VICTORIES HARD TO SECURE FOR SENS
The Ottawa Senators can see the finish line with only six games left in the NHL regular season, but there’s no end in sight for this latest losing skid.
The Senators gave the New York Islanders just about everything they could handle in front of 15,284 at the Canadian Tire Centre, but it was the same old, same old for Ottawa as the club saw its losing streak extended to six straight games in a disappointing 4-3 defeat.
Though the Senators received three-point efforts from Bobby Ryan and Matt Duchene and a goal from captain Erik Karlsson, Ottawa didn’t get the saves from goalie Mike Condon, who dropped his fourth straight and has just one win in his last 12 games.
Andrew Ladd, Brock Nelson, Anthony Beauvillier and Anders Lee did the scoring for the Isles while the Senators weren’t able to beat Jaroslav Halak. Ottawa has now lost four straight at home and though the effort was there for the Senators the frustration of this long season continues.
Not long after the Senators had tied it up 3-3, Ladd scored the winner at 17:57 of the third but there wasn’t much Condon could do on that one.
The Senators tied it with 4:35 left in the third when Ryan got a little help for his 11th of the season. Taking a long shot, Brandon shot tipped the puck through Halak’s pads and suddenly the Senators had a chance.
Coming off a 4-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes Monday night, Ottawa had Karlsson back from personal leave which meant Ben Harpur was a healthy scratch against the Islanders. Belleville call-up Ben Sexton, who grew up in Kanata, remained in the lineup.
Having Karlsson in the lineup makes a big difference especially against the Islanders who are among the NHL’s top offensive teams. “If Erik’s not there, there’s nothing easy,” coach Guy Boucher said before the game. “They’ve got two high-end lines and they’ve got extremely active (defencemen). They’re a top 10 team in offence in the league so it’s hard to manage for a young core group.
“But with Erik back it gives us one anchor that makes a big difference so then you can (partner) him with a young guy.”
Trailing 3-2 after 40 minutes, you can’t fault the Senators effort, but like so many nights this season they needed to get a save or two at opportune times and both goals the Isles scored in the period on Condon were questionable.
Nelson’s 18th of the season at 18:42 of the third from the circle that beat Condon gave the Isles the lead. It shouldn’t have been this way because the Senators had owned the play in the second but they couldn’t get a save from Condon when they really needed one.
In fact, the Senators held a huge advantage in the second by outshooting the Isles 13-7. Had it not been for Halak making some big stops on the Senators in front this game could have been completely different and he was the only reason Ottawa hadn’t pulled out to a lead.
Let’s face it, the Islanders were still feeling the effects of being officially eliminated from the playoffs Monday night in a 3-0 loss to the Florida Panthers at home and New York is suddenly playing out the string, but the Senators pushed the pace of this game.
“We’re doing a good job in the (offensive zone),” defenceman Cody Ceci told TSN after the second. “We’ve had a few chances from the slot and right around the net.”
The Senators have had so many struggles defensively this season, they have to take whatever small victories they can get. Limiting the opportunities is going to be the key to getting this turned around next season and the Senators didn’t give the Isles much in the way of quality chances.
But they also took advantage of one opportunity they got early on Condon.
It looked like Beauvillier caught Condon off guard when he tied it up 2-2 only 1:23 into the second. It came after Barzal did a good job getting around the net and the puck found its way by Condon.
While they got off to a slow start, the Senators held a 2-1 lead after the first period on the Isles. Karlsson’s ninth of the season with 5:11 left in the period beat Halak on the glove side. Duchene made a perfect drop pass to Karlsson and he fired it home.
Trailing 1-0, the Senators tied it up 1-1 on the power play at 12:24. Pageau fired a shot from the slot at Halak that must have glanced off Duchene, who was credited with his 24th of the season.
Like they have so many nights, the Senators fell behind 1-0 early in the first. After failing to take advantage of a power play, Lee scored his sixth career goal in 14 games against the Senators when he backhanded a rebound by Condon with the man advantage at 6:15.
The Senators host the Florida Panthers Thursday at 7:30 p.m.