RALEIGH, N.C. — The margins are thin in playoff hockey, as the Ottawa Senators and Carolina Hurricanes discovered in this year's post-season opener.
If Game 1 is any indication, good scoring chances will be few and far between.
“I think at the end of every game, both teams are going to feel like there wasn't space on the ice. And I don't see that changing,” said Senators head coach Travis Green after Ottawa’s 2-0 loss on Saturday.
“I don't think the series is ever going to look like there's a ton of space out there. It's going to look very similar every night."
The players feel much the same way
If it wasn’t for a save from Frederik Andersen in the third period that was initially called a goal but disallowed, maybe the Senators post a come-from-behind victory We should have goal-line technology by now: a topic for another day.
Maybe, if a puck underneath Linus Ullmark’s leg slips past the net, not in front of the goal on Carolina’s second goal, we have a different story.
Both Ottawa and Carolina have elite special teams, and both penalty kills were perfect.
It was close, but the Hurricanes got the job done.
“Two lucky goals for them,” said Senators defenceman Jake Sanderson. “We're going to get our chances, too. So just making sure we're staying sharp.”
It likely will a low-scoring series. But the fact the Senators struggled to create offence is a worrying sign.
"We didn’t find a way to generate enough but their team also does that to you as well … we didn’t give up too many Grade A’s," said Green.
When two of the three or four best defensive teams analytically speaking play each other, goals might be as plentiful as fights.
Senators captain Brady Tkachuk dropped the gloves with Hurricanes counterpart Jordan Staal off the opening faceoff.
“Just want to show it's going to be a long series," said Tkachuk.
Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said he had no idea that Tkachuk and Staal were going to fight. Green loved it.
It was the third time in the last month that Tkachuk has fought a fellow captain to open a big game; the last two were with the New York Islanders’ Anders Lee.
“No better way to start off the playoffs for us,” said Sanderson about his captain's fight.
A better way would have been with a win.
Physicality of the non-punching variety wasn’t expected from the Hurricanes.
Carolina averaged 20 hits a game in the season. But expect the unexpected in the playoffs. They had 33 in the first period.
The two teams totalled a whopping 96 hits.
As the series progresses and the physicality ratchets up, in theory that should benefit the bigger Senators.
But the battle of attrition already has started, and the Senators are losing that on top of the series itself. Defenceman Artem Zub left the game in the second period after delivering a hit on Seth Jarvis.
Green provided no update afterward.
The Senators also are missing Nick Jensen and Tyler Kleven, which means the team is playing without three of its top six D-men.
In his first career NHL playoff game, Dennis Gilbert struggled. If Kleven isn’t back in Game 2, it might be better to try Lassi Thomson. Gilbert and Nikolas Matinpalo were on the ice for one shot attempt for and nine against.
It's uncertain when Kleven will return but he recently practised in a non-contact jersey.
The Senators’ season has been filled with adversity. It’s unlikely going down 1-0 will faze them. What should worry them is that historically, and again on Saturday, Carolina has edged the Senators in every category.
"They didn't finish first for nothing," said Green about Carolina.
Goalie battle
Ullmark gave up two goals he probably wants back, while Andersen was perfect.
“Unlucky a little bit, but that's playoffs,” said Ullmark about allowing the first goal to Logan Stankoven.
Ullmark played well and made a ton of good saves, but the Hurricanes had the edge between the pipes. Andersen was spectacular in a shutout, despite an awful regular season . If that continues, the Senators need to worry.
In the end, Ullmark gave the Senators a chance to win and was stellar on two five-on-three power plays, which is promising considering his playoff foibles.
“I liked our goaltender’s game tonight,” said Green.
