Senators Dominate Canadiens in 5-2 Victory: Tkachuk and Zetterlund Lead the Charge
The Ottawa Senators emerged victorious in a physical matchup against the Montreal Canadiens with a 5-2 win. Brady Tkachuk and Fabian Zetterlund each contributed a goal and an assist to lead the Senators to victory. Drake Batherson, Jake Sanderson, and Artem Zub also found the back of the net for Ottawa, while Jordan Spence and Tyler Kleven chipped in with two assists each. Linus Ullmark made 19 saves in the win.
Montreal got on the board first with a power-play goal from Juraj Slafkovsky, but Ottawa quickly responded with a goal from Zetterlund. Zub then gave the Senators the lead with a slick goal late in the first period. Sanderson and Batherson extended Ottawa's lead in the second period, with Suzuki scoring for Montreal to cut into the deficit. Tkachuk sealed the win for the Senators with a goal late in the game.
The Senators controlled play at 5-on-5 but struggled on special teams, going 0-for-2 on the power play and giving up two goals on three penalty kill opportunities. Montreal's goaltender, Sam Montembeault, had a tough night, stopping 24 of 29 shots in the loss. Ottawa's David Perron notched an assist in his 1,200th NHL game, showcasing his veteran presence on the ice.
Up next, the Senators will host the New York Rangers, while the Canadiens will face off against the Winnipeg Jets in their next game. The win for Ottawa marks the end of a successful seven-game road trip, while Montreal looks to bounce back from back-to-back losses.