PERIOD 1 LIVE-BLOGGING

• Ottawa is trying to pull what they pulled in Game 5 of their 1st round playoff series. The Senators are giving Anaheim a chance to win this game in the 1st period. The Senators are the ones taking penalties, and--

• Anaheim is better than the Pittsburgh Penguins. (I also feel the need to note that the Ducks, at least in terms of their blueline, are not just more skilled, but more experienced.) The Ducks score a power play goal to take a 1-0 lead. A Deep Sigh: Oh, what would have been if the Pens had been able to score on one of those power play opportunities early in Game 5 in the 1st round. Oh, the lessons the children hopefully learned. At least the Ducks have already won the same number of games against the Sens as three of the East's best teams combined to win.

• Another Ottawa penalty, but this time, Ottawa kills the penalty. And Chris Pronger, after being hit, is missed. The announcing team analyzes Pronger's absence in detail. The Ducks' PP is out of sync, and Ottawa is breathing slightly easier. A little later, we're informed the equipment trainer is still on the bench, so the inference is made, "it's gotta be medical." My own analysis: Pronger potentially getting injured and leaving the game is one of those things that can happen in hockey games that the pregame Bozos did not account for in their "rhetoric of certainty" guarantee that the Ducks would end the night by lifting the Cup. Further analysis: Pronger's planned absence (e.g. when suspended) is actually easier for the Ducks to deal with--you have a defenseman who's dressed in his place. Going down a defenseman is never easy, and going down a defenseman like Pronger, when you're not physically (another dressed D) or mentally (PP without Pronger) to deal with his absence, could potentially influence who wins this game.

• I agree with Edzo that Scott Niedermayer is great. But I plead with Edzo, please, no, no, no, absolutely no rhyming to tell me how great Niedermayer is. Further Note: Note only does Niedermayer up his game with Pronger out, play solid defense, carry the puck, and dish off effective passes (all in the span of a shift), but he is my Conn Smythe winner at this point. Not merely for his play, but for his maturity and sanity in reminding his team, before the third period of Game 4, that they needed to win the game and not focus on Danny Alfredsson being a punk.

• The Anaheim fans show they watched Game 4 in Ottawa. The Anaheim faithful loudly and beautifully boo Alfredsson every time he touches the puck. I would say Anaheim fans are giving the Senators captain the "Sidney Crosby" treatment, but Daniel Alfredsson should never again be mentioned in the same breath or sentence as Sidney Crosby. (It's impertinent at this point that the Sens beat the Pens in Round 1. Crosby at 19 has more of a clue of how to lead and be a captain than Alfredsson has at 34.) Alfredsson has now gotten into the same "borderline dirty" category as Chris Pronger with that ridiculous shot at Niedermayer, that did, as one of the Bozos noted, ruin his previously pretty much "squeaky clean" persona. And unlike Crosby or Pronger, Alfredsson doesn't necessarily seem like one who'd know to respond to the booing. Further Note: Unlike the way the Ottawa fans booed Niedermayer, I have no qualms with--I actually ENCOURAGE--the Ducks' faithful flock to continue to boo Alfredsson as long and hard and loud as possible.

• Chris Pronger returns to the bench, and the fans applaud. Pierre informs us, again, that in case we couldn't tell from his utter lack of boneheaded plays and consistently strong play, that Mike Fisher is smart. The Ottawa players, of course, turned to see why the fans were applauding, and Pierre diagnoses what Fisher's beautiful (sorry, I am still a female) eyes reveal. The Sens are up against that much more with Pronger back--not just on the bench, but on the ice.

• The Sens are up against way more now. Though the officials are doing their best to give the Sens a chance to get back in this game, Ottawa's not very receptive to the idea of converting on power plays. As an Ottawa PP ends, Rob Niedermayer scores. Beautiful. Anaheim is up 2-0.

• the period ends. While the crowd roars approval of the 2-0 lead, Pierre talks to Mike Fisher. Even though Fisher somehow manages to spout off every hockey cliche in the book (the whole team thing, give it everything they have, etc) in less than a minute, I don't roll my eyes. I can't help it. I'm like Mike Emerick, who appreciates that Fisher is available for interviews at the end of the period. And I can't help but think that if Ottawa's captain had the character of Mike Fisher, the Ottawa Senators would have a much better chance to win the Cup.