Posted by Rob Brodie on April 23, 2009

You've no doubt heard by now that a whole flock of Senators (11 players from the organization, to be exact) have headed across the pond to participate in the IIHF 2009 World Hockey Championship in Zurich and Bern, Switzerland. The tournament begins on Friday and runs through the medal games on May 10.

The roll call of Senators taking part in the global tourney reads like this: Dany Heatley, Jason Spezza, Mike Fisher and Chris Phillips, Canada; Nick Foligno and Ryan Shannon, United States; Anton Volchenkov, Russia; Jarkko Ruutu, Finland, and Christoph Schubert, Germany, along with a pair of prospects, Peter Regin (Denmark) and Roman Wick (Switzerland).

Following the efforts of the Canadian contingent of Senators at the event is rather easy. TSN and RDS have coverage of all of Canada's games at the tournament, along with the quarter-finals, semifinals and medal games. If you miss the games on television, all of them will be available for viewing on demand at www.tsn.ca after the conclusion of the broadcast.

As for the rest of the teams in the tourney ... keeping up with any of them will take a little bit of doing (and some cash). Webcasts of all tournament games are being streamed at www.iihf.com but there's a cost attached. Per-game and package rates are available (rates are listed in Swiss francs. You'll need to convert them for yourself). Head to the website if you're interested in more details.

On TSN, you'll hear the voices of Dave Randorf and analyst Dave Reid calling the games. That's Hockey host Gino Reda and Rod Black share hosting duties for a panel that also includes TSN hockey insider Darren Dreger and guest analyst Tom Renney, a former Canadian national team coach. Ottawa reporter Brent Wallace has been filing reports to SportsCentre and will continue to do so throughout the tournament (you'll find a piece on Heatley on tsn.ca right now, if you haven't seen it already).

One final note: We've enlisted Foligno, a newcomer to the world tournament, to blog about his experiences with the American squad. His first post can be found on ottawasenators.com now and he'll have plenty more to say before the tournament reaches its conclusion.

Posted by Rob Brodie on April 9, 2009

The world, it's been said, is much smaller than it seems. So it is, too, with the hockey universe, which often supplies the most fascinating of connections. You never know when you'll find something or someone that connects with your past.

Had that thought earlier today after listening to Senators head coach Cory Clouston speak about his hometown of Viking, Alta. If you know your hockey, you know that's the home of the famed Sutter family, which produced no less than six brothers who made it to the National Hockey League. One of them, Brent Sutter, happens to be the current coach of the New Jersey Devils, who Clouston's team faces tonight at Scotiabank Place.

Here's what Clouston had to say about sharing a hometown with the Sutters:

"Mrs. Sutter and my mother were good friends. We always respected them. They always worked hard, they were a faming family that worked hard for everything they got. The ideals and morals that Mr. and Mrs. Sutter instilled in their family ... I think you can take those and put them into a team situation. Work ethic, working hard for each other, being honest ... those types of things are invaluable. They were inspirational for a lot of kids in that community."

Clouston also pointed out that when he grew up in Viking in the early 1980s, folks in the town were equally divided in their loyalties between the nearby Edmonton Oilers and the New York Islanders, who employed Brent and Duane Sutter on their roster (each of whom won a pair of Stanley Cup rings, in 1982 and 1983, the latter coming in a sweep of the Oilers).

"There were kind of two sides," said Clouston. "You were either a die-hard Oiler fan or a die-hard Islanders fan. We always cheered for the Islanders. We weren't big Oilers fans back then."

And who should we notice wandering through the Senators dressing room after practice, now working as a member of the media? None other than Chico Resch, an analyst on Devils television broadcasts and part of a standout goaltending tandem for those '80s Islanders (along with Battling Billy Smith). Yes, someone who would have drawn plenty of cheers in the Clouston household.

Tonight? Not so much. Shows you one more time, though, just how small the hockey world really can be.

The matchup with the Devils is a double finale of sorts. It's the Senators' last home game of the season and the 40th and final broadcast of 2008-09 on Rogers Sportsnet. Dean Brown and Shaun Van Allen have the call for this one. It's a 7:30 p.m. start.

