I said before the game that the Coyotes are a team, and maybe the only team in the league, that you go in expecting to beat. I also warned that you can't take them lightly or, like the Habs found out Thursday, even the Coyotes can beat you.

Well, the Senators didn't heed that warning, and although they had stretches of dominance, their effort wasn't simply good enough and they allowed an inferior team to stay in the game and all it took was one mistake and overtime was forced and another mistake meant a loss.

The Senators had their bags packed for a road trip, but they failed to take care of business and left a bad taste in the mouths of their fan base, despite managing to salvage a point.

A lot of fingers will be pointed at Mike Condon, for his almost inexplicable decision to go for the poke-check on the tying goal, when ther were so many other options available, but poor decision or not, if it had been executed properly it wouldn't have mattered, but he whiffed and gave Anthony Duclair a gift for the tying goal. And the overtime winner was an even bigger gift for Duclair's second career hat trick as the shot went right through him and trickled across the line for the game winner.

There is plenty of blame to go around, from an inept power play that went 0-for-5 with just 6 shots, to poor transition defense that gave away breakaways and odd man rushes like Halloween candy, to an inability to finish chances from the likes of Bobby Ryan (4 shots), Matt Duchene (5 shots), Derick Brassard (7 shots) and Erik Karlsson (5 shots).

The Senators have shown over the years the propensity to play to the level of their competition, and while that has given them a better than expected record against good teams, it also results in their deplorable record against bottom dwellers, and it is unacceptable for a team that would like to be considered contenders.

So they will try to put that one behind them and Craig Anderson will resume his role between the pipes and try to right the ship as they have an appointment with the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Fortunately, the Senators have a 4-0-1 record away from home (a 4-4-5 record at home, including the home game played in Sweden), and the will need that road warrior mentality with 10 of 11 on the road over the next month.

The Rangers are just 5 points out of the lead in the ultra packed Metropolitan Division, but they are tied for last. They come into this one having lost two straight after winning a season high six in a row, but those two losses were on the road. Mika Zibanejad and company have won 5 straight at Madison Square Garden.

The former Senators centre has found his groove in New York, leading the club with 9 goals and 19 points. The Rangers are very thin down the middle, with Zibanejad leading the way but Alain Vigneault has had to convert wingers to play centre like Kevin Hayes and J.T. Miller, because David Desharnais is the second natural centre on this team.

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