Playoff Memories XIII: Long Live Brett Hull’s Skate

Probably the best antagonistic reply to slugs' game day thread courtesy of THM. The Buffalo area has been victimized by some of the most memorable sporting moments in history. From Wide Right to Brett Hull's Skate to The Music City Miracle (my personal favourite since Flutie should have been starting instead of that freaking tackling dummy Johnson. Nice move Phillips you moron.) the denizens of The Queen City have repeatedly been crapped on by sports.

In fact, it's something that they share in common with Ottawa. From the Gliebermans to Daigle Martin Brodeur to the Maple Leafs and sabres senators fans have dealt with excruciating heartbreak. However, this playoff season has been an extended revenge tour for the capital city. First, a big part of those Leafs teams was dispatched in the first round, then the goalie that cost the sens their last best chance at a final, and now the team that has ended their playoff hopes 3 times (to the Leafs 4) is facing the wrath of Alfie. On the bright side, a sens win moves them to 1-3 against the slugs and leaves the Leafs alone as post-season tormentors of the city that fun forgot. On the other hand, the sens could soon be 4 wins from causing a rash of suicides and murderous rampages in Toronto. Go Ducks!

For today's flashback we head to a series that could act as a proxy for this year's ECF. The senators entered the 2001 playoffs as the Northeast Division champs and were tipped for a run at Lord Stanley's mug. They faced a team with a rougher style of play in the 7th seeded Leafs. After sweeping the season series the sens were expected to make short work of the buds (much like some people suggested that the slugs would enjoy tossing the sens aside). The outcome was one that cemented the sens' label as a team that could not win in the post-season as they were brushed aside by the Leafs 4 games to 0. In honour of tonight's game 3 we take a trip back to that year's 3rd game (also at home for the underdog) to see the making of a hero or as Jay calls him, Cory Freaking Cross.