The Josh Norris injury, along with bad starts (and really bad finishes) highlight our three takeaways.
The Ottawa Senators lost their second game in as many nights, losing 4-1 to the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night. The Senators were dominated in the third period, outshot 20-0. No Senator team has even been held shotless in a period.
Meanwhile, in a season filled with bad news, the Senators were handed some more. Josh Norris left the game with an upper-body injury after a collision behind the net and it looked he was favouring the shoulder he had a second surgery on last February.
Here are my three takeaways:
1. Down Two, Deja-Vu
For the third consecutive game, the Senators fell behind 2-0, this time in Nashville. Unfortunately for the Senators, this one was too deep of a hole to dig out of, especially in part two of a back-to-back. The two goals they allowed were both deflected in front of Korpisalo, who virtually had no chance on the goals.
However, the Senators were completely dominated to start the game and like in Washington, their poor start led to their demise. As good as the Senators have been of late, they need to start games better. And after being outshot 20-0, they need to finish them better too.
2. Batherson proving his worth
Drake Batherson extended his goal streak to three games, with a goal in each. The goal for Batherson was also a milestone, his 20th of the season, making it back-to-back 20-goal years.
Despite his defensive warts, Batherson has shown himself to be a 50-60 point player with silky hands, great vision and a beautiful shot that he displayed Tuesday. Batherson has been well worth his 4.95 million dollar contract with his steady production. Tuesday night capped off a great week for Batherson who has demonstrated all his worth to the Senators this season.
3. Norris shoulder injury worries… again
Josh Norris suffered an upper-body injury in the second period. The injury was a bit of a freak accident as he banged into Predators forward Cole Smith behind the Senators net. Norris immediately fell to the ice in pain, and proceeded to skate off the ice in clear discomfort.
Norris missed the majority of the 2022-23 season with injuries to his shoulder that eventually required surgery. Meanwhile, earlier this season, Norris also appeared to fall on his backside in a freak play that required him to miss some games. Regardless, if Norris is out for the foreseeable future it will be a tough blow.
Norris still has six more years left on a contract that pays him close to $8 million a season. He has not been able to show off his rocket of a one-timer that he had prior to his last injury.
While the club hopes Norris is not injured seriously, it does mean the return of Ridly Greig to his natural habitat at centre. Greig told The Hockey News earlier this season that he never played wing until this season. Greig has had a phenomenal rookie season for the Senators with 9 goals and 12 assists in 46 games while having the best plus/minus on the team at +19.
The emergence of Greig as a player who can play both the wing and centre looks even more valuable as the season has gone on, especially with the looming Norris injury.
Additionally, Thomas Chabot left the game in the third period with an injury and Jake Sanderson was in clear discomfort after blocking a shot. And Artem Zub missed his third straight game
The run of good hockey or good luck in Ottawa never seems to last very long.