Tkachuk makes new memory in Winnipeg with goal

The significance of the moment wasn't lost on Brady Tkachuk.

The Ottawa Senators' alternate captain scored his second goal of the season in Saturday's 6-3 loss at Bell MTS Place. But it carried extra meaning because it was the first of his career against the Winnipeg Jets, given his family 's long history with the city and the franchise.

The 21-year-old Tkachuk tied it up 2-2 at 11:14 of the second period and it no doubt ignited cheers in the households of his family members across North America. Tkachuk's father, Keith, suited up for 308 games with the original Jets from 1991 to 1996.

That's where Keith met Brady's mother, Chantal, and Tkachuk's grandfather still makes his home in Winnipeg. Brady wasn't born until after the Jets relocated to Phoenix, but as children they made trips back to the city every summer to see Chantal's family.

“We've got so many ties (to Winnipeg), of course my dad, but my mom being from here and my grandpa still being here,” Tkachuk said when asked by Postmedia what the goal meant to him. “I wish I could see him and it's unfortunate with all the protocols and other rules that I can't see him.

“It definitely would have been a lot nicer with my grandpa in the stands, but there's a lot of ties here and I definitely would have loved to win because we used to come here once a year. I just wish I got to see my grandpa on this trip.”

Tkachuk was disappointed with the Senators coming away with only one point in the three-game set against the Jets.

“This whole series, it started with us playing so well Game 1, and just couldn't close it out,” said Tkachuk. “And Game 2, we didn't play our game. And tonight, we played a good 40 minutes and then we let off the gas a little bit. All these games are so important, and it's important for us to learn from the things we did well, but especially the mistakes we made. It's early but it's a short year.”

BAD PENALTY

Veteran centre Derek Stepan, who wore the alternate “A” in Winnipeg, took ownership of his terrible delay-of-game penalty in the third that resulted in the winning goal by Paul Stastny with 4:15 left.

“I thought we did some really good things in the first 40 minutes,” Stepan said. “And then at the start of the third we kind of sat back on our heels. As a veteran guy, brought in to be a leader, I can't take a penalty like that, especially when their power play is as good as it is. That lands on me. I feel like I let the group down, especially with how well the guys battled tonight. I'd like to see us be on our toes a little bit more in the third but it this one stinks for me right now.”

HOGBERG'S FIRST START

Making his first start since March 10, Marcus Hogberg allowed five goals on 37 shots, but looked good and didn't have a lot of help at times.

“It felt pretty good,” said Hogberg, who played the third period Thursday in Ottawa.

“The first 40 minutes was pretty good. And then they scored some goals on the power play. Otherwise, this felt pretty good to get out there but it's tough to start with a loss.”