May 2, 2013; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Ottawa Senators defenseman Sergei Gonchar (55) during the warm-up session before the first period against Montreal Canadiens in game one of the first round of the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports

I am going to point the finger directly in the direction of Sergei Gonchar and the power play.  While the return of Erik Karlsson was supposed to help the power play, he cannot do it by himeself.  And with 65 being the primary focus of the Canadiens attention whenever he is on the ice, that should open up avenues for Gonchar, especially with the man advantage, to find a way to produce.

It hasn’t happened, at least so far.

The Senators went 0 for 6 on the power play in Montreal, including not being able to capitalize on 3 chances in about an 11 minute span in the first period with the game scoreless and Carey Price facing a lot of doubt.  The Senators only fired 4 shots on goal in those 3 PP opportunities (2 from Gonchar), and the rest is history.  On each of those 3 first period power plays Karlsson and Gonchar played at least 1:20 of the advantage.

The onus is on Karlsson and Gonchar to get the proper puck distribution and to get shots through on net to either score or create a rebound,  or make it tippable.  They are doing neither at this time, and it is frustrating to watch.  Some credit has to go to the Canadiens and their maligned PK (as in penalty kill, not Subban) for putting themselves in the way and not allowing shots through.  For all of the attention the Habs are paying to Karlsson, that is the opportunity for the veteran Gonchar to step up, and if he is tired from carrying the team in Karlsson’s absence, it is time to give Patrick Wiercioch a shot to try to produce with the man advantage.

There are a lot of things that could happen between now and then, but that day that was tacked onto the end of the schedule will likely have implications, and Ottawa might even be in the situation where beating the Bruins could make them first round opponents while losing to them could give Boston a division title.  Picture Ottawa in the 5th spot with the Bruins in the 4th seed, a point behind Montreal with their game being the only one left on the schedule.

Apr 18, 2013; Ottawa, ON, CAN; Ottawa Senators right wing Daniel Alfredsson (11) outmaneuvres Washington Capitals right wing Troy Brouver (20) in the third period at Scotiabank Place. The Senators defeated the Capitals 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports

Does Ottawa, who have had much better success against Montreal than Boston over the years, “lose” on purpose and maybe rest older veterans like Daniel Alfredsson, Sergei Gonchar and Chris Phillips or a banged up player like Milan Michalek and essentially give Boston the division title so that they can avoid playing the Bruins in the first round?  With one less day of rest at the end of the season, I am sure Alfie and Gonchar could use the extra day and not need to travel with the team to Boston for a game that they wouldn’t really want to win anyway.

It would be different if Ottawa somehow claws their way into a position where home ice in the first round were on the line, that the Senators would definitely want to go after that, but that scenario seems unlikely.  An Ottawa win over Toronto on Saturday would bring the prior scenario into play as the Sens would pass the Leafs into 5th, setting up a potential first round matchup not against Washington but either Boston or Montreal.