Kings 1, Senators 0: Disciplined, Solid Game Slips Away from Ottawa

From the Ottawa Senators’ point of view, this was one of those nights where the effort was there, the structure was there, and the commitment was there — but the finish disappeared somewhere along the way. Ottawa played the kind of patient, disciplined game you need against Los Angeles: no cheating for offense, no extended breakdowns, no soft ice in the middle.

The Senators held the Kings to seven shots through forty minutes. Seven. In most buildings, that’s a recipe for at least a point, if not two. But when you can’t unlock the neutral-zone traffic and you run into a goaltender who knows your shooters inside out, you end up in a 1-0 grinder where one tip changes everything.

The Senators Didn’t Get Outplayed, They Got Out-Timed

And that’s really the story from the Ottawa bench. The Senators didn’t get outplayed; they got out-timed. Every look felt rushed. Every shot felt contested. Even on the power play, Los Angeles smothered the puck so quickly that the Senators never settled into their rotations.

Ridly Greig nearly stole a goal late on that breakaway, and maybe on another night, that’s the moment that keeps the streak alive. But Forsberg closed the door with a calmness that comes from familiarity. Ottawa’s own Linus Ullmark matched him almost save for save, but without a second chance or deflection of their own, the Senators ran out of runway. For a team riding a seven-game point streak, this wasn’t a stumble. It was just a night where the margins snapped shut.

Three Key Points from the Senators’ Perspective

Key Point One: The Senators’ Structure Wasn’t the Problem. Ottawa defended well enough to win. Keeping a high-powered Kings lineup to seven shots after two periods is elite work. The system held; the scoreboard? Well, not this time.

Key Point Two: Neutral Zone Struggles Stalled the Offense. The Kings are a great team this season. They clogged every lane. The Senators spent too much of the night chipping pucks instead of carrying them, and that robbed them of clean possession.

Key Point Three: Forsberg Picked the Wrong Night to Be Sentimental. The former Senator was locked in for his best outing of the season. From the Kings’ point of view, there’s a redemption story here. In this game, the story wrote itself, and the Senators were on the losing end. Sometimes, and last night was one of them, the story is written against you.

Final Comment from the Senators’ Point of View

The Senators’ point streak ended, but not the progress. Ottawa didn’t lose its game; it lost a coin flip. If they keep skating like this, the results will swing back their way soon enough—strong game, but no win.