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MacLean expects Senators to address discipline problems

Paul Maclean

Head coach Paul MacLean of the Ottawa Senators watches from the bench during the NHL game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena on October 15, 2013 in Glendale, Arizona. The Senators defeated the Coyotes 4-3 in overtime. (October 14, 2013 - Source: Christian Petersen/Getty Images North America)

The Ottawa Senators will start goaltender Robin Lehner against the Edmonton Oilers today. Why? Because even with the Senators schedule fairly spread out, netminder Craig Anderson could use a breather after the barrage of shots he’s faced lately.

Ottawa has allowed an average of 42 shots per game this season. Not only is that the worst in the league, but there isn’t even another team that comes close to that mark. It’s almost double what the Minnesota Wild allow on a typical night.

Although the Senators have still won their last two games and are a respectable 3-2-2 this season, Senators coach Paul MacLean decided to make this issue a focus during Friday’s practice. As MacLean pointed out, a big factor is the fact that Ottawa also ranks near the bottom of the league in minor penalties taken with 40.

“The number of penalties we take certainly leads to us playing in our end too much and them getting shots at our net, and that’s never a good recipe, and there’s no chance of success if that continues to happen,” MacLean told the Ottawa Citizen.

That’s after MacLean classified most of their penalties on Thursday as “lazy.”

The expectation is that the Senators players will “get it sorted out,” and they’ll have a chance to do just that against the Oilers.

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