Linus and the Sens Beat the Bolts 2-1 In a Game Filled With Play-off Level Desperation
Here come the playoffs
The Ottawa Senators are playing meaningful hockey in April. Have we made it clear yet how exciting this is? Even though the Sens hadn't had stellar performances the past two games, they still remained in a comfortably good place for the first wildcard spot. That being said, a wildcard spot is never fully guaranteed and a game against a divisional rival is always a big deal. Tense, yet excited, is how to describe most fans' mood.
The first period started off a bit rocky for the Sens, and with Brady Tkachuk missing another game the entire team had to compensate for his missing energy. This didn't happen at puck drop.
Luckily, Linus Ullmark got rid of all the negative energy with that stick he smashed earlier in the day and provided several saves to keep the team in it. The Sens played their best hockey in the first half of the period on the penalty kill but the shots were still 6-2 Tampa at that point.
The Sens did seem to get some momentum going as the opening frame went on but the Bolts were quicker to a lot of lose pucks. The Sens needed a lot more creativity if they were going to get back into the game: the kind of creativity that only Ridley Greig and Shane Pinto could deliver. After Kleven took down Oliver Bjorkstrand, Grieg took advantage and streamed into the offensive zone to connect with Pinto, who put it into the net to make it 1-0. In a period where the Bolts seemed in control, this might have been one of the biggest "score first and see what happens" scenarios the Sens have had in a while. Tampa kept arguing that there was a missed penalty but I guess no one told them that you simply can't argue against a Shane Pinto goal.
Ottawa goal! Scored by Shane Pinto with 06:15 remaining in the 1st period. Assisted by Ridly Greig. Ottawa: 1 Tampa Bay: 0 #TBLvsOTT #GoSensGo #GoBolts
— NHL Goals (@nhlgoals.bsky.social) April 3, 2025 at 7:38 PM
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Tampa got a late period power play after yet another fantastic save by Ullmark, and while they got some momentum, the Sens were able to kill the penalty, barely. This would be a theme for the evening. The Sens ended the period up by one but outshot 13-8, they had weathered the storm.
The second period saw a bit more of the same from the first. The Sens weren't having a bad game, but they needed an extra push to create some separation from a motivated Tampa squad and for that, a power play was exactly what they needed. A beautiful goal from Jake Sanderson, off a nice pass from Tim Stützle put the Sens ahead 2-0.
Power play goal for Ottawa! Scored by Jake Sanderson with 14:43 remaining in the 2nd period. Assisted by Tim Stützle and Ridly Greig. Ottawa: 2 Tampa Bay: 0 #TBLvsOTT #GoSensGo #GoBolts
— NHL Goals (@nhlgoals.bsky.social) April 3, 2025 at 8:19 PM
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Unfortunately, it didn't take long for the Bolts to respond. A bobbled puck from Ullmark after a poor Sens' line change was left in an opportunistic place and they didn't make a mistake.
The old versions of the Sens would have lost its cool at this point, but these new Sens managed to get out of the period with a lead even though Tampa managed a few dangerous chances. The intensity of the match-up was both fun and nerve-wracking to watch but it was also comforting to see the Sens PK do some great work. So, kind of like a play-off game?
I have to admit, it was fun watching both teams play such desperate hockey. The Lightning were pushing very hard but the Sens were equally playing some good quality defense to challenge them. Desperation can lead to mistakes and luckily it was the Bolts time to hit the box and give the Sens the golden opportunity to increase their lead. Instead, the Bolts got the best chances on that Sens powerplay.
Seriously, Linus Ullmark is great. He made a needed save on a shorthanded Hagel breakaway. Speaking of shorthanded chances, the Bolts get yet another opportunity that actually half beat Ullmark but thankfully the rest was caught by the crossbar. Maybe the Sens need a bit more desperation offensively not just defensively. The power play ended up being a painful 2 minutes to watch with the Sens getting one shot on net and having to defend against multiple Bolts shorthanded opportunities.
While the Sens are in a good position, with eight games left it wasn't the time to take risks and as the Habs were beating the Bruins 3-0 (eventually won 4-1), the pressure to get the two points increased. The Sens were holding their own but a 2-1 lead with 8 minutes left against a team that was not slowing down was a very dangerous game to play.
The officiating had been meh all game but with 5 minutes left, giving the Bolts a power play when two players fell together was just a little too questionable.
In the most crucial penalty kill of the game, the Sens limited the Bolts to one shot and suffocated all their chances, and there were many.
Remember when I was talking about desperation, well the last three minutes were a clinic of desperation from both sides. I want to give credit to the whole team but Ullmark deserves most of the praise. Just an unbelievable performance.
LINUS ULLMARK IS THE DEFINITION OF CLUTCH 💪
— NHL (Bot) (@notnhl.bsky.social) April 3, 2025 at 9:48 PM
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The last few minutes of the game were as long as a needless 4 pm meeting on a Friday afternoon, but even though they were stressful, it was just so much fun to watch. The Sens held on by the skin of their teeth and secured two crucial points. Grieg and Pinto had fantastic games and this team is inching even closer to the playoffs. It's surreal to be even typing it. We're almost there!
