On behalf of all the fans who gathered on the Sens Mile and the amazing businesses who supported this dream from the start, thank you to the Ottawa Senators for playing hard, for showing us what true passion and grit was all about, and for giving us a sense of civic pride.  You unified a city, you inspired us, you gave us joy, you made us proud.

This is just a bump along the way — 2008 will be our year.  Take heart in what you accomplished this year, have a great summer and know that your fans are as loyal to you as ever.

All the Senators did an amazing job, and we as a community owe them a sincere thank you.

As for the Sens Mile: we’re going to keep it going.  Stay tuned on that one, it’ll be good.

Next up though:

- Saturday, June 9: Let’s have a celebration on Elgin Street, in our Sens gear, cheering on the guys as if we had just won a game.  Let’s say early evening.  Come down, cheer, march, party.  The season may be over, but our pride in the guys doesn’t fade — let’s show them what the Mile is all about

Tonight is Game 5 and above all, every fan needs to be down on the Sens Mile cheering on the guys tonight.  If you can not find a space there, go to Festival Plaza.

We’re in a tough spot, no question.  But we’ve seen our guys win 3 in a row ELEVEN TIMES in the past season.  Our odds are, you have to think, very good.

The guys are going to play hard tonight, they’re going to win and they’re going to tie the series up in Ottawa.

Whatever happens tonight, celebrate responsibly.  Celebrate how proud we are of the guys, celebrate how far they came, celebrate that we are WAY better than the Leafs, celebrate that for the first time 80 years our team won the Eastern Conference Final.  Celebrate while respecting the police, the City, the residents, the fans and - of course - the Sens.

All of Canada will watch tonight to see how we act: be responsible, be proud, show the dignity and class that have come to define our team.

Tonight, the Sens will win.  Be positive.  Be proud.  Believe.

See you in the Mile.
Cameron, Shane and Sarah.

Last night was difficult, no question. We all feel like we’ve been kicked in the gut, and like we’re staring defeat in the face.

Shake it off. Pull yourselves up. Realize that this is not the end of the world.

It is not over yet. Not even close. We’re down two games, just like we were going in to Game 3. What happened there? We beat the Ducks, 5-3. It can happen again. Believe.

Nothing is over until the final second of the final game, and even then, you cheer on the guys, you let them know how proud we are of them and you celebrate how far they came this year.

No true fan of the Senators bails now or ever.

This is our team, these are our guys, the Cup will come home. Ottawa fans (especially certain media types… *cough, cough* Hugh Adami…) need to quit chewing up the guys and spitting them up when things don’t go their way. It’s time for a change in mentality by the fans and the media in this city - and it needs to start now. These guys, our Sens, are champions no matter what happens in this series. It’s time, as a collective, people began to realize that.

So tomorrow night is another big game. Take a deep breath. Come out to cheer on the guys on the Sens Mile, and be proud of them. Cheer through every hit, every goal, every penalty kill. From start to finish, cheer, let the guys hear you all the way to Anaheim.

Don’t waver. Don’t flinch. Just remember, we have the best team in the league. We know it. They know it. Canada knows it.

And for the record, the Sens Mile will continue after the series is over. In meeting bar and restaurant owners along the Mile, and in discussing with charities, we have decided to continue pushing for the permanency of the Sens Mile as a place of fan celebration, as the second home of the Senators and as a place where everyone - charities, tourists, fans, local businesses, civic pride and the team - win.

Keep up the fight. Keep believing

Apparently the Weather Network is projecting rain tomorrow - all day - for the City of Ottawa.  That’s too bad, and leads us to the sobering reality that Mother Nature is little more than a bitter Toronto Maple Leafs fan.

That’s too bad for her.

For the rest of us, here’s the plan:

- Get out on the Sens Mile or out to the Red Zone en masse tomorrow.

Outdo yourselves in terms of outfits and Sens-spirit to cheer on the guys.  Who cares if you get wet! We’re 3 (maximum 4) games away from the Stanley Cup, and are standing at the edge of history.  Be part of it - don’t look back at this moment and think “Cripes, I sure wish I’d gone down to the Sens Mile or out to the Red Zone, but it was raining so I stayed home”.

That’s the type of attitude we can expect from Anaheim fans - or worse yet, that’s the type of attitude Leafs’ fans expect from Sens fans.

The guys won a huge victory on Saturday night and were inspired by how amazing the fans were to them.  Show them we can do even better than that — make the boys hear our cheers all the way inside Scotiabank Place.

Don’t let Mother Nature win - she’s a fickle old bird with a faded blue jersey and empty dreams of NHL grandeur that will never come for a team like the Leafs.

Be on the Mile.  Be at the Red Zone.  Cheer on the guys.  Respect everyone and everything.

Most of all: Believe.

Tonight was amazing!

The guys played with the grit, the heart and the passion we knew was inside them. They fought hard, they played hard and they did so with a level of class and decency that Pronger and the rest of his ilk showed that they are simply incapable of displaying.

A couple of thoughts on the Game, the Mile and what lies ahead:

- Pronger should and must be suspended. He damn near broke McAmmond’s neck tonight and proved that he has learned nothing from his one game suspension earlier in this playoff run. Shame on the officials for not giving him a penalty. Having this jerk suspended for the rest of the playoff run is the only option.

- Chris Neil: you get first star in the hearts and minds of people on the Mile tonight. That first goal you scored, we know it was for that new baby daughter of yours. Congratulations to you and Caitlin on Hailey Gene. Good job buddy!!

- Fans: You were amazing tonight on the Mile as well. The class, the celebration, the respect for others that you displayed was inspiring. Keep it up. As we always say: celebrate responsibly, party on the Sens Mile but do so while respecting the City, the police, the residents, the fans and - ultimately - the team.

- Monday’s Game: It’s a big one, no doubt about it. This series is still wide open and is ours for the taking. We know it. The guys know it. Canada knows it. We want to see the fans along the Sens Mile on Monday decked out in their best Sens attire… faces painted red, hair dyed, noise makers, jerseys, costumes, etc. Ditto that if you’re at Scotiabank Place. Listen folks: the guys need to continue to feel that pride and celebration we feel for them. It inspires them, just as much as their sportsmanship and first-class effort inspires us.

- A cautionary word: for those of you setting off fireworks post-game, please don’t. Here’s why: if the ambers from the fireworks hit someone it could be a really serious health risk. We’re all for celebration, but keep the fireworks to the professionals.

Thanks everyone — and again, Chris and Caitlin: CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Way to go guys!! The dream is alive.

Believe.

It’s almost time for Game 3 — the first Stanley Cup playoff in Ottawa in 80 years. Think about how amazing that is — it’s historic, and something we can be extremely proud of.

Whether you are going to the Mile tonight or to the game, please cheer on and believe in this team with every ounce of your being. Win or lose tonight, we need to realize that this is the best team in the NHL and nothing will change that. Period.

So, deck yourselves up in red, bring out your duck whistlers and celebrate how proud you are of the guys.

We’ve come a long way in this playoff run, and the future for our team looks bright. Stay focused, stay true and believe.

Celebrate wisely and with the respect, passion and dignity that the Sens always display on the ice.  In all that we do, let’s respect everyone and everything — the entire country is watching… let’s make them proud, let’s make the City proud and let’s - ultimately - make our team proud.

See you on the Mile!
Cameron, Shane and Sarah