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Well, if you're to look at the Senators regular season at a whole. Karma did not rest with the team. How else would you explain the inexcusable collapse from a 15-2-1 start to the season? How else would you describe the injuries suffered by Alfie and Fisher during the second last game of the year against a team that's out of the playoffs? Compounding matters is that both their injuries were sustained on hits by Mark Bell. Mark 'freaking' Bell. Yes, the same idiot who once beat up a cab driver during his stint in junior with the 67s. Yes, the same Mark Bell who was sentenced to 6 months in jail for a drunk driving incident out in California. Yes, the same Mark Bell who skates around with a "birdcage" (thanks for the quote Fisher) on his head. I hope you cages Mark Bell, seeing as how you will be incarcerated this summer. Here's hoping Bell gets stuck with a cellmate who doesn't know how to masturbate quietly (heading into the playoffs, I'm extremely bitter). As if Leafs fans needed any more justification for their trade for Bell and Toskala, after the hit on Alfie, the inclusion of Bell in the deal now seems palatable.
On another note, as if Sens fans needed another reason to hate Leafs fans. Not only are the ACC fans rich, they're also giant pricks. Who else but a Leafs fan would encourage a smattering of cheers and applause as an opposing player lies on the ice because of a serious injury? I realize the level of jealousy because our Swedish captain is underpaid, over-produces, has a full head of hair and has taken us past the Conference Finals...BUT come on! Grow up!
F&#@, so the Sens are heading into the playoffs without their captain and the one player who if he isn't scoring (he consistently doesn't) is at least pasting people into the boards and giving 100% (he'll still be overpaid at $4.2 next season). That being said, numerous pundits have been writing the Sens off because of their second half swoon. Now that it's confirmed that the Sens are playing the Pens, you can factor in the Sidney Crosby Hard On Factor into the TSN Panel's discussions. If you're a Sens fan, stay away from TSN. The only thing you'll be missing through your abstinence will be the proclamations of Pierre Maguire on how good Crosby is and how he discovered him at a Tim Horton's camp at the age of 6.
While the Sens start on the road either Wednesday or Thursday night, fans need to look at the positives heading into the playoffs. Forget the negative karma enshrouding the team, here's a great list of reasons to be excited for our scheduled series against the Pens.
The Sens beat the Penguins last year handily in 5 games last year. Not only did Ottawa own Pittsburgh last April, we owned them during this year's regular season (3-1 record). In fact, the Penguins youthful, offensive success reminds me of the Sens teams from the late 90's to early 2000's. Time for some of Ottawa's lesser-knowns to make a name for themselves.
Has Marc-Andre Fleury ever won a big game? No....Has Gerber? Yes, he beat a horrible Canadian team in the Olympics in 2006. Has Fleury looked horrible in a big game? Yes! In the Championship game against the United States, Fleury inadvertently bounced a clearing attempt off his teammate and into his own net for the go-ahead goal. Has Gerber looked bad in a big game? Meh...the point is moot because he's never played in one. Shhh!
It's the playoffs! That can only mean one thing! Tons of dumb penalties taken by the 85 year old Gary Roberts. This guy makes Chris Neil look like a Lady Byng candidate. Amazing how not trading for Roberts was the best thing John Muckler ever did. Not only did we advance to the Cup Finals, his inability to land Roberts at the trade deadline last year cost Muckler his job last summer. Huzzah!
Hal Gill on Pittsburgh's defence. Not only does this guy suck, he's the biggest soft defenceman in the league. Throw him into a mix that already includes softies like Gonchar, Whitney and Letang and you have a corps that resembles Wade Redden. The Sens need to dump the puck in and lay a beating on these pansies to make up for the losses of Alfie, Fisher and Kelly.
It's tough to take the Penguins seriously when their three best players have androgynous first names. SIDNEY Crosby, MARIAN Hossa and JENNY Malkin...weak! There's a rule in hockey, if a player has a female name and has all his teeth, then they're destined to flounder in the playoffs. I realize Malkin has horrible teeth but they're all there. Think of him like Kirsten Dunst....ugh gross! 
- The Sens are in an underdog role that they should relish. When's the last time this team went into the playoffs without significant playoff expectations? Exactly. Put all the pressure on a young, inexperienced Penguins squad who appear to have tanked their last game of the season against the Flyers.
- The injuries to Alfie, Fisher and to a lesser extent, Kelly. Has anyone else noticed that nobody really knows what exactly is wrong with the captain or how severe the injury is to Fisher? Some people are thinking it's Alfie's neck, some speculate it is his knee. Their return dates are purely speculative, some think they'll be back by the second round. Others think they'll be back in 4-6 weeks. I love the way the Sens have handled their injuries. With all the uncertainty surrounding them, I wouldn't be surprised to see these guys dress in the first round to throw the Penguins for a loop. At the same time, it would give a significant boost to the Sens morale.
- The playoff disappearances of Malkin and Hossa. Last year, many "experts" felt that Malkin suffered down the stretch because of fatigue. They attributed to the increase in games played during the NHL season as opposed to playing in a Russian Super League. Conversely, no one is really sure what happens to Hossa once the playoffs start. Either way, neither have ever shown up to play in April so why would one expect them to show up this time? Exactly...cross your fingers on this one.
- The best reason to play the Pens in the first round: NO HABS FANS at ScotiaBank Place. Although I'm convinced that I will see an ignorant Leafs fan wearing a Leafs jersey to a game. The one deterrent to playing the Pens, bandwagon fans. Let's be honest here, if you live in Ottawa and you're a Penguins fan, you either jumped aboard the bandwagon when the Pens picked up Crosby or you jumped aboard during the early 90's when the Pens were a winning organization. These are the same kinds of people who cheered for the Dallas Cowboys and New York Yankees in the 90s, the Patriots and Red Sox in the 2000's. You're all lame. I can understand Leafs or Habs fans because a lot of Sens fans are converted fans but cheering for the Penguins? If the Sens beat the Pens in the series, you'll probably jump aboard our bandwagon.
- Crosby sat out this afternoon's game against the Flyers and the team played uninspired hockey. Did they tank the game to allow Philly to pass Ottawa and Boston in the standings thereby setting up a match up with a depleted Sens lineup? While I can't imagine a group of professional athletes dogging a game, this does make for good bulletin board material. If the Pens weren't dogging it today, then it bodes well for Ottawa because they looked awful out there. If they did dog it out there, to quote the band Spoon, "They got no fear for the underdog, that's why they will not survive."
- If the Sens lose the playoff series, it will mark the last time we shall see Wade Redden or Ray Emery in a Senators uniform? I hope.
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