Sens edge Habs in shoot out
Late Canadiens goal waved off
Acouple chipped teeth, two goals, a fight, four shots and 18-plus minutes of quality ice time.
Brady Tkachuk did everything he could to lock down two points for Ottawa on Tuesday night.
When he shot wide in the shootout, Tim Stutzle and Josh Norris made sure to back him up for the victory.
Ottawa goalie Matt Murray did his part with two shootout saves and Norris beat Carey Price to seal a wild 5-4 win in a rollicking affair at the
Canadian Tire Centre.
“It’s got to be one of the crazier games to have been a part of,” Tkachuk said.
“It was just a lot going on. I’m excited about how I’m going to feel tomorrow morning.”
Stutzle showed off his slick hands before snapping the puck past Price. Norris came in from a different angle and found the top corner to end the game.
Murray had stopped Corey Perry and Jonathan Drouin at the other end as Ottawa (6-141) won for the fourth time in six games.
The shootout capped an entertaining game that featured plenty of back-andforth action, particularly in the overtime session.
Stutzle had two glorious opportunities but couldn’t convert and Montreal’s Tyler Toffoli was stoned on a breakaway with about a minute to go.
It looked like Montreal’s Brendan Gallagher had scored the game-winner with 2.1 seconds left in regulation. However, the goal was waved off after a review found Murray didn’t have time to reset after contact was made in the crease.
Drake Batherson and Erik Brannstrom had the other Ottawa goals. Shea Weber scored twice for Montreal while Drouin and Toffoli had a goal apiece.
After a slow start to the season, the last-place Senators have picked up their play. Ottawa was coming off a 3-2 overtime victory over the Canadiens last Sunday.
Senators head coach D.J. Smith said his team was “dangerous” in both games.
“We’ve got a different hunger and a different attack mentality,” he said.
“When you get a couple on the power play and your penalty kill is good, you usually get points in the NHL.”
The Senators were 2-for-4 with the man advantage while the Canadiens were 0-for-3. Ottawa outshot Montreal 3936.
The 9-5-4 Canadiens were 51-2 last month but have just one win in their last six games, dropping them into fourth place in the North Division.
“It’s steps at this point,” Weber said. “We’re trying to get out of this and we’re going to get out of it together.”
The Senators needed just 96 seconds to open the scoring.
Derek Stepan delivered a low saucer pass to Batherson, who extended his goal streak to three games by beating Price with a high backhand.
Ottawa was rewarded for its steady power-play pressure at 9:57 when Tkachuk flipped the puck under Price’s arm.
“He’s so tough and just wants to make a difference in the biggest moments,” Norris said of his teammate. “I’m really happy for him.”
With Tkachuk and
Montreal’s Ben Chiarot off for fighting, the Canadiens caught a break to halve the lead at 16:03. Weber fired the puck toward the net from the boards and it deflected off Nikita Zaitsev’s skate and past
Murray.