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Senators collapse in third to fall to Leafs 4-3

January 21, 2018, 9:55 AM ET [19 Comments]
Jared Crozier
Ottawa Senators Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
My process for writing recaps is to sort of write in my head while the game is going on, and through 40 minutes the narrative was going to be 1- at least the Senators got through a second period with a lead and 2- too bad they couldn't play the Leafs every night because they seemed to have the Buds' number.

That was with the Senators holding a 3-1 lead. But as we know all too well, no lead is safe, especially when the Senators hold that lead.

How quickly things change, and three quick strikes later the Leafs were up 4-3 and they went into a gear that the Senators didn't have.

Ottawa had zero push back, managing just 18 shots in the game, and 6 in the third period when they should have been making an extra effort. In fact, Ottawa had more shots blocked (25) than they had on goal.

And on the defensive end, Craig Anderson had a letdown third period after looking good in the second, but he needed some help from his teammates. On the Auston Matthews goal, for example, how does Cody Ceci not check to see where the Leafs' best player is on the rush, leaving him unchecked on the lip of the crease for the easy tap-in. That goal was the turning point and gave the Leafs, and their fans (the bottom bowl of the Canadian Tire Centre seemed to be even more blue and white than usual) some life and they scored twice more in the next six minutes.

After the game, when asked about the trade rumours swirling, and stoked by GM Pierre Dorion's comments that even Wayne Gretzky was traded and if an offer came along he would listen, Erik Karlsson was non-committal and didn't really indicate that he wanted to stay, and it was out of his control.

Not the news Senators fans want to hear although like it or not, if the offer was good enough it would be the right move in the long run because I think the contract that he is set to get will be a mistake, regardless of where it is signed.
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