Senators exceeded expectations, but missed opportunity hurts
Next season won’t come soon enough for this group of Ottawa Senators.
NEW YORK — At the beginning of this season, not many thought the Ottawa Senators would even get to the playoffs, let alone to a Game 7 against the No. 1-seed team in the Eastern Conference.
So that’s some consolation for Ottawa, a bit of salve.
But in the end, it’s not near enough for a team that believed it had a chance to go much further, so this 2-1 loss to the New York Rangers will hurt.
Next season won’t come soon enough for this group of Ottawa Senators.
With the victory, the Rangers advance and meet the No. 7-seeded Washington Capitals in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Daniel Alfredsson, in his 111th playoff game for the Senators, and maybe his last, scored for the Senators on the power play.
“It’s an empty feeling,” said Alfredsson. “Especially when the game goes down to the last seconds, like it did tonight. We hurt. It’s tough. We played a hard-fought game.
“We played really good at times, (made) a couple of mistakes that kind of cost us, then Henrik (Lundqvist) made some good saves in the third to keep it a one-goal game.”
Alfredsson, 39, said he hasn’t begun to think about his future, but will address the issue over the next little while and decide if he’s able to play another season.
Marc Staal and Dan Girardi scored for the Rangers.
Craig Anderson faced 29 shots for the Senators, while Henrik Lundqvist played a spectacular game, making 26 saves.
Anderson initially left the ice without shaking hands but quickly realized he’d better get back out.
“It was a mind fart on my part,” he said. “Nothing intentional at all.”
But that was the only thing that brought the semblance of a smile to his face. He was as disappointed as anyone in the room.
“We’ve gotten this far this year and we know the feeling,” he said. “Last year we knew the feeling of not making the playoffs.
“This feeling doesn’t feel any better because we lost, but we were able to enjoy the game for a couple of weeks longer than we were last year.
“We’re going to have a fresh start next year. Every game of experience is going to help for the guys going forward. We’re already looking forward to next season.”
The Rangers broke the scoreless tie in the second period and jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first 10 minutes thanks to mistakes from Ottawa’s two rookie defenceman, Jared Cowen and Erik Karlsson.
Cowen made the first mistake in the fifth minute by moving up to drive Ranger captain Ryan Callahan into the boards. It was an untimely decision. When the puck popped loose to Derek Stepan, Cowen was caught and the Rangers were off on a 3-on-1.
Stepan put a pass through Sergei Gonchar’s legs to Staal, who had an open left side.
Asked if the pass was lucky or skilful, Stepan said, “It was a little bit of both.”
Four minutes later, Karlsson gave Girardi an opening when he moved away from the front of the net to help with coverage in the right corner. That left no one to watch Girardi, who skated in toward the left post unmarked and found an open left side on Anderson.
Before it got out of control, Alfredsson cut the lead to 2-1 two minutes later with a power-play goal, beating Lundqvist on the short side with a shot from the top of the left circle. It looked as if Anton Stralman was screening Lundqvist, or else it was a very bad goal.
There wasn’t much to pick between the teams in the first period, except that the Senators had the advantage of the lone power play when Brandon Dubinsky got caught for holding Jason Spezza.
The power play didn’t score, but at least it created some chances, giving the team some momentum for the final five minutes.
Otherwise, both teams had terrific chances. Among the best: Marian Gaborik chipping a sure goal just wide, and Ranger defenceman Dan Girardi blocking a clear shot from Filip Kuba.
The Senators closed out the period with about 45 seconds of uninterrupted time in the Ranger zone. It looked as if they were on another power play. The only thing that saved them was Lundqvist, who took one shot off the top of his head.
Rangers coach John Tortorella was a long time leaving the bench when the buzzer sounded, and when he did he was shaking his head.
Different coach, different players, same result in a first round exit. No playoff series won since 2007…but we have the best prospects in the world…can’t wait until we get a GM that places an emphasis on playoff success…won’t happen here with Murray deflecting and setting up straw men to distract us.
I miss the Johnston/Muckler era…was fun making the playoffs and having a real shot, sigh….
Thanks for everything Sens!
For every doom and gloom guy the are thousands who see the plus side. As for the “good old days” with Muckler UGH!! The Sens played with heart and grit. We real fans look foreward not back. GO SENS GO !!!
Hey fool. Different ROOKIE head coach.. different ROOKIE assistant coaches… DIFFERENT players — with about 7-8 of them in their first NHL playoff series… so give it a rest.
I got an idea… why don’t you pick a team that only wins.. and go cheer for them. Or if all you do is complain.. they go cheer for that blue team down the 401 — then your complaints will be valid.
The teams of the late 1990′s and early 2000′s are gone… and save for a final conference appearance and Stanley Cup final appearance… they did not exactly go far…
I’m not going to go through again how Muckler ruined this team…. Murray has made his mistakes.. but he re-built the prospect system — YES that is good. It is rated in the top 5 by the hockey experts… but for pete’s sake — give them a chance to friggin’ play a season next year before you make your judgement.
