Embattled Sens beat Rangers to snap 5-game losing streak
First game back at home brings relief after a long, dreadful road trip
SENATORS 3, RANGERS 2
Finally, the Ottawa Senators can breathe, finding a little light in the darkness.
The Senators, returning home from one of the longest and least successful road trips in franchise history, delivered a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers Wednesday at Canadian Tire Centre.
The victory ended a five-game losing streak that included a 3-2 loss in Buffalo Tuesday and was just their second victory in 14 games since returning from Sweden Nov. 11.
The win also came on a day when general manager Pierre Dorion said coach Guy Boucher’s job wasn’t in jeopardy, but that everything else is on the table in terms of making changes to improve the team.
“Since the beginning, we’ve had a great solid relationship,” Boucher said of Dorion’s comments. “It’s about trusting each other. It’s easy in life to say you back up somebody when things go well. Anybody can do that. It’s when things don’t go well and everybody panics and that’s when we see who people are. I know who he is.”
The Senators will now carry some optimism into Saturday’s outdoor game against the Montreal Canadiens at TD Place.
After the 1-10-2 slide, the climb back toward the pack in the Atlantic Division standings is daunting, but for one night at least, the Senators showed a little of the Senators of old. They received timely goals from Bobby Ryan, Cody Ceci and Zack Smith, along with sharp goaltending from Craig Anderson. Anderson made 27 saves.
Smith’s goal, only eight seconds into the third period following some strong end board work by Tom Pyatt, gave the Senators a 3-1 lead.
It was a necessary margin, given that the Rangers’ Pavel Buchnevich narrowed the gap to 3-2 only 3:32 later.
From there, Anderson and the Senators closed the door.
Ceci broke a 1-1 tie with 4:52 remaining in the second period, beating Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist over his trapper, finishing off a sweet setup from Matt Duchene. Ceci, who has struggled defensively in a shut down role this season, has now scored in consecutive games.
Michael Grabner had pulled the Rangers into the deadlock at the 3:57 mark of the second period, slipping behind Senators captain Erik Karlsson and taking a Mats Zuccarello pass.
Earlier Wednesday, the Senators flip-flopped a pair of players to and from Belleville of the AHL.
Defenceman Ben Harpur was sent back to the minors while winger Nick Paul was recalled from Belleville. Boucher said that Harpur, like fellow rookie defenceman Thomas Chabot, has yet to prove he can handle big minutes on a consistent basis in the NHL. Chabot, who was a healthy scratch against Buffalo, was back in the lineup against the Rangers.
As for the presence of Paul, Boucher said he was looking for anything that might help spark a shakeup or more spirit. Alex Burrows was taken out of the lineup to make room for Paul, who saw some time on a line with Derick Brassard and Mark Stone. Given that Senators general manager Pierre Dorion had talked before the game about the possibility of making a trade before the Dec. 19 roster freeze, it raised speculation that the club was possibly showcasing him.
While there is no shortage of issues for the Senators, Boucher says the biggest change from a year ago is the club’s play inside their own blue line. Before facing the Rangers, the Senators had given up 19 more goals this year than at the same point a year ago.
The Rangers, trying to keep pace with the front-runners in the ultra competitive Metropolitan Division, entered Canadian Tire Centre with a 7-2-1 record in their previous 10 games.
Considering the assorted pressures and fatigue facing the Senators, they displayed a strong opening jump.
Ryan established a 1-0 lead at the 4:01 mark, beating Lundqvist following a pretty feed from Mark Stone.
It was Ryan’s second goal of the season. It also marked the first time the Senators had held a lead in a game since their 6-5 victory over the New York Islanders on Dec. 1.
It’s when things don’t go well and everybody panics and that’s when we see who people are. I know who he (Pierre Dorion) is.