Rub your eyes, and then rub them again, look at the screen and it is still 4-3 to the Ottawa Senators. Here’s our three takeaways from last night’s epic.
1. The Sens Can Score
We’ve been discussing the Sens problem in front of goal for a while now. In their last ten games before the playoffs they scored only 21 goals, a 2.1 GPG, so the scepticism was expected. To then go 3-1 down in an incredibly important playoff game, not too many were holding their breath. For the Sens to then score 3 unanswered goals and double their GPG was astounding.
Not surprisingly half of last night’s goals came from blue-liners, the team has been reliant on top-scorer Erik Karlsson who chipped in with an assist and what a vital assist it was with that cross ice pass to Derick Brassard. Dion Phaneuf with a three point night (1 goal, 2 assists) was a surprise but a welcome one at that.
The points were also split in half, five points for the D and five for the offense. It was the Sens second line offensively that proved insightful, four points between them. Brassard walking away with two points after his head was nearly taken clean off by Erik Karlsson.
Clarke MacArthur was the man to spur this team forward, thriving on his return to fitness.