3 takeaways from Senators' rough 4-3 loss at home against Canucks

After falling 3-2 to the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night, the Ottawa Senators' losing streak reached four games in a row. Although the Senators entered tonight's game losing four games in a row, they appeared to have caught the Vancouver Canucks at the right time.

The Canucks had lost three of their last four games and had a long way of travel to Ottawa to face the Senators, but it didn't matter in what was another frustrating game for the Senators.

The Canucks defeated the Senators 4-3 at Canadian Tire Centre to drop the Senators to 8-11-1 and hand them their fifth consecutive loss. The frustration in November continues again for the Senators as they have now lost the first three games of a four-game home stand.

For the past five games, the Senators have not been able to catch a break. From poor goaltending, to poor defense, to the offense not being able to score, frustration has gone up with the losing streak being at a season high five games.

3. Senators can't capitalize when it matters most

With 7:31 remaining in the first period, Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes received a major penalty for a boarding call on Josh Norris. With Hughes done for the rest of the game and the Senators having a five-minute powerplay, the Senators had a golden opportunity to take off in the game and dominate the Canucks.

Long story short, the powerplay went ugly and the Senators didn't score. With the Senators not being able to score with Hughes not playing, it shows the Senators still are having offensive problems continuing over since last Saturday in the 4-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.

When teams get an opportunity to take advantage without the opposing team's best player out for the rest of the game, they need to capitalize, but the Senators couldn't with Hughes out.

While Brady Tkachuk and Claude Giroux each scored a powerplay goal on the next two powerplay opportunities for the Senators, not scoring on the five-minute powerplay in the first period is a bigger issue.

2. Two defensemen stood out bad

When Artem Zub returned to the lineup after missing nine games due to a concussion, it appeared the Senators' defense would be at full strength. Against the Canucks, Zub had a brutal game along with Tyler Kleven.

Zub had two of the first three penalties against the Senators called on him. On one of the penalties that Zub was called for, the Canucks scored a powerplay goal in the first period.

Tyler Kleven finished the game with a -2 rating, and his confidence is dropping. On the Canucks' goal to make it 3-1 in the second period, Kleven didn't hustle to get in a good position to defend Jake DeBrusk who scored his second goal of the game. Zub was also on the ice for DeBrusk's second goal.

If the Senators are going to be a better defensive team, Kleven and Zub need to be better. Both of them had a poor game in the loss. Kleven played just 8:26 of ice time. While Linus Ullmark made 17 saves in the loss, Zub and Kleven didn't help him out that well.

1. Too little too late again

The Senators did lose by one goal for the second consecutive game, but tonight was another game of too little too late. Trailing 4-1 late in the third period, Giroux scored a powerplay goal to make it 4-2 with 3:31 remaining. Just 2:47 later, Tim Stutzle scored his 100th career goal to make it a 4-3 game and it gave the Senators a chance to tie the game at four.

However, no comeback would happen as Kevin Lankinen shut the Senators down to earn the win by making 26 saves. The Senators can't afford to continue to play from behind in their games. Just like on Thursday night against the Golden Knights, tonight was another failed third period comeback.

Drake Batherson recorded two assists and Giroux would add an assist along with his goal. Giroux's goal snapped an 11-game goal drought.

The Senators will wrap up their four-game home stand on Monday night against the Calgary Flames at 7:30 p.m. ET. Although the first three games of the four-game home stand have gone brutal, Monday is a chance to earn confidence back before a three-game California road trip.