Canadá, Ottawa Citizen, Inglês

Article content

It wasn’t like the Ottawa Senators had their A-game on their three-game west-coast road trip.

Article content

Article content

Three games. Two losses. One win (probably the worst they played of the three games).

But in Sunday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks, the Senators showed some get-up-and-go and at least got a point, losing 4-3 in overtime.

Ottawa’s Tim Stutzle and Josh Norris were stopped in the shootout, while Anaheim closed it out with goals by Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras.

Article content

It was a point, but for Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, who scored twice against the Ducks, it wasn’t satisfying enough.

“All we really care about is winning, do whatever it takes to win,” Tkachuk told TSN 1200’s Gord Wilson. “It’s time to dig in, dig deep. The answer is in that room and we’re going to find it.”

What an exciting overtime it was. Senators defenceman Thomas Chabot hit the goal post early. That was followed by a flurry of Anaheim chances, with Ottawa goalie Linus Ullmark standing tall.

“It was a step in the right direction, compared to the first two games (of the road trip),” Ullmark said. “I’m really happy with how we responded from the adversity throughout the game. We didn’t break, we bent. We can bring this into the next game. We’re leaving California on a positive note.”

Unlike the early stages of Saturday’s 5-2 loss in Los Angeles, the Senators had plenty of energy early. And they found that energy again in the third period.

The Ducks took a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal with 5:15 left in the first period. Frank Vatrano rifled a one-timer past Ullmark from near the top of the faceoff circle.

Article content

Article content

With the Ducks playing two men short-handed late in the first period, Stutzle ripped a wrist shot that Brady Tkachuk deflected past Anaheim goalie Lukas Dostal.

But the Ducks regained their lead with six seconds left when Ullmark made two saves, but defenceman Jackson LaCombe knocked the third attempt into the net. A thought: Where was Ottawa’s defence?

Tkachuk took a long Chabot pass and broke in behind Anaheim’s defence, knocking in his rebound to tie the game 37 seconds into the second period.

Vatrano gave Anaheim a 3-2 lead 4:37 into the third. Nick Cousins tied it 1:09 later.

The Ducks swept the 2023-24 season series with wins of 5-1 and 2-1.

Ottawa will return home to begin a four-game homestand. First up is a visit from the Detroit Red Wings Thursday.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Play Video

GAUD SPEED: Adam Gaudette, who scored his 12th goal of the season Saturday, led the NHL in goals per 60 minutes this season (minimum 15 games) going into Sunday. He’d scored 12 goals with an average of 10:40 ice time (3.07 goals per 60 minutes). Second is Alex Ovechkin with 2.84 goals per 60 minutes. Next is Brayden Point with 2.59 goals per 60. Then, it’s Sam Reinhart with 2.13 per 60 and Jack Roslovic and Leon Draisitl tied with 2.12 per 60.

Article content

Oh, and there’s this. Over the past 10 years, Gaudette is just the fifth Ottawa player to score at least 12 goals through the club’s first 22 games. Others on the list: Brady Tkachuk J.G. Pageau and Mark Stone (each with 13) and Mike Hoffman with 14

FEAR THE BEARD: Every team should have a Radko Gudas. And, if not a Gudas, someone just like him. I’m not just talking at what a hit machine the 34-year-old, who has been called The Butcher, is. It’s his beard. Like, he just looks like a tough guy. I’m betting he has five o’clock shadow about five minutes after shaving that hornet’s nest (if he does, in fact, shave). Back to the hits, in the 2021-22 season with Florida, he had a whopping 355 hits. He was walloping any Senator he could find Sunday, with 71hits  in just 22 games going into the game.

STREAKING STU: With his assist Sunday, Stützle has recorded 30 points through 24 games, more than any player under the age of 23 in the NHL: Next: Connor Bedard (19), Cole Perfetti (17) and Brandt Clarke and JJ Peterka (16). During a season where there have been some underachievers on the Senators roster, Stutzle is a rising star.

Article content