By Ken Hawkins (a.k.a. khawk)
There was a collective sigh of relief coming from the stands, as the Senators closed out their game vs. CGY with a 4-3 win. After multiple disappointing losses on home ice, they rallied with a more confident and mature effort and showed the kind of resilience that had been lacking in recent games. Adam Gaudette was moved up in the lineup, and scored in the first period to tie the game before the 1st intermission. Drake Batherson scored early in the second period to give them their first lead of the game, Cole Reinhardt then scored his first NHL goal to add to the lead, and Brady Tkachuk scored the eventual game-winner in the 3rd period. All of these proved to be timely and meaningful goals that helped get them back in the win column for the first time since vs. their big matchup with the Maple Leafs.
OTT 4 - CGY 3 (NHL Game Highlights)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L34uxPC07w0/
This game was a welcome departure from a number of frustrating trends that have emerged in the first quarter of the season. It was just their 2nd win of the season when failing to score the first goal, and also just their 2nd win of the season when not having a lead at the first intermission. They also trailed for just 2:33 of this game, whereas in their previous 4 losses they trailed for over 84% of the time, and never once had a lead. They also managed to not give up any high-momentum goals-against (i.e. shortly after scoring or being scored on, or close to period start/end). These are all a direct result of the improved 60-minute effort that they got from pretty much every line.
The Good - Despite a 0.889 sv% in the game, it was an overall good night for Anton Forsberg - who was steady in goal, and made key saves when it mattered in terms of helping the team play with more confidence. Jake Sanderson was forced to play 30:29 in this game due to Thomas Chabot leaving the game, and also had 2A, 1 block, and 3 shots. Brady Tkachuk and Drake Batherson each had 1G-1A, and are still both scoring above a point-per-game pace. It was good to see Ridly Greig add 2A, as it feels like he’s not been rewarded for his hard work on several nights. Lastly, getting goals from your depth players can make all the difference, and they got that on this night from both Adam Gaudette and Cole Reinhardt.
The Bad - There weren’t any bad performances on this night to single out, but injuries continue to take their toll on the Senators’ blue line. Artem Zub will be out of the lineup once again for a prolonged period of time, which forces Travis Hamonic back into the top-4D. Now, it also brings Jacob Bernard-Docker back onto the #3D-pairing with Tyler Kleven, which many believe is actually a positive step. But they also got a scare tonight when Thomas Chabot had to leave the game. Head Coach Travis Green noted in his post-game comments that he thinks Chabot will be fine, but the lack of LD depth could result in the team actively looking to add another D-man.
The Ugly - Going into this game, the Ottawa Senators were in a tailspin. What started as inconsistency and leaving occasional points on the table had turned into a sense of larger-scale dysfunction. The first quarter was supposed to be a chance to prove that it would be a different year, and if anything they’re behind their 2023/24 pace. GM Steve Staios was cautious in his words when addressing the media, but it was clear that expectations haven’t been met and for the first time in a year there were growing rumors of a shakeup to the young core. This win is nice, but the knives are out. If the next prolonged losing streak comes too soon, it could very well be someone’s last wearing the jersey.
The win improves the Senators’ record to 9-11-1 on the season, but they remain 1 point behind their pace of 10-11-0 from last season. However, this game marks something of a turning point in terms of the difficulty of their schedule. At this point last year, they went on to lose 6 of their next 7 games and fired their coach. This year, 5 of their next 7 games will be vs. ANA, SJS, NSH, DET, and ANA, which gives them some prime opportunities to make up ground in the standings. Their win vs. CGY gives them a positive starting point for their road trip, and they have SJS up first which is definitely a winnable game. The question will be what version of this team will actually take the ice on Wednesday?
What did you think of the Senators win vs. the Flames? Please leave your comments below, and as always thanks for reading!
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