OTTAWA — The NHL schedule-makers weren’t too kind to the Ottawa Senators when it came to the month of November, handing the squad 16 games to play in only 28 days.

Despite being faced with a daunting task, the team has responded positively thus far. After posting a 3-7-1 mark in October, the Senators have opened November with a 3-2-0 record. The club rides into Raleigh Monday for a matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes after picking up consecutive wins for the first time since March 23-26. Ottawa has actually been trending steadily upward since defeating the Detroit Red Wings 5-2 at home Oct. 23, winning five of its last eight games.

There are several key factors that have contributed to the team’s recent success.

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Goaltending

As a team, the Senators rank 21st in goals-against per game (3.13), but this doesn’t tell the whole story. Ottawa is on pace to shave 51 goals against from last season, in which they allowed an NHL-worst 301 goals. While some credit has to go to the improved defensive structure under head coach D.J. Smith, the goalie tandem of Craig Anderson and Anders Nilsson is giving the club a better opportunity to win on a nightly basis.

NHL's three 🌟 for the week ending Nov. 10. pic.twitter.com/5qfMmSb3GF — Sporting News Canada (@sportingnewsca) November 11, 2019

The Sens’ .909 team save percentage is tied for 13th league-wide with the St. Louis Blues and Vegas Golden Knights. Nilsson’s .930 save percentage places him tied for sixth with Darcy Kuemper among all NHL netminders. Winner of three straight appearances and named the league’s first star for the week ending Nov. 10, the 29-year-old netminder currently holds the hot hand.

Forward Brady Tkachuk certainly knows the value of what solid goaltending brings

“Both goalies — I think that everyone agrees in this locker room, have been rocks for us," Tkachuk said after Saturday’s 4-1 victory over the Hurricanes on home ice. "They’ve both been fantastic, making those key saves for us. We’d like to shave off more of those shots but they’ve been fantastic and have been our best players this year."

Speed demons

If anyone held any doubt on how much say Smith would have on his game roster, that is definitely gone. The first-year head coach has made veterans Mikkel Boedker and Bobby Ryan healthy scratches on a seemingly regular basis. In order to facilitate the pair sitting out, the team has carried a full 23-man roster, something general manager Pierre Dorion was reluctant to do last season.

It’s plainly obvious that Boedker and Ryan are extremely disappointed in this turn of events, and how the GM handles their situations the remainder of the campaign is one to follow. However, it’s becoming evident that Ottawa's commitment to youth makes it a quicker, up-tempo club to play against.

The ability to possess speed on all four lines is also something that’s been sorely missing the past two seasons. Now equipped with a fourth line that checks all the boxes, the Senators have a bonus that they haven't witnessed recently.

Ottawa's fourth line trio of Filip Chlapik, J.C. Beaudin and Jonathan Davidsson opened the scoring Saturday, setting the tone for the remainder of the evening.

“They put [the puck] in every time. They work. They stay above you, then they track you – and they’re fast," Smith said. "[On Saturday], whenever things were going bad, those guys went out there – seemed to right the ship. They created some energy for the guys on the bench. Guys were cheering for them."

First NHL POINTS**** for Jonathan Davidsson and JC Beaudin.



Filip Chlapik gets the #Sens on the board first. pic.twitter.com/W4oG899NBV — Hailey Salvian (@hailey_salvian) November 10, 2019

Feisty performances

Forwards Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Brady Tkachuk have been the heartbeats of the club.

Time and again Smith has singled out Pageau as being the Senators’ top performer on most occasions. The pending unrestricted free agent leads the team with eight goals, many of them coming from his breakaway speed and quick shot. Pageau scored in four straight games and ranks first in the NHL with a plus-16 rating — something that’s tough to accomplish, especially when the Sens hold a plus-five goal differential when playing at even strength.

The 27-year-old is also tied for the league-lead in shorthanded goals with two so far this season. And at the other end of the ice, he is relied upon to challenge the opposition’s top forwards on a nightly basis.

After being held off the scoresheet for six consecutive games, Tkachuk has three goals and seven points in his last six outings. But it’s not only offense the 20-year-old brings to the table; Tkachuk lends his youthful exuberance and can get under the skin of opposing players.

MORE: Brady Tkachuk is a pest, and the Senators love it

Anthony Duclair, who played his 300th career game one week ago versus the New York Rangers, not only has points (five goals, three assists) in seven of eight games but is also a fixture on the Senators’ penalty kill.

Known his entire six-season career as a one-dimensional offensive forward, Duclair is making the most of his freshly-earned opportunity.

The Montreal, Que. native credits assistant coach Jack Capuano for adding him to the PK unit. Duclair recently told Sporting News, “He liked my speed and hockey sense. He wanted to try me out. I had a couple of coaches in the past that wanted to try me out, but it never happened. I’m glad he gave me the opportunity. I’ve really embraced the role. It’s the first time I’ve played on the PK since junior. I’m kind of learning on the go.”

“Learning on the go” could very well be this season’s Senators’ tag line.

Where the team goes from here remains to be seen. Ottawa plays 11 games over the next 19 days, with only three of those coming on home ice. That being said, the league is about to learn what D.J. Smith’s squad is made of.