Prelude - The two top teams, Ottawa and Detroit, played against each other this past Saturday night. Ottawa came out victorious. This should have led to Monday morning office talk indicating a) Sens are the best once again, or b) do the Sens still have a problem with Emery? But instead, the real news this weekend is something else about the Sens. Something that might just have Sens fans worried. Let's find out what is was.
Sport - Hockey
Event - Injuries to two thirds of the Sens top line happen this weekend.
Issue
In hockey playoffs you go as far as your goalie takes you. During the regular season, it's up to your top scoring line. On Saturday Heatly separated his shoulder and is now forcasted to be out for six weeks. On Sunday, Spezza got too hit hard at centre ice and left the game against the Islanders after the first period and didn't return.
The top scorer and player on the Sens is Daniel Alfredsson. But can he maintain the scoring without his line-mates?
Point to say - "Did you see the hit on Spezza?"
Follow up point - "What will Alfredsson do without his linemates?"
Get out of the conversation - "So, Juno didn't end up winning any Golden Globes eh?"
Backgrounder
Senators centre Jason Spezza left the game Sunday night following the first period after he was flattened by an open-ice hit by Islanders defenceman Freddy Meyer early in the game.
A team's first line, known as the 'Top line', account for a majority of the playing time. The reason? Principally it comes down to they are your best players, and in professional hockey you go with your best players whenever you can.
This year, Ottawa's top three scorers all have over 50 points each. The fourth player only has 33 points. That is a big drop off in scoring.
Links
Sens scoring stats.
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