It was the Ottawa Senators’ biggest game of the season, and while they’ve been on a fantastic run, everything seemed to be working against them as they prepared for the Red Wings in Detroit on Tuesday night.
They were in game two of a back-to-back with travel, playing the night before with four defensemen. They had five defensemen out with injury, including their best two, Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot.
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They had two kids on D making their NHL debuts against a well-rested Detroit team, which enjoyed home ice and last change to try to capitalize on the potential mistakes of the first-timers. The Wings were 3-0 against the Sens this season and needed this one to return to a playoff position.
And just before the game, they learned that Dylan Larkin, the Wings captain who always gives the Senators fits, would be ready to return from injury.
It seemed like a magnificent recipe for disaster, complete with a chef’s kiss, until the Senators reminded us all why we play the games. They marched right into Detroit and handed the Red Wings a 3-2 loss, moving into a playoff spot for the first time in almost four months.
And it was one of the kids, who were described in Detroit as liabilities, who helped lead the way.
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Carter Yakemchuk, the Senators’ top prospect, had a goal and an assist in his NHL debut. He had a large contingent of family and friends who hustled from Alberta to Michigan once the 20-year-old got the call.
“This was a really special night,” Yakemchuk told the media afterward. “It was awesome to be a part of this win.”
While he and Brady Tkachuk helped set the table with a goal and an assist, it was Linus Ullmark who helped preserve the victory. The Wings battled back from a 3-0 deficit and pressed hard in the late going, but Ullmark stepped up big to preserve the win, stopping 32 shots (.941).
Things didn’t start so well when former Senator Alex DeBrincat appeared to give Detroit a 1-0 lead in the first, but the Senators took it off the board with a successful offside challenge. Less than two minutes later, Brady Tkachuk’s 20th goal of the season gave the Senators a 1-0 lead.
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The very sudden two-goal swing marked a heavy shift in mindset for both teams.
The Senators then opened up a 3-0 lead on two quick goals midway through the second period, on precision shots from Yakemchuk and Lars Eller.
Yakemchuk showed great poise on his goal, especially for a rookie. He accepted a D-to-D pass from Artem Zub, and instead of blasting it as soon as he could, he saw that no one was coming out to challenge him. So, he calmly took the extra ten feet of real estate available before ripping a snapshot past Gibson.
Eller’s goal came from some fine board work from Tkachuk. As he corralled the puck, he laid a reverse check on his defender to buy time and find Eller in a perfect shooting position in the slot. Eller made no mistake, giving the Sens a 3-0 advantage.
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And despite the late charge by the Wings after goals by Dominik Shine and Dylan Larkin, they couldn’t find the equalizer.
Since January 25, the Senators’ record is now 15-3-2, which is starting to move into Hamburglar Run territory, when the team finished 20-3-3 to make the 2015 playoffs. They now hold Wild Card position 2, tied with the Islanders in points at 85 points, but the Isles have played one more game.
Ottawa actually got quite a bit of help from the Tuesday out-of-town scoreboard for a change, led by a favour from the Toronto Maple Leafs, of all teams. They defeated the Boston Bruins 4-2. The Islanders lost to Chicago 4-2, and Pittsburgh fell to Colorado 6-2.
Tuesday scores that didn’t favour the Senators include Montreal taking down Carolina and Columbus defeating the Flyers.
NHL.com
On Wednesday night, the Sens will pick up a game in hand on the Bruins, who have a back-to-back of their own, facing the Sabres in Buffalo. Joonas Korpisalo, who the Senators are still paying, starts for Boston. It would be nice if the Sens got something for their money.
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Then on Thursday, it’s another crucial battle* with the Senators hosting Pittsburgh.
* Spoiler: they’re all crucial battles now.
The Senators deserve major credit for forcing their way back into the playoff race with 11 games left. Getting there was tough. Staying there will be tougher, especially with the injuries.
But after that gutsy effort in Detroit, it’s hard to bet against them.
Steve Warne
The Hockey News
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