FIVE QUICK THOUGHTS
-Before the game started, we talked about all the reasons the Bruins were a team to be feared. They are one of the top teams in the league, they came to Ottawa on a mini-slump of sorts, they have dominated the Senators over the last three seasons and they were getting one of their best players back and in the process, reuniting the best line in hockey. That’s all well and good but we didn’t properly account for is the fact that the Ottawa Senators don’t give a shit who they are playing. They are coming to work and if you can’t match that intensity and work ethic, you’ll probably lose. Plain and simple. The Senators went toe to toe with one of the league’s best last night and took it to them.
-While the Bruins predictably pushed back when down a couple goals, Ottawa’s defensive effort was strong. Anders Nilsson made some big stops for sure but it was the battle of the Senators that really stood out ion Monday night. When Ottawa is at their best, the five players on the ice are basically indistinguishable from one another. Everyone knows exactly where they should be at any given time and they just seem to be locked in as a five-man unit. This is a testament to the job DJ Smith has done here in Ottawa because that is just nothing like what we saw from this team in the last couple seasons. A complete 180 and in a matter of a couple months.
-What’s really encouraging about the structure this team plays with when they are on is the fact that for the most part, it’s a group of players that really didn’t know much about each other before this season. That means the message from DJ Smith is getting through and it’s happening quickly. It’s going to be fun to watch this team develop, especially as they start to plug in more of their top prospects- the likes of Batherson, Norris, Formenton, Balcers and Abramov- into the system and the culture here in Ottawa. After three thoughts dedicated to how great the Ottawa Senators are, it’s probably worth pointing out that they are still in 28th place overall. But it really is encouraging when you can see the transformation playing out in real time.
-He would never admit it but it would be really interesting to hear Pierre Dorion talk about what he thought of Anthony Duclair when he acquired him in that deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets. At the time, it looked a lot like Duclair was just a warm body and a contract going the other way but based on this recent stretch, he’s starting to look like one of the best trade acquisitions in franchise history. Confidence is a funny thing for a hockey player and right now, Duclair is as confident as they come and the result is one of the most electric players on the ice every shift. He now has points in four straight games and a total of seven points in the month of December. He has gone from a deadline day trade throw-in on his fourth NHL team to a key part of the future here in Ottawa.
-There’s going to be a lot of talk about UFA-to-be Jean Gabriel Pageau leading up to the NHL deadline and rightfully so. He’s certainly not the only player that’s going to draw trade interesting as a pending UFA though. Dylan DeMelo is quietly putting together a career year and it’s the type of season that is going to make him a targeted player around the league. It’s rarely flashy with DeMelo (although that stretch pass to Anisimov was a thing of beauty) but he is about as dependable as they come back there. And while teams are certainly going to call about DeMelo, the Senators would be wise to lock him up. He has all the tools to be a key piece of this team’s top four for the next few seasons.
Smith’s Post-Game Comments
Player Interviews
Advanced Stats
Boxscore
Loading …Next up- @ Montreal, vs. Columbus, @ Florida
