The spectators at the Canadian Tire Center in Ottawa were treated to a real ice hockey spectacle on Tuesday. In a close and hard-fought game, the Ottawa Senators defeated the unbeaten Boston Bruins 7-5 in their first home game of the season.
“It was really unbelievable,” said the captain Brady Tkachuk delighted with the result and impressed by the scenery the fans had provided. “I think in all the stadiums I’ve played in I’ve never been so excited for a game. Respect to all the fans for the support tonight, it really was an incredible experience.”
19,811 spectators found their way into the sold-out arena, as many as last December 2016, when Senators legend Daniel Alfredsson was honored by having his shirt number pulled under the hall roof. There are great expectations of the team in Ottawa. The talented and young core of the team is evolving with experience and management made important moves for the squad over the summer. General Manager Pierre Dorion brought in Veteran Claude Giroux and goalscorer Alex DeBrincat and bound the exceptional German talent Tim Stützle long term. Two of the almost 20,000 spectators in the arena were a special motivation for Stützle, because his parents were in the audience.
“My mother saw five games last season when she was here for two weeks, but it was my father’s first time,” said Stützle. “They saw the game in Toronto three days ago, but it was my father’s first home game. It’s great to have them here, I haven’t seen them for a while.”
The Stützles could hardly have chosen a better game, because their son played a significant part in the Senators’ success in front of a full house. support, Drake Batherson and Brady Tkachuk each had a goal and two assists.
Despite strong performances on offense, Ottawa kept making the game exciting. Giroux, Batherson and Tkachuk ensured a 3-0 lead in the first period, but that was canceled out in the 22nd minute.
“Obviously we have to learn how to handle these situations better,” admitted coach DJ Smith, referring to the three quick goals conceded. “Nevertheless, we kept pushing, created a lot of chances and won the game.”
Shane PintoStützle and Mark Kastelic gave the Senators a three-goal lead again, only to concede two more before the break in the second period. Artem Zub finally made the final score in the 50th minute.
“Everything went exactly as we wanted on offense today, but we gave too much,” analyzed Smith. “Nerves played a big role there, you could tell that on the bench. We played really well in the first two games of the season, but didn’t get the result we wanted, so we’re happy to take this win with us and look ahead.”
The Senators have some challenges ahead, but the trend of the past three games in which they have steadily improved is encouraging. Ottawa lost the first game 4-1 to the Buffalo Sabers. Game two was closer, beating the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-3, but the offense, actually the Senators’ showpiece, left a lot to be desired. The knot burst against Boston and every opponent should beware of a Senators offensive that has a run.
Over the next nine days, four more teams in Ottawa have to face Stützle and his colleagues. The Washington Capitals are guests on Thursday, the Arizona Coyotes are coming on Saturday, the Dallas Stars are on Monday and next Thursday the duel with the Minnesota Wild will mark the end of the home series for the Senators.