FIVE QUICK THOUGHTS
-That’s three straight losses now, each one a little more frustrating than the last. While they were inconsistent against Pittsburgh and gave the game away against Arizona, it just felt like they lost to a better team last night. They didn’t give up much but again, the Senators generated next to nothing on offence. Even when it was a one goal game it sort of felt like a night where the Senators weren’t really in it. Those two wins in Sweden served as a nice distraction but the reality is there were some troubling signs before the trip including those ugly losses against Montreal and Las Vegas. Yep, this is officially a slump. Or maybe one step further than a slump, whatever that’s called.
-The most concerning part about Ottawa’s recent struggles is that it’s not one particular part of their game that’s off. Each loss it seems to a different issue. One night they are a defensive mess, the next it’s the penalty kill that looks off and then the next night goaltending lets them down. It’s a little bit of everything right now. Last night it was an offence without rhythm and an absolutely horrendous power play that did them in. Responsibility for this loss largely falls on the team’s best players. The Rangers came into this game ranked 25th in the NHL in goals against but they seemed to have a pretty easy defensive night against the Ottawa Senators.
-There have been many frustrating moments in the early part of this season but that five minute power play in the third period is probably right near the top of the list. When the Senators power play is at its worst, it can be infuriating to watch. And this was five uninterrupted minutes of garbage. Just the one shot on goal and it didn’t feel like they really attempted many more than that. By trying to spread the talent over two power play units, Guy Boucher has managed to create two completely ineffective and disjointed groups, where nobody on the ice seems to know what the plan is. Unless of course they actually meant to have the whole thing run through Alex Burrows in the corner of the rink.
-After getting off to a surprisingly productive start to his season, it seems like Chris DiDomenico may be starting to hit the wall a little bit. It’s been tough for any player to stand out in these last few games but DiDomenico in particular seemed to be sliding down the depth chart. After playing 15:04 in the second game in Sweden, he was right around the 10 minute mark against the Penguins and Coyotes and he finished with just 7:17 in ice time against the Rangers. Of all the call-ups, DiDomenico was the only one able to make a real impact offensively but it will be interesting to see how much longer they keep him around. And at the same time, it seems like Nick Paul might benefit from some additional minutes.
-Mark Borowiecki was helped off the ice in the third period last night following a terrifying and completely unnecessary collision with Rangers defenceman Brendan Smith. The two players were headed to the corner together and Smith ran an unsuspecting Borowiecki was before he actually touched the puck, sending Boro crashing into the end boards. Really didn’t look like he was going to be able to get up after that play. Although, it’s Boro, so naturally he somehow managed to skate off the ice on his own. Boucher confirmed after the game that Borowiecki was unconscious following the hit and has a definite concussion. This morning, it was confirmed that he has returned home to Ottawa. The Senators still have six defenceman on the road trip but a call-up may still be required.
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