The Ottawa Senators aim to rebound from their first loss of the season in their home opener on Thursday when they skate against the struggling Philadelphia Flyers.
The Senators won their first two games — road victories against the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins. However, the team ran out of luck Tuesday in Detroit, as the Red Wings earned a 5-3 victory.
Drake Batherson, Tim Stutzle and William Eklund scored for the Senators, while newcomer and former Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson made 31 saves. Top goaltender Linus Ullmark missed the game with an undisclosed injury, although coach Travis Green felt like the team dragged a bit in front of Ersson.
“I thought we looked a little tired, but there are going to be games where you are tired in this league,” Green said.
Stutzle is off to a good start with three goals and three assists in the first three games. Michael Amadio and Batherson each have scored twice, although veteran Claude Giroux — a long-time Flyer — is among the Senators looking for his first goal of the campaign.
“We didn’t really play for the first 25 or 27 minutes of the game,” Senators captain Thomas Chabot said. “In this league, no matter who you play, if you don’t show up right at the start, you aren’t going to win.”
Philadelphia has plenty of issues of its own, losing each of its first four contests while getting overwhelmed 158-76 on shots. The Flyers are 0-for-11 on the power play and have been outscored 17-5 thus far.
“We’ve got to be better and it starts with me and (backup goalie Joseph Woll),” said goalie Dan Vladar, who allowed three goals in Monday’s 4-1 setback against the Tampa Bay Lightning, a marked improvement after he yielded seven goals in a season-opening loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. “Hopefully we’re going to turn this thing around because, obviously, this is not us. This is not fun. Obviously, our game is not at the level it should be.”
Tyson Foerster scored the only goal for Philadelphia in the defeat against Tampa Bay. The team only has three goals from forwards in the early going — and nobody on the roster has more than two points so far.
“We’re not getting the results,” Flyers forward Porter Martone said. “This whole team, we expect a lot more. You can’t be getting outshot like that. Give them credit, they’re a good team, but you’ve got to come to battle. We have the skill in here, we have the people, it’s just doing it. We’ve just got to be connected. It’s easy to say, but I’m a person where actions speak louder than words.”
Ottawa won all three meetings between the teams last season, including two in overtime. Stutzle netted the game-winner in both OT contests.
The Flyers will keep a close eye on the durable center, who scored 34 goals last season and has played in at least 75 games over the past five years. Philadelphia coach Rick Tocchet is equally focused on his team’s offense just three games into the campaign.
“You’ve got to make plays under pressure, and maybe that’s the hardest thing after coming off the summer,” Tocchet said. “Some other teams have caught on pretty quick, while some other teams have struggled. We’re obviously one of the teams that have struggled with that kind of stuff.”