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And then there were 9: Senators out, but future’s bright

No team is ever happy about being eliminated, but the Ottawa Senators can take more positives out of their first round exit than most.

What was supposed to be another rebuilding season turned into something more. Ottawa’s youth movement seems to be progressing nicely and they showed a lot of heart, battling into the dying minutes of Game 7 against the first seed New York Rangers.

Still, the Rangers held on to earn a 2-1 victory and advance to the second round, so let’s take a look back at the Senators.

What happened?

As is often the case, goaltending proved to be the difference. Although Ottawa’s Craig Anderson did a fine job, Henrik Lundqvist was superb. Ottawa never managed to get more than three goals on him in a single contest.

Who takes the blame?

It almost seems unfair to point fingers at the Senators, but if there’s one player that failed to live up to expectations, it was Milan Michalek. Coming off a breakout season, Michalek ultimately fizzled out when his team needed him the most.

What will they do about it?

They shouldn’t feel like they’re under pressure to make big changes. Although the transition might be painful, especially if Daniel Alfredsson decides to retire rather than complete his current contract, the Senators’ young players deserve a chance to show what they can do in key roles. Perhaps the biggest question going into training camp will be their goaltending. As previously stated, Anderson looked good in this series, but he has two promising netminders breathing down his neck in Ben Bishop and Robin Lehner.

More

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And then there were 12: Presidents’ Trophy-winning Canucks bounced in Round 1

And then there were 11: Another first-round exit for Blackhawks

And then there were 10: Bruins run out of Game 7 magic