Stolarz, Ducks shut out Senators to end three-game slide

ANAHEIM -- Anthony Stolarz made 34 saves for the Anaheim Ducks in a 4-0 win against the Ottawa Senators at Honda Center on Friday.

In his fifth start of the season, Stolarz got his first shutout and the fourth of his NHL career. It was his first game since coming within eight seconds of a shutout in a 3-1 win against the Arizona Coyotes on Nov. 5.
"It wasn't just a testament to me, it was a testament to the guys out there," Stolarz said. "They were battling hard, blocking shots. The couple breakdowns that we did have, it was up to me to make a big save."
Rickard Rakell had a goal and an assist, and Trevor Zegras had two assists for the Ducks (11-7-3), who had lost three in a row following an eight-game winning streak.
Anton Forsberg made 29 saves for the Senators (4-13-1), who have lost four in a row and are 1-9-1 in their past 11. They have been outscored 17-8 in three games since a pause to comply with NHL COVID-19 protocols; Ottawa did not play from Nov. 15-21 and had three games postponed because 10 players were in protocol.
"We're a fragile group," Senators coach D.J. Smith said. "We need a win just to feel good about ourselves."
The Ducks took a 1-0 lead at 16:43 of the first period after Rakell won the puck back behind the Senators net and passed it in front to Isac Lundestrom, who chipped it into the net.
"We had a couple long shifts in their end and tired them out," Stolarz said. "Anytime you can hem them in their zone, it's less chances and less time they're going to have coming back the other way."

Stolarz stopped a Brady Tkachuk one-timer from the slot at 12:11 of the first period, one of his three saves on the first of Ottawa's four power plays.
"You have to be ready when your chance comes. That is your job," Anaheim coach Dallas Eakins said. "[Stolarz] comes in every day, there's never a head down, 'Oh, I'm not playing. Poor me.' He comes in with a smile on his face and he works his tail off every day."
Derek Grant extended the lead to 2-0 at 10:28 of the second period. After Grant's shot from in close hit Forsberg's glove and popped into the air, Senators defenseman Victor Mete knocked it in off teammate Tyler Ennis at the right post.
"I'll take as many of those as I can get," Grant said after scoring his first of the season.
Troy Terry made it 3-0 on the power play with 43 seconds left in the second. Zegras crossed the Ottawa blue line and made a cross-ice pass to Terry, who drove to the net and scored on a backhand between Forsberg's pads.
Terry had gone two games without a point following a 16-game point streak.

Rakell made it 4-0 when he scored off a feed from Zegras at 9:05 of the third period.
"Sometimes when things aren't going the way you're wanting them to, you try and push a little too much," Ottawa defenseman Nick Holden said. "You're trying to do the right thing and give more effort and all that. You've just got to, almost, simplify it a little bit and get back to the basics."
NOTES: Senators goalie Matt Murray was a healthy scratch after he allowed four goals on 27 shots in a 6-3 loss at the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday. Murray is 0-5-0 this season with a 3.26 goals-against average and a .890 save percentage. Filip Gustavsson was the backup Friday. … Ducks forward Adam Henrique had one shot and played 13:58 after missing a 5-2 loss at the Colorado Avalanche with a finger injury. ... Zegras has scored nine points (four goals, five assists) in his past six games.