POSTGAME

Well that was disheartening.

It was plain and simple a butt-kicking. From the outset, the Senators were hungrier. They got to loose pucks first, they initiated the physical play and attacked the net. The Penguins meanwhile looked hesitant. Perhaps their inexperience made them nervous. Either way, Ottawa won that game in every fashion possible.

One good thing to see from the Penguins was that they didn't back down as the game got out of hand. They scored a few late meaningless goals, but they showed they are willing to fight back after getting roughed up.

But it was only Game One. You need to win four to advance. The Penguins need to wipe the blood off their faces (literally) and regroup for Game Two.

In the meantime, we're going to grab a burger and a beer and catch the other three games tonight. Sharks are up 4-2 on the Predators midway through the third period. Stars and Canucks just got going and the Wild-Ducks game will be starting shortly.

Thanks to everyone that kept up with us and contributed despite our lack of experience in live blogging. You are the lifeblood of this enterprise.

Box score.

We suspect one reader is just venting out of frustration.

"Can we finally say once and for all? Brooks Orpik is the worst defensemen in hockey." -- Gerry Mahoney, New York City

EN: Easy Gerry. Grab a breath of fresh air dude or a beer or something. Orpik didn't play great by any means, but the entire team didn't really play their best.

While you wait for our next post tomorrow, enjoy this O.A.R. song we've been hooked on the last week or so:

Nighty-Night.

0:00 -- Ouch. Senators 6, Penguins 3.

0:12 -- Laraque hammers Schubert with a nice hit in front of the benches.

0:26 -- With Laraque and Neil both on the ice, the officials do everything they can to make sure they stay away from each other.

0:37 -- Ruutu strikes Corvo in the face several times and all hell breaks loose. Malone tries to go after Fisher but is restrained. Talbot is physically dragged away from Comrie by an official before being kicked off the ice. As he leaves to go to the tunnel, he stops to exchange pleasantries with an Ottawa fan. And the sunny Bryan Murray berates the officials over something stupid we're sure.

0:49 -- Crosby snaps a puck into a wide-open net past Emery who was out of position. Errey says, "They're not going to review this one are they?" Senators 6-3.

1:10 -- Steigerwald actually uses the term "crap."

2:29 -- Something we forgot to mention, due in part to the scrum in the corner, Marc-Andre Fleury was pulled for Jocelyn Thibault. Our apolgies.

3:50 -- Orpik takes a high-stick from Alfreddson and can be seen sporting some blood on his jersey. Back on the powerplay. And hey! A Post-Gazette commercial!

5:53 -- We can see Ryan Whitney getting a nasty-looking cut near his right eye patched up.

6:01 -- Meszaros trips up Talbot against the boards gets two minutes. It's refreshing to the officials are still doing their job despite the score.

7:18 -- Gonchar blasts a bomb from the point past Emery. Penguins will still get a power play. Senators 6-2.

8:04 -- Malkin is slammed into the boards from behind.

8:07 -- Wade Redden is called for roughing. Five-on-three.

9:05 -- It's on as Ryan Whitney gets high-sticked. A scrum ensues in the corner with one Senators at least ending up without jersey. The Penguins end up with a power play.

10:19 -- Gonchar and Eaton get demolished by Ottawa fore-checkers. This thing is on the verge of getting ugly.

11:38 -- Peter Schaefer makes a nice feed to the slot to Mike Comrie who gently pokes it into the net. We're delusional. Time to start worrying about Game 2. Senators 6-1.

12:14 -- Armstrong gets run over by Wade Redden in the corner.

13:17 -- Kassimer goes to bed. He's got this work thing he has to show up early for or something.

13:52 -- Maybe we're delusional, but anyone remember March 7?

14:04 -- Versus rules.

"The Versus announcers got one thing right. They said Sid's goal should have counted." --Ann Vrabel.

14:21 -- Chris Neil? The Ottawa tough guy comes in on a two-on-none and burns Fleury. Senators 5-1.

19:00 -- Ottawa fans begin chanting either "Fleeerrr-eeeee" or "Croooooss-bbbbeeee."

19:15 -- Crosby complains to the referee about the no-goal call. Bob Errey says, "I've got to agree with Sid." There's a shocker.

