Flames drop Senators
MATT STAJAN GOAL HOLDS UP AS WINNER
Sam Bennett and Matt Stajan scored for the Calgary Flames and David Rittich made 29 saves in a 2-1 win over the Ottawa Senators on Friday.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau was the only Senators skater to beat Rittich, who was making just the 19th start of his career.
The win was the second straight for the Flames (34-25-10) after halting a four-game losing streak with a win in Buffalo Wednesday night.
Mike Condon made 35 saves for the Senators (23-33-11) including a breakaway stop on Johnny Gaudreau with the score still 1-0 for Calgary early in the third period.
Stajan gave the Flames a 2-0 lead at 11:42 of the third period when he redirected a pass from Curtis Lazar past Condon.
Shortly after, Pageau was hooked by Dougie Hamilton while on a breakaway and awarded a penalty shot. He beat Rittich through the legs at 12:55 to cut the lead to 2-1 and spoil Rittich’s bid for his first career shutout.
“It's a tough situation and (Pageau) made a good move and scored, but I'm just happy we got two points,” said Rittich, who was talking to his posts after the Senators rang three shots off them in the third period. “I just said I love you.” The one goal through the first 40 minutes came in the opening period when Bennett took advantage of a number of bodies crashing the crease to give the Flames a 1-0 lead at 4:25 of the first period.
Senators coach Guy Boucher challenged the goal citing goaltender interference, but it took only a few seconds of review before it was deemed a good goal.
“The first period all around as a game, there wasn't much physicality on either side. We definitely got better in the second and much better in the third and got a push,” Boucher said.
“I don't think we did enough in front of their goaltender.”
The biggest save of the first two periods came late in the second when Condon sprawled to make one after TJ Brodie’s shot went wide left before bouncing off the end boards right to Sean Monahan.