Senators mired in five-game slump
TSN.ca Staff with files
11/9/2006 3:10:48 PM
Fire general manager John Muckler. Fire head coach Bryan Murray. Make a blockbuster trade.
Those are pretty much the options that Ottawa fans are clamouring for as the 13th place Senators are mired in a 5-8-1 record and their first five-game losing streak in 10 years.
Nothing has come easy for the perennial Stanley Cup favourites, especially after blowing a couple of two-goal leads in a 5-4 loss to Atlanta on Wednesday night. Goaltender Martin Gerber continued to struggle as he fell to 2-6-1.
It was the third straight game that Ottawa blew a lead. They led 2-0 in a 3-2 loss to Carolina on Saturday night and couldn't hold a 3-0 lead in a 4-3 loss to Washington in overtime on Monday night.
Call it early season struggles. Call it a slump. You can even call it settling in your own mediocrity after years of 100-plus point seasons without a Stanley Cup.
Whatever the root of the problem is, both the Senators and their fans want a solution now.
"We have to find some way to break this cycle," said defenceman Joe Corvo on Wednesday. "We have to keep working. I know that sounds stupid."
That message has done little to satisfy a handful of irate Senators fans who have already called for the dismissal of Muckler on the website FireMuckler.ca The Senators' struggles have put his offseason moves back under the microscope, including the decision not to retain free agent defenceman Zdeno Chara and trading away forwards Martin Havlat and Bryan Smolinski.
Despite the online protest, Senators president Roy Mlakar remains confident in his management team.
"Ironically, (owner) Eugene (Melnyk) has been a very strong supporter of the team, the direction and has expressed confidence in management," he told the Ottawa Sun on Wednesday. "I just have to remind people that we've played 13 hockey games and we are also not used to this in Ottawa. We haven't been in this position in so long, I can't even remember."
In the meantime, the team wasted no time getting back to business in Pittsburgh on Thursday with a full practice in preparation for Friday's game against the Penguins.
Martin Gerber could once again get the start in goal against the Penguins. A lot of finger-pointing has been directed at the Swiss netminder, who signed a three-year, $11.1 million contract with the club in July. Gerber stopped just 26 of 31 shots against Atlanta.
FULL STORY
TSN.ca Staff with files
11/9/2006 3:10:48 PM
Fire general manager John Muckler. Fire head coach Bryan Murray. Make a blockbuster trade.
Those are pretty much the options that Ottawa fans are clamouring for as the 13th place Senators are mired in a 5-8-1 record and their first five-game losing streak in 10 years.
Nothing has come easy for the perennial Stanley Cup favourites, especially after blowing a couple of two-goal leads in a 5-4 loss to Atlanta on Wednesday night. Goaltender Martin Gerber continued to struggle as he fell to 2-6-1.
It was the third straight game that Ottawa blew a lead. They led 2-0 in a 3-2 loss to Carolina on Saturday night and couldn't hold a 3-0 lead in a 4-3 loss to Washington in overtime on Monday night.
Call it early season struggles. Call it a slump. You can even call it settling in your own mediocrity after years of 100-plus point seasons without a Stanley Cup.
Whatever the root of the problem is, both the Senators and their fans want a solution now.
"We have to find some way to break this cycle," said defenceman Joe Corvo on Wednesday. "We have to keep working. I know that sounds stupid."
That message has done little to satisfy a handful of irate Senators fans who have already called for the dismissal of Muckler on the website FireMuckler.ca The Senators' struggles have put his offseason moves back under the microscope, including the decision not to retain free agent defenceman Zdeno Chara and trading away forwards Martin Havlat and Bryan Smolinski.
Despite the online protest, Senators president Roy Mlakar remains confident in his management team.
"Ironically, (owner) Eugene (Melnyk) has been a very strong supporter of the team, the direction and has expressed confidence in management," he told the Ottawa Sun on Wednesday. "I just have to remind people that we've played 13 hockey games and we are also not used to this in Ottawa. We haven't been in this position in so long, I can't even remember."
In the meantime, the team wasted no time getting back to business in Pittsburgh on Thursday with a full practice in preparation for Friday's game against the Penguins.
Martin Gerber could once again get the start in goal against the Penguins. A lot of finger-pointing has been directed at the Swiss netminder, who signed a three-year, $11.1 million contract with the club in July. Gerber stopped just 26 of 31 shots against Atlanta.
FULL STORY
