Sens Writer: Senators Beat Devils to Snap Losing Streak; Cozens Thriving in Ottawa

I thought the the Sens looked pretty good the first two periods actually.

We could say the goals were ugly, but they've been doing that a lot recently by putting pucks on net and having a strong net presence, and they were generating a lot of chances in the second period by doing so.

They sat back a little too much in the third, and it looks like they may be trying making that a strategy by relying on Ullmark, which some teams tend to do. They sure need to do a better job of clering the zone either way though.

Big 5 games coming up. Need to do a job o beating the teams below them, which they've mostly done well up til now.

Ottawa appears to be in pretty good shape as far as the standings go. If they play .500 hockey over the balance of the season they should be easily okay at around 92 points.

Sens are only a point behind NJ and have two games in hand. Devils can still be caught. Rangers/Islanders

My first choice is for the Sens to meet the Leafs. My second choice is Washington. I think the Sens could match up really well against the Caps. I don't want anything to do with either Florida team as a first round match up.

Really....Denis Gilbert....he's here????

Ya don't say. I wonder what he'd look like in a Hamonic jersey. Maybe the fans could make some signs. Free Denis Gilbert.

How hamonic continues to draw in the line up is baffling.....the 300's know what's up. Come sit up there some time Staois. I don't think you can see it from the top boxes the players are too small. But we sure see it in the 300's. About 10-15 seconds before the inevitable opposition scoring chance occurs..you can hear the groan. ...."hamonic again.....Chabbot MOVE...get there!!!!!.......damnit. (in the net)".

There are only 2 things I’d like to see down the stretch:

Improved defensive play. At times this year, Ottawa looks locked down defensively, but they are not consistent enough with it throughout the game. You got it right in the blog that protecting leads are challenging for this group. The penalty kill is also especially nerve racking to watch. It hasn’t looked great all year and you will need to be above 80% at least in the playoffs to have any success.

If Brady is hurt, let him rehabilitate. This team only needs to go .500 down the stretch. Your next 5 games are against teams below you in the standings. It’s likely as good a time as any to let him sit and come back to get back into game shape before the playoffs. This team should be able to win most of those games, Brady-less.

If the Sens do make the playoffs, you aren’t doing much if Brady isn’t 100% healthy. May as well try your best to ensure he is healthy.

There are only 2 things I’d like to see down the stretch:

Improved defensive play. At times this year, Ottawa looks locked down defensively, but they are not consistent enough with it throughout the game. You got it right in the blog that protecting leads are challenging for this group.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0[i]The penalty kill is also especially nerve racking to watch. It hasn’t looked great all year and you will need to be above 80% at least in the playoffs to have any success.

If Brady is hurt, let him rehabilitate. This team only needs to go .500 down the stretch. Your next 5 games are against teams below you in the standings. It’s likely as good a time as any to let him sit and come back to get back into game shape before the playoffs. This team should be able to win most of those games, Brady-less.

If the Sens do make the playoffs, you aren’t doing much if Brady isn’t 100% healthy. May as well try your best to ensure he is healthy.

the PK will be eaten alive in the playoffs, they just stand there like pilons letting the other team do set up and do what they want, that is a recipe for disaster when your playing the same team 4-7 times in a series.

That last two minutes was a little to chaotic for my liking....

That last two minutes was a little to chaotic for my liking....
- GrimmdaGoalie

Protecting a lead is always stressful for fans. For 7 years we did not have a lot of third period leads in need of protection.

These are things that our fanbase is going to have to relearn.

It is not just the team needing to learn from new experiences.

"as many NHL fans are looking forward to seeing the younger Tkachuk brother in playoff-mode for the first time in his career."

I don't think any non-Sens fan are looking forward to this if you know what I mean.

Halliday recalled, Brady not at practice, looks like wont be playing VS BUF and most likely out longer.

the PK will be eaten alive in the playoffs, they just stand there like pilons letting the other team do set up and do what they want, that is a recipe for disaster when your playing the same team 4-7 times in a series.
- Mithos

It’s 100% a set strategy. It’s trying (I assume) to eliminate passing lanes and giving the puck carriers only option to shoot the puck. But this creates so many high-quality shooting opportunities for the opposition, especially down low.

This team has speed and grit. They really should embrace a large aggressive box strategy that forces the team to move the puck more quickly than they would like and have a high chance of flubbed passes. Won’t work every time but a better strategy than hoping the goalie makes a great save.

You are right that a playoff series, a team will quickly learn how to capitalize easily.

It’s 100% a set strategy. It’s trying (I assume) to eliminate passing lanes and giving the puck carriers only option to shoot the puck. But this creates so many high-quality shooting opportunities for the opposition, especially down low.

This team has speed and grit. They really should embrace a large aggressive box strategy that forces the team to move the puck more quickly than they would like and have a high chance of flubbed passes. Won’t work every time but a better strategy than hoping the goalie makes a great save.

You are right that a playoff series, a team will quickly learn how to capitalize easily.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

the problem is they don't stop the cross ice/crease pass, OTT has such horrible hand eye coordination. like i keep saying OTT D strategy is letting the other team shoot, hope they don't score, hope they can get puck possession and hope to clear it. OTT consistently gets out worked in puck battles, even when out numbering the other teams players in the scrum.

