This is it, Sens Fans: The Home Stretch

By Luke Muise

Spencer Colby/Canadian Press

We have dreamed of times like these for nearly eight years. 

Through players feuding, fan favourites being “proudly” shipped out, media having access revoked, relocation talk at an outdoor game, “we’re a team,” the Borowiecki hostage video, the Sens Foundation being shut down, merch recalls, LeBreton fallout, lawsuits, Eugene Melnyk dying, freaking NOVEMBERS, shoulder injuries, the Canadian division, Nikita Zaitsev, the goalie graveyard, some suspect drafting, losing a first-round pick, and losses upon losses upon losses upon losses, we’ve stuck with this franchise. 

Now, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

With 17 games remaining on the schedule, the Ottawa Senators completely control their destiny. Senators playoff hockey is a legitimate possibility, all they need to do is reach out and seize the opportunity ahead of them.

If the trauma of being Sens fans had taught us anything, it is that one bad week can change everything. I think it's also clear to us (most, anyway) that this isn't the same version of those teams that were either built to lose or destined to disappoint us. This Sens team is resilient and is showing that they’re capable of winning in ways they never were before, while in a position they haven’t found themselves in as a group.

Take this recent stretch of games: 6-0-1 in their last seven. An amazing stretch of points earned at a crucial time of the season, but damned if it wasn't pretty ugly at times. Barely eeking out victories against bottom feeders like San Jose and Chicago, scrambling to come back and earn points against stiff competition in Washington and New York, and Linus Ullmark utterly robbing Detroit of two points that should have been theirs. Many of them were one-goal games. Not pretty, but it’s such a great sign that the Sens were able to win so many close games. It’s no small thing that they achieved all that on the back of a five-game losing streak. Past versions of the Sens would have wilted after a streak like that, and may not have even pulled themselves out of it by now. This version did, and they’ve put themselves in a great position. That’s what good teams do: they find a way. They’ll need to keep finding ways if they want to make the playoffs. The optimism is spreading, but the job is far from done - there's nearly a quarter of a season of hockey left.

The good news is that the Senators’ remaining schedule is favourable. Most of the games are on home ice. None of the road games are in the Western Conference (thank goodness). Many of them are four-point swings against teams trying to hunt the Sens down in the race, which, emotionally, will make the chase for those last spots even more nerve-wracking and exciting. All but one of the games in April are at the Canadian Tire Centre. The playoffs are right there for the Sens to take.

If you had told me in September that the three most important games of the season would all be against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the final stretch of the season, I would have assumed we needed to lose for a better draft position. But no, the Jackets are in the midst of a miracle season after a nightmare summer that saw the tragic passing of Johnny Gaudreau. They have put themselves in a great position as well with a truly inspiring performance this year. Whichever team between the Sens and Jackets can earn the most points in those three games will all but assure they will make it, barring any epic collapses. Circle those games on your calendars. They’re the most important and consequential games for the Sens since Chris Kunitz banished us to the shadow realm in 2017.

I'm doing my best, (and failing a bit, especially after the recent game against the Wings) to keep my trash-talking to a minimum. 

The Sens haven’t done anything yet. They could still miss the playoffs, but I can’t help but feel excited about where they are now and what they could do in the future, and I think the rest of the fanbase feels the same way. So, enjoy this last stretch of games, no matter what happens. The big feelings you’ll have, good or bad, are because you and the rest of the Sens Army care about this team. 

They've given us something to cheer for this season, so let’s make sure they can hear us.