Ottawa Senators penalty kill is crushing their playoff hopes

Here’s a breakdown of the main points of the article, focusing on the Ottawa Senators’ struggles:

* Penalty Kill is a Major Problem: While historically bad goaltending is a factor in the Senators’ decline, the article argues the penalty kill is equally, if not more, responsible. They have the second-worst penalty kill in the league.
* Losing Leads: The Senators are repeatedly losing games they should be winning, specifically blowing multi-goal leads. They’ve blown three such leads in the last week.
* Breakdowns in Execution: The article details specific defensive breakdowns that lead to goals while shorthanded, citing examples from the Nashville game (Greig, Pinto, Kleven, Zub, Stamkos). These aren’t just about bad luck; they’re about fundamental errors.
* Analytics vs. Observation: The coaching staff defends the penalty kill using analytics (third-best expected goals share). However, the author argues that analytics don’t capture the quality of the chances allowed – easy goals versus hard-earned ones. The author emphasizes that watching the games reveals the goals are frequently enough too easy for opponents.
* Goaltending is Still an Issue: The article acknowledges the poor goaltending, highlighting a dismal .791 save percentage on the penalty kill.

In essence, the article paints a picture of a team undone by preventable mistakes on the penalty kill, despite perhaps positive underlying metrics. It suggests that the Senators are consistently shooting themselves in the foot with poor defensive execution when a man down.