The Ottawa Senators recently experienced an embarrassing game against the Buffalo Sabres, and it wasn’t just because of the final score. While losses happen in hockey, the Senators’ defeat to the Sabres was more than just a blip on the radar. The Senators’ play was embarrassing; as well, the Senators also did something I have never seen that also likely flustered the team’s goalie Anton Forsberg.
In this post, I’ll share the events of that game, with particular attention to an unforgettable goalie gaffe.
Setting the Senators Backstory for the Sabres’ Game
As the game started, the stage had been set for a beautiful tribute to recently retired Craig Anderson, who played in goal for both the Sabres and the Senators. The organization even had the goalies participate in a neat opening face-off.
However, what followed was an unraveling of the Senators by a quick-striking Sabres team. That led to a 5-1 deficit at the hands of the Sabres. Despite their late-game push, the Senators couldn’t recover from the early deficit and lost the game.
Then, the night took an even more embarrassing turn for the worse. This was a potentially humiliating incident that took place during the game. However, while it happens regularly, never in the way it came down during the Senators’ game. It was the one that should never have occurred — the Senators’ goalie gaff.
The Senators’ Not-So-Great Goalie Gaff
During the game against the Sabres, Senators goalie Anton Forsberg had a challenging night, allowing five goals in the first two periods. When the third period was set to begin, Coach D.J. Smith decided to make a change, substituting Joonas Korpisalo for Forsberg.
However, a baffling miscommunication took place. Forsberg was unaware of the change. As a result, he remained in his crease, ready to continue. It took Senators defenseman Travis Hamonic skating down to Forsberg to inform him that he had been replaced. The awkwardness of this incident was obvious to everyone at the game. It was also then spread widely through the use of social media.
The point is that, very quickly, everyone who cared knew what had happened. Many fans and hockey analysts wondered how such a fundamental communication breakdown could occur. Former NHL goalie Mike McKenna labeled it “an unforgivable miscommunication.”
The night turned even more embarrassing for Forsberg and the entire Senators team, and Ottawa fans even chanted for head coach D.J. Smith’s firing.
Embarrassing Moments Can Go Viral
In the digital age, embarrassing moments quickly go viral. This time, the goalie gaff intensified the spotlight on the team’s struggles. Can the Senators regroup, refocus, and address the glaring issues that have come to the forefront?
As the Senators aim to put this humiliating loss behind them, they face the challenging task of rebuilding their confidence and recapturing their winning form. The road won’t be easy, but it’s a chance for the team to show resilience and learn from mistakes. Only time will tell how the team responds to both the setback and the silly error that was made. Can they rise above the criticism?
Last night they had a chance but could not exit the losing column. They fell 3-2 to the New York Islanders. Thankfully, no more goalie gaffs.
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