Leaving on a jet plane
By Jason Lake
The Ottawa Senators couldn't get out of Philadelphia soon enough. Unfortunately, neither could their plane.
The Sens dropped a 0-1 decision Thursday night to the Flyers in Game 4 of their playoff series. A long flight back to Ottawa awaited, but just three minutes after take-off, the charter plane blew an engine and had to make an emergency landing back at the airport.
No one was injured, and Canadian sports network TSN reported the Senators were able to hitch a ride with the New Orleans Hornets, who flew out of Philadelphia in a better mood after beating the 76ers Wednesday night.
Maybe a nice bowl of gumbo can help soothe the Senators on their way home. They were out-skated all night long by the Flyers in Game 4, and the extremely loud First Union Center crowd seemed to energize the home side.
The Corel Centre is not expected to reach the same decibel level, but at least Ottawa won't be playing in such a hostile environment. The Senators are 31-11-3-1 at home this year, earning 12.15 units along the way.
The Sens are 7-1 against the spread (ATS) at the Corel Centre after a loss. Neither team has been able to string together two wins in a row this series.
Ottawa is already listed as -165 favorites against the visiting Flyers. The 'total' is still 4 1/2 goals, as it was in Games 3 and 4, when it became obvious the series is hinging on two of the hottest goalies in the playoffs: Roman Cechmanek and Patrick Lalime.
The unorthodox Cechmanek has a sparkling .935 save percentage in 10 postseason games, while Lalime, a classic stand-up goaltender, is even better at .942. Only Anaheim's insanely hot Jean-Sebastien Giguere is better.
The Flyers are grinding the 'under' to a 53-31 record this year, while the trapping Senators have the 'under' cashing in at 46-35.
All four regular season meetings between the two clubs went 'under'. However, Game 1 and 3 of this series went narrowly 'over', both in favor of the Senators.
When Ottawa scores, it wins. Both Flyer wins came on shutout performances by Cechmanek.
The Senators scored 3.11 goals per game this year, and enjoy a 20.9 percent power play efficiency, so they know they can put the puck in the net. It's putting it in early that has baffled them so far. Philadelphia scored the first goal in Game 4, as the team has done in every game this series.
"Obviously it's something we'd have liked to have reversed," defenseman Curtis Leschyshyn told the Philadelphia Daily News after Game 4.
Expect Ottawa's offense to come out with all engines gunning ? unlike the team's charter plane.
