1996-1997
The 1996-97 was easily the best season in Ottawa Senators history.  The team set franchise records in wins (31), ties (15), and points (77).  It was also the first time in club history that the team made the playoffs, as they finished 7th in the Eastern Conference, and they faced the Buffalo Sabres in the first round, put up a good fight, but lost the series 4 games to 3.  The Senators were a team that got better as the season went on, as evidenced by their 45 points in the last 41 games of the season.  Goalie Ron Tugnutt was named Player of the Week from April 7-13, and Player of the Month for April as he led the team into the playoffs.  Defenseman Wade Redden was Rookie of the Month for April, as Ottawa won 5 of their 7 April games.  Alexei Yashin, who missed half of the 1995-96 season, set the club record for goals in a season, and Ron Tugnutt set the team record for wins by a goaltender.  The team nearly pulled off a major upset in the playoffs, as many predicted that Ottawa would not put up much of a fight against the Sabres, but thanks to a very spectacular Ron Tugnutt, who posted a 1.98 GAA in the playoffs, the team nearly upset Buffalo.  It was a big season in Ottawa, and fans were very excited about the future of this team.
1996-1997 Northeast Division Standings
Team          GP      W       L       T      PTS      GF       GA
Buffalo

Pittsburgh

OTTAWA

Montreal

Hartford

Boston		 82

82

82

82

82

82		 40

38

31

31

32

26		 30

36

36

36

39

47		 12

8

15

15

11

9		 92

84

77

77

75

61		 237

285

226

249

226

234		 208

280

234

276

256

300
Game By Game
Date
01/13/97
01/15/97
01/22/97
01/24/97
01/27/97
01/29/97
01/30/97
02/01/97
02/03/97
02/04/97
02/08/97
02/09/97
02/11/97
02/13/97
02/15/97
02/16/97
02/18/97
02/20/97
02/23/97
02/26/97
02/28/97
03/01/97
03/05/97
03/06/97
03/08/97
03/10/97
03/14/97
03/15/97
03/17/97
03/20/97
03/22/97
03/25/97
03/27/97
03/29/97
04/02/97
04/03/97
04/05/97
04/06/97
04/09/97
04/11/97
04/12/97		 Opponent
Boston Bruins
Washington Capitals
Boston Bruins
Calgary Flames
Tampa Bay Lightning
New Jersey Devils
St. Louis Blues
Toronto Maple Leafs
Vancouver Canucks
Boston Bruins
San Jose Sharks
Buffalo Sabres
New York Islanders
Philadelphia Flyers
Hartford Whalers
Hartford Whalers
Washington Capitals
St. Louis Blues
Colorado Avalanche
Philadelphia Flyers
New York Islanders
Buffalo Sabres
Anaheim Mighty Ducks
San Jose Sharks
Los Angeles Kings
Phoenix Coyotes
New York Rangers
Montreal Canadiens
New York Rangers
Florida Panthers
Boston Bruins
Tampa Bay Lightning
Florida Panthers
Montreal Canadiens
Buffalo Sabres
Washington Capitals
Pittsburgh Penguins
Philadelphia Flyers
Hartford Whalers
Detroit Red Wings
Buffalo Sabres		 Score
W 4-3
W 5-1
L 4-1
T 2-2
W 5-3
T 1-1
L 5-2
W 2-1
W 6-4
W 4-3
T 3-3
L 2-1
T 5-5
L 4-2
L 2-1
W 4-2
W 6-1
T 1-1
L 4-3
L 8-5
W 4-1
L 3-1
L 4-1
L 2-0
L 3-1
W 4-1
L 4-3
T 2-2
W 4-3
T 2-2
W 5-4
L 5-0
W 3-2
W 5-2
W 2-0
W 4-0
L 5-2
