Ottawa Senators determined to get on track as they return home

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TORONTO — This isn’t the start the revamped Ottawa Senators expected by any stretch of the imagination.

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After two games in a season where the club is hoped to fight for a spring playoff berth, the Senators returned home after their first winless road trip following a 3-2 loss to the Maples. Toronto Leafs Saturday night at Scotiabank Arena.

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The effort was there against the Leafs and Thursday’s 4-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabers at KeyBank Center, but the Senators fell short. Now, as they prepare to start a five-game home game against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, the club needs to start seeing results.

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« For the most part we played well, but it definitely stinks, » captain Brady Tkachuk said. “We have a very important game for us on Tuesday, so we have to put that behind us. Overall we played a very good game and had strong teamwork.

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“We have the guys in the room so we can notice the things we do and learn from them right away. I don’t think this is the time to panic. It’s two games. Of course, we would have liked to win those two games, but it’s still two (games) out of 82. We’re not too worried about that.

Nor should they be. This group has far too much talent to continue. Everyone in the room, including Josh Norris, Tim Stutzle, Thomas Chabot, Drake Batherson, Alex DeBrincat, Claude Giroux and Tkachuk can be better.

The Senators faced one of the best teams in the NHL on Saturday night. Tied 1-1 in the third, a misguided interference penalty against Parker Kelly allowed William Nylander to score the go-ahead goal for the Leafs.

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Giroux tied the game with 5:11 left in the game, but Justin Holl scored the winner with 1:55 left as he went to the net to put home a loose puck on a scramble past Anton Forsberg . At this point in the game, you need to make sure you leave with at least one point and send it to OT.

In this situation, the Senators need to be more physical because no one can afford to allow goals like the one Holl scored. That put a damper on what had been an otherwise solid effort by the Senators against a team expected to compete for the Stanley Cup.

« They threw it in the net and at that point we have to be a little more desperate, » coach DJ Smith said. “We have to start knocking people down. We fish the puck and the puck fell on a guy and he just shoved it.

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« It’s definitely something we’re going to look into. »

Early in the game, Smith had spoken to the players about being better defensively than they were at Buffalo and taking advantage of their chances. You have to give Toronto keeper Ilya Samsonov credit as he found himself in a tight spot to make 26 saves.

The chances were there for the Senators and those will start to materialize sooner rather than later. The club’s front two lines are brimming with attacking talent while the trio of Shane Pinto, Tyler Motte and Mathieu Joseph can also play key minutes.

« Samsonov made so many saves that could have helped us, » Smith said. « It’s hard to leave here without scoring a point, but the message has to be that you can’t play better without scoring one. We’re going to win games here soon that maybe we don’t deserve, but if we play like that, everything will be fine.

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The fact that the Senators only scored three goals in the first 120 minutes of the season is also a surprise. Buffalo goaltender Craig Anderson was solid with 35 saves Thursday and that was a big reason the Senators went 0-for-4 with the man advantage.

The Senators’ power play was much better against the Leafs. Pinto opened the scoring on the power play at 9:09 of the first when he fired from the slot to beat Samsonov from the glove side. In the second, they had several chances with another power play but couldn’t score.

« I think we played pretty well. Even down there we gave our own, there was just that last shift was tough, » Pinto said. « It’s part of the game sometimes. »

The Senators can’t dwell on those losses or the record.

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The next 10 days will be spent at home and it will be a playoff-like atmosphere on Tuesday with the Bruins in town and the Canadian Tire Center sold out. The Washington Capitals, Arizona Coyotes, Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild will also be in attendance.

« We know what position we’re in right now, » said Giroux, who scored two points against the Leafs. “Since the start of the season, we said to ourselves that we were going to improve day by day, and whatever the result.

« We believe that if we play the right way and the way we want to, the results will come. Sometimes it’s important not to play for the result. You build on your game and your identity, then the results will come.

bgarrioch@postmedia.com

Twitter: @sungarrioch