After allowing two goals in the first period of Saturday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa goalie Craig Anderson left the ice in a huff. He had just faced two breakaways – one of which was converted to a goal – off lazy turnovers at the end of the period and was visibly upset with the team in front of him.
When asked about Anderson’s blow up after the game, Senators coach Dave Cameron stood up for his goalie.
“Wouldn’t you be (upset)? He had every right to be upset after the way we defended today.”
The Senators allowed 27 shots against in the first period, the most the franchise has ever allowed in one period. For his part, Anderson made 25 saves and although he was pulled early in the second period, he stopped 25 of the 28 shots he faced. That’s a full night of work for most goalies on most nights.
“It was just another mental mistake,” Anderson said of Pacioretty’s goal, the second Montreal tally of the game. “We just didn’t get the puck out of the zone. We were six inches from getting the puck out of the zone. We turned it over. Then we hesitated. Nobody did anything and we give up a breakaway. And then, 30 seconds later, we give up a breakaway to end the period again.
“Too many mental mistakes by us.”
The Senators would eventually lose the game 3-1.
Cameron said he was “shocked” at his team’s lack of effort in the first period. When the coach was asked what was lacking, he said “everything” and when the line of questioning turned to how the coach will handle this going forward, Cameron just said “I have no idea, but I’ll figure that out tomorrow.”
Though Chris Driedger replaced Anderson early in the second period and played about five more minutes, he faced 20 fewer shots than Anderson.
The Senators’ next game is Monday at home to the Los Angeles Kings.
