The Senators didn't give up much defensively but couldn't solve Anaheim goalie Lukas Dostal.
The second iteration of the battle of NHL basement dwellers – the Ottawa Senators and Anaheim Ducks – resulted in much the same result as the last time. It was an Anaheim victory, although it wasn't nearly the blowout we saw last month in Ottawa.
The Ducks won 2-1 in a defensive battle on Wednesday night, handing the Senators their 5th straight loss. Ottawa outshot the Ducks 30-16, but Anaheim goalie Lukas Dostal stood on his head.
Here are my three takeaways.
1. Missed scoring opportunities
Anaheim has given up the sixth most goals in the league, yet the Senators could only muster up one goal, and it came from their fourth line (Mark Kastelic). The Senators created some chances and hit the post multiple times, but were only able to put one puck past Dostal.
Tim Stutzle was dancing all night, racing past Anaheim defenders and creating plays. Brady Tkachuk was wheeling and dealing around the Anaheim net. However, the finished product for the Senators was never there. The Senators' night was pretty much summed up by Jakob Chychrun having an open net on his backhand only for his own stick to stop the puck on the backhand follow-through.
2. Depth scoring
The Senators have had problems all season generating consistent offensive contributions from their fourth line. On Wednesday night, Mark Kastelic bucked that trend, scoring his third goal of the season, redirecting an Artem Zub point shot to open the scoring. The Senators fourth-liners have only scored a combined 13 goals this season so they need more of that. As the old adage goes, you need depth scoring to win in the NHL. The problem for the Senators last night was the lack of production from their top guys.
3. Limiting the Ducks to the Outside
The Senators have been one of the worst defensive teams in the league all season, ranked 30th, allowing 3.59 goals per game. Despite the loss, the Senators only gave up two goals and 16 shots.
Ottawa was very good at maneuvering the Ducks to the outside, limiting their cycle and rush chances, and leaving much of the game to be played in the neutral zone. Anaheim’s first goal was a pass that deflected off Jake Sanderson and went between Sogaard’s legs. The second Ducks goal was a very nice tip by Alex Killorn from the hashmarks.
Overall, the Senators were able to limit and stymie much of Anaheim’s offence. If a couple of breaks had gone the Senators way, it could have easily led to Sogaard earning his first career shutout. But lady luck doesn't seem to smile on this club very often.