Breaking: The Ottawa Senators just took a gut punch in Denver. Colorado buried eight goals and set the tone for their homestand in ruthless fashion. Nathan MacKinnon stacked four points. Defenseman Josh Manson put up two goals, two assists, and a fight, and did it with his dad watching in the stands. That is a career night and a statement. 🚨
This was game 43 for Colorado. It felt like a playoff drumbeat in January. The Senators had no answers when the Avalanche hit full speed.
Avalanche firestorm, Senators on their heels
Colorado came out flying and never let up. MacKinnon drove every shift with pace, power, and clean touches through the middle. He created time for his wingers, then attacked the inside lanes. When he does that, the Avalanche turn simple entries into grade A chances.
Manson changed the game in the trenches. He scored from the slot, jumped into space, and removed bodies in front. Then he dropped the gloves and won that battle too. You could feel the bench lift. That mix of skill and edge broke Ottawa’s rhythm and confidence.
The Senators chased the puck, then chased the score. That is a bad cycle in Denver. Colorado’s forecheck pinned Ottawa deep. The puck support from their defense kept plays alive. Second and third waves kept coming. The crowd fed it, shift after shift.
Key numbers, eight Colorado goals. MacKinnon with four points. Manson with two goals, two assists, and a fight.
What this rout says about Ottawa
This is not only about a hot opponent. It is about Ottawa’s structure under stress. The Senators lost their gaps early. Their defense got stretched wide. Their forwards were late on the backcheck. That opened the middle and the net front.
Ottawa’s goaltending saw broken plays and east to west passes. That is a tough read, but the skaters did not protect the slot. Rebounds stayed live. Sticks were not tied up. Brady Tkachuk and the leadership group work hard every night, but the group game must tighten.
Here are the pressure points that showed up:
- Rush defense, too much space between forwards and defense
- Net front coverage, loose sticks and late box-outs
- Breakouts, failed first passes feeding Colorado’s cycle
- Penalties, timing and location that tilted momentum
This group has skill. Tim Stützle can flip a game with one touch. Claude Giroux calms plays and sets tempo. The blue line has mobile talent. But good teams seal the inside ice. You must protect the middle in Denver. Ottawa did not.
Colorado’s star power and depth, a heavy mix
MacKinnon is playing at an MVP level. He tilted the ice with speed and with decisions. His line set the standard, then the rest followed. The Avalanche depth rolled in waves. When a third pair defender like Manson drives offense and punishes bodies, the opponent has nowhere to hide.
Colorado opened the homestand with clear intent. They pushed pace, layered support, and managed the puck. They did not feed Ottawa’s transition game. They hunted it. That is a veteran formula. It travels and it holds up under pressure.
Ottawa’s penalty kill also felt a step behind. Lanes stayed open. Clears died on sticks. Colorado’s movement pulled the Senators out of shape. That tired legs and minds, and it showed late.
The wider pulse, pride and pressure
This one hits the Ottawa room. The Senators have fought to build an identity, fast, physical, and direct. Nights like this test that belief. Fans know the talent is there. They also know the details are not consistent enough. That is the next step for a young core. It is not about one hero shift. It is five in a row, then ten, then sixty.
In Denver, this was a family moment and a hockey moment. Manson’s father in the building, a career night on the blue line, and a roar that felt like spring. That stuff bonds a team. The Avs fed off it and banked two points with force.
Ottawa’s reset starts with tighter gaps, quicker support on exits, and harder sticks at the crease. Keep it simple, protect the house, then build speed.
What comes next for the Senators
The tape will be hard to watch. It also will be honest. Ottawa needs faster help through the middle and smarter lines on entries. They must win the first pass and get moving north. That protects the defense and lets their skill breathe.
Small fixes can swing mood and results:
- First touch out of the zone to a safe spot
- Early switch calls between defense partners
- Net front body first, then puck
- Shorter shifts against elite speed
The standings do not wait. Ottawa cannot erase tonight in one game, but they can steady the floor. That starts with structure, then compete, then finishing plays. The Senators have leaders who care. They need habits that hold.
Conclusion
Colorado sent a loud message on night one of the homestand. The Senators heard it, and the lesson was blunt. Star power wins the spotlight, depth wins the minutes, and details decide blowouts. Ottawa has the talent to respond. Now comes the proof.