Posted by Rob Brodie on April 6, 2009

Garry Galley knew this was going to happen the minute he accepted the head coaching job with the Nepean Raiders of the Central Junior Hockey League. But he's doing his best to juggle that rather time-consuming position with his other current hockey passion: TV analyst for Ottawa Senators games on Rogers Sportsnet and CBC's Hockey Night in Canada.

Galley, you may have noticed, wasn't in his usual perch alongside Dean Brown for three Senators road games last week (against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins). That's because the Raiders were waiting to see who they'd face in the CJHL final. As it turned out, that series started Sunday against the Pembroke Lumber Kings, with Galley's guys prevailing 3-2.

With Game 2 not scheduled until Thursday, Galley will be back in the booth tonight, when the Senators face the Canadiens in Montreal. And he'll be available again on Tuesday evening, when the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Bruins visit Scotiabank Place. But Sportsnet will again turn to former Senators forward Shaun Van Allen to fill the void on Thursday for the network's final Sens broadcast of the season (Ottawa's home finale against the New Jersey Devils).

Tonight's game at the Bell Centre and tomorrow's Sens-Bruins matchup at Scotiabank Place are both 7:30 p.m. starts. So, too, is the New Jersey matchup on Thursday, which is also Fan Appreciation Night at SBP. Plenty of prizes and giveaways are part of the deal that night, so there's extra reason for you to make one last trip out to Kanata to see your favourite team.

Posted by Rob Brodie on March 27, 2009

So you're hoping to watch your Senators take on the Atlanta Thrashers on Saturday night and you notice the game isn't on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada. Or any television network, for that matter. Before you think 'here we go again' in reference to Wednesday's TSN2 situation (that game against the Carolina Hurricanes wasn't available to Rogers or Videotron cable subscribers because neither carries that channel) ... well, guess again.

Saturday's game in Atlanta is being broadcast by SportSouth, one of the Thrashers' home broadcasters. But because it isn't being carried by any Canadian television network, that means it becomes part of the NHL Centre Ice package. So if you subscribe to that premium service, you're all set. The game will be there for you when the puck drops shortly after 7 p.m. (one quick note: it's not a high-definition production).

Another option is NHL GameCenter Live, the online equivalent of Centre Ice that is available through NHL.com. The video quality is very high and it offers a number of cool options with regard to things such as camera angles, multi-game viewing and replays.

Of course, you can always make a night of it and head out to any number of bars and restaurants across the capital region (and beyond, for that matter). Chances are your favourite stop has Centre Ice and will have the game for you. And if you're not near a TV, the Team 1200 and the Senators radio network has you covered as well with the familiar voices of Dean Brown and Gord Wilson.

Posted by Rob Brodie on March 25, 2009

So you're all fired up about the Senators' current 9-1-0 hot streak and you're wondering if your favourite team can keep it up as it embarks on a five-game road trip that can go a long way toward heightening some of those playoff hopes that have grown along with Ottawa's recent improved play. And yes, you've got the itinerary burned into your brain: Tonight at Carolina, Saturday at Atlanta, Sunday at Tampa, March 31 at Florida and April 2 at Boston.

Of course, with all this action on the road, what better way to follow the Senators' fortunes than by parking yourself in front of that television of yours that's sitting in the living room, basement, rec room (or wherever you watch sports at home), right? Well, guess what, folks? While Rogers Sportsnet will take care of your needs over the final three games of this trip, you might need to plan on a night out for the first two.

Tonight's game in Raleigh, N.C., against the Hurricanes, you might have heard, is being televised "nationally" on TSN2. So what does that mean for you, dear viewer? Depends on who supplies your television feed. If you're a cable subscriber on either side of the Ottawa River (Rogers in Ottawa, Videotron in Gatineau), you're out of luck. TSN still has yet to negotiate deals with either cable company for carriage of TSN2, so don't waste your time hunting for the channel. You don't have it.

Now if you've got a satellite dish perched outside your home and it says Bell TV or Star Choice on it, you most certainly can tune in. For Bell TV subscribers, the magic channel numbers are 401 and 848 (HD). On Star Choice, it's 401 and 269 (HD). If you live outside of Ottawa-Gatineau and you're wondering whether your television provider is on board with TSN2, check the listing here.

