So the Futility Meter drops to -15, 2-7-1. This whole "Futility Meter" thing might not be fun anymore.I watched the first and third periods of tonight's game. According to the scoreboard, I missed precisely nothing by missing the second period, and instead got to enjoy a Law And Order episode about slavery instead.
Three comments about tonight.
First, Mike Fisher was out of position on both goals tonight. While both goals were a result of a cascade of errors, it was interesting that Fisher featured in both. Hockey is a game of moments, and you need to be in the right place at the right time, and tonight Fisher wasn't. Being in the right position the entire rest of the night can sometimes not make up for one (or in this case, two) mistakes. Fortunately, these are details that a player can work on and improve.
Second, it's kind of a relief that Brian Elliot wasn't some magic tonic that immediately delivered wins. I think Elliot played a solid game, but there wasn't enough effort at the far end of the rink, or detail hockey being played immediately in front of him. I am personally with Scott Morrison who worries that summoning Elliot now risks his long-term future. It's time to close the door on 2008-09 and preserve assets for next year and beyond.
I think really we are now in a race to the bottom so we can start to rebuild. Which is a shame considering the top line we have today.
But the real reflection on tonight's game? After Ottawa and New York had finished, we got to see the last five minutes of the Washington-Montreal game. There was more action in those five minutes in Montreal than I saw through forty minutes in the Ottawa game. I actually cheered when Montreal got the winning goal with 34 seconds to go.
...remember when Ottawa had a hockey team?...
