The Ottawa Senators and the Carolina Hurricanes’ Game 2 duel will go down in history as one of the most exhilarating hockey showdowns, not just because it was four hours long, making it the third-longest game in the Senators’ playoff history, but also because of the double overtime drama that ensued.
The climax kept the viewers on the edge of their seats at all times, but as the Senators were handed their second consecutive loss, Matthew Tkachuk could barely keep a straight face.
Matthew Tkachuk’s Disappointment Palpable As Ottawa Senators Lose Game 2 in Double OT
The Senators are new to this playoff game, but from where the team stands right now, Ottawa faces an uphill battle to turn things around, considering the Sens are exactly in the same position as last year, reeling from a two-game deficit in the opening playoff series.
However, there is hardly any precedent for Game 2. Linus Ullmark foiled Jordan Martinook’s attempt to win the game for the Canes on a penalty shot in the first OT. However, Ottawa’s luck ran out in the second overtime, as Martinook scored the winning goal at 13:53 by taking a pass from Nikolaj Ehlers in the slot.
Matthew Tkachuk, who was in attendance along with his parents, could not hide his utter disappointment at how Game 2 unfolded. The Florida Panthers were ruled out of Stanley Cup contention long before the regular season ended, but if the Tkachuks were pinning their hopes on Brady and the Sens, Game 2 ought to have felt like a massive letdown.
The Tkachuks’ reaction to the ot winnerðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ pic.twitter.com/TuCTiWAxej
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The Canes received a major blow when what looked like a game-winning goal by Mark Jankowski was ruled out for the play being offside before the goal. By that point, the game was tied 2-2, and Carolina’s morale was reeling, having given up the two-goal lead the team had enjoyed early in the game.
Nonetheless, the Hurricanes persevered through the unimaginably long and high-strung game to take the win. The star of the show was undoubtedly Martinook.
“I didn’t feel very good about myself after the penalty shot and the intermission felt really long. I’m happy worked out that way. Well, it didn’t matter who scored, but it was going to be a long night if that penalty shot came back to bite me,” the winger stated in the aftermath of the game, per Julian McKenzie of The Athletic.
Another major factor that set the Senators back in the first period of the match was Tkachuk’s ill-considered move of roughing Sebastian Aho. Tkachuk was slapped with a two-minute penalty at 5:14 of the first period, and soon after, at 6:31, Logan Stankoven scored the maiden goal of the game for the Canes in power play.
