“Oof, we’re gonna get PUMPED!… Call it a prediction, call it a prophecy. Whatever you choose to call sensarmy_11’s words in the pregame thread, it’s impossible to deny that they accurately summed up the story of the Ottawa Senators in their game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night. Shaky goaltending from Craig Anderson combined with lacklustre five-on-five play was enough to derail Ottawa’s efforts, resulting in a 7-3 loss.
Here are Tuesday’s thumbs:
Thumbs Down: Craig Anderson’s Goaltending D.J. Smith clearly wasn’t ready to hand Filip Gustavsson any NHL minutes tonight, as he left Craig Anderson in net for all seven goals against. That left the veteran goaltender with a save percentage of .800 on the night, which obviously isn’t going to get the job done at this level very often. It wasn’t just the quantity of goals against that was the problem either; Sidney Crosby’s second period tally to make it 4-1 was a killer. It’s a goal that Anderson will almost certainly want back, and it put the game right out of reach. More nights like this for Anderson will do nothing but help the draft lottery cause.
Thumbs Up: Colin White’s Production and Performance The pregame blog hinted that this is really “put up or shut up… time for Colin White, and he delivered on Tuesday. Among a sea of Senators who weren’t particularly effective, White stood out as a bright spot. Whenever he and his linemates were on the ice, it seemed like things were happening in the offensive zone. Considering how quiet White has been in that department on many nights this season, it was a positive sign. His strong eye test performance was rewarded with two secondary assists. Thumbs Up: Thomas Chabot’s Assist on Connor Brown’s Goal Let me be clear: The goal Connor Brown scored, his 15th of the year, should never go in against an NHL goaltender. Nevertheless, the play that Thomas Chabot made to create the opportunity was really special. He showed poise under pressure in the neutral zone, and then singlehandedly crafted a nifty zone entry for his team in transition. The ability to see that opening and make the play at full speed, rather than simply dump the puck into the corner, is something that makes Chabot one of the league’s most promising young defenders. Thumbs Up: Managing Chabot’s Ice Time Keeping Chabot’s ice time below 25 minutes is a step in the right direction for this coaching staff.
Thumbs Down: Handing Zaitsev and Hainsey Ice Time Offsetting Chabot’s ice time with increases for Nikita Zaitsev and Ron Hainsey probably isn’t the best strategy. The two combined for a -4 rating, and had five-on-five expected goal shares in the range of 30-36% per Natural Stat Trick. Christian Jaros could eat some of those minutes, likely with more success. Thumbs Up: A Measuring Stick Playing a team like the Penguins is an eye-opening experience; they play like a well-oiled machine. The Crosby-era Penguins are what the Senators aspire to be. With a little luck in the lottery, June’s draft will hopefully be a major step in that direction.
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This was not a good night for the Ottawa Senators on the ice. They were outclassed by a superior opponent, and deserved the major defeat. Now, they have to turn their attention to J-G Pageau and his slumping New York Islanders. The two clubs will meet on Thursday night.
As always, thanks for reading.