Senators extinguish Flames

The Ottawa Senators got back in the win column on Monday night with a 4-3 victory over the Calgary Flames. Adam Gaudette, Drake Batherson, and Brady Tkachuk all scored for the Senators, alongside Cole Reinhardt who scored his first career NHL goal.

The Calgary Flames opened the scoring at 14:32 into the first period on the power play, with just two seconds remaining in the penalty. Forward Jonathan Huberdeau scored his seventh goal of the season to put the Flames up 1-0.

Less than a minute later, the Flames nearly doubled their lead to 2-0 got the puck past goaltender Anton Forsberg, but the goal was immediately waved off for goaltender interference. Calgary challenged the call, but the challenge was unsuccessful, and the Senators headed to the power play.

The Senators may not have converted on their power play opportunity, but shortly after the penalty expired, Adam Gaudette buried a one-time shot past goaltender Dustin Wolf for his ninth goal of the season to tie the game at 1-1. Forwards Ridly Greig and Claude Giroux both received assists on Gaudette’s goal.

Moments later the Senators headed back to the power play, and just 31 seconds into the power play captain Brady Tkachuk scored to put the Senators up 2-1. The Flames immediately challenged for goaltender interference and were successful, keeping the game tied at 1-1.

The remainder of the first period saw both teams held scoreless, sending them into the intermission tied 1-1. A trio of penalties towards the end of the first period meant the Senators opened the second period with a minute of power play time, but they were unable to convert.

While the opening power play may not have succeeded, the next one did. Just under a minute into a high-sticking penalty against forward Andrei Kuzmenko, forward Drake Batherson tipped his ninth of the season off a shot by defenceman Jake Sanderson at 3:18 into the period. Sanderson received the primary assist on Batherson’s goal that gave the Senators a 2-1 lead early in the second frame. Forward Tim Stützle also earned his 16th assist of the season on the goal.

With 6:43 left in the period, forward Cole Reinhardt scored his first career NHL goal to give the Senators a 3-1 lead. Ridly Greig and Jake Sanderson both received assists on Reinhardt’s goal.

Two minutes later, the Flames got back within one when Yegor Sharangovich scored his fifth of the season to cut the Senators’ lead down to 3-2.

With just over a minute left in the period and their lead on the line, goaltender Anton Forsberg cleared the puck out of the crease with his stick then followed it up with a highlight-reel glove save to keep the Flames from tying the game.

As the score would indicate, it was a close first 40 minutes with Calgary holding a slight edge in shots with 21 to Ottawa’s 19. The Senators dominated physically with 22 shots to the Flames’ eight.

At just 1:14 into the third period, captain Brady Tkachuk buried a shot from the slot to score a powerplay goal that extended the Senators’ lead to 4-2. The goal marked Tkachuk’s 11th of the season and was assisted by Drake Batherson and Tim Stützle.

With just 38.1 seconds left in the game, the Flames got back within one when forward Nazem Kadri scored his sixth of the season with the goalie pulled.

It was too little, too late for Calgary as they were unable to find the equalizer. The Senators ended their five-game losing skid and stopped the Flames from making it five wins in a row as they won by a score of 4-3.

It was a multi-point night for four Senators: Drake Batherson and Brady Tkachuk both had a goal and an assist each, while Ridly Greig and Jake Sanderson each had two assists.

The Senators will head out West this week as they travel to The Golden State for a triple-header against all three California teams. Up first will be the San Jose Sharks this Wednesday at 10:30 p.m. ET in the first of two clashes between the teams this season.

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