Batherson scores twice, Senators rally past Maple Leafs

TORONTO -- Drake Batherson scored twice, and the Ottawa Senators rallied for a 4-2 victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday.

“It was a good game,” Batherson said. “Obviously, we had a bit of a slow start there, but (Joonas) Korpisalo played great, and we were able to capitalize on a few chances. We just got behind them a little more. Our forecheck was good which led to a few turnovers, and then obviously getting a short-handed goal was huge for momentum.”

Parker Kelly and Brady Tkachuk scored, and Korpisalo made 34 saves for the Senators (13-17-0), who have won two in a row after a six-game losing streak. Vladimir Tarasenko had two assists.

“I think we had a slow start,” Ottawa coach Jacques Martin said. “I don’t think we were ready to play at the pace the Leafs came out with, and they got a 2-0 lead, but what I like is our resiliency, how we battled back, how we stuck with it.”

Matthew Knies and Tyler Bertuzzi scored, and William Nylander had an assist to extend his point streak to 12 games for the Maple Leafs (17-9-6). Martin Jones made 27 saves, and Auston Matthews had his personal seven-game goal streak end.

“We couldn’t score the third goal, or didn’t score the third goal, so we let them hang around,” Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said. “I thought they were better than us in the second period for sure, and I think the period looks a lot worse because our power play gives them a freebie and gives them life and energy, and some of our details just slipped really on each of the goals against.”

Kelly scored short-handed to cut it to 2-1 at 10:17 of the second period when he took a pass from Claude Giroux on a 2-on-1 and beat Jones from the slot.

Batherson tied it 2-2 at 14:25 when he put in the rebound of Tim Stutzle’s shot.

“How we adjusted I thought was a big difference in the second period,” Martin said. “We started to get some pucks behind their defense, putting some pressure, creating some turnovers, creating some scoring chances and able to tie the game and continue on.”

Korpisalo kept the game tied 2-2 with nine seconds remaining in the period when he stretched out his left pad to make a save on John Tavares’ breakaway attempt during a Maple Leafs power play.

“A little bit of a slow start for me and the whole team, but we just picked it up,” Korpisalo said. “The second period was our best and the third we just played smart hockey.”

Batherson scored his second of the game to put the Senators ahead 3-2 at 3:44 of the third period, banking a shot off Jones’ back from below the goal line.

“I mess around with that a little bit,” Batherson said. “Got it a few times before. Just the angle of the shot, the goalie was off position so I figured I’d try and bank it. It was a lucky goal, but I’ll take it for sure.”

Jones said he was not expecting Batherson to shoot from the corner when he got the puck.

“He just turns around and wires a slap shot from the corner and it just hit me in the perfect spot,” Jones said.

Tkachuk scored into an empty net at 17:33 for the 4-2 final.

“I thought Ottawa got better and harder as the game went on, and we didn’t respond to that,” Keefe said.

The Maple Leafs went ahead 1-0 at 5:41 of the first period when Matthews’ shot from the top of the right circle deflected in off Knies’ skate in the slot.

Bertuzzi scored 23 seconds later to make it 2-0, redirecting a pass from Morgan Rielly at the top of the crease.

Toronto went 0-for-3 on the power play.

“No question, our power play didn’t do our job tonight and (it) gave them life,” Tavares said. “They capitalized on their opportunities after that. They obviously picked up their pace. We pushed back and had opportunities ourselves, and we just didn’t cash in. Once we let them back in, the game was up for grabs, and they capitalized when they had their chance and we didn’t seem to find ours. Tough one to swallow when we had a good start like we did.”

NOTES: Tkachuk’s goal was his 300th point in the NHL (141 goals, 159 assists). ... Stutzle’s assist extended his point streak to six games (one goal, six assists). ... Senators forward Josh Norris’ five-game goal and point streaks ended. ... Nylander has 19 points (four goals, 15 assists) during his point streak. He also extended his assist streak to nine games.