Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk (7) jumps as he tries to deflect a shot in front of Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (39) and defenceman Marcus Pettersson (28) during second period NHL hockey action in Ottawa, on Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
OTTAWA – Tim Stutzle scored 70 seconds into overtime to lead the Ottawa Senators to a 5-4 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins Saturday night to snap a six-game losing streak.
It also marked Jacques Martin’s first win in his second stint as the Senators head coach.
Brady Tkachuk, Josh Norris, Erik Brannstrom and Jakob Chychrun also scored for Ottawa (12-17-0). Anton Forsberg made 30 saves.
Lars Eller, Rickard Rakell, Drew O’Connor and Kris Letang scored for the Penguins (15-13-4). Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 21 shots.
Trailing 4-2 to start the third, the Penguins made it a one-goal game just 1:51 into the period when O’Connor deflected a Marcus Petersson point shot and Letang tied the game with 2:26 remaining.
Leading 2-1 Ottawa was able to extend its lead early in the second when Claude Giroux made a great pass through traffic to a streaking Tkachuk, who tipped home his 15th of the season.
Pittsburgh was able to make it a one-goal game when Rakell was able to tip home a Sidney Crosby pass, but Ottawa padded its lead on Brannstrom’s second of the season at 7:30. The goal required a lengthy review, but stood.
The Senators got the start they were looking for jumping out to a 2-1 lead in the first period.
Chychrun opened the scoring sliding on one knee to wire home a Giroux rebound at 11:07. The Penguins tied the game with a power-play goal at 14:31 when Eller was able to beat Forsberg short side, but Ottawa regained the lead 30 seconds later when Norris was able to bat in a shot past Nedeljkovic.
INTERESTING STAT
Jacques Martin’s first game behind a Senators bench was Jan. 24, 1996 in a 4-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
NOTES
Vladimir Tarasenko played in his 700th NHL game. The Senators remain without Thomas Chabot (leg), Zack MacEwen (hamstring), Mathieu Joseph (lower body) and Rourke Chartier (upper body) “¦ Bryan Rust missed his sixth straight game with an upper-body injury, while Matt Nieto missed his 10th game in a row with a lower-body injury for the Penguins.
UP NEXT
Senators: Take on the Toronto Maple Leafs on Dec. 27.
Penguins: Head to Long Island to take on the Islanders on Dec. 27.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 23, 2023.
