Game Recap: Ducks Slap A Flying V- For Victory- Over Sens
Pregame Warmup
For the second straight game, the Ottawa Senators iced a player who would be making his 1st NHL start and a player making his 1,100th NHL appearance. For Andre Petersson and Daniel Alfredsson, the milestone night would be shared with Chris Neil, who was playing in his 700th career game. Both Zack Smith and Kaspars Daugavins were in the lineup after not being able to finish Thursday’s game in San Jose. Bobby Butler came out of the lineup for Petersson and Matt Carkner was back in for Mark Borowiecki.
First Period
The Senators had a much better start than they did in San Jose, and with the benefit of an early power play, held much of the play. It took Anaheim almost 7 minutes to get their first shot on goal. Craig Anderson was hot, forced to make a number of tough (albeit ackward) saves during a stretch that included a Ducks power play. Chris Neil got the nastiness started when he leveled George Parros just inside the Sens zone, which made Parros run around chasing Senators players. It was a good road period for the Senators, as they went to the dressing room scoreless, with the Ducks outshooting the Sens 10-9.
Second Period
A fast and furious start to the period, with both teams buzzing. The best chance came off a Jason Spezza giveaway while he was trying to carry the puck out of his own end. The turnover gave Anaheim a short breakaway, but a quick Anderson pokecheck saved Spezza’s bacon. Anderson couldn’t do the same for Erik Karlsson, however, as he lost Corey Perry around the net and last year’s Rocket Richard and Hart Trophy winner put the Ducks on the board just over 6 minutes into the period. It was a relatively even period after that goal, until the 17:00 mark when Karlsson was the victim again of an unfortunate bounce. With the puck airborne just outside the crease, Karlsson tried to knock it away out of mid air. He connected, but it went off the wrong edge of his stick and was knocked into the net. Lubomir Visnovsky got credit for the own-goal, and the Senators trailed 2-0. That is how the period ended, with Ottawa again being edged on the shot total by 1, this time 11-10.
Third Period
The Senators came out with some jump early on in the third, and started the process of trying to chip away at the lead. True to form, Chris Neil tucked home a rebound off his own shot from a Nick Foligno pass behind the net to put the Sens on the board before the 9 minute mark. The Senators pressed over the last two minutes, but couldn’t get a clear shot on Jonas Hiller. The Senators fall 2-1 to the Anaheim Ducks.
Post Game Show
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Senshot’s Three Stars
3. Chris Neil (OTT) – He was an agitator in the first period. In the third he got the Sens back in the game and nearly tied it up a couple of times after that.
2. Jonas Hiller (ANA) – 31 saves for the win
1. Corey Perry (ANH)- 1 G and a game high 6 SOG
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
Coming Soon
WHAT I SAW
When you have been playing as “lights out” as Erik Karlsson has been, you are allowed to have a rough outing every once in a while. Karlsson had his bad luck tonight and it resulted in both Ducks goals. He will shake it off and get back to normal on Monday night.
Although they didn’t really have the lapses that plagued them in the San Jose game, the Senators really didn’t dominate at any point, either. The third period effort fell just short this time, and hopefully the club will be able to put together more 60 minute games together and become more consistent within the game, as well as from game to game.
Ottawa is off Sunday before finishing their pre-All-Star schedule with games on back to back nights in LA and Phoenix on Monday and Tuesday.
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