19:36 -- This is tough to keep up with. A loose puck in the slot is driven into the net by Crosby's leg. While we rock out to some Bob Seeger, replay officials review the goal and rule that Crosby kicked the puck in. No goal.

19:51 -- Right off the face-off Heatley deflects a shot by Volchenkov into the net. Senators 4-1.

THIRD PERIOD

Therrien must've change clothes or something because his tie is back to K-mart quality.

Penguins are getting out-shot 29-12.

Flipping over to the San Jose-Nashville game on our Center Ice package, we see the Sharks are up 1-0 after one period.

Kassimer flips the channel over to HBO Comedy to catch some of The Goonies.

SECOND INTERMISSION

0:00 -- End of period. The last minute notwithstanding, the flow has slowed down thankfully for the Penguins. Senators 3, Penguins 1.

0:10 -- Meszaros blast a slapper from the point and Fleury stops it.

0:41 -- On the power play, Alfredsson's 340th shot is absorbed by Fleury.

2:16 -- A reader helps us and our roommate straighten out our priorites:

"I just wanted to say you're at least lucky enough to be able to watch the game on TV, HD or no. I'm in Cincinnati for school and have to rely on listening to it off the radio on the Pens Web site because Ohio apparently has no interest in showing games on television. We have season tickets, but because of my going to school in Ohio I've only been able to go to a few games, so I've been suffering a little bit this year. I usually rely on a box score on yahoo.com to follow the games, but there's nothing like reading your play-by-play for every game. So I must say I am beyond happy to see you guys doing a live play-by-play for the game, even if the pens aren't doing to well this game. Thanks for putting in the work for the game you really have no idea how much I love reading your blog." --Jessica Thimons, Allison Park

EN: You have no idea how much we love doing it Jessica.

3:02 -- Molly's looking good as Jordan Staal jams a loose puck past a sprawling Emery. Someone get Molly a beer. Senators 3-1.

4:47 -- EN is helping those with work issues:

"I am here at work until 9 with only your posts to help me get by. No voice on computer, no radio, so thank goodness for you. However, I am not liking what I am reading, and I might actually be grateful I am not at home watching this game crying in my beer. I feel a comeback!" -- Molly Mazzarini, Bethel Park

EN: Someone pull a fire alarm or something in the second intermission so Molly can go home please.

5:22 -- On the power play, the Senators work the puck to the right side to Tom Preissing who wrists a shot past Fleury. Senators 3-0.

7:09 -- Alfredsson brings the puck out of his zone and Christensen chops his skates out like a lumberjack. Four-on-Four.

7:39 -- Vermette gets called for interfering with Malkin.

9:09 -- Our laptop crashes and we what we have typed up. Thanks Dell. In the meantime a reader tells us more about the Versus telecast:

"To add to what Matt in NJ said, that "C" Versus announcer just referred to the Sens' two goals as a "scoring spree for Ottawa." I guess he must normally call soccer games.

The only announcers I ever liked outside of Mike Lange were TSN's. I saw them on a Pens-Habs game on Center Ice last year, and they were fantastic. Other than that it's a bunch of idiots, as it were." --Ann Vrabel, Baltimore

13:37 -- Malkin leaves the ice with some discomfort. A commercial for the NHL playoffs on Versus says in 2001 the Stanley Cup engraver finally had to learn to spell "Bourque" when Ray Bourque and the Avalanche won it in 2001. Uh, this gentleman might have something to say about that.

14:00 -- A graphic shows the Senators have outshot the Penguins 20-5 at this point.

15:27 -- Alfredsson takes his 83rd shot of the game approximately and Fleury deflects it out of play.

16:25 -- Mike Fisher shows why he's a Selke Trophy candidate as he gets down and blocks a Whitney shot at the tail end of a Penguins power play.

18:35 -- Chris Neil makes his presence known as he slams Malkin with a nice check.

SECOND PERIOD

FIRST INTERMISSION

We get word of life from outside the FSN embargo:

"Just an FYI. Those of us forced to watch the Versus feed aren't getting the No. 1 play-by-play man (Doc Emrick), not the No. 2 play-by-play man (Jack Edwards), we're getting the "C" play-by-play man.

