The Ottawa Senators were unable to claim the victory that would have ensured their survival in the playoff race by losing 7-2 against the Florida Panthers on Thursday night.
This fourth loss in a row for the Sens combined with a victory for the Penguins over the Wild confirmed the exclusion of the Canadian team for a sixth straight year. The eight-point deficit of the Sens (37-35-7) on the second place team drafted is impossible to catch up with only three games to play.
The Panthers have won their last five games. It was the Sens who inflicted their last setback on March 27. Alex Lyon was the starting goaltender during this happy streak, and tonight he was once again a pillar in front of the net, repelling no less than 56 shots.
The Floridians built a 3-0 lead thanks in part to two goals from Aleksander Barkov, who also added an assist to his record. That quickly ended a night’s work for goaltender Leevi Merilainen, who gave up three times on 12 shots in just his second career NHL start.
Defenseman Brandon Montour, who broke the ice in the first period, had a goal and two assists. Matthew Tkachuk contributed two assists to surpass his personal mark in points in one season, with 105. He had 104 last season with the Calgary Flames.
Sam Reinhart hit the 30-goal mark for a second consecutive season to make it 4-1, then Eetu Luostarinen added it. Nick Cousins and Gustav Forsling completed the brand.
Despite shooting 22 times in the first period, the Senators left empty-handed for the locker room and were repeatedly frustrated by Alex Lyon, including on a double power play in the second period. Claude Giroux was the visitors’ lone goalscorer, scoring his 31st of the campaign in the second, until Ridly Greig netted in the dying minutes of the game in a desperate cause. In relief, February rookie of the month Mads Sogaard was not as successful as his last start against the Panthers, allowing four goals on 18 shots.
Ottawa head coach DJ Smith was ejected with approximately 7 minutes left in the game as his team trailed 6-1. The animosity first grew in the second period when six major fighting penalties plus two game misconducts were awarded. It then escalated at the end of the game with six penalties for roughing and three game misconducts which culminated in the expulsion of Smith. A total of 132 penalty minutes were handed out.
Islanders downgrade Penguins
The game of musical chairs continued among the drafted teams. The New York Islanders regained possession of the second available playoff spot by dominating the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-1.
Steven Stamkos’ 1000th career game therefore did not give rise to celebrations in his clan, which also lost two of its players in the defeat. The captain also reached 500 goals, 500 assists and 1,000 points in the NHL this season.
Tanner Jeannot was unable to complete the game for the Lightning after coming into contact with Scott Mayfield midway through the second period. Pat Maroon also failed to return in the final period after being kicked in the ribs by Bo Horvat.
It took until the second period to see a goal finally scored. Adam Pelech opened the scoring with a shot from the point.
Brock Nelson doubled the lead after accepting the surrender of Samuel Bolduc then Nelson assisted on the net for Kyle Palmieri, who fired a perfect shot into the top, to make it 3-0.
Nikita Kucherov eventually got the Bolts on the board, but the Islanders once again controlled the rest of the game. Ryan Pulock restored three-goal priority to his side, while Simon Holmstrom and Bo Horvat put the game out of reach.
Penguins drop out of playoff draw despite win
The Pittsburgh Penguins tentatively reclaimed the second draft spot with a 4-1 win over the Minnesota Wild, before the Islanders ultimately edged them minutes later.
In their first game since qualifying for the playoffs, the Wild lacked conviction and suffered a third straight loss. What hurt twice were lower body injuries to Oskar Sundqvist and Joel Eriksson Ek, who didn’t finish the game. They both retired to the locker room in the second period, Eriksson Ek having to be escorted off the ice after blocking a shot from Evgeni Malkin.
Tristan Jarry made 27 saves in the win, while Rickard Rakell scored the game-winning goal in the second period and added an assist.
Kristopher Letang also beat his former teammate Marc-André Fleury. Jason Zucker also scored with a one-timer following a nice lifted pass from Malkin while the other goal came from Jeff Carter.
Fleury ultimately made 27 saves, while Marcus Johansson scored in a losing cause.
The Penguins are undefeated in regulation in their last nine meetings against the Wild.
