Bruins lose to Senators, slip again in Atlantic race

BOSTON --The Ottawa Senators scored three unanswered goals in the second period of a 3-2 win against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Thursday.

Tim Stutzle had a goal and two assists, Brady Tkachuk had a goal and an assist, and Anton Forsberg made 40 saves for Ottawa (28-40-6), which has won two straight.
"We started great, and then I didn't like our intensity at all in the first period," Senators coach D.J. Smith said. "To the guys' credit, the second period was a totally different mindset. We were physical. We got back to playing the way we play. Got some power plays, and our power play is obviously clicking."
Jesper Froden scored his first NHL goal for Boston (45-24-5), which has lost three in a row for the first time this season. Linus Ullmark made eight saves in the first period before leaving the game with an undisclosed injury. He was replaced by Jeremy Swayman, who made 21 saves.
"Frustration is a useless emotion. I'm not frustrated. We want to correct things," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. "We had some miscommunications on the bench tonight. We had some lack of focus, especially on the power play. … Some guys that are typically used to putting up goals and points, when it doesn't go in, they can get frustrated."

The Bruins fell three points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for third in the Atlantic Division.
"[Losing leads] is something that kind of was happening at the beginning of the year," Boston defenseman Matt Grzelcyk said. "I thought we did a good job in the first, and then I don't know if it's fatigue or lack of urgency, but it's tough to see. … It's obviously something we've got to address."
Marc McLaughlin put the Bruins ahead 1-0 at 6:36 of the first when his redirection of Nick Foligno's centering pass deflected in off Senators defenseman Michael Del Zotto.
Froden, who was playing his sixth NHL game, made it 2-0 at 19:01 with a redirection in the slot off Grzelcyk's shot from the point.
"It was a good shot, and I lost my glove there on the play. I guess I had better feeling to tip the puck there. It was fun to get the first one," Froden said. "I was just trying to be in the lane and tip the puck there. I saw it went in. Amazing feeling."
Tkachuck scored 47 seconds into the second period to cut it to 2-1, banking the puck in off Swayman from below the goal line.
"We didn't like the way we played in the first period, and we wanted to come out back to our identity, and that was shooting pucks," Tkachuk said. "When we saw Swayman was in net, we just wanted to get as many shots as we could there. … That was a huge maturity moment for our team to come back, get back to our game, and not panic there."

Josh Norris tied it 2-2 at 9:30 with a one-timer from the right circle during a 5-on-3 power play, and 57 seconds later on the ensuing 5-on-4 power play, Stutzle gave the Senators a 3-2 lead when he got to a loose puck following a scramble near the crease.
"I think we played really solid (after the first), and everyone had a really good game," Stutzle said. "For sure, [it's nice]. Especially after a not great start to the year, but in the end, I'm here about winning games."
NOTES: Cassidy said Ullmark, who took an Erik Brannstrom slap shot off his mask at 2:17 of the first, "didn't feel well after the first." … It was Ottawa's first win in Boston since April 6, 2017 (lost previous six). … The last time Boston lost three games in a row in any fashion was an 0-1-2 stretch from Dec. 31, 2019, to Jan. 4, 2020. … Boston went 0-for-5 on the power play and is 0-for-23 in its past six games.