Ottawa Senators outmuscled, outworked in Game 1 shutout loss to Carolina Hurricanes

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Dylan Cozens: C+

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The improved speed we saw from Cozens in the final weeks of the regular season was missing in Game 1. He was definitely an asset in wall battles for the second line, which boasted Ottawa’s best possession numbers at 5-on-5, but he had a hard time fighting through strong Carolina stick-checks when he tried to drive to the middle of the O-zone. Cozens, parked in the slot, missed high on a feed from Stutzle on a power play in the third period. He had five hits, won the majority of his faceoffs and had two shots in 18:58.

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Ridly Greig: B-

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Greig was one of the Senators’ better penalty-killers. Though his line was decent at even strength, offence was tough to come by for him individually, his lone shot attempt being a tip on a Jordan Spence point shot in the first period. Greig drew a slashing call in the second period, though it was a total makeup call as Carolina’s Jalen Chatfield simply played him hard and got punished for it.

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Shane Pinto: A-

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It’s too bad that Selke Trophy voting is over because that defensive performance would’ve won over a lot of critics. Pinto was Ottawa’s most committed defensive forward, bearing down in board battles and sticking with some extremely talented and elusive Carolina forwards. He was incredible on Ottawa’s first 5-on-3 kill. Pinto was really the only player on his line that had any offensive touch, once making an unreal play on his knees to gather a loose puck and get a shot off from the high slot in the third period. He also took an iffy high-sticking penalty in the third.

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Michael Amadio: C+

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Amadio was as advertised defensively, making blocks at the top of the zone and getting sticks on Carolina shot attempts to deflect them up into the net. His game was far too one-dimensional, however, as the shutdown line struggled mightily to create off the cycle in the O-zone and bobbled the puck on a number of promising plays.

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Nick Cousins: C

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Cousins’ interference penalty for blatantly spearing Alexander Nikishin in the groin was deflating for Ottawa, which had begun to make a push while being down 1-0 in the third period. Cousins had gotten away with some other things earlier in the game, but he pushed it too far.

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Warren Foegele: B+

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Foegele is made for the postseason, throwing caution to the wind on the forecheck, fighting through hits and getting gritty in the corners. He could’ve used some linemates who were also up to the task.

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Fabian Zetterlund: C-

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Zetterlund had three hits, but took more, getting thrown to the ice three times in a single shift in the first period. He took a slashing penalty in the third period, when a Carolina stick snapped in half. Not much you can do about that. However, upon exiting the box, Zetterlund opted to skate to the bench instead of hustling back to help defend a 4-on-3 Hurricanes rush. The player he could’ve easily covered then set up what should’ve been a tap-in.

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Lars Eller (89) of the Senators attempts to apply defensive pressure on Sebastian Aho of the Hurricanes during the second period of the game on Saturday. Photo by Jared C. Tilton /Getty Images

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Lars Eller: D-

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Eller had cement feet, getting totally smothered carrying the puck in the neutral zone and unable to turn up ice to join potential rushes with his linemates. He had a brutal giveaway in the second period, blindly throwing the puck into the middle of the O-zone for Sebastian Aho to intercept in stride. He had zero shot attempts and zero hits in 7:09. The only reason Eller didn’t receive an F was because he won the battle at the faceoff dot.

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Defencemen

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Jake Sanderson: B+

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The Hurricanes targeted Sanderson on puck retrievals, hitting him four times in the first half of the opening frame alone. Once the game calmed down slightly in the second period, Sanderson got comfortable and started carrying the puck a lot more and stepping up in the neutral zone to break up plays. He intercepted a pass at Carolina’s blue-line midway through the middle frame and performed a give-and-go with Batherson to get a shot off all alone. Sanderson was stagnant and slow to make decisions quarterbacking the first few power plays. It was only during the Senators’ last gasp late in the third period that he looked like himself on the man advantage.