It's time to reconfigure my brain for the hockey playoffs. I like the hockey, but the regular season is just too damn long to be engaged in from start to finish.The Senators jumped all over Pittsburgh 6-3 on Wednesday night to take the opening game of their first-round series.
Going into the season I felt, devoid of any empirical evidence of course, that what the Senators needed out of the 2006-07 season to break the string of playoff flops was to enter the playoffs as nondescript participants instead of being the favorite. Indeed, the Senators got off to a lousy start, found themselves near the basement of the conference in November, then went on a great second-half run to get the fourth seed. I certainly feel more confident going in this year than I did last, which is what having a solidified goaltending situation will do for you.
I am hoping at the very least it is not my steadfast refusal to grow a playoff beard which is holding us back, because not even the thought of a Senators' Stanley Cup victory is enough to make me shackle myself with facial hair.
