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The Ottawa Senators rode an 11-game winning streak into the latest conflagration of the Battle of Ontario Saturday night.
Chances are they really aren’t that good.
The Maple Leafs came into the game after allowing three goals in the last three minutes in another act of self-immolation against the New Jersey Devils. It was the second time in a week they’d blown a lead.
Chances are they really aren’t that bad.
“There really isn’t that big of a talent gap between the teams at the top and the others in this league,” Leafs’ goalie J-S Giguere, said Saturday, after a morning skate. “You look at that game (a 4-3 loss to Jersey) and we actually played very well ... but those kinds of things happen when you’ve got a young team.
“It’s disappointing. It makes you mad ... but you need to go through the pain to get to the good times. In the long run this going to make us a better team.”
While Ottawa is sitting cozy in a playoff spot and Toronto keeps shooting itself in the ego, Senators’ captain Daniel Alfredsson knows of what Giguere speaks. Hanging on to success in the NHL can be like trying to scoop soup with a fork. Winning streaks are nice, but over-rated.
“We can’t take anything for granted,” Alfredsson said, noting all three games earlier this season against the Leafs were decided by one goal — including a 3-2 loss in December. “Obviously we have more talent (than Toronto) but we have to match their work ethic,” he said in a statement guaranteed to further endear him to touchy Leafs’ fans.
That snide aside, what Alfredsson is alluding to is the narrow gap between success and failure.
“Sometimes losing streaks don’t start when you lose the first game ... Buffalo was all over us (Wednesday) but we still won and a night earlier Montreal is up 2-0 on us,” he said.
Feeling the pain
And, it wasn’t that long ago the Senators and Alfredsson were feeling the Leafs’ pain.
A year ago they were pilloried as chronic under-achievers. Earlier this season the team struggled with injuries and the .500 mark. But they’ve been outscoring teams 37-13 during the franchise-best 11 game winning streak. How does this happen? It has helped that Jason Spezza has a six-game scoring streak since returning from injury and goalie Brian Elliott has been outstanding. More important, where the Leafs are young and insecure, the Senators have veterans and confidence.
“When you’re losing a lot,” said Alfredsson, “you become defensive and think: ‘I have to be even more careful’ and then you take away your offensive game. When you’re winning you don’t worry ... you give yourself more patience. You don’t worry about small mistakes ... and that comes with experience and confidence.”
The Senators have had it; the Leafs haven’t and it is reflected by some gut-check numbers. Coming into last night’s game the Senators are 14-4-4 in one goal games, the Leafs just 8-6-11.
“We’ve been doing a lot of things well, all four lines. Solid defensively and we’ve been able to capitalize at key times,” said Alfredsson. “We’ve been playing smart without the puck and making smart decisions. We’re not the high-scoring team we used to be but we know our roles.”
Many of the Leafs don’t know from night to night what their roles are. It is a team looking for an identity.
In overtime, Ottawa was 8-4, the Leafs a confidence-rattling 1-11. So it wasn’t exactly shocking when Devils’ Jay Pandolfo scores with 18.9 seconds left to complete a three-goal Devils’ comeback Friday, less than a week after Vancouver wiped away a 3-0 deficit.
“It’s about learning how to find a way to win ... instead we’re still finding ways to lose,” said Giguere. “That changes when you grow as a team. Look at Colorado; you say what’s so special about that team? But they’ve learned how to close out games. Do it once; the next time it’s easier. Confidence? It’s like a rolling ball and the ball can roll both ways.”
bill.lankhof@sunmedia.ca