FIVE QUICK THOUGHTS
-The score will lead you to believe that this was a close game and in terms of the final score, it obviously was. But in reality, the Ottawa Senators dictated the pace of from the moment the puck was dropped. And while they needed a 3rd period goal by Mike Hoffman to lock up the two points, this was probably Ottawa’s best 60 minute performance of the season. Even thought they went into the final frame down by a goal, it never really felt like the result was in doubt. The Senators finished with a remarkable 40-18 edge on the shot clock and leave Sweden with four crucial points banked. Now we have to wait five long days before another game though.
-Two more assists for the Captain, bringing his point total to 17 on the year. And in just 11 games. Despite spotting the rest of the league a two week head-start, Karlsson now sits inside the Top 30 in league scoring and is just one point back of John Klingberg for the scoring lead among defenceman. Only Stamkos and Kucherov have more points per game. And he’s just getting warmed up too. He seemed to have a little more jump in his step yesterday, showing some of that trade mark explosiveness that hasn’t always been there in the first 11 games of his season.
-Matt Duchene was held off the score sheet but it certainly wasn’t for a lack of trying. He finished the game with a team-high 8 shots on goal including a handful of glorious scoring chances. Just couldn’t bury one. He was driving the offence though and looked noticeably more comfortable than he did during his Sens debut. Duchene was also trusted to take a number of key draws down the stretch, finishing 79% on the draws. After starting with Duchene on the second unit, Guy Boucher loaded up the top power play line (Karlsson-Hoffman-Duchene-Stone-Brassard) and it ended up being the difference in the game. That group of five seems like they’ll be pretty tough to stop.
-Most conversation about the Senators from outside of Ottawa tends to focus on Erik Karlsson. As though the Senators don’t have any talent beyond that. But when the Sens are at their best, they are getting contributions from throughout their line up and in particular, from Mark Stone and Mike Hoffman. Those two may not get a lot of love from around the National Hockey League but they have grown into legitimate stars in the league. They were the difference again yesterday. Stone is now up to 12 goals on the year (4th in the NHL) and with two more goals yesterday, Hoffman has 6 on the year and is inside the Top 40 in points with 16. When those two are both going, and Karlsson is putting up a couple points a game, this team is pretty tough to beat.
-During Coach’s Corner last night, Don Cherry got to running his mouth a little bit (as he so often does) and this time it was the Senators that were the target of his incoherent ramblings. In the mind of Cherry, the Ottawa Senators are a candidate to move to Quebec City if they don’t get their downtown arena because they have a French Coach and GM and because Matt Duchene’s name sounds French. Okay then, Don. Cherry is right about the importance of a move to LeBreton but the idea that the league would even consider relocating a Canadian market (to a SMALLER Canadian market) is completely ridiculous. Like, really stupid. I firmly believe that that things are happening behind the scenes that will impact the future of Ownership in Ottawa but it has nothing to do with Quebec City.
Boucher’s Post-Game Thoughts
Players Interviews
Boxscore
Advanced Stats
Loading …
