The Ottawa Senators travelled to play the Philadelphia Flyers in the most important game of the season, as winning or pushing the game to overtime earning the Senators a playoff spot. The Senators take on a Flyers team that sits far out of playoff contention. Can the Senators muster up one more big win?
GAME RECAP
The first period was full of excitement. The Flyers recorded the first four shots of the game, all of those shots were saved by Andrew Hammond. The “Hamburglar” appeared to be playing at his typical high level of play. Putting aside Hammond’s play, The 5th minute of play saw Michael Raffl receive a minor penalty for high sticking Mika Zibanejad as Ottawa looked to take an offensive edge.
The power play proved to be very fortuitious for the Senators. Steve Mason left his crease to save a Clarke MacArthur shot, Kyle Turris capitalized and stole the rebound away from Mason. Turris hit MacArthur with a pass who fed Mark Stone who fired a puck into a wide open net.
Ottawa exited the period being outshot 14-5. It was a period in which Andrew Hammond had to make many big saves, where a notable sequence saw Hammond steal away a lose puck from Braden Schenn.
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The Senators entered the second period with a 1-0 lead, yet the Flyers tied the game early in the second period. Matt Read scored at the 1:23 mark with assists from Brayden Schenn and Sean Couturier. The Flyers relentless pressure finally resulted with a goal in their favour. Kyle Turris then picked up a penalty at the 5:06 mark for holding Claude Giroux.
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Philadelphia was not able to score on the resulting power play, as at some point in the period Dave Cameron ripped into his team. The speech seemed to ignite a fire under the Senators.
Ottawa had a ton of pressure on the Flyers, resulting in Steve Mason having to make a huge save on a Jean-Gabriel Pageau shot. The post whistle scrum resulted in Brayden Schenn receiving a roughing penalty for attacking Pageau.
Ottawa was not able to score on the power play but found twine shortly after. Marc Methot surged up ice and into the Flyers zone, he moved the puck to Curtis Lazar who’s shot bounced off Mason and found Pageau’s stick. Pageau picked up his 10th goal of the season at the 16:18 mark.
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Although the Senators came out of the period with a 2-1 lead they were being heavily outshot. Ottawa was outshot 16-8 in the second period. Hammond had saved 29 of 30 shots going into the third period. The Senators once again are helped out by exceptional play from their goaltender.
This hockey game could not end soon enough for Senators fans. Win or go to overtime and Ottawa clinches a playoff spot, lose and your fate in no longer in your own hands. In the dying moments, the third period saw the Senators play great hockey. Philadelphia did not register a shot from the 1:28 to 12:52 mark of the third period.
Stone had an amazing takeaway from Jakub Voracek and after the takeaway he sniped a goal through Mason’s five hole as Stone has continued to make a strong case for being Rookie Of The Year.
The rest of the third period saw fairly dominant play from the Senators. Hammond made a save when he faced shots but was not met with the barrage of shots he faced in previous periods. Mark Stone almost scored on an empty net but was held by Jason Akeson at around the 3 minute mark
The Senators emerged from the third period outshooting the Flyers 8 to 5 and won the game 3-1. The Senators clinched a playoff spot with the win over Philadelphia.
It has certainly been a tumultuous season. Paul MacLean was fired, the “Hamburglar” won over the hearts of the nations capital, young players stepped up and some veterans took a back seat. It will be extremely exciting and interesting to see what the Senators can do in the playoffs!
NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS
- Hammond is now 10-0-2 when facing 30+ shots. Hammond was incredible in this game. He made many big saves to catapult the Senators to victory.
- Hammond’s run has been absolutely monumental. Hammond is now 19-1-2 this season. I wonder if the naysayers still wish Cameron had went back to Anderson?
- Ottawa becomes the first team to make the playoffs after being behind by 14 points during the season. The team went on a truly remarkable run.
- I believe people often forget how many games have been “must win” games for the Senators. The Senators have had to play miraculously since BEFORE the trade deadline. Ottawa had so much ground to make up and they did it.
- Stone leads the NHL in takeaways. He has had a truly remarkable season. The sixth round pick of the 2010 draft has 26 goals, 38 assists, and 64 points this season. Stone has been one of the many young Senators to make an impact this season.
- JG Pageau had another impressive game. He scores, gets to the dirty areas, kills penalty’s, he does anything that is asked of him. Pageau, Lazar and Erik Condra make an impressive trio.
- It is amazing to think how little playing time Condra and Pageau received under MacLean. The team truly took a massive step forward when the coaching reigns were handed to MacLean.
UP NEXT
The Senators will be playing in the playoffs. Who they play depends on the outcome of games played this evening. The important thing is that they have clinched a playoff spot, as there will be plenty of celebration tonight in the nations capital!