With Dany Heatley on the shelf for six weeks and Daniel Alfredsson day-to-day nursing a hip flexor injury, it is time for the remaining Ottawa Senators to show guts and character and grit out a few wins.
The first two games without the duo were very uninspiring. The Senators scored only one goal while allowing in eight.
It’s not like they were playing the Red Wings or Penguins, where sub-par performances and losses might be excused. Ottawa were shutout by Tampa (2-0) and gave up six goals on 21 shots in a loss to Philadelphia.
With the club's two top snipers out, they need a better all around offensive effort from the likes of Antoine Vermette, Mike Fisher, Patrick Eaves, and Jason Spezza.
The defensive zone coverage has been dismal at best, and after Phillips and Volchenkov there is no certainty about the team's performance from the blue line. Goaltending has also been shaky, especially for Gerber in his two periods against the Flyers.
The Senators are a talented group overall, but one that seems rudderless without its captain. Their play as a unit has been lacklustre and without urgency.
They are now in the midst of a three game road trip leading into the All-Star break, one that is pivotal and could be a turning point in the season. If they win the two games in Florida, they go into the All-Star break with an eight or 10 point lead in the conference. Ottawa then can enjoy the time off and come back refreshed and ready for the stretch run.
But, lose both games and the lead could conceivably be down to four or six points, causing panic among fans in Ottawa.
With the looming trade deadline on Feb. 23, there are already rumors that a couple of deals were in the works last week. There’s speculation that a goaltender and a defenseman might be on their way out in exchange for scoring help in the form of a top-six forward.
GM Bryan Murray has stated that he would be willing to deal a roster player or players if it helps his team, and rightfully so.
The club has been carried on the shoulders of Heatley, Spezza, and, most importantly, Alfredsson. If the other 17 guys aren't going to get the job done as a unit, it might be necessary to break them up and bring in some fresh faces who can.
But that is a worst-case scenario and it can all be avoided with a couple of quality wins over supposedly inferior competition in the Panthers and Lightning.
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