Ottawa Senators Receive Well-Deserved Holiday Rest

Currently holding down the final Eastern Conference wildcard spot, the Ottawa Senators head into the NHL holiday break in unfamiliar territory.

Thanks to an 8-2-1 record during the month of December to date, which includes a six-game win streak, the Senators are fully deserving of their recent accomplishment.

The team is 10-5-1 since General Manager Steve Staios made this statement on November 21 in his media availability, “We’re 8-9-1, and they keep score for a reason. Do I think we’ve played better than that? Sure. For us to figure out as a group why that’s our record is what we’re trying to unlock. For the majority of the games, I think to me and most people the team looks and feels like, not only a competitive team, but a playoff-looking team. And we’ve proven it against good teams.”

Well, it’s safe to say Staios Club has figured it out.

After last Saturday’s 3-2 overtime victory versus the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second game of a back-to-back, Thomas Chabot acknowledged the team had been playing well in his estimation but hadn’t achieved the desired results, but it wasn’t for a lack of effort.

“We believed in what we had in here. And you know what? That’s the game of hockey, and sometimes you play great hockey and not get the result you want, and you just got to stick to it. And I think you’re seeing that right now. We haven’t really changed anything to our game,” Chabot said at the time.

Only one game prior to launching into their six-game win string, Senators’ head coach Travis Green, in his words, didn’t want to “nitpick” his team’s game after allowing eight even-strength shots in a 4-2 home ice loss to the Islanders – though the Isles tallied goals on each of their two power plays.

In hindsight, Green, an ex-NHL player, was protecting his own group, not wanting to be overly critical.

Now, the Senators have a well-deserved few days off prior to heading back out on the road for another five games to complete their broken-up nine-game roadie, starting with a second back-to-back in Winnipeg and Minnesota on Saturday/Sunday. The team closes their trip with games versus Dallas and St. Louis.

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With defenseman Artem Zub (broken foot) slated to return in mid-January, the injury status of goaltenders Linus Ullmark, Anton Forsberg, and forward Michael Amadio will become known later this week.

Forsberg sustained a “minor injury” while warming up in the gym for his scheduled start last weekend versus the Penguins and didn’t travel West with the club.

Leevi Merilainen was recalled from Belleville in Forsberg’s absence. The 22-year-old, who compiled a 7-2-2 record for the Senators’ American League affiliate, earned his first NHL victory in Vancouver Saturday as the Senators edged the Canucks 5-4 in overtime on Jake Sanderson‘s goal.

However, what was unexpected, Merilainen finished Sunday’s game in Edmonton with a 3-1 loss, allowing two Oilers’ goals on 14 shots in two periods after Ullmark left the game due to his back tightening up per Green.

Having won seven consecutive games, the possibility of losing Ullmark for any length of time is an injury the Senators can’t afford.

Amadio, too, has been playing well lately. Skating on the right side of Shane Pinto and Nick Cousins, the Senators’ third line contributes at both ends of the ice. Amadio is currently in concussion protocol after taking a high hit from Canucks hulking d-man Vincent Desharnais.

If the Senators are to return to their recent winning ways, they’ll have to get their power play in short order.

In fact, the team has more shorthanded markers (2) than power-play goals in their past six outings. The Senators PP is 0 for their last 16. Despite ranking eighth-best league-wide with the man advantage, the Senators are dead last away from home (10.6 %).

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