FIVE QUICK THOUGHTS
-If you dozed off some time during that opening 15 minute barrage the Ottawa Senators endured at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers, you probably woke up expecting a ten-goal defeat. Surprise! After another dreadful start, the Sens found their legs and basically took control of the game from the second period onward. This was a tough back to back and after the way they started this game, it would have been pretty easy to roll over at the hands of the high-flying Oilers. That just isn’t how this Senators team operates though.
-The team has adopted “The Kids Are Alright” as their official slogan this year. It’s on the billboards and there’s a song about it too. Yet against the Oilers, it was very much a veteran-led effort. Tyler Ennis and Connor Brown woke the Senators up after a sluggish start and the likes of Artem Anisimov, Vladislav Namestnikov and Chris Tierney all played key roles in the victory. Looking at the boxscore, it’s clear that DJ didn’t like what he was seeing from a few of the kids last night. Logan Brown, Max Lajoie and JC Beaudin all played less than eight minutes.
-You see Connor McDavid on the highlight reel pretty regularly these days but you gain a whole new appreciation for just how good he is when you watch your team try to defend against him over the course of an entire hockey game. He led a 1 on 5 rush in the first period that was one of the most dazzling displays of speed and skill I’ve seen all season. And as I was frantically attempting to make a clip of it to share on Twitter, he did basically the exact same thing like 20 seconds later. Connor McDavid had zero points and was a -2. It’s just the third time he’s been held pointless in his last 20 games.
-When the Senators signed Tyler Ennis this summer, it was hard to know what to expect. Obviously he was a player that DJ Smith liked in Toronto but he had fairly limited role on that team. But with increased responsibility and opportunity here in Ottawa, he actually looks like a pretty effective player. With his three-point effort, Ennis now has 15 points on the season (he had 18 all of last year) and four in the last two games. The Sens may get some calls on Ennis at the deadline as he’s set to be a UFA this summer but having him back on another one-year deal wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Veteran guys that can still play the game are useful to have around during a rebuild.
-Some bad news on the injury front last night as Nick Paul left the game with what the team was calling a strained neck. On the replay, it was pretty clear that Paul took a direct shoulder to the head so hopefully it’s not a concussion. After working so hard to find a regular spot in the Ottawa line up, it would be a shame to see him miss an extended period of time.
Smith’s Post-Game Comments
Player Interviews
Advanced Stats
Boxscore
Loading …Next up- @ Philadelphia, vs. Boston, @Montreal
