Sens Destroy Wild 6-0 in Most Dominant Performance All Season
The Sens: they're good
The Ottawa Senators: the best team in hockey?
This beautiful, beautiful game began with a great crowd moment: booing the American anthem. Even though many of the Sens' top players are American, the team clearly embraced the crowd's attitude, absolutely destroying the visiting team in what was, honestly, the most dominant performance this team has put together in recent memory.
What I’ve really been noticing about the Sens lately is that their stars are all on their game right now - it seems obvious, but when Brady, Timmy, Norris and Chabot all look like themselves, the Sens look like a contender. The Sens were great in the first period. They got a powerplay about halfway through, and I don’t know how they didn’t score.
They got even better from there. Chabot made a ridiculous move in the offensive zone, but our old friend Filip Gustavsson made a ridiculous save. A late penalty kill could have been a backbreaker, but instead Josh Norris scored again. Is he the greatest penalty killer in the league? It’s time to have the conversation. 1-0 Ottawa.
I’ve got to admit, I’m a little impressed.#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/VsMi6TbqRV
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) February 2, 2025
They closed out the first period with a 4 on 4 that was lots of fun but didn’t result in any goals, and started the second period on the powerplay.
The Wild then got another powerplay (the refs were very busy tonight), and very nearly evened the score many times, as the Sens decided to simply let them hang out in the slot as much as they wanted to. Thankfully, that would end up being Minnesota’s best opportunity for the rest of the game, as the Sens absolutely dominated from there on.
It was scoring chance after scoring chance. Brady nearly scored, then Stützle and Chabot almost scored, and so on and so on. What were the Wild even doing?
Before long, Tim Stützle tapped in a ridiculous pass from Brady Tkachuk to put the Sens ahead 2-0.
His midi-chlorian count is off the charts. Even Master Yoda does not have a count that high!#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/dSYqJBHdlr
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) February 2, 2025
Then Amadio scored? 3-0 Ottawa.
Hello there 👋#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/rpjecRVkBx
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) February 2, 2025
The Sens were just playing with their food. Score effects didn’t even kick in after goal #3. Ottawa had the puck the whole time. The sight was so unfamiliar to me as a lifelong Sens fan that I didn’t even know how to process it.
With only a few minutes left before the intermission, Brady Tkachuk got a scoring chance so good that I still don’t understand how he didn’t score. The Sens are so good, guys. Everyone is saying it.
The second period ended with a really scary play against Tim Stützle during a faceoff. Ryan Hartman slammed Timmy’s head onto the ice. He was assessed a match penalty for “attempt to injure,” as Timmy was gushing blood on the bench, and will probably get a suspension.
The Sens wasted no time on the ensuing powerplay to start the third period. Jake Sanderson made this one happen from the point. 4-0 Ottawa.
"I’m one with the Force. The Force is with me." - Jake Sanderson (probably)#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/K1Yam5TcVB
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) February 2, 2025
Because it was a major penalty, the Sens were still on the powerplay after Sanderson’s goal. They scored again! This time it was Brady Tkachuk, scoring a weird one that Gustavsson couldn’t quite handle. 5-0 Ottawa.
Scorer. Scoundrel. Hero. Brady Tkachuk, Tkaptain of the Ottawa Senators#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/RQozqLc56F
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) February 2, 2025
The announcer had only just finished announcing the Tkachuk goal when Pinto got hauled down, giving the Sens a 2 man advantage for a full two minutes. Or not, because of course they scored less than a minute into the second powerplay. 6-0 Ottawa.
Kylo said it best 🤷♂️#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/MetHkbLJVh
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) February 2, 2025
Three goals on the same powerplay, and they still had about 2 minutes left! I would feel bad, but Minnesota absolutely deserved that after what they did to Stützle.
Ottawa had no trouble closing out the game. They looked amazing right until the very end. They even got over 50 shots! Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.
Man, what a game. No stress at all. Never in doubt. So much fun. I forgot what that's like.
Game Notes
- Everyone was good. Everyone. But a special shoutout to Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stützle, Josh Norris, Thomas Chabot and Jake Sanderson, who were all very noticeably good.
- Tkachuk especially. What a beast. He should have tried the between-the-legs move. Maybe he would have actually scored this time.
