FIVE QUICK THOUGHTS
-Well that was unexpected! What looked a whole lot like another disappointing effort on home ice turned in the blink of an eye thanks to a dramatic third period comeback and one of the best twenty minutes (and seven seconds) of the season for the Ottawa Senators. Down by three heading into the third period, the Senators hit the gas and hit it hard. And they just didn’t let up. They were all over the San Jose Sharks in that final frame and despite being down a few goals it legitimately felt like the game was there for the taking. The crowd was just north of 16,000 but that was probably the most lively the CTC has felt all season.
-Honestly, the team that played that third period was barely recognizable compared to the one that has stumbled through the first half of the season. They were aggressive on the forecheck, moving their feet as five-man units and actually looking to make plays with the puck on their stick. Tactics is part of it but it looked like a team finally having a bit of fun out there and playing with a bit of confidence. Once that lucky one went in for Brassard, it seemed like things finally started rolling downhill for this team. Has to be something they can build on after a game like that. And plenty of video the players can share with the Coach.
-Speaking of playing with confidence and looking to make plays, Matt Duchene obviously had his best game as an Ottawa Senators. Watching Duchene in that post-goal pile up, he really looked like a player with the weight of the world lifted off his shoulders. And it was clear just how happy his teammates were to see him have a moment like that. This has been a whirlwind couple months for Matt Duchene. The trade to Ottawa was supposed to represent a fresh start and a chance to be in the playoff mix and so far, it just hasn’t worked out that way. He’s been a pro about it but you could tell that it was getting to him. It’s not like Duchene has played poorly with the Senators but he desperately needed something to go right. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come for him.
-There have been people around these parts calling for it for months but Erik Karlsson and Thomas Chabot should really be a thing for the next little while. The Senators haven’t been able to find a reliable option beside Karlsson this year and while Chabot may not seem like the conventional choice given the similarities in their game, they really do seem to bring out the best in each other. Sure there will be times when they might lose a battle in front of their own net but it won’t matter much when they spend 70% of their time in the other end of the rink. Karlsson and Chabot turning up the offensive pressure was a huge part of the third period comeback.
-Congratulations to Drake Batherson, Alex Formenton and the rest of Team Canada on a well-deserved Gold Medal at this year’s World Junior Championships. Canada edged Sweden 3-1 in the final in a game that was perfectly synced up with the drama unfolding in Ottawa. While they may not have had any big names, Canada was the class of that tournament from the beginning despite not getting a ton of respect going in. Both Sens prospects played a key role in the win too, as Batherson picked up an assist on the game-winning goal and Formenton sealed it with the empty-netter. The Senators clearly found a couple great players in that 2016 Draft.
Boucher’s Post-Game Comments
Player Interviews
Advanced Stats
Boxscore
Loading …
