Stutzle sensational as Sens snap losing skid with 3-2 win over Canadiens
Chabot #Chabot
MONTREAL — The Ottawa Senators snapped a nine-game losing skid Thursday, upsetting the Montreal Canadiens 3-2.
Rookie Tim Stutzle put up a goal and two assists for the Senators (2-8-1), who had not won since their season opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Jan. 13.
Ottawa’s Thomas Chabot also scored and registered a helper, and Connor Brown had a goal.
Montreal (7-2-2) bookended the game with goals from Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson.
It was a tough night in net for Canadiens goalie Carey Price, who stopped 19-of-22 shots. At the other end of the ice, Matt Murray had 36 saves for the Sens.
Despite the result, Ottawa lingers at the bottom of the NHL standings, one point behind the 30th-place Detroit Red Wings.
Anderson clawed back a short-handed goal with 1:29 left on the clock after Ben Chiarot was handed a double-minor for drawing blood when he caught Brady Tkachuk with a high stick.
It was the Canadiens’ seventh short-handed goal of the season.
Montreal opened the score 10:31 into the first after Tomas Tatar put a long shot on net. Gallagher, posted up at the top the crease, popped in the rebound.
Ottawa responded with a big minute at the end.
Chabot knotted the score at 1-1, clanking a shot off the post and in with 39 seconds left on the clock.
Stutzle registered an assist on the play, his first in the NHL.
Moments later, Brown drew a holding call on Jeff Petry to give the Sens their first power play of the night.
Ottawa was quick to capitalize on the man advantage. Chabot sliced a pass to Stutzle and he unleashed a lethal wrister from the face-off circle, beating Price cleanly to give the Sens a 2-1 lead heading into the intermission.
It was the 19-year-old’s fourth NHL goal, and extended his goal streak to three games.
The Canadiens came into the second with renewed gusto.
Phillip Danault peppered the Sens net with shots in the first minute, with Murray stopping one and another clanking off the post.
Ottawa weathered the storm and padded its lead 8:12 into the period. Erik Brannstrom wired a wrist shot from the blue line and Brown tipped it in past price for his first goal of the season.
The Habs refused to go quietly, pushing hard and outshooting the Sens 18-5 in the final frame.
Just over seven minutes into the period, Corey Perry looked to spark his team, dropping the gloves with Ottawa defenceman Erik Gudbranson following some pushing and shoving in front of the Sens net. Both were sent off for fighting.
Montreal had chances to crawl out of the hole with back-to-back power plays midway through the frame.
Murray stood tall in the Ottawa net, turning away shots from sharp shooters Tyler Toffoli and Nick Suzuki, and getting some help from his posts as Petry rang a shot off the iron.
The Canadiens were 0-for-5 with the man advantage. The Senators were 1-for-4 on the power play.
A rematch between the two sides will take place in Ottawa on Saturday.
NOTES: Danault skated in his 350th NHL game. … The Canadiens recognized Shea Webber’s 1,000th game before puck drop, playing a video with congratulatory messages from around the league. The Montreal captain was then joined on the ice by his wife and three kids and presented with a painting and a commemorative silver stick.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 4, 2021.
The Canadian Press