Senators on the bubble: Yakemchuk with disaster performance, Meriläinen gets lit up

With each of their top four defencemen out for various reasons, split-squad games with the Toronto Maple Leafs went about how you would expect for the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday.

In Toronto, it was a 6-1 drubbing. The Maple Leafs stars had their way all night long.

In Ottawa, the Leafs’ B Squad — only a handful of NHL-calibre players were sent to the nation’s capital — eked out a 4-2 victory.

Despite the losses, the Senators coaching staff got to see all of the organization’s depth in action, making roster decisions that much easier in a week’s time.

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There was a roster spot with his name on it when training camp started, but Carter Yakemchuk hasn’t done much to convince the Senators that he’s ready to graduate to the NHL.

He had a dreadful night, offering up a ton of room to opposing forwards on the rush, seemingly afraid to get beat due to slow foot speed. And when he did attempt to gap up, he was beaten wide. Yakemchuk was caught looking around for someone to cover in the defensive zone all game, rarely anticipating the Maple Leafs’ attack. Ahead of Jake McCabe’s 1-0 goal, Yakemchuk was unable to intercept McCabe’s initial pass or clear John Tavares during an ensuing scramble in front.

Perhaps the 20-year-old’s worst moment of the night came midway through the second period when he was totally fooled by a set play executed by Toronto. After a D-zone face-off win, Jack Roslovic made a beeline for the far blue line, cleanly beating Yakemchuk to a stretch pass and nearly scoring on a breakaway. Yakemchuk looked skyward in disbelief.

He rarely looked in control, fighting the puck on clears, unable to gather rebounds and make a strong first pass. He was far more comfortable quarterbacking the first power-play unit, but the Sens need him to be at least serviceable at 5-on-5 to justify keeping him in October.

The game ended terribly for Yakemchuk, getting absolutely drilled by Michael Pezzetta while going back for a puck below the goal line. He stayed down on the ice for a moment before skating off. The trainers checked on him numerous times on the bench.

He was hung out to dry, but at some point Leevi Meriläinen needed to come up with a big save on a Grade A chance.

Stutzle was falling on Meriläinen’s left pad in the crease on Toronto’s first goal. Defenceman Nikolas Matinpalo elected to cover the pass option on a 2-on-1 and still couldn’t stop William Nylander from finding Tavares backdoor. Ottawa’s penalty kill allowed two dangerous chances in succession and the second one went in. Meriläinen couldn’t slide across in time to stop Zack MacEwen from tapping in a cross-slot pass on the rush. Morgan Rielly’s point-blank wrister went top right. Auston Matthews walked in from the point and was allowed to get off his patented release.