SENATORS BACK ON AN UPWARD SWING
Team's two-game winning streak following seven-game losing streak sums up season
It's just two wins, both of them in overtime. But as a roller-coaster NHL season winds down, the Ottawa Senators will cling to whatever positives they can find.
A 3-2 shootout road victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday came two days after a 2-1 home-ice OT decision over Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The back-to-back wins put a halt to a seven-game losing streak (each of the final three setbacks by a single goal).
That's sort of this season in a nutshell — plenty of bad to go with the good.
“We managed the game well (Thursday),” Senators coach Jacques Martin told TSN 1200's Gord Wilson following Friday's optional practice. “We got the two points, but we have to be better in certain areas. I thought we turned too many pucks over at the offensive blue line and that got us in trouble. We have to better in our D-zone coverage, taking time and space away from the opposition. If we clean up those two areas, it'll help us get the result we want.”
Next up for the Senators is a Saturday afternoon (12:30 p.m.) road game against the New
York Islanders, who have been much better since Lane Lambert was fired and Patrick Roy was brought in as the team's new head coach Jan. 20.
With 72 points, the Islanders are tied with the Detroit Red Wings for the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot. By comparison, the Senators have 58 points, second worst in the conference (ahead of only Columbus).
The Islanders had won six straight games before being shut out in back-to-back games — 3-0 by Los Angeles on Monday, then 4-0 by Buffalo on Thursday, so they'll be itching to get back on track. The Senators will be looking to keep their momentum alive and provide the Isles with another setback.
“They're battling for a playoff spot,” said Martin. “The key for us is to keep getting better, get an identity, play those games that are meaningful and hopefully we can take another step forward.”
BLAMING THE MEDIA
So, what's with the Erik Karlsson to the Ottawa Senators trade rumours? Karlsson, who played with the Senators from 2009-18 and is currently with the Penguins, is putting the blame for the ongoing speculation on Canadian media. “That's Canada for you,” Karlsson said Thursday. “I played there for a long time so I kind of know how that game works. They have a lot of things to talk about every day because they have a lot of air time, but they have very few things to actually discuss. They like to make up these what-if scenarios and that's just the way it is. It's not something I really worry too much about.” With three years at Us$11.5-million per season remaining on Karlsson's contract, plus a no-movement clause, the soon-to-be 34-yearold may not have a path out of Pittsburgh anyway.
ICE CHIPS
The Senators have acquired Wyatt Bongiovanni from the Winnipeg Jets, in exchange for future considerations. In the second year of a two-year, entry-level contract, the 24-yearold centre has 15 points (eight goals and seven assists) over 34 games with the AHL'S Manitoba
Moose. He's been assigned to the Belleville Senators and will debut with his new team Saturday ... Martin was impressed with the play Thursday of his fourth line: Parker Kelly, Mark Kastelic and Boris Katchouk. “They played well,” he said. “In the end, I ended up playing them and not so much the third line. They controlled the puck and created some chances. Sometimes, you need scoring from your depth players. The fourth line gave us some life.” ... The coach was asked about his team playing two straight low-scoring games. “We've played better defensively, our goaltending has been better,” he said. “We lost some of our depth scoring in people like (Josh) Norris and with (Vladimir) Tarasenko (traded), but it gives an opportunity to other players.”
THE EXTRA PERIOD
Goalie Anton Forsberg, who was terrific especially in the third period (when the Senators were outshot 19-6, allowing only one goal to get past him), will start Sunday in a St. Patrick's Day home game against the Carolina Hurricanes. Joonas Korpisalo gets the net Saturday. Said Martin: “We need the goalies to make big saves. (Forsberg) sure made some big saves (Thursday) and got us the win ... Tim Stutzle, who scored the game-tying goal against the Blue Jackets, said it was “one of the worst games I've played in the last eight games. I didn't really create a lot. It's frustrating when you don't really get looks. (The Blue Jackets) box out really well and give their goalie a view on almost every shot.”
... Asked if he'd take a slap shot in a shootout attempt, just like Claude Giroux did with the game winner Thursday, Stutzle said: “I can't really shoot, so I don't think so. When I saw him do the windmill, I knew it was going in. It's a pretty confident shot.”
... TSN 1200 reported Senators draft picks Theo Wallberg and Stephen Halliday, who both play at Ohio State, were at Thursday's game ... After Sunday's game, the Senators have a game in Boston on Tuesday. After a Thursday home date against St. Louis, the Senators play at New Jersey next Saturday, then return home for a Sunday game against Edmonton at Canadian Tire Centre.
The key for us is to keep getting better, get an identity, play those games that are meaningful and hopefully we can take another step forward.