Pathetic power play paralyzes Senators in Game 3 loss to Hurricanes

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Claude Giroux: C

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Giroux was solid on draws — he went 9-for-16 — and that was pretty much it. He tried to get into the game early, throwing a big hit on Sean Walker 22 seconds in, but he didn’t have much of an impact throughout. He was outmuscled in puck battles and was one of two forwards to not register a shot on goal.

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Shane Pinto: C+

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With last change on Thursday, coach Travis Green mostly matched his shutdown line with the Hurricanes’ top trio, and Pinto helped hold Sebastian Aho and company to just two shots in around seven minutes of 5-on-5 together. Pinto had a key slot block on the penalty kill in the first, one of three blocks in the game. While he’s played some strong defence this series, his offensive game has been underwhelming. Pinto has zero points in three games.

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Michael Amadio: C

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Amadio took a high-sticking penalty in the first and then baited Aho into a hook in the second. He spent a minute in the defensive zone without a stick in the second, which is always a baffling decision when the bench is just 40 feet away. Amadio is missing a step in the playoffs, and his line is suffering offensively because of it.

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Warren Foegele: C+

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Foegele seemed to find himself outnumbered in puck battles and rush opportunities. The effort is definitely there, but he’s been stifled like the rest of the forward corps.

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Nick Cousins: A-

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Cousins had some good poise with the puck, setting up Lars Eller for a one-timer in the first. Promoted to the top line for a couple shifts in the second, he sent a perfect saucer pass over Slavin’s stick to Batherson for the 1-1 goal. Cousins was one of the few forwards with energy all game long, throwing five hits.

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Fabian Zetterlund: C+

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The fourth line had its best game of the series so far, but it wasn’t enough to make much of a difference. Zetterlund had four hits in 8:28. His best chance of the game came in the second when he stole a puck deep in the O zone and got a quick shot off from a sharp angle.

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Lars Eller: C+

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Eller’s game flipped on home ice. His skating was much improved, but he lost his touch in the dot, going 0-for-7 in face-offs.

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Defencemen

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Jake Sanderson: B

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Sanderson took a nasty headshot from Taylor Hall in the second period, his helmet flying straight off on contact. The Senators’ No. 1 defenceman left the game minutes later. There was no update on his status post-game.

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Nikolas Matinpalo: A-

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It’s really remarkable what Matinpalo has accomplished this season, having been banished to the press box for multiple lengthy stints. Every time an injury has occurred on the blue line, and there have been many, he’s saddled up with a new partner and elevated his game. The guy simply plays harder than his competition. He was a horse on the PK on Thursday, and was the only player on the team to finish plus-1. He had three blocks in 19:21.

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Jordan Spence: C+

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Spence had an adventurous first period, taking a huge reverse hit early on, getting burned by a Jackson Blake spin move on a Canes rush, and saving a sure goal by blocking Andrei Svechnikov’s shot with his skate when the Carolina forward had an open net. Spence had three hits and two takeaways in 20:29, but he couldn’t get anything through to the net. Five of his shot attempts were blocked.

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Thomas Chabot: C-

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The Senators’ defencemen were largely unable to make solid first passes, often opting for easy clears that were typically gathered by Carolina in the neutral zone. Chabot was guilty of that, and he rimmed a number of pucks into opposing players’ pants and shin pads. He skated the puck out of the defensive zone more as the game went on, but with how the Hurricanes stack up on their own blue line, it mostly led to dump-ins with a minimal forecheck.