It was a team effort as the Ottawa Senators beat the Utah Hockey Club 4-0 in the teams’ first meeting in franchise history. Anton Forsberg stopped all 31 shots he faced to earn the shutout, while the Senators scored four times in the span of eight minutes to secure the win. Defenceman Nick Jensen recorded two assists for his first multi-point game as a Senator.
It was a quiet start to the game for the Senators, who managed just one shot in the first eleven minutes of the game. It was a matter of quality, not quantity, however. With just over eight minutes left in the first, forward Drake Batherson continued his hot start to the season as he scored at 4-on-4 to put the Senators up 1-0. Forward Josh Norris and defenceman Nick Jensen received assists on Batherson’s goal.
Less than two minutes later, the Senators were back at it following a great rush led by Nick Jensen. Forward Claude Giroux chipped the puck past goaltender Connor Ingram to make it 2-0 just a minute and 23 seconds after the Senators’ first goal. Jensen’s play earned him his second assist of the evening on the goal.
The Senators got their first powerplay of the evening with two minutes left in the first period and wasted no time in capitalizing on the opportunity. Forward Ridly Greig got his first goal of the season for Ottawa in his first game back since October 14, with the goal coming unassisted. Coming into tonight’s game, the Senators’ powerplay ranked second in the league.
It started to rain goals in Utah as captain Brady Tkachuk continued his point streak when he scored to put the Senators up 4-0. Tkachuk picked up a rebound from a shot by Thomas Chabot to tuck it into an empty net. Assists on Tkachuk’s goal went to Chabot and Tim Stützle. Just moments later the horn sounded for the Senators to head into the intermission up 4-0 after a strong finish to the first period.
The Utah Hockey Club made a goalie change to start the second period, as Karel Vejmelka entered the game in relief of Connor Ingram.
Both the second and third periods were all about goaltender Anton Forsberg, as he shut the door on the Utah Hockey Club to earn his first shutout of the season. Facing 31 shots, Forsberg made 31 saves to support the Senators’ offensive showing in the first period.
The Senators will travel to Las Vegas to play the Golden Knights next as the teams face off on Friday, October 25 at 6:00 p.m. ET.
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