{"id":397759,"date":"2026-01-08T15:49:16","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T15:49:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/397759\/"},"modified":"2026-01-08T15:49:16","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T15:49:16","slug":"we-just-cant-find-ways-to-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/397759\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018We just can\u2019t find ways to win\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Ottawa Senators<\/a> have picked up just two wins in their past seven games and are struggling for offence as the team sinks toward the bottom of the Eastern Conference.<\/p>\n

The Senators suffered a 3-1 defeat to the Utah Mammoth<\/a> on Wednesday, falling to 20-17-5 on the season – second last in the East.<\/p>\n

\u201cLots to like again,\u201d Senators coach Travis Green<\/a> said after the loss. \u201c[Thirty-three] shots, 70 shot attempts, we hit three posts. I think we had three 2-on-1s, a couple of breakaways and two partial breaks. So the puck\u2019s just not going in. Their goalie played well, and it\u2019s a tough loss to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we played a good game,\u201d forward Dylan Cozens<\/a> added. \u201cI think we had the puck a lot of the night and it\u2019s frustrating. It seems like a lot of these nights we\u2019re the better team, and we just can\u2019t find ways to win. So, you know, we\u2019ve just got to try and keep our confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Senators also believe they were victims of bad luck Wednesday as a high-stick on Thomas Chabot<\/a> went uncalled just before Utah pulled ahead 3-1 in the third period. Green challenged the Mammoth goal for goaltender interference, but his team was left killing a penalty after he was unsuccessful.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously, we challenged there. [Chabot] gets high stuck in the face. It should have been a double minor,\u201d Green said on the challenge. \u201cWe should have been on the power play instead of them scoring a goal, but I didn\u2019t get an explanation on that. But we thought it was worth the challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leevi Merilainen stopped 18 of the 21 shots he faced in the loss Wednesday, bouncing back after being pulled after allowing three goals on nine shots Monday against the Detroit Red Wings<\/a>. The 23-year-old netminder has a 6-8-0 record with a .868 save percentage and a 3.47 goals-against average on the season.<\/p>\n

The Sens are 4 back, what’s the max they can be behind and make playoffs?<\/p>\n

\u2014 TSN 1200 Ottawa (@TSN1200) January 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Things won\u2019t get an easier for the Senators, who will face the NHL-best Colorado Avalanche<\/a> Thursday in the second half of a back-to-back road trip.<\/p>\n