by Team Del Genio
Wednesday, Oct 30, 2024The Ottawa Senators finished last season with a 37-41-4 record and outside the NHL postseason for the sixth straight season. Early injuries derailed that team. Under new ownership, management, a rookie head coach, and a possible new arena, the Senators are looking to turn the page and enter a new era.
With a young core group of players led by Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, and Drake Batherson, there is reason for optimism for this club. After acquiring a former Vezina Trophy winner goaltender when they traded for Linus Ullmark, the Senators may have the reliable top-flight goaltender they need to get back to the playoffs.
Ottawa returned home for the first time since October 19th on Tuesday after completing a three-game road trip with a 5-4 loss at Colorado on Sunday. The Senators had won five straight games at home after playing three or more in a row on the road, so their prospects were encouraging when hosting the St. Louis Blues. Ottawa had won seven of their last ten games at home after losing on the road in their previous game.
With eight points coming from a 4-4-0 record, Ottawa was in last place in the Atlantic Division going into that game, yet their eight games played are the lowest of their division rivals. They had a 3-1 record at home where they are scoring 4.3 goals per game.
First-year head coach Travis Greene turned to Linus Ullmark will get the start at goalie tonight. The former Boston Bruins goaltender had a 1-2 record this season with a 3.35 goals-against average and a .885 save percentage. Only one of his starts have been at home this year when he led the Senators to a 3-1 victory against Florida on October 10th. He stopped 31 of the 32 shots he faced in that game. Ullmark posted a 2.57 goals against average and a .915 save percentage last season. In his nineteen starts at home for the Bruins last season, he had an 11-3-5 record with a 2.45 goals against average and a .915 save percentage. Ottawa is establishing a nice home-ice advantage as they had won fifteen of their last twenty-three games at home when the oddsmakers installed them as the favorite.
The Senators made an early statement in that game by scoring three goals in the first period. They scored another three unanswered goals in the second period and cruised to an 8-1 victory against the Blues. Ullmark was once again outstanding in front of his new home fans as he stopped 26 of the 27 shots he faced.
Tkachuk scored two goals with the man advantage in that game. The Senators rank second in the NHL with their power play that is converting at a 42.9% rate. They have scored 12 goals from their 28 power play opportunities. Ottawa is averaging 4.2 goals per game which ranks third in the league. If they can continue to approach that level of offensive production while getting good goaltending from Ullmark, then Ottawa will be very much alive to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Yet they need to stay healthy and avoid the injury bug they experienced last season.
Good luck - TDG.
With a young core group of players led by Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, and Drake Batherson, there is reason for optimism for this club. After acquiring a former Vezina Trophy winner goaltender when they traded for Linus Ullmark, the Senators may have the reliable top-flight goaltender they need to get back to the playoffs.
Ottawa returned home for the first time since October 19th on Tuesday after completing a three-game road trip with a 5-4 loss at Colorado on Sunday. The Senators had won five straight games at home after playing three or more in a row on the road, so their prospects were encouraging when hosting the St. Louis Blues. Ottawa had won seven of their last ten games at home after losing on the road in their previous game.
With eight points coming from a 4-4-0 record, Ottawa was in last place in the Atlantic Division going into that game, yet their eight games played are the lowest of their division rivals. They had a 3-1 record at home where they are scoring 4.3 goals per game.
First-year head coach Travis Greene turned to Linus Ullmark will get the start at goalie tonight. The former Boston Bruins goaltender had a 1-2 record this season with a 3.35 goals-against average and a .885 save percentage. Only one of his starts have been at home this year when he led the Senators to a 3-1 victory against Florida on October 10th. He stopped 31 of the 32 shots he faced in that game. Ullmark posted a 2.57 goals against average and a .915 save percentage last season. In his nineteen starts at home for the Bruins last season, he had an 11-3-5 record with a 2.45 goals against average and a .915 save percentage. Ottawa is establishing a nice home-ice advantage as they had won fifteen of their last twenty-three games at home when the oddsmakers installed them as the favorite.
The Senators made an early statement in that game by scoring three goals in the first period. They scored another three unanswered goals in the second period and cruised to an 8-1 victory against the Blues. Ullmark was once again outstanding in front of his new home fans as he stopped 26 of the 27 shots he faced.
Tkachuk scored two goals with the man advantage in that game. The Senators rank second in the NHL with their power play that is converting at a 42.9% rate. They have scored 12 goals from their 28 power play opportunities. Ottawa is averaging 4.2 goals per game which ranks third in the league. If they can continue to approach that level of offensive production while getting good goaltending from Ullmark, then Ottawa will be very much alive to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Yet they need to stay healthy and avoid the injury bug they experienced last season.
Good luck - TDG.
