Preseason Recap: Ottawa 4, Detroit 3
A thrilling comeback against the Red Wings!
Preseason is weird. You never know if you’re getting a full NHL roster, or a handful of minor league players. Sometimes you get an NHL roster matched up against an AHL roster, and sometimes the AHL roster wins, because they have a lot more to play for.
I'm not sure that's why the Sens beat the Red Wings last night. I want to give them credit, but I feel like that was really just a Red Wings collapse.
The first period sucked. I don’t know if we should be concerned that the players trying to make the Sens’ roster don’t seem to care at all about making the roster. This is the second time they’ve completely failed to show up in an important game. Right from the start, the Red Wings were all over the Sens. They struck early, capitalizing off a weird defensive miscue where nobody on the ice for the Sens looked good at all.
The second goal was more straightforward: just a stinker from Anton Forsberg. Welcome back, Ottawa Senators hockey!
The rest of the third period was just silly. Constant scrums. No hockey being played.
Ottawa’s first powerplay didn’t go very well. It was Carter Yakemchuk’s moment to shine, and unfortunately he fumbled it, making a bad play then missing the puck when it was sent back to the point. Thankfully, a 7 minute powerplay right at the end of the first period gave him a chance to redeem himself, and he did a lot better that time around even though he didn’t score.
Things calmed down in the second period. The Sens didn’t look much better, but they weren’t completely outmatched anymore. Forsberg made all the saves he needed to.
The third period bought a few more fights, and a few penalty kills. Anton Forsberg made a lot of really good saves, but honestly I think the main reason the Red Wings didn’t score any more goals is that they weren’t trying that hard anymore. Nobody was trying. It was a terrible game.
Adam Gaudette eventually broke through in the third period, bringing the game within one with a beautiful snipe.
.@Hockey_Gaud coming in hot 🔥#GoSensGO pic.twitter.com/kLWFyTk2cr
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) October 5, 2024
Our old friend Vladimir Tarasenko took the 2 goal lead back with just under 5 minutes to go in the game. Another one that Forsberg would definitely like back.
Immediately after that goal, Ottawa got a powerplay, and Noah Gregor scored just 9 seconds in to bring the game within one, and then right after that Tyler Boucher did some amazing work behind the net to set up Donovan Sebrango for the tying goal.
Noah Gregor is a work horse 🤷♂️#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/FDsRTnFFI8
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) October 5, 2024
Ottawa's very own strikes again!!#GoSensGo 🤝 @D_sebrango3 pic.twitter.com/hUa2stwJ8i
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) October 5, 2024
The game went to overtime, and Gregor played the hero with a beautiful goal only a few seconds in. It was reviewed for possible goaltender interference, but ultimately held as the game winner.
- Jan Jenik was a big standout. His best moment was being a shit disturber in front of the net and goading Moritz Seider into taking a penalty
- It’s nice to have Adam Gaudette back. He even tried (and failed) Brady’s Tkachuk’s between-the-legs move in the first period, then scored in the third.
- Angus Crookshank left the game with an injury to what looked like his arm, but he returned pretty quickly.
- Roos had an awful night. It felt like he was behind every bad defensive zone play that I noticed.
- There were several defensemen all fighting for a spot on the roster, but none of them really stood out. Kleven looked bad on the first Red Wings goal but was fine during the rest of the game. Yakemchuk had a few good moments but didn't take over the way we would have liked to see. JBD was his usual steady but underwhelming self.
The Sens return home tonight for a rematch against the Habs.
