Sens play for 6 minutes, suck for 54 minutes, lose 5-1 to Avs

Tonight was a good night to be a goldfish. A short memory is really the only way to deal with a game like this. The Sens were thoroughly outworked, outskilled, and outstrategied in an embarrassing loss on home ice. Linus Ullmark was chased after allowing 4 goals in 13 shots just 17:29 into the game. In comparison, the Sens only managed 16 shots over the entire game. Dylan Cozens got the lone Sens goal with 4 minutes left, way after the game was decided.

The Sens controlled the first 6 minutes or so of the game. They got all the shots and all the pressure, but Scott Wedgewood was up to the task. Unfortunately, that was the only pressure the Sens got all game. Goals from Nathan MacKinnon, Brock Nelson, Cale Makar (on the powerplay), and Joel Kiviranta ended Linus Ullmark's night in the first period. While Ullmark didn't have much chance on any individual goal, you don't pay a goalie $8M a year to only make easy saves. He gets a pass for stealing a couple games recently, but this was definitely the opposite of stealing a game for his team.

For many teams, falling behind by a couple goals lights a fire under them. That wasn't the Sens tonight. Despite the lead growing and growing, the Sens continued to get no offensive pressure, and the Avs got the next goal, Nelson's second of the game, on Anton Forsberg, on a powerplay that Dylan Cozens gifted the opposition by running Jack Drury very late. Ottawa looked like mentally they were already preparing for Saturday.

In minor good news, the Sens' PK woke up. After allowing goals on the first two opportunities, they stopped next two, including one to start the third. The third period mostly felt like a formality, with both teams trying to run the clock down, though Tim Stützle was still skating like the wanted his team to score. Fabian Zetterlund got a shot with Stützle and Brady Tkachuk on the top line. He was clearly a drop down from Claude Giroux or Batherson in that position, but probably a better fit than Ridly Greig. Ottawa got a powerplay but couldn't get much going, and then Drake Batherson got absolutely robbed on a partial break. Wedgewood apparently hadn't got the memo that the game was over. Finally, on a very late powerplay, the Sens broke the shutout bid, with Dylan Cozens scoring and Stützle getting a well-deserved primary assist.

Travis Green better get his team to shake this one off quick, because the Sens are back in action on Saturday against the Devils.

Game Thoughts:

• This felt like the counterbalance to that 48-save performance against Detroit last week. Everything that could end up in the Sens' net in the first period did.
• The Sens did hit the post twice before the game was completely out of hand, and Wedegewood made a spectacular save on Gaudette early, so they probably did deserve a slightly less ugly score. Not sure anybody cared about moral victories after this one.
• Sens seemed very lost on defence. The Makar PP goal was a key example, where no forward closed down the best defenceman in the league and he could just walk into his shot, and Artem Zub set up a perfect screen on his own goalie. I'm not sure if the Sens were intimidated by Makar and MacKinnon, or if those two are so good they just made Ottawa look silly.
• I'm also not sure what to think that the Sens fell apart after their pressure didn't work in the first few minutes. I kept thinking they'd start tilting the ice after falling behind, but each goal just seemed to hurt their will to play more.
• Hamonic can't handle playing in the top four. A few times the Sens did get the cycle going in the offensive zone, and then Hamonic just threw the puck at the Avs net, nullifying Ottawa's puck possession. I get there isn't really another option right now. I just feel for Thomas Chabot that the D-to-D pass in the offensive zone is a no-go right now.
• Stützle never gave up on this game, which is impressive. It's nice to see him turn into a guy who does his best to keep team morale going.
• To add insult to injury, I sat Brock Nelson on my fantasy team tonight to play Thomas, Hintz, Aho, and Celebrini at centre.
• The Sens have been streaky this year, with three streaks of 4+ wins but also three streaks of 4+ losses. A couple losses isn't a big deal, even if they feel disheartening. But 5 losses in a row at this time of year isn't acceptable, so let's hope they regroup for Saturday.

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