In a crucial rebound attempt following a snapped six-match winning streak, the Ottawa Senators are gearing up to face the formidable Colorado Avalanche this Thursday. The Senators’ captain, Brady Tkachuk, expressed his disappointment about their recent performance, but remained hopeful of learning valuable lessons from their setbacks.
“It was a tough pill to swallow,” admitted Tkachuk, reflecting on the lost game. He highlighted the Senators’ faltering strategy in the final period as a key factor in their defeat. He continued, “However, every cloud has a silver lining. This could be a timely wake-up call that helps us learn and improve our game strategy as we approach the end of the season.”
Tkachuk, the Senators’ top scorer with 27 goals in 65 games, saw his nine-match point streak come to an end in Montreal. The Senators’ offensive line is also bolstered by Tim Stutzle, who leads the team with 48 assists and 68 points in 67 games.
Thursday’s face-off will be the second and last encounter between the Senators and the Avalanche this season. Their previous clash ended with a narrow 5-4 victory for Colorado on Oct. 27 in Denver. Mackenzie Blackwood’s 24 saves weren’t enough to prevent the Senators’ defeat.
The Avalanche, currently third in the Central Division, are hot on the heels of the second-place Dallas Stars and striving to maintain their lead over the fourth-place Minnesota Wild. Avalanche coach Jared Bednar emphasized the importance of consistent performance. “We can’t afford to lose focus. We need to keep playing quality hockey, especially as we’re jostling for position at this stage of the season,” he said.
Despite suffering a loss to the Leafs, Avalanche’s key players, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, continued to impress. MacKinnon, leading the NHL with 104 points and 77 assists, added one more assist to his tally. Makar, the league’s top defenseman in terms of points (79), goals (25), and assists (54), also contributed to Nichushkin’s 18th goal of the season.