Erik Karlsson was angry: "the last three games we didn't show up. It looks like we don't deserve shit." #sens
— Wayne Scanlan (@HockeyScanner) March 29, 2015This was a tough weekend to digest for the Ottawa Senators organization, as you can see things slipping away quickly and it is a pretty helpless feeling for the fans.
While I said after the Rangers game that there was no point in nit-picking or breaking things down, the opposite is true of Sunday's game, because once again not much went right for the Senators, but a lot of it was their own doing.
They gave this one away, the Panthers didn't take it, and Karlsson's quote above pretty much said it all.
Everyone from the coach on down needs to take a bit of ownership of this one. For the coach, I understand making a lineup change or two, but changing the makeup of all 4 lines in the process didn't make much sense, and keeping it that way for a full 40 minutes was mind-boggling. Sending a message for a couple of shifts or even a period that the Senators need more from certain players is one thing. Seeing the new mix having absolutely zero success and sticking with it for two full periods is another.
Next, the officiating. Admittedly, I have done it before, but don't like, blaming the officials for losses. And I am not going to blame them entirely for this one, but teams need a little bit of consistency knowing what a penalty is. Rewind to Saturday night and Dion Phaneuf absolutely planted Erik Condra just inside the Ottawa blue line well after Condra had tipped the puck out of the zone, with no interference call. The power play that resulted in game's opening goal was nearly a carbon copy play, and the hit wasn't even as hard as Phaneuf's. If it is a penalty, call it in all situations. Not knowing what is going to get called game to game makes it tough to play. For me, interference is the grayest area penalty that can be called, and there were 6 players sent off for that infraction last night, including two to Alex Chiasson while the Sens were on the power play. That being said, you have to overcome those problems and be aware of what is happening and play smarter. Which they had a hard time doing against the Panthers.
On to the goaltending. At some point the Senators need a save. I don't think it was a mistake to start Anderson, and I said before the announcement was made that he was indeed getting the nod. With Andrew Hammond on the bench, the Senators failed to give Anderson the support that they provided the Hamburglar. The opening goal from Jaromir Jagr was stoppable and Anderson overplayed Jagr on the wraparound, but on the backcheck nobody picked up the guy who has 720 career goals and now has 82 points in 69 games against this franchise.
And finally, the skaters. Karlsson pretty much summed it up, that they haven't shown up for the last 3 games. Losing to a Stanley Cup favorite is excusable, but blowing a lead to the Maple Leafs and then not being able to solve the Panthers and their third-string goalie is not.
As much as everything they touched turned to gold over the previous 20 games or so, everything has completely turned the opposite direction in the last three, and with just 7 games remaining and now another team in the mix (Florida), the Senators are now in must-win territory. Whether you like the phrase or not.
This was a tough weekend to digest, and I am sure there will be lots of people looking to get their frustration and a wide variety of targets at which to point fingers. Any control of their own destiny they had up until Saturday is completely gone, and no not only do the Senators have to take care of their own business but need a lot of help as well.