Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk (7) battles for position with Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Nick Perbix around goaltender Matt Tomkins during first period NHL action, in Ottawa, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
OTTAWA – Brady Tkachuk had his second two-goal game to lead the Ottawa Senators to a 5-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning Sunday night.
Mathieu Joseph, Vladimir Tarasenko and Tim Stützle also scored, while Joonas Korpisalo picked up his first win and point with the Senators (2-1-0) after making 22 saves.
Both teams had played Saturday with the Senators beating Philadelphia 5-2, while Tampa fell 6-4 to Detroit and had a slow start.
Matt Tomkins, 29, made his NHL debut Sunday stopping 33 shots for the visitors. Anthony Cirelli and Tanner Jeannot each scored.
Leading 3-2, Tkachuk was able to give the Senators some breathing room midway through the third period when he beat Darren Raddysh in a foot race and scored five-hole on Tomkins. Stutzle also added an empty-net goal, with Korpisalo picking up the secondary assist.
After being outshot 17-3 in the first period the Lightning (1-2-0) tied the game in the opening minute of the second. Cirelli crossed to the front of the net uncontested and roofed a shot over Korpisalo.
Midway through the period Raddysh blocked Tkachuk’s shot and dropped allowing the Senators captain to grab the loose puck and make it a 2-1 game. Tampa tied it at the 13-minute mark when Jeannot capitalized on a Victor Hedman rebound.
But with just under a minute to play in the second Nick Perbix looked to drop a pass back, but was picked off by Tarasenko who fed Joseph, who wasted no time wristing a shot to the top corner.
For the third straight game the Senators scored the opening goal. Seven minutes into the period Ridly Greig backhanded a pass back to Tarasenko who beat Tomkins from down low.
INTERESTING FACT
Tampa Bay bench boss Jon Cooper coached his 800th NHL game Sunday. He has a 481-251-67 record.
NOTES
Ottawa’s Parker Kelly played in his 100th NHL career game Sunday. Tampa captain Steven Stamkos did not play Sunday. He is listed day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Austin Watson returned to Ottawa to face his former team. Watson signed a one-year deal with the Lightning.
UP NEXT
The Senators host the Washington Capitals Wednesday night, while Tampa heads to Buffalo to take on the Sabres Tuesday night.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2023.
