The Senators closed out their homestand with tough divisional losses to Detroit and Buffalo.
The only two teams with longer active playoff droughts than the Senators just sent a loud message to optimistic fans in Ottawa. After the Detroit Red Wings knocked the Senators around 5-2 Saturday afternoon, the Buffalo Sabres took their turn Tuesday, beating the Senators 6-4.
Jeff Skinner scored twice to help the Sabres open up an early 3-0 lead, which they eventually expanded to 5-1 after 40 minutes.
But with five minutes to play, the Sabres hit a speed bump, allowing three straight Ottawa goals from Vladimir Tarasenko, Josh Norris and Mathieu Joseph.
The Joseph goal got the Sens to within one and, with the Sabres taking a penalty in the final minute, Ottawa head coach D.J. Smith decided to take a timeout. It was probably much appreciated by the Sabres, who were spiralling at that moment.
The Senators wanted to get organized for the 6 on 4 but it didn't quite pan out as Jake Sanderson and Tim Stutzle fumbled with the puck at the blue line, allowing Tage Thompson to lob the clincher into an empty net.
If the Senators fancy themselves as a playoff team this season, these are the divisional matchups they most need to be ready for.
The Detroit result felt like a one-off, but the performance against the Sabres, who had played the night before, was a little more troubling. Or as troubling as game six of an 82 game season can be. A divisional rival in part two of a back-to-back shouldn't be able to come right into your rink and pile-drive you for a 5-1 lead. That was about the time the "Fire D.J." chants started at the CTC.
At the end of the second period, Sens fans held their breath as Brady Tkachuk skated off the ice and down the tunnel in distress, holding his shoulder after an awkward collision. It turned out to be nothing major, as he returned for the third period, even getting into a fight with Alex Tuch around the time the Sens began their comeback attempt.
Somehow, Tkachuk ended up with an instigator penalty when, clearly, the fight was a mutual thing. That's meaningful because the instigator was taken in the final five minutes of the game, and so Tkachuk now gets an automatic one-game suspension. The Senators do plan to appeal.
After allowing 5 goals on 18 shots, Anton Forsberg was replaced after two periods, but he still came out for the third period, apparently unaware he'd been replaced.
Travis Hamonic having to come over and tell his teammate he was out of the game was more than a little awkward. It's hard to imagine how in the world the Ottawa coaching staff could allow that to happen.
Before the game, Craig Anderson was honoured for his fine career in Ottawa. Anderson signed a one day contract to retire as a Senator and then he and his family handled the ceremonial opening faceoff.
The Senators went 3-2 in this homestand and now head for New York to face the Islanders on Thursday.