Well, that's that

Three seasons in a row now. A fitting tribute to Gary Bettman's NHL, the scruffy, bespectacled kid who burns with unrequited love for the affluent blonde when there are many passionate if homely girls ready to run into his arms. But there's gold in them Sun Belt hills, so by golly we've got to come bearing our best gifts to them so their brittle attention spans might turn briefly our way.

Sure, it's fair. The Senators deserve to lose the series, they had plenty of opportunities and folded. It's just disappointing. The nature of the NHL is that it's such a crapshoot that there can be no "wait 'til next year." If you get your shot and blow it, you're likely to be waiting for a long time before it comes around again.