Sens Defeat Lightning 3-2 in Shootout
A fun ending to a mostly boring game!
We're almost there, folks.
It's almost over.
Just a few more games left, and then we'll be free.
The Sens have made a habit, this season, of giving up goals on the first two shots of the game. It therefore came as no surprise when the Lightning kicked off the game with a great scoring chance off the first shot of the game. The only surprising part was that they didn’t actually score.
Forsberg actually decided to flip the script a bit, by stopping both of the first two shots he faced. What a refreshing change of pace.
Brady Tkachuk scored the first goal of the evening, matching his career high of 35 goals with an absolute laser of a shot. Unfortunately, the Lightning immediately got one back to even the score.
With the opening goal @BradyTkachuk71 has tied his career high with 35 goals!#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/qdxOwlu1P1
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) April 11, 2024
Tampa Bay was pretty obviously the better team for the rest of the first period, and sure enough, it didn’t take them long to take the lead. It was fun while it lasted.
Tampa continued to dominate in the second period, with Ottawa’s chances few and far between. It felt like every time they started to get something started, Tampa would shut them right down. When the Lightning went on the powerplay, the Sens actually got a good shorthanded chance, then immediately took another penalty to give Tampa a 2 man advantage. Kind of a metaphor for the season, or something.
Greig had a nice chance toward the end of the frame, and the Sens got a late powerplay immediately followed by another powerplay, but the only real excitement we got was a big fight that featured Brady Tkachuk trying to take on a whole team. What else is new?
They opened the third period on a two man advantage, presumably because the refs decided that was the only way to even the playing field between the two teams.
Ottawa didn’t score on the powerplay(s), but they did score right after they expired, off a good passing play between Tkachuk and Batherson. We were all tied up.
The extra effort from Drake gets it done 💪#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/pWkr22tHjA
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) April 12, 2024
Things got exciting at the very end of the game, when Mathieu Joseph got a great shot off and Ridly Greig grabbed the rebound. The score remained tied, but the Sens did get a powerplay out of it. No, of course they didn't score on it. What team do you think you're watching, here?
Overtime was thrilling, with huge saves on both ends of the ice, but neither team scored.
The shootout went well - Forsberg was perfect, and Tkachuk scored on an absolutely nasty attempt.
For the second shot, Giroux faked a slapshot, then tried another move and failed. I love him with all my heart, by the way.
Game Notes
- Ridly Greig had an especially good game, injecting life into a pretty pathetic team with a number of good chances.
- Jake Sanderson was another standout. He's been good all season, but he's been especially noticeable lately.
- Tkachuk and Batherson continue to be some of the only players on this team who look like they're actually trying.
- As always, Mathieu Joseph played well against his former team.
