Tampa Bay Lightning centre Anthony Cirelli (71) falls to the ice after making a hit on Ottawa Senators defenceman Thomas Chabot (72) during first period NHL hockey action in Ottawa, on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
OTTAWA – Special teams proved to be the difference for the Ottawa Senators in a 5-4 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday afternoon at Canadian Tire Centre.
Noah Gregor’s short-handed goal in the third period proved to be the winner for the Senators (3-2-0). It was his first goal of the season.
Ottawa was 2-for-5 with the man advantage as the Lightning (3-1-0) lost for the first time this season.
Drake Batherson led the way for Ottawa with two goals and an assist. Josh Norris and Brady Tkachuk also scored and Anton Forsberg made 25 saves.
Forsberg was far from his best and the Lightning took advantage with Nikita Kucherov scoring his league-leading seventh goal. Nick Paul, Jake Guentzel and Mitchell Chaffee also tallied for Tampa Bay.
Forsberg came up with a big save on Kucherov with 56.4 seconds remaining.
Andrei Vasilevsky stopped 23 shots.
TAKEAWAYS
Senators: Linus Ullmark missed his third straight game, with what has been described as a strain. Ullmark practised earlier in the week but didn’t dress as the backup.
Lightning: Tampa Bay failed to take advantage of its opportunities going 0-for-3 on the man advantage after scoring on the power play in its first three games.
KEY MOMENT
With a 4-3 lead, the Senators killed a 48-second two-man advantage early in the third period to hold off the Lightning. Ottawa scored short-handed on the ensuing Tampa Bay power play to take a two-goal lead.
KEY STAT
With seven goals and two assists over four games, Kucherov is off to the most productive start of his career.
UP NEXT
Senators: Ottawa will take on the Utah Hockey Club on Tuesday.
Lightning: Tampa Bay will visit the Maple Leafs on Tuesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2024.
