being fun for me in the third period. The endless parade to the penalty box where the Sabres enjoyed five powerplays in that period alone, including a 90 second 5-on-3, made it look to me that fate just wasn't going to be in Ottawa's favour. But one thing they have shown since the playoffs started is resilience. They were down 1-0, then took the lead. They killed penalty after penalty until Buffalo got the two-man advantage to tie it. But they didn't let up, and with just one goal needed to win, got the momentum back when OT started and took the series. On the ropes, but they came out swinging. The better team won, and the Sabres were sent packing.



All of the struggles the Senators endured in the last 10 postseasons seem worth it. Unless your team goes through the agony of defeat, you can't really fully appreciate the hard work it takes for your team to take it over the top and finally achieve victory. The Sens still have four wins to go, and regardless if it's Anaheim or Detroit, it's going to be a tough series, but already they have given Sens fans a memory that will stay with them as long as they remain hockey fans. It is unfortunate I couldn't witness the spectacle in downtown Ottawa as fans poured out on the streets to celebrate after the game, but reading about it just made me anticipate what the party will be like if the Senators can win it all and bring the Stanley Cup back to Ottawa for the first time since 1927.

I guess there is just one small screwjob...the price of tickets for the next round. Standing room is $130. 200 level seats are $330. Primo 100 level seats are $420: Yikes....and that doesn't include taxes and Melnyk surcharges. The Sens website says they anticipate only 1,000 tickets for each round will be available. I have to go to one game. Just have to. This opportunity may never happen again!

I'll end by saying Daniel Alfredsson certainly looked like a man in shock after scoring the OT winner. It was special that he was the one who scored the goal that brings Ottawa to the Stanley Cup final and it seems like a story just writing itself. The next piece of history to be made is the first European captain to hoist the Stanley Cup for his team after winning the fourth game.

It could potentially be Nicklas Lidstrom if the Red Wings can beat Anaheim.

But my money is on Daniel Alfredsson.