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A return to home ice after a grueling west coast road-trip was supposed to spell the end of a recent slide for the Ottawa Senators. They may have earned a point in tonight's effort, but once again found themselves in the wrong column, bested by the New York Islanders 2-1 [OT] at Scotiabank Place.
While neither team was impressive at all during tonight's game, it's pretty safe to say that the New York Islanders controlled the tempo for the majority of the night - especially in the first period. When we look back on this season, this team's struggles in the first - whether they make the playoffs or not - will be a painstaking enigma. For whatever reason, this team has zero jump in the first twenty minutes.
The only saving grace? New York couldn't bury any chances early on. And, by not jumping ahead, they opened the door for an Ottawa team with a bit more tenacity later on to grab a lead, doing so on Zack Smith's short-handed goal with just seconds left in the second period. The goal was pretty bizarre - Evgeni Nabokov either completely fanned on the save or never saw the puck, giving Ottawa a one-goal lead heading into the third period.
Even with the lead, you just had a feeling that Ottawa's defensive woes would come back to haunt them, and Matt Martin's goal at 5:27 was indicative of such. A complete lapse in the defensive third, one where Jared Cowen inexplicably double-teamed puck-handler P.A. Parenteau with Sergei Gonchar along the boards, giving Matt Martin an open-run on Craig Anderson. Martin would tie the game.
In overtime, the New York Islanders again made the most of a comedy of errors on the back-end. Four-on-four is - by nature - a less structured format, but the bizarre marking of men in front of Craig Anderson left a wide-open Mark Eaton just feet from the net-mouth, and his spin-and-shot beat the Ottawa netminder for the game-winner. Credit to Milan Jurcina for the find.
Said Daniel Alfredsson after Eaton's OT winner:
"We didn't have the same jump tonight as we had Tuesday night in Boston."
The Islanders leave Scotiabank Place exactly as they planned - plus two points in the standings. They're still not out of the Eastern Conference playoff race, but it doesn't help any that - Ottawa withstanding - every team in front of them continues to win hockey games.
As for Ottawa - this could very well be the nadir of the 2011-2012 season. Five-game losing streak, Jason Spezza's ailing, and the defense looks worse with each passing game. Hell, even the offense has dried up a bit. Evgeni Nabokov - who stopped 23/24 - was only tested with a handful of tough shots.
Ottawa's back in action tomorrow night against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Place. You'd hate to pull out the 'must-win' rhetoric this early in the season, but can this team really afford to drop six straight games and still have playoff aspirations?
Back with more tomorrow.
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