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Stone liked the way the Senators handled themselves in the first two periods, up 2-1 while holding off the Lightning attack. Then came the third, when the Senators delivered an all-too-familiar story.

“It’s defensive hockey…we’ve got to find a way to gain (offensive) zone time and control more of the play,” Stone said.

Photo by Adrian Wyld / THE CANADIAN PRESS

He insists it’s not about coaching, but he acknowledges that the club’s relative inexperience is a factor.

“I definitely think guys are learning a little bit on the job, but that’s no excuse,” he said. “As a group, we understand that we’re going to make mistakes. Fifteen year veterans make mistakes.”

Duchene echoed those words, suggesting the Senators have been “a bit of a punching bag” as the games wear down.

“The thing we’re having trouble with is putting together 60 (minutes) right now,” he said. “That’s basically it. It’s not like we’re miles away. But at the same time, we’ve got to make sure we take advantage of games like that.”

Photo by Adrian Wyld / THE CANADIAN PRESS

If there’s a tendency for younger players to freeze in late game moments, he says the veterans have to show the way.

“It’s up to the older guys to help those young guys handle those situations to the best of their abilities,” he said. “If we continue to support each other and we sort this out…we’re scoring. We’re good with the puck. Our neutral zone play is pretty good. It’s just in our end right now.”

Borowiecki, who returned to the lineup Sunday after serving his three-game suspension, says the last thing anybody should be doing is pointing fingers at the coaching staff.