Marc Staal — a good young defenseman… that was there for the taking in the draft following the lockout… Then John Muckler steps up and takes Brian Lee…. So you really want Muckler back… after what he did to this team? He could not draft.. he made bad personnel decisions — his team might have went to the Cup final… but the key players were there long before he arrived.
Muckler ruined the team… he certainly did not build it… To even want that era back is really really stupid.
It was a great year. It wasn’t as good as we hoped but I don’t blame Murray. Next year Alfie will come back half waythrough a la Neidermayer and take it all. It’s true. Sens will prevail long before the Maple Leafs and if that is our only saving grace so be it.
What a fabulous season with the future looking even brighter. Would have been great to knock off the Rangers but we certainly weren’t embarassed in this series. Alfie, don’t you give a thought to retirement – you’re a class act and someone who this team needs as Captain. I just hope that the fans will build on the enthusiasm generated by the Cardiac Kids this year and come back louder and prouder next season.
Feel so sorry for the guys. The last 45 minutes shows what this team is capable of, just not enough of it during the games. They now have a goalie, but what is this with the addition of a player who gets his first NHL games in a desperate do or die last games???!!!!! And Stone, who played rock solid and assisted on a tremendous goal is benched?? “Because we need them to gain experience”, Are YOU NUTS??
Also, who the hell coaches these players to do those DUMB blue line parallel passes????? Even midgets know that when nothing is working, gain neutral ice by dumping in deep and “running them down”….Where the heck was the forechecking that existed in game five????
As per my name I’m not a Sens fan, although I do live here. I gotta say even I was cheering for the little engine that could come the end of it. The team should be proud, there in a transition year, new coach, some new players, but still led by the old guard. They showed grit and determination way above their skill level. NYR is no slouch, and deserves the chance to move on, but the Sens put on a great show.
High praise from a self professed blue team supporter. When you tire of the endless failures know that the local team will welcome you on the bandwagon.
Hold your heads high, Sens fans…….your team really battled. The team, coaching staff and and you fans deserve standing “O”. I say this, even as a devout Ranger fan here in the New York Metro Area. You fans are really amazing, how dedicated to your team as opposed to some other Ontario based team which will remain nameless.
There was cheapness on both sides of the ledger, but that should not impact the great performance that your team put on for 7 games. Best of luck from your American friends and respectful Ranger fans…….
Thank you and I hope the Rangers go on to win the cup!
I’m disappointed they did not win… but it’s not the same type of disappointment and frustration from years’ past. I feel bad for the players.. they wanted to show those fools that picked them to be dead last this year… how good they can be.
At the beginning of the season.. most of us were more concerned with who the Sens would draft in June — when we considered them to be drafting in the top 3… but now they draft 15th…
To even think back then.. if someone would have told us.. that this re-building or re-tooling team would get into the playoffs.. even in 8th place… and take the #1 seed to the last couple of minutes in a game 7… many would have thought that would have been crazy.
Looking forward to next season. The players and the coaches are now familiar with each other. The system is in place.. so they shouldn’t struggle at the beginning of the season. I think 2 or 3 more young guys come into the lineup… Borowiecki (if Murray does not get a free agent, youngish defenseman, Silfverberg for sure. I think Stone & Zibanejad start in Binghamton…
I hope and pray Alfie has one more season.. He said it was a fun year.. but he will take his time to determine if he has that one more season.
They finished with 92 pts… so 5 more wins next season puts them over 100 pts and hopefully back in the playoffs. Let’s hope the league scheduler does not give the Sens the disadvantage against the Leafs they did the last 2 seasons… that would really be suspect.
The goaltending is set. The forwards are set. They have to improve the defense… Kuba is gone now… Gonchar next season.. hopefully replaced by younger defensemen.
Thank you Sens… it has been a fun season to watch this team to develop together…
Have a great off-season and hope to see you in October… Mr. Fehr & Mr. Bettman.. you had better settle that CBA — we don’t want another strike/lockout.
The Sens have a bright future, Next year all the rookies will be better, Cowen, Condra, Smith, Greening, etc But for the sens to be a Stanley Cup Contender we need a point/game first line winger to play with Spezza and Michalek And maybe even a second line winger for Turris because foligno takes to many stupid penalties which a stanley cup contending team can’t afford. I expect Murray to take a Defenseman in the draft since we are picking 16th? Since the first round is PACKED! with defenseman i expect Murray to be able to pick up a very talented one since not all teams would want a d-man and would take forwards, leaving some d-man thats supposed to be top 10pick at number 16. So next years goals should be to battle for the Division Title and maybe get to the Conference Finals while also getting Silfverberg @ Zibanejad there first NHL season in.