Giroux gets 4 points, Senators defeat Red Wings

OTTAWA -- Claude Giroux had a goal and three assists for the Ottawa Senators in a 6-2 win against the Detroit Red Wings at Canadian Tire Centre on Monday.

It was Giroux's first four-point game since Nov. 21, 2019, when he had two goals and two assists for the Philadelphia Flyers in a 5-3 win against the Carolina Hurricanes.
"Sometimes when the game is big, you [can't] let it be a big game, you just play hockey," Giroux said. "You don't overthink it, and tonight I think we did that. We didn't overthink the way we wanted to play. We had a game plan and we just followed it."

Thomas Chabot had a goal and two assists, Artem Zub had two assists, and Cam Talbot made 22 saves for the Senators (29-26-4), who have won two straight.
"Everyone stepped up tonight," Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk said. "I think everyone knows the importance of this final stretch, but our focus was just winning [every] shift and doing whatever it takes to win, and I think everybody did that tonight."
Tyler Bertuzzi and David Perron scored for the Red Wings (28-23-8), who have lost two straight after winning seven of eight (7-1-0). Magnus Hellberg made 36 saves.
The two teams will play here again Tuesday.
"Hellberg was remarkable on the penalty kill," Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said. "Unbelievable east-west saves, but I think he got tired. He gives up the long goal to Tkachuk, he fans on one five-hole (on Giroux). I think that's a product of being in his crouch for a period and a half on the penalty kill."

Bertuzzi gave the Red Wings a 1-0 lead at 11:48 of the first period when he drove to the net and tucked a shot past Talbot's outstretched right pad.
Jake Sanderson tied it 1-1 at 3:41 of the second period with a slap shot from the point through traffic on a power play.
"It was one of our better performances, physically, in a while," Ottawa coach D.J. Smith said. "We played a playoff-style game. Early on they had a good push. They started with the lead, but we stayed with it and put pucks in and used everyone, really. But ultimately, I've said it plenty, when your best players are your best players, you usually win."
Detroit was without one of its top penalty killers, forward Michael Rasmussen, who is out indefinitely with a knee injury.
"I think we missed him big time tonight in a game like this," Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin. "Someone's going to have to step up and play. You know, he's kind of created a role, he does things that no one else on our team really does, and we miss that. But someone's going to have to step in and step up for us. I expect that tomorrow."
Perron put Detroit back in front 2-1 at 5:11 with his own power-play goal, a wrist shot short side from the left circle.

Drake Batherson scored another power-play goal to tie it 2-2 at 12:25, skating into the right circle and beating Hellberg blocker side.
The Senators, who are fifth in the NHL on the power play at 25.2 percent, finished 2-for-6 on the man-advantage.
"Too many penalties," Lalonde said. "That team will lose to nobody in the League if you give them six power plays.
"The power plays just demoralized us. It drains the top guys. Now we start making tired mistakes, we have no rhythm. And all of those (penalties) were on the front end. We literally, with too many penalties, gave ourselves zero chance."
Giroux gave the Senators a 3-2 lead at 14:10 of the second. He wasn't able to get a shot off on a breakaway after being hooked by Gustav Lindstrom, but the loose puck still went five-hole on Hellberg.
"I think every line played great and we were rolling the lines," Giroux said. "The fans gave us some energy, too, and in saying that, it was a great game for us. But you know they're going to come out hard tomorrow."

Tkachuk made it 4-2 at 17:41, receiving a backhand stretch pass from Giroux before shooting glove side from the top of the left circle. It was his 25th goal of the season.
"I needed to be at my best tonight," Tkachuk said. "These are huge games for our team. I just wanted to do whatever it takes to help the team win, and whether that was by emotion or physicality or making the play at the right time, but everybody did that tonight. It wasn't just me. Everybody put their heart on their sleeve and did it for the guy next to them."
Chabot scored 47 seconds into the third period to make it 5-2. He warded off Filip Hronek as he drove to the net and chipped a shot over Hellberg's right shoulder during a 4-on-4.
Tim Stutzle
scored top shelf from the low slot at 15:00 for the 6-2 final.
"Everyone's fighting for their lives," Larkin said. "We have teams that we're playing against that are battling for the same spot that we are. It did [feel like a playoff game] on the ice."
NOTE:Detroit forward Lucas Raymond returned after missing eight games with a lower-body injury. He had two shots and was minus-2 in 12:31 of ice time.