I'm trying to look up his name, but it's fruitless. He's my least favorite "PBP" guy of all time. Uses terms like "bullseye" for goals and stuff like that. As if being down 2-0 isn't bad enough, I have to deal with this clown. You don't know how lucky you are to have the FSP feed. Even if you don't like Steigy, he's a hall-of-famer compared to this jobber." --Matt Pesyna, New Jersey

0:00 -- End of period. Frankly, the Penguins are lucky to only be down by two given how many chances they've given Ottawa. Senators 2-0.

0:22 -- A shot by Alfredsson hits the side of the cage popping Fleury's water bottle into the air.

1:18 -- Maxime Talbot hooks a Senator skating into the zone giving the Senators another five-on-three. You can't give a team with the fire-power of Ottawa this many chances with the man advantage.

1:44 -- Ouellet take a slashing penalty.

2:12 -- Ottawa's vaunted glass-changing crew to fix a busted pane.

2:13 -- The Penguins allow their second two-on-one on a power play this game. Gonchar is there to break up the pass.

3:23 -- Anton Volchenkov, who just signed a contract extension, throws the puck out of the rink and takes a delay of game.

4:56 -- Whitney rings a shot off the post.

5:56 -- Chris Phillips takes a penalty putting the Penguins on the power play.

8:51 -- Brooks Oprik and Ryan Whitney go off for cross--checking and roughing respectively. Five--on--three for the Senators. Scary stuff.

8:14 -- Mark Eaton saves the day with a huge block on a shot by Dany Heatley. Eaton also gets the rebound.

7:17 -- Joe Corvo's big blast is eaten up by Fleury.

7:00 -- A graphic show that Fleury has already faced 15 shots. The Penguins just need to survive this period.

9:58 -- Ouellet gets away with a hook.

10:05 -- Michel Ouellet fires a nice wrister from the left wing that jams up Emery for a moment.

12:26 -- Georges Laraque makes his first appearance on the ice prompting cheers from Kassimer.

13:22 -- Chris Kelly charges the net and pushes a rebound past Fleury. Senators 2-0.

14:10 -- Maxime Talbot and Rob Scuderi turn the puck over to Daniel Alfreddsson. He fails to score though.

14:44 -- Paul Steigerwald says, Fleury looks good when he stops the puck. That's like saying someone's a good driver when they don't wreck.

15:18 -- Fleury comes up big as he stones Christoph Schubert on a two-on-one.

16:35 -- Meszaros takes a penalty. Sergei Gonchar blast a shot from the point and Ray Emery makes his first save.

18:13 -- Fleury looks shaky early as he has trouble handling a puck. The whole team does really. They've been outshot 6-0.

18:23 -- Andrej Meszaros blast a loose puck from the point past Marc-Andre Fleury. Senators 1-0.

18:35 -- Mike Comrie thumps Evgeni Malkin to the ice.

19:59 -- Sens win the opening faceoff. Game's over.

FIRST PERIOD

Lyndon Slewidge is no Jeff Jimerson.

Ryan Malone looks like he's growing a mullet.

A freeze in the telecast stops our hearts for a moment. Then the video feed resumes.

Empty Netters roommate Derek Kassimer launches into a torrent of ill vocabulary when he finds out that the game is not available in HD.

For anyone reading us from outside Pittsburgh, we're watching the FSN Pittsburgh feed. If you're outside the viewing area of the Confluence, you'll be getting Versus or TSN.

Looks like some one took Michel Therrien to The Fashionable Male. He's wearing a sharp suit and tie during his in his interview with Dan Potash.

We just spilled salsa on our jeans.

We're not the only continent that's been waiting

"Six years later, the penguins return to the playoffs. We lost the second best forward of Penguins history in Jaromir Jagr (I still don't get why such a great player on the ice is booed). We've endured some very hard times, finishing at the very bottom of the standings and to know that happiest moment of during those six years was given by Gary Bettman.

I still can't believe that the Pens just qualified for the postseason! All that seems way too unreal. I've been waiting this moment for six long years. " -- S.Vallecalle, Paris France

PREGAME

(Brent Musberger voice) You are reading LIVE from the basement of Chez Empty Netters. Tonight we bring you the Penguins and Senators.

Bear with us if we're a little slow or sloppy with this. Blogging live is a brave, new world for us. It's one thing to re-watch a game on our DVR and write a clean, concise recap of it. It's a totally different animal trying to keep up with a game live and write.