Ottawa Senators Give Up Three-Goal Lead, Lose 4-3 to Anaheim Ducks in Overtime
It was an impressive comeback or collapse, depending on your perspective
The good news: it doesn't really matter whether the Senators win or lose these days. Winning improves my mood by about 5%, while losing improves their odds of getting a top-three pick in the draft by about 3%. The bad news: the Sens let one slip away they really should've had.
Ottawa opened the scoring off a Mike Hoffman goal, which was preceded by a beautiful pass by Bobby Ryan. I'm not sure why both Jakob Silfverberg and Cam Fowler left Ottawa's lead goal-getter so open, but no matter. In the second, Erik Karlsson doubled the Sens' lead off another beautiful pass, this time from Jean-Gabriel Pageau. A sneaky steal by Nick Paul from Josh Manson set up Chris Neil for the Sens' third goal of the game. It was a pretty solid comeback for Neil, getting in a fight and then netting a goal. Entering the third period up 3-0, you would've hoped the Sens could've held on.
Hoffman got a chance to seal the game with a penalty shot early in the third period, but he lost control of the puck, and it allowed the Ducks to claw back into it. First Ryan Getzlaf was left wide-open in the slot to score a goal he's scored so many times in his career. Then a tic-tac-toe play between Shawn Horcoff, Fowler, and Silfverberg cut the lead to one with plenty of time left. Then with Frederik Andersen pulled, Hampus Lindholm picked up a rebound of a Corey Perry shot and beat a confused Craig Anderson, sending the game to overtime.
OT did not go as planned. 1:40 into the frame, Bobby Ryan took a four-minute high-sticking call, sending the Sens to the PK for the rest of the game. Rickard Rakell fired home a laser on the extended PP, completing the improbable comeback.
Honourable and Dishonourable Mention: Bobby Ryan
That assist was a thing of beauty. That penalty in OT was careless and cost the team the game.
Honourable and Dishonourable Mention: Mike Hoffman
Scored yet another goal (SIGN THIS GUY!) but also missed a penalty shot and the empty net. Can't afford to miss two great chances to seal the win.
Honourable Mention: Chris Neil
Since we've got another year of him, I've gotta appreciate all the ways he chipped in. Playing the fewest minutes of any Senator tonight means he also doesn't get much blame for letting the opponents creep back in.
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