Let's dive into the excitement surrounding the Ottawa Senators and their upcoming game against the New York Rangers. Here's what you need to know about tonight's matchup, and there's a bit of a twist regarding the start time.
Game Night Details
The Senators face off against the Rangers tonight, but don't be fooled by the schedule listing a 7:30 p.m. ET start.
The puck will actually drop at 7:51 p.m. ET.
Why the delay? It's an Amazon Prime game, nationally televised across Canada, which means extra time for those pre-game features and discussions.
Plus, the Rangers are celebrating Mika Zibanejad's 1,000th NHL game-an impressive milestone for the former Senators draft pick.
This gives fans a little extra time to finish up their evening routines before settling in for the action. If you're not in a rush, the Amazon Prime pre-game show is definitely worth a watch. They always bring unique insights and engaging content, like that memorable interview with Warren Foegele during warmups a few weeks back.
Tonight, Andi Petrillo will be conducting interviews with Senators players Thomas Chabot and Shane Pinto, adding a personal touch to the broadcast. It’s a great opportunity to catch some in-depth Senators content on a national stage.
Puck Drop Timing Debate
There's an ongoing conversation about whether NHL teams should advertise the actual puck drop time rather than the start of the broadcast. It's common in baseball, where the Blue Jays list the exact time of the first pitch. If hockey followed suit, you'd see more precise start times on tickets and schedules.
What do you think? Should hockey adopt this approach? Feel free to share your thoughts at [email protected].
Trivia Time
In honor of Zibanejad's milestone, here's a trivia challenge: Can you name the five other first-round picks by the Senators who have also reached 1,000 NHL games? Answers are further down, so keep reading!
A New Initiative: ‘Drop The Puck’ Event
Last Wednesday, the Senators may have faced a tough 4-1 loss to the Capitals, but they scored big off the ice with their first ‘Drop The Puck’ event at the Canadian Tire Centre. This initiative was all about introducing hockey to newcomers who might be unfamiliar with the sport.
Participants from diverse backgrounds placed stickers on a world map representing countries like Algeria, Ethiopia, Iran, and Ukraine. They enjoyed a Canadian-inspired dinner, complete with a poutine station, and then got a crash course in hockey basics.
I shared my own story of growing up with hockey after my parents immigrated from Tanzania. Chris Phillips joined us to answer questions, and we had on-ice demonstrations explaining offside, icing, and penalties.
The highlight? Watching volunteers demonstrate a spearing penalty-always a crowd-pleaser!
Before watching the Senators-Capitals game on the big screen, participants were surprised with tickets to an upcoming game and gift cards to the Sens store. The excitement was palpable, with one person even declaring their newfound fandom for the Senators.
The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and credit goes to Matthew Franczyk and Alyssa Almstedt for organizing the night. We’re eager to host more events like this to grow the game and connect with new audiences.
Got ideas for future events? We'd love to hear from you at [email protected].