Scanlan: Senators down, but not yet out
All is not lost for the Ottawa Senators. It only seems that way after Ottawa’s sixth straight defeat came at the hands of the mortal enemy Toronto Maple Leafs, a true red-faced, 5-0 embarrassment.
All is not lost for the Ottawa Senators.
It only seems that way after Ottawa’s sixth straight defeat came at the hands of the mortal enemy Toronto Maple Leafs, a true red-faced, 5-0 embarrassment.
Wasn’t it just last week the NHL was taking notice during the all-star break of the feel-good story that was the Senators? How quickly things change – and can change back again, if only this team could stop the bleeding.
“We need to take a day, take a breath,” said centre Jason Spezza, “and realize we’re still in a good position.”
Perspective won’t come easily today as playoff rivals continue to gang up and move up on a Senators club standing still, but the truth is the Senators remain in a strong position considering their 61 points in the bank and, at the moment, a playoff position still (barely) ahead of the Maple Leafs.
Consider how lightly regarded the rebuilding Senators were in October, and this is all found money – legitimate playoff hopes four months in.
Of course, none of this cheery perspective was top of mind when the Leafs walked out of Scotiabank Place grinning after a destruction of the home team, with the “Go, Leafs, Go!” chants still ringing in the ears of Ottawa fans. Without question, the Senators were reeling from their toughest loss of the season and second straight at home to kick off a five-game stand (stagger is more like it, at the moment).
On the day of the game, players on both sides sang the praises of a rivalry renewed. How long has it been? — too long – since the Senators and Leafs were both in a playoff position this late in the season.
Afterward, the Senators were picking up pieces while the Leafs were blushing over the back to back shutouts of goaltender James Reimer, who lost his starting job earlier in the season due to injury and indifferent play.
“I wish I could take credit for it,” Reimer said of his shutouts over Ottawa and Pittsburgh. The goaltender rightly credited the “smart, honest hockey” of his Maple Leafs teammates, who have pulled Toronto within a point of Ottawa, while still having three games in hand.
“There’s urgency, panic is not the right word,” said Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson. “Everybody’s got to come together and find one gutsy effort to build on.”
It’s all well and good to have the Battle of Ontario restored and both teams playing meaningful games in February, but tell that to Sens fans crying in their Super Bowl chip dip today. Having the rivalry meaningful again only feels great when your side wins.
The local heroes did what they could to rally for the cause, creating two early power plays against the Leafs, but when Ottawa couldn’t cash in, Toronto soon did, compliments of two of the players Senators fans love to loathe, Kessel, at even strength, and Dion Phaneuf on a power play.
“When Phil gets going early,” said Leafs coach Ron Wilson of the energetic Kessel, “we feel it.” So did the Senators. Kessel was flying.
In the second period, Bozak made the most of a breakway, lifting the puck over a diving Craig Anderson in the Senators net to put the visitors up by a field goal. Any hopes of one of those steal-your-breath third period comebacks evaporated when Luke Schenn ripped a shot past Anderson for a 4-0 Toronto lead. The fifth, by yet another defenceman, Cody Franson, was blue and white icing.
Make no mistake. The Buds were fired up for this one.
“This was a huge win,” said Joffrey Lupul, whose line with Kessel and Bozak registered eight points. “We’re trailing these guys, this is a team we marked.”
Battle of Ontario aside, the Leafs and Senators are just two of the teams competing on the shifting sands of the Eastern Conference, where there is still room for change over the final two months. And yet, if Ottawa and Toronto are fortunate, the slumping Winnipeg Jets could slip out of this race making it a manageable nine-team pursuit of eight post-season spots.
The situation is nothing if not fluid. For example, the Senators fell to seventh from sixth place before they broke a sweat – by virtue of the New Jersey Devils afternoon victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. That put Ottawa in a position of needing a point against the Leafs just to hold onto sixth, not to mention try to fend off the Leafs trying to improve on their 8th place.
Every game gets magnified now. Who imagined Friday’s tilt with the New York Islanders, an overtime loss, would be so important? Suddenly, two more on the home schedule, St. Louis and Nashville, that hardly would have registered when the season started, loom large.
If nothing else, the Leafs slaughter, after which Ottawa retained a 3-2 lead in the season series, whet appetites for another playoff series one of these years.
