The Ottawa Senators entered the lenghty All-Star break on a winning note and extended the losing streak and misery of one of their biggest rivals in the process with a 4-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Senators took advantage in the first period, sniping three times on some really nice plays. Mike Hofman's laser beam through the legs of Roman Polak couldn't be saved by James Reimer to put the Senators on the board first. Erik Karlsson then had some puck luck to lead a 3 on 1 where a quick give and go with Hoffman ended up in an easy goal for Karlsson. Finally, another quick short pass was on and off the stick of Mika Zibanejad in lightning speed to send the teams to the first intermission with a 3 goal Senators lead.
Then playing for the second consecutive night, and the visions of a week off dancing in their heads, the Sens let off the gas a bit. David Clarkson tipped in a Cody Franson shot that eluded Craig Anderson for the only goal of the second period, and then the rear end of Clarkson was right in the face of Anderson for Nazem Kadri's power play marker in the third that brought the Leafs within one early in the third.
The Leafs took the play to Ottawa in the final frame, as the Senators held on thanks to Anderson and some timely stops. Karlsson's second of the game looked like insurance, but it turned out to be the game winner with just over 4 minutes left. A rebound from a Kessel shot was hammered home by James van Reimsdyk with less than 90 seconds left to make for a very interesting final few moments but Ottawa hung on to defeat their provincial rival.
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If there was any doubt heading into this game, there shouldn't be any now that the trio of Bobby Ryan, Mika Zibanejad and Mike Hoffman is the Senators' #1 line. While Kyle Turris and Clarke MacArthur have struggled to find consistency (combined for just 2 points and -4 rating) offensively and with the combination of Mark Stone & Alex Chiasson on their other wing, 6-93-68 have put on a clinic. They have combined for 12 points in the last 5 games.
Also, quietly Mark Stone has been putting together a nice streak himself, even though he has bounced around the lineup a bit from the top line to the 3/4 line. Stone has a 7 game point streak going during which time he has 2 goals and 6 assists.
Karlsson was flying through the first half of the game, leading the rush whenever possible and succeeding more than he had been earlier in the season.
So, now, while Ryan and Hoffman will be heading to Columbus for the All-Star festivities, the rest of the team will get a chance to have a little rest before they host Jason Spezza and the Dallas Stars next Thursday.