Game Recap: Senators 3, Wild 1

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Josh Norris scored the go-ahead goal in the third period, and the Ottawa Senators defeated the Minnesota Wild 3-1 at Xcel Energy Center on Sunday.

Norris made it 2-1 on the power play at 12:42 with a one-timer from the right face-off dot that went over Filip Gustavsson’s glove.

“I think we just played a complete game,” Norris said. “They have a really good team and [we] just wanted to play a good 60 minutes, and [I] didn’t really think we deviated from that too much to be honest with you. So, yeah, really good road game.”

Ridly Greig and Claude Giroux also scored for Ottawa (19-15-2), which had lost two in a row, including a 4-2 loss at the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday. Leevi Merilainen made 30 saves for his second NHL victory in his fifth start.

“I think the guys kept the shots to the outside for the most part, and I feel like we had the game in our hands pretty much the whole time,” Merilainen said. “I like it when they shoot a lot.”

Frederick Gaudreau scored for Minnesota (22-11-4), which has lost five of its past seven. Gustavsson made 33 saves.

“To me, I didn’t have an issue with our competing, our effort,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “I think that the difference between what are you losing most nights is the details of the game. And tonight, I thought the details cost us two goals against.”

Gaudreau made it 1-0 at 17:19 of the first period. Declan Chisholm took a backhand pass from Marcus Foligno, drifted to the point and sent a wrist shot toward the net that Gaudreau deflected.

"Yeah, those are always nice to be able to walk in, and what a play by [Foligno],” Chisholm said. “Yeah, those are nice."

Greig tied it 1-1 at 1:47 of the second period with a rebound at the left post after Travis Hamonic’s shot caromed off the end boards.

“I thought we played with purpose in our game tonight,” Senators coach Travis Green said. “Really. Throughout our lineup, we were committed to getting the job done tonight. Didn't deviate from the game even when we were down 1-0, and [it was a] good win.”

After Norris put Ottawa in front in the third, Giroux broke up a Matt Boldy pass in the Senators zone and sent the puck into an empty net at 19:16 for the 3-1 final.

Minnesota played the final 27 seconds with a 6-on-4 advantage, with Gustavsson pulled and Ottawa forward Brady Tkachuk in the penalty box after being called for roughing.

“All in all, it’s a hard game,” Wild forward Mats Zuccarello said. “Hard-fought game for both teams. They had an extra power-play goal that we couldn’t [get] today, so I think that’s the difference.”

NOTES: Norris scored his fourth game-winning goal of the season, tying Tkachuk for the most on the Senators. … Wild forward Joel Eriksson Ek was minus-1 with four shots on goal and two hits in 19:21 of ice time after missing the previous 11 games with a lower-body injury.