5 takeaways from Ottawa's 4-1 win over the Devils

On Thanksgiving Monday, the Ottawa Senators took on the New Jersey Devils, and there was a lot for Senators fans to be thankful for. The Senators battled hard and secured a 4-1 victory over the Devils, improving their record to 5-1 on the season. You have to go back almost two decades to find the last time the Senators opened a season 5-1, which they did in 2007-08. Grab a piece of pumpkin pie, and let’s take a look at some of the biggest takeaways from last night’s game.

Linus Ullmark continues his stellar start

The Senators hoped that starting goaltender Linus Ullmark would be able to recapture the form he showed in last season’s playoffs. Fans and management hoped he would return to providing solid goaltending every night, but no one could have predicted how well Ullmark has played so far this season. Ullmark currently leads the league with five wins. His .948 save percentage ranks third in the league, and his 1.27 goals-against average ranks fourth. Last night was a perfect example of the Senators getting the one or two goals they needed and Ullmark absolutely locking things down. He made an exceptional pad save on just the second shot he faced, keeping the game tied at one in the first period. Ullmark has been this season’s MVP so far, and it’s not particularly close. He’ll get a well-deserved night off against the St. Louis Blues tonight. Let’s hope some of Ullmark’s magic rubs off on backup Samuel Ersson.

The Senators’ power play continues to struggle

The Senators’ power play has looked horrendous all season, and it looked even worse during their five-minute major power play last night. The Senators recorded just three shots, were unable to gain the zone until the final 90 seconds, and looked disjointed overall. They altered the personnel, most notably by having Carter Yakemchuk take Thomas Chabot’s place on the first power-play unit. The unit had significantly more success and finally converted an opportunity in the second period. Yakemchuk’s offensive capabilities continue to impress, particularly his ability to dangle around even the most elite players. The Senators should study exactly what led to that power-play goal, follow it as closely as possible, and potentially burn the footage of the five-minute power play.

Ottawa is not shooting nearly enough

Ottawa’s offence certainly had question marks surrounding it last season, with the team constantly searching for a top-six forward, but it still averaged 29 shots per game. This year, however, the Senators are averaging almost five fewer shots per game, and last night they were held to 20. They seem to be taking only the best opportunities to score, which is, of course, a good thing. However, it also feels as though they sometimes hesitate while deciding when to shoot. The Senators are 5-1 to start the season, so there is very little to complain about. Still, this team’s potential is even higher than its current level of play suggests, and players such as Drake Batherson, Dylan Cozens, and several others need to score much more than they have.

Ottawa’s defence suffers yet another injury

On one of the clearest hits from behind in quite some time, Anthony Mantha was given a five-minute major after hitting Nikolas Matinpalo from behind and into the boards. Mantha was not given a game misconduct because of a ridiculous rule and was free to finish the game, but the same could not be said for Matinpalo.

Green provided an update on Matinpalo’s health after the game: “It’s pretty obvious what the injury is. We’ll see how he feels tomorrow.” The Senators take on the Blues on Tuesday night.

Results are what matter for the Senators.

Though the second and third takeaway may tell you otherwise, the Senators are getting things done. They’ve been able to limit goals scored against them, thanks to Ullmark and score when they need a goal. The Third line of Claude Giroux, Michael Amadio, and Shane Pinto has really taken control over the last few games, with Pinto scoring five points already this season and Giroux and Amadio with four. They’ve battled so hard while still missing key players like Jake Sanderson, Artem Zub, and William Eklund and they’re still winning games. Tim Stützle continues to be a force for the team with 10 points in 6 games, which is the best start of his career. If the Senators are able to continue to build on what works and move away from what doesn’t, their play will certainly match their results.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow