The Senators winless skid hits an unlucky seven with loss to Sharks

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The Ottawa Senators disastrous season has taken another disappointing turn for the worse in this battle of bottom-feeders.

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If you thought this season couldn’t get much worse than it already has, then that was wishful thinking as the Senators extended their winless skid to a season-high seven straight games with a 2-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night at the SAP Center.

A day after the Senators stood still at the National Hockey League trade deadline Friday, the club made a good push at times against the Sharks as the auditions officially began for next season, but only Tim Stutzle was able to beat San Jose goalie Magnus Chrona.

Though the Senators made a hard push in the third period, Chrona made 34 stops to pick up his first NHL win in his sixth appearance. Ottawa closed out its four-game road trip with an 0-3-1 record and hasn’t won since claiming a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights at home on Feb. 24.

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“We’re getting looks and getting chances but one goal just isn’t enough,” Stutzle told TSN 1200’s Gord Wilson.

The decision to start goaltender Joonas Korpisalo was a bit of a surprise. He came into this game winless in his previous six appearances and recorded his last victory Feb. 10 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

But Korpisalo had a 2-0-0 lifetime record versus the Sharks with a 3.50 goals-against average and an .860 save percentage. He gave a strong effort in the 4-3 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday, but it was the same old results.

The Senators were hopeful he’d be able to turn it around in this one, but he couldn’t do it all by himself.

THIS N’ THAT

The Senators went 1-for-4 on the power play and missed a golden opportunity early in the third period with the Sharks up by a goal. Interim head coach Jacques Martin often said: “The difference was special teams, they got two power play goals and we got one. We had some chances, but we have to get second and third chances.” … Captain Brady Tkachuk looked like he was in discomfort early in the third period after colliding with San Jose’s Kyle Burrough’s. Fortunately, Tkachuk was back out on the next power play a couple of minutes later … The Sharks came into this game with one win in their previous 10 games and winless in nine. They have lost nine or more games three times this season …. The Senators were able to kill off a 5-on-3 disadvantage late in the second period that lasted35 seconds Dodged one there …. San Jose’s Thomas Bordeleau’s second of the game on the power play gave his club a 2-1 lead. He fired a blast that beat Korpisalo high on the stick side at 14:37 of the second period. That came as a result of Claude Giroux being unable to clear the puck out of the zone. “It’s not good enough. I feel like we battled. At the end of a road trip like that you’ve just got to find a way to win,” Giroux said. “We had our chances but we just couldn’t put it in.”

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AROUND THE BOARDS

There haven’t been a lot of positives, but Ottawa winger Drake Batherson deserves credit. He’s already tied his career high with 22 goals and had chances for No. 23 against the Sharks. Batherson is going to the net to get opportunities … Stutzle’s first power-play goal of the season tied it up 1-1 at 9:18 of the second period. He fired a shot from the circle that beat Chrona on the stick side and it was also Stutzle’s first goal in nine games. He hadn’t scored since Feb. 20 against the Florida Panthers. Stutzle scored 10 with the man advantage last season … San Jose sent forward Tomas Hertl to Vegas at the trade deadline Friday. He suited up 712 games in his NHL career with the Sharks and finished with 218 goals and 266 assists for 484 points in that span. The decision to deal him and former Ottawa winger Anthony Duclair to the Tampa Bay Lightning doesn’t leave the Sharks with a whole lot of veterans.

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THE LAST WORDS

Trailing 1-0 after the first period, the Senators were outshot 10-9, but didn’t look good at all. The Sharks don’t have much and the Senators’ play in their own zone continued to be indifferent …The Sharks opened the scoring on the power play. A chip shot by Fabian Zetterlund deflected off Bordeleau’s leg and by Korpisalo on the glove side at 6:32 of the first period. That came after San Jose’s Mikael Granlund drew a questionable tripping call on Tkachuk. Looked like a dive by Granlund and the officials fell for it … Picked up on waivers Friday, winger Boris Katchouk made his debut with Ottawa. He suited up for 38 games with the Blackhawks this season and joined the club after flying in from Chicago. He was slotted on the right side of Rourke Chartier and Ridly Greig … The Senators gave up the first goal for the 31st time in 62 games this season.

bgarrioch@postmedia.com

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