Before the Puck Drops: What Must the Senators Do to Beat

The Ottawa Senators have had a pretty good start to the season. Two road wins over the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins got them there. Then came Tuesday night in Detroit. The Senators lost 5-3, and captain Thomas Chabot didn't really mince words afterward. Ottawa didn't play for the first 25 or 27 minutes, he said. And in the NHL, you can't do that.

That might be the biggest thing Ottawa needs to fix Thursday night when the winless Philadelphia Flyers come to town for the Senators' home opener. The Flyers are 0-4. They've been outshot 158-76 and outscored 17-5. Their power play is 0-for-11. This team is having a hard time getting much going. And that's exactly what can make this game dangerous.

First, the Senators need to start on time.

This seems almost too simple, but it's probably the biggest key. Ottawa can't look at Philadelphia's record and decide this is the easy one. The Flyers are struggling, but they're also desperate. Every team eventually gets tired of losing. Philadelphia forward Porter Martone said it pretty well: the Flyers have the skill, but they have to come to battle and get connected.

That's what Ottawa has to expect from the opening faceoff. The Senators don't need to play a perfect game. They just need to play their game right away. Get on pucks. Move their feet. Make Philadelphia defend. Don't give the Flyers an early goal that suddenly makes everybody in the building nervous.

Second, the Senators must make the Flyers prove they can score.

Philadelphia has scored only five goals in four games. Nobody on the team has more than two points. Ottawa should make that a problem. The Senators have already shown they can score. Tim Stützle has three goals and three assists in three games, while Drake Batherson and Michael Amadio have each scored twice.

So Ottawa has no reason to get into a track meet just because it's the home opener. Play solid hockey. Don't hand the Flyers chances. Make them work for every goal. And if the Senators can get Stützle and the rest of that offence going early, they can put Philadelphia in a very uncomfortable position.

Third, the Senators can’t beat themselves.

This feels like one of those games where Ottawa's biggest opponent might not be the Flyers. It might be Ottawa itself. They need to come out ready, play with some urgency and not assume anything because of the standings.

Do that, and the Senators should have a very good chance to make their home opener a happy one.