The Ottawa Senators returned to regularly scheduled programming to open the week, losing 8-2 on the road to the resurgent Carolina Hurricanes. After beating the Hurricanes in Ottawa earlier in the weekend, the Senators were outshot, outplayed, and outscored on their way to the embarrassing Monday loss.
Here are tonight’s thumbs, with data from Natural Stat Trick: Thumbs Down: The Chabot-Zaitsev Pairing With each passing game, support for a reunion of Dylan DeMelo and Thomas Chabot is growing:
Chabot is struggling. I think it's time to shake things up and put DeMelo back with him. All DeMelo does is make the guys he plays with better. #sens
— Chris Stevenson (@CJ_Stevenson) November 12, 2019
Thumbs Up: Dylan DeMelo Does His Thing Speaking of DeMelo? His 5v5 CF% and xGF% were 62.16% and 65.51% respectively. It was another solid night from him.
Thumbs Up: Brady Tkachuk Brady Tkachuk has struggled on many nights this season. Call it the “I miss Mark Stone… factor, if you’d like. Tonight, though, he was as solid as a player can be in an 8-2 loss. Everything the Senators need from him now and want from him in the future was on display. His third period goal was evidence of that:
🚨 Brady Tkachuk
— Here's Your Replay â¬‡ï¸ (@HeresYourReplay) November 12, 2019
6-2 #Canes pic.twitter.com/Po3oTqGNnk
In addition to scoring that goal by going hard to the net, Tkachuk helped the Senators control more than 55% of the shot attempts and 62% of the expected goals when he was on the ice at five-on-five.
Thumbs Down: Erik Brannstrom’s Struggles I think the biggest concern and question mark for the Senators right now is Erik Brannstrom. He’s quite clearly out of his depth at the NHL level, which is completely fine given his age and limited North American experience. However, having him play second pairing minutes with this team right now isn’t doing anything for him. Tonight was just another example of an opposing team taking advantage whenever he takes to the ice.
It might be time to consider getting him some minutes in the American Hockey League, even with the lack of D depth in the system.
Thumbs Down: The Goaltending Anders Nilsson was on quite a nice run heading into this game, but it just wasn't his night on Monday. When both goalies get into a game, and the better of the two earns a save percentage of .833, it's tough to be competitive.
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The Senators are off tomorrow, but will be back on the ice Wednesday in New Jersey for a tilt against the struggling Devils.
As always, thanks for reading!