Though they continued to play better, the Ottawa Senators’ performance on Thursday night was insufficient. They lost 3-2 in overtime at the Canadian Tire Centre (18,722), failing to overcome the Boston Bruins, who were ranked #1. Brad Marchand scored the game-winning goal in overtime after the Sens overcame a 2-0 deficit. With just over three minutes remaining, Vladimir Tarasenko’s accurate wrist shot had knotted the game for the Senators.
With the Bruins in action last night and needing to stop six power plays to one for Ottawa, there was likely never a more vulnerable Eastern Conference team. The Sens were unable to seal the deal, though.
With just three shots allowed in the opening frame, the Senators got off to a solid start in the contest. Their diligence resulted in multiple turnovers and two penalties. It also led to some excellent scoring opportunities, some of which the Senators wasted by attempting to shoot the puck with too much cunning.
But during the first half, special teams made all the difference. During its four-minute power play, Ottawa hardly managed to cross Boston’s blue line. On their lone power play of the game, the Bruins scored in just three seconds. David Pastrnak scored the Bruins’ third goal of the game from the point with 1:24 remaining in the first. Parker Kelly seemed to screen his goalie, Joonas Korpisalo, perfectly.
The second period was more of the same. Boston scored on two more power play opportunities that the Senators had. Trent Frederic went one-on-one with Thomas Chabot, taking advantage of the latter’s extremely soft gap. Frederic fired a shot that went unopposed off the goal post and in.
Ottawa finally got through on its fifth power play with 28 seconds remaining in the frame, snapping a 0 for 18 run. Chabot came through with a spectacular no-look pass from Drake Batherson to redeem himself.
Josh Norris jammed home a stray puck close to the crease in a tight third period that appeared to tie the game for the Senators. Replays corroborated the officials’ decision, which said that Mathieu Joseph had passed the puck to Norris by hand.
In the third, Shane Pinto also had two excellent opportunities, but he was unable to convert either.
When the power play finally materialized with slightly more than three minutes remaining in the game, Tarasenko leveled the score with a flawless, top-shelf blast on Jeremy Swayman’s short side.
The 3-on-3 overtime went back-and-forth, just like most of them. Following a stunning charge by Tim Stutzle into the net, Swayman successfully booted the ball out to Brady Tkachuk. Though Tkachuk had a clear opportunity to fire, the puck slid past his stick.
Then, as Boston raced up ice on a 2 on 1 break, Stutzle and Tkachuk were helplessly caught close to the goal line. To close out the game, Brad Marchand beat Korpisalo glove side after receiving a feed from Charlie Coyle.
Despite outshooting the Bruins 37ā23 on the evening, the Senators end up with their second overtime loss of the year. They are still playing a more stable style of hockey than they had for the previous two weeks.
“After the game, head coach Jacques Martin said, ‘We’re seeing more poise, more composure.”
On Saturday night, Ottawa will play host to the New York Rangers, another top Eastern team.
Observations:
When the judges judged that Mark Kastelic and Boston’s Derek Forbort’s apparent attempt to fight was only an attempt to counter minors for roughing, the players must have been offended six minutes into the game.
Like the Ottawa-Boston PWHL game the previous evening, Boston blew a 2-0 lead before winning 3-2 in the closing minutes of the game.
authored by Steve Warne
Steve Warne works as a reporter and site editor for The Hockey News’ Ottawa Senators franchise website. Manotick native, Steve Warne is the anchor of the Steve Warne Sports Show on City News Ottawa and the Sens Nation Podcast on TSN 1200 radio.