Chronicling the Rise of the Senators and the Collapse of the Red Wings

Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Well folks, it’s official: the Ottawa Senators are headed to the playoffs! Back on January 24th, they sat last in the Atlantic Division, and second last in the Eastern Conference. At that time, the Detroit Red Wings led the Atlantic and were tied for the most points in the East.

The two teams were separated by 16 points. Now, the Sens are up five points on the Wings, with Detroit having officially been eliminated from the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season. As much as this story is about the dominance of the Senators over the last two and a half months, the fall of the Red Wings needs to be discussed as well.

Let’s dive into the details. READ MORE: It’s Time to Extend Jordan Spence Ottawa Senators by the Numbers The Senators 4-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on January 24th put them in sole possession of 15th place in the Eastern Conference. This was when their season turned around.

Have a look: First 51 Games : 23-21-7, 3. 22 goals/game, 3. 39 goals against/game, 22.