Down 2-0, Senators’ Offensive Game Plan Didn’t Work – Hockey Writers – Ottawa Senators

Despite the Ottawa Senators’ best performance in Game 2 on Monday night, they couldn’t bury a winner over 60 minutes. The Carolina Hurricanes did with Jordan Martinook ripping it up in double overtime for a 3-2 win and a 2-0 series lead for his team. It’s the second year in a row that the Senators have dropped the first two games of their opening series, and bad luck has been one of the biggest reasons why.

From not being able to get past hero Frederik Andersen late in Game 1 to three loose pucks saved at the goal line in the first nine minutes of Game 2, Ottawa couldn’t buy one through the first 90-plus minutes of the series. After a bad bounce, their first marker off the stick of Drake Batherson came after the ball bounced back to him off the skate of Jaccob Slavin, and Dylan Cozens’ game-tying goal was a corner kick past Andersen. Just when some luck returned to them, the fortunes changed again against Ottawa when Tim Stutzle and Michael Amadio each hit the post in overtime before the dagger in the end.

Even pushing Carolina for nearly 94 minutes of hockey Monday night, the Senators’ inability to finish cost them in the end. Believe it or not, they trail Carolina in expected goals (xGF) at 5.54, per MoneyPuck – they have two in as many games. Not only does it show that there is work to be done offensively if Ottawa wants to string together four of the next five, but that the Hurricanes are hitting them in a few areas that don’t look good right now.

Not Enough Shots – From Anywhere

According to NHL Edge, both teams have the most dangerous shots near the net (21-17 Hurricanes), but when it comes to mid-range attempts – especially slot shots – Ottawa is outscored by Carolina 26-12. Having only three shots from mid-ice compared to Carolina’s eight shows that these bids are being blocked or missing the net. According to the Senators, they had 26.98% of their shot attempts and 45.65% of them missed the net.

In terms of shots on goal, the Senators may average 30.5 per game, but they haven’t registered many in the first 40 minutes in each of the first two contests. They have 21 shots in the third period of the series so far, compared to 25 shots between the first and second period combined in each contest. Yes, Ottawa finished with 39 shots on Monday, but 15 of them came in double overtime. Accounting for regulation, they finished with 22 in Game 1 and 24 in Game 2 – 46 total over the two games.

The Hurricanes, on the other hand, have 65 shots in regulation between the two games while averaging a plus-9 shot differential over their opponent. They achieved their success not so much by driving from the point, but from almost all forwards. With drive and grit on all four lines, the Hurricanes’ forwards were able to slide at will for much of Game 1 and the early part of Game 2, producing putt shots that way.
Their most successful lineup so far: Taylor Hall, Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake, all of whom have been there to start the series with a combined nine points between the three. A good example of a forward group that doesn’t have a lot of size, as none of the trio is over 6-foot-2, but carries energy and drive in their game. It’s not to say Ottawa doesn’t have drive or hunger, but Carolina’s speed is giving them trouble on both ends of the ice so far.

Net Front – Unlucky or Unlucky?

According to Sportsnet statistics, Ottawa led the league with 34 goals scored within five meters of the offensive net during the regular season. Inside 10 yards, they also had a league-leading 108 tackles. Yes, Batherson’s goal in Game 2 was close, but the Senators had more chances up front in the Carolina zone. With a 6-2 shot advantage inside the crease, the Senators get their looks there, but can’t finish or are used in those foul areas.

The Senators managed to do the dirty work in front of the net#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/ocaBbUAXU1

– Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) April 15, 2026

This is most evident in their power plays, where they have not scored seven goals. The Hurricanes, who finished the regular season 11^th on the penalty kill at 80.5%, manage a box layout that keeps opponents on top of the five-on-four. At times, Ottawa was able to counter this, especially in Game 1, with one pass — usually a quick floor-to-ceiling move or a seam feed — creating space in front of the net.
However, despite opening the boys up front, they were checked at the last second or denied by a desperate Andersen, who has a .078 average against the average (GAA) through two games. The team’s bread-and-butter has been driving the net and winning battles off the court all season and having a tough time passing there, with a combination of Carolina’s structure and their own execution.

Without Game 2 Shuffle, What Needs to Change?

There aren’t many options to choose from on defense with Artem Zub and Tyler Kleven still out. Some game changes have already been made on the blue line, most notably Jordan Spence taking shifts with Jake Sanderson up top since the second period of Game 2. The expected goals against 60 minutes (xGA/60) ratio of 0.72, has been a good pairing for Ottawa’s five-on-five defense, and everyone else seems to be doing a better job of closing the gaps. The chances of the Hurricanes outside have since changed, as head coach Travis Green highlighted Wednesday morning.

But what about before? All of the Sens’ front lines finished strong in the regular season, and played good defense, but struggled to put one together in net. Stutzle, who led the team in goals and points during the regular season, has yet to get on the board, and he, Batherson and Claude Giroux are already separated after averaging an xGF/60 of 1.68. Without their third line of Amadio, Warren Foegele and Shane Pinto, who are already their best defensive line statistically, what else is there to do with the top six?

Just to win battles up front and create shooting lanes, perhaps the best thing the Senators can do right now is to go as close to a power forward-sniper combination as they can get on their top two lines. Keeping the elusive Brady Tkachuk and the crafty Stutzle together is a start, but perhaps moving veteran playmaker Giroux along with those two and throwing Batherson into a secondary of Cozens and Ridly Greig is an option. Greig and Cozens are already eager and determined on their own, but pairing more of an offensive mind in Batherson with them could keep the second line going and spread the depth.

As coach Green said after practice Wednesday, “all options are on the table.”

Back at the Canadian Tire Centre, where they won 23 in the regular season, the Sens can at least get out of Raleigh in the next two games. The Hurricanes were the league’s best home team in the regular season with a 29-10-2 record from the Lenovo Center, according to StatMuse, so perhaps changing locations would also change the momentum.

If Ottawa wants to turn things around, they will have to get results sooner rather than later and avoid falling into a deep hole against a strong Hurricanes team. The Senators have never won a series while trailing 2-0 – they are 0-10 all-time in the series after dropping the first two games.