Halliday recalled, Brady not at practice, looks like wont be playing VS BUF and most likely out longer.
- Mithos

If Tkachuk needs to rest, he needs to rest... the schedule really favors their chances at this point, and they'll need him as close to 100% as possible for any hope of winning games in the postseason. The baffling thing here is the Halliday recall... they barely found a way to get Zetterlund into a scoring line role, but then bring up the leading B-Sens scorer who's still a rookie? I'm excited about Halliday as a long-term offensive prospect, but when you're tied for 1085th out of 1110 players in terms of AHL goal differential it suggests that your D needs some work.

Just shift Giroux back up to the Stutzle-Zetterlund line (Stutzle will need the faceoff support, regardless), move Amadio up to play with Pinto-Greig, and recall someone like Reinhardt to play 4th line minutes. He's already played that role for 17GP this year, is a full +33 better than Halliday in terms of AHL goal differential, and he would be the only forward in the lineup other than Cozens to average more than 2 hits/GP.

You are all assuming that in the playoffs they call a lot of penalties

As for Tkachuk being out of the Buffalo game, I would not be surprised if they make him sit down a couple of games to rest that hip. I'm actually looking forward to seeing what Halliday can do in a more meaningful role. And we'll actually see Zetterlund with some extended minutes on the top lines.

You are all assuming that in the playoffs they call a lot of penalties

As for Tkachuk being out of the Buffalo game, I would not be surprised if they make him sit down a couple of games to rest that hip. I'm actually looking forward to seeing what Halliday can do in a more meaningful role. And we'll actually see Zetterlund with some extended minutes on the top lines.
- OttawaB

I could be wrong, but I'd be surprised if Halliday gets even 10min of ice time on the 4th line... which is part of why I'm not sure it's such a good decision. Though given his exceptional passing ability, he might be able to help Gaudette snap his goal scoring drought.

Dylan Cozens has been a significant upgrade for this team's top 6 forward group. Better size/strength, less injury prone, very good at zone entries, plays in traffic near the net and good defensively. Loving the added 5 on 5 scoring.

The team's top issue is now defensive depth.

The team needs to solidify the playoff spot over the next 5 games so it can rest Tkachuk, Jensen and anyone else playing through injuries.

chych 8x9M with WSH, OTT looses the trade big time. (unless chych craps out starting next year and for the duration of his contract)

chych 8x9M with WSH, OTT looses the trade big time. (unless chych craps out starting next year and for the duration of his contract)
- Mithos

Does anyone outside of WSH really think Chychrun is worth $9M/year? Half the Capitals team is a +20 this year, and their goaltender has a 31-4-5 record... wait until they actually need Chychrun to play defensively up to that contract, and it could be right up there with Jones/Nurse in terms of overpaid D-men. And that's without taking into account the reality of his injury history.

Does anyone outside of WSH really think Chychrun is worth $9M/year? Half the Capitals team is a +20 this year, and their goaltender has a 31-4-5 record... wait until they actually need Chychrun to play defensively up to that contract, and it could be right up there with Jones/Nurse in terms of overpaid D-men. And that's without taking into account the reality of his injury history.
- khawk

This is referencing a Mithos post. Never a good idea to humour this poster with much in the way of a response.

I prefer the Eeyore method. Its a good look for him.

Chychrun at $9 million per year for 8 years? Not worth it. And as for saying Ottawa lost the trade .... over in Ottawa, Chychrun was a square peg trying to fit in a round hole. He just did not fit in over here with his play or personality. Want proof? Look at the immediate reaction of Ottawa players when a guy like Norris was traded. Now look at the reaction when Chychrun was traded. That's right .... there was no reaction.
Good for Chychrun to finally find his hockey home. But I put Chychrun in the same boat as DeBrincat .... trades that in retrospect should never have been done. And they were the parting trades done by Dorion. Good riddance to them all.

Chychrun at $9 million per year for 8 years? Not worth it. And as for saying Ottawa lost the trade .... over in Ottawa, Chychrun was a square peg trying to fit in a round hole. He just did not fit in over here with his play or personality. Want proof? Look at the immediate reaction of Ottawa players when a guy like Norris was traded. Now look at the reaction when Chychrun was traded. That's right .... there was no reaction.
Good for Chychrun to finally find his hockey home. But I put Chychrun in the same boat as DeBrincat .... trades that in retrospect should never have been done. And they were the parting trades done by Dorion. Good riddance to them all.
- OttawaB

OTT lost the trade, unless chych crap out, because of the return, they could have gotten more than jensen and a 3rd....

BUF had total domination of OTT in the last 5 min or so of that period. green needs to do a G change and put ullmark in.

BUF had total domination of OTT in the last 5 min or so of that period. green needs to do a G change and put ullmark in.
- Mithos

You should become a Buffalo fan.

Imagine all of the things you could post about! You would be in heaven!

Think about it.

You should become a Buffalo fan.

Imagine all of the things you could post about! You would be in heaven!

Think about it.
- HoweHatrick