...maybe a much needed win?
The Ottawa Senators are reeling and there is no relief in sight. Now mired in a 5 game losing streak and a season high 7 game road trip that starts tomorrow, the home pit stop tonight against John Tavares and company is really the first must-win game of the season.
It will be the fifth of a league-high 19 back to backs of the season, and they will be playing a team that also played yesterday, but played in the afternoon and have about five extra hours of rest following their 5-4 come from behind overtime win in Philadelphia.
As for the Senators, it was more of the same last night in Columbus, as they didn't put forth a strong enough effort and the final result of 5-2 was probably indicative of the game.
More of the same in not getting the key save at the right time, on a couple of occasions. Yes, stopping Cam Atkinson on a breakaway would have been a tough save for Craig Anderson, but 26 seconds after Ottawa took a rare lead, he needs to find a way to stop that puck. Ditto the eventual game winner from Atkinson, a shot that Anderson was in position for and would have been classified as a great save, but one they needed and you can also add the insurance goal from Nick Foligno to that category as well for good measure.
Four goals against, three that were tough but stoppable, has been the way this streak has gone for the Senators. Not really "bad" goals against, but backbreaking goals at bad times that you need your goalie to step up and stop in order to stop the bleeding. Anderson made a tremendous save moments before Atkinson's second of the night, but that was nullified by the relatively easier goal he allowed ten seconds later.
At the other end, they did manage to get 2 on Sergei Bobrovsky, which in itself is a rarity these days, but they didn't get enough sustained pressure, and getting one shot every 10 minutes or so isn't making him work enough. Twelve shots through 40 minutes isn't acceptable.
Bobrovsky made the saves in the third that Anderson didn't, most notably on Bobby Ryan on a delayed penalty that I am still not sure how Ryan didn't jam it 5-hole, and a couple more tremendous saves on the ensuing power play that was Ottawa's best puck movement in the last 5 games.
Mike Hoffman's solo effort was a rare highlight for the Senators, as he used his speed to rush the net, using Matt Duchene as a decoy and lifting it over Bobrovsky's shoulder at top speed.
The game wasn't the only thing the Senators lost yesterday as the tried to sneak Chris DiDomenico to the minors, but he was claimed by Tampa, possibly in retaliation for the Senators claiming Gabriel Dumont on Wednesday.
So now the Senators return home for their only home game between now and December 13th, which will also happen to be the second half of a back to back.
They are 2-1-1 in the second half of back to backs this season, so its not all bad. I would expect Mike Condon to get the start, and he will be looking to step up and stop the bleeding, not only the team's but his own. His last 3 decisions have been overtime/shootout losses, the most recent being the embarrassing 3-2 OT loss to Anthony Duclair and the brutal Coyotes.
The Senators could get Zack Smith back from the dislocated thumb, which would help the depth, but they need offense from Erik Karlsson (pointless since Sweden), whose scoring slump has coincidentally lasted 5 games, matching the current losing streak; Matt Duchene, who is still looking for his first point and will play his 7th game with the Senators tonight, Bobby Ryan, goal-less and without a point in the five games since he returned from injury and the Senators started losing.
The Islanders scored twice in the third period to tie the game and then Nick Leddy won in it in overtime over the Flyers yesterday, in a game where it was the line of Jordan Eberle, Andrew Ladd and new NHL rookie scoring leader Matt Barzal leading the way with a goal and an assist each. Barazal is tied with Vancouver's Brock Boeser at 22 points.
Otawa has now scored just 7 goals in their last five games, which puts a lot of pressure on your goalies, who are having struggles of their own. Giving them some run support would help a lot.
If Bobrovsky was too tough a nut to crack, the Islanders coming to town might be the cure for what ails the Senators offense, bit it might not behoove them to let this one become a track meet.
This will be a battle between a pair of teams that score a lot of goals (NYI and Ottawa are 2nd and 10th in the league respectively in goals per game), but also give up a lot of goals (7th and 8th respectively).
Of the four goalies that could see action tonight, none has a GAA of less than 3, and none has a save percentage higher than .904. Condon's 3.00 GAA and .904 SP are the best of the four.
If you are prone to placing the odd wager, bet the over for sure*.
*Wagering advice is for entertainment purposes and the author will not be responsible for any losses incurred by following this advice, because it will now probably be a 1-0 shootout game.