FIVE QUICK THOUGHTS
-Ignoring a mostly terrifying third period, that was another effort the Ottawa Senators can be proud of. It’s becoming the norm, these days. While they were certainly guilty of sitting back a little bit in the third period and they had a tough time flicking the switch back on when the Hurricanes made their late push, the Senators got what they deserved in this one. And that is two more points in the bank against a damn good Carolina hockey team. Aggressive on the forecheck, good team defence, strong goaltending and goal scoring from all over the lineup. Easy game, folks. Again, completely ignoring a near third period meltdown. When this 42-game winning streak is all said and done, we’ll barely remember how they won this game.
-At some point, it would be interesting to hear DJ Smith talk in-depth about the changes the team has made from a system standpoint. Players have alluded to it and Pierre Dorion referenced it in a recent interview but it would be good to hear the Coach break it down a little bit. Because the difference from earlier in the season, at least at a high-level and without knowing all the specifics, is sort of night and day. Far more aggressive on the forecheck, forcing the issue in the neutral zone and then just generally keeping things simple in their own end of the rink. And what’s most impressive is that everyone seems to be buying in. All four lines contributing and every defence pairing getting the job done. Everyone just looks the same and in the best way possible. Even with some massive injuries up front, this team just keeps turning in solid performances. DJ Smith deserves a ton of credit for getting this season back on the rails.
-The Josh Norris deal is going to dominate the headlines this summer but Pierre Dorion has another important contract to consider when it comes to Alex Formenton. The now 22-year old Formenton is an RFA this summer and considering his recent production, he’s in line for a pretty substantial raise. This is going be an interesting decision for the Senators. While they obviously can’t make long-term commitments to every young RFA that comes up for renewal, there is a pretty good case for locking him up early and hoping he grows into his potential a little bit. While his offensive ceiling remains TBD, there is just zero doubt about his ability to have an impact in just about every game. When you skate like he does and combine that with a willingness to get to the front of the net, you’ll always find a way be useful. Formenton has 11 points in his last 13 games.
-You just knew that as soon as he got one, he was going to start scoring in bunches. After going 15 games and 58 shots without a goal, Brady Tkachuk was finally rewarded for sticking with it during a rough stretch. Two goals on the night including one from behind the net and then another from his office out front. There are some guys who go through extended slumps and you get the sense it’s weighing on them a little bit. Gripping the stick, as the old saying goes. But that never really seemed to be the case with Brady even though he admitted it was getting to him a little bit. As long as he just sticks to what works- and that is simply creating chaos everywhere he goes- the puck is going to go in eventually. It finally did on Tuesday night.
-Two more points in the bank and another spot higher in the overall standings. With a second straight win, the Senators leap ahead of the Buffalo Sabres and into 28th spot overall. They would have passed the Devils too but New Jersey had the ol’ free space game against the dreadful Montreal Canadiens. It’s worth pointing that by uhh points percentage and with a handful of games in, umm in hand, the Senators are actually also ahead of the Devils, Flyers and Blackhawks. It may seems far-fetched that the Senators would close a 19-point gap in the second half of the season but it seems just as unlikely they’ll ever lose again. So, keep that in mind.
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