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The Ottawa Senators delivered one of their strongest performances of the season on Tuesday night but still came away with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals. Despite the defeat, Ottawa earned a valuable point and left the ice with their confidence intact.
Senators Dominate After Slow Start
Washington scored on its very first shot and outshot Ottawa 11-5 in the opening period. However, the Senators responded with a dominant second period, outpacing the Capitals 17-2 in shots and holding them without a single shot for more than 21 minutes.
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Head coach Travis Green praised his team’s effort without hesitation. “I thought we played awesome tonight,” Green said. “It was one of our better games of the year.” He added that he liked everything about Ottawa’s performance, noting the team checked well, created chances and applied consistent pressure on Washington’s defence.
Ersson Stepping Up in Ullmark’s Absence
The Senators have been without starting goaltender Linus Ullmark for nearly three weeks. In that time, Ottawa has gone 4-3-2, largely thanks to 27-year-old Swedish netminder Samuel Ersson, who has steadily grown into the role. The team’s commitment to disciplined, smart play has also helped them stay competitive.
Offensively, Ottawa is no longer relying solely on Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson. Over their last three games, players like Michael Amadio, Fabian Zetterlund, Ridly Greig and Nick Cousins have all contributed. Even the fourth line made an impact, with Hayden Hodgson scoring on Tuesday.
Cousins Injured After Heavy Hit
The evening took a serious turn when forward Nick Cousins absorbed a heavy hit from Washington’s Jakob Chychrun. Cousins then struck his head against the glass and fell hard to the ice. No penalty was called, and he needed assistance to leave the game. Green offered little post-game detail, saying only that Cousins “is not doing great.”
Ottawa will likely be without Cousins for several games. He is the kind of player whose value rarely appears on the scoresheet. He plays up and down the lineup, brings energy, agitates opponents and lifts his teammates. Captain Thomas Chabot expressed concern after the game. “I think everybody hates these scenes in hockey and any sport,” Chabot said. “It’s a lot more than the game of hockey, and it sucks seeing him like that.”
Injuries Mount but Team Stays the Course
Injuries have been a constant challenge for Ottawa through the first 19 games. Jake Sanderson missed eight games, Artem Zub missed seven and Chabot himself sat out four. Warren Foegele has missed six games, Andre Burakovsky has been in and out, and William Eklund is out after tearing a tendon in his ankle after just four games. Ullmark has now missed nine games.
Despite all of that, the Senators remain committed to Green’s system. “There’s times you’ll feel like you played great hockey and you end up losing,” Chabot said. At 11-6-2, Ottawa is proving that belief runs deeper than the final score.
