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Senators shut out by Rangers for third straight loss

November 20, 2017, 1:42 PM ET [40 Comments]
Jared Crozier
Ottawa Senators Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse than losing to the Arizona Coyotes in devastating fashion, the Ottawa Senators followed that one up with another dud on Broadway.

Credit the Rangers for playing a shutdown style game, but the fact is the Senators managed just 20 shots on goal, a total with which you aren't going to win many games.

Henrik Lundqvist had to make a handful of tough saves, but the Senators didn't make it tough enough on him.

So, since returning from Sweden, the Senators are 0-2-1 and haven't put together a performance even close to good enough. The power play has been disgraceful, and in a game where they could have used a power play goal they went 0-3 including a full five minute man advantage after Brendan Smith's major for interference on Mark Borowiecki.

I don't know what is up with Bobby Ryan, but I have never seen a more Jeckyll/Hyde player. In the playoffs and to start the season he was good, but since coming back from injury he has looked like the Bobby Ryan of last year's regular season. He is constantly off-balance, can't handle the puck nor pass it effectively and is solely a perimeter player. He seemed to have found his niche in Guy Boucher's system, but at least in this short term that has disappeared.

And its not just Ryan, the shot selection this team is employing is brutal. It seems like they are turning down good shooting opportunities in favor of passes, and then they try to shoot right through their opponents. The Rangers blocked 27 Senators' shots on Sunday night, and 40 out of 62 shot attempts were either blocked or missed the net.

Hangover from overseas travel or not, the Senators need to be better from players 1-20 than they have been over the past three games. They are already out of touch with Toronto for second in the division and their hold on a playoff spot is tenuous at best, even with the games in hand they have.

The team has a couple of days off to figure it out, ahead of Wednesday's Battle of the Capitals in Washington.

They may have to do it without Borowiecki, who looked like he might be ticketed for the IR after the Smith hit that caught him off balance and he jarred the MSG boards hard. He doesn't usually lay down but he was motionless for a long time before finally getting helped off the ice. I didn't see an update as to whether it will be temporary or longer term, but he could be joining Chris Wideman on the sidelines.
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