L 2-1
W 5-4
W 3-2
W 1-0
Date
10/05/96
10/09/96
10/11/96
10/12/96
10/18/96
10/19/96
10/23/96
10/24/96
10/26/96
10/30/96
11/01/96
11/02/96
11/07/96
11/09/96
11/10/96
11/13/96
11/15/96
11/16/96
11/19/96
11/23/96
11/27/96
11/29/96
11/30/96
12/04/96
12/06/96
12/07/96
12/10/96
12/13/96
12/15/96
12/19/96
12/21/96
12/23/96
12/26/96
12/28/96
12/30/96
01/01/97
01/03/97
01/04/97
01/06/97
01/09/97
01/11/97		 Opponent
Montreal Canadiens
New York Islanders
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
New Jersey Devils
Montreal Canadiens
Florida Panthers
Tampa Bay Lightning
Dallas Stars
Los Angeles Kings
Detroit Red Wings
Pittsburgh Penguins
Toronto Maple Leafs
Boston Bruins
Chicago Blackhawks
Edmonton Oilers
Chicago Blackhawks
New York Islanders
New Jersey Devils
Hartford Whalers
Washington Capitals
Buffalo Sabres
Philadelphia Flyers
Pittsburgh Penguins
Edmonton Oilers
Vancouver Canucks
Calgary Flames
Phoenix Coyotes
Dallas Stars
Florida Panthers
Buffalo Sabres
Montreal Canadiens
New York Rangers
Hartford Whalers
Anaheim Mighty Ducks
Boston Bruins
New Jersey Devils
New York Rangers
Tampa Bay Lightning
Colorado Avalanche
Pittsburgh Penguins		 Score
T 3-3
T 3-3
W 3-2
L 3-2
T 2-2
W 6-3
L 5-2
W 5-2
L 5-1
T 2-2
T 2-2
L 7-3
W 6-2
L 4-3
L 2-0
L 4-0
W 4-3
W 4-1
L 2-1
T 3-3
W 2-1
L 3-0
L 4-3
L 4-2
L 5-2
W 3-2
T 5-5
L 4-2
L 4-0
W 5-2
L 3-2
W 6-0
W 5-2
L 3-2
L 4-3
W 3-2
L 1-0
L 6-4
L 4-3
L 2-0
T 3-3
Playoffs
Score
W 4-1
L 3-0
L 3-2
Date
04/17/97
04/19/97
04/21/97
04/23/97		 Opponent
Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres		 Score
L 1-0
W 3-1
L 3-2
W 1-0		 Date
04/25/97
04/27/97
04/29/97		 Opponent
Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
Yellow is Home Games Red is Road Games
                     Team Stats
Longest Winning Streak: 4 games (03/27-04/03)
Longest Unbeaten Streak: 4 games (4-0-0 and 3-0-1)
Longest Losing Streak: 4 games (11/29-12/06, 01/03-01/09, 03/01-03/08)
Longest Winless Streak: 5 games (0-4-1 and 0-3-2)
Most Goals Scored: 6 (10/19 VS Mtl, 11/07 VS Tor, 12/23 @ Mtl, 02/03 VS Van, 02/18 @ Was)
Most Goals Allowed: 8 (02/26 VS Phi)
Shutouts: 4 (12/23 @ Mtl, 04/02 @ Buf, 04/03 VS Was, 04/12 VS Buf)
Times Shutout: 8 (11/10 @ Chi, 11/13 VS Edm, 11/29 @ Buf, 12/15 VS Dal, 01/03 VS NJ, 01/09 VS Col, 03/06 @ SJ, 03/25 @ TB)
Home Record: 16-17-8 (40 pts)
Road Record: 15-19-7 (37 pts)
Total Attendance: 630,196 (15,371 avg.)
Playoff Attendance: 55,500 (18,500 avg.)
                     Player Stats
Most Goals: Alexei Yashin (35)
Most Assists: Daniel Alfredsson (47)
Most Points: Alexei Yashin (75)
Most PIM: Denny Lambert (217)
Wins: Ron Tugnutt (17)
GAA: Damian Rhodes (2.72)
Save Percentage: Ron Tugnutt (.895)
Hat Tricks: None
Ottawa's Ron Tugnutt shakes Buffalo's Steve Sheild's hand after the Sabres eliminated Ottawa in overtime in game 7.  Tugger had a great year for Ottawa, setting the club record for most wins in a season.
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