If we have to take stock of the first two games at home in December, we must note that the Sens suffered two losses in regulation time. In a playoff race that’s tighter than usual, setbacks can cause you to slip in the standings.
“It’s different. This is something completely new for us. Every game is very important,” says Brady Tkachuk. “If your team can put together three good games, you can get back to the top of the table very quickly. This is why we just have to maintain the camp. The season will be long. Who knows what could happen to us? We could take flight and never look back. We have faith. We have confidence. »
Travis is confident that his players maintain good work habits. Since his team has scored only three goals in these two games, the execution may be lacking.
“We have to focus on our execution. Maybe we need to look for more opportunities to attack inside,” Travis Green said on Sunday.
“It’s also a bit of an easy excuse. Sometimes we play well and still lose, sometimes we don’t play well and we win. It’s the nature of the league right now, the line between victory and defeat is very thin. »
In both defeats, the opposing goalie found himself among the top three stars. On Saturday, Joel Hofer earned second star by stopping 41 of the Sens’ 42 shots. “In our last two games, we did a lot of good things,” Green said.
“When the other goalkeeper is among the three stars of the match, you know you are playing well. That said, you have to find ways to win. We focus on that as we prepare for our next match. »
Jake Sanderson said after Saturday’s game that he “never faced a goalie that was as effective.” The frustration was still palpable among the players who believe they are capable of doing better.
“I think we played a decent game, but we need to do more to make life difficult for the goalkeeper,” Fabian Zetterlund said after the match. “I mean… We got a lot of shots, but sometimes you have to be more present in front of the net. It’s necessary in our league. »
Tkachuk says players need to be willing to be more involved in the hot zones, on the ice. His speech therefore matches that of Green. “You have to go inside and go to the guard. In the last two games, we played well, but we have to make life difficult for the opposing goalkeeper,” said Tkachuk.
Travis Green also says that quality pitches need to be more plentiful. “It’s easy to say, but you have to get better shots. We can’t just send players to the net,” he says.
The Senators have controlled the game in the majority of their games this season. Advanced statistics bear this out. They have the fifth-best expected goals average at five-on-five across the league. The teams they are alongside on this list are subscribed to the playoffs: Colorado, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Washington, Vegas and Florida.
Of course, this data does not take into account special teams. During a rare Sunday practice session, the Senators worked on several drills in tight spaces, in crowded situations. The Senators scored just one goal in seven power plays on Saturday.
“Their goalie delivered quite a performance,” Green said. “You know, I believe that in 80% to 90% of cases, we win the matches in which we play this way. The only disappointment, in my opinion, is not having scored another goal on the power play. This goal could have made all the difference in the first half. »
In their next five games, the Sens will face five teams they haven’t seen yet this season: New Jersey, Columbus, Minnesota, Winnipeg and Pittsburgh. The team will try to take advantage of the changing landscape to reverse trends.
