SNAPSHOTS: Following their trip to Sweden, the Ottawa Senators intend to maximize their six-day break.
By the time the puck is dropped on Friday night, the Ottawa Senators’ trip to Sweden will have long since passed.
The Senators defeated the Minnesota Wild 2-1 in a shootout on Saturday at the Avicii Arena in Stockholm, extending their winning streak to three games. Now, the team is looking for ways to maintain some of that momentum heading into their visit from the New York Islanders.
The Senators have won three straight, moved out of last place in the East, and are only four points out of the final wild-card spot with games remaining thanks to victories over the Detroit Red Wings (5-4) in overtime on Thursday and the Wild.
The Senators will be in the running for a postseason berth if they can keep up their winning streak. It would have been convenient for them to follow a regular schedule because of this.
After the 45-minute skate at the Bell Sensplex, coach D.J. Smith said, “You would like to play two days later.” “Everyone is in good spirits, and this is the best practice we’ve had so far. Men are at work, and they know what we need.
They are aware of our team composition and how we need to play in order to succeed with everything we have. We’re going to have a great practice on Thursday, and anyone can beat anybody, regardless of who they play.
“The only things we can do are continue to improve ourselves and gain some self-assurance at home.”
The Senators hope to capitalize on the overseas camaraderie that helped them accomplish their goals in Sweden. During their six days in Stockholm, the players had numerous team activities and dinners together, which meant they spent a lot of time together.
Veteran defenseman Travis Hamonic stated, “Normally, you’re playing again right away.” “Since there are six days between games, we have a little bit of a lull here, so I think it’s a good chance for us to be able to reset.” Here is our opportunity to get in some excellent practice time.
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All we need to do is figure out how to continue it here. There were several significant victories for us, and the trip was emotionally taxing for a variety of reasons. We did a fantastic job of sticking with it despite the numerous distractions and things that were going on.
The Senators are aware that they must perform better on Friday against the Isles than they did in the victory over Detroit, where they allowed a four-goal lead to evaporate.
We had a few significant, poignant victories. You want to enjoy the victories as much as possible, but we must continue to strive for our goals, according to Hamonic. We’ve demonstrated that, as a productive group and team, we follow the coaching staff’s instructions and play our system as intended.
“It’s challenging to play against our team. It’s important to do that for the entire hour and be prepared to play.
On Tuesday, center Tim Stutzle stayed off the ice.
Smith, who played extensively abroad, was thought to have needed a break, so the club dubbed it a “maintenance day.” The Senators host the Isles and Florida Panthers on Monday to cap off the month. After that, the team will play a staggering 15 games in December.
With four goals and twenty points in 15 games this season, Stutzle leads the team in scoring.
Stutzle skated this morning by himself, according to Smith. “Since he has played a lot of minutes and the schedule is about to get busy, it was a good time to give him a break. This is likely his final opportunity to look truly fresh before we part ways.
The Senators have only participated in 15 games, and they will soon have to pay for their light schedule.
During the Senators’ trip abroad, forwards Ridly Greig and Mark Kastelic, who are both sidelined due to ankle injuries they sustained on November 2 against the Los Angeles Kings, resumed skating independently.
On Friday, Greig and Kastelic will miss their sixth straight game.
Smith remarked, “They’re both still a ways off from playing.” Over the next few days, we’ll check in to see where they stand. Everybody is different, and those ankle sprains are difficult to treat.
They’re feeling quite pleased with themselves as they skate alone. They’re getting fairly close if you see them out there with us.
Goalie Joonas Korpisalo was on the ice for the second day in a row and took part fully in the skate, despite missing the game on Saturday due to a minor injury. Defenseman Thomas Chabot skated as a forward on the fourth line, giving Stutzle the day off. He is still healing from a broken right hand, so he is sporting a non-contact jersey. It’s unclear whether anyone has ever seen Chabot work as a forward. Parker Kelly, a wings player, skated alongside Mathieu Joseph and Claude Giroux. Giroux spent this season skating at center. The players had a conditioning skate to wrap up practice, and Wednesday they will be off.
