November 10, 2024

SENATORS AFTERTHOUGHTS: Dadonov and Chabot miscues in overtime cost the Senators

Chabot #Chabot

Breadcrumb Trail Links

Author of the article:

Ken Warren

Publishing date:

Mar 25, 2021  •  50 minutes ago  •  3 minute read  •  Join the conversation Toronto Maple Leafs center Auton Matthews skates with the puck in front of Ottawa Senators goalie Anton Forsberg in overtime at the Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday. Toronto Maple Leafs center Auton Matthews skates with the puck in front of Ottawa Senators goalie Anton Forsberg in overtime at the Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday. Photo by Marc DesRosiers /USA TODAY Sports Article content

MAPLE LEAFS 3, SENATORS 2 (OT)

WHY THEY LOST

By picking up seven points in seven games against the Maple Leafs so far, there’s reason for the Senators to believe they are growing, closing the gap on the North Division front-runners.

And yet, Thursday could have been so much better.

Anton Forsberg deserved so much better.

The regrets from the overtime loss should be all about the two potential game-winning odd man rushes that went for naught.

On the first one, Connor Brown was carrying the puck on a 2-on-1 with Evgenii Dadonov.

Inexplicably, Dadonov stepped over the blueline a split-second before the puck, creating an off side that left Brown shaking his head.

It was a terrible gaffe from Dadonov, who was the overtime hero in the Senators wild 6-5 win over the Maple Leafs earlier in the season.

What makes it worse? Dadonov, who was one of the veterans brought in to show the way for the youngsters, went off-side on a similar odd man rush in the Senators previous game against the Calgary Flames.

Advertisement

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

Dadonov has nine goals and three assists in 36 games, including no goals and one assist in his past seven games.

If the Senators had scored on that play, of course, nobody would be analyzing the Maple Leafs game winner from Justin Holl.

That came after what could have, should have, been a 2-on-0 or 3-on-1 break, with only Auston Matthews standing between the Senators and a potential game-winning rush up the ice with only 20 seconds remaining.

Senators defenceman Thomas Chabot and right-winger Evgenii Dadonov (63) try to hold up Maple Leafs winger Zach Hyman as he cuts toward the net of Anton Forsberg during the second period. Senators defenceman Thomas Chabot and right-winger Evgenii Dadonov (63) try to hold up Maple Leafs winger Zach Hyman as he cuts toward the net of Anton Forsberg during the second period. Photo by Errol McGihon /Postmedia

Instead, Matthews booted Chabot’s knee-high pass intended for Alex Formenton out of mid-air. With Formenton and Drake Batherson then chasing the play, Matthews and Mitch Marner helped set up Holl for the game winner.

It was thrilling, just what overtime was designed to be, but details matter during three-on-three, too.

The Senators did a good job of hanging with the Leafs throughout, but they owed Forsberg a little more.

It’s now starting to become commonplace for an underdog goaltender to help raise the Senators overall game. Just the same, what Forsberg did is still remarkable given the circumstances of playing his first NHL game while being with his fourth NHL team in the past few months.

Give the Senators credit for continuing to provide entertainment from all the unpredictability in the crease while their prospects are allowed to play in more tight-checking, playoff-style games.

Josh Norris has elevated his game to the point where he can match up against the North Division’s top centres on many nights.

Over on the Maple Leafs side, former Senators captain Jason Spezza also continues to turn back the clock.

Spezza, 37, has scored in three consecutive games and has eight goals and 19 points in 32 games. He scored his first NHL goal with the Senators 18 years ago.

Advertisement

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content Toggle full screen mode Previous Gallery Image

Next Gallery Image Toggle gallery captions THEY SAID IT

Ottawa Senators defenceman Thomas Chabot, explaining the play leading up to Justin Holl’s game-winning goal.

It happens in fractions of seconds and I take the blame for it, but I was trying to move it, trying to go for a breakaway or a 2-0, but it’s overtime, it’s part of the game.

Ottawa Senators winger Alex Formenton, on scoring his second NHL goal and first since October, 2018.

It was just important that when they called me up, my main goal was just to be ready and come in here and just try to contribute as much as possible and use my speed and drive to the net. It was nice to get the goal, but I have to give credit to (Ryan) Dzingel and (Clark) Bishop on that forecheck. We were skating hard tonight.

Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe on Jason Spezza’s play

There’s lots of confidence. He’s feeling it. He’s shooting the puck, he’s hanging on to it in the offensive zone. He was really one of the only guys who was winning faceoffs for us, which earns him more ice time. We were really struggling in the faceoff circle tonight. Auston (Matthews) and John (Tavares) were really struggling, in particular, so that encouraged me to give Spezza some more opportunities.

BY THE NUMBERS

.934: Senators save percentage during their 3-0-3 run. The goaltenders during that run have included Joey Daccord, Filip Gustavsson and Anton Forsberg.

0-6-2: Senators record in the second game of back-to-back situations. They have picked up extra time points in their last two outings.

31:18: Thomas Chabot ice time. Chabot finished the night with a plus/minus of minus 3 and had five giveaways.

20:10: Josh Norris ice time, a career high. Norris also went 16-5 in the faceoff circle.

Plus 10: Mitch Marner plus/minus rating in seven games versus the Senators this season. Marner was a plus one Thursday, setting up the winning goal by Justin Holl.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Good question. The originally scheduled game between the Senators and Canadiens in Montreal was postponed after a Canadiens player tested positive for COVID-19. Training facilities have been shut down in Montreal.

For the time being, the clubs are scheduled to meet again Tuesday and Thursday at Canadian Tire Centre and April 3 at the Bell Centre, but that is up in the air depending on follow-up testing among Canadiens players.

In the short-term, the Senators will have a rare two-day break from practice, which may allow some of their injured and bruised bodies to heal.

kwarren@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/Citizenkwarren

Share this article in your social network Advertisement

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

The Ottawa Sun Headline News

By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300 Thanks for signing up!

Comments

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.

Leave a Reply