“To really have a rivalry, you need two teams that are competitive, and are battling for something,” said Lupul.
On Saturday, one of the rivals wasn’t nearly competitive enough, and will have to find itself after taking that collective “breath” recommended by Spezza.
Humiliation at home = nasty consequences for the perpetrator in the playoffs. There is no doubt in my mind, this will come back haunt the Leafs.
Realistically the Leafs are better positioned, but I’m not sure either team will make the playoffs. Given the PPG rate for teams in the hunt, the Sens are in 9th or 10th once others teams make up the games in hand.
how can there be consequences for the perpetrator in the playoffs if the senators don’t make said playoffs. the leafs are a clearly superior team and they would manhandle the senators in the playoffs…how many series wins do the senators have in th playoffs vs the leafs? oh, that’s right…..0.
As a Senator fan who watches games on TV from afar (Toronto), I can take a licking – there is always a next time but I find the Leaf fans at Senators games aggravating to say the least. At one point they booed Alfredsson! Always a gentleman our captain. I suppose this goes back to his playful mock stick tossing a few years back. No humour these guys. Know who I think they are? Disgruntled civil servants who hate their jobs and take their bitterness out on the Senators.
If I sat next to a Leaf fan in our rink and he booed Alfie I would punch him. How come Senator fans don’t do this?
Nobody.. fans and the so-called experts even thought the Sens would be any higher than 14th or 15th in the standings.
To even be in a playoff spot this late into the season is great for this club. IF they make the playoffs in the first year of their re-build great… if they don’t… then so what. Take a higher draft pick.. and get a good young defensemen.
The vet defensemen can’t cope with speed… that was very evident last night. Cowen is still learning and making mistakes.. but he will get better. Karlsson is not the best defensively but he will learn as well.
Other than the defense.. what struck me last night, as I sat at SBP amongst those drunken, arrogant, confrontation Leaf fans.. was almost no solid hits by the Sens on the Leafs.. They just let them free wheel around the ice. Where also has the hard work and forecheck gone? That was almost non-existent last night as well.
I thought Daug worked his butt off and so did Jim O’Brien… the rest.. not as much.
Need a more determined effort in the next game.. Hard hitting and good forecheck. It will be near impossible for the Sens to beat the Blues. They are one of the hottest teams in the NHL right now. If Elliott is in net… shoot high glove side from either of the faceoff circles. It surely worked well for the opposition last season… so hopefully it will work again. He is playing much better.. and no doubt would like to beat the Sens.
As disheartening as the 5-0 loss was to the reviled Maple Leafs, one must put it in perspective. Ottawa is in YEAR ONE of a complete rebuild and by all accounts have exceeded everyone’s expectations considering that most hockey pundits picked the Senators to finish 15th in the Eastern Conference. Conversely, the over hyped Leafs, who are in YEAR SEVEN of their rebuild are still a mediocre team at best and not guaranteed a play-off spot. Even if Toronto does make an appearance in the post-season, it will be as the eighth seed and they will be easy fodder for the number one seed. They will play four more games this year than they have in the previous seven years which really isn’t much of an accomplishment. Take heart Sens fans, our team is going in the right direction and in three or four years, we will regain our rightful position at the top of the league.
Sandy, save the propaganda for the post-game show or one of Murray’s press conferences.
We aren’t in Sepetember anymore. Expectationss have been raised and these guys either show they can win in meaningful games or they go golfing early again. No worries though, this town loves a loser, starting at the top with the Murray-enamored Melnyk and down to the fans themselves.
Maybe it will take two to three more years out of the post-season before management gets tired of losing…
Recalsentrant, are you for real? This team has over achieved all season. It’s all icing on the cake. If we don’t make the playoffs it’s no big deal. This team has provided me more excitement than I could have ever asked for. This team needs some improvements on defense. But that will come with maturing youth and some trades next year or the next. What we don’t need is fans who think this team has any business being a bonafide contender. Unrealistic. Which seems to be a disease in Ottawa. Must be in the water. Go sens go.
Actually, Sandy’s pretty bang on. Did you think we were winning the Cup this year, RecalSentrant? We’re still in rebuild mode and will take a couple years before the kids hit their stride. We’ve got young talent on the team and talent still waiting for their chance, because of Murray. Have a beer, and try to relax…