A decisive win over Montreal last week began a modest run of success for the Ottawa Senators, while perhaps raising some concern for the Canadiens.
Amid their three-game point stretch, the visiting Senators will seek to hand the Canadiens a third straight defeat on Tuesday night.
Ottawa was mired in 1-6-0 rut when it posted a 6-2 home victory over Montreal on Thursday. Since then, the Senators earned a point after forcing overtime in Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Winnipeg, then scored four unanswered goals for a 5-3 win at Philadelphia on Sunday.
“A great comeback win,” said Senators star Tim Stutzle, who scored twice against the Flyers. “That’s what we’ve got to keep doing. We’ve got to stick with it, keep playing our game and then chances will follow.”
Stutzle had a goal with two assists as Ottawa won its seventh in a row over Montreal last week. The Senators have outscored the Canadiens 36-17 during that series winning streak.
Mads Sogaard made 22 saves Sunday in his second start for Ottawa this season. However, teammate Joonas Korpisalo (3.56 goals-against average) could be back in the Senators’ goal after stopping a combined 48 of 52 shots against Montreal and Winnipeg.
After the Canadiens matched a season high for goals allowed at Ottawa last week, they topped that dubious mark in Saturday’s 9-4 loss at Boston. Montreal trailed 5-4 after two periods, then allowed four goals in the third to fall to 4-7-2 since Dec. 28.
“We like to say we’re building around here, but we took a step back (against Boston), obviously,” said Montreal’s Brendan Gallagher, who scored his eighth goal Saturday.
“We got taught a lesson.”
A lesson, perhaps, that Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis feels could prove beneficial to his rebuilding club, which is trying to make its way into playoff position in the Eastern Conference.
“Every now and then this league will humble you, and that’s kind of what happened to our team in the third period (Saturday),” St. Louis said.
“Maybe it’s a period that sends us to a higher place. We’ll learn from this. It’s hard going through it, but there’s no time to feel sorry for yourself. Just get to work.”
The Canadiens can start by shoring up a defense that’s allowed at least 30 shots on goal in each of the last 10 games, and a combined 73 against the Senators and Bruins.
The Canadiens’ Cayden Primeau stopped 31 of 36 shots at Ottawa and Sam Montembeault (3.11 goals-against average) allowed eight while facing 30 in 49 minutes at Boston. Meanwhile, teammate Jake Allen (3.49 GAA) last started Jan. 15, when he made 32 saves during Montreal’s 4-3 home win over Colorado.
On a positive note for Montreal, Cole Caufield became the fifth Canadiens player age 23 or younger in the last 50 years to score in five straight contests. The team leader with 16 goals, Caufield has scored five times in eight career games versus Ottawa.
The Senators’ Vladimir Tarasenko, who scored against the Canadiens and Flyers, has seven points in the past seven games.
–Field Level Media