Chemistry, Karma and Vibes

At TSN.ca, Bob McKenzie writes that the Ottawa Senators "have a good vibe" after two huge victories in Buffalo. The Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garrioch identifies "a sense in the hockey world that something special could be happening" for the Sens.

Folks used to talk that way about the Sabres. Just a few weeks ago, the Buffalo News was crediting coach Lindy Ruff with "high marks in chemistry class." Kara Yorio of the Sporting News wrote of Buffalo's resilience and chemistry, declaring that "these Sabres won't be flustered by anything thrown at them in the playoffs."

For those watching the Senators-Sabres series, there is no denying the truth of the McKenzie and Garrioch articles. Chemistry, vibes, a sense of something special; these "intangibles" are important to any team.

But we don't know anything about them. We don't know why the Senators have the vibe, or where it came from, or how long it will last. We can't begin to guess why the chemistry turned sour in Buffalo, or where all the resilience went. If Buffalo mounts a comeback to win the series, no one will have any idea why those qualities reversed so quickly.

The intangibles must be acknowledged. But when it comes to analyzing a team or a game, they aren't much help. Too often, a term like "chemistry" has no meaning; it's just a cliche thrown out to explain consistent success, or maybe an unexpected result. Lazy generalizations about the "character" of a winning team or the "fractured locker room" of a losing team do more to obscure the truth than reveal it (especially coming from a columnist or blogger who has never been in the locker room itself).

Yes, the Senators have a vibe. They also have the best forward line in the NHL, great attention to detail on defense, and lately they've had some very good luck - another crucial quality that defies analysis. As for the Sabres, Bob DiCesare of the Buffalo News won't let them hide behind bad karma or a dwindling sense of destiny. He holds the players up for scrutiny, one by one, and finds too many of them wanting.