Vancouver 2 - Columbus 0

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The Vancouver Canucks have continued their winning streak to end the month of November on a high note and Roberto Luongo extended his shutout run to 3 games, not allowing a goal for a total of 193 minutes and 59 seconds - a new franchise record. The ‘Nucks are 9-1-2 in their last 12; the 2007 Western Conference finalists are starting to look like a force to be reckoned with going into December!

Nashville 6 - Ottawa 5

The Nashville Predators came out on top in a tough battle with the slumping Ottawa Senators tonight, winning the game 6-5 in regulation. Nashville’s goals came from Hamhuis, De Vries, Dumont, Suter, Gelinas and Erat. Ottawa’s goals were scored by Crovo, Vermette, Heatley, Spezza, and Alfredsson.

The high-paced game saw the Predators in the lead nearly the entire game with Ottawa coming back from several one-goal deficits to tie the game. Daniel Alfredsson tied the game at 5 with Martin Gerber out of the net and only 45 seconds remaining only to have Erat score another for Nashville 23 seconds later - the game winner as it turned out.

Ottawa increases its losing streak to 4 games; that means a slowly closing gap between them and the Canadiens in the Northeast Division. If Montreal can capitalize and take 4 points home over the weekend when they battle New Jersey (Friday) and Nashville (Saturday) we could see a new division leader before too long!

Pittsburgh 6 - Ottawa 5

The Game

The ups and the downs! After scoring two goals on their first four shots on Marc-Andre Fleury to take a fairly commanding early 2-0 lead, the Pittsburgh Penguins managed 2 unanswered goals to end the period; Malkin and Malone did the honors for the Pens with Spezza and Phillips scoring for the Sens.

The Pens went on to take the lead in the second period with a nice wrist shot from by Kennedy only to have Spezza net his second after his picked up the puck on a fanned shot by Wade Redden on a powerplay late in the period to tie the game at 3. Danny Heatley added one more to put the Sens up by a goal at the end of the second.

Chris Schubert put another one in the net for Ottawa early in the third period to put the Sens up by two goals but that lead was blown just as the early 2-0 lead was. Two goals by the Pens in the third kept them at a 5-5 tie at the end of regulation.

The 5 minute overtime was uneventful and the shootout that followed was full of goals. Jason Spezza netted Ottawa’s first attempt and Senator goalie Gerber managed to drop the puck that he had saved into his own net on the Pens’ first shot. Each goalie made several saves following those goals, including a clinch save by Gerber when Sidney Crosby had the opportunity to win the game for Pittsburgh. Ruutu managed a nice goal on Gerber four shots later, clinching the game for the Pens.

My Thoughts

Well, I need to be honest here: I’m a Canadiens fan first and if they are going to have a hope of taking the lead in the Northeast division, the Senators have to start losing at least the odd game. Add to that the fact that one of my hometown guys in a Penguins star (go Sidney!) and you have me wishing hard for an Ottawa loss.

If the Pens want to curb this nasty streak they’re on then they need to do a few things. Players on the second and third line need to start producing, Fleury needs to figure out if he can handle the goaltending position and the defence needs to keep their back to the net and start breaking up plays before things go too far; no one wants a mad scramble in front of their net, and more goals are produced that way then with any other play. The Pens worked hard for these two points; hopefully that work ethic continues. I’m happy to see Ottawa lose even the one point!

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