Of the 87:39 that Game 3 took to get a winner, the Ottawa Senators fans could have ignored the first 59:31. Daniel Alfredsson tied the game with a shorthanded goal with 29 seconds remaining in the 3rd period and Colin Greening added the 2OT winner to give the Sens new life in the 2nd round.
Home cooking helped as did the return of Jason Spezza. But the Senators were led by Erik Karlsson who racked up the minutes (39:48) and Craig Anderson gobbled up the puck. Anderson posted a 98% save percentage in Game 3.
This was Ottawa's best game of the 2nd round. In fact, and its fans may be more insulted by this than the team would be, but they played like Toronto did against Boston for Games 5, 6, and most of 7.
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While the NBC crew praised the raucous Ottawa crowd, once again we got no anthems. NBC showed the anthem in Chicago and has allowed the anthem in other cities. This was Ottawa's 8th playoff game, and NBC hasn't shown a single anthem from a Senators game.
The folks on Twitter talked about the wonderful atmosphere during the anthems. But once again, they knew what was going on because they were watching the CBC. Those of us stuck with NBC Sports Network were clueless.
Since Ottawa was the home team, Brian Engblom interviewed Chris Phillips before the game. While Phillips was a fine choice, the logic was that he was a playoff veteran.
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Since NBC carried an afternoon game, we got Russ Thayer and Jeremy Roenick for the in-between periods coverage. At least, Anson Carter wasn't available.
This is the 2nd round; we deserve better, even if they get very little time to analyze anything.
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Speaking much more to the decline of Canadian teams on the NBC Sports Network, the Ottawa Senators have dominated the NBC Sports Network telecasts in the last couple of years. The 1st round against the New York Rangers last year. Game 3 of the 1st round this year against Montréal. And let's not forget the regular season conclusion that was simulcast on the channel.
Even if Ottawa isn't the cool kid in Eastern Canada, we were hoping that NBC Sports Network was getting comfortable enough with being in Canada's capital to feel at home. The footage shot before the game was quite a bit about Pittsburgh fans that made it to Ottawa. No bilingual anthems that might scare people to hear a little French language.
Not that the channel showed much interest in Pittsburgh, but a bit more colo(u)r in its telecasts wouldn't dip too much in its obsession to run commercials. They are sending crews (which costs money), but this is the 2nd round. Show us how much fun the NHL is, especially in a great hockey city such as Ottawa.
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Rick Peckham keeps proving he doesn't belong on this stage. He noted that Ottawa barely made the playoffs thanks to all the injuries. Of course, people who actually paid attention to the NHL season know Ottawa was in the mix for virtually the entire season. Barely make the playoffs is when you're the #8 seed or when you come from behind to make the playoffs.
Neither was true for Ottawa, but the truth conflicted with Peckham's story. By his logic, Detroit barely made the playoffs. No one thinks that is true of the Red Wings either.
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Kenny Albert will call Game 4, and that will be a few steps up from Peckham. Now that we will have a Game 5 in Pittsburgh on Friday night, speculation starts up on who NBC will use. Albert would make the most sense if he's available, and Dave Strader would be available if Boston sweeps.
The other 3 series have games on Thursday, so having a play-by-play guy pull double duty is doubtful. Then again, Brian Engblom is doing color on the Bruins-Rangers Game 4 Thursday in New York and will be in Pittsburgh Friday night.
Game 4 will air live on the NBC Sports Network and be rebroadcast by the NHL Network Thursday afternoon at 3 pm Eastern.
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The NHL Network replayed Alfredsson's goal from the CBC camera perspective. You got a great sense of how Alfredsson became so open. The NBC Sports Network cameras never gave us that angle.
The NHL Network has been really good about giving us CBC and TSN perspective in the postseason. We also got to see Scott Oake interview Colin Greening with the cut on his cheek. These touches enhance the lackluster limited coverage.
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Speaking of the CBC, my standing offer to buy anyone from the CBC a drink during their stay in Chicago still stands. CBC was in town for the first 2 games of the Chicago-Detroit series. Since Detroit won Game 2, we know the CBC crew will be back in town Saturday night.
Hope you're having a good time while you're here. And you can literally see your homeland from the Joe Louis Arena for Games 3 and 4.
My gripe today is how the NHLN is treating the Memorial Cup. I got into it last year. I recall seeing many games live/DVR. Now the all are tape delayed until the next morning. I think the championship will be live. Are they worried junior hockey will compete too much with the product on the NBCs?
Posted by: Tim | May 20, 2013 at 01:19 PM
My guess is because of the lockout that the NHL Network would be more paranoid against competing against the Stanley Cup playoffs. The timing isn't good because we'd be further along with the playoffs by now, again thanks to the lockout.
Posted by: Chad | May 20, 2013 at 02:18 PM