Korpisalo’s return to form key as Senators try to get on winning trend

Some observers have suggested, with slight sarcasm, that the name of the game should be changed from hockey to “goaltending.”

Show me a team winning games and I will show a strong goaltender. The reverse is also true. 

The Ottawa Senators are a prime example. 

Not to take away from the strategic changes made after the 5-0 loss to Florida, or to diminish the return of centre Ridly Greig to the lineup — which has been huge — but you can draw a line through the Senators’ season based on goaltending play. 

When goaltender Anton Forsberg has a save percentage of .900 or better, his record is 5-0. 

When Forsberg is below .900 his record is 0-5. (Overall 5-5-0). Two of Forsberg’s biggest performances came in recent wins over the New York Rangers (6-2) and Seattle Kraken (2-0).

It’s a similar story with Joonas Korpisalo, who shut down the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday, stopping 30 of 31 shots for a .968 save percentage. 

When Korpisalo is at .900 or better his record is 6-2. Below .900, he is 0-4. (Overall 6-6-0). 

Even in those two losses with a high save percentage, Korpisalo kept his team in the game and lost in rather heroic fashion. 

The first defeat with a high save percentage was Oct. 26 versus the New York Islanders, a 3-2 loss in which Korpisalo made 35 saves on 38 shots for a .921 save percentage. 

Oddly, the script was identical on Nov. 2 when the L.A. Kings were in Ottawa — another 3-2 loss and 35 saves on 38 shots, a .921 save percentage. 

When your goaltender makes important saves, especially early in the game when the night is up for grabs, a team often responds accordingly. 

On Saturday in Detroit, a game the Senators had to have to keep pace in the competitive Atlantic Division, Korpisalo stopped 14 of 15 first-period shots to help his team head off the ice in a 1-1 tie, despite the Red Wings having a 5-on-3 advantage for a brief period of time. 

Patrick Kane finally broke through with a 4-on-3 goal, but the combination of Korpisalo and Ottawa’s penalty killing was the difference when combined with the Sens’ two power play goals in this 5-1 victory. 

Korpisalo was brilliant during the two-man Detroit advantage, but also “throughout the night,” as Senators head coach D.J. Smith observed. 

“He looked like he was seeing everything,” Smith said. “And again, give credit to our D, I thought our D kept them off the goalie and limited the odd-man rushes.”

With the victory, Korpisalo finally has his save percentage back over .900 again, at .903. 

The 29-year-old Finn was smiling when asked about career victory No. 100. 

“I forgot that,” Korpisalo told Senators radio colour man Gord Wilson in Detroit. 

“Took a while. It’s pretty cool. And hopefully, there’s many more.”

We can all see the improvements in Ottawa’s game as they roll along, now with three wins in their past four games. 

Ditto for Korpisalo from his vantage point in the crease. 

“Since that Columbus game (a 4-2 loss on Dec. 1), we’ve been really good, controlling the game throughout,” Korpisalo said. 

“Today (Saturday) as well. Good special teams and five-on-five we controlled the game. 

“Everyone is reading plays off each other and we play with our strengths right now, which is controlling the puck. It’s great to see that guys are having fun and that’s the result.”

Legit third line

The return of centre Ridly Greig these past three games after recovering from a high ankle sprain has been significant. For the first time in a while, the Senators have a healthy forward group and three complete lines. The third line of Greig with Mathieu Joseph and Dominik Kubalik was a difference-maker on Saturday. Kubalik scored a big goal against his former team and Greig and Joseph were relentless. 

“It was good for Kuby to score, but Rid and Joe were forechecking,” Smith said. “They were above pucks. It really gave me that third line I could put out there, really against anybody.”

It’s rare to see a penalty killer like Joseph lead his team in power play time, but that was the case on Saturday. Joseph saw 4:10 of PP time and 3:12 killing penalties. The only other Senator with as much power play time? Kubalik, also at 4:10. 

With the second unit scoring, Smith said he expects better competition for power play time in the future. 

Joseph played 16:54 overall and was booed every time he touched the puck for his involvement in the awkward collision that left Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin lying on the ice, motionless, for a scary period of time. He was able to get up and left the ice, with assistance. Larkin did not return to the game. 

During a first period penalty kill, Joseph came up high with a hit on Larkin with a glove from one side before Kelly came in from the other, resulting in a couple of blows to the head.

After a lengthy delay while officials sorted out the play, Joseph and Kelly both received minors for roughing. 

Perron faces lengthy suspension

Red Wings forward David Perron faces a lengthy suspension for his attack on Artem Zub, after Larkin was injured. Though Larkin was caught between the hits of Joseph and Kelly, Perron evidently thought Zub had hit Larkin and leaped at Zub with a cross-check to the head. 

Perron was given the option of an in-person hearing, meaning he could receive a suspension of five games or more. The NHL Department of Player Safety is expected to conduct the hearing Monday afternoon via Zoom. 

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