Over the past few years, the Lightning have struggled at times in Ottawa against the Senators. That trend continued in this game. The Lightning weren’t crisp in their execution, both with and without the puck. They also decisively lost the special teams battle. As a result, they yielded a season-high five goals and suffered their first loss of the season.
The game began at 1:00 PM, and for the Lightning (a team that doesn’t play many early afternoon games), it was important to have a good start. Instead, they took two penalties within the opening 69 seconds. The Sens converted on their long five-on-three when Drake Batherson drilled a left-circle one-timer into the upper corner of the net.
The Senators are a strong transition team, and their high-skill players generate scoring chances off the rush. Batherson, Claude Giroux, and Josh Norris teamed up on a nice passing play, and Norris finished an open chance from the slot at 13:21 of the first. The Lightning spent the rest of the period defending in their own zone without the puck, but they managed to get out of the period without any additional damage done.
The Lightning’s overall play improved in the second, particularly their battle level. They won more pucks and owned more possession. They also scored three goals in the frame. Ryan McDonagh set up Nikita Kucherov for a right-circle one-timer at 1:59, cutting the deficit in half. The Lightning tied the game when Brandon Hagel forced the puck from the neutral zone into the Ottawa end. It bounced into the slot. Anthony Cirelli reached it first — the puck initially skipped over his stick, but as he was skating past it, he tapped it backward to Nick Paul. Paul snapped in his shot at 10:39. The Cirelli line almost gave the Lightning a lead on its next shift, but Anton Forsberg made two tough saves, and a third attempt from the top of the crease was blocked. Soon after, with the puck in the Lightning’s end, Batherson intercepted a clearing attempt and finished an in-alone chance at 13:20.
Following an Ottawa icing, the Lightning’s top line of Brayden Point, Kucherov, and Jake Guentzel won several puck battles in the offensive zone to prevent the Sens from clearing. Guentzel slammed a left-circle shot off Forsberg and into the Ottawa net at 18:13. On the next shift, however, the Lightning took a penalty. The Sens won the faceoff to begin the power play, and 14 seconds later, Brady Tkachuk jammed in a rebound. Ottawa led again by a goal.
Early in the third period, the Lightning had a glorious chance to tie the game when they received overlapping power plays. But they squandered it. They failed to score on a 48-second five-on-three. Then, after one Ottawa penalty expired, the Lightning yielded a two-on-one shorthanded rush. Noah Gregor lifted a backhander past Andrei Vasilevskiy at 6:17, extending the Ottawa lead.
Less than two minutes later, Mitchell Chaffee deflected in a Nick Perbix centering feed, pulling the Lightning back to within a goal. But they were unable to complete the comeback. Forsberg made a couple of nice saves after the Lightning pulled Vasilevskiy for an extra attacker, preserving the lead and securing the win for Ottawa.
For the Lightning, sloppy puck play and coverage lapses were problem areas in this game. So was the fact that they allowed two power-play goals and a shorthanded tally. They’ll look to tighten things up when they continue the road trip on Monday in Toronto.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game:
- Drake Batherson — Senators. Two goals and assist.
- Jake Sanderson — Senators. Two assists.
- Anthony Cirelli — Lightning. Two assists.
