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Logan Brown Scores Twice, Credited with Zero Goals as Sens Beat Wings |
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If the Ottawa Senators are considered to be bad this year, what does that make the Detroit Red Wings? For the second time this year, the team from Canada’s capital dispatched of their division rivals in convincing fashion. The end result was a 4-3 victory that felt much more significant than the score would suggest – score effects will do that.
Here are last night’s thumbs:
Thumbs Up: The Team’s Play in the First and Second Period
For a less-than-stellar team like the Senators, good starts in winnable hockey games are vitally important. They got one against the Red Wings, controlling the play in both the first and second periods. The second period in particular was a work of art. Per Natural Stat Trick, the Senators controlled more than 70% of the five-on-five shot attempts and generated more than 75% of the five-on-five expected goals in that second frame.
While things tightened up in the third with Detroit pushing the pace in an attempt to get things tied up, the Senators had done their damage up front to secure the victory. It was a really positive thing.
Thumbs Up: Anthony Duclair
At some point, Anthony Duclair’s scorching start to his Senators career is going to be viewed as the new norm for him. Since being acquired, he’s been a production machine. He scored his eighth and ninth goals of the 2019-20 campaign last night, showing off the confidence and skill that so many have been expecting from him since he was drafted:
Thumbs Up: JG Pageau
Speaking of goal scorers, how about JG Pageau? He scored his 12th goal of the season last night to continue what has been an unprecedented run of offensive success for him. He and Duclair are blowing by every reasonable expectation that was set for them heading into the year – it’s led to some remarkably wonky results so far this season:
Thumbs Up: Positive Signs from Thomas Chabot
It’s been a rough go for Chabot at times this year, but recent games have shown plenty of reason for optimism. Last night against Detroit was no exception, with Chabot helping the Senators to control more than 60% of the five-on-five shot attempts and generate more than 60% of the expected goals when he was on the ice as per Natural Stat Trick. It’s that kind of play that led to the big contract extension earlier this year.
Thumbs Down: Logan Brown’s Tough Night
I’ll preface this by saying that Logan Brown actually played a really solid game, but it was nevertheless a really rough night for the 2016 first-round pick. He scored his first career NHL goal… but unfortunately it was against his own team:
He followed that up by appearing to score his *actual* first career goal, but that one was called back by the officials:
Cursed, you say? Success will come. He’s been too good and effective for it not to.
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The Senators don’t have much time to rest on their laurels, as they are right back in action tonight against the Montreal Canadiens. Sitting in third place in the Atlantic Division, and on a 6-2-2 run in their last ten games, the Canadiens will pose an NHL-quality challenge to the Senators, unlike the one they faced last night.
As always, thanks for reading.
Ottawa Senators Blogger • 
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