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Sabres Outmaneuver Senators at KeyBank Center in Goal Fest

In a recent face-off, the Ottawa Senators' record now stands at 3-27-4 following a defeat by the Buffalo Sabres, who improved their tally to 23-11-6. The final scoreline read 5-3 in favor of the home team.


Dec 23, 2023; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa Senators defenseman Jakob Chychrun (6) skates to the bench following his goal scored  against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first period at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports

The game began with an aggressive push from the Buffalo Sabres, who capitalized on their chances early on. By the end of the first period, they had already established a commanding lead with three goals to Ottawa's one. The Senators showed resilience but were unable to find the back of the net in the second period while Buffalo extended their lead by another goal.


The Ottawa Senators entered into third-period play with determination and managed to add two more goals to their tally. However, despite these efforts and outshooting Buffalo with 28 attempts on goal compared to Buffalo's 32 shots throughout the game, they could not overcome their opponent's lead. The Senators' shooting accuracy stood at eleven percent while they blocked fourteen shots and delivered twenty-seven hits during play.


Special teams played a significant role in this matchup as well; however, neither side could fully capitalize on powerplay opportunities. The Senators had four powerplays but failed to convert any into goals despite taking four shots during these advantages. Their faceoff performance was evenly matched against that of Buffalo – both teams won fifty percent of faceoffs.


Goaltending was crucial for both sides; Ottawa made twenty-seven saves out of thirty-one shots faced before an empty-netter brought total goals against them up to five for this match-up. On defense, they registered twenty-eight blocked attempts which showcased their commitment in trying to keep pucks away from reaching their netminder.


Looking ahead after this tough loss at KeyBank Center, fans can turn their attention towards upcoming games where support will be crucial for morale and performance alike.


The next challenge for the Ottawa Senators will be hosting San Jose Sharks at Canadian Tire Centre located in Ottawa on January 13th at 4:00 PM EST. Fans eager not miss any action can tune into ESPN+ online or catch it televised via NBCS-CA channel number six hundred ninety-eight if following from away territories.

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