One last point that bears noting about this. If you happen to subscribe to NHL Centre Ice, that doesn't help you with tonight's game. It isn't available as part of that package and it shouldn't be (see our earlier post on this topic). This also applies to NHL Game Center on NHL.com, by the way. However, folks who pay for Centre Ice are in luck Saturday. While the Senators-Thrashers game isn't being televised locally, the Atlanta home broadcast on SportSouth will be offered as part of Centre Ice.

So there you have it. Any questions? Please feel free to send a response to this post and we'll do our level best to answer them.

*****

We've just received a note from TSN informing us that the network plans to show clips and highlights of the Sens-Hurricanes game during the pre-game show ahead of its Calgary Flames-Pittsburgh Penguins telecast, along with some coverage during intermissions. Sens-Canes is set for a 7 p.m. start, while the Flames and Pens drop the puck shortly after 7:30 p.m.

Posted by Rob Brodie on March 17, 2009

We're coming down the stretch in what might possibly be the first playoff-less spring in the nation's capital in 12 seasons for Ottawa Senators fans. If it happens, that will end the third-longest such streak in the National Hockey League, leaving only the Detroit Red Wings and New Jersey Devils with a longer post-season run after the 2009 chase for Lord Stanley's mug is done.

With that thought in mind, there is no better time than now to catch your Senators on home turf. Tonight's matchup with the Buffalo Sabres marks the first of three at Scotiabank Place this week — the Montreal Canadiens are here on Thursday night, then the New York Islanders (and former Senator Dean McAmmond) face off against the Sens (and a pair of ex-Isles, Mike Comrie and Chris Campoli) on Saturday.

After that, it's a quick stop at Madison Square Garden in New York on Sunday to face the Rangers, then a brief return home before a 10-day, five-game road trip. Only three home dates remain the rest of the way: April 4 (Philadelphia), April 7 (Boston) and April 9 (New Jersey). The Senators' regular schedule finishes two nights later in Toronto against their provincial rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Puck drop is at 7:30 tonight. It's a Rogers Sportsnet telecast, with Dean Brown and Garry Galley in the broadcast booth and and Ian Mendes reporting from between the benches.

Posted by Rob Brodie on March 7, 2009

It's hardly an unusual occurrence when traded players come 'home,' so to speak, to face their former team. Happens all the time, as Senators fans well know. They'll get to welcome back veteran forward Dean McAmmond on March 21, for example, when the New York Islanders visit Scotiabank Place. And it's not exactly an unfamiliar feeling for a guy who's playing for his eighth NHL team, either.

But we must admit the next two games at SBP two present a bit of an anomaly. When the Buffalo Sabres and Senators hit the ice tonight at 7, Patrick Lalime will be in net here for the first time since his final season in Ottawa (2003-04). In fact, as fellow ottawasenators.com blogger Gord Wilson points out, Lalime last played against the Sens in the capital as a rookie back in 1996-97.

Now, it doesn't end there. As you all no doubt know, Martin Gerber was picked up by the Toronto Maple Leafs on waivers last week. And as fate would have it, the Buds pay their final visit of the season to Ottawa on Monday night. Is there anyone out there who doubts that when the puck drops at Scotiabank Place that evening, it'll be No. 29 tending goal for the boys in blue?

Until last week, Gerber was biding his time with the Binghamton Senators, hoping some team would give him another shot in the NHL. A few players privately expressed happiness for the Swiss stopper, a well-liked guy in the Senators dressing room during his time here, when it finally happened. Mind you, that sentiment will surely get swept aside on Monday. Rivalries are rivalries, after all. Like anyone that skates in Toronto blue in this building, he'll be the enemy for one night, at least.

CBC's Hockey Night in Canada has tonight's game, with Dean Brown and Garry Galley providing the call. It's a regional telecast only but if you're a Senators fan outside the capital region, you can still catch the game online for free at www.cbcsports.ca. 

Posted by Rob Brodie on March 3, 2009

If you just took a quick glance at the title of this post, I know what thought just crossed your mind: NHL trade deadline. It's been all the talk the past few days and the chatter will continue to intensify as we approach the 3 p.m. deadline for this annual swap meet. Even the games tonight (and there are 12 of them across the league) have been pushed to the background by the rumour and speculation.

