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Sens sweep Alberta! Tippett or Holland, who gets fired first in Edmonton?!

January 16, 2022, 1:34 AM ET [62 Comments]
Kevin Francis
Ottawa Senators Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
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The Ottawa Senators swept Alberta with a 6-4 win over Edmonton on Saturday night behind great goaltending by Matt Murray who stopped 33 of 37 shots! The Sens defense blocked 17 shots, compared to 9 by the Oilers, and really played as 5 man units in a game of momentum swings. After grabbing a 1-0 lead, the Oilers scored 3 unanswered goals to take a 3-1 lead into the 2nd intermission. DJ Smith mixed the lines up for the 3rd period and it was the Sens turn to score three unanswered goals to take a 4-3 lead only to have Daniel Nurse tie it up. But on a powerplay late in the 3rd period, Josh Norris scored his 2nd PP of the game to give the Sens the lead for good with Sanford adding an empty netter.

Ottawa has now won 7 of their last 11 games and tonight was a total team effort as each line contributed to the win. Alex Formenton tied the game at three but prior to that his PK work was outstanding creating scoring chances. The Sens third line of Sanford/Gambrell/Watson shut down the McDavid line holding both Connor and Leon to no goals. Tyler Ennis had another effective game and doesn't get much credit but this guy absolutely brings it every night and you have to what he's brought to this team of late. But the Sens top line was shut down 5 on 5 which was why DJ Smith had to mix up the lines for the third period and it paid off. Ottawa outhit the Oilers 34-23 and had 10 SOG in the final frame leading to 3 goals on those shots as they only had 6 SOG in the 1st period and 7 SOG in the 2nd period.

Artum Zub scored what many thought would be the game-winner, to make it 4-3, alas it wasn't. Regardless he was super once again on the blue line but it was his partner Nick Holden who was outstanding tonight, he was a +2, 3 BS, and 23min TOI. I've said it before, if there is any veteran that needs to be kept around, it's Holden, I wouldn't trade him at the deadline. I would hope Sens GM Pierre Dorion gets him signed to a one-year extension to help stabilize things with the youth on this team. Ottawa already traded Dylan DeMelo and Mike Reilly the last 2 years at the deadline, both of those guys would've been huge if they were still here. I hope Dorion doesn't make the same mistake 3 times!

TOI for the blueline was something I watched closely for the bottom 3 guys in JBD, Brannstrom and Josh Brown. After the Oiler's 2nd goal when Brown was so caught out of position while lacking the foot speed to keep up, it was DJ that actually held him accountable and he barely saw the ice after his horrible mistake.

JBD - 1st - 3:42, 2nd - 6:53, 3rd - 2:36 - TOI 13:01
Brannstrom - 1st - 4:08, 2nd - 5:07, 3rd - 8:14 - TOI 17:29
JBrown - 1st - 6:05, 2nd - 3:34, 3rd - 3:12 - TOI 12:47

Nice to see DJ give Brannstrom the extra TOI in the 3rd period but disappointed JBD got so little. Brown shouldn't be in the lineup once Zaitsev returns from injury.

As for the Oilers, this loss could signify big changes in Edmonton. Does Ken Holland get fired? Or is it Dave Tippett that gets fired over the team's 6th straight loss? I would love to hear what both Sens and Oilers fans think when it comes to Edmonton and what needs to happen moving forward for the Oilers. Claude Julien would be a good fit with the Oiler and is available. Paul Maurice is available too, Bob Hartley is another name a few people have mentioned as a possible replacement.

Looking at the Belleville Sens from Saturday night, they won 6-5 OT over Rochester for the 2nd straight night. Sokolov scored for the 3rd straight game, which was the OT winner and Lassi Thomson scored his 4th goal in 8 games since being sent down, while Gustavsson got the win in goal.

Ottawa will host Buffalo on Tuesday night at 7pm.
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