^{(AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Tom Hanson)}

Tonight was the Fourth Annual Armed Forces Night at Scotiabank Place where the team and the community honoured the Canadian Armed Forces. First off, a great evening and a wonderful thing the team is doing that has become an annual tradition that other cities are getting in on as well.

We're officially 1-2 without Dany Heatley and a game like this might just have been what the doctor ordered for the Senators. The boys checked hard, kept skating and were relentless in their pressure against a Hurricanes team that is suffering through the flu bug among various other injuries.

Antoine Vermette was called out by the coaching staff previously (they didn't name names, but we all knew who they were talking about) and responded rather positively with 2 goals on the night. Randy Robitaille, who was a healthy scratch last game welcomed a baby daughter this morning (Congratulations to the Robitailles) and topped it all off with the third goal of the Senators' offensive breakout in the second period. He too had been displeased about the benching and the quality of his ice time. This is certainly the best way to make your case to John Paddock.

Unfortunately, Daniel Alfredsson had to leave the game in the second with a hip flexor and did not return. The news was that they were keeping him out due "precautionary reasons". See what happens when you skate him into the ground? Although perhaps I'm just overreacting since last time Jason Spezza was kept out for precautionary reasons, he turned to be all right.

Speaking of Spezza, what a game our pizza boy had. He certainly had Cam Ward's number as he managed to freeze Ward out of position on at least two plays, both of which that lead to a goal. First, on his sweet cross-crease pass to Robitaille for his goal and the last on an unassisted marker where he walked into the zone after checking hard and taking the puck off of Mike Commodore.

Full marks as well to Chris Kelly and Vermette. Kelly was really throwing the body and checking well, which helped to create two short-handed odd-man rushes the other way. Martin Gerber rebounded for a bad stretch he's suffered lately with 36 saves on the night, giving up his only goal on a 'Canes PowerPlay. The Senators' PP is also looking a little better in that they actually scored on a 5-on-3 this time and was actually generating quite a few shots with the man advantage.

So the Senators are in a bit of a pickle about who to select for the start when they play Tampa on Saturday. The guessing game continues.

Fun Tidbit of the Night...
Dean McAmmond's nickname is 'Hank' from the movie "Me, Myself and Irene" because allegedly, El Deano has a bad temper. He probably wouldn't like it very much that I call him 'El Deano' then. Also, Gary Galley's nickname is "Sausage". Uh, I'll let you figure that one out for yourself.

P.S. If you haven't already, please take a look at the challenge and also...vote!. I mean, if you want to.

Labels: antoine vermette, cam ward, carolina hurricanes, chris kelly, daniel alfredsson, home win, injuries, jason spezza, martin gerber, randy robitaille