Ottawa Senators' Effort Falls Short Against Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena

The Ottawa Senators, with a record of 29-22-4, faced off against the Tampa Bay Lightning, who held a similar season performance of 29-20-4. Despite a hard-fought battle, the game concluded with the Senators scoring 1 and the Lightning securing 5 points.

Senators' Struggle to Penetrate Lightning's Defense

The Ottawa Senators managed to net only one goal out of their 28 shots on goal, reflecting a shooting percentage of just 4 percent. This lone goal came during the second period, marking their only point throughout the game. The team's power play opportunities did not yield any additional points despite having three chances to capitalize on them. Their faceoff win percentage stood at an even 50 percent from a total of 64 faceoffs, indicating an evenly matched contest in this aspect.

On defense, the Senators blocked an impressive number of shots (18), but this effort was overshadowed by their inability to prevent Tampa Bay from scoring five times. The goaltending statistics show that Ottawa's goalie saved 26 out of the total shots faced but allowed four goals before an empty-netter added to their woes.

Lightning Strikes with Efficiency

On the other side, Tampa Bay Lightning showcased efficient gameplay by converting five goals from their total attempts (31 shots), which translates into a significant shooting percentage advantage over Ottawa. Their power play unit found success once in three opportunities which contributed to their victory margin.

Ryan McDonagh and Andrei Vasilevskiy were among Tampa Bay's top performers for this match. McDonagh was recognized as one of the stars for his defensive prowess that kept Ottawa at bay while Vasilevskiy made crucial saves (27) that ensured his team maintained its lead throughout.

Looking Ahead

The Ottawa Senators will look forward to bouncing back when they visit Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise to face off against Florida Panthers on February 8th at 7:00 PM EDT. Fans can catch all the action live as it will be broadcasted on ESPN+ and SCRIPPS network channels.

This setback serves as motivation for Ottawa as they prepare for upcoming challenges in their schedule. Sharing insights and support through social media can boost team morale ahead of these critical matches.