A week ago, Senators coach Guy Boucher played a hunch, opting to dress seven defencemen against Dallas rather than putting newcomer Chris DiDomenico in the lineup.
The gamble paid off when that seventh defenceman — Fredrik Claesson — scored his first career NHL goal in a 5-2 victory.
“It’s one of those good days you go to bed thinking you’re smart,” Boucher said following the win. “Maybe the next one I’m not so smart.”
Indeed, you win some, you lose some.
Boucher’s decision to give the Senators two full days off following Saturday’s win over Colorado backfired when they were outplayed in Tuesday’s 2-1 overtime loss to Tampa Bay.