With increasing pressure on the shoulders of their head coach, DJ Smith, the Ottawa Senators’ players have given him a boost with back-to-back triumphs and are looking to build on their success to continue on the right path.
Tuesday’s game could also be a defining moment in the club’s season, which has struggled in the first two months of the season. By defeating the mighty New York Rangers 6-2, the Sens sent a message to their fans and the rest of the National Hockey League: They should not be considered defeated, even if they occupy the bottom tier of the Atlantic Section .
• Also read: Jacques Martin returns to the Senators
• Also read: WATCH: Nick Foligno sat on the bench to watch his son skate
For Smith, such an achievement is a good thing, especially as some noted the hiring of Jacques Martin – a former Ottawa team pilot – as a senior adviser to the coaching staff on Wednesday morning. However, others will say that the current instructor has saved some time. Because sport remains primarily a matter of victories and it takes several victories to reassure the public and reassure management.
“I think we played really well against Columbus, but we didn’t get the result we wanted [dans un échec de 4 à 2, vendredi]. Sometimes you lose when you should win. We did well against Seattle on Saturday [un gain de 2 à 0]just like we did here, and we got what we wanted,” Smith told the Ottawa Sun.
“For us these are nine good periods in a row: we have found a bit of consistency.”
Cannons that produce
That’s why everyone tries to keep the positive in the locker room. Some key offensive players have emerged recently. Against the Blueshirts, Vladimir Tarasenko and Brady Tkachuk each scored a brace, while Claude Giroux picked up three points. It’s important to keep up the hard work, especially with the Toronto Maple Leafs set to arrive at the Canadian Tire Center on Thursday.
“It’s not just the story of two trios. “When everyone feels comfortable with themselves and their game, we’re hard to control,” Tkachuk said. This win will really help. […] There are always lessons to learn and areas to improve, but I like the direction we’re going.”
“It’s nice to move forward,” explained goalkeeper Anton Forsberg. I feel good about my performance and believe the team is playing well. We create a lot more scoring chances and play for each other.”