It isn't time for the Ottawa Senators and head coach Travis Green to start panicking just yet. Green's team sits last in the Atlantic Division standings, but just two points stand between them and the fourth-place team in the division. They are also just four points back of the last wild-card spot, but seasons tend to get late early when falling behind too many teams.
A win against the Detroit Red Wings on Monday night would've gone a long way toward building belief in the roster. However, after heavily out-shooting the Red Wings in the first period, they found themselves down by three goals. They attempted to crawl back into the game on multiple occasions, but eventually fell 5-3. Green knows his team might've deserved the victory, according to NHL.com reporter Wes Crosby.
“We play that game 10 times, we might win it eight or nine times,” Green said. “That's the reality. We try to deal in reality. We try not to look for something that's not there. Truth is, we played a really good hockey game tonight. … Could have scored five to seven goals tonight.”
While Green's comments might help build some confidence in his players, it's also too late in the season to be depending on moral victories. The Senators' trip to the playoffs last season has a new set of expectations in Canada's capital city. Falling back down the standings this season will only infuriate the fanbase.
The first thing the Senators must clean up is their goaltending. With Linus Ullmark taking a personal leave of absence from the team, it's left to Leevi Merilainen and Hunter Shepard to hold down the fort. Merilainen had won two in a row before Monday night's struggles, which should further ease Green's mind.
