Sens Dominate Flyers But Lose In OT

November games are often testy for Sens fans; we try to stay positive but a bad November record usually means the end of another season. Coming into tonight, the Sens just won back to back games against divisional rivals including a shutout performance against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and it seemed like one of those opportunities that is too good to be true. The Sens on a roll, back at home against a weaker team. Too good to be true it was.

Things didn't start off on a good note as the Flyers scored less than the 3 minutes into the game. An omen of things to come, perhaps. Both teams settled into the game and the Sens looked like they were not going to let that first goal dictate the rest of the period.

If there is one theme that was consistent throughout this game is that Brady Tkachuk had a great game and it started with this tying goal:

Not only did the goal tie the game, but it seemed to have ignited the whole team. The Sens got all the momentum from that moment on and all they needed was any of those other 14 shots to go in to give them the lead they richly deserved.

The second period is rarely friendly for the Sens, this hasn't changed much this season. It seemed like maybe this time around things would be different with a string of good fortunes including a couple of power plays. While the Sens did well on their chances, the Flyers are the second best penalty killing team in the league and it showed. They weren't good enough for Drake Batherson though, who managed to put the Sens ahead with a beautiful power play goal 43 seconds into the team's second PP of the period.

The domination continued as Sens got another power play opportunity and then even got to shorten the Flyers only power play of the period and turn it into a 4 on 4. Ullmark wasn't tested much but after that first goal he'd made the saves he needed to make. But good fortunes in the second period didn't last long: with less than 2 minutes left in an almost perfect period, Travis Konecny walked in alone and tied the game. Looking back, I am convinced that it is this goal that lost us the game.

Moving on, the Sens still had 20 minutes to make things right and their performance was more than assuring that they could. Surely, Josh Norris and his healthy shoulder would give us hope with the perfect shot to give the Sens yet another lead.

A few minutes later, Mr. Magic Crystals Gaudette humbled the mighty Flyers penalty kill with an absolutely gorgeous goal.

The game should have been done here and then. The Sens had this game locked up, they were playing well and making all the right decisions. But as a reminder, this is a November game and nothing is safe, including Ullmark's ability to make saves. What happened next is hard to explain or understand but for every good play the Sens made, the Flyers matched it with two bad plays and then scored a goal. The next 3 minutes of the game ended up being one of those car crashes you see in slow motion. The Flyers got within one, then tied the game and in the process cursed every aspect of this game for the Sens.

The Sens had some brilliant chances to end the game but nothing was going in for them. They secured the one point and off to OT we go.

Overtime was a skill show by the Sens with full control and a series of great decisions especially by Tkachuk and Stützle. It seemed like the Sens could end up salvaging the night and getting the extra point and then this happens:

I don't want to be too critical on Ullmark and you can say that the Sens could've won this game in regulation had they buried some of they many many chances. Tat said, at the very least, the OT goal was inexcusable, it's the kind of goal that we thought we would no longer see now that we secured our proper goalie. In a game where the team seemed to have gotten everything right, I hope this loss doesn't deflate them.

At least we got a point....

The next few games are going to be against tough opponents but if the Sens can play like they did tonight and Ullmark can get himself back in shape, I think they'll be just fine. Let's stay focused on the positives.

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