Blackhawks Shut Out by Senators in Defensive Showcase
The Chicago Blackhawks, with a record of 0-1, faced off against the Ottawa Senators, who improved to 1-0 after a tightly contested game that ended with a final score of 2-0. The Blackhawks were unable to find the back of the net despite their efforts, while the Senators capitalized on their opportunities to secure the victory.
In front of an almost full house at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, with an attendance of 19,292 fans eagerly watching, the Blackhawks struggled to make an impact on offense. Despite firing 19 shots towards goal throughout the game and having two powerplay chances to capitalize on, they could not convert any into goals. Their shooting accuracy was lacking as they missed 11 shots and had all their attempts blocked by a staunch Senators defense that put up 13 blocks.
The Blackhawks' goaltending was one bright spot as they managed to save 32 out of 34 shots. However, it wasn't enough to keep them in contention as both goals conceded were during even-strength play. The team's defensive efforts saw them block an equal number of shots at their end but still ended up with a minus ten plus-minus rating for the game.
Faceoffs were another area where Chicago found themselves bested by Ottawa; winning only seventeen out of forty-four faceoffs taken which amounted to a mere thirty-nine percent success rate. This lackluster performance in faceoff circles contributed significantly to their inability to control possession and create scoring opportunities.
On special teams play, neither side managed much success with both teams failing to score on two powerplay opportunities each. However, it was during shorthanded situations that Ottawa found one of its goals which proved pivotal in setting them apart from Chicago.
The Senators displayed more physicality throughout the match registering five more hits than Chicago's twenty-seven and also had seven takeaways compared against four from Chicago indicating better puck possession skills.
Looking ahead for fans following "the" Blackhawks: The team will be visiting Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center for their next matchup scheduled for March 30th at 7:00 PM ET. Fans can catch this upcoming contest live through various broadcast networks including ESPN+ online or NBCS-CHI and NBCS-PH on television.