Cozens Scored, But the Senators Need the Rest of His Game
Sometimes a player needs one good night to get things moving. Dylan Cozens finally scored his first goal of the season on Saturday, added an assist, and helped the Ottawa Senators beat the New York Rangers 7-4. He also delivered five hits, so he wasn't exactly hiding.
For Cozens, that’s an encouraging step. Through his first 12 appearances, he had managed just five points, a slow start for a forward expected to contribute in Ottawa's top six and on the power play. One two-point game doesn't fix everything, but it gives him something positive to build on. And the Senators could use more of that.
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The Good and the Not-So-Good for Cozens.
Cozens' night was a reminder that hockey rarely gives you a completely tidy story. He helped set up Drake Batherson's second goal before scoring himself on a deflection in the second period. There was some real offensive contribution there. But he also made a costly mistake that contributed to a shorthanded goal against. That's the part of the game Cozens will want to clean up.
It's easy to focus on the goal and the assist, especially when a player has been waiting for that first goal of the season. But Ottawa needs more than occasional flashes of offence. It needs Cozens making good decisions when the puck is on his stick, when the play is developing, and when a small mistake can quickly end up in the back of his own net. The encouraging part is that he was involved. The next step is putting more of those positive moments together in the same game. question
Ottawa Needs More Than Its Headliners.
The Senators have skilled forwards who can create offence, but a team can't expect the same few players to carry the load every night. When someone like Cozens starts contributing, it gives the lineup another potential source of production. That doesn't mean he has to become a point-per-game player overnight. It means finding a level of consistency that lets the coaching staff trust him in key situations.
His summer preparation and natural ability aren't in question here. The challenge is turning those tools into results during the long, demanding NHL season.
For Cozens, Can One Good Game Become a Starting Point?
Cozens has something to feel good about after Saturday. His first goal is out of the way, he helped create offence, and Ottawa picked up a win. Now comes the harder part: doing it again, and doing it without giving away the good work at the other end of the ice.
The Senators don't need perfection from Cozens. They need more nights when his best contributions outweigh his mistakes. Saturday was a start. The next few games will tell us more.