Rusty Senators in need of reinforcements as losing streak resumes

OTTAWA — There was no better transition from best-on-best 4 Nations hockey than to the high-octane rivalry between the Ottawa Senators and the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.

For Senators fans, they went from pro-Canadian to anti-Canadien quickly.

But the team not in a playoff spot (Montreal) appeared to be more geared up for it than the team in one (Ottawa).

In recent years, the Senators dominated the Canadiens, winning nine in a row entering 2024-25, but it’s been a different story this season. On Saturday, Ottawa was throttled 5-2 by Montreal and earlier this season it was a similar story in a 4-1 defeat, both lopsided and sloppy affairs for the Senators.

“Rusty,” was the one word Senators head coach Travis Green used to describe his team’s play coming back from the break. 

There was bound to be some rust, but the Senators could not afford it. Even with the massive caveat that the team was missing three of its pillars: Brady Tkachuk, Josh Norris and Shane Pinto.

“In this league, it’s all about not losing two in a row, and that’s the mindset we’ve got to have,” Linus Ullmark said earlier this season. 

He was right. Their third four-game losing streak couldn’t have occurred at a worse time when sitting in a playoff spot with teams all around them.

What has gone wrong?

All the old habits that mired this squad crept back into their game. There were enormous lapses in their own end, risky plays, a bad goal at the wrong time and poor penalty killing. 

Ottawa’s mistakes on Saturday were not just about missing top players, it was poor execution. It started off terribly for Drake Batherson, who threw a waffle in front of his own net and led to Brendan Gallagher scoring to give Montreal a 1-0 lead three minutes into the game. An unforced error. Exactly two minutes later, a point shot ricocheted onto Cole Caufield’s stick to make it 2-0.

Sometimes you are punished by a better and more talented team; against Montreal, it was almost all self-inflicted.

The Senators have been breaking not bending of late. In the last four games, they either took the lead or climbed back to tie the game. However, the outcome was the same: An L.

The one bright spot on Saturday evening was a healthy Senators star, Tim Stutzle, who continued to show himself to be the team’s best player. After his team went down 2-0, he almost single-handedly brought them back into the game. He helped set up Jake Sanderson’s power-play marker to cut it to 2-1; then he scored a goal that embodied the 200-foot player he has become this season. Stutzle chased back to intercept a puck at his own blueline, striding onto a breakaway capped off with a slick forehand move to tie the game 2-2.

He has gone from a defensive liability to shutdown centre this season.

“I think now in my fifth year in the league, I understand more what it takes to win, and it took some time,” Stutzle told Sportsnet.ca ahead of the game. “I think, for all of us in here and now this year, we’ve really committed as a team to play defence.”

Stutzle ranks 82nd of 627 players in the NHL with an expected goals allowed of 2.14 goals per 60 minutes, according to Evolving Hockey.

But the offence hasn’t gone away either for the point-per-game man. Stutzle set up Claude Giroux and David Perron for multiple Grade A opportunities. Against Montreal with Stutzle on the ice, the Senators dominated shot share 22 to 12 at five on five, according to Natural StatTrick. His speed matched with know-how and dogged determination means for the present and future, Ottawa has a wonderful two-way centreman. What’s next for Stutzle is winning.

Even after an excellent performance without Tkachuk, Norris and Pinto, he wasn’t happy about his performance. No excuses.

“Doesn’t matter. We should be able to win those games, and I gotta be better,” Stutzle said post-game.

After Stutzle’s heroics, within 19 seconds the Canadiens scored on a power play after Ottawa left open the one player you don’t leave open: Patrik Laine. Ottawa’s penalty kill has struggled resulting in the 20th best penalty kill.

In Travis Green’s zonal philosophy, you don’t take a man but a zone. It’s been burned this season and on the losing skid. Losing Laine was an example.

“It’s not man on man. It’s not like you’re following your guy around the zone, that is mentally easier to do,” Nick Jensen told Sportsnet.ca. “It’s not necessarily the best way to defend, but it’s easier to know, to just stay on a guy, whereas in our system you got to use a little bit more of your brain. But I think when you do make those connections, it’s a lot more effective, and it’s harder to score.”

When theory and execution collide. Limiting shots to the perimeter does make for better defence.

However, earlier in the losing skid against Tampa Bay and Florida, Ottawa gave up goals against Jake Guentzel and Matthew Tkachuk when nobody took away the man in front. Ottawa has given up the seventh most high-danger penalty kill goals this season, according to Natural StatTrick. So far, the philosophy in tandem with execution hasn’t been good enough.

After Ullmark gave up a poor rebound, which Josh Anderson finished off early in the second period, and then Batherson made his second fumbling miscue in front of his net, which allowed Juraj Slafkovsky to walk into a one-timer to make it 5-2, it was game over.

“Turned the puck over too much,” Stutzle said. “Didn’t make a lot of tape to step passes and gave them too many looks in the slot.”

Even with the long break, Saturday was indicative of the team’s recent play. The last four games haven’t been pretty.

The Senators know what to do, but they also need reinforcements, fast.

There has been a stark difference without Norris, Pinto and now Tkachuk. Look at the numbers.

According to Natural Stat Trick at five-on-five.

Some of it can be explained by the tough opponents Ottawa has faced and their league-worst shooting percentage at five-on-five in the last four games. Nevertheless, as the losses pile up, Ottawa’s hold on a playoff spot gets shakier. Good teams find a way to win without their best guys, but you can’t do it forever.

Green said he is hopeful Tkachuk returns Wednesday, and Pinto and Norris are progressing. Nevertheless, Saturday’s game against Montreal was in Ottawa’s hands and they whiffed. The playoffs are staring Ottawa in the eye.

Adams’ apples 

Bromances flourish during spring break. It was the same for a pair of Senators as Batherson and Thomas Chabot went on vacation together with their significant others to Mexico during the 4 Nations break.

“We’re obviously really tight, so his (Chabot’s) vacations have always looked nice,” Batherson told Sportsnet.ca. “So, I said, I’m going wherever you’re going. I don’t know if the Visa liked it as much as I did, but it was awesome.”

“We got someone to book it for us,” Batherson added. “And then I got the charge through the Visa, I said, ‘Chabby, Where are we going? Are we going to Italy for a month?’ But it was worth every penny and I had a blast with him.”

What ancient and current Senators say alike. When in Rome.