Ottawa Senators Search For A Spark To Recharge A Lifeless Power Play
Whenever an offence struggles and is goal-starved at five-on-five, the most straightforward remedy to offset that is to maximize the power play's opportunities when they arise.
Through 50 games this season, no one can accuse the Senators of not having their chances. Only the Boston Bruins have drawn more power play opportunities than the Senators' 158.
To their credit, the Senators have won a lot of close, low-scoring affairs of late, but an effective power play would undoubtedly take some pressure off a team that is defending incredibly well but struggling to produce at five-on-five.
Unfortunately, their power play has failed to produce, clicking on only two of its last 25 opportunities. Obviously, it's a small sample size, but when John Muckler's amateur scouting staff is more efficient drafting Russians in the mid-2000s, it's never a flattering sign.
The Senators' power play has not always been an issue this season. Their 35 power-play goals are the seventh-highest total in the league, but in terms of efficiency, the organization has undoubtedly benefited from the number of penalties they have drawn. The Senators' 22.2 percent success rate ranks 13th in the league.
What is weird about the Senators' power play is that, despite its early success rate, some analytics hubs believe it has outperformed its true performance.
Hockeyviz.com
Underperforming their expected goals rate has been a problem for the Senators whether the team has been at even strength or has the man advantage.
Head coach Travis Green has referred to this in his media availabilities, believing that the results should improve if the expected goal rates are steady over time. I looked into the Senators' power play numbers over at NaturalStatTrick, and one of the things I noticed about their power play is that the rate of expected goals they create (7.33 xGF/60, 23rd) is in the bottom third of the league.
That rate has improved in the team's last 10 games, but Green attributed some of the team's struggles to the lack of practice time due to the team's condensed schedule.
"We haven't had a lot of practice time," the head coach explained. "So, we'll have a little bit longer practice. We'll get some power play. We can shoot the puck a little bit more, but there's no secret sauce to just getting a good power play."
The Senators can shoot more, but there is a fine line.
Generating shot quality is paramount for success, but the pursuit of perfect scoring opportunities can often lead to several chances being passed up. At the other end of the spectrum, nobody wants to see harmless muffins thrown from the perimeter at the opposing goaltender.
It is that pursuit of quality chances that Brady Tkachuk believes has worked against the team of late.
"I feel like a lot of our success at the start was just dirty off of not a turnover but out of battles," the captain explained. "Just finding that quick play. I feel like right now things aren't going well.
"We're trying to make it happen and make it a beautiful, perfect play where, I think we're in the mindset now. Let's just get a greasy one. Find a way to outnumber them at the net and just bang home or rebound and go for that."
There is so much emphasis on defending seam passes while taking away the bumper position. By limiting the chances in the slot and high slot areas, the opposition is daring the Senators to try and beat them from the outside.
Unfortunately, the guys on the flanks and top of the umbrella have been too passive - preferring to maintain possession by passing the puck around without creating consequential one-timer opportunities for guys like Claude Giroux, Josh Norris or Drake Batherson.
So, how do you exploit a system that locks down the slot and bumper areas?
"If they're taking away the bumper, that means there's more at a diamond," Tkachuk said. "There's more net front opportunities. I feel like we can produce more sifters and shots maybe from the outside and just having for our unit, me and Drake (Batherson), near the net.
"If we're 2-on-1 with that defenceman, then we have a good chance of scoring rebounds, second chances. (We need to) generate more looks from that. From that aspect, I know that, for me, sometimes everybody shifts up and plays a little bit high. We've made an emphasis on throwing sifters and we have a line."
Drake Batherson emphasized the need to take advantage of what the penalty kill unit allows.
"(The slot and high slot area) is obviously probably the most dangerous place on the ice where you can shoot a puck," Drake Batherson described. " Guys like (Sam) Reinhardt, they score a ton of goals in there. So, teams are obviously trying to take that away.
"When they're taking away that, there's usually another guy open on the backside. A flank guy with a one-timer or something, so you have to take what they give you and go from there."
Batherson believes the group must avoid forcing plays if they are not available. Structure can be beaten with efficient and smart puck management.
"Obviously, sometimes you gotta trust your instincts on a play," Batherson said. "Take what they give and ensure everything's crisp. Once you get in the zone, you have to set up for a second or two, and then try to get some shots and some volume at the net.
Just like their sound system following wins, more volume can be key.
"More volume with a good screen, it's always better for your power plays. So obviously, you want to set up and try to create good looks. But sometimes teams just sit back and don't run around. And that's when you gotta take shots and get some bodies in front."
Sometimes, all that is needed is confidence. A goal or two could spur the momentum this team needs to take a step offensively.
Leave us a note below in the comments and join the Hockey News' new fan forum, the Ottawa Senators Roundtable. And be sure to bookmark The Hockey News Ottawa for more stories like this.
Related: Remembering Former Ottawa Broadcaster and NHL Executive Shawn Simpson
Related: Ottawa Senators President Addresses Fans' Concerns As Team Announces Games In Quebec City
Related: Ottawa Senators Announce Veteran Winger Will Miss 6-8 Weeks With Knee Injury