Senators recover, defeat Golden Knights in shootout

OTTAWA -- Josh Norris and Thomas Chabot each had a goal and an assist, and the Ottawa Senators recovered for a 4-3 shootout win against the Vegas Golden Knights at Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday.

“Just our play away from the puck is probably the biggest thing,” Norris said of what is working for the Senators. “It’s something that we talk a lot about in video. Just playing consistent games and knowing how we have to play every night. So, like I said the other night, I know it’s a lot of boring answers, but it’s something that we’ve really drilled into our brains. It’s just complete hockey.”

Tim Stützle scored the only goal in the shootout, and Ottawa goalie Anton Forsberg stopped Nicolas Roy, Jonathan Marchessault and Shea Theodore.

“He’s played well,” Senators coach Jacques Martin said of Forsberg. “I think early in the game he wasn’t as sharp, but as the game went on he played with a lot of confidence and poise and made some big saves for us. And in the shootout he was perfect.”

Drake Batherson scored, and Forsberg made 26 saves for the Senators (25-27-3), who are 3-0-1 in their past four games.

“I feel like I’ve had a pretty decent run here,” Forsberg said. “I feel more comfortable in my game. I’m having a lot of fun out there right now. I bet all the guys are having fun. Everything goes hand in hand, right? If I can come with some big saves, the guys can block some shots for me, and we start trusting each other more and more. That’s working pretty well right now.”

Chandler Stephenson scored twice, Marchessault had a goal and an assist, and Karlsson and Theodore each had two assists for the Golden Knights (32-19-7), who have lost three straight and five of their past six games (1-4-1). Logan Thompson made 30 saves.

“I think it’s something to build off for a long road trip here,” Stephenson said. “Obviously, it would have been nice to secure that two-goal lead we had here, but credit to them for their push and for us to get one late to get a point out of it. Shootouts can go either way.”

Marchessault gave Vegas a 1-0 lead at 5:41 of the first period when he beat Forsberg blocker side with a backhand from the middle of the slot. It was his 13th goal in his past 15 games and 30th of the season.

Stephenson extended it to 2-0 at 3:03 of the second period on the power play, beating a heavily screened Forsberg with a wrist shot from the right face-off dot.

“The second period, we had a chance to extend the lead over and over,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. “The game was there in front of us to extend the lead and go into the third period in a good spot. It just didn’t happen for us.”

Chabot cut it to 2-1 at 9:00 when his wrist shot from the point beat a screened Thompson low blocker side. It was his third goal in as many games.

“I think maybe in the past, if we got down early, obviously we still worked, but I think now we’ve come back in a few games and we believe that we can come back,” Batherson said. “It’s not easy against a team like that. You look at their defense is really a veteran D core. So, give the boys credit for working hard.”

Batherson tied it 2-2 at 18:47 on the power play. Norris broke up a clearing attempt down low and the puck went to Brady Tkachuk, who fed Batherson for a one-timer into an open net.

“Josh got a stick on it, it actually broke his stick,” Batherson said. “And then it went right to Brady and I just kind of yelled as loud as I can and he just passed to my voice right on the tape. Great play by him. I just kind of had to put it in the empty net there.”

Norris gave Ottawa a 3-2 lead at 5:48 of the third period, tipping in Chabot's point shot.

“We know how to play and we’ve been doing that now for a couple games,” Chabot said. “At the end of the day, it’s just sticking to it.”

Stephenson tied it 3-3 at 18:45 of the third period when he took a cross-ice pass from William Karlsson and scored with a wrist shot from the right face-off dot with Thompson pulled for the extra attacker.

“It was a bit back and forth,” Karlsson said. “I thought we played a pretty good game, but obviously, they came back. But overall, it was even and I thought we were playing well. It’s hockey. The momentum carried over to their favor and they did a good job as well limiting us for a time. Kudos to them as well.”

NOTES: Marchessault is the first player in Vegas history to score at least 30 goals twice. … Senators defenseman Artem Zub was a late scratch due to a lower-body injury. He is day-to-day, Martin said. … Ottawa forward Claude Giroux had an assist to extend his point streak to eight games (three goals, seven assists).