But 'more,' at least in this case, doesn't refer to the wheeling and dealing to come. Rather, we speak of another annual occasion that's rather important to us here. That would be the annual Roger's House Telethon, which will be a part of tonight's broadcast of the Senators' matchup with the Calgary Flames on Rogers Sportsnet.

While game coverage doesn't begin until 7:30 p.m., the telethon takes over the Sportsnet East airwaves an hour sooner. Sportsnet's Rob Faulds and Leanne Cusack of CTV Ottawa are the hosts for the event, which continues through the intermissions of tonight's telecast. You'll also see feature stories about children and families who have received respite and palliative care at Roger's House.

For more details about tonight's event and how you can help out, please click here. As for the game itself, Dean Brown and Garry Galley will provide the call, as usual, with Ian Mendes reporting from between the benches.

Oh, and about tomorrow's trade deadline? Wall-to-wall coverage is planned on both TSN and Sportsnet between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ... and beyond. If you're not near a TV, join us at ottawasenators.com for a series of live webcasts beginning at noon that will keep you up to date on the all the news of the day.

Posted by Rob Brodie on February 26, 2009

Tonight's matchup at Scotiabank Place offers a real treat for Senators fans. If you're among those in the house, it's a front-row glimpse, so to speak, of the team with the best record in the National Hockey League. And unless you're willing to make a regular habit of catching the late, late night highlights, it's not too often that you'll see much of the San Jose Sharks.

This team seemingly has stars everywhere: Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and a cast of offensive talent up front (keep your eyes on the speedy Devin Setoguchi), the likes of Dan Boyle and Rob Blake on defence, and Evgeni Nabokov in goal. As Senators head coach Cory Clouston said earlier today, this is a team that does a lot of things right. They're 41-9-9 and first overall in the NHL for a reason.

It's also the first time the Sharks have invaded Scotiabank Place in more than three years. Since Jan. 12, 2006, to be exact, a night that San Jose took home a 2-0 victory. That's a product of the old NHL schedule format, which saw Western Conference teams spend less time travelling to the East and vice versa. It'll be more of the same next week, when both the Calgary Flames (Tuesday) and Edmonton Oilers (Thursday) both show up at SBP for the first time in awhile.

If you're not among the faithful on hand in the building tonight, you can catch this one on Rogers Sportsnet, with Dean Brown and Garry Galley handling the game's call and Ian Mendes reporting from between the benches. It's a 7:30 p.m. start, we should add.

Posted by Rob Brodie on February 24, 2009

The Senators are back at Scotiabank Place tonight, facing off against the Carolina Hurricanes, and it's merely the beginning of the type of hockey run that's really seen in these parts. If anywhere, for that matter.

Tonight's matchup marks the beginning of an eight-game stretch of home games at the ice house in Kanata. It's payback, of sorts, for the eight-game road trip (split in two parts) that the Senators endured over the Christmas holidays when the IIHF 2009 World Junior Championship occupied SBP. And if you can remember the last time the Sens played eight straight at home, please let me know.

Surely, it's got to be a welcome situation for a weary group of players who arrived back in Ottawa in the wee hours last Wednesday after a five-game, seven-day road trip that had them criss-crossing the United States through three time zones. Much easier, indeed, to deal with nearly three weeks of sleeping in your own beds for a change.

For the good folks who follow the team via television broadcasts, there's also this happy note: Last week's 9:30 p.m. start in Colorado marked the Senators last game outside the Eastern time zone this season. That means nary a start time later than 7:30 p.m. the rest of the way, with a couple of afternoon puck drops thrown in for good measure.

Here's the television lowdown for the rest of this week. Games tonight and Thursday (against the Western Conference-leading San Jose Sharks) are at 7:30 p.m. on Rogers Sportsnet, with CBC's Hockey Night in Canada taking over for Saturday's renewal of the Battle of Ontario with the Toronto Maple Leafs (a 7 p.m. start, by the way). It's Dean Brown and Garry Galley with the game call tonight, with Ian Mendes supplying reports from between the benches.