BATTERED AND BEATEN: Ottawa Senators fall to Philadelphia Flyers

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FLYERS 4, SENATORS 2

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As the injuries continue to stack up, the Ottawa Senators continue to lose hockey games.

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Coming off a successful stretch where they had an impressive 10-3-3 record, the Senators lost their fourth straight game, 4-2 Saturday night in Philadelphia.

Captain Brady Tkachuk, who had played 219 straight games, eighth-most in franchise history, was a late scratch, kept out of the game with an “upper-body injury.”

The Senators were already without centre Josh Norris, would could be out long term with an “upper-body injury.” Winger Zack MacEwen (lower body) was injured in the first period and didn’t return. Plus, the Senators were missing both their goalies — Joonas Korpisalo (illness) and Anton Forsberg (injured).

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There was some bad luck in play in this one; the Senators hit four goalposts in the final few minutes.

Mads Sogaard, who was recalled from Belleville to make the start in goal, was brilliant in the first period when Ottawa was outshot 20-4, 9-0 in the final 10 minutes. The Senators went the final 12:43 of the first period without a shot.

It took the Flyers 1:08 to score. Joel Farabee tipped in a Nick Seeler shot from the blue line.

The Senators tied it at 4:04 in the second period on a backhand by Vladimir Tarasenko that deflected off a Flyer and past goalie Felix Sandstrom, making his first NHL start of this season.

In the final minute of the second period, Philadadelphia took a 3-1 lead on two goals by Tyson Foerster in a 45-second span.

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He beat Sogaard with a wrist shot with 47 seconds left, then scored on a penalty shot after being hooked from behind by Shane Pinto.

The Flyers, with plenty of blocked shots, killed off a double minor for high sticking after Cam York clipped Jakob Chychrun in the face in the third period.

The Senators got another power-play chance soon after, with Scott Laughton penalized for a high stick on Claude Giroux, but didn’t generate any good chances.

Thomas Chabot scored on a slapshot from in close with 1:58 left.

Chychrun hit the goalpost with 40 seconds left.

With Sogaard pulled, York scored with a second left.

THIS ‘N’ THAT: Leevi Merilainen was the backup goalie for Ottawa … Thomas Chabot took a blast that hit both goalposts late in the game, then Dominik Kubalik hit a post seconds later … After Flyers winger Garrett Hathaway drilled Jacob Bernard-Docker with a big hit, defenceman Max Guenette, recalled before the game, took an interference penalty on Hathaway … WIth Tkachuk out, Pinto was between Mathieu Joseph and Vladimir Tarasenko, Tim Stutzle was between Giroux and Drake Batherson and Ridly Greig was between Kubalik and Parker Kelly … Erik Brannstrom took some shifts on the wing … Asked about what his team had to do to be successful Saturday, Senators coach Jacques Martin said earlier in the day: “We did a lot of good things (Friday), but we have to have a better start. We give up too many easy goals.”

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ICE CHIPS: Batherson limped off in the second period, but returned a few minutes later … Stutzle wore an “A” as an alternate captain … Nice glove save by Sogaard to rob Owen Tippett on a first-period Flyers power play … Close call as Chyrhrun banged a shot off the crossbar from in close on a second-period power play … It was the start of a four-game road trip for Ottawa. The Senators head to the west coast from Philadelphia, with games in Anaheim Wednesday, Los Angeles Thursday and San Jose Saturday.

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