Senators finally cash in with home win over Vegas Golden Knights

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SENATORS 4, KNIGHTS 3 (SO)

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The Ottawa Senators finally hit the jackpot against the Vegas Golden Knights at home on Saturday night.

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The Senators served notice they weren’t ready to wave the white flag on this season by picking up their second straight win with a thrilling 4-3 shootout decision over the defending Stanley Cup-champion Knights in front of a sellout crowd of 19,197 at the Canadian Tire Centre.

Tim Stutzle scored the winner in the shootout.

It was the first time in six home games against the Knights that the Senators had been able to pick up the two points. Ottawa erased a two-goal deficit, with Josh Norris giving his club a 3-2 lead at 5::48 of the third period by tipping a shot from Thomas Chabot home for his 16th goal of the season.

Chabot and Norris both had two-point efforts, while Drake Batherson also chipped in with a goal, and goaltender Anton Forsberg delivered a standout effort to secure the win.

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The Knights refused to let this slip away, forcing the Senators to work overtime. Chandler Stephenson scored his second of the game with an extra attacker on the ice, beating Forsberg with only 1:15 left in the game to tie it up 3-3.

The decision to go back to Forsberg was the right one for the Senators. He wasn’t tested a lot in his previous victory over the Dallas Stars, but he made the necessary stops, and they’re at a point, where if they win, the best bet is to stick with the goalie who will give them a chance to win again.

Forsberg battled and he made big stops against the Knights. He was the reason the Senators had the chance to come back in this one in the third period.

AROUND THE BOARDS

The Senators finally cashed in on the power play with 1:13 left in the second to tie it up 2-2. Drake Batherson took a pass from captain Brady Tkachuk and fired a blast by Logan Thompson. That was No. 18 of the season for the Senators’ winger and the team’s first in three attempts with the man-advantage … With Sheldon Rempal of the Knights in alone and the Senators trailing by a goal, Forsberg made a huge pad stop with 5:55 left in the second period … Chabot scored his fifth of the season to get the Senators on the board on the 14th shot Thompson faced. He fired a blast from the top of the slot nine minutes into the second period. That was Chabot’s third goal in three straight games … The Knights were coming off a 7-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday … Stephenson beat a screened Forsberg to give the Knights at 2-0 lead on the power play at 3:03 of the second. That came with Parker Kelly in the box. It was a great shot by Stephenson to beat Forsberg inside the post on the stick side.

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THIS N’ THAT

The Senators rank No. 25 in the 30-team National Hockey League on the power play, and their two opportunities in the first period perfectly illustrated that. They couldn’t get set up in the Knights’ zone and had little sustained pressure … Ottawa winger Mathieu Joseph stepped up for his teammate after Vegas forward Brendan Brisson finished a check on Tim Stuzle in the first period … Stutzle couldn’t get to a loose puck and that resulted in a turnover. Ottawa then found itself in trouble early and Jonathan Marchessault beat Forsberg with a backhander from the slot at 5:41 of the first period. That marked the ninth time in the past 11 games that Ottawa had given up the opening goal … The Senators were without defenceman Artem Zub. He was out with an unspecified ailment. He missed two games earlier this month, but had suited up for four straight since then. Travis Hamonic returned to the lineup after being scratched for three games.

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THE FINAL BUZZER

With the NHL trade deadline set for March 8 at 3 p.m. ET, it was difficult not to take notice of a conversation taking place in the stands during the morning skate Saturday. Steve Staios, the Senators’ president of hockey operations and general manager, had a lengthy chat with Vegas president of hockey operations George McPhee.

The duo were joined later by Ottawa associate GM Ryan Bowness. McPhee and GM Kelly McCrimmon have never been afraid to make changes.

Captain Mark Stone, a former Senators winger, is out week-to-week with an unspecified upper-body injury and the belief is Vegas would like forward depth.

Vegas has been linked to Pittsburgh winger Jake Guentzel, but he’s out until at least March 10 with an upper body injury and making a move for him could be risky.

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It would make sense for the Knights to kick tires on Senators winger Vladimir Tarasenko. An unrestricted free agent as of July 1, he has a full no-trade clause and can control his own destiny, but fits the bill for Vegas, which is looking for to have another long playoff run.

Tarasenko went into Saturday’s game with 15 goals and 22 assists for 37 points in 52 games. He won a Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019. The Senators would likely be looking for a high pick and a prospect in return.

The Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins were the only teams with scouts in the building for this one.

bgarrioch@postmedia.com

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