Senators chalk up gritty 7-4 win over Rangers to maturity, systems

OTTAWA — There are lessons to be learned in every game and the Ottawa Senators, so far, are proving to be good students.

Now three years under head coach Travis Green, the Senators (8-4-0) have fully bought into his system and are reaping the rewards.

A perfect example was Saturday’s night’s 7-4 win over the New York Rangers.

Ottawa jumped out to a 3-0 lead early in the second and by the end of the period found themselves clinging to a 4-3 lead.

Green admitted he felt a shift in the team’s play when it went ahead 3-0.

“We got like five per cent loose or less competitive, and that happens a lot when you get a lead, and it’s something you have to guard against, especially against a hardworking team,” Green said. “Sometimes it’s that five or 10 per cent that just kind of turns the table a little bit, and you can feel the game turning a bit.”

The Rangers pressed hard in the final frame, but the Senators stuck to their system and didn’t try to press the game. They blocked shots and kept New York’s chances to a minimum.

“I think you know, game’s never over ‘til it’s over,” said Jake Sanderson. “You saw they had their push, they had their chances, and you know, I think credit to us not to give up and cave, and just keep pushing through ‘til the end.”

Sanderson spoke about it being an indication of the team’s growth and maturity. He admitted it would have been easy to get frustrated at the way things turned around in the second.

“I think when you talk about the growth of this group, you know, bearing down, knowing how important these games are early in the season because you know a win’s a win whether it’s at the start of the season or at the end,” he said. “So you know, I’ll take it.”

The Senators are heading out on a five-game, 11-day road trip and will likely need to rely on backup goaltenders Samuel Ersson and Jonas Johansson for much of it. Linus Ullmark was placed on injured reserve earlier in the week and is expected to miss at least a couple games. The earliest he could return is Thursday.

Johansson made his Senators debut Saturday and held his own when it mattered most.

Acquired in late September, the 31-year-old has been with the team’s American Hockey League affiliate in Belleville, Ont., and isn’t well acquainted with many players, but made a solid first impression.

“I thought he did a real good job getting out of the crease and stopping some of their rims,” Green said. “You know, rim forecheck is hard to defend against, and he did a real nice job.”

Sanderson was impressed with Johansson’s puck handling.

“I think it’s pretty gutsy for a goalie to do, especially his first game with an organization,” he said. “It was a huge help tonight.”

With more than 100 NHL games to his credit, Johansson has been around long enough to understand the impact a solid first performance can have on new teammates.

“I just try not to change the way I play, I just try to do my best out there for whatever team I play for,” said Johansson. “I mean, I’m really happy to be here. There’s a great group of guys in here, and a really good team.”

Johansson is in good company with two fellow Swedish goaltenders. He previously played with Ullmark in Buffalo and trained with Ersson for much of the summer so there’s a familiarity that helps.

Thomas Chabot will travel with the team and Green is hopeful he could be ready to play at some point on the trip.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 24, 2026.

Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press