Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion has officially declared the rebuild over in the nation’s capital. Now the question remains whether or not the pieces he put in place are ready to take the next step.
Brannstrom has three assists, speedy Senators down Canadiens 5-1
Ottawa Senators Brady Tkachuk jumps to avoid a shot as Montreal Canadiens Jake Allen makes a save during second-period NHL action in Ottawa on Wednesday, March 5, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick May 05, 2021 - 9:09 PM
OTTAWA - With blue-line leader Thomas Chabot and veteran defenceman Josh Brown out for the rest of the season, Ottawa Senators head coach D.J. Smith said it will be a trial by fire as his young defence corps try to fill the void.
On Wednesday, that defence was a major part of a dominating win over Montreal that stalled the Canadiens furious charge toward the post-season.
Article content
A promising week ended with an emphatic thud Saturday night at the Bell Centre, where the Canadiens lost 6-3 to the Ottawa Senators.
Following a listless effort on Thursday that drew criticism from coach D.J. Smith, the young Senators lineup responded to the 4-1 loss with a physical, more aggressive tone, set 42 seconds into the contest when Brady Tkachuk opening scoring on the powerplay. Like a younger Corey Perry, Tkachuk has a fondness for parking himself in front of opposing goalies, and in this instance, spun around and shot the puck just out of goalie Carey Price’s reach.