Robin Lehner and the Ottawa Senators needed a bounce-back game, and they got one against the Nashville Predators on Thursday night.
Game Recap
The first period wasn’t one the Senators are going to dwell on for too long; they came out flat and were outshot by the Predators 9-4. Only three minutes into things Shea Weber stepped into a shot from the point and blasted one past Robin Lehner on the power play. The Senators’ Bobby Ryan said after the game “Somebody said was the worst period we played all year, and we’re only down by one. It was kind of positive in the intermission. Guys responded”.
They certainly did. Ottawa outshot Nashville 12-10 and were able to take the game away from the Predators by getting goals from Alex Chiasson, Jared Cowen, and Bobby Ryan.
In the third period the Senators were in protection mode, and it showed. They were outshot 16-3 and it was a wonder nothing more than Olli Jokinen‘s marker 1:16 into the third was the only goal scored. Robin Lehner ended up with 35 saves, whereas Carter Hutton only had to make 19.
The win puts the senators at 9-5-4 with 22 points so far on the season. They’re one spot ahead of the Leafs in the standings due to more overtime losses as the Leafs also won against the Tampa Bay Lightning Thursday night.
Game Notes/Observations
Line Dancing: Paul Maclean tried some new line combinations for this game. It’s hard to say if they really paid off as none of the goals looked as though they were a factor of chemistry between the specific line-mates. Ryan and Cowen’s goals were some well placed shots, and Chiasson’s was more of luck and being parked in front of the net for a tip-in.
Release the Lehner: Robin Lehner started his first game in 11 days, and although he admitted to some nerves to start he looked more than solid against a tough Nashville squad that’s sitting at third in the West.
Injury List Growing: Curtis Lazar was scratched from the lineup and is apparently day-to-day with an injury. Marc Methot is still skating and trying to get ready for game duty, with the consensus seeming to be that he won’t be in a game until December.
The Senators’ next game is Saturday at 3:00pm against the St.Louis Blues.