Anaheim, Calif. – The Ottawa Senators tried everything short of filibustering in Game 2.
They even tried leaving it up to goalie Ray Emery, who was terrific, making 30 saves and preventing a game the Anaheim Ducks dominated from turning into a complete rout.
But in the end, the 1-0 loss to the Ducks left Ottawa down 2-0 and in serious need of having its top line – Jason Spezza centering Daniel Alfredsson and Dany Heatley – wake up.
“They’re a good defensive team,” said Heatley, whose turnover led to the goal Wednesday night. “We have to find a way to get it done. They hold up a lot and do a good job that way. They protect the middle very well.”
Spezza acknowledged his line “definitely didn’t generate much opportunities.”
Ottawa coach Bryan Murray said the “key for them, really, has been our turnovers, creating offense for them. I’m not sure why we’re doing it. We’re trying to create some offense and we’re not getting much.”
Top prospects in town
The NHL brought in five of the top-rated North American prospects in the upcoming draft for media appearances and to attend Game 2. The five: center Kyle Turris of Burnaby in the British Columbia Hockey League, winger and Buffalo, N.Y., native Patrick Kane of London in the Ontario Hockey League, left wing James vanRiemsdyk of the U.S. national program, defenseman Keaton Ellerby of Kamloops of the Western Hockey League, and defenseman Karl Alzner of Calgary, also in the WHL.
Ratings down in Game 1
According to the Associated Press, Monday’s game on Versus got a 0.72 cable rating, down 18 percent from last year’s opener, and was watched in 523,000 households in the U.S. Denver had a 2.2 rating; Los Angeles a 1.7.
